Chicago

(The double decker bus)

(New outdoor ampitheater)

("The Bean")

(The Chicago River dyed green for St. Patrick's Day)

(Trump Tower)
Chad and I enjoyed a wonderful 'quick' trip to Chicago as our winter getaway. While it wasn't a beach, and Chad had a conference on Monday and part of Tuesday morning, we still really enjoyed the time away. We arrived in Chicago Saturday evening (13th) which was Chicago's St. Pat's celebration...and how lucky were we that there was an Irish bar right next to our hotel??!!!! We definitely missed one heck of a party because by 9 pm, almost everyone was gone from the bar but a huge mess was left behind. But, I guess if you start at 8 am, you're bound to be done a little earlier than we usually do here in E'burg.

Sunday we decided we would ride the double decker bus around the city so we could see some things we normally wouldn't get to see. SOOOOOOOOOO much fun - we even rode on the top in the cold! I'd recommend it to anyone heading to Chicago. Of course, we had to stop at Millenium Park to see the last day of the iceskating rink, "The Bean" art, the new ampitheater for the Chicago orchestra, and a quick stop for some Chicago style pizza!! Next we saw the Sears tower which now has a viewing deck that is all glass and protrudes from the side of the building...very cool, but I was actually too scared to try it!!! It was very cool though to learn the history of the city and the mob background involved.

I spent the day Monday walking close to 7 miles up and down Michigan Avenue, then over to State Street. It was a gorgeous day though so it was wonderful to be out and about. While walking the block and a half from my hotel to Michigan Ave, I passed a bunch of trailers and security guards, only to find out that a movie was being shot on that location so that was really cool. The security guard said it was mostly up and coming actors but I saw such names as Julianna, Gabriel, Katherine, and Michael...all anmes in which you could add a current actors last name to, so who knows!!! The night was topped off with a walk on Navy Pier (which is pretty boring during the winter but still beautiful) and supper there as well. It was a great ending to a great long weekend and it was even more wonderful to get back home to the kiddos.

That darn cat.

These words are mumbled out of my mouth on a daily basis, if not more than once in a day. Jinxy, who we adopted from my sister and her family is such a wonderful kitty - so loveable, good with the kids, etc. We have loved her dearly since we got her the first part of January, but MAN does she keep us on our toes. As you can tell by the picture above, she's very curious - even watching the washing machine THE WHOLE time it was running the other day! For their birthday, the girls had asked for fish, so we got them 7 fish and put our big fish tank back up and have really enjoyed them...but now we're down to ONE!!! We knew the cat was getting in to the fish tank because the filter cover was constantly at the bottom of the tank - but we thought it was just to drink the water like Lucy, our other cat, does. Well, we have lost a fish almost every 2 weeks or so!!! That darn cat! I also had found a marble from one of Kale's games that she was chasing around on the floor so I set it up on my counter to put away in the box at a later time...next thing I know, she's on my counter with the marble in her mouth!! That darn cat!!!

Like I tell Kale on almost a daily basis..."it's a good thing you're cute" because otherwise, they'd both be living outside!!!!

Playhouse Disney!!

Kale and I had a mother/son date on Saturday - his turn for time with Mommy since Anabelle and Amilia got to see The Lion King. Kale and I went with my friend, Kim Joyce, and her little girl, Calista, to see Playhouse Disney in Sioux City. It was such a wonderful day and not so bad weatherwise either for a change. We had a great time at the show and we even got to see some of Kale's favorites: Mickey Mouse and Handy Manny. Chad had a great day with the girls as well - he took them to work with him for a little bit (which they LOVE for some reason!!), then got to eat at their second favorite place (Subway - Chinese being their all time favorite), visited Grandma and Grandpa Fank for a little bit, then played the Wii the rest of the afternoon while the guys (Chad and Kim's husband, Andy) made supper for our return from Sioux City. I have decided that we need to leave together more often because Chad and Andy definitely spoiled us with the supper they made.

