I'm Skating! Well...sort of...

Before the adventure begins...

Uncle Kyle and Auntie Heidi got Macy and Jorey their very own feminine-looking Hockey skates for Christmas.  Dad's been talking about teaching them to skate for a while, so it's probably time to get them on the ice.  Jorey wants to play Hockey, so she better learn to move around on the ice prior to any lessons in hitting pucks and swinging large objects...someone would definitely get hurt.  I'm still curious to see what Macy decides to do with sports - she seems to have little interest in contrast to her sister.  This is going to get interesting when we start signing them up for activities...the small amount of free time we have, now, will be gone. :)  I best start preparing for that.

Here are some shots of Ken, Kyle, Payne, and the girls working on this skating thing (I was little help with my no skating know-how and large belly, so I slowly walked around the ice trying to get pictures...no wipeouts).  The first time over the ice, they were like little deer, just spinning their wheels.  Then, after about 1/2 hour, they were getting up on their own and inching along.  I was amazed at their progress and Dad did a great job being patient with our emotional little ladies. :) 

Before - and during...When I took the 2nd picture, Macy tried crawling away stating, "I'm getting outta here!"

Uncle Kyle, How the heck are we going to do this thing?

Payne's got it all figured out.

Success!



Let's take a lap, Dad.



Merry Christmas!

What a great Christmas season for 2010.  There was more snow than anyone needed, beautiful dresses made by Orange Gramma, Great family to spend time with, great food (way too much - thanks for 2 more months of dieting to get back in shape after Boom Babba's born).

The girls fully embrace the Christmas season with Elfie and mousie - that keep an eye on them when Santa can't...every day, they looked to see if he moved and sometimes he was in the craziest places that they just couldn't believe they could get there!  Every day, I realize that life's way more exciting when you're a kid and I love watching them light up at the slightest thing.  Christmas is the most magical thing in the world to a 3 and 5-year-old. 

Macy wrote her own letter to Santa, with a little help from Mom with some spelling, and Jorey traced what I wrote as she told me what she needed to tell him.  I thought I took pics of the letters, but I didn't and we tossed them.  They were pretty funny, but I can't remember all that was on them.  Oh, well...I'll get my act together for next year.  I'll blame it on baby brain this year. 
Santa must have really thought the girls were well behaved this year because they each got a new bike!  Macy got a blue one and Jorey got a purple one!  perfect!  They also got some ice skates, games, toys, just a ton of great stuff.  I can't wait to have this baby so it's easier to play with some of this stuff, with them.  I know I'll have less time, but I'll be able to move around...starting to feel pretty handicapped.  Boom Babba - come on out!

Hunter Henry Freske - We've got a baby nephew! ...finally!



I'll wake up for a pic and then I'm going back to sleep!

 Well, after much whining and harassment by moi, Kyle and Heidi finally had a little bundle of joy to grow the Fry brood.  Clearly, this was not a gift to me, but at least they don't have to listen to me whine any more...Well, maybe for one more...but, I'm just glad we got one!  :)  


Sleepyhead

 The girls are completely pumped and want to hold him every time they see him.  He sleeps an awful lot, but they don't mind.  He's super cute and sweet so they just like to snuggle.  We can't wait for him to meet his cousin!  Lordy, we can't wait...me, especially.  But, we'll take to snuggling Hunter until we get to meet our own little man.  Then, we'll have plenty of babies to take care of and snuggle.  I look forward to being able to hold him without the mound-o-baby in my own belly.  He'll know who the heck I am by then...and, I just can't wait to get him his first ball tent!  The fun is just beginning!

We love you, Hunter!

