way behind

so, this i've needed to update for quite awhile--but life just keeps moving and blogging keeps getting pushed to the rear.so, here's been our lives for the last few months...(and probably completely out of order--or at least reversed-- since i think i'm too lazy to make this organized...)

J's 8th bday--he'll be getting baptized in a couple of weeks. i feel like i've passed a significant landmark in my parenting life--my kids are getting old! he wanted a 'thanksgiving feast' for his dinner (minus the turkey, plus steak) and an ice cream pie for his 'cake'. it's fun to see the kids developing thier own personalities and preferences...


J had used this ladder to keep the younger kids out of his room, but when he shut it, the ladder wouldn't budge. i finally just kicked the door in. another project on the way...

with the advent of J turning 8, he is also now in cub scouts. i know it's a great program, and i love his leaders, but it also means the beginning of really running around for the kids for the next zillion years or so. i wish i could put all the boys in it right now and just do everything at once. the babies would make it to eagle scout by the time they are 6! he also did the pinewood derby--came in 5th. pretty good for parents who don't know what they are doing--and had to paint it while dealing with ladder problem mentioned above 10 minutes before he had to leave...

the kids on a frozen pond. we went on a hike and the kids wanted to try and go out on it...

caleb enjoying his first snow experience...adam didn't have a fun time. i haven't let them go out since then b/c it takes an hour to get them both prepped to go outside and they don't stay out long enough...maybe next year!

the boys with "spikey" hair--it never lasts very long...

after christmas, we went to visit my family in TN. here we are at the chattanooga aquarium looking at some big crab. it's a very nice place and the kids had a blast. after that, we went to a children's museum a block or two away, which was also great. we'll have to make it an annual thing!

the older 4 at the aquarium...

Jess and Steve cuddling with the babies. we plopped on a movie at night b/c by then we were too fed up with them getting into things. oh wait... that's every second of my life...

just a quick scene from the chaos that is christmas--everyone had a good one and it's more fun as the kids are getting older and enjoying it more...

we kept up with my tradition of making gingerbread houses with friends--always a holiday favorite. they didn't leave me much good candy at the end to make a good house with though. oh well!

you don't get much cuter than this...

this is how we found K one night asleep. i thought it was pretty gross, but had to get a pic anyway

classic babies--why we keep all the chairs on the floor and why i have to knwo where they are constantly...

they always find a way to get into trouble (that's Adam getting in the craft cabinet)

seth turned 5 in november. he was very excited about it. i just signed him up for kindergarten and am so stoked for him to go! i love his personality...the other day nate said that he was secretly wolverine, and seth said that it wasn't a secret anymore since he just told him...not what we were expecting, but then again, it usually never is...

anyway, more to come hopefully soon... i just repainted my bedroom (with the help of Mom Boyce) and now only have one room left to redo. hopefully this means that we won't be moving soon after. so, i'm doing a lot of reading, running kids around, trying to take on more projects than i actually get around to doing, and just trying to keep up with life in general...