Filling You in on the Blenks

Summer Fun in 2011

2011-07-04T23:02:00.001-04:00

Summer has arrived and the Blenks are loving it. Soon after school let out for the kids in early June, we left for vacation in Chincoteague, Virginia. En route, we stopped in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Between horses and Civil War stuff, both kids were kept happy. Mom and Dad enjoyed delicious sea food, salt water, and some time to relax. Both parental units actually read a book on the trip and the spontaneous detour to Pittsburgh on the way home was like the icing on the cake.

Scary Laser Taggers!

2011-01-17T19:03:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, Conor celebrated his 8th birthday with a small shin dig at Lazer Craze. He and three friends, along with Abby and three friends were recruited as blue team members on a mission to destroy the red team's outpost. They lost but had fun trying. The party continued with Con's friends sleeping over and Abby having one friend to keep her sane. Pizza, snacks, movies, dancing, and staying up late = SUCCESS!

A New Year!

2011-01-01T23:46:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone! We hope that 2011 brings you much joy and happiness (and trips to visit us in Cincinnati!!). We have been tardy at updating you on our lives and once again hope to get back on track. Here are a few photos of recent fun we have had in town, out of town, with family and with each other. Everyone is growing and getting older. We are so blessed. All our best to you and yours!!!!

Abby Hits the Court

2010-09-12T22:43:00.003-04:00

Abby started her basketball season this weekend with two games: one on Friday night and one on Sunday night. It's fun to watch she and her teammates as they are playing for the first time (did not have a team in 3rd grade), but all the other teams we play are in year two and are a bit more organized. Abby is killer at defense. While somewhat hesitant to grab the ball from others or push her way in on offense, she is amazing at blocking. I love to watch her face as she focuses on her opponent. More of those pics to come....

Back to School... On The Same Day!

2010-08-28T20:09:00.003-04:00

Abby and Conor are at the same school this year. It was an exciting day on Tuesday, August 24th when both kids were dressed and ready to enter 4th and 2nd grades respectively. Conor handled the new school transition flawlessly; especially with Dad unexpectedly spending some time in the hospital. We are so proud of both kids!

Abby is in Mrs. Burwinkel's homeroom but will see Mrs. Foster an equal amount of the time this year. Conor has Mr. Cain, following in the family footsteps. You might remember this was Abby's same teacher for second grade. Here's to a great school year!

Auten Avenue Rocks

2010-08-12T02:01:00.004-04:00

On Sunday, August 8th, Auten Avenue (our street) closed to traffic and opened to fun! It was our first Block Party since moving in almost 10 years ago. We, along with some pretty awesome neighbors, helped to plan the day's festivities, which included: food, a dog parade, cornhole tournament (huge Cincinnati thing), live music, a water balloon slingshot (Con's favorite), homemade ice cream in a bag and slime! It was a huge success. One neighbor took pictures of all our houses and made them into the name tags so that we all knew the person and their house. The biggest surprise came towards the end of the night when one neighbor brought out her pet duck (for real). We feel lucky to have such great people around us.

Fabulous and Forty!

2010-08-05T07:56:00.002-04:00

On July 31, Erick turned 40! Thanks to everyone who remembered him on his big day. Molly and kids had a 40 day countdown to this new milestone with gifts to open each day. On the actual day, Erick was whisked away to Hocking Hills for a fun zip line tour through the trees. Thanks to friends who hosted Abby and Conor overnight, Molly and Erick decided to sleep in the woods and had the chance to hike to "Old Man's Cave" the next morning. An appropriate pilgrimage to commemorate Erick's new status!

A Skating Sabre

2010-08-05T07:47:00.004-04:00

Conor continues to take lessons for skating and hockey on the weekends. He received the green light to be evaluated (try out) for a house "mite" team in August. Hockey season runs from September to March and so we will be spending quite a bit of time at the hockey arena. Due to this new passion, Conor has hung up his karate gi to devote his energies to goal scoring. As Con moves forward, he knows where he came from: check out the Sabres jersey (old logo rules)!