This is the best

There's a memorable story, here, with the name.  I'll share an abbreviated version.  Heidi, Kyle, Payne, the girls, and I went to the water park one summer day, shortly after Heidi and I both found out we were expecting.  In a conversation about names, I stated that I figured we had a boy name picked out if it happened to be a boy...and shared what it was.  The look and silence said it all...that was their name.  How strange that we would both pick the same one!  So, all along, Heidi and I agreed that whoever had their baby first (my odds weren't good) would get the name and the other just pick something else - big deal.  Fast forward, my prego neighbor forgot it was a secret and said something to Ken.  He wanted the name.  Fast forward another few months when we find out ours is actually a boy...something that I figured was such a non-factor as I figured we were having another fine lady...Heidi and Kyle get uncomfortable just taking the name.  How nice, but not necessary.  One night, while playing cards and possibly indulging in a few too many cocktails, Kyle and Ken decide they should have "drawn a card" for the name.  ha.  Well, I laughed and didn't think much about it.  Then, fast forward a couple more weeks when Heidi's in labor.  I'm in a work meeting, talking to a client - and just so happened to be at that meeting with my father.  His phone rings and he says, "Ya, she's right here".  I figure it's an emergency and take the call to hear Ken say, "Heidi's in labor so Kyle called and figured we should flip a coin.  I'm on my way to Stillwater and could swing in.  Should I do it?"  "Sure", i say  "If I win, should I just give them the name?"  "What sense does that make?  Either don't go and give them the name or take the name if you go and flip for it and we win.  Either way - doesn't matter - your call."  So, he does...  While Heidi's pushing to deliver a baby, the nurses cover her up, Ken comes in, the nurse flips a nickel.  Heidi calls tails - it was heads.  So, we get Grady and they get Hunter.  So, when our son is born and gets his name...you'll know we had to earn it.  We've discussed many times that nobody "wins or loses" - but this was just the first silly competition between 2 boys that will likely be in the same grade and play the same sports, etc.  How silly! 

Peaceful little Christmas Angel



If you procrastinate on getting a Christmas tree...you must suffer!

So, we procrastinated this year.  Not without good reason.  One weekend, I was out of town.  The next weekend, my parents wanted the girls...I took advantage of a full day to steam clean the carpets - shout out to the Rug Doctor - 4x over the floors, the carpet looked and felt like it was brand new!  I got stains out from 4 years ago.  It was awful to do it, but awesome to have it done.  Anyways, so that's why it waited until this weekend.  Wow...this was the worst weekend in my "real tree" life to go get one.  We planned to do it first thing on Saturday, but due to winds, snow, and Hampton Hills being closed...we clearly had to put it off until today.  It was fairly entertaining.  First, I had gotten the girls these little hoodie things that will keep their necks and faces warm...I think they are awesome...Macy agreed.  Jorey --not so much...

she told me she's NOT smiling because she doesn't want to wear that hat/scarf thing! 

Once we got to the tree farm, she was all smiles for the ride through the trees and the pending excitement of the joyous adventure waiting for us. 

Don't go Tree Hunting after a Blizzard, nerds! 

Dad got out when we stopped so he could go find the perfect tree.  We got our jackets on and were going to come find him after he located our "beauty".  Well, when the girls and I got out of the truck, we sunk into snow up to my shins.  Then, we took another step, and the snow was up to my knees.  The next step was up to my thighs and Jorey said "No Way".  So, I threw her on my back and Macy and I kept going...the snow got deeper and deeper until I could barely get my feet up high enough.  We aborted our mission and headed back to the truck.  Dad had to be brave and get the tree, and then haul it back through the snow that was up to his waist.  It was funny and awful all at the same time because Ken refused to get a pre-cut tree and then hauled the scraggliest tree we've ever bought back to the truck.  Oh, well.  The memories are going to be great!  When he finally got back to the car, he had some frozen facial hair that the girls thought was soooo funny.

When we got home, we decorated the Charlie Brown tree all up.  In the dark, with the lights on, it's quite pretty. My little tree decorators did such a great job and they finally grasped the concept of decorating the whole tree this year - not just the bottom branches.  Though, we did have to have a few reminders that there is only one decoration per twiggy branch, they really did a fine job and it's fun to see how excited they get about a task I could really take or leave.  I have to try to remember to look at Christmas through my daughters' eyes because they seem to enjoy it much more than me. 

The Ghetto Gingerbread House was constructed here...

My poor kids...they have only me to try to put artistic flair to their daily tasks. 
We bought a pre-made Gingerbread house - the cookie pieces were a little crooked, which resulted in 4 collapses prior to getting the structure set.  Then, we decorated it with many candy pieces that must have been leftover from last Christmas because they were all stuck together and broken...then, add in my inability to be artistic and you get the result we have. 

