Mmmmmm, marshmallows!

My Terrariums

The most thoughtful gift E.V.E.R.....Chris and the girls made me a couple of terrariums.  Isn't that so awesome!!!  They look beautiful in my dining room and catch my eye every time I walk in the room.  I was eyeing these beauties at one of the art festivals this year....someone was paying attention!  Perfect.

Horsing Around

Christmas Morning

Eager kids, lots of laughs and extra special time with Aunt Cat and Noah!

Merry Christmas!

What's so funny?!

Look closely....and this wasn't a quick in and out.  This was for a good 10-15 minutes.  Really!!

2011--A Frig's Season's Greetings

The Future

A Short Story by M

I wish I lived in the future because I get to have a fancy house.
I would get to have bunk beds.
I would live with my friends.
I would get to have thousands of food.
And I get to have a big dining room.

(After giving this story some thought, I like the direction her story is headed:-))

First Haircut

For some reason, first haircuts are really hard for me.  M was 3 before I cut her hair for the first time.  I would have probably waited until ARose was 3 as well but her hair has gotten out of control.  It was near her butt, seriously!!  And, with all of the colds (ie, snot!), impossible to keep clean.  So, I did it.  I cut her hair over the weekend.  It was painless for her but a little tough for me.  You can see though that she's digging her new cut and so do I!!  As adorable as ever, that's ARose!!!!

Santa Claus: Round 2

Each year my company puts together a fantastic holiday party for the kids.  The kids get to meet SC, do arts and crafts, play all kinds of games, jump in a bouncy, ride on a little train, and get down with some seasonal karaoke tunes.  Oh, let's not forget, snack on some cookies and milk (and veggies, but who really wants carrot sticks at a holiday party!!).  This year ARose got into the whole event.  She even warmed up to good ole SC (well, sort of....you can judge for yourself)!  We did have to bribe her with a cookie to get her to leave the train.  Hey, you have to do what you have to do (yes, I admit that was some wonderful parenting skills!).

First Snow of the Season

Gingerbread House

One of my all time favorite Christmas memories as a kid—the COOKIE CASTLE.  I remember our castle always being as wide and tall as our kitchen table.  Looking back, that was a kid’s distortion but it was pretty big.  Also I now know that castle was a pain in my mom’s tail as she made it from scratch!  Nonetheless, if we asked for the cookie castle she took the time to help make the castle, year after year.  Let’s just say I have succumbed to the fact that I am simply not a crafty as my mom.  While I think I got a little bit of the gene I certainly did not get the full gene (um, I don’t make clothes for my girls!!  She even made my prom dresses, when I would let herJ) so I don’t even attempt the cookie castle.  I do, however, get into the gingerbread house spirit---with the aid of those handy, dandy life saving kits.  In years past, I’ve been disappointed by our gingerbread houses.  Even the kits were too hard for me.  But this year, I found the perfect kit.  It’s from Trader Joe’s of all places and it is idiot proof.  The girls and I put our house together over the weekend and I think it looks fantastic (minus a few of the candies we couldn’t resist eating) !!!!  

Santa Claus: Round 1

(Yep, you guessed it, ARose was having none of this sitting next toSanta Clause business.  I couldn't even get a shot of her in his vicinity since we wouldn't let me put her down!)

The Smell of Christmas

There has been a lot of talk in my house over the last few months about the brain by a certain smarty pants using lots of big words that cause me to have an embarrassing blank stare plastered on my face (even more than usual!)—the different regions, how the work together, what they control.….you get my point.  We made a jello brain for Halloween this year for goodness sakes.   I even “proofed” (and I use that term lightly!) a paper about the brain—something to do with post traumatic olfactory dysfunctions and how smell can be disrupted depending on the type of head trauma.  That’s all I could understand of that paper to be honest. (On the bright side, if learning through osmosis really works, I'm in good shape!)

Why am I talking about smells and the brain?

Because it’s Christmas time!!

I love this time of year.  Having your house filled with pretty lights and sentimental decorations.  Christmas music. Snow (but that part can go away after the first of the year).  The smells of evergreens in our house, cookies baking, apple cider, hot chocolate, cinnamon.....    The memories that are connected to the smells of the Season are some of my richest memories.  

