We finally took the time to take a family photo this year!   Patrick, Harry, Michelle, Ryan & Kevin (clockwise from left corner)

Even with as busy as he is with the company, Centurion Consulting, Harry is an awesome Dad to the three boys!   Obviously, the saying is true... boys and their toys...  LOL!  He's been working in St. Louis the majority of the year and really enjoys the area and the people at his client site.  He's still very active with Cub Scouts -- he's taken many certification classes this year, including a 6 day course over 2 weekends called "WoodBadge" -- and is still the Den Leader for the boys.    In his spare time he built a pinewood derby car that looked like the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine, helped the big boys build rockets and flew model airplanes with Ryan.

Michelle is busy just trying to keep everything going.   Ah, for the simple days of just having 70 hour work weeks!   24/7 mothering is an exhausting process, especially when moving everyone between their different activities!   She's also busy with her own interests -- still trying to scrapbook, and participating in a small group at church.  In addition, she's Administrative Vice President for the local MOMS Club.  Her most fulfilling activity this year is working on a Steering Committee for a MOPS group -- she had started one but then we moved, so this has allowed her the chance to finish that experience!   Michelle has also been blogging just to try to keep her sanity from living in a house with four males!   (Drop us an email if you'd like the blog address!)

 Patrick is our "oldest" (by 2 minutes, he'll tell you!) and was excited to turn 9 this year!   He is in 3rd grade now & is (still) a voracious reader.  We know that there are worse things that could happen, but it's pretty "sad" when you have to ground your child from BOOKS!   Ack!  In 2008 he continued to play Spring & Fall Soccer and worked hard to get to 3rd Kyu in Karate (shokotan) as a Brown Belt.  He also is working three different weapons -- numchuks, tonfa & bo staff.   Patrick does amazing in school - and is in accelerated math (definitely inherited from his father!) this year - and all we hear from his teachers is what a great asset he is to their classroom.   He's such a sweetheart - and who can resist that dimple?

Kevin, no surprise, is also 9 (LOL!) and in 3rd grade.  He's also very active with doing soccer & karate...  He can be such a ham and had a great time in the Spring when (both boys) participated in Destination Imagination and did a performance at the Regional meet.  We see a great future for Kevin as a politician or lawyer -- he is smart as a whip and can find a loophole in just about any situation (as long as it benefits him LOL!).   Kevin keeps us all on our toes but he really gets in his element when out on the road -- he loves to point out all the Ford Mustangs!   The boys are really "into" Legos and have been working on building Star Wars ones. 

Ryan turned 2 in 2008.    We did a Sesame Street theme with Elmo & Cookie Monster because they had been his favorites!   Now he's really "into" Mickey Mouse (Clubhouse) and the "Little Einsteins".  He often asks for "Mick Mouse House House" to watch!  He's VERY busy following his big brothers around & doing everything they do!  Ryan is extremely active and loves to go to the Y to play in the mat room or climb through the tubes, so we've now involved him in a local dance studio with a movement class called "Cutie Two's".   Anything to tire this child out & slow him down is good with us!

Hannah is now 7 and is still spoiled rotten!   Here she is suffering on the couch after her (shave-down) conversion to a labrador retriever LOL!   She's still quite perky and gets quite irritated with that weekend squatter on her side of the bed.   She does AMAZINGLY with Ryan and puts up with him using her as a step stool, pillow and hug magnet.