Good Times

These Days

35 Comments 23 September 2012

As of this moment, not the one in which you are reading these words, but the one in which I am typing the words into my computer, it has been nearly 313 days since our family was last in front of the cameras filming a new episode of “Quints by Surprise.”  I know that it probably seems like it has been forever since we’ve been on your TV screen, but really, can you believe it has been nearly a year??  We miss filming the show – we miss the crew and we miss the energy that percolates through the atmosphere on filming days.  We miss having a soundtrack playing in the background of our lives and we miss being a front row spectator to the creative process that transforms our daily routines, challenges, victories, and frustrations into something that is at times fun, funny, and faith-filled, heartwarming, uplifting, and hopefully, always very, very real about the very real ups and downs of life with quints plus one…

When we last filmed, Eliot was keeping us all busy with another soccer season and getting settled in to her new school year (2nd grade) as her super-infatuation with all things Taylor Swift was beginning to overtake her life (that’s her in the picture below, head on my shoulder, Taylor’ed out – before the concert was over!).  This time last year, Eliot was ready to rock it in her vampire costume for Halloween, the seeds were being planted for a cheerleading future when she got to hang out on the field with the Baylor Bear Cheerleaders, and she was wearing the “missing my two front teeth” look with pride and warming up to sing about it at Christmas time!

The Fab Five, meanwhile, had Casey and me neck deep in potty training (and life training!) – the grip of the terrible two’s clinched oh so tightly around our lives!  When they weren’t scheming new ways to keep us on our toes, they were enthusiastically taking on every new experience we could think to throw their way – learning how to ride their bikes and how to dance ballet like Eliot, getting their first real taste of football season in Texas and what it means to be a Baylor Bear football fan, and preparing for the ultimate experience of their 2-1/2 year old lives – dressing up as the Wizard of Oz characters for Halloween!

It should now go without saying (though I’ll say it anyway) – the show has been a positive force in our lives and hopefully in yours, too.  It has helped us to create and of course document amazing memories for our family; it has opened our world up to interactions with people all over the world – some who check in just to say they love the show and appreciate our family, others who are looking for advice or encouragement, and still others who simply want to share their story, their struggle, and their joy, and  want to thank us for inspiring them in some small way to keep smiling and to keep the faith.  Judging by these messages and the many others we have received through Facebook and Twitter, the show has had a positive impact on the lives of many others outside of our little clan…truly an answer to our prayers!

Also judging by the many, many messages we get on the subject, I can tell you that there are many out there wondering the same thing you may be – will the show ever be back??!  Well, the honest answer is that we don’t know for sure, that we hope that it does, and that with each day that passes without a call from TLC, the prospects of the show returning grow weaker and weaker.  There are times when it absolutely kills us to not have the cameras around, to know that what we are experiencing at that moment with the kids is not being captured for the show.  The quints’ 3rd birthday party, our attempts at teaching them how to swim, our first family trip to the beach, funny little games the kids make up, Eliot’s development as the best big sister on the planet – Facebook and Twitter are great, but we would really love to share these experiences with you in living color!!

But the choice is not ours to make…it’s not in our hands.  And those whose job it is to make decisions such as these aren’t committing and they aren’t saying exactly why.  Nonetheless, no matter what happens with the show, we are incredibly grateful to have had this experience and we are incredibly grateful to all of you who have watched and followed along with our little adventures…

So since you won’t be seeing us on your TV screens anytime soon, I thought I would fill you in on what defines “these days” for the Jones family…

These days, those “cheer” seeds that were planted at the Baylor football game a year ago have produced a Four Points Pop Warner Mighty Mite Viper Cheerleader!  Eliot’s soccer days are behind her and it’s nothing but pom-poms and high kicks for now…she loves the cheering, hates the Texas heat she has to endure while she’s cheering on her team!  Eliot has also just started her new school year (she’s a 3rd grader!) and in spite of some struggles getting to know all of the new faces in her class, she is completely in love with her new teacher and is off to another great start!  And how about this – only in our family does a cheerleader have her very own cheer section…

These days, we are still struggling to get all five 100% potty trained…grrr!!!  We made a huge push a year ago to get this done and we had pretty good and pretty immediate success, getting all five completely trained has proven to be really, really difficult…and frustrating!  We’re trying to be very, very patient and not push them too hard, but oh my gosh we are tired of cleaning up pee off the floor!!!!

These days, The Wizard of Oz is still one of the faves in our home, but it has serious competition from Peppa Pig, Max & Ruby, and The Fresh Beat Band.

These days, Eliot is still a superstar big sister – both in our eyes as parents and in the quints’ eyes as adoring little super fans!  Eliot loves to take the kids into her room, one at a time, to have special little play dates with each of them which they all absolutely love.  She has also started to join me at bedtime so that she can read to them, help tuck them in, and give them a giggle before she bolts downstairs.  And her maternal instincts have kicked in – she’ll often jump in to help settle disputes, soothe hurt feelings, and correct the kids when they are going astray…Eliot, the caretaker – who would have ever guessed?!

