Who's That Guyrl?

These are Ellery's Godfathers - Dirk on the left and Dehan on the right. They are two of Alan's closest friends and they have all grown up together and have known each other for ages (literally - ahem, but who is counting?) I love these guys and luckily so does Ellery. She was in my office on Monday (because she wants to "help me work.") when she spotted a picture of these two and started an entire dialogue about who they are. Of course, not all that she said was accurate but it was certainly indicative of her connection to them both.

This issue of who's that girl is a little different from previous versions in two main ways; (1) these are GUYS not girls (2) they didn't actually answer the questions. I sent the questions to Alan and he offered up his interpretation of how they would/or should answer.

Dirk and Dehan recently traveled to Pamplona, hence the attire. Here is some scoop on Dehan., who is also a Commodore!

Where are you from? Houston, TX by way of Albuquerque, NM

Where do you live now? Denver, CO

What are your parents' names? Carol and George

What do you do? I don’t know; you tell me. Supposedly I work for a family office making “private investments”, but you would be hard pressed to ever find me in the office or even in the state of Colorado. Catch me if you can…

What do you do for fun? I am a big dancer. I have a disco light that I break out on occasion, and when confronted, I will noodle at a Panic show. I also enjoy wearing biking shorts – sometimes for biking and sometimes for fun. More than anything, I like to commune with nature.

What is your favorite book? Atlas Shrugged or any other Ayn Rand book found in the St. Francis Episcopal School Library.

What is our favorite song right now? Arpeggi - Radiohead

When are you coming to visit me (Ellery)? I am a consistent visitor to the McKnight household, unlike my compatriot Mr. Eller. I would also like it if the girls came to Colorado, so I could teach little Elle to ski.

Who is your favorite goddaughter? Ellery is the ONE and ONLY!!!

Here we have Dirk. I have to admit, I have no idea who the other guy in the picture is. Dirk? Want to chime in here?

Introducing Mr. Dirk Eller...

Where are you from? I am originally from Houston, TX, but I now summer in Sweden and winter in San Antonio.

What is your middle name? Gustaf

That is an odd name....where did it come from? My mom was born and raised in Sweden where it is quite common. It is certainly less odd than my uncle’s name which is roughly translated to “Thunder Bear”.

What do you do? I take care of business. That includes at my job at Clear Channel Communications and in my personal life. I think the genesis of my TCB can be related to four key events:

• My flushing of another child’s lunch box down a toilet at the St. Francis Episcopal School, (Go Wolves!)


• My daily, childhood “meetings” with the principals, Mr. Bransteder and Mrs. Woolridge, of the St. Francis School,


• Breaking my arm on the opening kick-off of the opening game of my senior season in football where I was set to be an all-conference guard (yes you read that right), and


• My friendship with Russell Crowe.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be? I would live in Gotland, Sweden in the summer and Mexia in the winter.

Any advice on how to make tough decisions? Two words – decision tree.

Who is your favorite goddaughter - who lives in Atlanta? ELLERY. I pretend to have another favorite who lives in Dallas and shall remain nameless, but no one can hold a candle to Ellery.

One final question from Ellery...When are you coming to visit? I hope to visit Atlanta in the next couple of weeks.

The Godfathers

Things that make you go hmmm....
A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Well, I think this picture needs some additional explaining. Tune in tomorrow for details -- this is worth the wait.

Archives from the beach

Last night we booked our flights back to Southampton. We are all anxious to head back to the beach to squeeze out some more summer before school starts back up in September.

If you wondered why I hadn't posted any pictures from our last trip, it was because I didn't bring my camera. Boo! Luckily, Danielle did and what a treat. She is a professional photographer and that is evident in the pictures she sent me last night.

The beach in Southampton is serene. It is unlike beaches in so many cities that are littered with huge hotels and other commercial buildings. The downside is that the water is COLD. Icy cold, especially early in the summer. I have to say, I rarely venture in and most definitely I only get in up to my waist.

Our trip in June was wet. It rained for much of our first week. And, while the weather was somewhat disappointing the girls didn't really seem to mind. They were excited to be in a new house exploring new things.

