How many dogs in one bed?

So what fun we have been having this week!! We have learned that Bailey really doesn't like the UPS truck and you can convince him there is a squirrel in every tree. Tonight we had him chasing the beam of a flashlight all over the house. Ethen found out that Bailey sure doesn't like when he tries messing with me...maybe we need a bigger dog!! The funniest pecking order was when Bailey and I were wrestling over a stuffed monkey, which no longer has appendages, and Gem was getting upset and was trying to bite Bailey's legs. I will admit that one scared me a little but we stopped that game before Bailey decided he had had enough of Gem. Joey is the best, he now has a small collection of rocks at our house. He has fun trying to get the other dogs to play with him. He loves to run on walks and has been keeping us in shape. So after all our fun tonight we were tired and ready for some sleep, so off to bed we went.

As you can see there sure isn't much room for Jason!!

No husbands were left sleeping in the dog house in the making of this blog.

Bailey and Joey went home for the night!

Dog Sitting Adventures!!

How much fun can you have with a three dogs, two teenagers, a dad and mom in a little red neon? TONS!! Most of you know we have a dog, well some of you choose not to believe Gem, the 7 lb. chihuahua, is really a dog but a rodent. So being the dog lovers we are we decided it would be fun to dog sit a spaniel named Joey and a chocolate lab named Bailey. Now to those of you who call my dog a rodent, I'll let you know that a full grown lab is more on the lines of a miniature horse. What fun we have had the past 4 days walking, having them visit our house, and today Jason decided they can come on the ride to church when we drop off the kids at youth group. Oh, I forgot the best part, we aren't going to take the spacious truck where the dogs could ride in the back, no we'll all fit in the neon. My only question was how in the world will we all fit without someone riding in the trunk? Jason is the genius, Tabetha and Ethen get the window seats, Bailey will sit in the middle, and Joey can sit on a lap. Jason, Gem and I will just have to squeeze in the front somehow.

So packed like sardines in the back we head out, youth group or bust!! It didn't take long till Bailey is dripping drool all over Ethen in the back seat. Lesson #1: you can't catch drool very well with a walmart bag. It was a little while later we were all reaching to get the windows open!! Lesson #2: When you put a dog into a closed car it will for sure have gas. With the car aired out, Ethen gets the grand idea of letting Bailey put his head out the window, now understand this is a very small car and the windows only go down, oh, about 10 inches. That is maybe enough for the miniature horse to stick his head out, but that would put the drool on the outside of the car. Brilliant, except Ethen forgot Bailey would need to get to the window which would mean sitting or leaning over him. Well, the first attempt ended with Ethen singing soprano and the rest of us laughing pretty hard. It was at this point I remember I have a camera/video phone....now that's fun. So you can watch the clip below to see just what fun this was:)

Well, we did make it to church!! Bailey, Joey and Gem had a great run in the front yard. Ethen might be a little thinner and his voice a little higher. Jason is convinced it wasn't that bad...dude you were driving!! The best part after all the laughing was that Joey found a new rock and can't wait to show JP and Sue when they get home next weekend!! Keep watching for any other crazy antics that may happen this week!!

(Please note that no humans, dogs or neons were hurt in the making of this blog.)

From 2 to 20 Reunion

It was 37 years and 10 months ago on Aug. 22, 1970 that Muffy Leber & Everett Halstead united to become a family of two. Madly in love ready to spend the rest of their lives together taking on the hard times, good times, fast times and slow times. I remember them saying they would never let anything come between them and then joking about which ever one of us kids just happened to be sitting between them at church, in the car, or at home on the couch. 2 to 20 + 1 coming in August

Here is the family breakdown:

1. Ev & Muffy Halstead

2. Jason & Jenni DeMarce w/ Tabetha & Ethen

3. Dalton & Sue Dueck w/ Jessica, Caleb, Benjamin, Jacob & Jeremy

4. Steve & Andrea Halstead w/Koty, Jayla, Maddie, & baby due in August

5. Thom & Kris Halstead
   

FAMILY FUN FOTOS:

Even Pop-pop Leber got in on the fun during our Family Photo Marathon.

Here is a photo taken probably around the fall of 1980. This photo hangs at Pop-pops so he can proudly display his first 4 grandchildren. Below this photo you will see the up-to-date summer of 2008 version. Tabetha and Jayla hanging on the couch waiting for photos to start. Ethen & Uncle Thom resting after a morning of photos!!

Here is Maddie reading to Gem. It was so cute to here her "reading" to Gem and then asking questions like the dog just might answer back.

Jayla and Daddy
Jacob attacks Uncle Jason with some leaves!!

Lunch & Video Games
Aunt Jenni reading our favorite book, It's Pajama Time by: Sandra Boynton!! All a person would have to do is say "It's" and from all corners of the house you would hear "Pajama Time" replies.

Uncle Frank & Aunt Karen, Dad's brother & wife, drove from Pittsburgh to see all of us.This is of the Halstead cousins. Melissa is Frank & Karen daughter.

Strong Daddy!! Where will he put number 4 coming in August??
Pop-pop with his 10 great-grand children!!!
I include this photo to show you what Jason & I were going for in the photo below. Thom made it look so easy I figured Jason & I could pull the same stunt but sitting on the bench. Well, was I suprised when Jason decided to stand up. (No husbands were hurt during the shooting of this photo. I have been reassured that it wasn't as rough as he was letting on!!)

We have a family tradition of building family pyramids whenever most of us are together. We now have an adult pyramid and kid pyramid.
As I'm sure you have gathered we had a great time! As our time together came to a close it was bitter sweet. The Duecks will be headed back to their ministry in Guinea, West Africa on July 22nd. It was so hard saying good bye this time since we had just spent the last 8 months ministering together in Jackson, Michigan. We also said good bye to Dad & Mom who will be joining the Duecks on the 29th in Guinea. Having Dad & Mom head back for their 2nd term is a testament to an amazing God. It was just about 1 year ago Dad started getting sick. We then found out in September that he had leukemia. It has been a long road but we are so thankful that Dad is in remission.

So as I end this post I can only say I don't really know when I'll be able to do a 2 to 20 something Reunion update. We will wait and see what God's timing will be for our next reunion all I know is the little kids won't be so little and the big kids will only be bigger!!!

March is still roaring like a lion!!!!

We woke up Friday morning to another 1-2 inches of snow. It started the night before and melted pretty much as it hit the ground. When we went out Friday morning it was snow with a nice layer of ice under it. So much for the cute little saying we learn in elementary school, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." Here in Jackson the lion is still roaring! I am happy to report that my evening the snow had melted as for the most part was gone. What a way to start Spring Break!!

Jason's truck covered once again in white stuff.

Tabetha headed to school and not too happy with the snow.

Sleeping Bags & Frost!!

Looking forward to camping this summer Tabetha and Ethen decided to get a head start and "camp-out" on our balcony. They couldn't fit a tent so they started lugging sleeping bags and blankets, I think anything of warmth we own ended up out there. When I got up this morning they were still both sound asleep and quite warm dispite the 28 degree temp and frost on the ground.

They emerged from the blankets so I could take this shot, then it was back under.