von Frinkenhagen

KCW Creation Numero Uno!

2014-04-08T16:11:00.000-05:00

I am the epitome of a sporadic blogger. I blame my day job. ::sigh::

I really wanted to participate in the KWC this year, which happened to fall the week right after Texas state testing and right in the middle of report card time for my students - so the fact that this is Day 2 and I have finished a project is a small miracle!

Granted, it's just a skirt. Skirts are the easy of all easy, right?

Lucky for me - Thing 1 knows no different and thinks it is great.

For the fabric - I just used some that I had in my pile. This one is called Leaves in Black, by Me and My Sisters for Moda. (the link is for Leaves in Gray, but it's where I purchased the fabric) I just used half a yard.

Lazy and fast must have been my mantra for this skirt. I have no pictures of the process. I literally just cut off 3" of the bottom, sewed it into a circle, then made my top and bottom hems.

Keeping on the lazy theme, I did not want to sew a pocket for the elastic, and thought I'd try my hand at just stretching it and sewing it into the inside. Turns out, I'm a fan of the ruffled effect it makes. However, I need to really reevaluate how tight I pull the elastic when I stretch it. (I also didn't serge any of my seams - I just used my pinking shears...I'm telling you - L.A.Z.Y.)

I didn't have a full string of elastic, so I sewed 2 together. Not really what you want, but it works!

So, yay! I got something accomplished this week and was able to participate! Hoepfully I'll knock out these report cards tonight and get to start something else for the Things. Since I didn't plan very well, it's going to be a fly by the seat of my pants type of thing.

Sometimes that's the most fun. :)

The Story of Tom Turkey

2013-12-02T23:03:00.000-06:00

For the record, I can't make this stuff up, y'all. Promise. If you're expecting a sweet story about a cute little turkey named Tom, you're in the wrong place. And if you don't like seeing raw turkey bits, well, sorry. Oh, and sorry for the bad iPhone photos, we were doing this at 10pm.

This Thanksgiving, the Frink Four packed up Phyllis (what we fondly call our vehicle) and headed north - to Cleveland, Ohio, to be exact - to visit my sister-in-law and family. I think it's fun going up there, there's snow, Trader Joe's nearby, and we do a lot of cooking. This year, Melissa ordered a fabulous turkey (Tom) from a local farm and there were grand plans of brining Tom.

We did all those things you are supposed to do to a turkey - untied the legs and pulled out the innards. You know, engaging in a good old fashioned anatomy lesson. Reminiscing about the time I was in Paris and ate a chicken heart, thinking it was a potato (it was delicious, by the way.)

So, to brine a 23lb turkey, you need a brining bag (cause that bad boy ain't fitting in a big stock pot.) This was a thin, flimsy bag - you'd think that 3 college-educated individuals would have seen the error in this plan when we opened the bag box. Nah, we just pressed onwards, like the newbs that we were.

Once the ingredients were added, we were instructed by the fine folks at Williams-Sonoma that we needed to add water until Tom was covered.

Now check out Brian's hand there...see how much plastic is leftover after filling it up with like 3-4 gallons of liquid? That should have been clue #2, but again, no, onward-ho!

A regular trashcan tie didn't cut it. We had to break out the zip ties - clue #3 right there.

Because we were smart enough to put Tom (and his bag) in the sink to add the liquid, we somehow had to get him from the sink to the pan (to take downstairs to the basement so he could bathe in an apply bath for 24-36 hours!). And by we, I really mean Brian, as is evidenced by my poor photo documentary skills.

You have to say this next part in the voice of Judy Gellar on Friends...

It did not.go.well.

Why yes, that is 3-4 gallons brining juice all over the floor. Why yes, it was a huge sticky mess. And we couldn't stop laughing.

So, the next day, we got a REAL brining bag...and since time was of the essence, as we lost out of 12 hours of pertinent brining time, innovation was necessary to get the liquid cooled in time. Good news - it's 22 degrees out - cooled faster than the fridge ever could.

And when one does things correctly, with the correct materials - it all works out according to plan.

Tom cooked well, tasted delicious, and made from some of the best tasting gravy ever. In typical form, I was too preoccupied with eating to actually take a bad iPhone photo of the finished product, but I'm sure you have an idea.

So it was said, and so it was done. The story of Tom the Turkey.

"Mom, you can just buy one..."

2013-11-04T23:44:00.000-06:00

Our house might as well be an advertisement for Disney Jr. this Halloween. Kaylynn has insisted (for almost half a year now) that she was going to be Princess Sofia the First for Halloween.

Ben has fluctuated for a while. A hippo. Jake (the Neverland Pirate...) Mickey Mouse. I think we've settled on Jake. Jake is easy. Jake I can do.

Sofia on the other hand. I haven't dived into the realm of princess dresses. I've honestly been avoiding it.

As Kaylynn said, "mom, you know you can just buy the dress from Target, right?"