Boys, Boys and More Boys

2010-08-05T07:18:00.004-04:00

Conor had a chance to have a summer birthday party this year. After talking about it for quite some time, we hosted a "half birthday party" in the backyard on July 24. The weather cooperated by gracing us with the hottest day of the summer, up until that point. So the festivities included lots of water balloons, hoses, squirt guns and action! The boys found the buried treasure and enjoyed sifting for gems and arrowheads, using the sluice that Erick and Conor built this summer. It truly was a blast!

Sail Away!

2010-08-05T07:10:00.003-04:00

How exciting that Abby was invited to spend almost a month in Youngstown, NY with Grandma Diane and Grandpa Mike, and given the opportunity to participate in Junior Sailing at the Youngstown Yacht Club! Ab was in good company with her cousins Elizabeth, Emily and Adam. She had a great time and arrived back home with many memories (and the ability to tie a plethora of different knots.)

Fourth of July Fun!

2010-08-04T19:55:00.002-04:00

The holiday weekend was filled with fun at the Madiera parade and a spontaneous trip to Louisville, KY. The Blenk threesome (Abby was in NY) caught a Bats game (minor league baseball), stopped at a winery, found a cool "Food Network - recommended" restaurant called "Lynn's Paradise Cafe" and did plenty of swimming.

The Big Cut

2010-06-21T21:09:00.003-04:00

Abby was finally able to donate her hair for "Children of Hair Loss" (like Locks of Love). Last Friday, while Molly was on Long Island, Erick took Abby for the big haircut. Here she is after the fact with her new do. She is so much more expressive (or so it seems) now that we can see that sweet face.

A Fall and a Goodbye

2010-06-04T18:13:00.004-04:00

Conor has had a busy Spring too. His t-ball team is furiously making up rain outs (Erick is the coach) and Conor is loving ice hockey. During his make up practice for "Learn to Play Hockey" on May 25, Conor fell in the last ten minutes and broke his arm! A bummer, no doubt, but he's been a trooper and after the initial shock wore off, Conor has been as active as ever. He has collected a bunch of signatures and is swimming, climbing and throwing water balloons just fine.

On May 26, Conor finished his first grade year and also said good-bye to Pleasant Ridge Montessori, which has been his "school home" for the past four years. Next year, Conor will join Abby at Nativity as a big, bad second grader. Con likes to boast that he has the longest summer vacation of anyone since he was out 7 days before Abby and goes back to his new school a week later than he would have started at his old school.

Big Days for Abby

2010-06-04T18:03:00.004-04:00

Abby finished her first year of piano with a recital on May 22, 2010. She played two songs -- "Ode to Joy" and one other -- and was the only student who memorized her songs. While very nervous going in, she did fantastic. We raced out of the recital to get to Abby's Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony. Abby is now officially a junior. Mom finally sewed all her patches on her vest just for the occasion. :-)

On May 23, 2010 Abby celebrated her 9th birthday with her girlfriends at RockQuest where they climbed their hearts out. It was nice to extend Ab's "birthday season" a bit longer than usual this year.

Sparring Sibs

2010-05-01T16:32:00.007-04:00

Abby and Conor missed their karate belt tests last weekend while we traveled to Long Island. The make up was today and they were tested together for the first time ever. With a smaller than usual field of testees, the Blenk kids had the opportunity to spar each other. We've been waiting for this day. They both did great and in the end, both were promoted to orange belts (Conor with a white stripe since he is in the Ninja class.) Congrats Kiddos.

Happy 9th Birthday Abby Girl!

2010-05-01T16:21:00.003-04:00

Abby is officially 9! Where has the time gone? She had a great day with breakfast in bed, a surprise lunch with Mom at school (with her favorite Panera mac and cheese), a trip to the bookstore, and ice cream at Don's Creamy Whip. Abby took in the famous "Brownookies" for her class treat (mix between brownies and cookies.) What a day! We love you Abby Girl!!!!!

Conor Starts Hockey!

2010-05-01T16:18:00.002-04:00

Spring is here. Time for hockey.... Conor started a "Learn to Play Hockey" program last week and did really great. We were super proud of him as he marched out on the ice with little to no skating experience. He loved it and took a private lesson this week to hone his skating skills. His quote was great: "I think I could be really good at this if I only knew how to skate!"

Our 7 Year Old Toothless Wonder!

