They are growing up!

My grandson, Austin, celebrated his fifteenth birthday today. He has abs of steel, but won't let me see them.

"No, you're my grandma, that's weird."

He works out and exercises several times a week. He has sports memorabilia and posters of ball players (and also a Sports Illustrated model) all over his walls, a large TV in his room, and a recliner which he bought with his birthday money a couple years ago. Fifteen and his own man cave! He's a good kid with a lot of ambition, and I am very proud of him. He invited his uncle and cousin outside to toss a football. He spied me and pretended to toss it to me.

"Go ahead! You don't know who you're messing with here, boy! Last time I was here I proved I could slug a baseball. I can hit, and I can catch. I just can't throw."

"Yeah, right!"

"Toss it!"

"Wow!" he and Nick both yelled, as I caught that spinning pigskin.

I tossed it back and narrowly missed a Mustang, car.


I have never taken a cake decorating class. When my kids were small I used to make them stand with me at the grocery store bakery department so I could observe the bakery ladies decorating cakes.

Years ago, I bought a few tips and decorating bags, a large pan and obtained a frosting recipe. Shhh! Don't tell the Cardinals I used their logo. The bird's head feathers are a bit too froo-froo, and his legs are out of place, but close enough and not too bad for free-hand drawing.