Day 1, 2014, Christmas Mission get a tree and decorate it. The Elves brought their own.  But FIRST the kids had to help clean the house to get everything ready for the tree.

Day 2, 2014, Elves fixed morning toothbrushes and reminded everyone to brush their teeth.

Day 4, 2014, The Christmas mission was to assemble and decorate the gingerbread house.  Our first time to make one.

Day 5, 2014, The elves made swings and hung them from the curtain rod.

Day 15, 2014, The Elves all loaded up for a ride on Rudolph.  He insisted he was not taking them back to the North Pole tonight.

Day 14, 2014, The Elves got rid of some stinky diapers.  Mistletoe and Jingle are glad that they aren't Rebecca's elves.

Day 16, 2014, The Elves were making hot chocolate for themselves. After supper they scooted out of the way and had set out several cups for the kids to make their own.

Day 17, 2014, The elves made a sled out of a Hershey bar and some candy canes and asked the little reindeer to pull it they all took turns.

Day 18, 2014, The elves posed for a photo shoot tonight, and then added their group picture to the wall of family pictures.  But they had to stay at the North Pole since Rebecca touched them too many times the day before.

Day 19, 2014, The Elves decided to dress up like superheroes, just like the kids do.  This was a huge hit, and so much fun to do.

Day 20, 2014, The elves left a game day mission, so we all enjoyed a game of Yahtzee tonight.

Day 21, 2014, Since we were going to Church today, the elves decided they could risk hanging out lower.  The elves left a Christmas mission of going to look for Christmas lights tonight.

Day 23, 2014, The elves were eager to try out the gingerbread house, and the kids helped them eat it.

Day 24, The Elves arranged a Christmas Eve, movie day.

The last movie of the night, the kids and elves watched enjoyed their movie and said good bye.  Since Santa was going to pick them up when he filled their stockings, it was ok to touch the elves.

This is my new invention, of a new kind of weapon.  The red part shoots the arrows and fire, together at the same time with hot lava.  There are five invisible buttons around it to let you fire different things at different times or fire all the things at the same time.  But you can only see the buttons if you are holding it.  One even shoots stinky smells.  The paper part at the bottom holds rocket boasters at the very bottom.  If you hold on tight they are strong enough to rocket boast you.  There are controls down there for stirring it.  You can hold the weapon with the brown pole.  The plate holds up the shooter part, and the tape is the stabilizer, it keeps it from falling off when you are fighting. And this is how you shoot it at bad guys.

We were able to travel down for Little Union's November Meeting last week.  It was a very blessed meeting.  We do love to visit family, but we very often try to schedule trips when there are going to be meetings, because the one thing we love even more than our natural family is our spiritual family, and to be fed by well studied, God-fearing ministers.  This year Little Union had Bro. Philip Conley and Bro. David Montgomery, two ministers that we enjoy and have often heard the Lord bless.  It is always good to go back home, and it is wonderful to see Little Union and Bro. Chris Crouse.


Thursday Night
First Bro. Philip preached from Matt 11:11 and Luke 7:28-30 on why John the Baptist was both the greatest and the least. As he was the greatest of the prophets because he actual saw and testified and baptized Christ. And yet we have more than he because we have a fully picture than they did, of the work of Christ. What he has done, is doing and will do. We have "seen" the Resurrection through the testimony of many witnesses. We are the closest to his return than any time in history. And finally unlike John the Baptist we had the privilege of being baptized. There is great comfort and blessings that we get that you don't get otherwise, a gift of the Holy Ghost.

Bro. David Montgomery followed him preaching from Luke 11:27-32 on how the BEST thing we can do is hear and do. He used the example of Matthew 11:12 where the violent take the kingdom by force, or those who seize on it, who go and get it, get the blessing. He told us that the Queen of Sheba and the men of Nineveh didn't need a sign to do what they should and neither should we. There is a blessing in hearing, but a greater blessing in doing. We don't need a sign from God telling us to do, what he has already laid out in his word to do - whether that is being baptized, repenting and adjusting our walk, or following Christ faithfully no matter our circumstances until the end.
Have you ever heard 104 people lift their voices up in praise to their Savior, their God? (I counted that many as services were ending, there were probably around 125 or so.) I am typically not an outwardly emotional person during services, but last night when we sang "As Thirst the Hart" and "Show Pity Lord" I had tears. And that was only the beginning.

