Favorite Toy

Tori was recently asked what her favorite toys to play with were.

Her response, "My Daddy".

Oh soo true....daddy provides hours of fun and entertainment. He can be a horse to ride, a storyteller, the tickle monster, a partner for hide-n-seek, a friend for tea, the swing pusher, and the overall spoiler!

Definitely will make Christmas shopping a whole lot easier....and cheaper!

An Old Pro

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile you may recall my novice experience with my daughter’s ballet and the annual Badge Test. If you want a funny read stop reading this post and go to last year’s badge test post.


Well it was that time of year again and actually contrary to last year I approached Skyler’s test with ease….I did not even need the spirits this year. I felt like an old pro! I’ve even got the hair bun and hairspray plastering down to a record 30 seconds.

Skyler arrived to her test with time to spare. While waiting for her (mom’s aren’t allowed to watch) this year I stretched out in a chair and read my book. From time to time I glanced up to see other mom’s running around in tiff attempting to make their daughter just perfect. It was quite easy to spot the “first timers”. I chuckled wondering how many pro’s sat in the room last year looking at me thinking, “definitely a rookie”!

Well not anymore, in fact I am thinking of starting a mom’s ballet support group for those unsuspecting rookies. Topics to include, “hair buns and hairspray” with a disclaimer -keep away from an open flame, “relaxation breathing”, “purchasing the correct spirits”, and “poise under stress”—how to suppress the urge to cause bodily harm to the ballet instructor.

All the fuss aside I realized I don’t need to stress so much as Skyler exhibits great discipline and beauty in her ballet dancing. She was awarded her second badge (pin really) of merit. I too was awarded a badge (self imposed)..I call it the “Pro Mama Ballet” badge or PMB for short, not to be confused with PMS, of course. An overindulgence of chocolate was enjoyed in lieu of a pin...or perhaps that did have more to due with PMS.

Black Friday

My definition of Black Friday does not include friezed shoppers waking up at an ungodly hour in a rage (literally in many cases) to obtain great deals on Christmas gifts. Mine is more along the lines of Day 3 of having NO internet!

My belated Thanksgiving wishes to those faithful readers but until the "black out" is over I will be playing a lot with my kids, eating T-day leftovers, reading, spending quality time with my husband, exercising and sleeping. Perhaps it would not be a stretch to say I would be a better person if I did not blog. So if I do not have internet how did I post this? Well I may not be on par with being my best but I still have my creativity!

Hope to be back soon!

Monday Madness

One of my early posts when first blogging was of our futile attempt to obtain a decent Franzen family picture. It was actually therapy to post some of the MANY pictures that would not be used on last year’s Christmas card….take a look.

Well we attempted the madness again recently. Those of you with little ones know why this is such a process.

I did not expect my easy-going, fun Tori to be such a toot when it comes to smiling for pictures. It is as if she knows it irks mom so she purposely won’t smile.

Here is a one of us having fun amidst the madness….see she would not even cooperate in a goofy picture...

I am tempted to use it as our Christmas card photo…what do you think?

My Rugga Boy

In SA the school year ends Nov. 30 so my blog absence was not due to the rhino (as Heidi suspected) rather because of the numerous end of the year school activities. So the next few blogs will consist of much bragging and pictures of my two oldest that most likely will only appeal to the grandparents, so fair warning!

My 5 year old played Rugga this year which I explain as ‘little league’ for Rugby. There is no contact or so I thought at this age, they play barefoot (a bit strange to me) and just 30 minutes a week brings my son extreme joy.

Yesterday Rich and I attended Blake’s end of the year Rugga performance. It was really cute. Things started out tame…simple races and ball skills with a rugby ball but by the end there was full on tackling….in all fairness it was still very tame.

Blake was quite the star…not bad for an American for sure! He hit the tackle bag with so much force that an “ohhh” was heard by the other parental units watching. And he was 1 of 2 left standing in a game requiring the participants to run from one end of the field to the other without being tackled.

At the finale they were each awarded a certificate of participation. I was particularly amused at the American football clip art used on the rugby certificate.

I learned two things: My American son is going to fair well at South African sports and that the coach has not mastered the fine art of google.

All African Today

Today's post was inspired by my new African template.........

Bad days are obviously global. Here is what a bad day in Africa looks like....

Especially Thankful this Thursday!

Going with the theme of the month I will share something I am particularly thankful for! If you receive our ministry reports or read Monday’s post than you learned about my mother’s tests on her heart and our requests for prayer.

A month or so ago my mother had some initial tests done on her heart after experiencing chest pains. The report came back that 3 of the major arteries around her heart were almost completely blocked and the prognosis was most definitely heart surgery.

Tuesday the surgeon did some more exploratory tests to further assess if open heart surgery was the only course of action. The results were staggering (aren’t all miracles!). Only one artery showed any sign of clogging opposed to the three from the original tests and it was only ½ clogged. He felt it can be remedied through medication and heart surgery was most obviously not needed.

So was the original doctor on meds when he administered the original tests or did the many prayers of the saints on behalf of Millie reach the throne room and a loving Father did an internal clean up job? You make your own assumptions; I've made mine!

Thank you to the many praying, you helped move a mountain in my mom’s life (heart) and for that I am particularly thankful!

Wacky Wednesday

Meet my brother's youngest little guy, Mark or as Tori would say, "Mawkie". These two were little buds when we were back in the States. Tori continues to talk about her Mawkie!
not so wacky yet I realize...read on...

We took care of Mawkie one of the days at the beach. He seemed to take on a whole new look....



I guess that is the wacky part. See the things that happen when I am left to care for 4 children (my 3 plus this little cutie)....I definitely go a little wacky!

The real use for a golf cart

It is amazing the uses one can come up for a golf cart other than golf. My parents have a golf cart…does my dad golf you might ask…no! For my parents and their sweet little retirement community the golf cart is the main form of transportation.

Pretty much anything one would need…food, stores, Cold Stone and yes, even Starbucks is accessible via a golf cart. You can imagine this came as quite a delight for my little ones while visiting Grandma and Grandpa.

Golf cart rides were requested from sun up to sun down. Grandma would take them on rides to feed the ducks. Grandpa would take them on rides to the swimming pool to swim. Daddy would take them on rides to get ice cream. Me, I didn’t take them anywhere I had “me” time while everyone else was riding around on the g.c. Selfish I know but at least they were having fun while I was being selfish.

On another note, my mother, Millie, is having outpatient, exploratory surgery on her heart tomorrow. The surgeon is attempting to determine how serious the issues are and if she will need more invasive surgery or not. We are praying for the latter!! Would you please add your prayer of agreement and for smooth sailing tomorrow?! Thank you, it is much appreciated!!

What a day!

What kind of day begins with pancakes made with fresh blueberries and real maple syrup, a hot cup of Starbucks coffee accompanied by a bouquet of spring flowers served while still in bed?

What kind of day is strewn throughout with sweet cards made by children, happy emails, and familiar voices calling on the phone?

What kind of day lends a special dinner out with hot guy and ends with a card game with good friends and homemade smoothies?

AND on what kind of day does one get awesome gifts of a Starbucks french press to-go mug and a massage footbath…..



…….A birthday!!! Tuesday I woke up to a wonderful day full of surprises and treats in celebration of my 37th b-day! “Happy birthday to me…happy birthday to me….happy birthday to meeeee”….sing with me now…come on I can hear you—louder! Okay I know it is over but one can still wish eh?!

To my wonderful husband and precious children as well as all the family and friends who gave a shout out to me on this day….thank you! I loved it…too bad everyday wasn't like Tuesday (minus the turning older part).