dress rehearsal

Abby had dress rehearsal for dance for her AFFECT group this weekend. AFFECT is the competition dance group that she is participating in this year. She is absolutely loving it and it has been fun to see her grow as a dancer.
Somehow, I got lucky enough to have captured this beautiful shot!! I think I'm going to print and frame for her room!

half birthdays

We have never celebrated half birthdays in our house.
We've never needed to, and with 5 kids, if we added half birthdays in, we would be celebrating all the time! too much!
Well, Emily is our first summer birthday. So start of preschool this year and snack calendar predetermined for us that she would bring bday treats and have share day on her half birthday. EXCEPT, that her half birthday is the day after Christmas. Break for school.
She had been asking for 2 months prior to Christmas if it was almost her half birthday yet, and telling EVERYONE, (literally, think check-out lines, pharmacy, boys' batting lesson instructors), about her half birthday coming up....for about a month before Christmas.
Well because of Christmas break, preschool moved her half bday celebration to January 26. Like it wasn't a long enough wait already and like explaining this to a 3 year old makes any sense.
"I know honey, your half birthday IS December 26 but since it's Christmas break you will have your half bday at school January 26".
It didn't make sense to her, and only confused her more....and made her MAD that she had to wait longer for something she was already asking everyday for!!!
Well, it finally came. And preschool scheduled pajama day for the same day, so of course, Emily thought that was JUST for her bday celebration! The neighbors even fueled it more and brought her a little half bday gift!!

So now that it's past, I'm waiting for her to start asking when it's going to be her REAL birthday!!! :)

CNY

2 years

Two years ago today we saw Jenna's face for the first time and asked God if she could be the one He had for us.
Obviously, we thought the answer was yes, and the rest is history.

These next 3 were taken today, and the last one was last year. 

She's changing alot!!

She was blowing me a kiss (I had to ask for it!)

January 2011

christmas 2011

the most wonderful

time of the year, right??

We've been enjoying much of the fun of the season. Baking cookies, Christmas concerts, piano recitals...the stuff that life with 5 kids brings.

brian + julie

happy day!! Uncle Brian and Julie got married!! Jason was the best man, Abby the flower girl (the littles were 'honorary flower girls'), and the boys were ushers, and I did a reading from Colossians.

Emily said the other day afterwords, "mom, Brian and Julie got married. They're in love!" :)

We are so, so happy for them. Brian was beaming. It was emotional. We were honored to be a part of their special day and we pray that they have a long, happy, Christ-filled marriage.

tween

Ben turned 12 today!!

I think I say the same thing every year....I can't believe how fast time flies.

I wish it would slow down.

He is a wonderful kid.

Very kind. Loves sports.

Really proud of who this kid is becoming.

Love that he made me a mom all those years ago...

ready or not.

I was so excited to be a mom...to be his mom.

Love the big brother he his to his siblings.

Love this kid.

Happy Birthday Ben!

Halloween

What a crazy bunch!!

oh my gosh!?

What has happened to me?

Have I really not posted for almost 2 months??

That's pathetic, and I'm feeling really bad about it!

Emily had her first day of preschool (back in September!).

She absolutely loves it, as I had no doubt that she would.

When we went to sign up in the spring, she cried when we left that she couldn't stay!

So, needless to say, she was ready.

Baby of the family with 4 siblings? Yep, totally ready.

She has blossomed since then too.

She loves going.

She has her first best friend, another Emily.

They are also in dance together, and hold hands most of that class.

She loves preschool, like, looooves preschool!

fall sports 2011

This has already been such a fun season of fall sports around here. Ben is playing his second year of tackle football. It's 5th/6th graders. It has been so amazing and fun to see him as a leader on the team...all his buddies as the 6th graders this year have really stepped up their games and it's been quite impressive! He has the good fortune of playing on a team with several of his closest friends, which makes it that much sweeter for him.

He's playing wide receiver, running back, and defensive linebacker. Just this past weekend he had his best runs yet, and had a great 15-20 yard run (nevermind that it got called back for a holding penalty), and a few plays later, a 20-yard catch as a receiver.

It's been fun for him to have some success this year as last year he was much more timid, and at wide receiver, had only one pass thrown to him all.season.!!

Matthew is playing his first year of competitive soccer. He joined a year-round team that plays league games and also some tournaments, and indoor over the winter. He's having a great time with it and his skills are improving all the time. Jason and I know virtually nothing about soccer though, so it's funny how quiet we are at games!

fresh faces

I took the kids out the other day to get some updated pictures of them. I'm dreaming big and hoping it will end with a blog makeover and these could be a part of that...

but in the meantime, here's a fresh look at everyone over here. :)

first day of school

Here we go again....

back to school 2011,

with a sixth grader (totally breaking my heart),

a fourth grader,

a second grader,

and two preschoolers (but Emily doesn't start til after labor day)....

Oh, and a college student! I've started back to school also....though very part-time. I'm excited about having something for myself and seeing if what's left of my brain can be salvaged after so many years in mommy mode!!

Abby as "Annie"

Abby did Annie dance camp this summer at her dance studio.

During the week they got to cut out patterns and sew their own costumes, sing the songs, learn dance moves, and perform at the end of the week.

She did AMAZING and it was so fun to see her dramatic debut!!!

She got to be Annie!!

I can totally see a future for her in musical theatre!

Didn't see that one coming at all!

benny the baller

As anyone who knows us knows, our family loves baseball.

here are a few particularly great shots of ben playing this season.....

It was his 11u year. he got to play with a lot of great boys and made some great friendships.

it will be so fun to see them continue to play together the next several years....

we are sad it's over!

4th of july

our annual tradition...

breakfast at the park,

followed by parade,

naps, lunch, slip n slide at home,

wiffleball and fireworks.