Mommy's Favorite Blue Jeans...

Daddy,
Can you please tell Mommy to put her camera away!! She is on a "practicing" kick and every time I turn around, climb up on something, or do anything cute she is pointing that thing in my face!! Today she put her FAVORITE jeans on me - faded ones with big holes in the knees, brought me outside in the cold, and starting clicking away again.

I tried to run away as quickly as I could, but she is bigger and faster than I am and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get away!!

I did my best to keep her from getting any nice pictures of me by making the sun shine in my face or by falling into the wet grass, but she doesn't give up that easily!! I'm not sure what else to do. If only my older brothers could help me out, they seemed to have mastered this camera problem quite nicely.

Daddy? Are you out there? Please help me!!

Nuts, Nuts, Nuts!!!

This past weekend a group from church got together for a Turkey Fry...and some good ole Southern Thanksgiving food...Sweet Potato Casserole and Pecan pie were just a couple of the items on the menu!! We were about 30 miles out of town in beautiful area. The couple who hosted the party happened to have several large Pecan Trees on their property - they almost look like a big Oak Tree. Bags were out and we were told we could pick as many pecans as we wanted from these 100 plus year old trees.

I was very excited since several of my Christmas recipes call for pecans, but they are almost $6.00 a pound. So I picked a bunch...so many that I'm not sure we will be able to crack them all. Justin has started working on them!! Would you care to join me in making some tasty pecan treats?? Here is a very simple and easy recipes for Spiced Pecans from my friend Jodie...

2 C Pecan Halves
1/4 C Butter
1/4 C Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Ground cloves

In a skillet over low heat, toast pecans in butter for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring often. Drain on paper towels. In a bowl, combine the sugar and spices. Add pecans and toss to coat. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Our Three Handsome Boys...

On our way to church this morning...

Thanksgiving Feast...

This morning the boys' preschool had a small Thanksgiving Feast and Program. Each of the classes were dressed up as either a Pilgrim, Native American, or Turkey. The sang songs, recited poems, and then sat down to their own Thanksgiving Feast...turkey lunch meat, corn, corn bread, and applesauce.

Zach was a Native American ("The Indian Class") They, along with the pilgrims, and the turkeys marched around the tables singing pow-wow songs.

The assignment for their class was to each come up with a name - it was supposed to be "an adjective/adverb and their favorite animal." I'm not sure if in Montana, Wyoming, or the Dakotas that all of this marching, pow-wowing, and making up Native American names would be politically correct. Although the Native Americans were very much a part of Thanksgiving's historical roots.

Seth was a turkey and seemed to really be enjoying his feathers and beak.

After all of the festivities, this little turkey is VERY hungry!!

This was really my first experience with the kids being in any sort of program. From the moment the kids walked in I was teary eyed and had a lump in my throat. I'm not sure that feeling will ever go away, even when I've watched many. They performed their little hearts out and it was so fun to see how proud they were of what they had done and what they had learned! I'm sure we will be hearing "Little indian boy...Little indian girl..." around the house for quite some time!!

Game Night...

Most nights around here turn into a "game night." Games fit perfectly into that hour or so after dinner when there is nothing to do and it's to early for bed! The variety ranges from Candy Land to Go Fish to Old Maid to Scrabble.

This particular evening it happened to be the Junior Scrabble game that we scored at the neighbors garage sale!

Zach is especially LOVES games, that is if he's winning!! As soon as he realizes that he isn't going to win he is somehow either able to talk himself out losing or able to make losing seem really "cool" and something that everyone should do. This night he and I were on a team against Seth and Daddy. We were losing right off the bat and by the end of the game he managed to talk Justin and Seth into all being on one big team so that nobody lost.

Seth is getting better at playing games. For only being 3 1/2 he does quite really great, but he has no concept of being secretive. What's in his hand whether the Old Maid, or coveted letter is no secret to any of his competitors.

I'm sure someday our boys will decide that games at home with Mom and Dad are not cool at all, but until then we will take advantage of it and enjoy it!!

A Day Hike...

This weekend we headed north to Oak Mountain State Park. We only spent the day there, and were able to head out on a little hike! Hiking with these kiddos isn't easy, or necessarily fun, but the scenery was amazing.

The hike started off fun...they boys were excited...and happy to be enjoying God's beautiful creation, the changing leaves, and the wildlife around us!

Within about a minute, Zach started whining and fussing about being tired, cold, and hungry. He did take a quick break from the complaining to make funny faces for the camera.









In turn he was supposed to also "smile nicely!"






Seth is our little goof ball! He really keeps us not only laughing but constantly on our toes. The light in his eyes just means there is a lot of mischief being thought about inside!!

He had to follow suit and make several funny faces as well! He is quite the talent with both his eyes and his tongue. One of these days he may put them together for quite a show!!

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and by the looks of this picture the boys had a great time!!!

Answered Prayer!!

