Halloween Pics of the Kiddos

Forgot to put up some pics of my cuties at Halloween...it was fun this year---we tried to do too much in one day as usual, but it was fun.

We are now calling Caleb "Rooster" as his red hair is coming in and we can't quite get a nickname for him. We have called him chubby cheeks from the start so we have toyed with cc, I sometimes say cay-cay, Jeb says little fishy on occasion and now...ROOSTER. Jeb says he is going to be "Lion" since he is "bond"///blond. Still, Jeb will stay "Goochie" for a little longer...Jonas calls him "Knothead" but I have called the guy goochie since he was 5 mos old...strange but yes, it is true. Jonas says he is outgrowing it...huh? Whatever.

I got to play tennis 2 times this week. That is more that I've played in like the past 4 months combined! What a treat. It is so good for my mental health to get out there and laugh and hit that yellow ball. I just love the smell of those things in the wind!

Fall at Jocassee Gorge

I have spent a lot of time at Lake Jocassee during the summer, skiing, checking out waterfalls, picnicking, swimming, and jumping off rocks. I have never been there in November until yesterday. WOW! It is gorgeous..the trees are orange, yellow and red and the scenery up there is STUNNING. This mountain lake was perfect yesterday. Not crowded, and very sunny. My dad and mom and me and Jonas and Jeb put the boat in and drove over almost to Laurel Fork Falls. We got out and unloaded and walked about 30 mins to the falls. After we explored around and went of overlooks and even to the very top of it--SCARY, we had a great picnic. Jeb picked out a perfect giant rock to spread out on and then he threw about 100 rocks in the river and then we marched on. We got to see more waterfalls and a neat campground up there where there are roads that ATV's can go on--good discovery. Jeb got to see some young guys take their Jeep through the creek--he was quite excited. They did it again so he could enjoy it! We walked over 2 suspension bridges, which are beautiful and Jeb thinks it is cool how they bounce and sway! I am more like Donkey on Shrek...remember when he was crossing the bridge to see the dragon? Anyway, these are some pics from our great day up in the mountains. I love living here in the fall. I feel especially blessed to have 2 parents who are still married and are still healthy enough to hike for hours; A hubby who gave up his only "free" day to be with us; and that I have a son who enjoys adventures!

Pray..even when you think they don't care...

Today when I was leaving Jeb's room for nap he said, "Mommy, will you pray for me?" I about lost it! I was so moved. I suppose that kids really do listen and desire to pray with us! They may fidget, and they may act silly, but it does make a difference. I know he could have thought that he just wanted some more time with me, or maybe he just knew that I wasn't going to do it today (I was in a rush ...sometimes I pray with him at nap/other days I don't) or maybe he just really felt he needed prayer. Either way...I am amazed at how God is answering my prayers when I pray for God to reveal himself to Jeb and Caleb.

Fall Fun

There is really nothing I love more than family, food, fun, friends and yes, FALL!

I hate fall for only one reason--it means winter is coming. I HATE winter...that is for another post--maybe I will make a list of all the reasons why I hate it...you Christmas crazies don't say a word, but that is NOT the best holiday...yeah, maybe it would be if the world actually revolved around Jesus being born and all the peace love and joy that SHOULD entail during that time of year--but it doesn't...whew---what a tangent. Back to fall fun...

We do so many fun things in fall that it makes this time of year actually pretty groovy.

1. The Oktoberfest--lots of carnie rides, fair food, and fun laughs with the kids.
2. The Denver Downs corn maze, corn box (think sand box...but it's corn), hay ride, picking pumpkins out of their giant patch (see picture of Phoeby and Jeb trying to lift that humongo one), goats, piglets, donkeys, running on the piles of hay, swinging in hay (see picture), bouncies and bunnies...
3. This year we went to a 4-H farm days thing-a-ma-bob that Jeb really enjoyed--llamas, his first real turkey siting, monster tractors and such.
4. We stay outside catching all the Vitamin D that we can since the days are shorter.
5. We spend more time on our front porch and screen porch since it is not a sauna out there.

Think of something...

Last night in the shower Jonas was lamenting about how much his shoulder and back hurt from chopping wood all day. Jeb said, "Daddy, just think about something...just think about something that makes you happy." Then he added with a pause, "just think about playing with me Daddy."

We laughed so hard! He does love playing with Jeb! His back already felt better.

Jeb is doing well writing letters---bribed with gum that is (I know that's terrible). He can write his name and does H, h (his favorite letter to write??), T, t, L, l, I, i, J, j,e,E,F,f, B, b, C, c, D, d, o,O...still working on the others...I think getting boys to sit and do this is just hard. He hates coloring..one picture takes him about 10 seconds and that counts the time he takes picking out his one color.
Now, at the truck table on the other hand, he can play with his animals for hours on end with no food and water...go figure!

Fun Happenings Part Deux...

1. Who is that man in the blanket?
2. Celebrating Carson Turning 2...if that picture of her in the dress cheesing doesn't make you smile something is wrong with you.
3. Caleb slides for the first time. Big Brother is thrilled with that responsibility. Caleb loves it!
4. It is my thrill to dress them for church each Sunday. They are always “sharp” as Jeb says.
5. The waterfall is rather dry, but the fall leaves on it are beautiful.
6. Jeb discovered FOOTBALL!! Oh my, he loves it. It is fun for me and Jonas too. Bailey is a great defensive line dog.

Fun happenings...

What we've been doing...

1. Making play dough snakes
2. Caleb is on the move and grabbing anything...
3. Oktoberfest was a blast this year--great friends, perfect weather, fun rides. JJ Gibson, Jeb's long lost soul buddy, joined us...those two are a TRIP. I told his mother when they were only one that the her son was more like my child than any child I have known. Now they are stuck at the hip when we're at church.
4. Cory, of Chicago, now of Columbia, came to see us..what a treat.