Being in a large family usually means learning to juggle several tasks at once - making dinner while helping children with homework, bandaging a knee, keeping an eye on the horseplay in the back yard, and lending a caring ear.

However, in addition to normal family life, the Boehmers juggle clubs, rings, torches, balls, and anything else they can get their hands on. It all started 22 years ago with a juggling book, a motel room and a lot of spare time. When his job as a pipeline worker took him away from his wife, Judy, and his 4 children (at the time), he decided to occupy his evenings constructively. 48 year old Larry Boehmer has always been a family man.

"Adam was in the first grade," Judy says. "He came home and said there was a circus at school. Adam wanted to know what his dad could do." This was all the motivation Larry needed. Once this father puts his mind to something he usually finishes it. His children saw him practicing and wanted to join in. Larry and three of the children gave the first family performance at an amusement park in 1989. From there it grew quite unexpectedly. Today they are the largest family of jugglers in the world, and it looks like they will be for a long time.

Larry insists the children's talents aren't inherited; it's simply a matter of practice and persistence. "It's not in the genes. This is a skill that basically anybody can do. Most people who try to learn juggling give up too soon, but almost anybody can learn. A trick may seem difficult, but if you stick with it, it's not hard", Larry says. Everyone has a specialty - from Adam, 29, who does a mean routine with diablos, to Margaret, 7, who coyly stands on one leg in the palm of Mom's hand. Practice is something they all must do, like yard work. Doing the shows is the fun part. They all love it.

"We didn't plan on this all happening.
When the kids saw each other, they picked up
on different things. One would do rings, another
would do clubs, acrobatics or the unicycle. Before we
knew it, we had everybody doing something" - Judy Boehmer