Knock Em Down

Speaking of my aunties taking me to the "Wee Store" for a glass bottle of flavored soda, I remember this "cheer" my aunties taught me (I think it was mostly Dawn)!

Pepsi-cola
Coca-cola
Royal Crown
We're going to
hip-no-tize em
boom-er-ize em
Knock em down!

Dawn also taught me how to tie my shoes, how to make a belt out of gum wrappers (like juicy fruit wrappers), and how to make a blanket using the hairpin lace crochet. She was a lot like a big sister that way!

Miss Mady Turns Two

A great celebration was held at Gamma and Popa Cronin's house on Sat., Sept 22 for Miss Mady's 2nd Birthday (actual birthday is the 23rd). In addition to Gamma and Popa Cronin, Mommy and Daddy, and Auntie Becka, also attending were (figure this one out) second cousin once removed Louka and first cousin once removed Tammy and Louie, Great Aunts Sue, Bev, Linda, Judy and Great Uncle Bobby.

Dennisons, do you remember your childhood birthday celebrations? How did you mark the day? Did you have cake and ice cream? What were your favorite gifts?

Day with Grandma

Kali, April and Louka (and Tammy) had a great day visiting Grandma Linda on Sunday, Sept. 9. Olivia, Lindsey, Grace and Jon came over too, and we all had a great time, with the boys rough-housing and the girls talking about school and stuff. We all went for a walk for ice cream, but the shoppe was closed, so we all got treats at the gas station. Several kids had dibs (ice cream bits coated with chocolate), Kali had capacchino, Louka had popcorn.

Dennisons, do any of you remember the "Wee Store" I think it was called, on the corner of Main and Madison? Tammy remembers her aunties walking her down there for a cold glass bottle of flavored soda (grape, etc.). Tammy kept a collection of bottle caps for a long time, but threw them out as a young adult (what a shame).

Other snacks Tammy recalls her aunties and Grandma Anna Dennison giving her were saltine crackers (always), bananas and Oreos and white bread with sugar sprinkled on it. White bread with sugar sprinkled on it? Yuck. But as I recall the Dennison girls loved it. At Grandpa Harry Dennison's house, he used to make frosting out of confectioners sugar and water and spread it on graham crackers for a treat. What other foods/treats did you eat as kids that we wouldn't consider eating now? Louie recalls eating potatoes right out of his garden and eating lard sandwiches for lunch. Double yuck! My, how "treats" and our eating habits have changed.

Pleasant Prairie School

Here's a pic of the Pleasant Prairie School, which has been converted into a single family house. How many of the Dennison attended school here? What are your memories of the school, of the teachers, of what you learned, of getting there? PLEASE add anything you remember.

Little House in the Country

I happened to go to Brooklyn the other day and took the back roads, since Lou and I love going on country rides. I snapped a pic of the farm house the Dennison's grew up in. Was the shed by the house when you were growing up? How about the addition on the back? What color was the house then? How many bedrooms did it have for the nine children? Describe the house, the floors, the colors of the wall, the furniture, anything.

PLEASE add your memories about growing up in the Little House in the Country.

September Celebrations and Memories

Here's a list of this month's birthdays, anniversaries and other. Please add anyone I have missed, or info I don't have (middle names).

Sept. 3, 1988 Jeff and Lisa Weber anniv.
Sept. 11, 1909 Harry Sylvester Dennison born
Sept. 13, 2001 Emily Mae Boettcher
Sept. 14, 1974 David Jay Boettcher
Sept. 15, 1965 Tracy Dee (Lambert) Bailey
Sept. 19, 1965 Lisa Renee (Babler) Weber
Sept. 20, 1960 Chris _____Cronin
Sept. 20, 2001 Anna Lavelle (Cole) Dennison died
Sept. 22, 1990 Judy and Bobbie Anniversary
Sept. 23, 2005 Madlyn Ann Cronin
Sept. 28, 1985 Joyce _____Cole

Diets and Global Warming

I recently read a very interesting article in the Reader's Digest, which I find to be a credible source. In the August 2007 issue, on page 17, it says, "...agricultural animals produce more greenhouse gases than all the world's cars and trucks combined... According to a study at the University of Chicago, adopting a vegan diet does more to reduce global warming than switching to a Toyota Prius."

So here it is, another very good reason to give up meat.

