Where are we?

If you haven't been on Randall Rd. recently you haven't gotten the chance to sit in a traffic jam for longer than you would want to. The building of the new Walmart is causing quite the commotion. Sometimes I don't mind and get in line with the rest of the cars.

But a few times we take to the back roads to get anywhere North. Traveling down Nesler road we pass the Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve which has an inviting walking trail. There are always cars in the parking lot.

I mention to Mike that I would like to see where it goes.
His suggestion - "Just get on Google and check out the satellite view."
Seriously, what fun is that?
With being a great morning weather wise, I suggested we go take a hike.

It was pretty cool. They have "You are Here" signs all along the trail. It points out nature highlights - flowers and tress and fish in the creek. There was about 5000 grasshoppers.

It makes a 3.25 mile loop. One trail is blacktopped (1.1 miles) - it leads over to Russell Rd. where they have potties and picnic shelter areas. You can take that back or you can continue on a limestone gravel trail through the woods (2.15) to finish the loop. 

We did the loop. It was an easy walk with very little ups and downs - a definite do over.

One Month

Yes, my new grand baby is one month old already!

He loves to smile and he loves to lay on his side.

Mary sent us this picture taken of Roger on his new quilt I made him. Gotta admit I love to see Roger on his new quilt.

I also want to shout out to my niece Carrie and all the pictures she post on her blog with the twins laying on their quilt. Makes my heart VERY happy. Those were the first quilts that I hand quilted and I love that she is using them.

Football

I am so ready for some football.

I enjoyed watching the boys play baseball, but football is soooo much better.

This year Kaylyn decided that she wanted to cheer. She was excited about the uniform. She was excited about the pretty hair ribbons. She was not excited about cheering though. She was not having fun and it wasn't hard for everyone to notice.

Logan is wearing 42 again this year, but he now wears a orange uniform instead of the bronco blue from last year.

Logan's team scored on their first 4 possessions and the Belvidere team had a minus yardage for the first quarter. Ouch! OK - I admit it was really fun to watch.
With the lopsided score no one player could play his normal position. Logan is usually on the line so the second half he got to carry the ball.
More excitement for Grandma. Should be a good year.

Powder Puff

Genoa Kingston football sponsored a powder puff football game for the Moms. Stacy thought it would be fun so she signed up.
Little did she know that there would be stretching and jumping jacks.

Tunrs out she is quite the stud.
Stacy - the quarterback.

That's her wearing 42 (Logan's number) quarterbacking her team. She was passing and running all over the place. The game ended in a tie. 0-0, but clearing the Mom's were having a really good time.

Meeting #19

Mom has been calling and asking about Roger.
Thursday was a perfect summer day so I called Mom and asked her if she wanted to take a trip into the city to meet Great grand child #19 - aka Roger.

She was feeling good so off we went. Linda rode along to see the new nephew and the new house.

We had a very nice visit and Roger got to be cuddle by his great grandmother.

Directions

Remember in school when your English teacher gave you a test and the first question said "Read the whole test before starting" and the last question told you to only answer the first 10 questions. I was that student who actually read it all and was one of the first students to turn the test back. I would  snicker at the idiots who didn't read the whole thing first and were doing the whole test.

I can read a map and follow directions, vary rarely getting lost.

When I have to put something together I always read the instructions as I go.

I am a great cook because I can follow a recipe.

So, when I started sewing on steps 3 of our mystery quilt I couldn't figure out how I was going to take the blocks from step 1 & 2 and put them with the blocks in step 3 to get them to look like the picture of the final quilt.

Well, I am NOT.

Turns out my (96) blocks from step 2 are different. Really nothing about quilting is wrong, it's just my quilt will not look like everybody else's. I'm sure Sharen will figure out which one is mine pretty quickly.

Give me a break: There are 803 separate pieces in a 50" x 64" wall quilt. 

sleepless in Chicago

Bryan called me and asked if I could come in and spend the night with Roger and give Mary a much needed good nights sleep.
Of Course!!! (I am so happy to be retired and available)
Mike tagged along with me. He hadn't seen Roger since the first day at the hospital.
Roger is having a little trouble with reflux so he sleeps upright in this cool rocking hammock that Mary got as a gift.

He likes to turn of his side. Mary got smart and took the lining out of his car seat and it, and Roger, fit perfect in it. I can't believe I don't have a picture of that!

When I mentioned this to Carrie she told me to tell Mary to try gas drops. They helped Miss Kallie, so I stopped off at Walgreens and bought some to take with us.
Roger seemed to like them (or maybe it was me) because that little bugger slept for 4 1/2 hours.

Holding that little bundle brought back so many memories of Bryan. I teased Mary if she was ready for a little boy that looks just like his Daddy running around and she assured me that she was.

Yes Grandma, I hear you and I promise to be a good boy for Mommy!

Blessed

I got to spend yesterday with Roger. Bryan went back to work and Mary needed help getting him to the doctor. His checkup went really good and he is growing just like he should.
I have other grandkids whos health is good. Logan hurt his back at football practice, but is bouncing back and will be on the field for the first kick off.
I went out to have Dave put a car seat into my car and I got to hold and cuddle a bit with the Zierk twins, who are growing by leap and bounds. All healthy!
I am tryly blessed.

I reflect on all this because I got an email from a friend whos daughter is going through a really heart wrenching experience. I worked with Peggy (the mother) at the paper and I got to meet Amanda when she would come to visit. I don't know Amanda personally, but she must be strong just like her mother. She is pregnant with conjoined twins.
Here is her story

Amanda's Story