I realize on almost a daily basis now, how big Kale is getting, and how quickly the past 3 1/2 hrs have gone. Before I know it, he will be leaving for school as well. He's the most wonderful, tough, loveable, sweet, and cuddly little farm boy in the world and I constantly tell him that I want to remember these moments forever. As he kept announcing to Kim during that day, "Mommy and I are having a date!", I kept telling myself that this would be a moment that I couldn't forget. Thanks for the wonderful day, my little man.

Fun with the Froislands!!

It is never a dull weekend (or weather weekend) whenever we get together with the Froislands. I believe that every time we have gone to their house for the Super Bowl we have had bad weather!!! Oh well, it allowed us to enjoy one more evening with them - it never seems long enough because we just don't get to see each other as much as we'd like.

We enjoyed some bowling, good food/drinks, great conversation, a decent football game (only being decent because neither the Vikings nor the Giants played), shopping (in which Chad and I got a new t.v.), and a blizzard to drive home in on Monday (over 4.5 hrs to get home from Rochester)!! The kids' favorite activity had to be the go-cart. I wasn't sure if the girls (Mia at least) would be excited about doing it but they couldn't get enough of it!! The only thing stopping the kids was the cold. The snow on the ground had them flying around when they would turn the cart which gave us lots of laughs as we watched. Kale even got on it and just took off - no fear at all!!! Chad took pictures of the go-cart so I'm seeing some go-carts in our future as well. Between Chad and his Dad, they'll probably have them built in a weekend!!!

Thank you again, Nickie and Eric, for such a wonderful weekend. We miss you already!! The kids have already asked when we'll go up and see you again, and of course, when we're going to hear that we won one of those awesome playhouses!

Catholic Schools Week

We have to start off by filling everyone in that Daddy turned 35 on January 26th. As you can tell by the pictures, he enjoyed cupcakes because the kids thought he should blow out more candles (because I didn't have 35 candles!!) The kids had to help him blow them all out! Chad celebrates his birthday with his parents anniversary - he was born on their 1 yr. anniversary!!



This whole week has been Catholic Schools week at school. The girls have dressed up all week (Irish day, whacky day, nerd day, etc.). Today was My Hero Day, and I was so honored to have the girls ask to dress up like Mommy and Daddy. I rarely wear dresses, but thought I better put Mia in one because no one would know she was even dressing up if she wore sweats and a sweatshirt to school!!! The week also consisted of their school concert on Wednesday night. I think our girls have some swing choir abilities in them for the future!!! They both knew all of the actions and did them all with such certainty...made their 'past swing choir member' Mom so proud!

Bowling Night

We had such a fun night Saturday night bowling with the Joyce's in Pocahontas. We didn't go until 7:30 because at 9 pm they turn the lights off and you bowl in the dark with all the neon lights on! The kids loved it. As adults, our group didn't bowl that well - I use the excuse that we were busy making sure the little ones got to bowl, but really, I think we were just that bad!!! All the kids had so much fun and the cars were pretty quiet on our way home!

Catching up

Boy oh boy...I feel like I've hit the jackpot on pictures! It has been so long since I've downloaded any photos from my camera, and once I did, I found pictures all the way back from Christmas!!

These pictures were taken right after the Christmas Day blizzard. The kids rode with Grandpa in the tractor to help clear out the hill that goes down to their house a little better. I sent these pic's in to AgDay (Nick thought it would be fun to see if they would air them) and guess what??? THEY DID!


We went down to Des Moines the weekend of Jan. 23rd for our "Fank Family Weekend"! We try to do it every year in different places and this year we worked it around The Lion King. What an amazing show - the girls were SO excited and still can't stop talking about it. I think I've gotten the broadway theater bug in them - it will be nice to have someone in my house that enjoys going with me!!! We spent the rest of the weekend finishing our Christmas with Chad's sister, Sharrey, and her husband since they were unable to make it home at Christmas, and swimming. The girls finally found some comfort in swimming in the deep end without their life jackets, and even learned to dive!! Kale took about 2 hours to let go of the railing on the steps but then swam all over the place in his life jacket. We were nothing but prunes that day!


(as you can tell, Kale wasn't happy we were leaving!!!)