2010-02-21T21:27:00.004-05:00

Conor turned 7 in January and is growing every day. He looks so big and grown up. For the first time, we did not have a birthday party and decided to finally try something we've been considering for a while: a half birthday celebration. Look for the follow up come July! Just a few weeks after Conor's birthday, he lost both of his front teeth in one week. His new smile is adorable. Check it out for yourself!

Let It Snow!!

2010-01-09T12:40:00.005-05:00

A real snowstorm hit Cincinnati this past week. Just in time for Conor's birthday. How nice that Mother Nature arranged a day off for this special occasion While Conor enjoyed two days off from school, Abby did not. :-( Nativity, in its traditional fashion, does not close school unless the circumstances are dire.

Abby and Conor enjoyed sledding at French Park with friends. Here they are getting ready in the back yard. The tube we bought for the ocean, we learned, works just as well on the snow hills.

XU Student In Training....

2009-12-27T17:12:00.002-05:00

One more post on our trip to Buffalo... we were able to spend time with Molly's brother Dan and family. Exciting news is that Rachel has been accepted to Xavier University in Cincinnati!!! While we totally support whatever decision is made, we are crossing our fingers that Rachel chooses a college close to us... we'd love to have her so near and Chalet Blenk would be open for business whenever Dan and Sue want to come and visit!

Relaxing in Yo Town...

2009-12-27T17:07:00.003-05:00

Our visit to WNY included a day with Grandma Diane and Grandpa Mike. It was so nice to celebrate the season with them. We enjoyed a tour of Fort Niagara where we saw where Erick used to work, a musket being fired, and a jail cell that Conor and Abby spent some time in (much to their chagrin). G'pa made Abby and Conor their very own treasure boxes to match the one Uncle Steve made for Erick years ago.

Shufflin' Off to Buffalo

2009-12-26T17:21:00.005-05:00

It was a great weekend in Buffalo the week before Christmas. We loved seeing so many of the Mulhern cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. The M&M fairy made her presence known and the kids loved meeting Princess the dog, going bowling with Mariah and Reilly, and sharing Anderson's with the Protos. There's never enough time, of course, but we made the most of what we had and it was lots of fun.

PRM's Holiday Concert: December 17

2009-12-26T10:37:00.003-05:00

Conor played bells and mouthed a few bars with his fellow first, second and third grade classmates. We cannot remember the name of the song... I think Conor is trying to forget the experience. He most likely will not make his mark in the music industry. :-)

Nativity's Advent Concert: December 16

2009-12-26T10:32:00.002-05:00

Abby sang her heart out to many songs this year, including a family favorite: "Melikeleke Maka." She looked way too grown up and did her first public hair twist, reminiscent of Aunt Peggy's style when she was younger. :-)

Karate Kids Upgrade

2009-12-26T10:22:00.005-05:00

Both Abby and Conor had a belt test for karate on December 12. With a record number of testers, and tons of chaos, both kids passed. Conor is now a Ninja with a yellow belt/black stripe. Abby is a yellow belt. Sensei Scott said Abby was mighty close to skipping a belt level. Her focus and dedication are incredible. Congrats Kiddos!

Abby and Her Books

2009-12-26T10:03:00.003-05:00

A classic pic of Abby.... with her happiest armful of things....

Down Home Thanksgiving

2009-12-10T14:11:00.003-05:00

This year, we stayed in Cincinnati for the first time ever on Thanksgiving. The kids enjoyed long breaks from school, and Erick and Molly some time off from work. Each person contributed to the Thanksgiving dinner. Abby and Erick made sweet potatoe casserole, pumpkin pie (and tarts); Erick did the turkey and stuffing; Molly the mashed potatoes; and Conor opened the canned cranberry sauce. :-) Brumby loved all the crumbs. We gave thanks for our blessings... including all of you!

Silly Sibs!

2009-11-19T21:56:00.004-05:00

So Brumby has been with us for over 5 months and is quite at home. The kids love their new "brother," even when he does not display model behavior. Just a few weeks ago, Brumby actually ate Abby's homework (we sent the teacher the shreds we could collect with a note, that she admitted to putting into her "teacher memory box.") Brumby likes to run out of the yard, chew on shoes, sneak upstairs to drink the toilet water, and nibble on stuffed friends in the kids' rooms. But even with all of this, we love him. This picture shows the three "kids" bonding in Brumby's crate! A reminder of what a great demeanor our youngest, and newest, member of the family truly possesses.

