the winds of change are a blowin'...

I'm fickle. I decorate a lot. Mostly because I do something I like. And then I realize it might look better if I did it a different way.

So here's where you come in. Do you like my blog's look? Or shall I go with this little ditty I made by myself, using the fabulous website The Cutest Blog on the Block.

I know. It's not a major change. I love yellow and gray! But, I'm in the mood for a change. So tell me what you think...

sisterly love

I have sisters. Did you know that? And a brother! I don't want to forget him! Because he is the sweetest, most kind hearted person and I love him dearly. But this post is about sisters.

Do you have one? I've got a gaggle. A whole slew of these sweet blessings. And I'm going to tell you about them today. Because my love for these girls is endless. And I want you to love them, too.

First I'd like to introduce you to Beth, otherwise known as Elizabeth, these days. She is my older and bigger sister. She comes with the gift of age. 6 years on me, she's my favorite big sister ever. She loves me unconditionally and she has a heart that chases after Jesus as she chases after her four kids. She's been down all the roads I still have ahead, and I love her calm in my storm. She laughs with me, cries with me, and prays with me. And I am forever grateful for a sister like her. I will always be her annoying little sister, but she accepts me anyway, toots and all. And that's LOVE people. (Yes, I did just admit outloud that I toot. You know you do, too. Get that smirk off your face.)

Here she is, my very best biffle in the world. Baa (as I called her when I was two).

I'm certain there are better pictures of us, but I'm having trouble locating them. OOOO! Like maybe this one?

Either way, she boo-te-full! And I love her sweet cheeks.

Next in the sister line is Haley. She's the first little sister I ever had. She is in college, finishing her student teaching, to become an English teacher. I could not be more proud of her. But not because she symbolically followed in a sister's footsteps. I look at this gorgeous girl and I see Jesus. Haley has a heart of contentment that is hard to find in her generation. She has a peaceful spirit and an uncompromising love for the Lord. Being around this lovely lady has a calming effect. And I LOVE THIS GIRL!! Watching her grow up has been a pleasure. And knowing that she's getting married in 4 months is surreal. But I know she will make a fabulous wifey. And Mom! Someday. Hopefully not too soon. I'm still too young for her to have babies.

So without further ado... here is my favorite 6 foot tall baby sister!

Copyright 2012 Shevaun Williams

Oops! That's a modeling picture. Shhhh! Don't tell her, she gets embarassed. She's the most humble beautiful model I've ever known. OK, she's the only model I've ever known. But you have to agree, she's a stunner.

And here's the Haley I know...

Which leads me to my favorite short baby sister EVER! MEREDITH!!!

This girl is a ball of fun. She has been wreaking havoc in the lives of our family for 19 (almost 20) years. She is FUN, FUNNY, energetic, and of course, beautiful. My dad passed on some good genes! Mere (as we call her) has the sweetest heart. And she, too, LOVES Jesus! I love to spend time with this sister because she always makes me happy! She and I got the "little sister gene" and we tend to be the crazy and outspoken sisters in the crowd. I love that she says what she means and means what she says. I love that she is not afraid to be herself. And I love that she attends the same bible study as me now and I get to see her precious face every Wednesday!! Mere is in college, too (good OU girl) and she is a blessing to me in the most awesome way.

Wanna see this cutie patootie?!?! I've got pictures.... OHHHH do I have pictures. But she might kill me for posting many of them. However, they all show her fun and crazy side, which is the best side of her. So, I'm taking a chance she won't disown me now.

Here's an oldie but goodie... (eek! I've got braces!)

And here's a fun one we took at the same Chinese restaurant.

Ahhhhh SISTERS. Are there many greater joys than to have one? And I've got three. My cup overfloweth.

The whole silly lot of us, in height descending order.

Aaaaaaand, this pretty much sums it up.

thinking outside the box

We took a trip recently. Our family drove to Branson for fall break. The kids had a blast, the parents had fun, and all was well with the world. Until this mama climbed into a cave-simulting box made of wood. A speleo box.

Have you ever been in one of these? This was not my first look at a speleo box. I had watched The Man climb into one of these a few months ago, here at this same cave in Missouri. Only the one he climbed into was indoors, built into a wall. It was much smaller, made for kids, and had trap doors that could be removed, should you get stuck somewhere inside.