Yes, dear. I do. But I like making your costumes. And I won't get to do it for forever. So...

I bought a pattern off Etsy. It's a very well-thought out pattern. And the dress is cute. But, I need simple!

So...I winged it. I wang it? Wait, that doesn't sound right...winged has to be correct. I'm sure someone will let me know if it's not.

And it didn't turn out too bad, if I say so myself!

It's a 2 piece, which is easy for her to get on and off herself - major perk! Don't think I used enough fabric glue, but it held together for the church carnival and trick-or-treating, which is really what we wanted.

And this guy went easy on me. While he did waver from Jake & the Neverland Pirates to a hippo to "I just be myself", he let his big sister talk him into a construction worker. Easiest costume ever. Thanks, Big B. I owe you one! **note, he said 'struction worker, everyone at school called him Bob the Builder. He has no idea what/who Bob the Builder is, but every time someone at school asked if he was Bob the Builder, he happily replied, "yup!" Yeah, he'll be whatever you want if you give him candy!

Then He Was 3....

2013-10-18T15:29:00.000-05:00

(a post full of ellipses)

Just like that, sweet Ben went from a tiny, sweet (early) baby to this...

At 3, Ben...

...loves triceratops

...thinks ketchup is a square meal
...is a complete and utter mama's boy

...refuses to be potty trained

...is a master fit-thrower
...loves the color orange (despite our Aggie roots)

...always answers "great" when asked how he is, or how he slept

...is a puzzle master

...has a major sweet tooth and is a candy fiend

Happy Birthday, sweet Ben!

St*ff My Kids Say, 1st Ed.

2013-08-21T09:05:00.000-05:00

Since this is a family joint, I'll refrain from the foul language and call this "St*ff My Kids Say". (The asterisk is just for effect, people!)

I think we are all in agreement that kids say some crazy stuff! I need to keep a journal of it, Sherry-style, but I'm not so good at having a pen/paper around, even when I need it. So, Facebook and my iPhone do the trick, in a pinch.

And because I need to record it someplace else besides Facebook (in case I just get fed up with all the political garbage people spew on it daily and delete my account...seriously, why can't we all just post cute pictures and funny e-cards and be done with it?!) the blog wins the "back-up" spot.

So without further adieu, here is "St*ff My Kids Say, 1st Ed."

And in case you are new, K is the 4 year old girl, B is the 2 year old boy. No, I'm not hiding their names, it is just easier to type. :) Laziness at its finest.

At the fabric store with the kids and I just asked for a yard of fabric:
K: what's a yard?
Me: it is a unit of measure
K: is it a non-standard unit of measure?
Me: a what?
K: non-standard unit of measure. You know like when you measure something with something that is not a ruler.
(seriously, are we raising a kid-genius? A doogie-ette? Nah, they probably watch too much tv)

Me: Hey, were you two in the bathroom?
K: Yup
Me: What were you BOTH doing in there?
B: Oh, you know. Just dwinking chocwate milk and stuff.

What's stuff? Turns out, it was sneaking binkies and coloring with markers on the bathroom stool.

Brian: Ben, let me teach you something. Women are crazy and hormonal. Ben, what are they?
B: hippos.
Brian: NO. Never say that. They are?
B: cwazy and homonal.
K: I'm a woman. Womans are girls.

Brian: That's right. And you know what you guys are? Crazy and...

B: homonal

K: (crying) I don't like that! That is not fun and not nice!!
(yes, I know that is a terrible thing for my husband to get my son to say, but dang it if it wasn't hilarious at the time.)

K: Ben, do you know what? When I get bigger, I am going to ride a school bus.
B: when I get bigger, I'm going to ride one, too. And you know what, I am even going to drive it.
K: no you're not.
B: well, when I am really bigger.
K: actually no. You aren't.

My daughter, the dream crusher.

I am scrubbing my face with one of those microderm abrasion scrubber things before church on Sunday, while Kaylynn watches. She's watching me in the bathroom more and more, asking about my flat iron and make-up. Not sure I like it.
K: what are you doing that for?
Me: I'm scrubbing my face.
K: why
Me: It makes me feel like my face looks better. Takes the dead skin off.
K: do you have to do that now because you are old?
Me: Yup. Mama's old.
K: well, you don't look old to me.
Me: I love you! You can tell me that every day. How old do you think I am?
K: umm, let's count (she starts at my feet and moves towards my head...) 1, 2, 3, ...15. You're 15 years old.
I am so glad she has no concept of age. I love her little innocent mind.