These just-ending summer days, the kids got more than their fill of sun, sand, swimming pools, ice cream treats, trips to the zoo, sprinkler fun in the backyard, kite flying, and all of the other summertime fun you can think of!  The 5 got their first trip to the beach when we made the trek with both sets of grandparents to the Texas coast…they loved it, they wore us out, and now they wear us out everyday asking when we can go back!!

These days we have finally managed to get the whole family to church and Sunday school on a regular basis…hallelujah!!  The quints love going to church and get excited every week to get to see Miss Kelly and Miss Allie who shower them with good love every week!  Eliot thinks the youth pastor, Todd, is as cool as they come and Casey and I are just plain happy to be back to the church we love so much.  We really can’t say enough good things about the warm, loving, and Christ-focused environment that greets us every time we get the opportunity to be on the Riverbend campus…God has been so good to us through our church home!

These days, there is nothing better for me than to watch Eliot and Jack play together…it is endlessly fun to watch these two go at it!  Jack will come out of nowhere to tackle his big sister, catching her completely off guard!  But you know our little spark plug isn’t going to let him get away with it so the chase is on!  They laugh and giggle and tackle and  chase and poke and punch and then do it all again…it’s awesome and it is totally unique to these two!  None of the girls gets after Eliot the way Jack does and though I know Eliot loves it, I really think part of her doesn’t know exactly how to handle this rambunctious little brat that won’t give up, won’t stop messing with her, and won’t stop giggling is curly little head off when he does is coming after her…so so so cute!

These very recent days, The Fab Five have started attending a “Mom’s Day Out” program two days a week…YAY FOR CASEY!!!!!  The program is held at a local gym, 3F Fitness, and the kids learn tumbling and stretching as well as their abc’s and 1-2-3’s…and I’m sure you guessed this part – they LOVE it!!  Thank you so much to the owners, William and Haley, for putting this program together and inviting our family to join!

These days, sleep is much less difficult to come by though we had to go through fire to reclaim the blissful treasure that comes with a full night’s sleep!  Earlier in the year, the quints put us through every trial you could imagine – Britton waking up at all hours of the night in a screaming fit, Lila waking up at 5:00 or 6:00 am day after day after day, Jack waking up everyone in the room at 3:00 am to tell them all that he has to go potty, Ryan waking up at 5 am so she could wake Lila up who would then make sure Britton, Brooklyn, and Jack got the memo that it was 5:00 am and time to torment mommy and daddy….it was BRUTAL!!!

And because sleep is more consistently available now, these days, life has become almost routine in our usual chaotic sort of way.  Casey’s and my morning workouts have become pretty regular and the kids usually don’t get up until about 6:30 which is a godsend to us…though we long for the days that it will be 7:00 or 7:30.  And since we got rid of nap time, bedtime has become much more consistent (and much less intensely chaotic and stressful!) – the kids are in bed, lights out by 7:30 every night and they’re usually all fast asleep by 8:00.

These days, we still have a handful of committed, loving, and totally awesome volunteers who have been with us from the beginning and who continue to provide loving care to our little ones, giving Casey and I much needed breaks from the perpetual craziness that defines our life.  To our volunteers, past and present:  thank you, thank you, thank you….THANK YOU!!!!

 

To answer the question we get quite often – no, these days are not any easier than the days that have gone before…though we’re hoping that the 5’s 5th year of life will bring some relief to our weary souls!  I’ll repeat:  no, it hasn’t gotten any easier; rather, the challenges have changed.  Gone are the sleepless nights, hello mega-attitude and meltdowns from 5 hyper-sensitive little beings trying to find their place in the world.  Gone is the endless parade of dirty diapers, hello pee accidents by the handful and the joys of taking 5 tots to the bathroom 5 times when we dare venture out of the house.  Gone are the days of bottle feeding and burping, hello knocked over milk cups, protests over what has been provided for a meal, food thrown across the table, and ginormous messes left at the dinner table…and the dinner floor…and the dinner clothes…and the dinner hands and faces…and so on and so forth.  No, things are definitely not easier by any barometer we can measure by…just different.

But as I write these words, I am reminded that in many ways life these days is no different than those that are past.  We are blessed, abundantly so, and that is no different than before; we are challenged, abundantly so, and that is no different than before.  It has been said that to whom much is given, much is expected.  Well, to put it simply:  we have been given much!  This is something that has not changed and will not change – life with quints plus one is a rare and awesome blessing in every sense of the word.  And no doubt, we will continue to be given much as we face the challenges of raising these 6 to be 6 happy, healthy, respectful, caring, well-adjusted, and God-loving tweens, teens, and beyond.  Let the blessings flow down!!