Every June in Southampton, there is a carnival. It is an old school carnival -- with hawkers shouting to come play their game. We took the kids last year and it was a hit. One evening, it had finally cleared up and so as a special treat we ventured down to the carnival. Ellery was tall enough to ride a "roller coaster." After decending the first hill, her fearful look turned into shear elation. She loved it!

Both kids rode the carousel -- multiple times.

We capped off the evening with a game and, lucky for us, we won a goldfish - quickly named Grape. Sadly, Grape lived a short life - just over a week.

When the weather isn't quite right for the beach, the kids also love going to the farm to visit the animals. There were piglets this year. Rather smelly but enchanting at the same time.

Most days wind down with some poolside dining. It is so nice to be able to eat outside in the summer while wearing a sweatshirt.

I can't wait to get back....

Let the man rest

In an effort to let Alan rest and recuperate from his back surgery, I loaded the girls in the car and headed to Athens to visit my friend Laura. Laura and I have been friends for over 17 years. We have ventured to similar places and had many similar experiences. We went to Vanderbilt together and got our MBAs at Texas together. We both got jobs with consulting companies and even traveled to similar places where we could meet up and hang out while working on the road.

Lucky for me, Laura landed in Athens about a year ago. She teaches at the business school at UGA. She has two boys who are roughly the sames ages as our girls. They are great friends.


Let's not kids ourselves, it is July in Georgia and it was HOT. We went to Memorial Park and saw some animals native to the area - bob cats, owls, hawks, alligators, bears. We picnicked and then headed home to cool off. The kids took to the sprinklers.



And eventually had some ice cream sandwiches. Can you tell Bo liked his?

We spotted this rather menacing spider. Have you ever seen anything like this? I wonder what kind of spider it is? Check out that zig zag web!

We ended the night with tubs, pizza and a movie. All were a hit. I knew the girls had a great time when on the way home Ellery asked if Mac and Bo could be her brothers. She even suggested that we (our entire family) just move in with them. Laura, is there room?

Who's that Girl???

Introducing JennA (that is pronounced "Jenn - AY" - like Jenn and the letter A, rather than Jenna. We are definitely not introducing a Jenna.) Shall we carry on?

Are you wondering if JennA is "imaginary" - after all she does look a bit cartoonish.

This is the real JennA - though that is a cartoon depiction of her -- pretty good, right? JennA is married to Ronnie, a watermelon man. He grows delicious watermelons (JennA's Favorite) in the valley (in Texas that is.)  That is their logo above.

This is Ronnie. See his watermelons? This photo makes the valley look enticing - sort of like there might be a nice cool breeze. Don't worry it's an optical illusion.

For more on his operation click here. It's worthy of a gander.  And so without further adue....

What is your full name? Jennifer Anderson Skloss - aka 'JennA'

Where were you born? Houston, TX

Where did you get married? Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria, Austin, TX

Favorite place to travel? Yucatan, Mexico

Where would you like to travel but haven't been yet? Bali, Indonesia

Favorite meal? This is a very tough question. Pizza has always been my favorite craving, but as for a meal I'd have to say (embarrassingly) Tex-Mex - anything with a good meat, beans, avocado, cheese and great salsa (Hula Hut salsa is my favorite).

What did you have for breakfast? steel cut oatmeal with honey and microwaved blueberries in it (makes sort of a blueberry sauce) and decaf coffee. Why didn't I ever think to microwave blueberries?

What are you going to be doing tonight? attending my 'happy hour' baby shower - at least the guests can drink! JennA and Ronnie will be welcoming TWO precious babies into this world this fall!

One word to describe yourself. sensible (well, at least most of the time)

Sensible....interesting choice.  I was thinking sweaty, but that is another story for another time. No really, I was thinking something more along the lines of vivacious.  But then I thought - what does vivacious even mean?  No matter, what I want to say is that JennA LIVES life, loves to travel and is always up for an adventure.  She is an excellent friend and I count myself lucky to know her.

When JennA is not preparing herself for motherhood - she is a graphic designer.  I sure could use some help on this blog (hint hint.)

