Finally... new pics - Christmas 2009

New House

Well we are all moved in... at least the boxes and furniture are in our house. We still have lots of work ahead, but today I was able to empty most of the kitchen boxes and put up the Christmas tree and some other festive decorations. It's definitely starting to feel like home. I think this is going to be my favorite house that we've ever lived in. It's not too big and uses the space in it well. Off to eat dinner... hopefully I will post some pics soon after they finish painting the cabinets. So happy to finally be settled!! Praise God for this smooth transition.

Last Week in October

Jordan so excited pre-trick or treating

The boys, ready to head out.

Thursday Jordan's class had a field trip to the pumpkin patch farm.  The boy with him here, Jason, looks a lot like Walker - and they had the same jacket.  The day started out rainy and cool and ended up sunny and hot!

Jordan in the Hay Maze
Jordan and his buddy, Fox
Jordan jumping off of the hay tower.  
Jordan took a 2 hour nap on the screened porch yesterday after church.  We had a busy, tiring weekend.  
Halloween night, Walker on the golf cart with Bryce's grandmother
Tony ended up wearing Walker's pirate hat... it got lost when a fun house fell apart and a big board hit Tony on the head... craziness.
The four boys off to trick or treat
Arggghhh!!  Walker the Pirate, year 2.

Fall Weekend

We had a great Fall Weekend.  In reverse order, here are the pictures.  Today we carved pumpkins - such fun.  It's funny to me that Jordan gagged a few times gutting the pumpkin... ha!  

This afternoon we played football in the yard and there are some pictures of Walker having a fun time.  

Saturday morning was our Fall Festival in the neighborhood.  Our last here in Birmingham!  The boys had fun.  Garrett, Jordan, Bryce and Walker (who would not go in costume!).  And finally a pic of the boys before the fall festival in costume.  I'm hoping Walker wants to wear it Halloween night... he said he does... we'll see!  

Finally - Friday night we got a great offer on our house!  Praise God!  17 days on the market and we have a contract.  Now if everything goes through, we will be on the move in the next few weeks.  I will try to keep you updated...

Our little Rebel

Bad Day

Do not take your kids to see Where the Wild Things Are. Disturbing movie. I didn't make it to the end, Jordan didn't like it. The monsters yell at each other the whole time basically. Way to ruin a great children's book...

Now Just to squelch any sense of pride that may still be lingering about... I filled my car up with diesel fuel yesterday. $750 to flush it out.
Nothing I can do about it now, but move on. I have never felt so absolutely stupid in my entire life. I was on the phone the whole time I was at the gas station and remember next to nothing of the entire experience, but my car broke down right after and is now being flushed out. How's that for the radical experiment? IDIOT. Tony may remove my cell phone privileges.

Where The Wild Things Are

Can't wait to see this movie with Jordan this weekend.  He is so excited as am I.  Hope it lives up!

Be RADICAL

This is why we don't want to leave Birmingham, and why we are willing to as God leads us elsewhere.

www.radicalexperiment.org

"May God give us grace in the days ahead to radically alter the way we live and the way we look as a church in order to align with His heart for His people, for the lost, and for the poor around the world."  - The Church at Brook Hills

"We'll take India" - Our church is immediately sending $525,000 to Compassion International to sponsor the rest of their needs in India for their child development program.  Amazing to be a part of such a Christ-centered radical church family.  Amazing.

Square peg, Round hole

I feel like I have just had an epiphany of sorts.  I'm listening to a man from England talk about the failures of the typical public education systems in developed countries.  His point is mainly that our schools push children to right or wrong and math and english but fail in the arts and creativity section of learning/teaching.  Who says that you have to be good at math and english to be successful?  In reality, God made us all different, so we will be good at different things in different ways.  As I try to teach Jordan to sit still, work on his handwriting, numbers, reading - I realize his brain works differently from mine.  He's really smart but a different kind of smart than I am.  It's not my job to conform him to be and learn more like me, but to find what talents God has given him and nurture those.  

Not a Coconut

There is this song we listen to in the car (the boys and I, not Tony and I) - 

The fruit of the spirit's not a coconut, 

the fruit of the spirit's not a coconut, 

if you wanna be a coconut (cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck) 

you might as well hear it, 

you can't be a fruit of the spirit.

So I am thinking about patience and how I lack it many times with my boys.  It is a fruit of the spirit, therefor, I should have it right?  Sometimes I have lots, but I notice, as my energy drains (especially in the evenings) the patience goes out the window.  I really don't think you can realize how impatient you are until you have little ones.  They try it like nothing else can (except perhaps the lines at wal-mart, but I digress).  So I will continue to pray for God to give me a larger portion of patience and hopefully this fruit will grow.  I don't want my kids to remember the times I was impatient when they look back, I want them to remember a loving, patient mom - stern but loving.  :)  Again, I guess it's about pride and selfishness and me giving in to my flesh that's tired instead of living in the spirit.  Oh pride, when will you leave me alone?

Ode to the Flu

Achooooooooo!!!!!

Go Away Flu!!

Booooo!

Friends visit

Some old friends - Robert and Jill Stokes came in town for the weekend with their 3 little ones.  We had a really great time visiting with them and taking them to church with us.  They have twin girls who are 5 and a baby, Joseph, who is 7 months.  The boys had a great time playing with Lottie Ann and Samantha and entertaining Joseph.  Tony and Robert went to High School together so they go way back.  We have vacationed together a couple of times and, who knows, maybe we'll all be on the mission field together one day.   

Walker's Birthday Party

Some Recent Pics

Walker at a friend's birthday party last weekend... face painter - of course he picked a PIRATE!

Walker opening his present yesterday morning before school - his 3rd birthday!  His party is tomorrow and he will get a few more presents.  Is it Walker's or Jordan's?  Hard to tell!
Walker showing me his backyardigan birthday card.

Yep, 29 months apart ... and only 4 inches or so.  But both cuties!

Projects, Projects, Projects

I guess we will be putting our house up for sale in the next couple of weeks.  We've known for almost 3 weeks now that we are moving, so our days have been filled with projects.  It's amazing what we will live with but, when faced with the realization that this house needs to look good enough to buy, now has to be cleaned up, updated, fixed, de-cluttered, etc.  It's a new way of thinking and living when you are trying to sell a house.  I am in the process of changing my mindset about how we live in order to maintain a de-cluttered, cleaner house.  I remember many times while trying to sell our house in Atlanta (ah, yes, a mere 2 years ago), the agents would either be in my driveway when they called or give me a 15 minute heads up.  So hard to have your house presentable in that time frame if you aren't constantly picking up after yourselves (and the mini tornados we live with).  But, we will rejoice and give thanks in this season.  If nothing else, our house will be nicer to live in during this time.

1st day of Kindergarten

This is what Walker did yesterday while Jordan was at school...

Jordan's 1st day was Tuesday - he LOVES Kindergarten.

I think he needs a smaller backpack.

Last Free Day

Before Kindergarten starts!  I found out about this place from a friend, and took the boys this afternoon.  It's a park in a town about 20 miles away called the Splash Pad.  It's so cute and the boys had a great time.  The Ice Cream Truck even stopped by which made the fun absolutely perfect. :)