A Black Day....

It was a "Black Day" here in the Friesen household, and it wasn't because it was a "downer" or a "bad" day...

Today, Marc earned his Black Belt in Taekwondo -- something he's been working on for roughly 2 1/2 years.

My parents, Marc's parents, and Luke and I were all there to witness the occasion.

I will say that Black Belt candidates definitely do get "put through the ringer." I do believe that Marc truly earned this Black Belt.

Without going into all of the details (because I'm not sure of all of the details), here are some photos of tonight's event....In all seriousness, though, if you want more details, just ask Marc :)

First, Marc at the punching bag (he's in the red uniform top)....



"Fighting" another Black Belter....And no, they don't truly inflict pain on each other. Remember -- Marc's in red.



Demonstrating techiques....



I just showed you a hand full of photos -- there are more, but I'll keep this post to a reasonable length.

In the end, Marc did earn his Black Belt.

There was a very nice presentation of his belt at the end, complete with a new uniform top.



And, the official Black Belt....



After he had his new belt, the instructor (Mr. Rangle) had Marc grab the microphone and share a bit about his journey of earning this Black Belt....Then, Marc prayed to close the class.



Luke and I were there for a little over an hour....Luke did very well, despite the class taking place during suppertime. I had some snacks. I was thankful that my parents were there, because they could help me with Luke -- you know, when he got bored on my lap, Luke was willing to switch laps for awhile.

Here's a cute photo of my dad and Luke....



I wished I had gotten a photo of my mom with Luke as well as photos of Marc's parents. But, between trying to pay attention to Marc (and take plenty of photos of Marc) and taking care of Luke for an hour during all of this (despite my parents' help), I didn't get anymore than that.

Oh well -- another time, perhaps.

But, I did get one very important photo right before we left -- the most important one of all.

It's one of Luke and Marc -- right after Marc got his new belt.

Nineteen Months....

Today, our sweet little guy turned 19 months....

So, we did the usual photo in the "big chair" in our living room.

I managed to get a couple of good ones -- without any trouble :)





And, just for fun, I took a photo of Marc and Luke together....Luke got real serious for this picture. But, for those of you who've been around Luke, this photo won't surprise you. What would it be like to have a photo of Luke WITHOUT sucking his thumb with the blanket?



Man -- do I ever LOVE the two guys I live with!!!!!!

This past month has been interesting....

**Luke got his first ear infection. We feel VERY fortunate that it took 18 months to get his first one. But, it's been kind of a nasty one to get rid of....He's been on an antibiotic basically the whole month. He has a dr's appt. this Wednesday to see if it's cleared up. Fortunately, he hasn't had a fever since late January. He hasn't been cranky about his ears, but we do notice him tugging at them quite frequently. And, he's still been sleeping very well through all of this process.

**Luke is starting to get better and better each day about following very simple commands. He'll go to the bathroom for his bath if we tell him to. He'll go to his bedroom when we say it's time for bed. We do NOT allow him to eat with his blanket (except in extreme circumstances), and so, when we tell him it's time to eat, he'll hand over his blanket to us. He's started to put Marc's dirty socks in the hamper after Marc comes home from work and changes (I know -- GROSS, but Luke doesn't seem to mind at this point)....

**Luke's gotten VERY picky and difficult with his eating. He mostly does O.K. for Marc or me -- because we're around him enough to know what he does. My parents have had him a couple of times over the last month, and he does not eat well for them. I think, though, it's because he'd rather play with them than eat. But hey -- what are grandparents for?

But, we do love this guy more and more each day :)

And, just for fun -- here's a photo of 7-month old Luke -- exactly one year ago today -- in the same chair.

Sumo....

Last weekend, our Community Life Group from church had a little "Baby Shower/Valentine's Day/Child-Free" evening.

It was originally planned as a "Happy Baby" Party for Tim & Johannah. They are expecting their first child in March -- and we're all waiting to find out if it's a boy or a girl (they've chosen not to find out).

Since it worked out on Valentine's Day weekend, it was also a little couples' outing together.

Since Sumo Japanese Grill is one of Tim & Johannah's favorites, we all met there to eat.

When we all met there, I immediately had my camera out. I don't remember exactly who it was in our group, but somebody said, "Oh -- Sarah has the camera out for the blog. Every mishap must be recorded."

(I'd like to think that I take photos for the blog to document the fun times, but I guess I can also document mishaps. I'm glad I'm gaining the reputation as always having the camera out).

Anyways,

Mishap #1....



(For the record, I'm not sure what everybody was looking UP at in this photo).

