insanity

Eric, after discussing some particularly crazy plans (even for us):  "We don't suffer from insanity, we thoroughly enjoy it." 

I wholeheartedly agree.

Titled Tuesday

Super Dad

Hike with Daddy

Taking advantage of the amazingly warm weather we've been having for early December

Eric took Potter versions 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 on a little hike.

exploring

hiding

climbing

Little Monkey

I love that they'll have these special memories.

This was taken just before he fell off, so I hear.

Science with Daddy

Growing an alligator by soaking it in water.

 Kate traced it and Liam measured and recorded it each day.

They also made a solid out of the same stuff that's in diapers, then turned it back into a liquid with salt.

Pretty cool.

And once again we had a diet coke/mentos geyser in our back yard.

I think Daddy likes it more than the kids! 

Daddy's Girls

"Daddy's hoooooome!!!!!!!"

They both come running.

Arms in the air.

Ready for a hug.

Back in the Man Cave

Jack left just before Christmas

a month later Eric reclaimed his office.

Zane still calls it "Jack's room."

Daddy

We didn't know Daddy was an elf.

This was the Christmas letter the company he works for sent out.

let's just say he owed somebody a favor.

I still can't believe he did it.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Enjoy this little video interview I did with the kids for Eric's 32nd birthday.

The interview part is only about 2/3 of the video.  Then I added a little video we shot the other night of Eric playing with the kids.   (Our favorite part is at 5:55 when Zane completely takes Liam out.)

Happy Birthday, Babe!

I love you and can't imagine my life without you!

Family Pics

Check out some of the great pics my friend Aubri took for us the other day.

We went to Metea Park.   We had never been there before. 

It was a gorgeous day.  

(I brought my camera along too and took some of the kids individually.  It was too beautiful to not have my camera!)

The kids had an absolute blast exploring the woods.

Thanks, Aburi!

(You'll know you've seen them all when you see the picture that I used for our new header.)

Titled Tuesday

“Almost There”

Evie is so close to standing on her own. 

She’ll do it for a few seconds if she doesn't think about it.

She’s definitely getting closer to walking too—cruising like a pro and transferring between things with a few steps.  It’s really more like controlled falling at this point.

But she’s ALMOST THERE!

Daddy Crafts - DIY

I showed Eric a neat blog post the other day and he ran with it.

Click here to see how to make your own Geodesic Dome

Eric and the kids rolled 25 newspaper tubes. 

a piece of tape to secure

Then they stapled them together to make 5 triangles.

Liam found a Komets logo

Then  we connected the tops of the triangles with bits of pipe cleaner.

because it was too think to staple through

we found out the hard way it was also too hard to hole-punch through.

my hole-punch bit the dust, so we whipped out the hammers.

Here we just connected all the triangles in a pentagon shape.

waiting for the top.

Anxiously awaiting the finished project.

Liam was not happy that the first sheet I grabbed was pink.

oh well.  They still liked it I think.

It was rather spacious inside.

It has held up pretty well so far.

Not too bad for a bunch of newspapers

Today

Today is Eric and my 10 year anniversary.

Yes, 10 years.

Together for 16... that's half my life!

We've been through a lot over that time

including cancer (Eric is now a 5 year survivor!)

having a child with special needs

5 kids

2 moves

1 job change

and 2 mini vans later.

I can honestly say it has truly been a "Wonderful Life."

Thank you, Eric, for being my best friend, my rock, my soft place to land. And for the life we've built together. I love it. I can't wait to grow old with you. To continue serving with you, loving you, and having fun with you. I respect you so much and marvel at the amazing man you've become. I loved you so much 16 years ago that I thought I would burst... but now my cup overflows. I thank the Lord for you. I cherish my time with you. The joy and the sorrow. For better or worse. For richer or poorer. In sickness or in health. Til death do us part. ~jen

I promise I will catch up on blogging one day but for now

here is a video

I made this week.

Secretly.

scanned tons of pics from the past

before the days of digital.

Oh, what fun I had

reading those old notes and letters.

ah the memories.

Well, here it is...

15 years

in

15 minutes

and some good "old school" songs!

Amazing Family Portraits

One Sunday after church

we went to Taco Bell

then we came home

and

on the spur of the moment

because the kids

all kind of matched that day

decided to take some

family pictures

it was beautiful out.

Here's what we got...

not too bad.

Hard to get them all to look.

or make normal faces.

See, told you these were amazing.

This has got to be my all time favorite.

(It makes Eric laugh so hard. He wants it as he wallpaper at work.)

Liam took these...

not too bad for 7

May not have "amazing family portraits" from that day,

but I am thankful for my amazing family.

next time

So when you sign your kids up for fall soccer...

it's usually good to read the fine print

and realize

you are also signing up for

a spring session.

especially when you sign your husband up to be the coach.

ah well. they had some bonus fun

here was the fun little gifts we made for the purple team.

Liam: "I get it! The soccer ball eraser is the O in JOB!"

This is my favorite!

In A Look

"This is the life"