Its Cold Out Here!

by Holly
Eli doesn't remember cold weather from last year and is now loving his 'jackek' and 'gubs' and 'hat'. He discovered the crunch of the leaves a few days ago and loves to ride his car or tricycle through them.


For some reason all the pictures from this day were blurry (I seriously need to read the owner's manual, but suspect it got tossed long ago.) We're cute anyway!

Trips to the DFW Area

by Holly

We traveled to the Dallas area the first two weekends in November, the first to visit Justin's parents and grandmother, and the second to stay with our friend Jenise and have a short visit with friends Curt and Kim. Although we were tired of the long road in between, it was nice to see family and friends and get out of town. Eli did well in the car both times which is a huge blessing!

Here Justin, Lannie and Eli relax on the front porch and soak up the beautiful weather.

Grandma got Eli one of these fun cars and he loved it! And in true grandparent fashion, they let him bring it into the house too.


Just a swingin'! Don't worry, I'm not letting go of my sticks!

Justin, Holly with Eli and Jenise Judah. Jenise and Justin have worked together at Tech, UTSouthwestern and Southwest Airlines. Jenise is still at SWA and travels seemingly more than she's home. We were glad to get on her in-town calendar for a visit to enjoy her new home. Its beautiful and we had a great time!

Justin, Holly with Eli, Kim and Curt Whiteside. These are friends from Plano Bible Chapel and we miss them dearly. Always a wonderful time in their lovely home and with laughs galore and yummy cooking we didn't want to leave!

News Flash

By Justin

The major headlines of the day:

*The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Wednesday night that any black lawmaker who votes against President Obama's sweeping health care overhaul isn't really black, the Hill newspaper reported.
(Justin's Commentary: It is good to know that my race is now tied to how I vote. It is also distrubing that Mr. Jackson belives that the health care bill is created by the President. In fact legislators create bills and the President signs or vetos them. It is the basics of 'Checks and Balances' as outlined in School House Rocks. I will get you a copy. Everyone..I'm just a bill and I am sitting here on capital hill...)

Oprah Winfrey will announce on Friday's "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that she will end her talk show, said a spokesman for Winfrey's Harpo Productions.
(Justin's Commentary: I am wondering what the world will do on September 9, 2011. Will it simply stop spinning without Oprah on TV? I am also wondering how much crying and attention will be made of the most powerful woman in the world. Maybe she will finally get married, that'd be a good last show.)

and from the Lubbock Avalance-Journal, the lead headline...

The popular vampire movie "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" - opening on seven screens today in Lubbock - is on the fast track to making a high profit.
(Justin's Commentary: Guess I am sorry I am gonna miss this one. Maybe it is a good time to see another movie that no one else is interested in.)

A new day breaks...

By Justin

There is no hope for a civilization which starts each day to the sound of an alarm clock. ~ Author Unknown.

It is Wednesday. I am tired. I don't want to work. I hate the alarm clock.

I'm done.

Trick or Treat!

by Holly

We had a fun and spooky Halloween! Eli was an adorable black spider and I was his web! If you look closely you'll see the spiders on my web and necklace.

Trick or treating at the National Ranching Heritage Center. The workers were in period costume, handing out candy that was invented during the same time periods of their respective houses.

Justin and Eli hanging out on the choo-choo!

Eli having a blast at our church carnival, eating a sucker and playing with the bubble machine. His hair was wet and sticky from standing next to the machine for so long!

Eli's Painted Pumpkin

by Holly

We bought a white pumpkin this year, for Eli to paint himself. Like a clean canvas for our little Picasso. :) It didn't take long for him to catch on and I'm very glad he was wearing nothing but a diaper! His hair, ears, legs, hands, diaper bottom and feet had black paint, as well as my legs and one hand. Oh, well, he had a great time.

Quarterback Jack

by Holly

Our 6 year old nephew Jared has been playing flag football for the last couple of months and loves it. He is the quarterback for the Longhorns, and no comments are needed on that please. :) I know I'm biased, but he is very good and this past Sunday threw his first completed pass for a touchdown. His specialty though is the quarterback sneak and has scored quite a few touchdowns! The coaches are good, teaching them teamwork, sportsmanship... and they don't keep score.

Jared on the right

Coming back in after a play

Watch that little boy in front- he is fast!!

Pumpkin Patch Fun- Part 2

by Holly

Canna and her youngest daughter Brianna while we were on the hayride out to the pumpkin patch. I didn't get a good picture of her older daughter Brooklyn.

Holly and Eli at the pumpkin patch. You walked around till you found what you wanted and the workers would come cut it off the vine for you. Pretty cool, except this end had been picked over and they were sparse. We found some good ones though.