K started telling me how when she moves out, I'll need another little girl at home. "Because I'll be far away, but you know, I'll come spend the night with you sometimes." So I asked if she thought she needed another little brother or sister. She said, we'd probably need one of each (Brian asked me later - why are you talking to her about this?!) Anywho, so I asked her, if she had another sibling, what she'd name it. She said her sister needed a cute name, something like "Katelyn". I told her that it was a little too close to her name, so she said, "Rose" is cute, too. So I asked about a brother, and she said, "well, what do you think?" I said, "I asked you what you thought." She sat in silence for a second and said, "Star Rocket would be a great name for a little brother. Don't you think that's perfect?" I said, "Kaylynn, that is the best name ever." She said, "well, when I was a kid (?????) daddy used to take me outside to see the stars every night and when he didn't, I would freak out."

I don't know how she moved from Rose to Star Rocket, but IF we ever have another little boy around here, don't be surprised if his nickname is Star Rocket.

B: "but I already brushed my teeth, daddy."
Brian: "no, you were eating toothpaste, that is not the same thing."

And I'll end on a sweet one...

As she's walking out the door to go to school - "Bye mom! Don't forget to eat lunch! And don't forget that I love you!"

Fun with Boxes

2013-08-19T16:08:00.001-05:00

Why do we waste all this money on cute, eco-friendly (and some not-so-eco-friendly) toys? They have been in the play room for well over half an hour, just chillin' in the boxes.

That's all I got today, folks. Happy Monday!

Traveling with Kids

2013-08-15T11:40:00.000-05:00

We're traveling folk here at the House of Frink. Kaylynn took her first plane ride at 9 weeks and we've pretty much been going ever since. Before the age of 4, she flew to Cleveland, Portland OR, Virginia, Seattle, Santa Fe, and Portland ME. I tried like the dickens to get her overseas with us, but Brian put his foot down. Ben hasn't been quite so lucky, only making it to Santa Fe & Maine, but he's definitely clocked up some hours in the car. Traveling with kids is not always the most fun, or the easiest, but I think in the long run, it is worth it. Here's a few tips that I've amassed through the past (almost) 5 years of kid trips. For flying: 1. Pick your flight times to coincide with either naps or eating. Let's face it, I'm happiest when eating or sleeping, so why wouldn't our little ones be the same. This also helps with babies, as the swallowing action will help prevent ear clogging. If you just don't have the luxury of picking your flight times (the cheapest flights are always at weird times, right?!) pack a binky for the babes or have a sippy of water on standby. 2. iPads or in-flight sat. tv can be your best friend. Yes, I know, too much screen time is not good, but honestly, on airplanes you are in tight quarters, no one wants the kids there to begin with - they are just worth it. You can call be a terrible mom if you want, but I swear by them! Also, United lets you buy DirecTV for $6.00 on some flights - money well spent in my mind, even for the adults. My money-tight husband is quick to whip out the credit card to make it a better flight. 3. In tight situations, don't forget to consult the SkyMall magazine. Not for shopping, though. Tear those pages out and turn it into seat-back basketball. No joke, when Ben was like 14 months old, we spent 45 minutes on a plane letting him throw a piece of paper into the seat-back pocket. Cheapest. entertainment. EVER. For cars: 1. If you're planning on driving, I'd say knock out as much as you can on day 1. Wake up early and hit the road running. On our trip to Colorado a few weeks ago, we left at 4am. While this may have sucked at the time our alarm went off, our kids fell back asleep in the car, waking up in time for breakfast. We plowed through 16 hours in one day and our kids were champs! 2. Section out your trip into "toy time", "screen-time", and "nap-time". Maybe our kids have driven with us enough to know our schedule, but we typically say no to screens (iPads, dvd's, etc.) until 10-11am. In the meantime, we encourage them to color, look at books, look for animals out the window, or just chill. I always go buy a few new colors, color books, or reading books. They LOVE these Melissa & Doug water coloring tablets - and they are reusable! Score! Sometime around 10:30-11, we allow screens until lunch. Previously, we would travel in my mom's car, which has an entertainment system in it. This go around, we have a new ride (sans entertainment system) and bought an iPad holder for the seat-back. It. Was. Awesome. Finally, no fighting over who gets to hold the iPad!! Pair them with bluetooth headphones (or corded ones like we did) and mom and dad can listen to music in peace! After lunch comes quiet time. They typically don't sleep too well in the car. So if we get an hour out of each of them, I consider it a success. But for some reason, after naps, they are pretty content to just "be" for a while. We'll take it. 3. Take breaks. Not only for them, but for you. Even if it's just to get a candy bar or a cup coffee, it's worth it. 4. Treats are good. I'm the first to admit that when it comes to candy/junk, I'm kinda mean about it. Do our kids get it - of course! But they'd take it every day and I'm not into that. However, when it comes to car rides, sometimes you just need it! Case in point, while heading to Breck, we stopped at a Starbucks in Pueblo for a last resort potty and caffeine break before hitting the mountains. We treated the kids to cake pops from there and I think they were pretty excited about that. Cake pops are something that are typically reserved for birthdays or preschool celebrations around these parts. Did they keep the "are we there yet's?" away? Nope, but they broke up the day, nicely. These aren't the be-all, end-all tips for traveling, and we are by no means experts, but I do think that we've been around the block a time or two and kinda know what we're doing by now.