But, the girls loved it and thought it was really fun.  They have picked many pieces of icing off prior to my threat of throwing it away if they keep picking candy off of it.  Here they are...and, yes...Jorey looks like a shaggy dog, but she did NOT want her hair in a pony. 

This was also a really great activity to do on the craziest weather day in the world.  My lunatic of a husband went out hunting.  I'm happy to report that he didn't get shot in the zero visability, while shooting guns.  The wind was blowing the snow straight sideways, the windows were all coated with snow, and we weren't going anywhere!  It was a nice warm day, at home.

Tomatoes...

Macy: "Mom, what are those big chunks on your salad?"

"Tomatoes"

"Yuk.  I don't like Tomatoes"

"I love Tomatoes.  They're delicious and good for you.  They'll make you big and strong and help you have beautiful skin."

"Well, why don't you have beautiful skin?"

"Hmmm...I guess I don't eat enough of them.  Thanks for noticing."

My sweet girl is just very honest...I can appreciate that.

Dad's Deer: Where's the hair?

So, Ken shot a doe this year and brought it home to show the girls.  At the time he brought it home, he informed our little ladies that they were going to have the pleasure of eating that deer.  They had a lot of questions for me on whether or not they were actually going to have to eat it.  I said, "Not if you don't want to".  They didn't.  Well, Ken cooked dinner tonight and made venison ring bologna.  When he brought the packages of meat up from the basement, the girls were very traumatized and said, "I don't want to eat the deer.  Mom, do we have to eat the deer?"  I said, "We'll try it and see how it tastes."  So, with scrunched up noses, they sat down at the table with dinner.  Jorey looked at the meat on her plate and said, "Dad, is this your deer?"  He said, "Yes."  She replied, "Where's the hair?"  We laughed so hard.  No wonder they were SO traumatized.  Macy and Jorey both thought the deer would be eaten as a large, hairy wonder.  Poor things.  In the end, everyone ate Dad's deer, he was so happy, and dinner was excellent.  Mixing enough other meat, seasonings, and salt in with venison makes it quite tasty. 

Cookie Day!

Every year, my sisters come over and we make cookies with the goyles.  This year, as a special little treat, Orange Papa came to assist with the roll-outs.  It made our venture much more efficient. :)

here are some shots from the day.  And, just FYI, Jorey ate every cookie she frosted.  Macy took "go ahead and clean out the bowl to mean, actually lick it clean!  Auntie Kenzie had a tough time getting there on time, due to her boyfriend being in town from Chicago, so we had to snap a picture of her with her morning cup o' joe.  And, Jorey's turkey hat was pretty cute, so I figured I better include that one.

Interviews with the goyles

Halloween 2010: The Wicked Witch and Ladybug Princess

We had another great Halloween this year.  The girls are always so fun at this time.  This year, they really were excited to get their costumes on and just be goof balls.  Our tradition is always that Dad takes them trick-or-treating while mom hands out candy and we have anyone over that's interested in some sloppy Joes or whatever we're eating that year.  It's nice and relaxed.  My favorite is leaving the big door open and seeing the little ones at the storm door pressed right up to the glass...they don't ring the door bell, they just lurk...It's so cute.

Goyles...and a Boy?

