6-7-8 - A Magical Date!

6-7-8:
June 7, 2008 is bound to be a big day!

Not only are Janna and Adam getting married, but a reliable source, Alice, has announced that Lance and Michelle are expecting their first baby around that time!

Congrats to all!

November Special Events

Nov. 15, 1946 Arthur Wayne Dennison
Nov. 26, 1981 Kimberley Arlene Traxler
Nov. 27, 1981 Janna Sue Boettcher

In Memory:
Nov. 18-25, 1980 Tiffanee Amber Babler-Hurtley

Anna's favorite vacation spot, Branson

This one comes from Judy:

Many years ago, in 1999, Mom (Anna Dennison) and I took a bus trip to Branson, Mo. Mom was very excited about this trip as she was going to see the Osmonds, her favorite entertainers. After the show we stood in line for about one hour to get autographs. There were six boys, including Donny. Mom got her six autographs plus six kisses. She did not wash her face for the five days we were there. The next day we got to see the Rockettes and Andy Williams. About a week after we got home, we both got a Christmas card from Andy Williams. I still have mine. Mom took many trips with Bob and I over the years and we could tell you many funny stories about her. I will send some photos of her in her younger days. She has several cousins who are still living and they share a lot of information with me about her. She was a very funny, intelligent, gentle and interesting person and I miss her dearly, but I see a lot of her through Becka.

Harry, Heritage House and Teddy Bears

This one comes from Judy:

"Many years ago when I was living with Dad (Harry Dennison) down by the Wyler School he took me to the Heritage House in Madison for supper for my birthday, and I don't remember how old I was. Anyway they had a gift shop there and I saw this big white bear that I just loved but it cost $60. We were getting ready to leave to come back home and here is Dad with this big bear. Well, I was really shocked and never expected him to get that bear for me. Also, I felt guilty because he had spent so much. So I gave him $30 (half the cost of the bear). That bear has been with me for many years and survived a fire in 1996. Today "Dirty Harry" sits on top of my cedar chest. After Dad died I was talking to my sister Dawn and was telling her this story and she laughed and I couldn't understand why she thought this was funny. She told me that Dad got the bear free from the owner of the restaurant as they were good friends. I was out $30 and I'm sure Dad got a big kick out of it. Well, as they say, "There's a sucker born every minute."

First Cars

What was your first car and when did you get it?

I've been told Linda got her driver's license before she turned 16 because she needed to drive the kids places, since Grandma Anna couldn't drive. I've also heard she drove people around in a pickup truck. Is that correct?

Tammy's first car was a 73 Vega she got before she got her driver's license. Shortly afterward, the motor fell out as the bolts rusted through -- while she was driving it. She then got another Vega, which she failed to put oil in and blew the motor. Then she got a 76 Nova, and also a 70 Chevelle. Dang, to have those cars now!!!

I remember Curt also had a Nova, I think a 73, that a tree fell on in Hanover.

Rose's first car was a dark blue Pontiac G3, I think. Millions of miles on it, but she liked it. Then she got a white Grand Am, that has been passed down to Jasmine and Kali.
Now she drives a green Grand Prix, but is looking for a SUV or mini van.

Jasmine's first car was a black Cavalier. Then she got the white Grand Am from Rose and later a red Grand Am that was Ashley's (Cole's Ashley) that Louie fixed for her after she was broadsided.

Kali's first car, and still car, is the white Grand Am. She'd like a new one, but hasn't been able to save any money, so good luck!

I'm pretty sure the white Grand Am will be dead before April gets her license in a year and a half. So, she'll probably get our great big suburban, since it'll haul a horse trailer for her horses. JUST KIDDING, APRIL.

What was your first car? When did you get it (they year or your age)?

First Apartments

Jasmine moved into her first apartment in Janesville, near the mall. It's cute, and in a good neighborhood (I think). She's working hard, going to school full-time and working about 25 hours a week. Jasmine's also lived in two different dorm rooms.

Rose just moved out of her apartment and is temporarily staying at home and/or with friends. She's looking for a one-bedroom in Janesville in a good location. Any suggestions where to go/ not to go? Rose has lived in four different dorm rooms, rented a room in a house, and had an apartment in Deerfield.

