Wengler Annual Christmas Letter 2010

It's that time of year again!

The Wengler 2010 

We're Too Lazy To Send Out Christmas Cards Blog!

Another year has passed, and lots of changes occurred.  Jahnelle and the kids stayed in Indiana until our house sold (eight months).  That means she was by herself for 11 months (“by herself” means her and five kids) while Dale finished up training (advanced bowstaff and nunchucks).  The family was reunited in August in the great state of Pennsylvania.  Wait, did you say Pennsylvania?  I thought Dale worked in Newark?  That seems like a long drive??  Yes, Dale works in Newark, and it is a very long drive, but it was the difference between living in a home on wheels or one with a foundation...

Here we are in our natural habitat. 

So Dale finished up training and began his new job as a we really can't say.  He loves working for the ???.  He had a big case that focused on as if I would tell you.  He was also able to remove ha!! and nice try. This is the first time he has a job where he can wouldn't you like to know and that makes a big difference when it finally sorry.  I still won't tell you. 

Dale was able to persistent, aren't you?.  That was really fun too. 

Here is Dale with a VIP.

We had lots of fun this year together as a family.  James was afraid of the hunters in the area; thus the orange cap.  No one was shot while sledding at the community hill.  It was a good year. 

We decided we loved to go rock climbing as a family.  Actually Dale and Jahnelle enjoy tying up their kids and leaving them dangling in the air.  Unfortunately the Department of Child and Family Services did not see the humor in it. 

We also enjoy skateboarding, rip-sticking, scooter riding and extreme pogo sticking.  We met our  deductible on our health insurance plan for the fourth straight year!  We love you Blue Cross Blue Shield!  

Four of our five kids played soccer this year. At an average of 7 practices and 3 games a week times 10 weeks.  That is approximately 842 hours of insanity and amounts to parental mind loss along with general dysfunctional ambiance.  Never again.  They liked it though. 

James is now 13.  He wrestles and plays an instrument similar to the French Horn called the French Ecouter.  He is enjoying school and loves to go camping with his Scout Troop.  He is a teenager which makes us old, at least in dog years. 

Jacob is 10.  He likes science and reading.  He measured heat loss from heads with different hats.  Fleece hats are better than knit hats by a mile.  But you already knew that.  Besides, who the sam heck wears knit hats anyway?  Only freaks in our book. 

Jacob is also liking Scouts.  BTW that is Jahnelle's fake smile. 

Emma is now 8.  She is pretty normal and well adjusted*. 

She doesn't really fit into our family.  

She got baptized, so that's pretty cool too.  She got hair extensions to be like her Dad.

Christian is 5 and more focused on his image than last year.  He is into tanning and working out (see below). 

This is a scene from his straight to VHS movie called Riverboy: or Life on the River in a Striped Bathing Suit.

Camden is 3 and a confused and angry child with a fixation on drinking his milk with his underpants on his head. 

He is all about the Cream of Wheat hair and skin exfoliation.  He believes it's going to be all the rage.  He started a company that tries to get you to sell his products, then you have your friends sell the products, then their friends sell the products, etc. etc.  You get a percentage of everyone selling underneath you.  When you map out his business plan it looks like a triangle with you on top.  Our family has been trying to sell his products to each other for months and no one seems to be making any money, but Camden.

Unfortunately, the Feds came to take him away for what they call a Ponzi or pyramid scheme. He tried to hide in a box, but his brother gave him up for a Twix. He is now doing time at the local prison.

This is Camden after being woken up in his jail cell (notice the police car pillow case - how ironic!)

The guards call him "Crabby Camden" when he first gets up. We think it's cute. 

Prison is tough, but he gets visits from his girlfriend even behind bars.

He was sentenced to 6 months of hard labor down at the quarry.  He isn't taking it well. 

Some of his cellmates thought it would be funny to draw on his face during nap time.  Cellmates will be cellmates!

Camden's brothers dug a tunnel and got him out.  Family first!

Camden is back to drinking his chocolate milk, minus the underpants. 

 

We are all happy to have him home.  

Here is Jahnelle remaining remarkably calm after finding a rather large lizard on her while baking bread one day. 

She enjoys being a mom and keeping the peace at the homestead.   She still enjoys devouring books at a steady rate, but still manages to keep everyone fed and dressed and occasionally clean.  Folding socks, however, is not terribly high on the priority list.  If it's on there at all.

She still loves anything chocolate and anything Jane Austen.  She is grateful to have her husband back in her daily life and has greater empathy for all single parents.

 

She loves baking bread (even misshapen Challah) and cheats outrageously via her breadmaker.  

 
 

So another year gone and we are still trucking along.  Life continues to have its up and downs.  We are thankful for family and friends that keep us around.   We are generally happy and the kids keep us busy. We love them all, despite the hectic tizzy.  We feel very blessed to live each day with each other, the time goes by fast as a dad and a mother.  We find it hard to believe that after 14 years of marriage we still enjoy walks on the beach (except for the time we stepped on the dirty syringe at the Jersey shore), hot chocolate, 8 hours of sleep and paying our bills on time.  Our family is like a carnival, minus the bearded lady and mime.  We still love each other, even though we can't rhyme.

Happy Holidays!

The Wenglers

(c) Wengler 2010 All Rights Reserved.

A few extras ...

Our five little tax deductions. 

Don't be fooled by this "nature scene."  That background pulled down behind us.  Thank you Sears Photos!

We have had lots of fun playing this year as well.

And if you've made it this far, you must REALLY LIKE US!!  Or we're that car wreck you can't quite look away from.  Either/or, please say "Hi" in the comments!  We love to know who visits this blog every year.  If you're not feeling effusive in your comments, no worries.  We appreciate even a simple HI.