God bless,

Ethan

 

 

Your Comments

35 Comments so far

  1. Courtney says:

    Thanks for the update!! What gorgeous kids- all 6 of them. I would love, love, love for the show to come back on- have you thought about another network? My remote hasn’t clicked on TLC since your show went off- in my opinion, that channel has gotten SO trashy. I wouldn’t WANT a show on there. Just a thought!!

    Thanks for continuing to share your family with us and being an encouragement to other families trying to be the best they can be! :<}

  2. miranda says:

    Just the other night during 19 kids and counting, I saw your family in a commercial. Casey was talking about healthy eating. Maybe there is still hope for the return of Quints by Surprise.

    We miss the show. I still have about seven episodes on the dvr. Every once in a while I’ll turn it on. It is very nice to have a show that both me and the kids can enjoy. I also find encouragement from the show. Sometimes if I’m having a stressful day, I’ll turn on the show and think, ‘If Casey can do this with 6 and with a smile, I can too’.

    Thank you for the update!

  3. Michelle from Australia says:

    I can’t believe that the little babies that I prayed would be more safely and in good health have grown up. So quickly. Loved the update Ethan. Thank you for sharing!

  4. Dominique Njoku says:

    I LOVE your family and since the show, I have loved these updates you share with us. Having multiples myself (twins) i have a twinkling of what you go thru and what is to come, since mine are younger than yours. If the show NEVER returns (lets pray that doesnt happen), God surrounds your family and it shows. You keep it REAL and that is a blessing in itself! Thank you again for sharing this and continue to let us know what we can do to get this show back on air. From one Austinite to Another-Be Abundantly Blessed!!!

  5. Courtney G. says:

    Thanks so much for an update. I have been a fan of your family since the beginning of the show. I hope you will continue to share as time goes on.

  6. Karin says:

    God bless your awesome family!

  7. Jen says:

    I love your show and love hearing about all of you. I would love for the show to come back on. I miss it!! I have 2 year old twins and the days are long and hard. But I often think of you guys and think what am I complaining about?? You guys are an inspiration!

    God Bless!

  8. Tamyra says:

    Hi Ethan and Casey,
    Wow how they all have grown! Thank you so much for the update. I do miss the show so much. I am hoping your first 2 seasons will be on DVD soon. My 2 1/2 year old loved watching the show with me. Take care and God bless all of you.

  9. Stacy says:

    Thank you so much for the update. We follow you on Facebook but I really appreciate you taking the time to fill in some of the gaps for us. We really hope to see your show return to the air but in the meantime, we wish you nothing but the happiness your family deserves. You have single handed make me love Austin Texas and give me a strong desire to visit. Much love to you and your beautiful family!!!

  10. Heidi says:

    Ethan and Casey: Thank you so much for the update on your family. TLC should bring back your show. Everyone loved it, and you taught all of us a special caring lesson. We love your show!!!

    TLC now has this disgusting show on…Honey BOO Boo. It is uncuth, vulgar, and the Mother is terrible. There is no lessons here. I turned it on one time, and never went back. Surely they will see the viewers that they have lost!!!

    Thank You so much for the update, and I pray that they bring your show back. My child loved it and so did his parents.

    God Bless You All……..

  11. Toni says:

    Beautifully written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the updates about your beautiful family. You all are so truly blessed. I pray that the Lord continues to bless you as He leads and guides you along His path for your life. Take care!

  12. Katie says:

    Thank you for such a well written update! I am saddened to know that tlc isn’t filming right now. I have loved and been inspired by your show. I am a nanny to 3 and mom to 1 and I love to see how you do it. God Bless your wonderful family!

  13. Michelle Carver says:

    Thank you so much for the awesome update on your family. I love your show and will continue to pray that your family is blessed beyond measure and that we will once again be able to watch your children grow up on our television screen. Love to you all!

  14. Laurie from Calgary, Canada says:

    Thank you so much for the update! We have missed seeing all of you on t.v. You are such a sweet, loving and real family. I am keeping my fingers crossed your show will come back!

  15. Courtney B says:

    Thank you so much for the update! Its crazy how we feel like we know you and your children, so its so nice to see what everyone is up to. I have a 3 year old and 9 month old, and we watch dvr’d episodes all the time. He’ll say, “Mom, I wanna watch the kids.” So I’ll turn on an episode, and we’ll talk about what y’all are doing. He feels like your kids are his friends! We’d love to see y’all back on the air. There are so many shows that just aren’t appropriate, but yours was one we could watch as a family and I loved that! Good luck to y’all cause I know how dramatic 3 year olds are and some days are trying, I can imagine it five fold!!!