And there he goes!

This is the view looking in the hole. Can you see why I wouldn't climb in there to save my life??


But he, being a big kid stuck in a 40 year old body, climbed in with laughter and made his way through this crazy thing, while I waited... and watched. I did not even dare climb in that box that day. I know my limits pretty well. And although I can employ mind-over-matter in many things, THIS is not one of them. So I passed.

But then our family came upon the outdoor speleo box a few weeks ago. And they all climbed inside, laughing and talking cheerfully. The kids loved it so much, they were climbing back in as soon as they finished.

Soon, all eyes turned to me. "Mom! Come in! This is so fun!!" my kids call. "Kim, seriously! You can do this! Come on!" The Man tosses out. And thus the internal monologue began.

Kim!, I says to mysef. Seriously. How bad could it be? Well, sef, it could be bad. I could get stuck in there. And I only see one escape panel. Plus, they're closing soon, and there may be no way out if you get stuck. PLUS. PLUS!! This is the stuff nightmares are made of! Now wait, Kim, let's get ahold of ourself here. So what, you get stuck. You just turn around and climb out. Come on, sister! Mind over matter! You do that all the time! You can totally climb in this huge box and conquer your fear!

Now, as the monologue is going, my kids are yelling out, "Mom! Take my picture!!" And I see their joy:

Even The Man is jovial, sending out an upside down horns sign in honor of the OU/Texas game that will be played the next day. And getting all caught up in their fun, I decide.... I CAN DO THIS! IT WILL NOT BE FUN! BUT I WILL CONQUER THIS BOX! IF THEY CAN DO IT, SO CAN I!!

And in I went. There were turns and climbs and although there were tight fits, I was making my way, thinking how well I was doing, not getting claustrophobic or anything. And then I took a turn upward.

I was in the back corner of this box. And I was sweating and wondering how a woman who can run 8 miles for fun could be this worn out. And when I went up the corner and turned to my left, it happened. My leg was stuck. I tried manuevering. I tried twisting. And then I realized it was my foot, that because of the length of my calf, could not clear the hole. But my side was being stabbed now, by the wood box underneath me at an odd angle. And I was starting to panic.

At about this time, my husband was standing outside the box, talking to me, and attempting to be encouraging when he said the words: "You're doing great! You're about 25% finished!" RRRrrrrrrttttt! STOP THE PRESSES. WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?? I'M NOT EVEN HALF WAY THROUGH?? AND I'M STUCK!!!!

I tried really hard. I wiggled my butt, I twisted some more. I yelled at Abby (behind me) to take off my shoe. Maybe that would help my foot clear the box. But nothing was changing, and that's when I had a sudden panicky need to abort my mission. "Get me out!" I yelled! "Help me! Abby! Move!! I've got to get out of here, NOW!!"

And out I backed, with more tenacity than I knew I owned. And when I was safely on the bench outside the box, I sat. Wondering how I had just escaped death's grasp. Fluffing my mussed hair, and wiping my dripping skin of it's sweat. And thanking GOD for SAVING ME! It was a bonafide miracle really, that I could come out of that darn box alive.

I almost died, you know.

Flo face plants

I know you've been wondering. Are we going to name the chicks?! Well of course we are! Allow me to introduce you to the cutest gals on the block, made extra cute for their ability to fall asleep on the fly. Literally. These little ladies will fall asleep anywhere at any time. And they will sprawl out and make a big show of it, which makes it even STINKIN' CUTER!

See the red light? That's their heat lamp, keeping them warm so their little bodies can do the business of growing like weeds. So without further ado, meet (from the top): Pearl, Flo, and Dot. They are our white/yellow easter eggers. The darker ones below that? Those are Eva and Beaker (Abby's and Gavin's respectively).

Aaaaaand, here we have Flo (short for Flossy), who was eating one minute and snoring the next. God love her.

That's Eva next to her, wondering if she should wake her up and allow her to regain her dignity even though the photo had already been snapped.