Let's Run Away...

2013-08-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

...and never come back. At least that's what we were telling ourselves after a wonderful trip to Colorado at the end of July. Thanks to some very generous family friends and some continuing education classes for the hubster, we had a great little family/friend vacation to Breckenridge (with a couple day stopover in Denver).

First of all, let's just say that all of our kiddos are traveling rockstars!! We left ETex at 4:00am. Yup, that's right. In the morning. After going to bed at like midnight (us, not the kids), waking up to start driving 16-17 hours was difficult. Met up with the rest of the crew for lunch in Amarillo [side bar: it's probably just me, but I can't think of Amarillo without singing George Strait's Amarillo By Morning. Perhaps that's a side effect of growing up in Texas.]

(this iPad holder is awesome. It'd be more awesome if I wanted to shell out the cash for bluetooth headphones, but I didn't. These corded, ear protecting ones will work just fine)

(probably can't tell, but this is a giant wind turbine propeller. It was ginormous!)

When we finally rolled into Breck - I think we fell in love with the weather instantly. Something about going from 100 degrees to 65 degrees in 16 hours will do that to ya.

Each day was glorious. We could take walks in the evening without sweating!

Even mundane things like eating at Chipotle are better in the mountains.

Picnicking by the river. Water was freezing. But we braved it for a family photo. First one since Christmas, I presume.

We braved the rec center for swim lessons. Kaylynn had 4 good days - Ben had 2. Every other day he flipped out. Not sure why.

One day, we had to take him in a white t-shirt and a diaper. He was not thrilled. But he got in the pool. Have I mentioned that I'm a sucker for little boys in white t-shirts. Or this little boy in a white t-shirt. Probably because it reminds me of his dad, who wears white t-shirts.

We headed up the Gondie (gondola) or as my kids called it, the "oval gondowa" to the fun park. Still not sure what this place was called, but the Alpine Slide and coaster were awesome!

Ben took naps on the chair lifts. Did a little fishing. Or rock throwing. Or picture taking in the mountains. OH, and geocaching! And we fed chipmunks organic cheerios. They weren't fans. They were jealous of chocolate sprinkled donuts. :) And then we made it to Denver for class, where we saw awesome urban gardens and ate sushi. Denver's not bad, I tell you. We were all bummed to head back to Texas. If we could just run away and hide out without no one knowing where we were - we'd do it. So if we ever go missing - look for us out west.

New to the Shop!!!

2013-08-10T16:16:00.002-05:00

Y'all - I'm obsessed with these! Like OBSESSED!! Hands down, the best hair tie I've ever encountered. One of my pals gave me a couple for my 30th birthday (over a year ago...) and I still have those same 2 original ones that she gave me. And have purchased a couple more since then myself, but I had to start making them because Anthropologie (as much as I love the place) would make me go broke buying these guys!

They don't pull out my entire head of hair when I take them down. If wrap them loosely, they don't crease my hair (which I just hate, I know you do, too!)

If you're looking for these hair ties at an AFFORDABLE rate (or I can make them head band size) head on over to my shop (or click above) and pick up a set today. If you don't like the color combinations I have going on there, send me a message and I'll hook you up with whatever colors your like!

Thanks and gig'em! :)

Bikers

2013-07-12T21:32:00.003-05:00

Kaylynn got a bicycle for her 4th birthday, but until recently, has been terrified to ride it. After a little adjustment to the training wheels and seat, she's good to go! Now, every time we go over to Meese & Papa's house the kids run straight to the bikes and start riding around the patio.

Last night, we convinced them to take their talents to the road and the most entertaining bike ride/walk ever! We are really impressed with Ben "Low Rider" Frink's progress on the trike. Kaylynn never pedaled the tricycle, as it has a handle on the back and preferred that everyone just push her around, like the princess that she is. :) But with Kaylynn's recent bike riding discoveries, Ben has taken off right behind her. I realize other 2 year olds may have been doing this for a while, but since none of our kids would pedal a bike, we're pretty impressed with how fast he's picked it up.

A few funny stories:

1. When Ben pedals, he's knees are at a constant 90 degree angle (aka, he needs a bigger bike). But he goes so fast that his legs can't keep up. And he is panting like a dog the entire time he's pedaling. And we call him "Low Rider" because he is all kinds of leaned back on that trike. I really tried to get him to just keep one hand on the handle bars, and stay all leaned back, but it didn't quite have the same affect. Still funny.

2. So we're going down the road, and Ben doesn't really look where he's going. Neither of them do, actually. So he's going along and veering to the right...into Kaylynn's path, and cuts her off. She darts right, into the pasture and the bike starts bumping. She bails out, superman style, and ends up on the ground. And she is ticked off. Like MAD. The bike has fallen over and she gets up and is standing in the weeds with her hands on her hips, yelling at us, "IT'S NOT FUNNY!!" But it is. She's so dramatic, that it makes everything funny, as she is so worked up over it. Meese and I are laughing so hard that tears are streaming out of our eyes and the snorting has commenced. I'm sure it was one of those moments where you had to be there - but man if you were, you would have been doubled over in laughter!

