Family and friends!

We just had a wonderful long weekend. I love Thanksgiving. It was quiet, productive, and restful. We spent all four days together as a family...doing family things. Thursday we ate and laid around playing and watching football. My mom came over but that was the only company we had, not that she's company! She's just another addition to the family.

Friday we decorated for Christmas. We all put up the tree and decorated it. We hung the lights and garland outside. And this year mom bought us a manger scene to put outside. The kids love decorating for Christmas. I love the way the house feels when the decorating is done and the house is all clean. There's nothing like it in the world.

DH's parents came over yesterday (Sat.) and we were able to spend some great time with them. Today we all went to church for baby dedication. Our precious little Princess was dedicated this morning along with at least five of our friend's children. We have an amazing church family. I feel so warm and welcome, like a member of a large family! All of our close friends here are from our church. God has blessed us so much! I'll write more later...I'm exhausted now and I'm headed for the pillow!

Jill

A Chill is in the Air?

It's almost Thanksgiving and I've been trying to get my house in order for...oh, three weeks or so. Why is it that every time I think I'm almost done with the laundry I find another clothes basket hidden away in a messy bathroom. I swear I just cleaned that bathroom! The clothes are a never ending battle in the Kyser household. But now Tink has gotten big enough to really help. Not the kind of help that you "let" you toddler do that actually causes you more work in the long run. No, Tink is my big helper. Her job is to fold hers, Man-Man's, and Princess' clothes. She also folds the towels. By the time she's done with that all I have to do in mine and DH's clothes. It's really helped out a huge amount. The only problem I have is actually getting her to finish her job. Oh, she starts out great, but somewhere along the way she gets a little too ticky about how that shirt is folded or how high that pile should be. Or we just get sidetracked onto another project all together. But then I do the same thing!

So back to Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving. It's a holiday where no gifts are exchanged, no pressure is on anyone to have the best decorations on the outside of the house, not much decorating is done on the inside....except what you want to do. It's just a time to get together with family and be thankful for each other. A time to be thankful for our Lord and His sacrifice for us. A time to be thankful for the many blessings we receive from Him. How thankful are we really? How many times do we actually try to thank God for all of our blessings. I say "try" because it's impossible to realize all of the blessings He gives us. Our homes, our jobs, our children, our spouses, our nation, our freedoms, our church. I mean the list goes on and on. He gives us these gifts, these blessings everyday yet we are so slow to thank him. I was raised here in Mississippi and I can tell you that my mom always taught me my manners. My kids know their manners. If someone gives you something you better thank them. If not you can't have it. Wow, what if God used that rule on us? How many blessings would you have today? I wouldn't have many I can sadly say. Thank you Lord for mercy! Thank you Lord for grace! Mercy is not receiving what you do deserve. Grace is receiving what you don't deserve. Where has the Lord shown you grace today? Mercy?

O.K. I know I'm rambling...but I had no idea what I was going to talk about when I sat down at the computer. God laid these burdens on my heart and I spelled them out. I guess He's been trying to tell me something and I haven't bee listing. Thank you, Lord for loving me through my weaknesses. Count your blessings this Thanksgiving...you'll be surprised!

Thanksgiving Party Fun!

We went to our homeschool association's Thanksgiving party earlier today. The kids made feather headbands, garland leaves, a cookie turkey and colored pictures. They all had a blast. The garland had four leaves on which the kids wrote (or had mom write) things they are thankful for. Man-Man was thankful for Daddy, Mamma, Princess, and Tink. He came up with those on his own! Tink was thankful for her dogs, Daddy, friends, and Princess. Oh, well...I'm sure she'll remember to be thankful for me when she doesn't get supper! haha!

We are so very blessed to have close friends who homeschool. We are able to get together and do lots of parties, field trips, and share ideas with each other. I am so proud to be able to say that I'm homeschooling my children. I know this is the plan God has for us right now. It's not for everyone, but I know he led us here.