Well, a few months ago, the discussion about whether to find out what we are having came up.  Ken and I strongly disagreed.  I didn't want to know.  He really wanted to know.  We compromised.  At the 5-month check-up, we'll get it in an envelope and he can find out if he can keep it a secret.  Well, it just didn't work. 
First, at the ultrasound, the tech slipped at the end and said "his legs are closed".  (or, we were pretty sure she said that).  Then, at that first ultrasound, they gave us the envelope, but noticed that the baby's stomach looked a little small.  So, I went back to just verify that it was A-OK.  And, it measured just right...so that was excellent news.  However, when the tech was getting started, I looked up at the screen, feeling very confident that I wouldn't be able to identify anything if I saw it.  But, there it was...just the little snausage and the nuts staring me in the face...I looked away quickly - thinking that maybe it wasn't really what I saw and kindof in disbelief that it could even be a boy - with 3 girls in my family and 2 already in this one, I just assumed and kindof was planning for another one.  So, with my mental block, I still wasn't totally convinced I knew what we were having.  Then, the tech asks if I know what we're having and tells me that she's glad I missed the last shot because there was just a really good one of the baby's anatomy.  Well, so then I'm almost certain I know it's a boy.  How strange. For a couple weeks, I just told Ken I thought it was a girl and thought I saw something.  Finally, on Tuesday of this week, he just couldn't take it any more and opened the envelope.  Then, the cutest thing ever happened.  He got a little teary, he had lots of perma-grin, and he kept hugging me, telling me that he just wants to tell me what it is.  Well, I know he'd be happy with another girl, but really...is he going to tear up and need hugs and be permagrin?  Likely, not.  So, I'm 98% sure I know what it is, but don't want to look.  Wednesday night comes and we're eating dinner.  He hands me the envelope and tells me to look.  We go back and forth all night until I had to leave to pick something up from work.  When I leave, I start thinking that it's pretty silly to be stubborn and not look when I pretty much know what it is.  So, I text him "I'll look when I get home."  He replies, "Look for what?" (totally thought I was texting the wrong person.)  I tell him that we can look at the ultrasound when I get home.  So, the girls and I went upstairs with Daddy, sat on the bed, and opened.  What a surprise when I saw "I'm your girl" on the bottom...nerdy Dad had taped a note over the real message.  So, then, I pulled the note off and saw this,

I'm a little nervous and still in disbelief that our little ladies are going to have a brother.  Their first question, "Can we put make-up on him?"  Ha.   He's going to be dressed up like a little princess a lot, I think.  Oh, well.  It'll make him a well rounded fella when he's older.  Now, for a name...

Breastfeeding

I totally forgot to post this a few weeks back -
While I was gone in Owatonna at "Nerd Convention" (that's what Ken calls it) - Scrapbooking weekend, Ken was home with the ladies.  One night, they watched the documentary called "Babies" and saw all sorts of new things and apparently were all mesmerized(sp?) by the babies and how they're raised differently. 
Well, the next day, Ken was carrying his laundry upstairs and looked over to find Macy breastfeeding hippos and then Jorey breastfeeding a toy chipmunk...
After the initial shock for him, it was pretty funny and I said he had to get a picture.  I bet that hippos and chipmunk were still mighty hungry after that feeding. ;)

Fischer's Apple Orchard

What a fun weekend.  Dad took the ladies to a St. Thomas football game on Saturday so I got all the yard work done.  I even trimmed the pricker bushes around that house that have had us looking quite ghetto for quite some time.  I have war woulds to prove it, but those buggers should be good until next year...when we pull them out and replace them with something lush and pretty, rather than prickly and only pretty in the fall. 

Sunday, we went to Fischer's Apple Orchard with some friends, Brent, Vanessa, and Autumn.  Vanessa and I always laugh that Brent and Ken have a bromance and the more I get to know them, I see that they are two peas in a pod.  We had a great day and then came home to have sloppy joes and pies.  That was yummy and will contrubute to my "boom-babba" status.

The girls had a blast riding on the little Train they made out of old barrels and drove with a lawnmower.  I could hear Macy giggling the whole time - it was pretty fun.  And, I loved the little measuring boards to see how tall they are every fall.  We'll definitely have to go back to this one.  They had a huge corn maze, pumpkin patch (though, with the heat, there were many wounded soldiers in the field), hay ride, apples, of course, and some pretty funny little goats and chickens. 

We have quite the artistic skill set here in the Fry household

There's been a couple really funny developments in the last couple weeks.  Daddy drew Macy...I didn't get a picture of his drawing of her, but she cried and then he told her to come show me.  She was still a bit distraught.  So, I tried not to laugh and just told her that Daddy tried his best and that he's just not a very good drawer --I explained that she's much more beautiful than that.  So, then, she drew Dad.  (I'm totally laughing out loud as I write this because it was one of my favorite things that has ever happened...)

And, then Macy drew Jorey...

Jesse James Days

Well, Ken wanted to play ball (weird) in Northfield and I had nothing planned, so we decided to take the family down there and go to the carnival at Jesse James Days.  It was pretty small, but the girls had a great time and I got to eat fried pickles...seriously, is that not a pregnant girl's dream come true?  Take a pickle, put some batter on it, fry it, and give me some ranch dressing to dip it in.  YaHOOOOOOOO!
Though I'm a boom-babba (that's what we've named the baby until we get to meet the little bugger)--and, sometimes the girls call me a boom-babba -- I still made it through the little obstacle course with Jorey...a couple small crevaces were a bit of a challenge, but Boom-babba and I made it through with a few short breaths...