The first mishap was that they did not have our reservation. I am personally the one who made the reservation, but I felt ZERO responsibility for the mishap. I KNEW I had made it.

After a bit of a wait, they FOUND the reservation, and we were all seated.

Mishap #2....



Marc's refilled beverage spilled a bit on the table and a bit into his salad. Fortunately, it didn't end up in either of our laps.

Basically, the server set the glass down and "slid" it to Marc. The server "slid" it a bit too hard; therefore, a spill ensued.

Marc didn't mind because he ended up with a second salad :)

O.K. -- that's all of the mishaps -- two wasn't too bad, was it?

*****

After we ordered, we presented Tim & Johannah the "group" gift....



Voila! It was a baby jungle gym/play type thing. It was on their registry.

We figured it was something they could use immediately after bringing a baby home from the hospital.

We hope it works for you guys!



I'm assuming that not all of my readers to this blog have been to a Japanese Steak House. But basically, a chef comes out and cooks the food right in front of you.

He starts out by sharpening knives :)



Chicken and veggies generally are on the grill first -- they take the longest to cook (I'm assuming).

Spices are added....



Then....the "Pile o' Rice" -- to cook the famous "Garlic Fried Rice"



In my opinion, the Garlic Fried Rice is pretty much why I appreciate this restaurant. It's sooooo very yummy!



We saw a variety of dishes being prepared for our group -- chicken, shrimp, steak, and RARE tuna.

I think everybody agreed that the food was quite tasty.

One of the final things the chef does is stack onions. Then, he lights a fire in the onions.

It's one of those things I've "seen 100 times," but I have to admit it's interesting each time.



I don't like to end this blog post like this, but I'm out of photos for the evening. I think I'm now paranoid about taking too many photos :)

So instead, I will end this post by saying --

"We can't wait for your baby to arrive, Tim & Johannah. We're praying for a safe delivery. And Johannah -- you'll make it through it."

And for those of you locals reading this post -- if you haven't ever tried Sumo Japanese Grill -- give it a try. It makes for a fun evening.

Some Wednesday Randomness....

So, my friend Dannon left a comment for me on my last post -- wanting to know how a certain recipe turned out...Shame on me for not keeping everybody up to date on that one.

It was on THIS POST -- I think. It was a recipe for "Breakfast Pizza."

I did try that recipe...a recipe I originally got in 7th grade Home Economics Class.

Let me just show in a photo what happened -- this would be why I didn't post the results.



Yes, my nice new clean oven is no longer clean. That would mainly be because of that recipe.

That evening was not a good evening. Marc was at taekwondo when all of this happened...which let me be clear that I don't blame him. He just missed the excitement.

1) Luke was whiny and crying while I was making this dinner. We found out four days later that he had a double ear infection.

2) I had the wrong kind of pizza pan for this recipe. Therefore, when the egg spilled off of the dough because I did something else wrong with the recipe (which I still haven't figured out), the egg went to the bottom of the oven (therefore, the mess).

3) Marc recently replaced the smoke detector in our kitchen. The new one is fairly sensitive. When the egg spilled in the oven, the smoke detector went off. Fortunately, this new smoke detector has a "Kitchen Silencer" button to temporarily shut it off.

**All of this happened with Luke crying/screaming/whining....

So Dannon -- I would LOVE to post about this recipe. I just need to get a few details figured out....Who knew that a 7th grade recipe would be so difficult? Perhaps I should stick to the adult recipes.

*****

Last Saturday night, we were out to eat with our Community Life Group from church (more on that in a future blog post). It was a "kid-free" event, and so, my parents kept Luke at their house for a few hours.

Here are a few photos....

Since Luke didn't start walking until December (when it got cold and snowy), he really hasn't walked outside much. That evening, though, was nice. So, my parents had him outside. Apparently, he did some nice exploring and wondering -- all with blanket in tow, of course.



My parents have a Golden Retriever named Anna. Anna is a bit excited and hyper, but she is VERY GOOD and GENTLE with kids. Since we don't have a dog, Luke's not very familiar with them.

Usually, he's scared of Anna at first. But apparently this time, Luke took some time to pet Anna -- of course, still with the blanket.





My mom had a difficult time getting Luke to eat that evening -- Luke's going through a SEVERE picky stage. Finally, she offered him a banana while he was wondering around and playing. Of course, he ate the whole thing.

My mom thinks he just didn't want to sit and eat -- he wanted to play....that's something you get by with at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Right?