3. The trike has no brakes. And the road at Meese & Papa's is hilly. So Ben gets going down the hill and we can't get to him fast enough before he falls over. But immediately as he falls, an airplane is flying by. If you know anything about our kids, you know that they have an eagle-eye for planes/helicopters. Instead of crying over his bleeding knee, he shouts, "airpane, daddy. Wook, mommy, dere's an airpane!!!" He fell a 2nd time and he didn't even realize he had a skinned knee until he got in the car and saw the blood. He ended up with an Angry Bird bandaid before the night was over.

Low Rider in action

Unicorn bikes rock!

And once you get to the gate, you have to climb it.

Why Am I Such a Slacker?

2013-07-09T14:26:00.000-05:00

Seriously, I used to be so good with this thing. Maybe it is because now, every time I sit and try open the computer, the kids run over thinking that I am playing Candy Crush and want to "do the oranges" or "do the yellows" for me. (FYI, year 2033, Candy Crush is a ridiculous game that is a huge time suck, and we are all addicted.)

Nothing new and major going on, just keep on living, L-I-V-I-N. ;) Summer days mean pool fun. Kaylynn and Ben are little tan kids - the epitome of the Coppertone Baby.

Here are a few Instagram updates on the summer so far. We've got a fun trip to west in store soon, which we are very excited about!

Chalkin' Fourth of July Fun Aunt Cathy brought her ice cream machine over on the 4th and I think we all had fun with that one. Yes, that is ice cream in his hair. Trying my hand at a Pinterest find. In the summer, sometimes we have to cool off by taking a trip to PetsMart to see the fish. You'd think we were at a zoo or something, the way they run around checking out every exhibit. Though, all-in-all, I can't complain about the weather much. Some days are cool enough that we can actually "enjoy" the park and not leave red-faced and drenched in sweat. In June, we got a new member of the family - Phyllis the Pilot. Phyllis is after Phyllis on The Office. Some people don't think it is a fitting name, but we love her! :) We were very impressed at how well-behaved Thing 1 and Thing 2 were at the dealership. Test driving cars and what not. One day, daddy surprised everyone with a trip to see Monster's U! Every since then, Ben's been going around saying, "Monster's Inc., coming to dvd." No idea where he got that from, but it is HILARIOUS. At the beginning of June, we took a mini-trip down to Galveston to celebrate my Uncle Bob's 80th birthday. We had some kid fun time at Moody Gardens. Might not have been the most fun way for the dad's to spend Father's Day, but the kids had fun. They are still talking about those pyramids. And back to the very beginning of summer - we finished up Blast Ball for Kaylynn. The Super Heroes did great and Ben was a great team kid-brother! He's looking forward to getting to play on his own next year!

An Interview with Kaylynn, Age 4

2013-04-16T10:13:00.002-05:00

This is sooo late! But my annual birthday interview, from December 2012.

1.What is your favorite color? Yellow
2. What is your favorite toy? My dollhouse
3. What is your favorite fruit? bananas, they are yellow. and carrots
4. What is your favorite TV show? Dinosaur Train, Mickey Mouse, & Doc McStuffins
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? macaroni and cheese & hamburgers
6. What is your favorite thing to wear? yellow clothes
7. What is your favorite thing to learn about? that old trees can grow (????)
8. What is your favorite animal? giraffe
9. What is your favorite song? Knee Deep in the Water by Zac Brown
10. What is something Mama or Daddy tells you? that you love me
11. What is your favorite book? Big Red George book
12. Who is your friend? Will and Jake (Bryla)
13. What is your favorite cereal? cheerios (she never eats cheerios...much less cereal, no idea how she answered this question)
14. What do you like to do outside? blow bubbles
15. What is your favorite thing to drink? chocolate milk and orange juice and daddy's milk (daddy's milk=kefir)
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas and Valentine's Day
17. What do you like to take to bed with you? my blanket and stuffed animals
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? biscuits and gravy and hotdog buns (hotdog buns=pigs in a blanket)
19. What makes you happy? when you sing to me (so glad my off-key voice is pretty to her!)
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a mama (who, apparently is going to have 10 kids. She has told me this on MULTIPLE occasions. And she is not sure if they are going to pee pee in their pants, but they probably will.)

Chevy Driving Soccer Mom (and Dad)

2013-04-08T23:05:00.002-05:00

This spring, we have entered the world of soccer parents! Seriously, this is the best way to spend a Saturday, watching 4 year olds play soccer.