Welcome Avery Gean Leimbach!

2009-11-19T21:49:00.003-05:00

Our pseudo-family here in Cincinnati, Jessica and Rich Leimbach, welcomed their daughter into the world on Tuesday, November 10. After over 24 hours of hogging popsicles and enjoying the beautiful cityscape out the window, Jess had had enough and Avery finally arrived! She is a beautiful baby and we are so glad she is here. Abby, Conor and Erick met her on Sunday (Molly snuck into the hospital so she did not have to compete with others to hold the little lady.) Congrats to all the Leimbachs!

California Comes to Cincinnati

2009-11-09T15:44:00.003-05:00

We were thrilled to have cousin Isla and her parents visit us this past weekend. Isla sure has changed since we last saw her. She is a doll! We already miss her laughter in the house. Brumby really misses eating all of Isla's crumbs on the floor, even if he had to spend the weekend on the porch. ;-)

And The Saints Go Marching In....

2009-11-02T16:03:00.006-05:00

Third grade at Nativity means the All Saints Day Wax Museum. Each student picks a saint to research and then on All Saints Day (or the day after), they dress up as the saint and they become part of the wax museum. Visitors have to "push the button" on the saints and they come to life to tell their story. In our continued effort to not be predictable, Abby took on the persona of St. Hermione (yes she is really a saint). It was fun to go visit all the saints this morning and to hear so many interesting, and often gruesome, stories. We also finally got a picture of Ms. Gille, Abby's third grade teacher!

Halloween Was a Scream!

2009-11-02T15:40:00.006-05:00

This year, Abby was a cow girl and Conor was a screamer. We were happy to have the festivities fall on a Saturday so we could party into the wee hours of the morning and sleep in the next day. :-) The extra hour helped out too. Molly's costume was conceptualized by Abby -- Smarty Pants (smarties taped to the pants and a graduation hat). We celebrated the weekend by watching Harry Potter 4, now that everyone in the house has read the series up to this point. Molly and Conor are excited to have made it to book 5, but wow are the movies getting scary!

Halloween Is In the Air!

2009-10-25T20:44:00.003-04:00

Hello from Cincinnati! With under a week to go until Halloween, we have been busy decorating, planning costumes, buying (and taste testing) candy, ghosting friends, and today we carved our pumpkins. It's always so much fun doing this tradition. Erick continues to win the creativity award: this year, he carved a gourd into an anteater-type thing. Tonight we lit our pumpkins for the first time. Here they are....

Abby Moves Into Third Grade!

2009-08-25T10:01:00.004-04:00

Abby headed back to Nativity School this morning to begin her third grade career. She was cautiously excited and thrilled to have Ms. Gille (no picture of her yet). With the big three pack of tissues in hand and friends by her side, she marched in to school.

We had to have a photo shoot with Brumby before leaving for school today. Abby has become VERY fond of him. I think Brum is going to miss all the daytime activity now that we are all back to school.

School Days... School Days!

2009-08-18T18:28:00.005-04:00

It's hard to believe that summer is over already (at least for Conor). He returned to school today at Pleasant Ridge Montessori, entering into a new classroom with a new teacher. While we did not get a snapshot of the teacher -- Mrs. Colleen Crews -- we will introduce her in a subsequent blog. Con was a bit apprehensive these last few days, not sure what to expect. When Abby, Brumby, and I picked Conor up after school today and I asked him how it went, he replied "Awesome!" I'm jealous that he already got to see the volcano erupt in the classroom. If this is the first day, I can only imagine what will happen throughout the rest of the school year.

Temporary Sanity

2009-08-04T22:29:00.006-04:00

Our trip to the Outerbanks was truly wonderful. While threatening not to come home and tempted to buy the Bait and Tackle store that was for sale, we decided that we would rather not learn to take all this natural beauty for granted.

The kids loved seeing their cousins (some real; some that we gladly adopted), and they made many memories together. Conor was awesome at wave riding with Kevin; and Abby, Ashley, and Kira swam, played DSs, and pulled off an amazing Talent Show on our last night.