Tammy has been a lacto-ova (meaning we eat dairy products and eggs but not seafood or chicken) vegetarian since 1976. Rose and April are both vegetarians as well. Rose does not drink milk. I understand Judy eats very little meat, especially red meat. Anyone else vegetarian?

Animals, animals, animals

We've had a veritable zoo in the Pomplun household, mostly because of April. Some of the pets we have owned include:

-Anna Belle (a cat Tammy had from a kitten in 1982 to the cat's death of old age in the late 90s);
-Sylvester (a wild cat we tried unsuccessfully to tame while living in the Fellows Trailer Court on Highway 14, Evansville) -- get it? Anna and Sylvester (Harry Dennison's middle name);
-A black cocker spaniel given to them by the Boettchers, but with three little kids (and Louie :) Tammy couldn't care for them all, and gave him back to the Boettchers;
-Buddy, a collie that bit a kid playing at our house so we gave him to a friend who gave him a good home, until he spooked when walking with his owner in a rainstorm and ran in front of a car;
-April (aka Fatcat) and May Basket - two cats Louie brought home - April disappeared, we still have May;
-Spice and Sport, brother and sister border collie dogs we got as puppies in 1998 and still have. Spice suffered a back injury this spring and became paralyzed in her back legs. She has been on steroids and antiinflamatories, painkillers since then and is regaining some use (she doesn't seem to be in any pain);
-Rabbits, a white one (can't remember his name) and Jasmine had a brown lap-eared one she called Aladdin (get it, Jasmine and Aladdin?)
-Three parakeets, a loving green/blue pair - the male died and we got a new one that was VERY noisy and messy, so we gave them to a friend;
-A salamander;
-Spike, a hedgehog that was given to us;
-Chilly, a chinchilla we found in the neighbor's driveway, seriously, another single neighbor had a fire in his home and died in the fire, we found out he had chinchillas;
-Three Russian Dwarf Hamsters - one the ferret got (see next entry), one died of wet-tail (diarrhea TMI), the other, named Dasher, aka Booger, lived a long life only after the cat got it and we spent $200 to have it's injured leg amputated (yep, really);
-Two ferrets, both given to us separately, Tabby and Josie. Josie died of old age. Tabby April still has;
-Two horses, Sugar, who threw April and caused innumerable medical costs (to the insurance company), and Melody, both of whom she still has, but may sell Melody, now that she's getting ready for college;
-A rat that Rose is having us "temporarily babysit" (yah, right);
-A cluster (prob. not the right word) of hermit crabs;
-A frenzy of sea monkeys -- yes those old novelty pets from the 70s are still around and going strong (although all of ours died);
-A goldfish that Louka won at the Rock County 4-H fair.

Anyone have any pets we haven't had? How about a monkey? No? Raccoon? Squirrel?

Tammy grew up around animals and has had many since. In college, Tammy found a baby squirrel she hand raised and let go and a baby owl that she gave to an animal rescue center. She had two beautiful Irish Setters she couldn't possibly care for but was so sad to give away, Ashley and Autumn. About this same time, she found Anna Belle (see above reference), a kitten that she found in the parking lot of the All N One, a gas station in Evansville.

She recalls that when she was a kid, her dad, as a police officer, was often sent to "get rid" of the pests, but he didn't have the heart for it, and would bring them home and later release them, including raccoons. Say what you will about Chuck, he had a very soft heart for animals. As much as he liked guns, he wasn't really a hunter, although he did do some pheasant hunting, if I recall correctly. He often told about raising a skunk as a kid. One of Tammy's best memories (as an adult, with her father and Louie and Char) was when they went boating and Chuck was so excited about a family of ducks.
The Babler family also hand raised some sparrows, Corky and Crackers when Tammy and Lisa were young. Uncle Gary Babler had pet raccoons, Gunky and Wally, that he would bring along when he visited the family.
The Babler family also had a dog when Tammy was a baby, Tupper, a German shepherd; two dogs, Tammy, a border collie named before the dog was given to us, and Tiger, a pomeranian and I think a cat. Later, Lisa got two cats, Rufus and Renee, who Linda kept and loved after Tammy and Lisa moved out. Not really a cat person, Linda sure love those cats and was so sad when they died. Linda now has a cat, who we call Great-Grandma Anna Dennison incarnate. She treats that cat, "The" Prince, with the emphasis on "The," better than us (well almost, no really!) but like he is Grandma and she must take care of him. We even joke that we (Lisa and I) have been excluded from the will and all of it is going to "The" Prince!

