Second half of October 2018

It's been a busy last half of October!  I think I was in Overland Park more days than in Clinton - and it was great!  The kids had a few days off of school - I had some doctor's appointments - lots of games to attend - it was a fun couple of weeks!

Chad turned 40 and went with some friends on a golf trip to North Carolina, so I played the part of the second parent helping to get the kids to their events, etc.  Stayed another day so I could attend Peyton's musical program at school - back to the 50's - poodle skirt and all.  The 4th graders did a great job, especially Peyton with her speaking part and singing with a few others on a special song.

Debbie Sieger and I went to Heritage Days at Warsaw and found a few crafts to buy - also enjoyed a foot long corndog and fries covered in cheese and bacon bits.  It was a beautiful day out, and we had fun.

My Bible Study gals (especially Deb Mills) honored me with a celebration of being cancer free and finishing treatments.  It was a surprise!  Ben Franklin staff fixed huge chocolate chunk cookies for us all to enjoy, and each lady brought chocolate candy for me to take home.  It was very sweet.

Peyton had her final volleyball game of this season and did well with 5 serves in a row!  The whole team improved so much over the few weeks they played.  Garrison completed soccer and baseball and received a medal for soccer.  His teams showed so much improvement too, and they all had fun.  Chad was the coach of the baseball team and helped out with timing at soccer.

Ron and I enjoyed 5 days in a row with the kids while they were out of school.  We had lots of fun with games and crafts.  Peyton went to the doctor in Lee's Summit with Ron and me (Garrison went on a play date with his friend, Zach).  I received a great report at the oncologist - doing well.  Next appointment in 4 months.  CT scan in December.  The 3 of us had lunch at Olive Garden before we picked Garrison up at his friend's house.  We all went out to dinner at Red Rock Canyon Friday night.  On Saturday after soccer, we brought the kids home to Clinton with us for a few days.  We made slime, went to a playground to play - it was a beautiful day - and had lots of fun.  We frosted and decorated Halloween cookies, and they took some to Miss Esther and Miss Debbie, visiting SaraSeu too.  The kids helped me with my music at church on Sunday morning - they love doing that.  Amanda and Chad came to pick them up about 11 am. to go to Lexington for a few hours to visit since Chad's grandmother had passed away.  They came back around 4 p.m., and the fun continued.  On Monday, the kids and I counted their "pig" money and took it to the bank to deposit and to visit Grandpa.  After that, we went to the Aquatic Center.  Garrison was finally tall enough to go down the big slide - they both went down over 10 times each.  We stopped for McDonalds for lunch, then Miss Kelly came over to visit and play games.   Since I had a mandatory election worker meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Ron took them back to Overland Park around 3:30 p.m.  The house was eerily quiet after they left.  We had a wonderful 5 days - the first time we have had them for an extended amount of time since I was diagnosed.

We are so blessed - God is good.

First two weeks in October 2018

The first week in October 2018, Ron and I decided to celebrate  my completion of cancer treatment with an overnight trip to Branson.  We shopped - found 3 new purses, some new shoes and black jeans.  We went on a golf cart trail at the Top of the Rock which had beautiful water falls.  We also went to see the Haygoods music show which was fabulous.

This week we went to Overland Park on Thursday for my 30-day check up with the radiation oncologist Dr. Ma.  He said I still had skin discoloration and swelling from the radiation but was doing good - return visit set for 4 months.  Afterward, we picked up the kids as walkers from school - a surprise - which they loved.  We all went to an early dinner at Big Whiskey's to celebrate Chad's 40th birthday before Garrison's baseball game.  It was chilly at the game but not too cold.

Friday morning, Chad flew to North Carolina for a 5 day golf trip with friends to celebrate his 40th.  The ids were out of school, so we stayed with them while Amanda went to work.  Garrison had been to a sleepover after the baseball game, so Peyton, Grandpa and I went to breakfast at McDonald's, to Hyvee and then to pick him up.  They wanted to make chocolate bark candy, so we made two batches of that.  Peyton practiced her piano, and then we ate homemade chicken noodle soup I had taken with me.  We drove them to their eye doctor appointments.  Amanda was going to work from home after the appointments, so we went to Kohl's and then all met at the house.  We went to Salty Iguana for dinner, then Amanda, Grandpa and Garrison went to Target to buy a birthday present for a party he was going to on Saturday, and Peyton and I went to Justice to buy her some new jeans - BOGO.  She was so fun to shop with - she knew exactly what she wanted, and she wanted them snug.  She wanted one pair with distressed knees - not up a bit from the knee - had to be the knee out.  Too funny.  We found two pair she liked and new ear muffs too.

Saturday morning, I helped Garrison with his treasure dig toy he bought at Target, and we all went to his soccer match at 10 a.m. - cold but not too windy.  Lunch at Freddy's before we all went to two volleyball matches for Peyton.  Her team won all 6 games (two matches), and she had 5 services in a row 3 different times.  She was so excited.  Garrison played well at soccer too.

After volleyball, we drove home and quickly got ready to go to my 45th High School Class Reunion - Class of 1973.  We met at the bandstand on the square for pictures then to Meadowlake where we took another picture.  We had a good time visiting and had hors devours.   Home by 9 p.m.

Good couple of weeks - we are blessed.