*****

In Sunday School, our class is currently going through a DVD series called Marriage Built to Last.

After watching the DVD, we've had different exercises to do with our spouse -- based on the DVDs.

A couple of weeks ago, we were talking about small things that maybe we could work on.

I wasn't sure what Marc was going to come up with....He ultimately came up with the fact that he didn't like how I folded his running pants.

He likes them folded in thirds....I usually fold them in fourths. Then, he has to refold them to fit them properly into the dresser drawer. This apparently has been going on for the 5 1/2 years we've been married.

He drew me a picture, but it's too small to photograph for this blog.

So today, I was washing his running clothes. I remembered that small irritation that he mentioned.

I corrected the problem. The pants on the left are incorrect. The pants on the right are correct :)



I guess I'm not a perfect wife :) Ha Ha!!!!

Meal Planning Monday....

Since yesterday was Valentine's Day, I chose to spend the evening with my husband rather than "hiding out" in my office, blogging myself and lurking through everybody elses' blogs. And, I'm very happy I did that. I LOVE spending time with Marc.

That would be why I didn't get our meal plans out for the week.

But, here goes....

Monday, February 15, 2010
Chicken Parmesan
Pasta with Olde Westport Spice Pasta Seasoning.
Vegetable

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
BBQ Meatballs
Potatoes
Vegetable

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sausage/Potato/Cheese Casserole
Fruit

Thursday, February 18, 2010
Spaghetti w/ meat sauce
Garlic Bread
Vegetable

Friday, February 19, 2010
Eating at Bread Basket with Marc's parents

Saturday, February 20, 2010
Lunch: Marc -- Eating at "Tech Team Gathering" at Church Sarah -- Rummage/Leftovers at home

Supper: BBQ Supper at Community Life Leader Appreciation Dinner with Church

**Will be fixing supper for my parents -- who will be watching Luke here at our home -- will be fixing them chili from Olde Westport Spice and cinnamon rolls

Sunday, February 21, 2010
Lunch: Will be eating at a fundraiser luncheon at Church

Supper: Marc -- Will be eating at Community Life Group (only the men are meeting) Sarah -- Rummage/Leftovers at home

My Morning with Three Children....

Most of you know that I have the privilege of watching some friends of ours' two children a morning each week....That will also go to two mornings/week very soon.

I will admit that, at first, it was a bit of a challenge having three children under the age of 3 at my home. But, as time has progressed and I have gotten to know these two other children better, it's gotten easier and much smoother. Also, at first, Luke didn't fully appreciate his mommy's attention diverted elsewhere. But now, he does just fine with two other children here.

This past Wednesday was nice and relaxing actually....Luke slept in until 9:20. Since Oliver and Lily get here at 8:00, things were really smooth for a bit -- only 2 kids.

Oliver and I played with Play-Doh. We made many letters and numbers. Oliver's VERY interested in letters and numbers right now -- and I knew that thanks to his mom making a blog post about that :)



Oliver also wanted to draw some letters. So, I would draw them first, and then, with help, he would make them.

On the right side of this yellow paper, you'll notice Oliver's "Z" and "F."



During this time, Lily very contentedly wandered around, finding toys to carry around and play with -- all from Luke's collection (which so far, he doesn't seem to mind other children playing with).



Around that time, Luke woke up. After getting Luke up and dressed, Lily was put down for her morning nap. So, I still only had two kids to watch at a time :)

Oliver always comes over having already eaten breakfast. But somehow, he got into this "ritual" (and I don't mean to use that word negatively) of bringing over oatmeal to eat. And, he has to bring over the oatmeal in a butter tub with a cottage cheese lid (and he explains to me each time that they can't find the appropriate butter lid).

So, after Luke got up, Oliver ate his oatmeal while Luke ate his breakfast. Oliver likes to have one of Luke's spoons to eat his oatmeal. This particular day, he chose the yellow spoon.



Here's Luke -- just to the right of Oliver.



After a bit, Luke had a piece of cheese. Of course then, Oliver wanted a piece of cheese. I figured -- cheese is O.K. Why not? Luke then started playing with his cheese wrapper. Oliver followed that activity. I think the two boys enjoyed making interesting sounds with the wrappers. I don't know -- I don't remember being a toddler :)



After Luke's breakfast and Oliver's snack, Oliver asked to make cookies. I have made some cookies with him several times before, and he does fairly well. So, I decided to do it again that day.

**I haven't yet told Oliver that once his sister stops taking a morning nap, the cookie thing won't be happening anymore. I just don't see myself making cookies with three small children. At this point, when Lily is sleeping, I can keep Luke content with some toys....

