Merry Christmas

Don't you love getting all of the Christmas Cards in the mail this time of year, especially the one's that show photos of your friends + family. I cannot think of a better time of year to go to the mailbox.

Thanks to our good friend Ken Kienow for taking our family photos; he's very generous and very talented.

With the craziness of work/kids/christmas shopping, etc we didn't get a chance to have these printed to be mailed out.

So here is our family Christmas Card, just try to imagine this came in your mailbox.

word to your mother

this blog is dedicated to all the mom's out there, and especially my wife (who is currently tied with my mother + her mother for the world's #1 mom. It's a classic 3-way tie).

A couple of weeks ago my wife had to go out of town for 4 days to be with her family in Southern CA, which meant that I was on my own with the kids for 4 days. And when I say "on my own" I mean I only had 2 shifts of people helping me each day (a big THANK YOU to Megan Siems, Jenn Avila, Aunt Jamie, my Mom, and Katie's Mom who all helped me survive). And when I say I was responsible for the kid's well being, I mean that I had to feed them (Katie prepared all of the food), bathe them (optional), do laundry, clean the kitchen, do the dishes. Let's just say there wasn't much time left over to watch Judge Judy.

It was tough. I found myself deprived of sleep, and then they wake up so early in the morning wanting to eat breakfast, then you have to clean them, dress them, and get them ready for whatever comes next. I would realize around 1 or 2 pm that I hadn't even had time to eat. Its like they were holding me hostage, and they weren't following the basic rules of the Geneva Convention on Human rights to eat, sleep, use the restroom, shower, etc.

But it was such a great time with my kids. They make me very happy and proud, so I was very thankful for that extra time I had with them. But I was even more thankful that my wife came home. I came away with a greater appreciation for what she (and mom's everywhere) do each day after day after day. She has the more difficult job by far. It reminded me of that well known Proverb about a woman of wisdom, strength, compassion, integrity, hard work, and inner beauty.

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but YOU [Katie] surpass them all.'"

Judah's favorie outfit... remember Uzi & Ari?

Halloween + Fall Photos

So Annie was a flower, and Judah was a Baseball Player, which was simple for him since he dresses up like a baseball player everyday of his life.

picture/video update

here's some pics/video/slideshow of the family. enjoy

4 years ago...

I've always loved oak trees...

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree, planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; But its leaves will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."
Psalm 1::3

Speaking of roots, check out what I found in my nasty pantry this afternoon (iphoto is not loading my pic. but I found a bag of potatoes sending out tentacles that climb clear to the next shelf, yikes). I'm sure there is a spiritual lesson lurking somewhere in between the roots flourishing in the darkness, penetrating a thick layer of plastic to find nourishment. Well, I'll be busy contemplating potato roots, or maybe I'll just throw them away...I guess we won't be having potatoes for dinner.