Cinnamon...amon...amon...AMEN

I had a roommate in college, Jessica, who obsessed over cinnamon. She loved red hots (the hardish, cheweyish tiny red candies) and she loved hot tamales (sticky pellets that burned your tongue and stuck in your molars). I liked red hots and hot tamales too - after all these were the days when I had a bag of gummy bears for lunch and frozen yogurt for dinner. But Jessica, she loved cinnamon. In a not weird way, she sort of smelled like cinnamon.

Now as much as Jessica liked cinnamon, she obsessed over cinnamon ice cream. Obsessed. I don't remember where she had it, I only remember her talking about it non stop - on end. Her obsession was noted and then duly ignored. I never had the cinnamon ice cream she adored.

But, I also never forgot about the cinnamon ice cream. So, when Alan was gifted with an ice cream maker for Father's Day (thanks Gagi and Pop Pop), I immediately wanted to make cinnamon ice cream.

Believe me, you need to make this. If you don't have an ice cream maker - let me know, I will make some for you. We have made the ice cream twice in the last week - YIKES, this could become a problem.

This recipe is based on a recipe I found on allrecipes.com. We added mini chocolate chips - they add a nice crunch!

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

• 
  

  Add the sugar and half and half to a saucepan and melt together. When the mixture starts to simmer, add half into the beaten eggs. Whisk briskly so that the eggs don't scramble (I think this is called tempering). Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan. Add the the heavy cream and continue cooking, while stirring, over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon and vanilla extract. Allow to cool and add to the ice cream maker. Follow the directions for your ice cream maker.

  
  

  5-10 minutes before the ice cream is complete in the ice cream maker, add the mini chocolate chips.

  
  

  Enjoy!

Post Edit:

Don't forget to check in tomorrow for "Who's that girl." It will be a good one!

How hot was it?

It was so hot that our beads melted. OK maybe it isn't that hot but it is pretty darn close. To keep cool, we have been having a lot of arts and crafts time.

So, after this post about ridding our house of plastic, we decided to melt some in our oven and inhale the fumes. Nothing like the fresh smell of melting plastic. It does a body good.

That said, while the beads are "cooking" I recommend opening the windows/doors and heading outside.  Ellery was completely mesmerized by the melting beads. These are the easy steps.

1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper


2. String the beads on a pipe cleaner as you make a design or just lay them next to each other (they need to be touching to stick)


3. Place the design in a cool over and set to 350


4. When the over hits 350 leave the beads in for 10 minutes


5. Turn the oven off and leave the beads in the oven until they are completely cool (we left them overnight)


6. Carefully peel the beads from the wax paper

Go try it -- melt some beads and let me know how it goes.

What everyone needs to know about Mary Kent

And the lucky winner is....Carmen! I have to know, what gave it away? Was it the fact that she collects nativity scenes (which by the way, is a little odd at best.) Was it the fact that she serenaded her parents' friends at dinner parties (Islands in the Stream - by Dolly Parton was a favorite?)

Whatever it was, there are a few things that EVERYONE should know about Mary Kent. Mary Kent is a twin and comes from a family of 6 kids - she and her twin are at the tail end. She has a keen sense of humor with a cutting edge. Mary Kent is honest and will always tell you what she really thinks - even if that results in a confrontation.

Mary Kent and I went to high school together and at our last reunion, she announced to a table of people that one of the occupants had taken an oath not to kiss her boyfriend in high school. Our classmate denied the oath. Mary Kent insisted. Our classmate denied. Mary Kent insisted. You get the picture. I have to admit, I was squirming in my seat and chuckling at the same time. The girl got up to leave our table. Mary Kent looked at Alan (with a very serious look) and said, "I don't care what she says, I know that girl took an oath not to kiss her boyfriend."

Talk about a tangent...back to the topic at hand people.

Mary Kent has a daughter named Mary Kent (many of you are scratching your heads at this point.) Mary Kent is a "confident" driver but despite her speedy maneuvers she is

A L W A Y S late. Always. Her friends can look past this because she delivers in countless other ways.

Check in tomorrow for some scoop on melting beads. Toxic fumes and all.

Who's that girl?

Introducing......