Oh, Kaylynn, she has spirit, that is for sure. Everyone tells us how happy she seems. She just hops and skips around, without a care in the world. She's the team entertainment, I guess. And has the brightest, most yellow shoes ever. She knows that you don't touch the ball with our hands. And that the goal is to "take the ball away from the other team" but she gets so caught up in the fact that we are there watching her, that she really doesn't pay attention to what she is supposed to do! She is more interested in flowers, waving, and blowing us kisses! During her 4th game, she finally got a REAL kick, not a kick off or a throw in, but a real running kick. We lost it. We were totally those parents.

If you watch this video, she's the one hopping around behind everyone! ha!

Throw-in. "I threw it over all their heads, just like Coach Randee said."

Another throw-in.

Here she looks like she is on top of things, but she is really like 10 feet away from everyone. :)

Kick off

Just taking a little break. In the freezing, cold, windy weather!

She must be the queen of throw-ins...

Just waving to her fans! Yes, she played the whole game in her sunglasses.

Corner kick!

Freakishly long arms? Nope, just a too big sweatshirt.

Every Morning is Easter Morning...

2013-04-08T22:09:00.001-05:00

...every day's resurrection day, the past is over and gone!

Those words remind me of one of my favorite songs that I sang as a kid in front of the church (with the choir, of course!).

No matter how many children's choir practices we go to, my kids will never actually sing in church on Sunday. They rock out to the songs for the next few weeks, but never the morning of. :) We've been letting Ben stay in "big church" until the Children's Moment for the past few weeks. It stresses me out, like on the verge of sweating most days. On Easter, there were a lot of kids, but usually, there are just 4-6ish of them, and Ben has more freedom to move around. I just know that one day he is going to knock the baptismal font over. I love how Ben is paying attention here (while Miss Kaylynn is poking her friend, Gavin, in the back. Those two are something else!) After church, we were invited over to Aunt Cathy & Uncle Cliff's house for lunch. We can't visit their house without going out to see the horses. Lucky kids got to climb fences in their church clothes. We took our annual "Easter picture in front of the azaleas" after lunch, when we were in desperate need of a nap. Turns out, it decided to DOWNPOUR right as we were walking out the door to head to church. I can't get over how grown up Kaylynn looks with her little braids. I was just impressed that she let me do something with her hair. (3rd year of making her Easter outfit! We'll see how long she'll let me do this!)

Craving France

2013-01-09T22:42:00.001-06:00

Brian and I keep talking about trips we want to go on. He wants Liechtenstein and I am craving France. I am afraid I need it to be a yearly trip for me. ::sigh:: Such terrible problems, I know. But the kids keep begging to listen to our French cds in the car, so we're getting somewhere! Gift idea for Hayley - Rosetta Stone.

This video from OliveUs doesn't help. How precious are they, cute little French accents. Design Mom (Olive Us is their genius idea) is one of my favorite blogs and hasn't exactly been helping my French crush. C'est la vie.

Update in October

2013-01-03T22:56:00.000-06:00

Ben's 2nd birthday!

http://vonfrinkenhagen.blogspot.com/2012/10/ben-is-2.html

End of the Year InstaUpdate

2012-12-31T16:20:00.001-06:00

Ooops, I did it again. No, not Britney Spears, but I have not updated in a while when I had good intentions on doing so. Maybe this lovely new Christmas present from Brian will inspire me to do so (it's a fruit, if that gives any hint!) Until then, here are my latest instagrams. :)

Fall walks

Carrying his for with him, you know, for food emergencies.

Out ghetto lights.

Serious work going on.

Rock fun.

There is a Kaylynn under that basket.

Sleeping out of his bed.

Heisman watch party, I mean, Kaylynn's 4th birthday party.

Dr. Frink

My big 4 year old!

Dug in my purse, found a blue sucker, a highlighter and a sharpie. Sharpie made it to our couch. He now thinks I carry suckers in my purse.

Birthday dessert!

Christmas light tour.

Making cookies to spread Christmas joy. No one answered their door. :(

Zoo trip when it is 40 degrees out.

Too many books and blankets in bed. Boy can't even fit.

"Mommy, my biper is boken."

Snow fall in Cleveland! It started falling right when Christmas Eve mass began. Perfect timing!

Griswald's in Ohio.

Checking out Santa loot.

Trying to eat snow.

"Mommy, dis rain?" No, sweet boy. :)

4 cousins all in a row.

Dr. Frink working on her patient.

Fireman Ben.

Toddler tattos.

Shopping with mom. I love Ben's mustard yellow cords. Everyone else thinks they are dumb. It's ok, he's my little hipster. :)

And they were all "Yellow." :)

Our 4 Year Old!

2012-12-12T22:26:00.000-06:00

Thing 1 thinks she is hot stuff now that she is 4.

Poor Kaylynn, had to share her 4th birthday part with the Heisman Award. Lucky for her, Johnny Football won and we were a happy house!

She is finally to the age where she knows that she gets presents for her birthday. She particularly loves this one:

And her first pair of cowgirl boots!