I understand Janna and Adam have moved to a new apartment in Madison. Last I heard Katie had an apartment in Whitewater, although that's been a while, and Kimmy had an apartment in downtown Janesville, across from the library.

I actually lived in the same apartment, as a college student, that my parents and I lived in when I was a baby, above Dr. Heimerl's dentist office on Madison Street in Evansville. I also lived in another apartment in Evansville, across from the post office. Louie and I had a rent-to-own land contract on a trailer between Janesville and Evansville, which we sold to my dad.

Do you recall your first apartment? I remember when both Alice and Judy (separately) lived in Madison off Park Street. I doubt they'd live there today. Times have changed. Judy also had an apartment in Evansville, on Main Street, and across the street at a different time, Brenda had an apartment. I remember Dawn and Judy's apartment in Tennessee when Cole was born and Brenda living in an apartment on Union Street (Highway 14) in Evansville when Dustin was born. I don't recall Becky living in an apartment, but I do remember she and Curt living in a trailer on Curt's father's farm. I also remember Sue and Dave living in a trailer, first off Kellogg Avenue in Janesville, then in the country between Janesville and Milton. I remember Bev living in a small brick cottage house on Highway 14 towards Madison.

Please add any memories you have of your first apartment.

Dimples and cowlicks

Aunt Alice told me a poem she recited to Grace Weber, who has a dimple in her chin
"Dimple on the chin
means the devil is within."
Of course, that isn't literal, since Grace Weber is an angel (this is from her unbiased Aunt Tammy) -- it means they can be a little stinker sometimes (except Grace, of course).
Which of the Dennison's have dimpled chins? I think Becky did.

Tammy has two dimples on her elbows and so do some of her girls. Anyone else?

Anyone have dimples on your cheeks? Tammy has one on her right cheek only.

I've heard some of us have dimples on their other cheeks, further south. Is this a Dennison trait? (Not me, in case you were wondering).



What about cowlicks? We all know where they come from (see photo). Tammy and Kali have fierce ones. Anyone else?

Halloween

Halloween is fast approaching. April, at 14, still goes out with her friends trick-or-treating. She does get the "aren't you too old" comment, but she and her friends don't care. One person's negativity isn't going to cause her to miss out on a bag of candy. Last year she and her friends painted and decorated some boxes as taxis. This year, they are thinking of going as vampires. The year before she had one of those inflatable costumes of a man riding a flamingo.

Louka isn't fully set on what he wants to be, he changes his mind daily. In the past few years, we bought him a bunch of costumes after Halloween at 75 percent off, $3-4 dollars. We keep the costumes in a bucket in his room and he and his friends love to play dress up. I think he's going to be the "Thing" from Fantastic Four. The Thing is a rocky hulk type man. He's always been "boy" things, like Spiderman, etc.

Nowadays, we buy the kids' costumes, but when the girls were little, I loved sewing their costumes. For their first Halloween, each of them wore a pumpkin costume I made when Rose was one. Later, we got made up some of their costumes from fancy dresses at Goodwill.

Times have changed from when we were kids and we made up our own costumes, with little forethought. I remember going as a ghost one year, a farmer in overalls another year.

But there was one year I remember clearly, Mom helped Lisa and I make paper mache heads. I was a pumpkin, Lisa was a black cat. She helped us make a lot of craft type things. I remember another craft she had us make was a wall hanging with an animal made of fake fur on a tweed background. Another time we made an angel wallhanging out of curled pipecleaners on a purple felt background.

Halloween traditions? Our family (and I growing up) go trick or treating around town on Halloween night. We dump out our treats and sort through them, chocolates together, suckers together, etc., and mom and dad inspect them. I remember my favorite house was Mrs. Holdens on South Second Street. She always gave out popcorn balls. We got to eat them since we knew Mrs. Holden and that she was the one who gave them to us. As an adult, I used to take my kids there, but now she's in the nursing home. (Wonder if she has access to the kitchen -- I love those popcorn balls, I remember Mom used to make them too, mostly at Christmas.) Nowadays, unless we know the giver, the kids can't eat anything that isn't wrapped, including cookies and apples. They end up in the trash. Now there's a sad state of affairs! I also remember getting candy cigarettes in my Halloween sack. I see they still have them, but they've been renamed candy sticks.