Eli picked this tiny gourd before we knew what he was doing, but we laughed and told him he could have whatever he could carry. Not too big of a threat, his purchase was only 25 cents.

From the front, Brooklyn, Tyler, Jared, Teresa and Kelly with Eli making our way through the maze. Teresa and Kelly had the maps and were quite good at navigating. I fear we would still be there if I had been in charge!

Justin pretending to use his map. :) Really, we couldn't keep up with the turns as we were preoccupied with passing Eli back and forth. He got quite heavy through this ordeal!

Pumpkin Patch Fun- Part 1

by Holly

We took Eli to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze near Shallowater a few weeks ago, and met Kelly and Teresa's family and our friends Jeff and Canna and their family there for an afternoon of fun.

Harder than you might think to get three little boys with minds of their own to all hold still and smile at the same time. Add to that that we lost the button to our camera that day and I was having to poke my earring down into it to get it to take a picture. Not too bad though!

Kelly helping Jared with the corn launcher. They stuff a half ear of corn down into the pipe and then aim it at hay bales decorated with non-Tech team logos. I think Jared hit the Kansas Jayhawk, but I'm not sure on that. He had a great time doing it for sure!

Jared, Eli and Tyler watching the bock-bock's. Eli's current favorite farm animal. :)

How precious is this? Jared loves his "Little Buddy" and watches over him as they walk around the pond.

Justin conquering the kiddie maze! Way to go honey! My brother looks on and laughs, as he got beat. It actually was a little difficult to do- you could only make right turns. Justin figured it out though, and I'm sure you aren't surprised that his analytical brain could do so.

Isn't this cute?!

by Holly

Teresa with Jared, Eli and Tyler before a Tech football game.

Birthday Party

by Holly

We hosted the September birthday party for my family in our home, which honored my Dad and my cousin Rusty. The same day, we babysat Jonas as his parents Paul and Sarah were moving to their new home! What a great day!

Eli and Jonas. Clearly Eli thinks he is in control of juice rations as he is a few months older.

My dad and mom. Happy Birthday Dad!

Looking at collage frames of our family tree. The next weekend was a family reunion at Lake Texoma and my aunt had put these together to share with the other families.

Michelle and Rusty, who Jonas became fast friends with!

Update

by Holly

We did have a miscarriage, official this morning. I do not have to have a D&C and am thankful for that. God has prepared our hearts ahead of time so we have grieved and were not shocked this morning, but still very sad. Thank you for all of your prayers and support!

Our Cool Crowd

by Holly

We ate at Texas Roadhouse on Sunday evening with Holly's family and had the best waitress. She was fun and joked around with the boys and was just great as a server. At the end of the meal she brought all the boys a pair of sunglasses which they thought was just too cool. Eli, Jared and Tyler, left to right.

Faith That is Real

by Holly

Steve Wiggins is a musician from California that we heard at the Marriage conference last weekend. Besides hearing his worship music during our general sessions, we also attended the class he and his wife Misti were presenting on "How the Bible Transformed Our Marriage". Good stuff on both ends. This is a song that we liked at the conference but have taken to heart this week as God works a trial in our lives.

"Faith That is Real"

Consider it joy when the trials of life are upon you
Remember: a promise is given to all who endure
Bringing wisdom, filling completely.

With a faith that is real, a faith that is true
The source of strength to carry me through
When what I believe is not what I feel, I hold on
With a faith that is real.

Tossed by the wind and the waves
I have been double-minded
Faithless and doubting, till you taught me how to believe
You are my anchor! Lord I can trust You!

With a faith that is real, a faith that is true
The source of strength to carry me through
When what I believe is not what I feel, I hold on
With a faith that is real.

Oh, Lord, I know its by Your grace, alone that You saved me!
And the good that I do is only because You gave me...

Chorus
Oh, Lord give me faith!

A Few Things I'm Learning

by Holly

I don't often profess outright faith and Christian beliefs in our blog, but these are things I'm learning through recent events in my life and by attending the Festivals of Marriage conference this weekend in Glorieta, NM (which was fabulous and life-changing!).

1. If you aren't right with God, you don't have a chance at being right in human relationships.

2. God loves us too much to leave us where we are at. The trials in life are his efforts to make our character look more like his own.

3. If you find yourself being judgmental about a negative characteristic in someone else, its likely that you have the same characteristic.

4. Instead of being critical or complaining about someone else's behavior, take a moment and consider what your life would be like if that person weren't in it.

5. Don't underestimate the power of the following phrases: I'm sorry. I'm proud of you. I love you. I forgive you. Thank you.

Have a blessed day! I plan to!