Oliver likes to help mix the dough, but once they're in the oven, his interest wanes (that is, until he gets to eat them). But, I couldn't resist this photo -- Oliver carefully watching the cookies in the oven. Oh -- how long do they take?

Oh -- and our wonderful oven does NOT get hot on the outside. So, he wasn't anywhere near getting burned.



Of course, when I do bake cookies with Oliver, Marc doesn't mind. This is the photo I sent to him at work that day -- that way, he knew something would be waiting when he got home. In case you don't know Marc, he likes to eat.



While the cookies were finishing baking and cooling, Oliver and Luke played a little game. Oliver hid and then, jumped out and made Luke laugh. This activity actually went on for a bit. It's fun to see Oliver and Luke start to play together -- a little. They're 16 months apart, and it definitely is obvious at times.

Notice PBS Kids in the background? That's how I somewhat keep Luke busy when cookies are being baked with Oliver. Keep in mind Luke's only 18 months. He doesn't get that interested in TV (I know, I know -- it'll happen someday). But, he does sometimes watch a few little "cartoony" type things. I guess I should ultimately be thankful that he's not that interested in TV yet. Someday, I'll probably have to "pry" him away from it -- with his protest, of course.



After the cookies were cooled, Oliver, of course, had to taste test. "That's it for the snacks, Oliver."

"O.K., Sarah." (But, five minutes later, he wanted another snack, and I had to tell him "No").



After awhile, Lily got up from her nap. She's always so content to just wander around and find things to do -- pretty easy-going, at least for me.

Luke, I think, does have a secret little crush on her. He likes to go up to her and smile and touch her face. This is the best photo I could get -- I couldn't get them both to look at me.



Really -- it was a good morning. They kept me on my toes. I certainly was not bored, and I'm generally tired when the two extra kids leave and my child goes down for a nap.

Half-way through the morning, though, this is what I treat myself to....



For those of you who know me well, you know I really enjoy a good Diet Pepsi. I'm not addicted, but I think I could become addicted. I've recently started limiting myself to only 5 cans/week. But, that's for another blog post someday :)

One other thing...

Oliver's really into asking questions right now. He's quite curious, and while his questions are sometimes actually difficult to answer at his level, I admire his willingness to learn. But, I have to admit that sometimes, my head is spinning from the questions.

Here are some examples from this week...

1) Sarah, what kind of soap does Marc use?

2) Sarah, does Lukey like strawberry yogurt?

3) Sarah, Where's Marc today?

4) Sarah, how old are you?

5) Sarah, what kind of juice do you have?

6) Sarah, does Lukey like to swim?

7) Sarah, what do you wash your clothes with? (he walks by our washer/dryer to go to the bathroom)

8) Sarah, do you like oatmeal with milk?

Etc. Etc. Etc....I guess Oliver's preparing me for Luke in the future :)

Thanks Joel and Kendall for letting me watch your kiddos...It's been a good experience for me. I hope they feel loved.

A Little Wintertime Swimming....

For a couple of months now, my friend, Andrea, and I have been talking about taking our kids swimming at our local Recreation Center.

Instead of making anymore excuses (it's too cold, we're tired, we have too much going on, etc.), we just did it.

It is a slight pain to take small children swimming in the winter (with all of the clothes needed to get in and back outside), but it was worth it.

Luke hadn't been swimming since late July/early August. Let's just say I should've taken him sooner than today....he was a bit timid at first.

Then, Ava (Andrea's daughter) started jumping in. Luke thought that was funny, and then, he loosened up a bit.

**Thanks to Andrea's mom for taking these photos -- she happened to be visiting from Nebraska :)

Luke hasn't quite yet figured out to jump into the water. But, he does like to stand at the edge, have me count to 3, and have me help him get in.

And yes, feel free to chuckle at his long swimming trunks. I actually bought them on clearance at the end of the summer....just in case we decided to swim over the winter. Good thing I bought them, wouldn't you say?





And, please know that it took A LOT for me to post these photos of my very WHITE self IN A swimsuit....not something that is easy for me to do. But, for the sake of sharing about Luke and Ava's swimming adventure -- I did it.

After swimming, you know, you have to get out. And, even though the water is warm and therefore the room is warm, it's still cold to get out -- especially in the winter.

I couldn't resist posting these two photos....one of Luke and one of Luke and Ava.





Andrea -- we'll have to do this again -- very soon!!!! Also, if any other of you would like to go with us, let us know....then, we'll let you know when we go again.