Christmas

Christmas without snow is not right.
Christmas with 55 degrees is plain wrong.
But that is what we had this year. It did mean that all the family got to our house without too much hassle. It meant that I could go outside with the Flory boys and run around. It also meant that the coats we bought for the Krib boys will have to be put away for colder weather.
We had them all over Christmas Eve for an early dinner and lots of presents.

I mentioned to Roger and Luke that it would be a huge help to me if they would scape their plates and put them into the dishwasher when they were done, so Grandma didn't have too. Everyone must have heard me cause, before I knew it all the dishes were off the table and into the dishwasher.
In hindsight, I'm thinking they probably thought it was one step closer to presents.


When our kids were little I remember Mom and Dad always having their Christmas on the Sunday before the actual day. Mom worked her tail off baking and cooking. It was always a crazy, good time. She always said we should be home with our families on Christmas day.
Someone I told that to, asked me what Mom and Dad did on that day then. I couldn't tell her. I really had no idea. I imagine they stayed home alone.


That is what Mike and I did this year. I baked a ham in the air fryer and we had a nice quiet day, just the two of us. I did take advantage of the weather and tried out my new platform step ladder from Bryan and Mary and washed my outside windows. As much as I enjoyed that (I love washing windows) I still think we should always have a White Christmas. It is my favorite Christmas movie after all.

You should never pass up a opportunity when you have all the grandkids with you to take a Grandma and Papa picture.

Owen was supposed to sit on my lap, but he was not having any of that. He was doing what he wanted and I love this picture all the more because of it.

Crafting

My neighbor across the street had a friend who was a serious quilter. When she passed away her husband wanted the fabric out of the house. She thought of me right away and hauled it all back to her house. There was no way I could take it all, but she did insist I take a huge portion of it.

sorting colors

It is a crazy amount of fabric. I will probably never get around to using all of it, but I'm going to respect the lady who had it all and take care of every bit of it.


Sharen grabbed the bin of felt thinking of doing crafts with her grand daughters.


I was excited when they asked me to join them.
We got out scissors, glue, sparkles and the bin of felt and sat down at Sharen's kitchen table to make some ornaments.

Master Crafters

 We had fun sorting the felt and picking out the best colors and cookie cutters to use. Kallie, Kendell and I traced and cut out some shapes and Sharen took them into her sewing area and sewed the two sides together.

Kendell adding some sparkle

At one point I didn't know where Kallie disappeared to and then I figured it out.

She had followed Grandma into the sewing room. Pretty sure she half wanted to sew some and the other half spend time with Grandma. That girl needs her won sewing machine - I'm just saying. Hey, maybe she can be our next quilter in the family and I can hand down the fabric to her. Pretty sure Carrie would have a problem with that, but time will tell.

I was manning the glue gun. Both girls wanted to try it. Kallie got through it smooth, but Kendell stuck her finger in the hot glue (more than once) and with her drama voice asked me to finish for her.
I can see some Carrie in her for sure.

TaDa the ornaments

Each girl made me a heart shaped one for my tree. They each made one of a bone for their dogs. Kallie made the Harper one and Kendell, one for Tank.


It was great fun hanging with my twin and her twins.
I have 2 ornaments on my tree to remember the day.


State Champions

Sharen has been bragging (with good reason) how good Kendell and Kallie are at cheer and dance.
Last month Carrie asked me if I would help her out and pick up the twins from their cheer practice.


Well I snuck in a little early and watched them.
I was surprised at the attention all the girls put into their practice and the attention they paid to their coach. No chit chatting and no sitting around. these girls were all business.


I got to witness their dedication at the State Championship.
These girls walked into the Sears Center arena with no fear. Showing anyway, they did admit to me after that they were a little nervous.


Carrie didn't know I was coming with Sharen and was happy to see me. As we sat there with Sharen on her left holding her hand and me on the right with my hand in her death grip the girls rocked it.
No tumbles, no falls, and Kendell flipped down her tumble run flawless.




Kallie posing on top

Kendell cheering from above

 

 After the show the girls were so excited. Hugs for everyone. And a few pictures.

Twin Power

It was a long day with numerous teams from around the state competing.
Sharen and I left and waited for a text with the results.
The girls took home their second state title in 3 years.

Kallie and Kendell Champions

Breakfast with Santa

So we celebrated our last Santa breakfast at Res.
It's been 8 years celebrating with the staff at the daycare at AMITA Resurrection Hospital having breakfast with Santa.
Owen will be heading to Kindergarten next year.

posing with Santa

I'm pretty sure it's the same Jolly old St. Nick. Then again they all look alike.

Santa asking what they want

No surprise that they all wanted Pokémon cards. They all came away with a present.
Owen made the rounds and talked with all the parents and hugged all his classmates.
It was so sweet to watch him. He even had the nuns laughing.

