It's October! Less than a month until Halloween. I stocked up on candy over the weekend when I hit a big sale. We decorate the house a lot on Halloween so we always have a ton of trick-or-treaters.

No questions this week. Just share an update with everyone!

Sharon
12 year old b/b/b + 16 year old son

We've been busy with the last year of elementary school, cheerleading and soccer and just finished the Walk for Hope walk for breast cancer.

It was a hard weekend - ds tried out for the "plus" team for his soccer club and didn't make it and of course, we the parents had to tell the kids and not the coaches which I think is wrong but that's how it is. He's still on his regular traveling team and is happy with that but very disappointed so we'll see how things go.

While on the walk the girls found out that their coach's breast cancer has spread to her lungs so we're dealing with that too and all the guestings about illness and death and "how do you catch cancer". Although in their short lives the have already lost an uncle, a great uncle and a great grandmother they have never dealt with long term illness and it's affects so they have tons of questions I feel inadequate to answer.

Laura
Mom to M, N & C (5/8/99)

Laura, Sorry you are dealing with the tough breast cancer issues with your kids. Just answer honestly at their level of understanding and it will be just fine. I doubt there's a perfect "answer" since each kid is individual and processes things differently.

Congrats for doing the Breast Cancer walk. My oldest son just finished his 3rd year of volunteering for the local walk and is now a lead volunteer. He loves doing it. My aunt is a breast cancer survivor so it's important to all of us.

Sharon
12 year old b/b/b + 16 year old son

I am sorry to hear about your kids' coach's cancer. I have an acquaintance whose breast cancer was found to have spread to her lungs now at least 18 months ago. She is receiving chemo (herceptin, I think is the name of the main drug) and is doing great- working, scooting to her 4 kids' events... She is an inspiration and certainly redefined my idea of stage IV breast cancer.
When a friend was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer 3 years ago, that really hit home as she was the mom of my kids' friends. What helped me explain cancer to my children was checking out the cancer society website and also telling about people I knew who had beaten cancer.
Good luck.

"

We had a nice visit from my sister and BIL...always great to have them come by. Beautiful Fall weather for them, too.

The boys lost their soccer game this weekend, but played hard and well.

I am in the doghouse -- I removed an obnoxiously placed shrub that I had thought I had gotten permission to remove. Us hubbies can be so wrong at times...next time I'll get it in writing before messing with any shrubs in the yard.

Vaughn

Sharon,
I decorate for Halloween a lot too! It's my favorite holiday! I blasted Mannheim Steamrollers Halloween CD and went crazy last Friday! The weather cooperated also. It was gloomy and windy. Perfect! Oldest dd and I are starting a new tradition. We are going to try to watch one scary movie a weekend. We saw The Uninvited last weekend. It was ok. The week before that was The Blair Witch Project. I have seen that countless times, but this was dd's first time. She said that movie freaked her out more than any so far. We have surround sound so we could really catch the background noise.

It's homecoming week! Again, dd is going w/a big group of kids. She has a "date", but I guess they are just friends. I'm splurging for an up-do and nails for her. Ahhh....to be that young again!

Next week is the 'ole "squish and squeeze" for me. Yipee. I don't mind the actual procedure, I'm just paranoid! LOL!

Dh and three of the kids took a hunters safety course. Ds and oldest dd are both interested in deer hunting. Our other dd would rather stick a fork in her eye. But we wanted her to take the course just to learn about gun safety. All four passed the course w/flying colors! Dh took the course so that he is able to hunt in other states. He is planning a hunting trip "out west" next year w/a few of his friends.

Have a great week everyone!

"Just remember, you can do anything you set your mind to, but it takes action, perseverance, and facing your fears."-- Gillian Anderson