Our big girl on her special day! We sent cupcakes to school and she loved sharing them with her friends.

And of course, no birthday would be complete without a birthday meal at a restaurant, complete with a Pizookie!

We love our sweet girl! You are so smart, sassy (so sassy!), energetic...I could come up with a million adjectives to describe you. You are literally one of the happiest little girls ever and we can't believe how lucky we are that you get to be ours!

InstaUpdate

2012-11-14T22:16:00.002-06:00

From end of September until now...

Conversations with the Kids

2012-10-26T20:50:00.000-05:00

The kids have been saying some funny and sweet things lately. if I don't write them down now, I am likely to forget!

Kaylynn on the way to school last week:
K: "Mommy, God is in our bellies."
Me: Well, actually, He is in our hearts.
K: How does He get there? Through our mouths?

I must be doing something right, because Kaylynn crawled in bed with me on morning and said:
"Mommy, even when you are mad at me, I still love you. And even when Kaylynn is mad at Mommy, I still love you." (and use, she did use multiple "persons". I think she is growing out of talking in 3rd person, which I am going to miss!)

As I am in the living room, I hear Kaylynn say to Ben: "It's ok, Ben. Just get on my back." That cannot lead anywhere good...

After dropping Kaylynn off at school, Ben and I were headed to our weekly recycling center trip. He had some news to tell me:
B: Alligators eat meat.
Me: They do? What kind?
Ben: Brown meat. And white meat.
Me: Do they eat vegetables?
Ben: Nope. Eat meat.
Me: Do they eat chicken and hamburger?
Ben: Nope. Eat meat.

Back at the beginning of October, my mom and I took the kids to a community pep rally at the high school to see a family friend's daughter cheer. The principal challenged each class to do a spirit skit that exemplified school spirit, pride, etc. Ben (who had taken his shoes off already to dance better) started doing the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse "Hot Dog" dance, while the others were doing their thing. One class had some rappers and while they were rapping, one kid was break dancing. Ben was watching intently. A little later I looked over and saw him with his head on the ground/rolling on the gym floor - HE WAS TRYING TO BREAK DANCE!! It was one of the funniest things I have seen!!

Kids say/do the darnedest things. :)

Ben is 2!

2012-10-18T22:46:00.000-05:00

Big Ben, how in the world are you a 2 year old? It seems impossible to us that you are that old already, but to every stranger that sees you, you are much older. In fact, the most common question I get from strangers is asking if you and Kaylynn are twins. Then I get a shocked look when I explain that you are 2 years younger. You are so tall. So tall. You are as big as Kaylynn was when she was 3 - height and weight. In 1 year, you went from a size 5 shoe to a size 9. I really think that your fast growth is what slowed you down in the walking department, being almost 17-18 months when you started walking - it hasn't been a whole year yet. You are still a bit wobbly at some things, like stairs.

We always thought that with your talkative sister, you wouldn't be able to get a word in, but you have proved us wrong. Your vocabulary is expanding by leaps and bounds each day. It is funny to me how all parents can understand their own kids gibberish, but not that of others, as I find myself translating for you, but to your dad and I, you sound as clear as day. I can't even begin to write down little words or phrases that you are saying, because if we say it, you say it. My absolute favorite of late is "oh, sure." Like, "Ben, can you go throw away this stinky diaper?" With enthusiasm, you say, "Oh, sure!"

As of favorites - books and puzzles. I am fairly certain your sister was just like this, too. All you want is someone to play puzzles with you - "pay puzzles wif me." It's sweet and sad at the same time. When there are tons of kids around, all you want to do is be somewhere quiet, preferably with mama or daddy playing or reading. You are also a huge fan of firetrucks and hippos. You'd go to the zoo everyday if you could. We have been 2 times this fall and you always remind me (shaking your head "no") "see any hippos" - meaning you didn't see any hippos. We will find them one day, buddy. One day.

With Kaylynn nearing 4, and her 4 year old attitude rising, she has said some not-nice things to her dear ole' mom. But sweet boy, you always tell me, "you no mean mama." But you, too, try to push you limits, but respond pretty well to the 1,2,3 bit. You also have started sticking up for yourself to Kaylynn a bit. I don't like the hitting, but do like to see that you aren't going to be walked all over.

To sum up, Ben, you are quite possibly the best little boy for us! We love everything about you - from your wild and crazy hair (LOVE!), your lip smacking kisses (literally, you smack your lips after you touch our cheek - cute!), your squeezes, snuggles, belly laughs, your "I sowwe, Kayin's", your "I wuv you, toos", you giant feet, big blue eyes, your praying hands (so, so, so precious), your "amens", your song singing, EVERYTHING!

I can't wait to see who you are going to become (just don't be in a hurry, ok?) I pray that you will continue to thrive, love to read, be lovable, respectful, love Jesus, and grow to be a strong, sensitive man. Don't let anyone tell you that you are just a mama's boy - you are so much more! We both love you to pieces!