  16. Elaine says:

    Hi,
    Thanks for the update. Love the show and your family.
    Have u looked at getting a show on another network? or perhaps making your own webisodes?
    Miss the Show :(

  17. alexa says:

    Thank you so much for the update!! I miss the show so much and hope it comes back on!
    The kids look beautiful and happy!

  18. Cindifuente@aol.com says:

    I miss your show, my kids miss your show and it is a shame that honey boo boo is on the air and not the Jones family!

  19. Jessica says:

    Thanks so much for the update! My husband and I were just talking about the show and hope it returns! Great pics-they are growing up so fast! Beautiful family!!

  20. Kristi says:

    We really miss your show. It surprises me, some of the shows TLC runs instead of yours….I’ll just leave it at that.

    Like someone else mentioned, yours is a show I watched with my own kids which is a really really nice thing.

    I truly hope you’ll be back on air soon!

  21. Carol says:

    Thank you, Ethan, for a wonderful update. Boy, do I miss you all and I love reading about what the quints are up to.

    I can just picture Eliot and Jack running around the house tackling each other giggling as they play. I can also picture the enthusiasm of the five as they attend a structured classroom for the first time.

    I was so glad to read that you are able to attend Riverbend on a regular basis. It is a wonderful church and I miss it tremendously. Todd is a very special leader and all the students learn from him and love his class.

    Hopefully, the show will realize that your family has much to offer and will resume filming shortly. We strongly need good Christian families on TV to serve as examples for others. Good luck with this endeavor.

    As far as the potty training, patience is the only thing you can have. It is not unusual to have accidents even in kindergarten – hence the change of clothing that is requested in school. Their little bodies will catch on and then life will be easier.

    I was so glad to see that Eliot is enjoying cheering. She is just perfect for the role. And I thank you for your appreciation for all the volunteers. I want to thank you both for the opportunity to have helped out. That was one of my highlights of living in Austin.

    God Bless you all and keep these messages coming. I love them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  22. Danae Balcells says:

    Hello, I’m a fan of your show from Spain, I’ve watched it since the beginning and loved every minute of it.
    Thank you for the updates, you are so nice by doing this! Thanks for sharing and keep being the great parents you are!
    XO,
    From Barcelona :)

  23. Emily-Kate says:

    I love that you don’t paint over reality but clearly show it for what it is, “milk spilled on the table”, “food thrown across the table”. I wish I could watch your family on TV, but alas your blog will suffice.
    God bless from Ireland.

  24. Kristine H. says:

    Thank you for sharing your family’s journey. Your show is inspiring and real. I will be praying for a comeback! Thank you for your vulnerability in this sometimes taboo subject of infertility. I am currently walking in your old shoes praying for an answer of what to do next. Our options are egg donor or adoption and my heart is telling me egg donor. I see your family and it gives me courage. Those are YOUR children. I don’t know anyone personally that has had to make this decision, so thank you for showing me that infertility isn’t the end, its actually just the beginning! God bless.

  25. Sabrina Anderson says:

    When are the quints going to star school ?

  26. Megan says:

    I hope so much that “Ouints By Surprise” will make it’s way back on TLC, l love watching them and have quiet a lot of them recorded!

  27. Francesca says:

    Come back to TLC!! We miss you!! Glad everyone seems to be doing fine. You have gorgeous children and you will be rewarded for your dedication to them. God bless!

    I sure hope TLC changes its direction and brings back wholesome and entertaining shows like Quints by Surprise!

  28. Katie S. says:

    Thanks for the update! Miss your show.

  29. Estela F. Hanson says:

    I miss seeing you guys. The FAB Five and Eliot have grown so much. They are so adorable!!! I Google your site every now and then so see how all are doing. Thanks for keeping up us inform. Really appreciate sharing us your babies. Wish you all the best!!!

  30. patty says:

    I miss your show. Someone was right-there is too much trash on TV and they need to put you show back on and SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How is your dog doing in the chaos?

  31. Artimus says:

    Why not try a different network? I love watching the quints and wish it would be back on TV. I always watch the old episodes on youtube when I need to be cheered up :)

  32. erin says:

    I hope they do another season. I just love watching your family. Its too bad TLC didn’t promote the show more. My DVR caught your final season. I didn’t even know it was on until a new episode popped up in the playlist. I think a few commercials would have been all your show needed. Best wishes to your family!

  33. Linda M. says:

    Missing you all but if you’re never on television again we’ll still see you in our hearts and in our prayers.

    Thanks for keeping us informed!

  34. Pam. KS says:

    Sooooo missing your adorable family!!

  35. Jackie B. says:

    I saw that “Ouints By Surprise” have lots of re-runs on Discovery Fit & Health. Like four or five a month. I love watching them grow on the T.V and this blog! Have you thought about a different network? I miss your show!!! How’s Lilly doing? Bless your family..


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