Here's a quote for Linda: "Dogs have masters, cats have staff." Linda actually has a door-hanger on her front door, given to her by the Webers, that says, "The cat and his servant live here."

As I recall some saying, Linda had a pet cow growing up, but he ended up on the dinner table. Please tell us more about this "pet" and any other pets the Dennison's may have had (or even imagined they had) as kids.

Loose teeth

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE:
Dreams do come true, well almost... Louka got $10 for his first tooth, we suspect only because it was his first tooth and because he took such good care of it. Kali got $5 for her tooth.

UPDATE:
Louka's first tooth came out today, Wed. Aug. 29, 2007. It got very loose, dad was wiggling it -- and Louka wiggled away, leaving the tooth in dad's hand. When asked what he thought the tooth fairy would bring, he said $20. Dream on, little man! Disappointment is a lesson we learn early in life.

Here's a coinky-dink (one of my fav words): 17 year old Kali had her LAST baby tooth pulled out by the dentist earlier this morning. Kali told the dentist she IS going to put hers in her tooth fairy pillow tonight, too. Guess the tooth fairy gets a 2-for-1 trip!

Original post:

Louka has his very first loose tooth! He noticed it today, Aug 24, two days after he turned 6. Tammy and the girls lost all their baby teeth very late -- 17 year old Kali still has baby teeth, as does 14 year old April. Tammy is busy at work making Louka his very own tooth fairy pillow, with his name on it (dinosaur fabric of course), as she made for each of the girls. The tooth fairy is expected to make a visit in the next few days. Rose got $1 for her first tooth, April got $5 for his first tooth -- inflation takes it's toll. Tammy recalls getting a quarter, or a 50 cent piece.

Dennison kids, did the "tooth fairy" visit you? What was your prize? If not, what prompted you to begin the tradition for your children?

Louka's 6th Birthday

Louka had a terrific birthday party on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007. He had eleven children at a party at the Pomplun home. It was noisy, chaotic, but the kids had a great time. Louka chose a dinosaur theme, because he loves dinosaurs and can name at least 20 species. Becka helped Louka and Tammy make the take-home "goodie bags" which were paper mache dinosaur eggs. A paper mache dinosaur pinata, a homemade dinosaur cake and dinosaur decorations completed the theme. Many games were planned, but the kids had more fun at free play. In addition to Becka and Maddie, Grace Bolden attended.

We heard Bobby had a terrific birthday party the weekend before. Post your pics and news about the event. How did our other August birthday celebrants mark the occasion?

Migranes and other health issues

I'm sitting here snuggling Louka, who has yet another migraine (second this week). Five years old and he suffers migraines regularly. It's so sad, so scary. Silent tears drop as I hold him and we pray for him to get better and for it not to be anything more serious. Tammy, Rose and Jasmine all suffer migraines, but Louka is by far the youngest to start -- the others didn't start until their teens. Our migraines, including Louka's, include severe headache, sensitivity to light, and vomiting. We're tracking our headaches related to being outdoors (allergies) and sugary foods (diabetes) to see if there is any link there.
Do you suffer migraines, allergies, or other possibly genetic ailments? PLEASE add your comments to this, so that we might see a common thread, genealogy, for these pains.

Concerts

April, Secondhand Serenade, Christa
Kali, April and April's friend Christa Muchow went to see a concert last night, Secondhand Serenade. Christa is the daughter of Mitch Muchow and Laurie Fesenfeldt (the sister of one of Lisa's best friends growing up, Leora). Christa is the granddaughter of Carol Muchow.
April is quite the concert girl. She's seen Nickelback, Staind, Fall Out Boys, and Augstana.
Tammy recalls seeing Bachman, Turner Overdrive in concert (BTO). Louie remembers seeing Little Ritchie.
What concerts have you seen?

The Wiggles

Tammy, Rose and Louka, along with the little boy Rose takes care of (Daniel) had a great time seeing The Wiggles (characters from a children's TV show) Live at the Coliseum in Madison on Thursday, August 16.
Rose recalled seeing Sesame Street Live and Mickey and Minnie's Revue Live and when she was a little girl at the Coliseum.
Tammy vaguely remembers her fifth birthday when her mom took a huge group of her friends to a Madison TV station to see a live show. Was it the Bozo the Clown show? She also remembers going to the Coliseum to see the Circus.