Bro. David preached first on the subject of Communion. He painted this very vivid picture of that first Passover, as they are in haste, surrounded by death. And while they were given detailed instructions which the Lord expected them to obey, he didn't look at their works as he passed over, but for the blood applied. The blood was to be a token or picture, the experience was to be remembered as a memorial, and it was ordained that they should continue to keep this ordinance. Today we continue to observe the Passover everything we take part in the communion. The wine and bread are the tokens of the blood applied to us, of the death that surrounded us of the suffering Christ endured to save us from that everlasting spiritual death. We are to ever remember that sacrificial death as a memorial. And we will keep that ordinance till he comes. He saved us, now let us act like it.

Bro. Philip preached a powerful sermon on Christ as the suffering servant. In Psalm 40 it tells us that his ear was pierced, laid open. Exodus 21 explains what that means. At the end of his 6 years of service a Hebrew servant would go free, but if he said that he loved the wife he had been given and he loved his children and would not go, then they would bore through his ear, and he would be the servant of his master forever. We are often pictured as both the children of God and the bride of Christ and He loved us so much that while would have been just to leave us to Hell, which we richly deserve, that He said I love my wife and I love my children. He was determined to bear the burden as long as necessary to have His wife and children with Him. He endured the cross, He was laid open for us, He bore the burden of our sins, and was forsaken of God, until the price was paid, all so that we would never be alone. If we ever feel alone it is because sometimes the darkness of the world crowds in, so we should hide His word in our hearts, reach out and cling to Him, and walk following Him.

We had our first snow flurries the first Sunday of this month as we were headed to church, but they were teeny tiny things, and didn't even stick to the cars.  Today we were finishing up school, when Britt looked out the window and yelled, "It's snowing!"  And it was great big flakes.  We haven't yet gotten snow boots to fit the two oldest, and I haven't unpacked their snowsuits, so we threw on whatever shoes they could fine, and their light outside coats, that were still by the back door.  I managed to get Rebecca into a heavier coat and snow boots from Sis. Kimberly's girls.  And we hit the door running, before it quit. I thought I'd share them while I update you on Little Bit.


She is an amazingly feisty and independent child.  I can't always decide if I think that because she seems too young to be, since she's not very talkative, or if she really is just that much of a spitfire.  She is more like me in personality than even Britt was.  As apt to tell you no, just because, and a temper.  Despite not being vocal (with the obvious exception of the word no), she is very expressive.  She has the funniest little faces and imitates all sorts of things.  She'll tilt her head up and purse up her lips or she'll turn her head down and sling her hair around while looking up at you.  She dances to anything, but like her brother is especially partial to Bluegrass, and apparently the Zac Brown Band.


I've not done alot about her attitude, because I constantly feel like she's too little, but I also have to remind myself that she's not about to turn one, but nearing two, and while she doesn't talk she does completely understand me.  It's been a real battle of the wills lately as I have been putting my foot down on several things lately, not sure who is winning that, I'll have to get back with you.  She uses the words No, Momma, and uh-oh regularly.  She will wave and sometimes say "hiiiiiiiii" and sometimes she will wave and say "byyyyyyyeeeeeee" but it's usually after whoever is actually gone.  We've added some baby signing to help make things clearer, she will sometimes use please, thank you, cup, more, and hungry.  She has also developed her own sign for a diaper change.  She walks up to you, and when she is sure she has your attention, she reaches down and pats on it.  Then if you ask if that's what she needs she will nod and run go get a diaper.


In ways she remains so much of a mystery so VERY different from her siblings.  It's obvious that she is in deep thought at times (whatever that could possibly be at this age).  She shows no interest in real communication.  She is incredibly independent running and climbing everything without help, undressing herself completely and changing her pants herself (she actually tried to change her own diaper this morning).  Loves to look at books, but gets offended if I touch them or read them aloud.  Not wild about almost any toys, but drags my broom all over the house.  I tell you, parenting never gets old, their world is one of constant discoveries and conundrums.

This weekend we went to Memaw and Mister's house.  I played there.  I eat there.  I saw Lilli, Mister, Memaw, Brystal, Julia, Uncle James, Aunt Heather, and more people.  Us go to Church at Little Union.  And we played in a little room with stuffed animals and a bathroom in it.  I didn't like it, cause I don't like going to Church when it is not Sunday.  I liked playing with my friends when us was singing.
