For Erick's birthday, we surprised him with a parasailing trip 1200 feet over the sound from Manteo. While canceled due to wind the first time out, we got it in early the next morning. Conor and I were able to watch from the boat while Abby opted to stay "home" with her peeps (as she now calls them.)

Giddy-Up Let's Go!

2009-07-12T23:59:00.005-04:00

Abby finished her second Horse Camp at the beginning of July. This year she was joined by 7 friends from Nativity in a one-week, all-day camp. While it could have been swelteringly hot, Mother Nature granted the campers a week of cool temps. How lucky! Abby rode "Roni" the Pony for the week with her good friend Rehme (same partner as last year!). This year, Abby learned to "post" and did an amazing job at the end of the week Horse Show.

Jilly Bean and the Hot TaMolly

2009-07-12T23:47:00.003-04:00

After an excruciatingly long training period (lol), Molly and Jill Buehler completed their first ever triatholon on Sunday, June 14th. It was a day filled with many unforgettable feats (losing one paddle while canoeing), new realizations (Molly has asthma) and overcoming obstacles (trying to remember how to work the gears on the bike borrowed just the night before.) From the close call start to Killer Hill to Lance Armstronging it back to Ft. Ancient, Jilly Bean and the Hot TaMolly prevailed.... and still with smiles on their faces in an almost record-breaking 3 hours 35ish minutes . Here's to the next physical challenge....

Dance Your Day Away

2009-07-11T21:09:00.004-04:00

Abby's annual dance recital was a bit later this year. She performed in a record seven numbers on a rainy afternoon. She is now doing ballet, tap and jazz. Ab's favorite type of dance is jazz and her favorite number in the recital was "Best of Both Worlds."

Welcome Brumby!

2009-07-11T16:01:00.005-04:00

Since our new family member joined our team on June 7, we have set new records for trips to Pet Smart, hikes in French Park, and visits to the local dog park. We love all these new activities and it's been fun to see Brumby grow and learn to catch frisbees and start chasing birds. He is very much at home and we love him to death.

Slugger Conor

2009-07-11T15:55:00.002-04:00

Conor played t-ball/baseball for the second year. This time around, he was lucky enough to share his dad with the team. "Coach Erick" did great and his partner in crime, "Coach Ted" was the perfect match. What fun the "gray sharks" had on the field and during the water balloon throwing post-game festivities.

Abby's First Communion

2009-07-11T15:34:00.004-04:00

On May 17, Ab made her First Communion at Nativity Church. How time flies! We enjoyed having both sets of grandparents in town (something that has not happened since Abby's baptism). We had a nice, but cool, picnic up at French Park Picnic Shelter after the Mass. Our out-of-town family and our local "family" helped us to celebrate. Congratulations Abby!

Valentine Fun

2009-02-17T12:06:00.003-05:00

Last Friday was the Daddy Daughter Dance at Abby's school. The theme was "The Red Carpet" and so hand in hand, Erick and Abby wowed the crowds! Here are some "pre-bash" photos. The night was a big success with Abby winning a star and having lots of fun!

Our Karate Kid!

2008-11-01T12:56:00.002-04:00

Conor started karate last week and he loves it! It's been fun to sit and watch his classes. His teacher, Sensei Scott, is so awesome... he has a terrific sense of humor and really keeps the class moving. Conor can already count to five in Japanese and is perfecting his situps and push ups. Mom is happy to help with the situps as she needs to brush up on them herself. :-)

Tricks and Treats

2008-11-01T12:16:00.005-04:00

Halloween was quite festive this year. Abby got to wear her costume to school as she had a field trip to a nursing home to sing to the residents with her class. At the end of the day, the entire school participated in a parade around Nativity. At night, we celebrated Halloween on Auten Avenue with neighbors and our traditional walk with Paige and Allen from next door. This year, we ventured around the block with a visit to Conor's teacher/our good friend and her family. Erick was the candy giver outer and Molly was the munchkin escort, dressed up this year. Abby was the most beautiful Tink fairy ever (true we are biased) and Conor protected us all as a good Clone Trooper.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere!

2008-10-25T08:02:00.002-04:00

Abby and Conor are so excited about Halloween. We visited Shaw Pumpkin Farm, the same place we have been going since the kids were tiny tots. It's strange to see that Abby and Conor are now some of the oldest ones. How time flies...