Weekend in the Dells

The long, tired, red ride home...
The Pomplun family enjoyed a relaxing weekend in the Dells. Louie, Tammy, Kali, April and Louka stayed overnight Saturday. They went to Wizards Quest in downtown Dells and an outdoor movie. Kali saved the day (rather night) by finding a motel with a vacancy after the place Tammy booked turned out to be a dive!
Rose and Jasmine (and their friends) joined the family on Sunday for a free day at RiverView Park and Waterworld.
Tammy, Louie and Kali all came home scorched, despite sunblock. All came home very tired!
When's the last time you've been to the Dells? What do you do/see when you go?

Den(n)ison Family History

Here is the Denison (Dennison) genealogical info I have, with actual copies of the birth, marriage and death certificates. I believe I got this info from a Denison cousin at a recent (1990's?) family reunion at Lake Leota Park in Evansville.

Denison (Dennison) Genealogical Info

Birth Certificate for Baby Denison (Harry Sylvester), born Sept. 11, 1909, male, white, single birth, number in order of birth, third, third living; legitimate? Yes; father Fred Denison, age 28, born in England; Farm Laborer; mother Margeret Hopkins, age 22, born in WI, housewife; residence Oregon RFD, attending physician or midwife, J. M Brew? MA, Oregon, WI

Death certificate for Harry Sylvester Dennison (two N’s printed); pronounced dead Aug. 1, 1989 at 11:08 a.m. , age 79, county of death, Sawyer, Hayward, WI, natural causes, no autopsy. Cause: acute myocardial infarction, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease; Burial in Maple Hill Cemetery, Evansville, WI; Divorced; Residence listed as Town of Bass Lake, Sawyer County, WI, Route 2, Box 2312A, 54843; State of birth, WI, Father, Fred Denison, mother Margaret Hopkins; Education: 8; Armed Forces: No; Occupation: Carpenter in building industry

Birth certificate for Anna L. Cole, born Aug. 20, 19__ (not filled in or cut off in printing), Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky, born at Second Street Hospital or Institution, female, legitimate, second child born to this mother, one now living; Birth certificate info furnished by Felix W. Cole, father, attendant – Dr. J.W. Grubbs; Father: Felix W. Cole, white, 31 years old, born in Logan County, KY, telegraph operator; Mother: Anna Loafman, white, 25 years old, born in Logan County, KY, housewife

Marriage certificate for Harry Dennison (two N’s) and Anna Cole married on the ____ (nothing printed) day of July, 1941, filed in Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana.

Fred Denison born 1882 in Leeds, England

Married Margaret Hopkins on March 10, 1906 by Justice Norton in Rockford IL

Margaret Hopkins born April 10, 1887 in Brooklyn Township

Fred Denison Certificate of Naturalization, age 61, Male, White, light complexion, blue eyes, grey hair, 5’11”, married; Petition #3061, Rock Co., Nov. 12, 1943; Residing in Town of Union, Rock Co.

Their children: (15)
Ellsworth born 4-4-07, died 4-4-82, heart
Margaret, born ?4-8-8?, died 2-20-32
Harry Sylvester, born 9-11-09, died 1989, heart
Elizabeth Delfina, born 12-1-10, died 12-21-10, unknown
Leland Standford, born 4-27-11, died 2-14-72, unknown
Harriett Stella, born 1-31-15, died 2-23-89, heart
Ruth, born 9-20-16, died 4-23-84, heart
Eva Belle, born 4-3-18, died 8-28-?, heart
Grace Udean, born 12-28-19, died 7-16-19? Of cancer
Clifford Duane, born 7-8-21, died 4-30-86
Leonard, born 4-18-23, died ___, 200?
Bessie Mae, born 9-3-24, died 3-4-19? Of cancer
Fred Jr., born 2-27-27, died 1-6-88 of cancer
Mary Louise, born June 28, 1929

Fred died July 17, 1949 in Evansville, WI
Margaret died Dec. 17, 1949

Leedle Denison
Born 1860 in Leeds England
Had three sisters: Mrs. William Johnson of Evansville; Agnes Thayer of Colorado; Eva Carberry of Iowa
Married Lady Elizabeth Richards of Leeds, England (born Dec. 25, 1878)
Leedle came to America in 1882, A year later sent for wife and two sons
Lived in Cooksville until 1920 then Evansville employed in punch room of Baker Manufacturing

Leedle - Died 1941 in Evansville, WI, 9:30 p.m. at Mercy Hospital, seriously ill for two weeks, funeral at Congregational Church by Grant Clark, Allen Funeral Home
Was a member of Masonic, Odd Fellows and Eastern Star

Elizabeth - Died 4-15-1940

Celebrated 50^th anniversary in 1928

WHY'D HE DO IT?