Group Picture

We corralled Owen for a quick picture and then he was off (with Bryan in pursuit) to greet all the people eating in the cafeteria.
His teacher had tears in her eyes when she posed with all 3 boys. She's been a teacher for them all.
I didn't get a shot - sometimes you just have to watch and enjoy the moment.

Grandparents Day

Mike and I visited Mary Seat of Wisdom for Grandparents Day.
The schedule this year was a little different from years pass. We started the day with classroom visits.  Luke's first grade classroom was our first stop.

mike helped him with a word search

He has the same teacher that Roger had in first grade. I counted 26 desks for students. A lot of kids in a small space. Luke tells us he is enjoying school - especially the reading.

Roger and Best Friend Mason

He did take time out from playing "Memory" with Mason to introduce us to him.
"This is my Grandma Millikan - She loves to fix puzzles and sew."
"This is my Papa Millikan and he play Legos with me."

Roger's third grade classroom had only 18 desks. His teacher is young and energetic - oh, and very pretty. He told us that Math is still his favorite subject.

Proud to be grandparents

We all then head to a special church service. My favorite part still is when  the whole student body fills the aisles and sings to us. My heart fills up!!

We then get to have a pizza and fresh salad lunch with Roger and Luke. This sure brought back memoires of my days cooking in the kitchen and chaos in the lunchroom.

In the Cafeteria

"I'm so glad you're here, Papa"

The students all got popsicles and our 4th Grandparents day is complete.
I love that the boys were so excited to see us and show us around their classrooms. I was proud to tell everyone there Students, Parents, Teachers and other Grandparents (ok, anyone who dared to look at me) that Roger and Luke are my Grandkids.
I love being a Grandma!!!

Pumpkin Patch

You don't gave to go to a crowded pumpkin farm to get a pumpkin or even to have fun. We have a neighborhood farmer who has all the things I need to decorate my house AND for kids to have some fun.
We had the Flory boys overnight and with the great weather decided to go buy some pumpkins to carve. We told them they could get the biggest ones that they could carry.

bigger the better

Ok, so maybe just lifting was a chore, but with the price of just $5 is was worth watching them try.
They had a fun time looking in the pot of body parts. I stayed far away. Yuck!

They ran around the skeletons with Papa.

They met Beaves and Butthead. They asked who they were and we told them to ask their Father. He loved that show. He can decide whether they are old enough to watch it. They got a kick out of the names.

They each got to pick out a strange looking gourd and a smaller pumpkin to fill the cart. Each was only 50 cents.

Roger can't decide which one

Our Full Load

 We had a great time with no crowds, cost kept to a minimum and 5 minutes from our house.
We didn't get around to carving them. We left that for a project to do with Daddy and Mommy.

The boys had a great time, but we had to get back - there were leaves to rake. The boys did a really good job with the big rakes.
 It brought me back to my childhood and raking the leaves from our oak trees in our backyard. Laying in the leaves with a magnifying glass and watching them burn. I'm gonna have to show them that trick someday.
  I love the fall!!!

Logan's Senior Night - 1 Proud Papa

The football season is winding down.
Last Friday was the last regular season home game (they will have a playoff home game) and that means Sr. night.
Logan asked Mike to walk out on to the field with him when they introduced the football team. It was such a thrill for him.
See - He never misses a game. He goes to all Football, Basketball and Baseball games that one of his Grandkids are playing. In any kind of weather no matter how far. He tries to go to them all.
He does it because he loves them and watching them play.
I think Logan wanted him to know that he loves him too and appreciates him coming.
Anyway!!

Hugs all around

It was a muddy, cold night, but a winner! They are now 7-0.

Post Game Photo

Senior Banner

That's My Grandson

We have been watching this band of players since they were 8. There are 14 Seniors on this team and 9 or 10 have been playing together all these years. They have become the best of friends.
When they were little and the numbers on their jerseys were too large and got lost tucked into their pants and you couldn't read them. Someone would almost always ask "Who was that?"
I would shout (really loud, I'm told) "That's my Grandson!"

I still do and he stills hears me.....

Logan Fan Club

Roger, Luke and Owen know that their Kribs cousins play football. They have been out to watch both Dylan, 2 years ago and Logan this year play.
I thought it would be cool if they had Genoa football t-shirts to wear. I ordered them online and it took forrreeeever to get them.
It was worth the wait - they loved them and Logan was excited to see his new members of his fan club.

