Photo Shoot

Christmas card photos were supposed to have been taken the week of Halloween, right before Wes left for pre-deployment training at Fort Campbell. But my photographer called in sick.

Photo shoot take two was supposed to take place the Friday after Thanksgiving, right before Wes returned to Fort Campbell for his deployment. But my photographer didn't want to travel all the way to Tennessee.

Photo shoot take three was supposed to take place Thanksgiving day, right before we ate our holiday meal. But I forgot the camera.

So photo shoot take four took place today in our backyard with my crude photography skills. 

With funny faces, nipple twists, and strongholds to the neck, though, my quick photo shoot turned into an all afternoon affair filled with laughter, joy, and brotherly love.

Later Evan said, "I never knew taking pictures could be so much fun!"

After taking 80 or so shots, I did manage to get one good picture. But I will save it for the Christmas card! 

Scientists in the Making

We spent our last day in Tennessee (sniffle, sniffle) at the science museum in Nashville. The boys loved it!

I don't think we have to worry with Keagan ever deciding to study medicine, though. One look into the surgery ward that had various animal parts soaking in chemicals, and he walked out with a disgusted, "YUCK!"

Nor should we worry with Evan working as a fighter pilot. Even if Wes is fascinated with flight and fighter jets, Evan walked out of the Blue Max flight simulator "bored."

The Space Chase exhibit was extensive and impressive, but the idea of building pressure to launch rockets was just a little over their heads.

So what did impress the boys? Cruising down the digestive system slide in the Body Quest Exhibit and hitting the landing with a loud fart. Evan did it over and over.
He makes me so proud!

I guess this means that his future contribution to science will be his production of gas and, thus,the even-faster-than-normal depletion of the ozone layer. I now have visions of him living his adult years in my basement, eating my food, and spending his days perfecting the arm fart.

Sadly, today, I am finding hope in his pursuit to be a professional football player. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

While cuddled in bed watching the parade with the boys, I whispered to Evan, "Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful this year to be with my three boys."

Evan exclaimed, "Three???"

"Yes. You, Keagan, and Daddy."

"Thank goodness. I thought you were trying to tell me you were pregnant!"

History 101

We spent the morning in the Tennessee countryside hiking along the Red River.

We crossed this bridge,

walked past this tobacco field,

and found ourselves on a portion of the Trail of Tears.

A few minutes' drive back to town, and we found ourselves at the Civil War site, Fort Defiance.

We are lovin' our time here in Tennessee!

High and Tight Haircuts and Neon Lights

Hotel disaster aside, our stay at Fort Campbell has been awesome. Well, minus the high and tight haircut the post barbershop gave Evan yesterday. Wes came unglued and the poor lady finished the left side of the high and tight in tears. I wasn't there when it happened, or else I would have probably given my two cents and the whole barbershop would have gone into lock down mode. After a night of sleep, though, the cut doesn't look too bad. I think we might be able to continue with life after all.

Bad haircuts and moldy lodging aside, this is the first military town that I have actually liked, and if Wes is moved here next fall for a batallion position, I will be happy to make the move. In fact, I just might give a little happy dance. We spent day three in the downtown district at a small museum. 

Evan teaches Keagan how to find Greece on the globe.

The mall is next on our list. Although that might not seem too exciting to most, a trip to the mall is like a pilgrimage to Mecca when you live in the sticks of Georgia. To be able to drive only five minutes and find all of my favorite stores is so exciting that I have done it every day since we have been here just so I can savor the bright neon lights.

Tennessee Bound

I must really love my husband because only love would agree to drive eight hours to Tennessee to spend my favorite holiday in a hotel. It's not just a hotel, though, People. It's Army lodging complete with pink curtains, gold light fixtures, and a bathroom trimmed in mold. With last minute meetings, guest instructors, and a new farewell date, Wes just couldn't get back to Georgia, as we originally planned. Hence, the plan to come to him.

Day one was spent outside of Nashville with my long time high school friend, Rachel.

My boys couldn't believe it when I told them that Rachel and I went to school together from first grade through high school. "Mom, do you mean that you lived in the same place for eighteen years?" When I told them that I had never lived outside of Mount Pleasant until I went to college, Keagan gasped and Evan said, "That's just real sad, Mom!" 

Now whether this is sad because the town itself was Mount Pleasant or it was sad because I had never experienced anything outside of East Texas was never really identified. Clearly, though, living in one place for any extended amount of time is completely foreign to them. This was made completely clear to me yesterday when Evan asked to go house hunting outside the gates of Fort Campbell, and Keagan supported the past time choice with, "You never know when the Army might decided to move us here, Mom, and we need to be prepared to find the right neighborhood." 

Just Jack

This week  the boys' elementary school celebrated National Book Week with a storybook character day. Keagan just read his first chapter book and scored 100% on the AR test. There was no doubt who he would choose to go to school as. Armed with a big pair of old lady glasses from the dollar store, a green notebook, and a red backpack....

he went as Jack from the Magic Tree House Adventure series, and specifically he went as Jack in Dinosaurs Before Dark.

No one knew who he was, but he was okay with that. He told me he pulled out his green notebook and pencil and took notes for his own Jack and Annie adventure. Move over Mary Pope Osbourne, Keagan plans to take over the series and write book number 47!