Merry Christmas 2010 -- The Handy Family Christmas Card

We have had a wonderful year. The highlight has been having our fifth baby, Owen. He has truly made our home a magical place. All the kids love being around him, holding him, and helping out. His smiles light up the room.

Owen, 10 weeks, is concentrating on the things he knows best-- eating, eating, and eating. He is growing fast (and so is his hair -- which is like the softest little buzz cut right now). He loves the sound of running water (thank you iphone app) and loves bathtime. If these trends hold, Owen may someday win food eating contests.

Adam, 4 years old is such a good boy. He entertains himself when he has to, loves playing cars and airplanes, and loves to do math. He always has a math problem to test his mom. "Mom, what is 7 plus 5?" If Mom gets it wrong, Adam loves to correct her. If mom gets it right . . . Adam seems a little disappointed. Adam may very well grow up to be a mathematician.

Madelyn, 6 years old, first grade has lost her first teeth this year. She played soccer, started piano, loves to read, and thinks that Owen is her baby. She can barely carry him (as he has gotten so big already), but that doesn't stop her. Her future career better have great flex time arrangements so she can carry her babies all around.

Catherine, 8 years old, third grade has new glasses, new braces, but still the same love of life attitude. She continues piano (on occasion) and has started the violin. But mostly she loves to create. Arts and crafts are her forte in life. Her mother is convinced the ideal career for her would be a cartoonist -- the combo of her fabulous drawings and brilliant sense of humor.

Julianne, 10 years old, fifth grade (middle school) is growing, growing, growing. She may overtake her mother's height this year. Julianne is playing the flute and had a part in the school musical. She is super helpful. Right now her ideal career would be make-up artist. She is constantly putting on make-up (and then taking it off because her mom won't let her wear it out of the house) (thank you-- facial wipes).

Jamie, another year older, fifth grade (ha ha -- but I do get to "help" with a lot of homework) is trying to shrink after having baby Owen. She knows every street in the town and is convinced that she probably could carpool to the moon and back every week no problem. Always pursuing a new hobby, this year she jumped into the world of professional photography with her good friend Lillian. (www.theportraitparties.com) It has been a fun and exciting challenge. Maybe she will grow up to be a photographer!

Trent, another year older, also surviving fifth grade, is enjoying being a fellow at the FASB (financial accounting standards board). He is loving the short commute and the new challenges. He has started running again and now just wishes it were not so dark and cold so that he could run through the neighborhood instead of in the basement on a treadmill. He hears about all his kids upcoming careers and just wonders how all the college bills will get paid!

We love receiving each and every Christmas card (whether they be print or digital) and give thanks for the friendships we have. It truly is a highlight of the holiday season to catch up with so many friends and see how they and their families have changed each year.

Love, the Handy's

The number 1 question I get asked . . .

"Are you surviving baby #5?" or "How do you do it?"

So, while this may seem boring to you to actually read, I decided to write down exactly how 1 Saturday went.  So that someday, I can remember exactly how we did it. 

• Soccer season was in full swing when Owen was born.  Normally I stay at the same park during the kids practice's and play with the other kids.  We always have a lot of fun batting with whiffle balls, playing catch, or running around.  However, once Owen was born, the weather changed dramatically and nearly every practice was FREEZING and super windy.  It meant that we sat in the car for an hour during practice.  The game days were even worse (instead of 1 hour of soccer) there was often 3-5 hours of soccer.  Trent and I came up with some pretty creative ways to see all the games and get the kids to all the other activities (that always seem to occur at the same time as soccer).   Here is how one Saturday went.  I got up, fed Owen, left him and the other kids at home while I took Julianne to her soccer game that started at 9 am.  Trent in the meantime got the other kids ready and met us at the field at 9:45.  He was able to see the end of Julianne's game and then he left at 10 with Adam for the 2 of them to get haircuts.  That left me at the park with Julianne, Catherine, Madelyn, and Owen.  After Julianne's game we went to the van (we had a 15 minute break before Madelyn's game started) and I nursed Owen in the car.  As I went to change his diaper, I realized he had a huge blowout.  I checked the diaper bag (which Trent brought) and there wasn't any change of clothes.  I got him all cleaned up, put on a new diaper, wrapped him in a blanket, put him in my sling, zippered my own coat around both of us and then wrapped a blanket around that and headed out to see Madelyn's soccer game.  With 10 minutes left of Madelyn's game, Trent and Adam came back and then I left with Owen and Julianne to take Julianne to the dress rehearsal of the musical she was in.  When I got back to the park, I watched about 10 minutes of Catherine's game and since by now Adam and Madelyn were freezing I took them and Owen and we headed home.  Trent brought Catherine home after her game and waited in the car to take Madelyn to a birthday party.  When he got back, I hopped in the car to pick Julianne up from the dress rehearsal, go to a photo shoot, and then pick Madelyn up from her party.  Now it is 6 o:clock and the kids wonder why Mom is so tired!