New Shed

I have been wanting a new shed for a couple years now. I even went as far as choosing one and pricing it. I don't know what stopped me from getting it. Ok, maybe I didn't want to deal with it. I just know that I really hated my old one. It had a dirt floor and smelled like dead mice.
Mike must of been tired of hearing me complain, because he went with me over to Home Depot and we looked at them. I found one I liked a little bigger than the one I had with a floor. With a floor!!!
He gave them his email address for a follow up and the next thing I know my shed was ordered.
I was SO excited.

Goodbye Sunflowers

We planned a "take down the old shed" party.
Logan agreed to help. He is just a joy - He always is there to help.
Bryan brought the boys along. They were so excited to tear something apart. I gave them each a hammer and told them to have at it. They worked at doing everything. Pounding the sides off. Striping the shingles. Stoking the fire.

Group hug before they pushed it over

 They got the biggest thrill when Mike let them help push it over.

waiting for Daddy to cut more wood for the fire

Brian was there till the bitter end helping Mike cut the wood up into fire size pieces.

cutting up the sides and doors

We had a fire going all day, but still had a huge pile that took me 3 hours the next day. We lucked out with perfect weather all week.
 We still have a load of shingles that needs removal.

The new shed is 2 feet longer than the old one so Mike had to enlarge the base and level it out.
I could hardly wait to 4 days for them to come and install the new one. It came prefab so the install only took these 2 guys three hours to put together.

 TaDa - My new shed with a FLOOR!!!

Team Robo Kids

That time of year again when we put on our walking shoes and take a 5K stroll around the University of Chicago campus for Comers Children's Hospital. This campus is beautiful.

Dr. Gundeti greeted us like old friends. I can see why Mary and Bryan put their trust and care of Luke in his hands.

Luke and Dr. Guneti

The weather was perfect - bright sunshine and 58 at the start of the walk. Warmed up later.
Every year Dr. Gunedi gives his team t-shirts. This year we were not too hard to spot on the walk. We were the people in orange.

Mary, Roger, Maryellen walking and Owen riding pulled by Bryan

Mike and Luke

I was lagging behind a little (ok, maybe a lot) around the 2 mile marker when  Roger hangs back to walk with me. I told him my feet were starting to hurt and he confessed that his legs were tired. Misery loves company.
I still love to walk this walk for Comers. Luke is getting such great care there and seems to be improving each yearly check up.

Luke Supporters

Myrtle Beach

After a cancellation of our trip because of Dorian, Mike and I finally got to visit one of the places we both enjoy - Myrtle Beach.
The airlines and the hotel both changed our plans without any trouble. The only thing that messed up was the car rental. We get there and no has any cars available, except Enterprise, who took advantage of the supply and demand adage and charged us double.
Oh well, we made it to our vacation.
Now for rest and relaxation.
Our first stop was at our favorite beachside bar downtown to have some wings (Mike) and a draft (me) while we waited for our room.

Most of our vacations are decided on where we go, by both of us and the planning of the trip is all me. Well Mike did this vacation - all of it. The air travel - the hotel - the car rental and he even picked the golf courses we played.
The place we stayed was just a few blocks  north on downtown.
The first day we spent lounging by the ocean, just enjoying the sound of the waves and the sand under our feet.
We rented an umbrella. I told Mike that the life guards play attention to 2 kinds of people. The hot chicks and the old people like us, cause we got a prime spot.

Mike enjoying his shade

Reserved for Millikan

Day 2 was golf. Mike picked a course that we played with the Dupplers one time we were down there years ago. It is the oldest course in MB - Pine Lakes. It was downtown and close to our hotel. We partnered up with a couple from Maine who was there celebrating her 70th. She was also a twin.
It was a good day.
Mike has always wanted to play the TPC (It's in Florida). Me - I always loved Augusta. So it was a given that we would play the World Tour golf course on our 3rd day. This course is duplicates of famous hole from around the world.
The 17th from the TPC.

Mike made it on the island green -Birdied

Mine made the island, just not the green

We played the 18th at St. Andrews. Posing on the famous bridge.

The back side had Amen corner from Augusta. If the azaleas were in bloom I would swear that we were there. It was spooky.

Mike standing on Ben Hogan Bridge - He birdied the par 3

This course was too long for me (Mike loved it) and playing 2 days in a row. MB golf is much easier at 37 then 67.
The weather was getting hotter as the week went by so we decided to visit "Broadway at the Beach" for a day. We took advantage of the 2 for 1 coupons that came with the condo and visited the aquarium  where I touched a large horned crab, a jelly fish, and a shark. I took a pass on the stingrays.

 Then on to this strange looking place. It wasn't there our last visit. It's called Wonder Works. A place where wonders are experienced and explained. I still sometimes did not get it.

Mike and I both decided that our little grandkids would Love this place.

Grandma is an Astronaut

Papa landing us on the Moon

We had a great week. It seemed to me that MB is getting more commercial and larger.
Either that or I am getting older and slower. Nah.....