Apparently the answer to that is NO. Because Eva turned her back on poor Flo and laid down for her own nap while Pearl meandered over and snuggled in for HER siesta.

I know what you're thinking. I use a lot of Spanish words for someone who doesn't know Spanish. It's all in an effort to confuse you, dear reader.

Are these birds not hilarious?? I'm having the best time getting to know them and their cute personalities!

the sweetest little chickies EVER!

Last week I posted about my chicken order. And do you know that a few hours later they called with news? Some easter eggers had hatched. THAT DAY! And would I like these or would I like to wait for the next batch? Which could be who knows when? Well HECK YES, I WANT THOSE CHICKS! And thus began our adventure with backyard chickens.

We are now part of a growing trend called "Urban Farmers." We will raise our chickens in the backyard. They will have a coop. And we will let them out each morning to "free range" in the yard, allowing them to eat bugs and grass. But of course we will feed them real chicken food also. The most important thing to know is that HAPPY CHICKENS MAKE LOTS OF EGGS! And I intend to make these new family members VERY HAPPY.

I got a call from the post office at 7:19 a.m. on Friday that my chicks had arrived. Come get them! they said. And off I went, unsure of what I would find. But here's how they show up in the mail (in case you're wondering!).

So then I brought them home and opened them up, with Abby's assistance, of course. There's some really great video of this process, but since I haven't mastered the blog thing yet, I can't get it to upload. Grrrrr. Or rather, bawwwwwwk bawk bawk bawk!!!

Anyway, let's talk chicken coops. I am a recycler. I like repurposing things. And I like getting gifts that have been repurposed. I love giving life to old, chippy things. So when The Man asked what I thought of using the kid's playset to repurpose into a chicken coop, I jumped on it! I had actually tinkered with the idea and then figured he'd never go for it. So here it is in all it's kid glory:

And here it is today, minus the slides and the swings. We're using extra wood from the deconstruct and some pallet wood I got from a friend (Thank you Shawn!!). We did have to purchase some plywood since this is an older structure to begin with.

Here's the coop itself, where my little gals will sleep and nest, protected from wind and rain.

And this is the run, underneath, where the old "rock wall" got turned into a ramp for the hens.

And the best part is that the girls are so excited, they keep standing around the water cooler talking about how much fun they are going to have on the Frakes Family Farm!

BAWK BAWK!

I'm the kind of person who is all or nothing. Black or white. Rule follower extraordinaire. I'm either going to start and complete a project or I won't begin at all. You could even say that I'm obsessed or indifferent.

So this latest obsession of mine is exciting. CHICKENS!

Oh yes. Chickens. I'm going to raise them in my backyard. Because I can! And because I LOVE fresh eggs that look like these!!

I've ordered my Easter Egger bantam chickens online. And when they get here there will be some FUN TO BE HAD AT OUR HOUSE! You are welcome to bring your kids for a field trip. Because if they were coming to your backyard, I WOULD TOTALLY INVITE MYSELF OVER. Don't even kid yourself that I wouldn't.

Stay tuned... Next up on Channeling Kim: Making the perfect loaf of bread straight from the wheat berry....

Birds and Cookies and Nails, oh my!

This morning my phone rang at 7:28 a.m. I didn't recognize the number, and to keep it from ringing and waking up The Man I answered quickly. "Hello?" I almost whispered. "KIM?!" (Is this my dad? It kind of sounds like him, but more like the something's-wrong-we-need-to-chat voice). "Yes?" I say. "THIS IS BOB. YOUR NEIGHBOR??" "Oh! Hi Bob!" I smile. I've been waiting for Bob to call. This is exciting!

Bob came to my husband about a year ago and asked him if we would be offended if he built an aviary in his backyard. He was planning on buying and training some homing pigeons. Would that be okay? Well, since we erected a batting cage in our backyard, along with a 3 story wood play set, and eventually an above ground pool, we felt like saying no would be bad. Because we never actually considered consulting Bob before we did any of that. Oops.

Well as time passed, the aviary went up. And he did a nice job with it, too. He built it by hand and even painted it white. It's lovely, quite frankly! And when those baby pigeons were born he invited our kids and us over to take a peek. He taught us all we ever wanted to know about homing pigeons. And then he told us he was planning on racing them. Racing them?! Really?? That is so freaking cool, I can hardly stand it.

So you see, when the call came this morning from Bob, I was pumped. Why, you ask? Because he is training them to race home from Denton, Texas for their first race!! How fun is that?!?! And since he works, he needed someone to watch for them and write down their time of arrival. Hello?! Um, YES! I'd LOVE TO!! So this morning at 8:45 a.m. I sat my happy butt down on my wicker chair in the middle of my yard and sipped coffee while I waited for Bob's birds. Oh yes, I did.

And then, just as I wasn't paying attention, they showed up! Like a wisp of air! There they were!

And it took them about 9 minutes from their first appearance to going inside to rest. Watch how this happens. At first they were flying loops around the house. They made about 5-6 loops and then they all landed on Bob's roof.

Then, one by one, they jumped from the house to the aviary and made their way inside, to their personal nests. HOW COOL IS THAT??

Now, I know you can see how this was such an exciting event that my day must have ended then and there. But no, my dear reader. I went on to make cookies from scratch for my two darling and perfect children. ha, ha, ha.

Aaaaand, then I skipped lunch, because I ate too much cookie dough. So, I painted my nails. :) And made my own personal pinterest-looking picture of my essie flavor (chinchilly, by the way).

Happy Tuesday to you!

Oooooeeeeeee!

Oh yah! I had some fun today! Instead of napping, I actually got a wild hair and started and completed a redo project! It makes my heart so happy. This was my trial run on redoing a chair, because my plan is to have a whole table filled with mismatched chairs this time next year. Haha! Just kidding. I don't want to set a timeline, for fear that if I don't live up to it, I will be cranky. So let's just say we'll start with this chair and fill the table ASAP! :)

OK, so are you ready for some pictures?? Here's the chair BEFORE:

this grainy photo is courtesy of the latest iphone. pitiful.

I sanded, primed, and painted the chair after I tore it all up. But not before I took a little break to enjoy a fudge bar from Braum's. Because who wouldn't want to take that kind of work break?

Then I covered the seat with a new fabric. And I think it all turned out scrumptialicious. Wowie! Look at that! I coined a new phrase!

And here she is in all her scrumptialicious glory, gracing the corner of my breakfast room.

*sigh*

ummm... Hello?

Well oh. my. goodness. I just realized I hadn't posted anything on here in FOREVER! So, I thought I'd fill you in on the action happening here at the casa del Frakes.

My daughter started middle school last week. MIDDLE SCHOOL! Holy crizap. I have a child in middle school. And while that should be enough for me to feel like an old old lady, what she said on the first day after school really threw me for a loop. As my daughter (my 6 lb. 11 oz. BABY GIRL!) climbed into my minivan (don't make fun), she looked at me with the sweetest widest, most innocent smile and exclaimed, "Middle school is the BEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME!" And I quote. Wha..? REALLY? I think I was the most miserable child on the face of the planet, because I am CERTAIN that was not my initial response to middle school. But God love her, it was Abby's. And I could not be happier. Because this came from a child who came to WMS knowing a total of 2 kids from her elementary school (she had transferred) and just a handful of girls she met over the summer. My sweet girl makes friends very easily though, so my prayers were answered. Thank you Jesus.

My son on the other hand, he is another story. He is a GREAT kid. And he's young. So when he transferred schools, he was a little cranky. In fact, he still is. But he's resilient. And he'll get over it soon. I'm just sure of it. :)

NOW! For the muey importante stuff (don't let me kid you, I don't speak Spanish. Every kid made a good grade in Spanish in my fourth grade class.). This mama had a little adjusting to do of her own! Since I had been a stay at home mom for seven years, my heart had always been in my home. I worked (teaching) for the last four years out of necessity and because I LOVED my job. But our ultimate plan was for me to be back home as soon as we were financially stable and God called me out of the workforce. Last year I could feel the tug getting stronger and stronger to go back home. And here I am! Blessed, but left alone. Seriously, I've never been home alone all day. The first day of school was what I imagine the empty nest feeling like. I wandered around my house in a daze, not knowing what to do with all my new free time.