Love,

Mama.

Flyover State Tour

2012-10-01T20:34:00.000-05:00

When you work for yourself/father-in-law, you don't get too many opportunities to travel for work. When the random chance to head to Wisconsin came up, we jumped at it and extended it to Cleveland to make it a little family vacation.

Our route took us up through Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin to our destination in Madison. Madison is a nice little city. Big enough to have everything you need, small enough to actually get around. Plus, they have fun accents. :)

When we were driving through Iowa, I saw a sign that mentioned something about bridges in Madison County in a couple of exits. A quick google search taught me that these were THE Bridges of Madison County, as in the movie! So I made Brian take an hour detour. He wasn't happy, but when are we going to be in Iowa again???

The little town (that I'd have to go back and google what it was called) was the birth place of John Wayne. I have a picture of that, on my phone. I got in trouble for using my phone to take Instagrams instead of the "fancy camera"...so I got the thing out and snapped these of the town.

And here they are, in all their glory - The Bridges of Madison County. Brian was unimpressed. I thought they were cute.

And a shout out to Coldplay!

While we were learning, our nanny-in-tow (aka, my mother) took the kids around to the local zoo and children's museum. Both were a hit! (by the way, posting these pictures of the zoo are the first time I am even looking at them.)

This one cracks me up. She is reading that map, oblivious to the fact that her most favorite animal is standing right behind her!

And I can imagine Ben yelling "Water Buffalo" the whole time. :)

And here, "fingos STINK!"

So we spent 2 days in Madison, had the most fabulous meal at 8 Seasons Grille, and then headed out on our trek to Cleveland. I really wanted to stop in Chicago at the "bean" thing, but instead, we paid an extravagant amount of money in tolls and kept heading east. I did get a little stop off in South Bend, to see Notre Dame (and have our first Five Guys hamburger experience). 8 hours from Madison and we made it to Cleveland! It rained most of the time, but we did get to have some outside fun at Aunt Melissa and Uncle Angelo's new house!

Like herding cats, man. It is impossible to take a picture of 4 toddlers. :)

Besides getting to see cousins, aunt/uncle, and Gigi, one of the main reasons of the trip was to celebrate Dominic's 2nd birthday!

How many toddlers does it take to open the birthday boy's presents?

Don't remember why she was pouting, but it's cute. :)

The birthday boy!

We had a great time playing and we can't wait to go back and visit at Christmas!

InstaFlyoverStateTour

2012-09-27T22:27:00.000-05:00

Paris? Paris, Texas.

Parachuters over Missouri

Welcome to Iowa! It's 55 degrees, praise God!

Bridges of Madison County

Bridge graffiti

Birth place of John Wayne

Train fun - Madison Zoo

Did you know that the Wisconsin capital has a granite dome...or something like that. It was a funny joke of the trip.

The Windy City

Valpo - My out-of-state school of choice in 1999

Gold Dome - Notre Dame

"Touchdown" Jesus

5 Guys in South Bend

Just Because...

2012-09-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

I know I am biased, but these have to be the cutest kids in the whole wide world!

This boy - geez, he's so dang sweet and polite. If you tell him he's doing a good job, he tells you thank you. "Ben, you're doing such a good job using a spoon with your yogurt." "Thank you, mama(dada)." Plus, his hair is awesome.

And this one - so smart. Like beyond her years. And she loves to give hugs and kisses. She will never turn down a hug request. And she also gives random, "I love you's" which just make me as happy as can be! Her newest trick - she can buckle herself in the car seat. Score!

First Day of Preschool

2012-09-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 - Kaylynn's first day of preschool. The child has been ready for this for a long while.

Picking out a backpack was a huge ordeal. The child wanted yellow (as she does everything) and they don't make girly backpacks in bright yellow. So we eventually settled on this butterfly one. I liked it because it was $7 at Old Navy, had a $5 matching lunchbox, and I won't be heartbroken when it gets ripped. We can get her a good one for "big school" in a couple of years.

Her outfit was yellow, of course. Yellow stripe shirt, black skirt, black and yellow Toms. Might as well have been a bumble bee.

When I walked her in, Ben started crying because he thought we were going to leave him, too. I told her "bye" about 10 times before she acknowledged me and said "bye" back. She never looked up and never looked back. I am told that this is exactly how I was when I was little. And for the record, I held it together and didn't tear up! I think with Ben, we'll have more tears and clinging...which might make me cry...

3 hours later, I came back to get her and she was bouncing up and down like a pogo stick, telling me all about the playground. She could not remember anyone's name that she played with, what stories they read or, what songs she sang. Her lunch was "perfect" - chicken sausage, Pirate's booty, a mini-cucumber, strawberries, blueberries, and water.

She is now part of the "drop-off/pick-up" circle, which means I just drive up, the teachers come unbuckle her, she hops out and off she goes. Growing up too fast.