Hayride and Family Fun! (mostly!)

The first weekend of this month we took a trip to Montgomery to visit DH's family. This was the first time the extended family got to see Princess. It's a great family tradition to have a hayride around this time of year. We gather together and cook hotdogs around a bonfire, followed by Smores!! The kids ask for this hayride all year!

The trip was a little rocky to begin with. Let's just say that our precious little angel of only 10 weeks does NOT like to ride in the car. She made this very well known to all of us. I think she slept an hour out of the 5 hour ride. The rest of the time she was screaming! I knew she wasn't wet, hungry, hurting....she was just MAD! I remember Tink doing the same thing when she was that age. Of course it bothered us a lot more with the first baby.

The same fussiness took place on the way home as well. We decided to stop in Meredian to take a break. We got her out, took potty breaks, and let her calm down. It was nice to get peace and quiet for a little while. When we got back in the car we found out the car was dead. Man-Man loves to play in the front seat when the car's not on. While Daddy was changing Princess' diaper he decided to turn on the headlights. i.e. dead car!! I tried to go up to a lady who was sitting in her big truck and she wouldn't roll down her window to talk to me. I felt like she thought I was a criminal waiting to rob her. OUCH! Did I really look that bad? Finally a nice, large African American man with a rigged up Bronco and blaring rap music walked quietly over with the beloved jumper cables. What an angel he was! Thank you Lord!

We made it home safely. That's the important thing. But we are not going on any more road trips until Christmas. I pray she's gotten through this stage by then.

I'm uploading some pics of the hayride. We had an awesome time and the kids are still talking about it!

Jill

Happy Halloween!!

Last night was so much fun! I had to have had the three cutest kids on the block. Tink decided to dress up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Man-Man was a fireman and Princess was a pumpkin.

We went to our church for their Harvest Festival. The kids played lots of great games and got lots of candy as well. All of their friends were there so they loved it. This is the fourth year in a row that we've gone to the church and we really enjoy having something safe and wholesome for our kids to do at Halloween.

Princess had a lot of fun walking around on Daddy's shoulders. It was a great night!

Girls Weekend!!

A couple of weeks ago a few of us girls were blessed to go to a wonderful ladies conference, Extraordinary Women. Tania, Amy, Robyn, Corinne, and Tracie were all there. We got to hear from wonderful Christian speakers and authors. Lisa Whelchel (Blair on the Facts of Life) is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to hear her speak. She's a pastor's wife and a homeschooling mom so I feel she has lots of advice to share with me. We also heard a concert from Point of Grace. They're amazing. All of the women at the conference were so uplifting and encouraging. I really needed some girl time. God couldn't have planned that conference at a better time for me. Thank you mom for sending me to the conf. as my birthday present. You're the best! And thank you to my girls for reminding me that I am more than just a milk maid!! haha! I love you all!

Birthday Boy!!!

Man-Man just celebrated his 3rd birthday. He wanted a Hot Wheels party and boy did he get it. Nana made him a cute cake with a racetrack on it. There were about six race cars, whistles, and orange cones on the cake.It was so cute and he was so proud of it.


We decided to have his party at Mazzios Pizza since we're still operating in newborn baby mode at the Kyser house. In other words, the house is not ready for a Kyser birthday party. I loved having the party somewhere else. We just showed up, decorated, and cleaned up our mess. Someone else cooked, served, and finished cleaning. Now that's my kind of party.



His big present was a F-150 truck from his Nana and Pawpaw. They gave Tink a Barbie jeep when she was 2 and Man-Man loves it. Bless his heart, he's been riding in that pink jeep for almost a year. You should have seen his face when they pulled out his truck. He was so excited. Can you believe that thing even has a real radio and cup holders.








My little boy is growing up so fast. I treasure each day, each minute with him (and all of them). I know I'll blink one day and they'll be all grown up. Thank you, Lord, for these wonderful miracles. May they grow daily in their knowledge of YOU.