If you need something to show you that God still answers prayer...or something to show you that we have faith in a God who is so powerful and still moves mountains...then you have to read this. I have to share, because ever since I heard the news, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it!

Here are Emily's words from an email she sent just a few weeks ago...

"As many of you know, we are currently in the process of adopting a little boy from China, Xu Zheng Liang (soon to be Benjamin James). As many of you may also be aware of the melamine poisoning issue of infants' formula in China.This poison was used in formula to falsely increase the amount of protein so that the company could sell more. What it does is create kidney stones,failure, etc. Ben's orphanage, as did many others, used this formula (of course not knowing the poison issue) We were just notified by our agancy today that Ben underwent kidney ultrasounds last week and his right kidney is severely diseased, and his left is somewhat normal. I took this info to our Dr. who specializes is Chinese adoption. To make this short, we need to get him home ASAP (within the month) in order for him to survive (if the medical info is accurate). We have huge mountains in our way: 1. Immigration: we have yet to receive our 797C-- we need our Senator to do his thing and get our form NOW please pray that this happens. 2. We need China to do their part, which our agency is helping with. That they will beyond expedite this case. 3. That God will keep Ben going through this. 4. That we can travel as soon as next week. Please pray for us and Benjamin- we view him as our son, and God put him in our path for a reason. Without our intervention, he will not survive."

It was such a blessing to see pictures of her and her husband with this little boy in their arms!!

A Balancing Act!

This Saturday we headed to the zoo with some friends. It was an absolutely beautiful Fall day here in Alabama. The leaves are just starting to change...there is a chill in the air...and the overall feeling of Fall...and I love it!!


These little stepping logs surround the zoo playground. Zach loves to balance on things, so he went around and around and was beaming each time he made it around without loosing his balance. The picture isn't perfect, over exposed, a little bit blurry, and didn't really capture the color I could see with my eyes...but I love it! I does capture a feeling. I love the sun shining through the trees...I love seeing Zach in mid step...and I love how it almost feels quiet despite the laughter and chatter of many other children and parents enjoying the same area.

Children's Project Hanger...

If you were to be a guest in our home (you are invited anytime), you would probably notice something...there is NOTHING hanging on the walls...no decorations of any kind. We agreed when we moved here that we would save our time unpacking, measuring, nailing...and then spackling/patching holes; and save it for our next home. It just seemed unnecessary to go to all that work for just a short time. I do have our favorite pictures of the boys up on our fireplace mantel, and a few framed pictures in other places, but that's it!

Last week, I fudged a little bit on this agreement. I really needed some place to hang up some of the kids' projects that they were bringing home from both school and church. A friend of mine had this nifty little idea, and I loved it! So now when you come to visit you still won't see any fancy decor; but our hallway looks SMASHING with some of the best artwork you can find!!

What you need:

- Some space

- Twine or thin rope

- Large push pins

- Clothes pins

- Kids who love to bring home and display projects!

Conversation with a Five Year Old...

We haven't mentioned much to the boys about our moving again in the next 8 months. They have finally started to settle here; and Zach has finally stopped asking to "go home to Colorado." So we have decided to let them be HERE...until we need to say otherwise. We do however drop hints about not living here forever, or about other fun places to live in the US. At dinner tonight we had this little conversation with Zach:

Mommy: We won't always live in Alabama.
Zach: We could live in Florida, or in the country that is next to Florida. (He calls "states" "countries") Daddy, what do you call the country next to Alabama?
Daddy: We don't know where we are going to live next, but it probably won't be Florida.
Zach: You could type in on your computer "Where are the Mulkey's going to move next" and maybe it will tell you...

If only with the touch of a button, or the phrase punched in to Google...in the mind of a child it is just that easy!!

The Pear Survey...

Did you know that there are over 5,000 different types of pears? They are grown all over the world and used in a wide variety of ways! This is how I pick out a pear at the grocery store...first I look at the price, then I smell it to see if it smells like a pear, and then I buy maybe one or two for fear that they aren't very good. And a good rule of thumb is the more beat up and yucky they look, the cheaper they are!! Sound at all familiar? Well, last week I decided since the price range was about 40 cents/pound different, I would buy all four types that the store had available and the boys and I would have a little Pear Survey!!



From Left to Right: Anjou, Bosc, Starkrimson, and Bartlett

Each day they tried a different type, and as they tasted the pear I would write down what they said about it. The experiment was going quite well, except that the boys described each pear EXACTLY the same, with the exception of the their outside color. They were all: "sweet", "juicy", "mushy", and "a little crispy" (I know that is a contradiction, but this was their experiment)!

Prettiest: Starkrimson (Seth) Bosc (Zach)
Yummiest: "All of them!"

When I asked which ones I should buy at the store this week, Zach said "I think you should buy 2 of each kind so that we can each have one of each kind!"

All of this, just to say - anything, even a silly pear experiment can be fun...and on a side note I still bought the cheapest pears at the store this week!