Plus One

Well after much anticipation, we are announcing to the world the impending arrival of Baby Number Two (currently known as Punkin' Seed). Details are very few and far between, but the seed is expected to detach from the vine in late May. We are excited to enter yet another chapter of parenting!

Labor Day, a little late

by Holly

So I've heard from some of our non-commenting readers that we should continue posting despite the lack of comments. Yes, this is for you Erin R. :)

Here are some pictures from Labor Day weekend. Justin's parents were in town for a visit and watched Eli so we could have some Justin and Holly time which was fabulous. We were able to go to a Tech football game and also to a Sunday School party without worrying about a babysitter. Thanks Pops and Grandma! And the visit was nice too!

Pops and Eli making play guns out of blocks.

Eli is fearless on the slide now and scooted right off the end of it this time!

Grandma and Eli swinging

Mama and Eli playing with Play-Doh. Eli's first time. He was more interested in throwing the little pieces than making anything fun, but I enjoyed it!

Habits

By Justin

I was thinking yesterday, I do that a lot while mowing the yard, why is it so hard to break habits? Seriously, everyone has a tip or trick to help you break your addictions or behaviors. Some are twelve steps. Some are 21 days. Some are cold turkey. The common key is they all are merely one step away from backsliding.

Then I had a revelation. Creating the bad habit was a long slow process. I didn’t wake up ten years ago and say “I think I will start the following self destructive behavior”. No, rather it was small baby steps towards stupidity or small decisions that were every so slight movements in the wrong direction. Sometimes I could tell the decisions were bad, but in the moment the good far outweighed the bad. I only later to learned of unforeseen or unforgiving consequences.

Now I am not talking about huge issues in life. Rather the many small ones that have compounded. For instance, I am addicted to french fries. And it is no small addiction. I would rather eat good french fries than my meal. I systematically rank places on their fries. If I need ketchup, you know there is a problem. My french fry addiction must be a contributing factor in my “slightly larger than healthy” weight.

I also cannot stand water. On a hot summer day, after sweating it out mowing the yard, I want a coke. Water makes my stomach hurt. I can feel the indigestion start from the first swallow. Somewhere along the way in my life, water was much more palatable with sugar, food coloring and corn syrup. I take this as another baby step (maybe literally taken as a baby) towards long term weight gain.

So I have decided to take a new approach, for me, on reversing some bad habits. Instead of tackling all of my vices at once, I am going to try to take small baby steps backwards. No cold turkey stops on Coke. No forgoing of McDonalds french fries. Rather, I plan to start with the other side of the equation. Just like balancing a budget two things have an effect, inputs and outputs. To lose weight one must manage the inputs and exert some outputs. For me, I am going to start with outputs.

I made myself some very achievable short term goals. For example, this week they had absolutely nothing to do with losing weight. I told myself I would get up early in the morning twice this week and do at least 15 minutes of exercise. I was very excited to achieve my goal. Was it a stretch goal, absolutely not. It was a baby step goal. One to prove to myself it is worth it. That the gains made in those days were wiped out today with lunch, was not the concern.

It was the small baby step towards new habits that was important. I am testing a new theory. One that says years of bad habits were made one small step at a time and years of new habits can start the same way. You know the old saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

Texas Tech Football!

by Holly

Thanks to my brother's kind friend, we were able to go to the Tech season opener tonight using his season tickets and watch them win over North Dakota State. The Fighting Sioux. Since Justin would probably give you a very guy-like rundown of the game, I think I'll instead give you a top ten list of my evening's enjoyment.

1. Cagle's Steakhouse was at Raider Alley and I had a cardboard boat of steak and sausage with toothpicks. Now that is GameDay food!

2. There is now Kettlecorn at the games! (do you see a theme?)

3. Just in front of myself and Justin was a family with an adorable baby girl that couldn't have been over 6 weeks old. Darling.

4. I got teary during the school song and it totally caught me off guard.

5. I remembered every word to the school song and that was even more of a surprise.

6. Thoroughly enjoyed the cool Lubbock evening, once the sun went down.

7. Nice to be out for the afternoon and evening without having to cater to the demands of a toddler. (thanks Pops and Grandma for babysitting!)

8. Thought of said toddler many, many times during the game.

9. Besides my family, I saw 5 people I know.

10. Although I may not be a hardcore sports fan, I do bleed red and black.

Randomness

by Holly

1. I'm never out and about in traffic in the mornings anymore.
2. I never watch the news, or really TV in general anymore.

So it was really crazy that today I saw on the shoulder of the Loop a red pickup with its tire at an odd angle, and then on the 10:00 news I saw that same pickup smashed to pieces because it was hit by another vehicle while it was parked on the shoulder of the Loop.