We started decorating our house over the weekend.  We took the easy route AGAIN and purchased our tree at a store but next year we are going to find a local tree farm and cut down own tree.  We been waiting for the right time and I think next year both of the girls will be good ages to add the tree cutting smell to their collection of Christmas memories.   

Star Topper (her first year because past years she was too afraid:-))

Star Topper Helper

Paris 1906: Escoffier Style

I was thinking about Next today (to be specific, eagerly anticipating the next menu offering...El Bulli!!!!) and then all of a sudden my stomach felt a little funny.  I had the pleasure of dining at Next during the Summer with some great friends.  However, in the midst of Summer stuff, a basement flood, and life in general, did I ever publish the Next post?  And, sadly, NO, I did not.  I can't believe this.  What?!?!  One of the most memorable meals of my life and I forget to hit a button!!!  I have forgotten or simply haven't had the energy these days to posts things and I can live with that but Next.  OK, the world will continue to rotate but I need to do this.  So, here's the original post.

June 22, 2011

A couple of days before my birthday this year, I had the pleasure of sharing a unique dining experience with some dear friends.  This time, it was the mysterious "Next".  This is the new restaurant by Grant Achatz.  I say mysterious because the buzz of this restaurant started over a year ago with a short video clip of what was to come---a new restaurant with a twist.  Rather than reservations, you order tickets.  Rather than order from a menu, you only know the location and period of time of inspiration for the menu.  You don't pay at the end, you pay up front.  I guess it's sort of like ordering tickets toto a movie, yet you don't know the exact movie....just the genre.  The menu changes every 3 months and so does the table decor.

The hype surrounding this restaurant creates challenges for getting tickets to the restaurant.  Luckily, though, we had our secret weapon--Mel.  She followed the opening chatter religously.  And on the date we were given to start the ticket process, she sat in front of her computer for several hours with several open screens hitting the refresh button every few minutes, with no potty breaks, shower breaks and just enough of a break to grap a bite to eat (eating at her computer of course).  Until finally.....she got through!!!!  We were a group of 6 and they only have one 6 top, the kitchen's table, so that was our table.  And, boy, was it worth the time and energy!!!!

I can't even begin to go into the specifics of the meal, but it was incredible.  I am very fortunate to have this opportunity and to have such awesome friends to share an experience such as this with.  Thanks Elmo's and Pettit's for an unforgettable night!

Look who's back!

Niriana a/k/a ELF 

Our house is bursting with excitement these days with the arrival of Niriana.  She (yes, Elf is a she....) is definitely magical.  M is extra sweet with her around.  Can't wait until ARose gets the Elf magic so that we can use it to our advantage with her (can't come quick enough I'm afraid!!)

2011 Thanksgiving

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Multerer's and one of Chris' classmates--Batzaya.  This was Batzaya's first Thanksgiving as she is from Mongolia.   We had never "encountered" a Mongolian before so, unfortunately for Batzaya, she was inundated with loads of question about her native country.  I know I showed our ignorance about her country with my silly questions but she was a real trooper.  Just in case you are wondering, it's true.  Mongolians do in fact eat A LOT of beef but our version here in the States is not the same.  Shocking, I know!

Our thankful theme was that we are all thankful for our friends and family, opportunities and turkey.  Some of us are thankful for hippos as well!

Thanks Multerer's and Batzaya for a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

How to Catch a Turkey

By: M Frigs

This is how to catch a turkey.

Step 1. Go to a farm.

Step 2. Pick up a turkey.

I love this "how to" note!! I'm just thankful that she didn't say "go to the store"! Of course that's what we all do but at least she knows that the stores have to get them from someplace else. I'm totally cracking up picturing her running around a farm trying to pick up a turkey:-))

Happy Thanksgiving!

Girls on a Shelf

I don't know why the fascination but there is something so sweet when kids want to play on shelves. I remember playing on shelves (and bails of hay....that's a different story for another time!) when I was a kid. Too cute....of course with adult supervision:-)!

Fairy + Dragon Ninja

= adorable trick or treaters