Abby will dress as Tinkerbell this year, in keeping with her continued love of everything fairy. Thanks to Grandma Diane's sewing skills, she'll have a handmade Tink costume. She is thrilled. Conor will be a Clone Trooper from Star Wars. He is wild about Star Wars and tries his costume on daily. We'll send pictures next weekend and recap all the fun.

Ike Visits Cincinnati!

2008-09-16T06:49:00.005-04:00

Well what a surprise to find out that Hurricane Ike was capable of making such an impression on Cincinnati! With winds strong on Sunday, we never expected that by day's end the entire region (practically) would be without power. Our front tree took quite a hit and took down our third floor gutter with it. We enjoyed a meal on the front porch with neighbors Maureen and Steve Simon and their sons, Max and Henry. Thanks goes to Erick for his early in the day food preparations, which are part of his Sunday ritual. While most neighbors were spreading peanut butter and jelly, we were digging in to pot roast, meatloaf, and zucchini casserole (yum).

Monday was spent cleaning up the front yard (Molly and Conor). Abby had school at Nativity (no power, but water) but the public schools (all of them) were closed, including NKU. Erick had "business as usual." When our power finally returned at 4 p.m., Abby cried. She enjoyed the time together without the distractions of TV, liked the fact that school was not quite so hot, and loved reading by flashlight in the bathtub.

Just Ducky...

2008-09-13T20:16:00.004-04:00

Today we participated in the "Buddy Walk" in association with the Down Syndrome Association. We had the honor of walking with Conor's friend and classmate Will who has DS. It was a great day (despite the forecast which called for rain). Afterwards, we splurged and bought tickets for the new Duck Boat Ride through Northern Kentucky and entering the water on the Cincinnati side. Both Abby and Conor were given the chance to drive the boat. Yikes! We all survived! :-) QUACK, QUACK!

Abby Enters Second Grade Today!

2008-08-26T11:27:00.003-04:00

Abby started school today. She's a big, bad 2nd grader now. How time flies! Abby's teacher is Mr. Cain. She just found out yesterday when they posted the lists. Ab is so happy. She keeps saying: "I can't believe I really got Mr. Cain for my teacher." They started the day by picking seat numbers and Abby picked #8, a seat right in the front row next to her friend Haley.

Silly Cousins

2008-08-24T07:18:00.006-04:00

Last weekend, we were able to enjoy one last out-of-town adventure when we went to Dillon State Park to meet up with the Blenk side of the family. The kids had a blast catching up with their cousins: swimming, hiking, biking, scootering and even a light parade with their glow sticks!

And He's Off...

2008-08-19T09:44:00.005-04:00

Today Conor started his Kindergarten career at Pleasant Ridge Montessori. He looked like quite the pro as he met up with his teacher Miss Maureen and other classmates outside their brand new building. It's hard to believe his full-day schooling has begun. He's definintely ready and we can't wait to watch him grow in the year ahead.

Horsin' Around

2008-08-10T00:14:00.007-04:00

Abby finished her two week Horse Camp at Winton Woods Riding Center this past Friday. It was a great experience. So much so that we are apparently now looking for a second home in the "countryside." I think it may be a tent. :-)

Abby, along with three friends, learned how to trot and weave on her horse, as well as how to groom her new friend. Abby's horse was named "Third," which is short for "Third and Long"... a definite football connotation. It was amazing to see at the ending Horse Show exactly how much Ab learned. We are very proud of her.

Summer Fun!

2008-08-03T10:11:00.001-04:00

The Cincinnati Blenks have decided to start a blog to keep up to date with family and friends who are far away. Our summer is flying by and it has been full of fun and some great memories. With school starting for Conor in 2 weeks and for Abby in 3 weeks, we want to share some of our summer accomplishments.

Conor learned how to ride a two-wheeler and his swimming is much improved. He is quite the socialite, reveling in playdates and time outdoors. Abby is a full-fledged swimmer, able to be anywhere at the Y pool without an adult. She jumps off the diving board and goes down the big inflatable slide with her friends. Abby also learned to ride her two wheeler. Both kids did great during our five night, six day camping trip up at Lake Erie.