One of us stays home to pass out candy, and we give good treats (chocolates!). We also have a little spinning wheel that we make the kids play before they take a treat. After spinning, it will land on "take one treat" or "take two treats" or "do a little dance, get a little treat" or "no treats." The kids seem to like playing it. After everyone spins, everyone gets two treats, even those who landed on "no treats."

A few weeks before Halloween, we pick out pumpkins that we carve and roast and eat the seeds. One year we got one of those giant pumpkins. Kali ate too many seeds and didn't "go" for a week. I threatened the doctor would have to get them out somehow (I was a little more explicit, think about it) and then she went. I don't remember where we got our pumpkins as kids; now we go to farms that have special events along with picking out pumpkins, like hayrides, or petting farms. A couple of years we grew pumpkins in our backyard, but still got a couple farm-bought ones.

Something I never did as a child (it wasn't offered) but my kids do is go to the school's Halloween carnival. The kids wear their costumes and play games for a quarter and win a junky prize. It's a great time and the school raises a lot of money. We always volunteer to help out. In fact, I was one of the first people to help organize the event in Evansville when Rose was in kindergarten.

What did the Dennison kids do growing up for Halloween? Did you dress up? Like what? Did you go door-to-door for treats? Did you carve pumpkins? Did you grow them? Please tell me and the other children/grandchildren/great grandchildren what things were like when you were growing up.

Get a Mammo - do it for Becky

This is it, October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and here's the list of people to loving "harass" -- call them and ask when they've had their last mammogram. If it's not in the last year (or two), bug them about it until they've made their appointment!!!!

Here's the beginning list of people to call (please comment when they're done so we can quit bugging them!):

Bev,
Judy,
Sue,
Brenda,
Lisa,
Tracy,
Tania -- Past due!!! Please, do it for Grace, Tania.
Patty.

These ones were reported up-to-date:
Linda (done 2007),
Alice (done 2007),
Dawn (done 2007),
Tammy (done 2006, due 2008),

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In memory of our beloved Rebecca Lynn Dennison Traxler, who died of breast cancer, please get your mammogram! And remember to do your daily self-exams.

Think this is too private to talk about? Don't! We need to support each other to keep ourselves healthy and alive. Please list when you last had yours. That way, we can all encourage those who haven't posted to get their's done!

To everyone reading this blog entry, beginning Oct. 1, call everyone in the family who has not replied to this blog and remind them to set up an appointment -- because we love them!

Others to consider: Cassandra, Shona, Amanda, Deanna, Michelle, (are they old enough?). Add others as you so feel moved, your in-laws and friends - hey, turn the other cheek and remind even your enemies.

Dennisons, we have a verifiable history of breast cancer -- Becky Traxler and was it Eva? Dennison? Two different generations. Let's prevent a third generation of dying from this disease. Early detection is the key through mammograms and self-examination.

Just do it.

In memory of Becky.

It could be you

Need more convincing?
Here's a few more people I know who have battled breast cancer:

Teri Schmidt, currently undergoing chemo

Nell Weisensel, currently undergoing chemo

Mary Calley, in remission/caught it, beat it

Joyce Pease, died of breast cancer

Add your own to the list.

Memories of Becky

Now here's a topic I'm sure everyone will have something to say about: Memories of Becky. In memory of Becky, during this month of Breast Cancer Awareness, please comment with some of your best memories of Rebecca Lynn Dennison Traxler.

Here are mine:

I remember going to Canada with her and Curt and baby Cassandra. Linda watched Cassandra and Becky and I went for a long walk up to the rock. Curt snuck up behind us and took some pics, that I still have.

I remember that fiesty little Kali went up to Becky's face, out of the blue, one Christmas, and screamed, blahh, or something. And Becky did the same back. Kali couldn't believe it. She had met her match!

I remember cruising the "circuit" in Janesville with Curt and Becky, and Louie and I brought along one of Cassandra or Amanda's dolls that they had cut all the hair and magic markered the face. It was so ugly! We'd pull up next to another car and flash them with the doll, then take off!