Me love you, Memaw! And me miss you Lilli. I'm so excited for you to come here and see me. I thought they would stay here all the way until it snowing.  Me will play with them in the snow. Me will go to McDonald's with them, but me won't go without my money.  They will go to family night, that is perfect.  They will be here in 8 more days.




To get ready, us picking up.  Me gonna listen to Momma cause that's gonna be good.  And do what Momma says to do.  Us gonna decorate for Thanksgiving and Family Night.  We have our scarecrows and stuff on the doors.  We have suncatchers on the windows.  Us have lights and leaves on the table.  And we have been raking leaves.  Memaw and Mister and Momma and Daddy and Lilli will all jump in leaves with us, because me sure it is a big enough pile.

I got my library card on Wednesday.  I went to the library and said please.  I had to tell her how old I was, and when was my birthday, and my whole name.  Then I got to pick my library card, and I picked orange.  Then she gave me a library bag, I picked red because there was no orange, so I picked red instead.  I also got a library card for a key lock, and Momma put it somewhere, because I don't have any key locks or keys.  Next I got to pick level 1 learning to read books.  I picked three.  One was about Goofy and he played baseball, but he used the wrong side of his bat.  So Donald put his hand on his head.  Then there was a Christmas Thomas the Train and Percy the green one.  And last was a fire truck one.


I got to have a library card, because I finished my first learning how to read book.  I am adding letters (blending) and starting to read.  I know how read Sam, ham, am, at, hat, bat, mat, and cat.  I wrote my first sentence on Reading Eggs, then I wrote it on paper in the car, "I am a cat." I don't like to spell the words to Momma because I don't every day remember how to spell the things.  At the end of the sentence you put a dot called a period.  I am this much excited, because it means I can check out my own books, any ones I want.

10-24-2014, Today is a beautiful fall day.

It's that time of year Halloween.  My kids LOVE the holiday, I didn't know that it could be celebrated and anxiously awaited for an entire month until this year with the kids, but apparently it can.  Two years ago, I saw a cute yard decoration, tomato cages upside down, wrapped with Christmas lights covered in a sheet!  So cute, so I made them, knowing the kids would be tickled with them.  In fact I decorated then, and again this year for fall.  I sprinkle fake leaves around on the dining room table on my gold table cloth.  I hung a wreath on my very red door that my cousin graciously made for me.  I even decorate the porch with pumpkins, gourds, and winter squash, and apparently this year with corn that Britt collected in a corn maze.

10-19-2014, Pumpkin Patch!

The kids are anxiously awaiting the night where they get to dress up in their costumes and go out trick or treating.  They will learn some important civics skills, that continually need to be reinforced, like saying "Thank you!" and navigating crowds without running rudely over people, and how to look people in the eye and speak with them.  They'll learn some safety skills, no running in the dark, no walking in roads, no going in houses, no eating candy till Momma and Daddy goes through it with you.  The will learn some health lessons, eating way too much candy will make you crazy and sick.  But most of all they will have alot of fun pretending and eating candy.

10-23-2014, Queen Elsa and Commander Britt

10-23-2014, Batgirl

I'll leave the fall decorations up till Thanksgiving, or until the pumpkins need to be chunked in the woods.  Then I'll pull out the Christmas decorations.  We'll go to a Christmas tree farm, and pick out a tree, since I've still not convinced Gary to let me go and buy a fake tree.  (I even told him we could have two, but he didn't want to buy that either.  That man would make Scrooge proud.)    We'll take whatever scrap limbs we can and I'll decorate the table, and maybe other places.  I'll pull out the garlands and wrap the banister and outside the front door.  I'll hang a wreath that Gary picked out (that is hideous, I'm so going to get my cousin to make a new one for me SOON!) and I'll hang some stockings.  We'll even have some elves show up again this year.

10-14-2012, Me and Ruth carving her very first pumpkin.

10-14-2012, The finished product a cat in a boot.

Over the cold and miserable month of December in Yankee land, the twinkling lights buoy my spirits.  It's a cold and gloomy time of month, and the soft lights just feel SO happy.  I love the smell of evergreens in the house, when everything outside appears dead.  I love the habit of baking and eating and sharing with friends and family (I should do more of that year round).  I love the diversion from our usual routine, as we try extra hard to make things special and memorable for each other.  I even enjoy picking out and giving special gifts, despite the fact that we are seriously reigning that in this year to work on gratitude and appreciation with the kids.

11-21-2011, One of my favorite Christmas pictures ever, at my parents in Alabama.

