The Third Time was the Charm

Finally, our trip to the local Pumpkin Patch worked! First Try: October 1st...my buddy Rachelle was in town and it seemed like a fun outing...it was the first day they were open...great, right? Nope...there was no one else there, but no wonder, it was 95 degrees and we would have needed sunscreen if we had stayed a moment longer! Second Try: A beautiful Saturday Morning a few weeks back! Apparently everyone else thought it was a beautiful day too! We drove in and couldn't even find parking it was so packed out! Try explaining that to 3yr old Lily who was more than excited to do the hayride, bounce houses, hay mazes, etc! She handled it extremely well...only a few tears! Third attempt: Have your husband take a personal day from work and go in the middle of the week! It worked, the third time was the charm...beautiful weather and not too many people! It was a great day!

Lily "holding" Jade...is it just me or does my 3 month old look nearly as big as my 3 year old?!?

This girl can sleep ANYWHERE! Our little...uh, let's make that BIG, pumpkin!

Kerry and Lily atop the hay mound!

It was crazy!!

Well, we decided to go to the state fair...on Columbus Day of all days...we thought it would be good since Jerry was off that day...along with everyone else...be it banker, postal worker, or teacher/student of the 26 other districts that were also off we later learned! Jerry's parents had taken Lily for the weekend, so we decided to meet them there to pick her up and hang out at the fair together. They are early birds so thankfully we met them there around 9:30 or it would have even been more miserable!! The first two hours were fun...Lily did two of the cutest activities! Little Hands on the Farm was an adorable exhibit where she was able to go through the entire farming process...planting, watering, harvesting, and even selling at the market! It was fun for the parents too! Our friends Matt and Amy tipped us off on another fun event... the Pee Wee Stampede! The first 30 kids in line between the ages 3 and 6 get to participate in a stick horse rodeo...Lily was a steer wrestler...she wrestled her steer (a bale of hay w/a steer head on it) with no problem. After that it got so busy that we had to leave...we even left without getting a corn dog...you know the line had to be long to miss out on that!

Sweet Potato Festival Slide Show

25th Annual Sweet Potato Festival

Blink and you'll miss it....Golden, TX...population 156...home of the Golden Sweet Potato Festival...and the town where my sweet father-in-law, Jerry Gibson, grew up. This East Texas town can put on quite a festival...complete with a huge parade, crafts, games, an auction, and sweet potatoes in more forms than I knew possible...fries, pies, chips, etc. They also have a cattle barn...it was classic hearing Jerry describe to Lily "the cow beauty contest" as the Ag students paraded their heifers around the arena. We've been going to it for years, but the past 3, it seems like it has been a bigger event...probably due to the Golden Sweet Potato being featured on one of Oprah's Favorite Thing shows...see more here . Anyway, it was a great day...such a sweet time seeing my father-in-law completely in his element...small town Texas....running into so many people he has known over the years, showing off his grandbabies, etc. Almost makes me want to give up big city life....just for a moment...then I realize the nearest Target and Starbucks is an hour away! I think we'll just plan a visit when we need our fill of small town life!

Just Us Gibsons

Well, now that we are blogging, let me give a quick update on our family for those we haven't touched base with in a while.

• Jerry and I celebrated 8 years of marriage this past July...and I can honestly say it has gotten better each year!


• In those 8 years we have moved SIX times...yes, we are crazy....but we are good packers and always manage to keep our closets clean! Our most recent move was in June of 2006 and there are currently no moving plans in the works!


• Career wise, neither Jerry nor I are doing what we studied...notice I didn't say we aren't using it, just not doing it! Jerry's degree is from Dallas Baptist University in Biblical Studies, and mine from University of North Texas in Education. Jerry did work for five years at our previous church, Park Cities Presbyterian, as the Director of World Missions. It was an amazing job and an amazing time of ministry and world travel, but he has recently changed career paths to another form of "ministry"..education. He is a little more than a third of the way done with his masters degree and plans to be a public school administrator...currently though, he teaches junior high US History...I'll try not to post too many of the crazy stories he comes home with. I did teach for a few years in inner city Dallas, but am currently working for a Dallas food distributor...part time and from home! Yes, it is an awesome combination that I am really thankful for!


• Family wise...we have been blessed with two beautiful daughters...Lily Grace in September of 2004 and Jade Amelia just this past July! I am sure that a lot of this blog will be dedicated to them and all of the stories that come to be just by living with them! They have been the most amazing gifts from God..also the most challenging at times...but hey, growth is good, right!?!


• We are being fed the Word of God in amazing ways at The Village Church! That is the best gift our most recent move brought us!

Stay tuned for more current news and pictures of the family...once I figure out how to do that!!!

Okay, Okay, I'm In!!

Well, the time has come...here are my top ten reasons to start blogging! I am starting my blog with a top ten list......am I a dork or what?!?

10. So you will be able to witness my dorkiness on a regular basis!
9. I have such a bad memory...maybe blogging will be the way I keep the family history straight! (Kelly and Jerry will appreciate this!)
8. This seems easier to me than MySpace.
7. My friend's blogs are too fun to resist.
6. My girls...this will keep me from sending mass emails with all their cute pictures!
5. So my feelings won't be hurt when you don't reply telling me how cute their pictures are!
4. Where else can I put those random thoughts that come to me at 3AM?
3. I'm a mom...I need a place to whine, celebrate, complain, brag, discuss, question...and everything else that comes with the territory!
2. Because even though Jerry will complain about it, I KNOW he will secretly read it!
1. YOU! You are actually here reading it!