Macy goes to Kindergarten!

Well, we all survived the first day of school.  Macy was super excited and perma-grin all day.  Ken and I got her a little present - a book called Someday.  I thought it would be so cute and read it in the store just fine, but there was something with the moment + the reading out loud + being pregnant and emotional, but I could barely finish reading it to her this morning.  She turned around and looked at me, confused, and said, "Mom, is this book sad?".  Wow...how goofy.  Poor kid.  She's trying to figure out if she missed something and why Mom's a blubbering idiot when she's thinking it's a nice book.  Well, I finally just said I'm really happy and proud of her so it's making me emotional.  I don't think that made much sense because she said, "Well, this is a sad book, huh." 
We met her teacher, Mrs. Kelly and tried to figure out all of the things we had not been able to figure out, quite yet. ha ha.  I think we're all ready for day 2, tomorrow!  I'm going to try to not freak her out with emotional breakdowns!

Natalie builds cool stuff with Tinker Toys

Auntie Natalie was over and watched the girls while I ran to the grocery store.  What a strange sensation to have all the time in the world to just wander in peace and quiet!  It was strange how relaxing the grocery store can be, sans kiddos.
She helped the ladies build the coolest ferris wheel with Tinker Toys and it was great.  I wanted to get a picture, so Jorey decided to pull two pieces off and it started falling apart.  I scolded her a little, so she really had some sadness that I would dare scold her for ruining the project. 

Como Zoo and Como Town

Dad was out of town at his National Softball Tournament (they took 2nd, by the way), so the girls and I decided to try Como, rather than the MN Zoo.  I don't know that they'll ever want to go back to the MN Zoo because the animals at Como are pretty cool and then...there's Como Town.  I felt a bit financially raped by the cost of a ride there, but look at the smiles. ;)  On the dragon rollercoaster, Jorey looked like she was going to cry or scream the whole time and Macy had the giggles.  But, when they got off they were all smiles, so maybe Jorey just had her game face on.

The swings are always a favorite and for our trek to Busch Gardens in May, Jorey was too small to go on them, so that was an extra special treat.  The only downside to this trek was the vast quantity of bees that wanted to swarm around our slushies.  Once we finished them, we were good to go.  I'd like to suggest covered garbage cans for Como Town...just my two cents worth...every time we tossed something in, about 50 bees would swarm all around.  And, for those of you that don't know, Macy has developed a fairly irrational fear of bees.  This fear has caused loud shreaks at moths, flies, and skeeters...on the off chance that they may later be identified as bees.  We've worked on it a lot, so she really tries to keep it together, but if one comes close, she loses it. Those darn bees!

We finally saw some monkeys...they were hilarious.  I highly recommend them.  This fine monkey climbed right up by us, looked at us and looked like it was smiling.  Then, it picked it's nose and ate it.  I laughed and told the girls what happened.  Macy yelled, "Gross!"  And, then, the monkey turned around and faced the other direction.  So funny.  There was also the cutest little baby trying to get to the top with a pink bucket.  After it reached the first platform, it put the bucket on its head.  They were putting on quite the show.

The Steele County Free Fair 2010

On Saturday, the girls and Mom went down to Owatonna to join Mitz, Norah, and Brennan for a day at the fair.  It was so HOT, but it was a blast.  Our kiddos did great for the most part, but about 4:45, we suffered some friction burns on the Jungle course slide that ended it for Macy and then we determined we must bail.  But, before that happened, we hit nearly every ride, laughed a lot, and ate some delicious food.  Poor Brennan is such a peanut, he was too small to go on some rides, but he did finally get on the monkeys with Macy as his companion and then a couple other decent rides.  Mitz had to take him on a few special carousel rides and let him pull a duck for a car as a prize because the sadness was taking hold.  On one funny note, Dad got Brennan dressed for the fair and chose a nice shade of white.  By the end of the day, he was speckled in many colors.  I believe he's the reighning Ziggy Piggy.