I think we're all in agreement that it was Harry Sylvester Denison who forever changed the spelling of the name Denison to Dennison. The questions are when and why? Do you have the answers? Please reply by clicking on "comments."

Click on "comments" to see Judy's response to the why.

Here is something interesting:
Harry's actual birth certificate only says Baby Denison (with one N). His name was filled in later. On their wedding certificate Harry's name is spelled with TWO N's and Harry's death certificate has TWO N's. By the way, an actual copy of their marriage certificate does not give a date in July, that space is left blank. It says "On the ______ day of July, 1941." Does anyone know the date?

Also, some of us have kidded about the prolificness of Harry and Anna -- but did you know that they were married in July of 41 and didn't have their first child until Jan of 44? So they waited nearly two years before their first child.

Young Aunts

You may remember that Dawn Cronin was only six years old when she became an aunt to Tammy (Babler) Pomplun in 1963. Tammy's mom Linda was the oldest child of Harry and Anna, Dawn was the youngest.
Now, Dawn's daughter Becka became an aunt at the age of six with the birth of Maddie Cronin in 2005. Maddie's dad Cole was the oldest, Becka was the youngest.
Bev Crans' daughter Katelyn first became an aunt at the age of eight when Tracy had Megan in 1994. Tracy was the oldest; Katelyn the youngest.

This all ties into the span of giving birth. Anna had children over thirteen years from 1944 to 1957. Bev had kids over a 21 year span from 1965 to 1986. Dawn had kids from a thirteen year span, from 1986 to 1999? Tammy also had kids over a 21 year span, in three separate decades -- one in 1980, (and 86 and 88) one in 1990 (and 93), and one in 2001.

Babysitters

Many of the aunts tell Tammy how they used to babysit her and Lisa, telling stories about them getting flour all over the house, and giving them piggy back rides from the park to their house. Which sisters babysat the Babler girls or other kids? How old were you and the kids? What other memories do you have of babysitting them? Judy still cares for many of her nieces and nephews.

The babysitting chain continues. Tammy used to care for Shona Burns and Janna and Billy Boettcher. Sandy Traxler is wonderful with her nieces and cares for them often. Katelyn Crans and the Pomplun girls have all cared for Becka and Maddie Cronin. Who else has done babysitting and for whom? What memories do you have of it?

Picture taken by April Pomplun when she was babysitting Becka and Maddie Cronin.

Block Party!

Click on the pics to see them enlarged.

The Pompluns hosted their annual block party for the people in their neighborhood. Although it started out rainy and became very hot and humid, everyone had a good time. We also celebrated Teresa Kimberley's 55th birthday at the birthday. You may remember that Teresa, who is mentally retarded, grew up across the street from the Bablers. Teresa now lives at the Kelly House, a nursing home in Evansville. Everyone was so happy that Linda came down for the event.

Have you had block parties in your neighborhood or do you remember any parties as kids? Tell us about them.

First pic: Betty Fellows, April Pomplun, Teresa Kimberley (seated), Louie Pomplun, Steve Kimberley
Second pic: Tammy and Louka Pomplun, Emmy Hurtley, Linda Babler, Don and Doris McCaslin, Teresa Kimberley, Gary Hurtley
Third pic: Rose Pomplun at the party with the baby she takes care of (Katelyn)
Fourth pic: Kali Pomplun at the party.

Church

I was talking to someone the other day, who had said that Anna Dennison went to church regularly. I recall her coming to the Methodist Church in Evansville with Linda Babler occasionally, and later she went to the Baptist Church with her sister-in-law, Ruth Corning. Does anyone have any memories of Anna being religious? I do know some of her favorite songs were church hymns, Amazing Grace and The Old Rugged Cross.
What about Harry? I've heard it said that while he didn't go to church, he was a "godly" sort of person.
How about their parents? Does anyone remember Fred and Margret going to church? Any stories of Felix and Annie (Loafman) being of a particular faith?
How about the Dennison sisters and Art? Does anyone remember going to church as a child? Where? When?