But life has a way of working itself out... and today I had a great day. I completed three things. Had coffee with a dear, old friend, ate lunch with my husband, and rearranged my boards on pinterest. Oh yes, I did. I would normally find that ridiculous. But I called it a victory that I filled every minute before I went to get the kids! Yippee!

Don't hate me. This will allow me more time now to write this blog and entertain you. :)

Thoughts from the open road

This morning I went running. But this wasn't any old run. It was not my typical daily or even Saturday run. Today my running buddy, Brenda, and I decided to go to Oklahoma City and run with our running club: the Landrunners. They were taking a route along the river near downtown OKC. If you were training for the full marathon this fall (Route 66 in Tulsa), then you were supposed to run 10 miles. And if you were working toward a half marathon, then you were to run five. So how far did we run? 8 miles. Why? I have no idea. I think because Brenda told me to. And so I did.

For the first four miles we did something else that's different for us. We ran with headphones instead of talking. I wanted to get my pace down without worrying about my breathing, so we went with music for the first half. We ran well, too! And oh my gosh, the temperature! It was 65, people! It felt like winter compared to the horrible heat we've had lately! And so we ran. Like the wind. And we only stopped to get a drink at the 2 1/2 mile mark. But then something happened.

When we hit the 4 mile mark, we turned around. And we had this beautiful breeze blowing on us. The sun was just coming up (we crazy runners start early, people.). And I saw that view. The one you see up there? That's it. It was quiet, and calm, and chilly, and all the wonderful things that a good run are. And I so I began thinking of you, dear reader! And I began thinking of all the things that I want you to know about the sport of running. Because I want other people to love it, too!

So here they are, in no particular order.

1. When you run, especially in a group like that, you realize that runners come in all shapes and sizes. And you can't stereo-type anyone. Like, don't even think that the chubby woman in front of you will eventually be behind you. YOU NEVER KNOW. And likewise, you may find a stick thin woman or man ahead of you and you assume they will beat you the whole time and suddenly you're passing them! YOU! PASSING THEM! Who knew?! So throw all those misconceptions you have about the typical runner out the window. And get out there. You can do it!

2. Runners who realize the above concept are the ones who will cheer you on the most. There is an unspoken idea out there on the open road that tells you in your gut as you pass someone who is clearly struggling, ENCOURAGE THEM! And even if you're not that person, you will become that person! And you will find yourself asking sidelined runners if they need help. And cheering the older lady who looks exhausted to KEEP GOIN' GIRL! YOU'VE GOT THIS! Because you understand. When you get to the finish line in your first race, and you're spent because you've never imagined doing this before and here you are doing it, you will hear this amazing thing! People you don't know and never will, will be cheering you on!! And suddenly you will understand fully the need to sometimes be the cheerer because you've certainly needed cheering at some point.

3. Runners have many forms. You will spend your entire running career wondering if your form is funny. And whether people look at you and think you look like Lisa Kudrow from Friends, running with your arms flailing! But guess what? WHO CARES? Get in a race and look around! Some people shuffle. Some kick their heels high! Some have their arms out, and other tuck them near their armpits. Some runners jump side to side, and others look like they are one step away from falling flat on their face. It doesn't matter! THEY ARE NOT SITTING ON THEIR COUCHES! They are working their heart muscles! And that's all that really matters, people! Keep it in perspective. Your form is YOUR FORM. If it took you 8 miles, or 3 miles, or one mile, it took you somewhere! Rejoice! You have legs! And you CAN RUN!

4. The last thing I want to say is that the hardest part of running is the actual getting out there to do it. Take your time. Know that you won't be a marathoner until you've trained for many months. And give yourself a break. You don't have to be the best. Or the fastest! You just have to do it. And then you'll find what I've found. That running is a release. It's where I get to toss my worries (and sometimes my anger!) off to the side of the road and keep going. My body always feels better. My mind always has better perspective afterward. I JUST FEEL BETTER after a good run. And the best part? It doesn't have to be a banner run for me to feel better. It can be a plain old crappy run... and I still have a lighter mood and a happier heart. Some of my best times with Jesus have been on a run, by myself... just asking for wisdom and peace.

And He always delivers.