Did someone push fastforward????

Woody

Nathan at Indian Day at School - His Indian name is Lone Wolf


Our 2nd attempt at getting a decent Christmas shot.


Nathan helping GeeGee decorate her tree Thanksgiving night


Nathan & Thomas (aka Buzz & Woody) at the Reformation Party


To Infinity & BEYOND!

Since August, I feel like our life has been moving in double or triple time! The weeks have absolutely flown by and now we are less than two weeks from Christmas! What have we been doing in the last month or so since my last post?

*Reformation Celebration - Instead of Halloween, we celebrate the reformation on Oct 31. Our church does a fall carnival w/ non-scary costumes, a big jumpy, a blow-up slide, hay ride, games, hotdogs, chili, smores, and candy! Don't you think Martin Luther would be proud?!? It is always a lot of fun. Nathan was dressed as Buzz Lightyear and Thomas was Woody. They were too cute!

*Branson Trip - The weekend before Thanksgiving, the Logan family (Tami, Crawford, Chris, Lee Lee, Sara Crawford, and my 4) went to Branson for a few days. While Branson the town is incredible cheesy and contrived, we did manage to find some superfun things to do w/ the kids. Nathan & Sara Crawford rode the "Polar Express" - complete w/ wearing pajamas, being read the story, having ticket punched by the conductor, being served hot chocolate & cookies, and getting to visit w/ Santa Claus who gave everyone a "magic silver bell".
The next day Grammy & PawPaw treated them to a tour of the Butterfly Palace where they got to explore w/ safari hats, binoculars, and magnifying glasses.
We also took the whole crew to a magic & variety show. It was not good! Nathan asked we when it was going to be over, b/c they couldn't sing. HA!
The big final outing was the Dixie Stampede. I had read up on this, and was ready to be completely underwhelmed, but it was tons of fun for everyone! They serve you food while you watch a horse show "competition". It was North Pole vs South Pole since it was the Christmas season & our side won!!! Nathan couldn't eat he was so amazed by it all.

*Thanksgiving - we enjoyed a very lively Thanksgiving at Mama's w/ 7 cousins running around. Friday we went to the Logans for another round of food. I am most thankful for my family this year.

Western Day

I wish I could say this past week was smooth and easy, but it SO WAS NOT! I felt like I was 5 minutes behind schedule all week.
Monday at lunch, I get an e-mail "reminding" me that I was supposed to serve at Nathan's school on Tuesday night for "Western Day". I was SO confused. I hadn't signed up to serve, nor had anyone told me that there was any activity at school at night on Tuesday. I remain confused until I open Nathan's folder Monday night and it explains the whole event: Western Day is not wearing western wear to school (in fact we wore uniforms to school that day). It is a fundraiser for PTF - BBQ supper and Hoe Down/Square Dance. I was a little preturbed, bc I had planned to go to Lexinton to see my SUPER talented cousin perform, but changed my plans to watch my little cowboy sing & dance. It turned out to be SUPER cute and fun. I am attaching pictures of Nathan & his class. Maybe one day I will learn how to get the video off the camera & onto blogger so you can watch the whole thing.
Anyway, I also got to deal with TEAM Cleveland stress, Garden Club nonsense, and work craziness! Needless to say, I was SO glad for Friday to arrive and the opportunity to get 8+ hours of sleep!

There is NOTHING better than having children that will let you sleep past 7 on a Saturday!!!

Nathan

Fall Break

Thanks to a very gracious friend from Lexington, we were able to go to Destin for fall break with Mama. It was strange to see such Caribbean looking scenery all around us, and it be unseasonably cool almost every day. We did get down to the beach one day and Nathan was able to swim. Mama & I also enjoyed an entire day of shopping and girl time. It was definitely nice to get away from the VERY soggy Delta for a few days! Here are some of our pictures.

Nathan and I took a nice long walk down the beach after the weather cooled.




Nathan riding the train after supper at Harry T's.

Sunset view from room

Roane's excellent photography


Another great view from the condo (to the SW)


Look closely: that splash in the water is Nathan & the large dark splotch above the umbrellas is me enjoying some sun.


Thomas and I checking out the Harbor side view


Our northwest view


The west view

5th Birthday!!!

We celebrated Nathan's 5th Birthday on Saturday, October 10th. The theme was "SuperHeros." I am not a huge fan of most of the actual superheros out there. They are all a little grown-up and too serious for a 5 year old - in my opinion. Our compromise was to create our own superhero! Each child decorated their own mask and cape, then we took their picture and printed it out on a 4 x 6" card. They got to take it all home as favors. The giant problem with this plan was that I am HORRIBLE at crafts. I am not creative at all! I ended up buying WAY too many things for them to decorate with, but it turned out to be a huge success. All the kids had a great time. Below are some of the pictures (sorry, they are out of order.)



Roane & I gave Nathan the Batman & Friends "Batcave". When he opened it, I expected "WOW, thanks!!" Instead I got, "THIS is what I what I wanted for Christmas last year!"


Blowing out the candles
.
Playing in the superhero outfits.


SUPER NATHAN!


Decorating our masks

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11

This verse has been on my heart this morning, especially as I consider the situations of dear Christian friends around me. There is death and pain, sickness, financial loss, marital strife, struggles with addiction, and almost every other kind of sorrow that you can imagine.

I used to believe that this versed promised "good things" to me if I was a believer, but then I studied the verse further and realized that God gave this verse to his people while they were in captivity. Why were they in captivity? Because they had rejected God. The lessons that I take from this are:

1. God loves me even when I am unfaithful to him. GOD IS FAITHFUL EVEN WHEN I AM NOT!!!!! HELLO IS THIS THING ON?!?!?
2. My circumstances may not be the "prosperity" or "hope" that I had planned. It might actually feel like harm, but God knows what he is doing.
3. God will not allow the bad, ugly things that are a result of living in this sinful world from making me a NEW CREATION. Nothing can stay in the way of HIS plan for me or for any of His Children.

