Week 24 - The Games We Will Play

It seemed that no matter how many days Daddy stayed home, and how routine things became during this whole time. The kids always found something new and fun to do. A new adventure everyday. New games to try, new projects to attempt. The were just a hyper-active fun tornado and probably kept me more sane than I would have been without them.

We would play around the house, go out to a bounce house, or even grocery shopping. The little ones made everyday fun and exciting. One of the best part was watching Owen go up. I was there everyday and got to notice all the little changes I had missed with the other two. With Violet I was working and going to school, hardy ever seeing the two new women in my life. WithFletch I was working with a long commute and even traveling at times. But with Owen I got to see him everyday, watch as we started to sit up, try new food, start to babble. It was the best of times indeed.

This week concluded with Violet's Valentine's Party at school. I have no idea how the teachers kept the kids at bay during the regular days. If the parties are any indication as to their behavior then those teachers a true heroes.

Week 23 - Will the Snow End?

What an eventful week. Owen just seems to keep growing up. He's playing with the older two and getting involved with activities around the house. I bet we'll start to see more pictures of him as the weeks roll by. So this week, Violet had her school picture to pick up. She took the cutest pictures and there was a great one of the whole pre-school.

It was still a bit cold outside. Lots of snow. Lots and lots of snow. The outdoor ventures were short but you can see just how much snow we got last year, as you can see it was very deep in some areas. I'm still so happy that I didn't have to shovel snow early in the morning or late the night before.

We took another trip to the bounce house. This time there was a giant Jurassic Park style area. The kids just loved that.

We also played in doors with Christmas presents. As I said Owen was starting to get into things now.

And Daddy found humor in everyday. Took pictures. Like this old couple racing around Kroger together:

Week 22 - Fletch the Hockey Champion

Week 22 - Since Daddy spent the summer teaching the teen classes on Wednesday nights, and Poppy was cooking meals as well. We hung out in the teen house during church. Most of the time the kids went to their own classes but occasionally (typically if they started out asleep) they would come hang out with us. There was lots to do in there, and Fletch took a liking to the Air Hockey table. He and Violet would play heated tournaments back and forth; but it wasn't until Fletcher's show down with Poppy would he claim the championship title.

We also danced like crazy some more. This time it's was to the delightful tune of Surfin' Bird. Violet and Fletch are just dancing fools, running all over the room, jumping on and off of the treadmill. Doing the funniest things and craziest dance moves. You'll only see such insanity here. Don't you know about the bird? Well the kids will tell you about the bird.

Week 21 - I Can Jump Twice as High

OK, I'll make up for a non picture week and post a ton of them for this week. But first let's get the Bonus Video out of the way. Daddy had his birthday last week and like many birthdays before it, there was some representation of Star Wars tis year. Daddy got a card that would play the theme music when opened, and the kids just loved this so much. In fact, Violet performed an entire ballet routine set to said music:

Now for the pictures. One of our favorite things to do during unemployment, and especially during the winter was to explore bounce centers. I think when we started our search there were four somewhat nearby and we may have lost one by now. Our favorite place to go was the one closest to the house. I know we went at least 4 times so there are bound to be more pictures. The kids just loved this place and it gave Mommy and Daddy a chance to let them run around and not have to worry about their safety (to much). We would play for a couple hours and by the end of that, we would all be hungry and tired. The kids hardly ever made it to the lunch destination as they would fall asleep in the car. I think if you ask the kids what they remember most about Daddy being home all day, they may bring up the bounce place!!!

Week 20 – The Old Man and the Book

Oh my, a week with no pictures. What was I thinking? It’s not the only week like this but luckily I think it’s only small number. This week was Daddy’s birthday. Violet (although I think was told to do so) came up to me and called me “Old Man.” This year would be the last of my twenties and looking back I had quite the eventful decade.

Much of this week had been spent studying on my part. The weather was still cold and playing outside with the kids was limited. We played board games and card games. The kids really loved dominoes. We watched movies either on the internet or from Red Box.

I listened to my Dave Ramsey CDs again to get a handle on budgeting, and Emily and I discovered creative ways to save money. Especially during the winter. If anyone is ever in a financial bind you need to contact your local government and see what they can offer. Call your billers and loaners and see what they can do. You cannot imagine just how helpful a phone call can be. So there’s a little advise for the unemployed.

Week 19 - New Year, New Snow, New Songs

Week 19 - and the first week of 2010. We're back home in Indiana and what should we find? Snow, snow, and more snow. It seems that while away at the beach Indiana wanted to make sure that we remembered just where we lived. So what did the kids do? Go out and play. We got all bundled up to stay warm. We made snow angels and snow men. And yes those are tongue imprints on the front of my car.

On of the perks of unemployment is that you don't have to get up at 5 in the morning to shovel your driveway. As I will not be looking forward to that this winter, I am very thankful that I had the leisure of

shoveling whenever I wanted. The kids were a big help and always wanted to come out and help Daddy shovel and clean the driveway.

They wanted to help so bad but some of the drifts where just to big and heavy for them. We got really cold sometimes but Mommy o

r Nana would always have something to warm us up.

On of the fun indoor activities that we enjoyed was playing Rock Band with Uncle Austin (Emily's brother). We would all reach for the drum set, but it was Violet on lead guitar that would eventually blow us away:

Week 18 - A Visit with the Presidents

I'm sad to say that this place has closed. But on our drive home from Virginia Beach, in Williamsburg we discovered this great park. It was a dedication to the office of the President. They had bust of every President, standing 18 feet tall. We went and visited each one, taking pictures and reading bits about their lives. From Washington to Obama. Here a just a few that we saw, see if you guess who they are: