I borrowed this from some friends of mine that are missionaries in the far east (an amazing couple and you can read more about them here) and I wanted to post his summary of from a few passages from one of my favorite books, Deuteronomy. I'm not that great of a writer so I love when I get to read things from those who are, especially when it just smacks me square in the face!

God says, "When you get the blessing that I have promised you, don't think it's because you are so holy, or so faithful, or so great. Don't forget you've been stubborn and hard-headed ever since we started this relationship. I'm punishing this other group because they have sinned against me, but don't forget: you've sinned against me too."

Deuteronomy 9:2-7

Some tidbits from Jackson's bday party

I was tired and didn't really put a lot of things about Jackson's bday party that were really funny.

Jackson has a little friend named Olivia, that is exactly 1 month younger than him. She is super cute, a little un-coordinated but loves to wrestle and can actually take Jackson down most times, but most importantly she just loves Jackson. We had to invite her to the party because her mama bribes her to go to sleep on school nights with the promise of getting to see "JT" at school the next morning....how adorable is that? So anyway, since she's a girl she was only allowed to stay for the food and pie part of the party, "no overnights with little girls even at this age", says daddy....no exceptions! ha! ha! So since Jackson is 3 and could care less about girls, it was no skin of his back that Olivia didn't stay, but when she was leaving she wanted to give JT a hug goodbye. Course being a girl myself, I could understand wanting to just get a little squeeze from the handsome blue-eyed Kinley guy in my life, so I told Jackson (while he was outside setting up his tent with daddy) to please give Olivia a hug goodbye. He stood there for a second staring at her, and then very politely said, "I can't give her a hug cause I'm a man and man's don't hug girls." She was so sad and I felt so sorry for her.....little toot! I should mention though, that the next day when he was playing with the super cool toy that she got him (it requires you to build it before you drive it....perfect for a "man") he said to me "I like Olivia for getting me this cool toy, mommy". Reminds me of when I stepped up a notch in T-rav's book for buying him a gun for our anniversary one year.

Sweet Olivia

Olivia chasing after JT all night long. Notice how he's keeping up with his Bro and ditching the cutie.....T-rav says that will change in about 10 years

Jackson denying Olivia her embrace. You can see Michael on the right with a huge smile on his face as he listens to Jackson's explanation. As a dad of 2 boys he can relate, I guess.

There was also a delay in getting to sing Happy Birthday to Jackson because T-rav needed more firewood and decided to cut up a few large tree branches that we had piled up. So how do you do it to impress 4 pre-school boys? Well you do it shiney-white-trash style. Get the 4-wheeler lights blasting on high on the pile, get your chain saw fired up and get the little guys stand back in awe as you let the power tools do the rest. I wasn't over there to see their faces, but T-rav said they were stoked and that "they showed up here as 3 and 4 year olds, but when home as men." Nice, real nice honey.

Happy Halloween!

My. Boys. Were. Adorable. Course I'm a little bias because they are mine and I know every mom thinks that. But before I show you what they were for Halloween I have to show you a few other cute pics.

Jackson super excited about going to see some Friday Night Lights AKA High school football. Daddy took him to see the Aledo Bearcats play on Friday night. He was stoked and told everyone that we ran into at Costco that day that "my daddy is taking me to a football game tonight cause I'm a big boy" Conveniently for mommy, Gramie's new shirt for Jackson had just showed up that morning and it was the same colors as the Bearcats....score!

He looks so big in this pic. As he was walking away with his swagger, I thought to myself "he looks like he's 13"

Calvin is just usually a very happy kid...always has a just-glad-to-be-here kind of attitude. Here's a few shots of Calvin just being Calvin......

Calvin chewing on his thumb

eating his foot

chewing on his bottom lip like an old man

squealing like a girl.....Jackson actually was the 1st one to say that, I'm sure he learned it from daddy when he would tell Jackson "stop screaming like a girl". It's kind of funny to hear him clown on his baby brother so early.

Just sitting, watching the action

Alas.....here, finally, are our Halloween pics

That's right, mommy and daddy rolled the dice in procreation and got doubles!!! 2 BOYS!!! I get 1, I tell you ONE, good idea a year and this was it! The only thing I wish I would have done differently when I made Jackson's costume was that I would have cut the entire top off and attached some string for him to wear it over his shoulders that way his arms would have been free. By the way, T-rav was running a high fever and had just taken a break from vomiting so I could get a picture. Poor guy, he is so sick today :-(

Since T-rav was horribly sick with a stomach bug I got the boys out of the house, and germs, into the fresh air at the Truck-or-treat fun at our church. This is Miss Maddie as a LSU cheerleader.....poor girl, she doesn't even have a choice. (Take that, Horton's)

Jackson trying to play a game at the festival, he lack of arm motion made it a little hard.

So we ditched the box and got on with the fun

Hey, it's Mator!!! The Davis' are very cleaver folks...ALMOST as cleaver as me...ha! ha!

Calvin hanging in the stroller, just being Calvin....chewing on his tongue this time

My old neighbor, Laura....miss her a ton by the way....brought Calvin this wolf when she met us up there. He was so excited

awww, it made her heart melt that he liked it so much. He's such a charmer already!

October? What October?

I only a have few things to post and then I'll let the pictures do the talking...those are usually so much better than my ramblings anyway.

Calvin had his 6 month check up way back at the beginning of the month....too many shots if you ask me, which were too numerous to count, but as a good friend of mine kindly pointed out "meningitis will just say, 'oh your not 5 yet? ok, I'll come back when your older and can fight me off a little better'". GUILT, mommy guilt is why I let those nurses stab my baby over and over with those needles.

So at his check up the Dr said he has very strong legs and you could tell that he was very interested in being up and running around with big brother....I'm undecided if I want to let him be a early walker. That's right, I said "let" cause mama can keep him down if she wants to..ha! ha! So the big stats were: He weighed 17lbs 3 oz and was 27.5" long.

We also had Jackson's 3 yr old check up and he weighed 33 lbs and is 3 ft tall. Did y'all know he turned 3 on the 3rd this year too....I thought it was odd that he was all 3's for his 3 year check up.

This picture is over a month old, but don't they look cute in their matching outfits. Jackson loves trying to hold Calvin, and as you can see Calvin LOVES his big brother.

My friend Kari made this shirts for the boys....so cute!

For daddy's birthday we made him some cupcakes and a cake. The "red" frosting didn't turn out so red, but daddy was still proud of Jackson and his cake making skills.

Ahhhh, His mercies are new every morning

He has the biggest grin and he squeals like a girl when he laughs.

Opening the 1st of many bday presents. His 3rd birthday was like Hanukkah.

This card plays a song from the movie. Jackson LOVED it and was a little surprised when we first opened it.

Playing with his new kabob grill set from Grammie and Papa. Calvin sitting on Grammie's lap, just hanging out

Wrestling....that's what Jackson loves to do. He's so gentle with Calvin, though, and I'm so proud of him and what a great big brother he is

Uh, oh! looks like Calvin his getting a few jabs in already. This pic is hilarious!

At the zoo checking out the new reptile exhibit. Check out that gator

Calvin's first ride on the carousel at the zoo with his Great Aunt Leta (Travis's Aunt came for a visit with Gramie back in September)

This face is so funny. Riding with Gramie on the carousel

Proof that yes he does sleep in his crib...well not all the time, but we'll get there.

see, no need to break the swing habit, he did it all by himself....stinker. Look at that little smile, he has no fear!

My little work-a-holic. Loves helping daddy or mommy do anything work related. I paid him a nickel for every window that he helped me with, which kind of back fired because he was throwing a fit to wash all the windows outside so he could earn more money and Mommy only wanted to clean the sunroom windows.

I could just eat him!

Boppo and Meme came for a visit too in October.

Love dressing them the same....Here's Meme with the boys in their matching PJ's

Swimming with Meme

Sleeping through Jackson's 3rd bday party

We had a few friends with their daddy's campout with Jackson and Travis in the backyard. It was FUN FUN FUN and going to be a yearly event for sure!

The buddies and their daddies. We got the friends some hats with lights to clip on them so they could see in the dark. It was more of a homing device so the dad's could take a head count, but they didn't know that.

Jackson wanted a pumpkin pie instead of a cake....mmm, Costco pumpkin pie is mommy's fav!

I was so proud of Jackson for letting his friend help him open his presents. He even suggested it on his own after Benjamin's mommy tried holding him back. I have the cutest video of it, but since I have no patience uploading video, ya'll unfortunately won't ever get to see it :-(

The dad's after the smore's debacle

The Meador's hanging by the fire, while their tent in the back was being invaded by Jackson and Benjamin.

Picking out their favorites from the homemade chex mix Miss Brenda made.

We got some heavy rain last weekend and Jackson wanted to go play in it. Getting suited up with daddy's help. Within in 5 mins T-rav was out there with him, I think he thought it looked fun too

This one is a keeper!

Later after getting dried off, we did the pumpkin carving

Not wanting his picture taken with the pumpkin

Watching a football game over at Miss Georgie's house. He was amazed by the big screen tv

Jackson playing with Austin....they played so well together that afternoon that we only had to go check on them once in a great while. It. Was. Fantastic

Calvin crawling backwards for everyone to see

The greatest ever babysitter that came to watch Austin while his mommy and daddy went to the game. Our boys loved her too, till we had to go home :-(

Trying out brother's "car"

Mr Intenso....he was beating the side of this with such a serious face....not sure if it made him mad or what?

I've decided that my cookbook shelf was not a great idea after all....at least not during the next year or so

After I told him "Calvin, no sir" He turns and looks at me with this "what's your problem, mom?" smirk. Good think he's so cute!

Awwwww

That's all folks!