PICTURE DELETED

Wait, who is this? Well you have to guess. Welcome to a little game called "who's that girl?" Enter your guesses in the comments and check back on Monday when this mystery girl will be revealed!

Where were you born?

Atlanta Ga Crawford Long Hospital and my mom's doctor was Crawford Long (obviously the fourth or fifth)

What were you good at as a child?

I was also good at memorizing song lyrics which came in handy as entertainment at my parents' cocktail parties.

What was your first job?

first job - 10th grade - scooping ice cream - made me hate ice cream for several years

Tell me some truths, tell me a lie and let's see if we can figure out which is which.

• I once convinced a fireman to give me his uniformed shirt off his back while he was responding to a call.
• I published a paper about the illicit drug trade and the Mexican government.
• I went to the beach with brad paisley (singer)
• I collect Nativity scenes
• I was once a nationally ranked canoe-er
• I was in a commercial as a child (4th grade) for a Michael Jackson doll

And there you have it. Don't forget to leave a comment and see you on Monday!

Out with the old and in with the new

Our old plastic containers

Lately I have been fixated on this issue with plastic. We have all heard it before - chemicals from plastic seep into our food and poison our bodies. (For more on that look here or here.)

Most of you have probably taken some precautions to prevent this - only heat glass in the microwave, make sure you use the BPA free bottles or glass bottles for infants. Quite honestly, in the past I have done the bare minimum in this department - not because I didn't believe what I was hearing - rather, because I really didn't want to be inconvenienced. Yes, I am that lazy.

Our new glass containers

S L O W L Y, very slowly, the McKnights are trying to become less plastic dependent. And so step number one is getting rid of all of those plastic storage containers. I am not sure if this will work or even if this will stick for us -- but at least we are giving it a shot.  What else should I be doing?  Are you using plastic?  Am I neurotic? (that last question was rhetorical)

Are you all curious about tomorrow's post "Who's that girl??" A surprise is in the works....stay tuned.

Oh and some of you are asking, "What is Fredonia Falldown? Why is that the name of your blog?" More on that soon too!

When trouble comes a knocking....

This is the face of trouble. Study it, learn it, know it and be prepared because she is a sneaky one. This sweet, cuddly thing can throw a tantrum like you wouldn't believe. And just when you think she might pass out from all of the howling she will stop. Just. Like. That. She finishes with this glance all while that smile creeps across her face. 

In other news have y'all heard about little Kate? Click here to hear the story and here to read the latest.  It will pull you in and probably leave you feeling more grateful than you have in a while.

I love a parade!

There is nothing quite like a good, old fashioned 4th of July Parade. We strolled down to the end of my parents house and found a nice spot in the shade. The girls sat eagerly on the curb and waited for the festivities to begin. They were absolutely fascinated for a solid two hours. They absorbed it all - the antique cars, fire trucks, bands, dancers, clowns, bag pipes and even Elvis.

This morning, the girls and I sauntered into town and just as we reached Main Street, Ellery asked "Mom, can we have another parade today."

Lights Out.

Yesterday, just as I was getting the girls settled down for their naps, a strong summer storm rolled through Southampton. I admit the thunder was loud, the trees were blowing ferociously, but I sort of ignored Ellery when she said "I bet the power is going to go out." What does she know - she's only "three and three quarters?"

When it did in fact go out no more than five minutes later, I foolishly assumed it would be back on within an hour. So we went for a drive (to charge our cell phones in the car) around town and stopped at the Rec Center and playground, I assumed upon our return home the lights would be on.

Nope - the lights. were. out.

ALL NIGHT! Mom and I lit every candle in the house and hunkered down in the kitchen. And while having no power sure was inconvenient, it was also nice to not hear the hum of the refrigerator, to not hear the clanking from the dishwasher, to not hear the buzz from the voices on the tv. It was REALLY quiet.

But, we could only look at each other for so long - we felt like we needed to be doing something. So we ventured outside to see what we could see. And when we glanced down the street, we saw darkness. Not a light was lit. And when we glanced down on the sidewalk, we saw some really HUGE slugs. Game on.

Thus began our slug hunting adventures. I will leave out the gory details. Suffice it to say, no fewer than 14 slugs met their demise last night on Hildreth Street.