Saturday

The kids were here for a couple of hours while Tony and Carrie went to dinner with friends. I'd found a few 10-75 cent toys at garage sales in the neighborhood, as well as several 10 cent books. So I had some new things for the kids to explore. Nolan likes dinosaurs right now, so he was happy with the 3 dinosaur books I found. Cora took Helen Keller's book home after getting started on it here. Hannah loves the Webkins website. That's what she does while Cora and Nolan play soccer and look for bugs and other interesting things outside. The hat came with the girl today. Another tween 'tude! Fun.

Tonight I went with Mario to QU's soccer tournament. I'd forgotten how fast college soccer is. They won 4-0, so everybody was happy. Got to see Bob Pollihan, one of Mario's teammates from QU. He comes up for a couple of games every year.

I will be in Jacksonville for the Dreams drawing Sunday evening. On Monday I am going with the Eilerings and Mom to have lunch with Paige. I have never been to Augustana, although I have heard very good things from past QND students who have gone there. Always something to look forward to.

Grown-Up Cora

As you can see, little Miss Cora Dede is growing up. On her last shopping trip, she bought polka dot hoop earrings with the spending money I gave her. She is managing her own hair and wardrobe. I look forward to the tween years with this one!

This week marks one year milestone for me being cancer free. I had normal bloodwork and a clear mammogram. Doesn't get any better than that.

Mario had a great first week back to school. Loves his new classroom and his students. He is also keeping busy with the translating job for ISD. There is a little something going on every day.

I look forward to the excitement surrounding the $100,000 drawing on Sunday in Jacksonville. It is always a little fun to fantasize what to do with the money if my name is drawn! I will stay over and take a ride to Rock Island on Monday. Looking forward to that.

I am indebted to Tony for spending last evening after supper setting my computer up with ITunes and getting my MP3 player going. Yes, this is a first. I have loaded about 40 songs already, mostly tunes from the 60's and a few gospel songs. Went out walking with it this morning. I must admit, I love it!

Everybody have a great Labor Day weekend. How about this weather!!!

My grandkids make me smile....

Two year old Nolan now weighs in at 40 lbs. He is solidly packed, tall, and could easily pass for a 4 yr. old. In fact, Nolan rules the 4 yr. olds in Carrie's daycare. So keeping this little powerball in mind, think about how peacefully one is sleeping in the early morning hours of the weekend....and suddenly, the bedroom door is flung open, and the mighty mite flings a gallon jug of chocolate milk at the sleeping parents with the demand, "I want some chocolate milk!" Now, this is nothing new. Previously Nolan has tossed the cereal box a time or two, as well as his big dump truck. Guess he wanted somebody to play trucks with him. Well, "Prince Nolan" as I have sometimes come to call him, got his glass of chocolate milk. I get a little uptight thinking about what he might fling next at Mom and Dad.

Cora is now the concession stand superstar at Blake's soccer games. Carrie is one of the moms in charge, sharing that responsibility with two others. She took Cora to the scrimmage this week to be a ball girl. But they had enough ball girls, so she took Cora with her to work in the concession stand. Seems as though she worked circles around the adults, whipping out the tacos and the hot dogs fast as lightning, and having no problems making change in her head for the $20 bills.

Hannah is continuing to have her reputation at school and at PSR as the shy one. Interesting, because of the 4 Dede kids, I'd have to say she is the most vocal at letting her needs and feelings known at home and at Grandma's. But apparently when she goes into less familiar terrain, she's just like Mama Carrie was when she was a little girl. Shy.

Blake was asked recently if he's going to Homecoming. The quick response? "If somebody asks me." He made it clear that he doesn't plan to do the asking. But if somebody asks him, he'll go. I have a pretty good feeling that he will be going.

Out in Phoenix, little Miss Makenna is saying dada. Will get to see her the end of September when they come back for Ike's wedding. Something to look forward to.

That's the grandkid report from here.

I've Been Awake Quite Awhile....(since my last blog)

Each day I have not gotten back to my blog, I have been thinking about my niece Stephanie, who said several weeks back about the blog, "Every time I check it, you are still at the prom."

The days and weeks since I returned from my visit to Phoenix have been full, and I have barely been keeping up! Summer has treated me kindly. Sadly, the loss of relatives Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Gene, and cousin Brad, have taken a bit of joy out of '08. Always, there is a chance that the moment, sometimes totally unexpected, will occur when God calls your name.

But what a summer I've had! Three months, three trips. First in June to Vegas for a stay in our Marriot time share. Carrie and Chris and their families joined us for a few days, and I cannot remember a more meaningful vacation, just being together. And as always, we had a great time with Eddie and Connie and some of their family while we were there. Next, in July, Mario and I went different directions, he to Guadalajara, his birthplace, and me to Phoenix for a few days with that Arizona babydoll. Oh, and Chris and Maria too! The last summer run was to a beautiful condo in the Ozarks in a place called Old Kinderhook at Camdenton, MO. We had a 5th floor "penthouse" townhouse with plenty of room for all Carrie's gang and Mario and I. Now if I had to share a vacation experience that I will not forget anytime soon, it was the waterslide at the Big Surf Waterpark called the Spacebowl. There should be a "No Grannies Allowed" policy for that one. It had the longest line, and when I knew I'd had about enough of the milder, gentler slides and lazy river, I told Carrie I wanted to see why everybody was standing in line for that one. So down I went, screaming, and when I came up, I could not stop laughing. I told the lifeguard I wasn't sure if I could get myself out of the water. He was at the ready, but slowly I gathered my wits and dragged myself out of the deep pool. I spent the last hour at the waterpark recovering, sitting on a curb, supervising Nolan as he engaged in his favorite activity of the day, throwing rocks at a tree.

Probably my favorite memory of the summer was getting to know my granddaughter Makenna. I spent the better part of 5 days with her while Chris and Maria were unpacking their belongings and adjusting to new jobs in the Phoenix area (they actually live in Scottsdale). Initially, Makenna was a little distant, not sure who I was or where I came from. But our early bonding experience in the back seat of the car helped us along. She was in her car seat, facing backwards, so she had to look at me sitting right next to her. That's when the tongue came out. So I stuck mine out too. For an hour or two while we were riding around Scottsdale, that's what we did. By the next day, we were great pals. I'm told this is how babies this age communicate. I can't remember doing that with my own kids. I think I told them to put their tongue back in their mouth where it belonged! :) But when you are a grandma, the grandchild determines policy. I loved my time there with that little girl.

Now about Mario's trip to Guadalajara, Mexico....in his first phone call home, the joy of the reunion with three of his brothers in their birthplace was evident. He has lots of new material for his storytelling, and we are talking about another trip to Mexico next summer, to Mexico City where Edmundo lives, and wives will go this time. He took lots of pictures, and from what I can tell, there was just a lot of brotherly love goin' on. He met many relatives and related that people there speak very highly of his parents. It all meant a lot to him.

I have just a few "balls in the air" as Chris calls life activities. Helping to plan the upcoming Johnson reunion, gearing up for Blake's JV soccer season, being a facilitator with Mario for the church "Why Catholic" program, getting ready to start a new Bible study year, attending 2 cancer support groups (one is like a party with a little education on the side, the other is a place where you can help people who are presently going through what you have already been through), doing my twice-a-month volunteer cashier job at the hospital Tea Room, Thursday night dinner for Carrie's family..., well those are a few of the things that are going on here. I am coming up on the one-year celebration of being cancer-free. I have a notebook of thoughts for writing the story. Perhaps I will get started on Sept. 4. It's a good story with a good ending. And I think it might help someone else.