Lord, THANK YOU for your faithfulness to your unfaithful child. Please help me to trust in your promises. Help to desire your will for my life, even though it is painful sometime. Help me to encourage my friends and family that are in the midst of things that do not seem "good".

There is a song that we sing occasionally that I really love that expresses some of these thoughts and feelings even better than I can.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine's blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red
life that shall endless be.

Crawling

Thomas officially started crawling today! He does a kind reach with his left hand & push with his right leg and then he straightens himself out with the other leg. It is pretty cute.

I also wanted to record one of the sweetest things Nathan has said lately. He told me that my kisses were like tasting strawberries. SWEET!!!!

Nathan also has an obsession with corny jokes. Example:

What is a shark's favorite movie? The Wizard of Jaws

He tells them ALL the time and over and over again.

Nathan's 5th Birthday Party is this weekend!!! I can't believe it has been 5 years! It has flown by, and he is growing into the sweetest most mature little guy. Happy Happy Birthday NATHAN!!!!

Fall is here!

Nothing rings in fall better to me than DSU Pig Pickin!!!! Thankfully, the weather held for the festivities and the game! Go STATESMEN!!!

Our house was buzzing with friends who crashed with us that weekend. We really enjoyed seeing them and their kids so much!

There are also more changes with our family - Roane has switched positions at Monsanto and is now working in their cotton breeding program. It is a position that he is enjoying, but finds very challenging. I have also made a career move. September 1, 2009, Partnership Properties opened its doors!!! I am so thrilled to be a broker/owner of my own firm!!! The other co-owners are Billy Nowell, Jane Ellen Bobitt, and Robin McKnight.

Nathan is still really enjoying school and is looking forward to his 5th birthday in just a couple of weeks! I can't believe how fast it has gone by!

Thomas is trying so hard to crawl. He just hasn't quite got it all together yet. His first tooth broke through his gum this week, so that is HUGE milestone for him! I will post a picture when it gets big enough to see. :-)


Thomas catching a snooze. I love how he crossed his ankles!!!


Nathan is pumped about his Buzz Lightyear costume!


Thomas is ALWAYS smiling - here he is eating breakfast.


Thomas smiling in his bathtub


Nathan playing in the mud at Pig Pickin


Thomas and buddy W.F. hanging out after Pig Pickin


My new office crew!

TOO MANY CHANGES!!!

ARGGHHH!!!! This past month has been loaded with changes in our family!



Nathan started school a couple of weeks ago. He absolutely LOVES it!!! He is so cute in his little uniform. He came home the first day of school with two loose teeth!!! He lost one of them last Thursday and the other today. Now he is (in his words) - a double snaggle. :-) He came home the first full day of school and said, "Mom, guess WHAT? We got to do this really awesome thing today called P.E.!!! It was soooo cool and we had a REAL coach and everything!!!" Today he came home and told me that he didn't know if you spin around too fast you will get sick. He apparently spun his friend around on the merry-go-round so much he tossed his cookies. Ahh, the joys of 4k.


Thomas is also changing and growing so fast! He is eating three meals of solids everyday. So far the only thing he doesn't love is carrots. He is doing really well holding his bottle (see above). AND . . . he is able to sit up unassisted.

I know there are a lot more changes ahead for us all. I am trying to just enjoy every second of our crazy busy life!!!

6 months, vacation, and more

Being silly in Baytown

Nathan ducking the shot from another bumper boat

Nathan dancing to the live music at Baytown

Sweet brothers


Nathan getting ready for a shot (why did we choose the HOTTEST time of day to play mini-golf!)

One of Thomas sweet smiles

A beach bum in the making

I LOVE the Beach!

Nathan had a blast "riding the waves"

Well, Thomas is officially 6 months old!!! I can hardly believe how fast it has gone by and how much he has grown! He is also starting to look more and more like my side of the family! It is funny to think that my boys will look so different from each other. It looks like the only Logan trait Thomas has is blue eyes. His dark brown hair is really starting to fill in. He is so social now, too. He smiles at everyone he sees with this smile that says "THERE YOU ARE!!!! I have been waiting to see your face! You are the most fun person EVER!!!" I absolutely love it. He also laughs at the funniest things. He gets very silly around 8:30 after his last feeding. It is like he is so full and so sleepy that he just can't help himself (late night sillies are another Kimbrough trait!) I hate to put him to bed because it is so entertaining to see what he will laugh at next!

Nathan on the other hand, is quickly approaching his 5th birthday! He has gotten so big, but is still so sweet! Some of the great quotes of late are:
"Mama, I love Thomas SOOO much! I would cry if he ever got sick!"
"Mama, I can't wait to go to PBS (mislabeled school initials which should be PDS), b/c I am excited to learn about God." - He picked up the fact that he didn't learn about God at Delta State preschool.
He also loves to snuggle up and read, give big hugs, and draw me pictures "Just for you Mom!"

We just got back from out long-awaited vacation to the beach, and we had SO much fun! Nathan is finally at an age where he is confident in the water and can entertain himself for awhile, so Roane and I actually got to enjoy so good relaxation under the umbrella! We also took a sitter with us, so that Thomas didn't get a wrench thrown in his schedule. It worked out great. It was a wonderful end to our summer. It is crazy to think that school will start in just two weeks!

A few pics for your enjoyment!

Thomas breaking in the exersaucer! The puppet is yummy!

Hi, MOM!!!


Silly brothers! (Check out that chin!!!)


Nathan entertaining Thomas. Thomas not taking his eyes off of him!