I remember her ALWAYS folding laundry. I thought it was never ending. Now that I have five of my own, I see it really WAS never ending!

I remember that she was one of the first people to treat me like an adult -- in that transition time between the teenage and young adult years. It meant a lot. I really respected her, and admired her, and later when I had my own young children, really identified with her.

October Birthdays

Happy October Birthdays to:

Braeden Boettcher, who's turning 1!
Katelyn Crans, who's turning 21!
Tania Bolden, who's turning 40!

Oct. 3, 1975 Amanda Jo Traxler
Oct. 4, 1994 Megan _____ Bailey
Oct. 5, 2001 Jonathan Charles Weber
Oct. 9, 1976 David and Beverly Crans anniv.
Oct. 14, 1986 Katelyn Alice Crans
Oct. 21, 1967 Tania Rae (Lambert) Bolden
Oct. 25, 2006 Braeden _______ Boettcher

We remember:
Sandi (Boettcher) Pondi, who died Oct. 14, 1997 -- 10 years ago
Charles LeRoy Babler, who was born Oct. 2, 1935

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad, Oct. 2. I'm sorry I can't see you to say it here on Earth, but I know you see me and know how much I miss you.

Dad, I remember the good times, when you were happy, like when you played the harmonica (especially "Pop goes the Weasel") or you detached your thumb (I wish you could show that to my son) or when you cupped your hands together and hooted like an owl or a morning dove or when you did the chicken dance, yes the chicken dance, with your hands under your pits, picking up your legs and strutting like a chicken with your head bobbing.
I remember playing cribbage and yahtzee with you before you went to work, waiting for the Patrol Car to pick you up, you chewing spearmint gum, looking so sharp in your police uniform. I remember Lisa and I having to pull off your tall, black work boots, the two of us had trouble doing it together. I remember hearing you cry after you had just responded to accident scenes (the Bone tree incident and Mrs. Muhulland's death by her husband's gunshot (dad not knowing if it was accidental or not) and when your dad died. Few people saw this side of you.
I remember watching Charlie Brown Christmas and eating popcorn and drinking pepsi from glass bottles poured into cups with ice.
I remember the pride of having you as a Dad.
I remember living on Madison Street and you showed me a giant Monarch butterfly and you chasing after the boys who smashed our pumpkin that you put on display on a metal barrel.
I remember the trips to Canada, and boating with other families in the summer, drinking sundrop and listening to Tammy Wynette and George Jones.
I remember camping in Dodgeville and your love of making (but not so much eating) pudgie pies. Thanks, by the way, for the pudgie pie irons I got after you died.
I remember you always remodeling the house -- the attic, front entry and the laundry room on Madison Street, the bar room in the 2nd Street House. I remember when you added on the laundry room on Madison Street, two little birds were displaced -- instead of abandoning them, you brought them in for us to care for and raise, and we did, and we released them, Crackers and Corky.
I remember you loved trading things -- mostly guns. I got my guitar that way, I still have it. I need to teach April and Louka how to play. You also got a huge aquarium trading too, and other stuff you didn't really need, but loved to trade.
I remember how you loved little Tiger, our pomeranian.

I remember you got me a 45 record, "Daddy don't you walk so fast" by Wayne Newton. I hadn't heard of it before you got it for me, but I loved it. I still have it.

"The love between the two of us was dying
and it got so bad I knew I had to leave
But halfway down that highway
when I turned around I saw
my little daughter running after me
I heard,
Daddy don't you walk so fast,
Daddy don't you walk so fast,
Daddy, slow down some
cause you're making me run,
Daddy don't you walk so fast.

Now it broke my heart to tell my little daughter
that her daddy had to run to catch a train
she had no way of knowing that I was leaving home for good.
I turned around and there she was again.

Daddy don't you walk so fast,
My darling cried,
Daddy don't you walk so fast,
Daddy, slow down some,
cause you're making me run,
Daddy don't you walk so fast."

Don't get me wrong, I do remember the bad times too, and there were a lot of really bad times, mostly for mom, but it is over. I choose to think about the good times and honor the good person in you.

Honor Thy Mother and Thy Father. I do. Happy Birthday Dad, Oct. 2, 1935- Dec. 2, 2002