Despite being adamant that we weren't doing Santa Claus, we had a BALL doing Christmas Elves last year.  My creative self, just loved coming up with fun games they could play and the kids loved the adventure of looking for them each morning.  Thinking outside the box and having fun together was great, and it had the added bonus that their behavior improved.

This might have been my favorite elf prank from last year.

Now, incase those descriptions weren't plan enough, we aren't devil worshipers.  I am a big believer in judging people by their actual motives and their own affirmed belief system.  We choose to observe Halloween, because it's a fun excuse to dress up (and if I could have convinced Gary to let me buy the Merida dress I saw online, I'd be dressing up too).  I mean they do it year round, it's just the one time of year that Momma will let them go out in public like that.  It's also a fabulous way to get chocolate.  It is vaguely interesting to me that long ago the Celt worshiped Sanheim with the practice of sacrifices and other evil practices.  Mostly in a detached anthropology-historical sort of way, but also in a that is so sad that they thought those were real Gods, and that would make anyone happy.  I love the way a carved pumpkin looks artistic and all lit up.  One of these days, maybe even this year, I'm going to make a really cool one from scratch.  I don't really believe in some guy named Jack who struck a deal with the devil who then roamed around after death as a lost soul because he was too rotten for heaven and hell didn't want him.  So he took an ember from hell and put it in his stolen half eaten turnip for light.  By that extension, I'm not claiming any religious significance for Halloween either.  I know some folks, pray for the dead, or remember the dead at this time of year.  We don't, in our paradigm, the Lord's people, all of the saints departed are in heaven, and everyone else isn't.  They don't need my prayers, they are on cloud nine so to speak.  We do Halloween because it's good, clean fun for the kids.

12-25-2013, The kids were overjoyed to have Daddy all to themselves to play with Christmas morning.

Likewise when it comes to Christmas, we aren't worshiping Satan or a dead tree.  I know of course that Jesus wasn't born in the dead of winter, most likely he was born in the fall, perhaps even according to some friends during Succorat.  And I know the Catholics most likely picked that time to celebrate the birth of Christ because it coincided with various pagan rites at the winter solstice.  However, for whatever reason, that is the day that we chose to remember that Christ came to this earth and assumed a human body.  For that reason, I enjoy reading to the kids the account in Luke. I enjoy using a set of Advent ornaments I found to relate some of the stories of the Bible, even though we don't celebrate Advent as Primitive Baptist.

4-19-2014, Learning about colors and dye, and having fun creating and mixing colors.

 And while we are at it, just to knock out all the big controversial holidays in one blog post.  We celebrate Easter, because on Sunday Christ rose from the grave.  At Old Carroll we even have Communion on Easter Sunday, a fitting practice, since Christ was our literal Passover, and Communion was what he established as one of two Church ordinances from the very Passover table.  While we remember His resurrection and thus his triumph over sin every single Sunday, this yearly remembrance is even more sombering when we dwell on what all he went through. Sure afterward we have an egg hunt.  Because it gives us an excuse to color (again the creative thing) and then eat hard boiled eggs, yummy.  And it gives the kids the fun of a game, no different than any scavenger hunt the rest of the year.

4-20-2014, Hours after church, an egg hunt with friends.

The truth is that it doesn't matter to me why others celebrate or observe certain days.  It certainly doesn't matter to me what people LONG dead once thought.  All that matters to me is that we do nothing immoral or dishonoring to God.  I believe there are evil spiritual thing out there, or the Lord wouldn't have told us not to mess with them, but I'm hardly engaging in such practices by going trick or treating.  We are told not to worship idols, but I hardly think having a piece of furniture, a decoration like a Christmas tree means I must worship it.  Sure I get down under it to straighten the skirt, lay out gifts, and fetch them out, but I also get on my knees to reach the cleaners under the sink and fetch toys out from under the bed.  And while the word Easter is a pagan word also it doesn't change what my Lord did that day.

4-20-2014, Easter morning about to leave for Church.

Now, it doesn't bother me in the least if you don't wish to celebrate these days.  If the history bothers you that much, or if you feel that convinced, no one is forcing you too.  That's the beauty of America we still have that freedom.  It's also the beauty of our Christian liberty that on these non essentials we can follow our conscience.  I will never try to force my view on you, that you participate in something against your conscience, but I would ask that you try to understand that I'm not convicted that there is anything wrong with the customary fun around these holidays.