Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Love, The Nolens

Things to remember

Joshua has been nervous about a school project.  He and his classmates are writing letters to Santa and Joshua says, "I can't think of anything I want to ask Santa for.  I have been thinking and thinking but everything I think I might want I already have.  I think I'll tell him to surprise me."  

He also had the following conversation with Nana last weekend:
Nana: "Who are your friends at school?"
Joshua: "I can't tell you that, it's top secret."
N: "Well, what is your favorite thing about school?"
J: "Recess."
He proceeded to tell her about there being other classes on the playground when his class it playing.
N: "Oh that is nice.  So I guess you get to play with other kids who aren't in your class when you go to recess."
J: "I don't play with kids from other classes because they are strangers and there is danger.  They might be in first grade and take me back to their class instead of letting me go back to my class and that would be bad.  So I only play with the kids in my class."


In other news...Anna Ruth got to use markers in her class yesterday!

Christmas arrives in Starkville!

The Starkville Christmas Parade was a pivotal moment in Joshua's Christmas timeline.

Christmas is officially here now that he has seen motorcycle cops, marching bands, the Board of Alderman, Boy Scout troops and Santa Claus (among other Starkville notables) in the parade.

For the first part of the parade, Anna Ruth didn't know what to think and just sat quietly watching.

But then the Maroon Band from MSU marched by and shortly after that the Starkville High School band came passed us, she started to feel the beat and realized she could get people to wave at her if she waved at them.  She loved it!

Merry Christmas from Starkville!

Giving Thanks!

We traveled to Durham, NC for Thanksgiving with the Nolen family.

Joshua and Anna Ruth could have been awarded "Road Warrior" badges for how well they did in the car.  We enjoyed listening to the Chronicles of Narnia on cd and looking at the skyscrapers in the large cities we drove through.

Anna Ruth just wanted some peace and quiet during nap time.

Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Michele were gracious to host everyone for Thanksgiving.

A box of Star Wars toys in what became "The Star Wars Room" was a highlight for Joshua.  He loved getting to play Star Wars with various family members and friends of Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Michele. 

Anna Ruth was impressed with Uncle Jonathan's guitar playing skills.

But in the end, Aunt Michele may have won Anna Ruth's heart by taking her upstairs every hour or two to look at the cats hiding under the bed.

Grateful for time with family that live far away!

Uncle Jonathan made us a yummy Thanksgiving meal.  Not the least of which was this turkey that weighed only 1 pound less than Anna Ruth!

Before we left for North Carolina, Joshua worked hard to make everyone a place mat.  He was so proud to have them used for the Thanksgiving meal.

Anna Ruth provided the after dinner entertainment as she danced her heart out.

We had a great trip and loved getting to spend time with our family.  Joshua hopes we can go back for Christmas because, "Uncle Jonathan said I could come back anytime!"

Check-up Check-in: Anna Ruth is 18 months old!

This big girl is one and a half!

Where in the world has the time gone?

She had a great check-up last week.

She weighs 22 pounds and is 31.5 inches tall.

Anna Ruth is a ham.  She loves to laugh and smile.

She is a great eater.  Her favorite foods are still black eyed peas and prunes (sometimes mixed together) and ice cream.  Anna Ruth can go from hungry to hangry really quickly.  So we try to stay on top of her appetite needs.

She is a talker!  Constantly jabbering in a language unknown to anyone else.

She is using several signs and doesn't seem to have any difficulty letting us know what she wants.

She loves her friends at school and this week has started hugging them good-bye each afternoon.

Anna Ruth is a dancer and a singer!  She likes "If You're Happy and You Know It," "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Jesus Loves Me."

Anna Ruth loves book, dogs and baby dolls.  She doesn't necessarily want books to be read to her.  She prefers to sit in your lap and passionately turn the pages.  She loves and kisses her babies like in the picture above.

We have so enjoyed having Anna Ruth in our family.  She brings a calm and upbeat feeling to the house.  She loves her brother and squeals with delight each evening when she hears the garage door open as Dave is coming home.  Anna Ruth is a daddy's girl!

We are grateful for her good health and development and look forward to what God has in store for her and us.

Happy Half Birthday Punky!

Halloween 2014

Anna Ruth the Ladybug! 

Joshua the Ninja Turtle!

I forgot to mention that a few weeks ago Joshua lost 2 teeth!
On October 11th he lost his first tooth in the car with Coach and Nana after leaving the fair.
On October 12th he lost his second tooth while brushing and flossing before bed.
(Actually, Dave "helped" the tooth come out with some dental floss).
The $1 reimbursement per tooth reimbursement under his pillow sent Joshua to the mirror counting how many more teeth he can get money for.
He is growing up fast!

Fall Break with Gran and Buddy

Gran and Buddy came to visit us during fall break.

It was exciting for them to attend Joshua's soccer game and practice.

Coach Jarratt is getting the team hyped before kick off.

#6 on the Lightening Bolts (sponsored by the hospital)

We are big time playing with a referee this season!

The most beautiful sunset during behind the soccer fields.

 Friday, Dave took off from work and we went hiking at Plymouth Bluff.

trying to see the turtles in the pond with his binoculars 

The day was perfect for a hike through the woods.  Joshua insisted (even demanded) being the "line leader" during the hike.  He was not interested in reading the markers along the way.  But stopping for the rest of the group to read them gave us some good breaks.

We made it to the lookout over the bluff down to the Tennessee-Tombigbee River. 

Happy Hikers!

hiking with an extra 30 pounds strapped to your chest is no joke.

This little boy loved throwing rocks and stick into the river.

 Saturday we watched football (of course).  And Sunday we went to church.

We had a great visit with the grandparents and look forward to seeing them again at Thanksgiving.

Joshua and the Fair

Joshua got to go to the fair in Jackson last weekend.

Did he have fun?

Why yes, yes he did!

Thanks Coach and Nana for taking Joshua for the weekend!

Crisp fall air

Last Saturday morning was beautiful, cool and the perfect time to visit the pumpkin patch.

Here are some highlights...

Anna Ruth in blue jeans is just too cute!

  

We didn't venture into the corn maze, but it was sure pretty from the outside.

A new addition this year was the "cotton picker slide."  The kids came down the slide with such speed that they often slid right off the landing pad onto the grass.

The corn box was one of Joshua's favorite stops.
Anna Ruth screamed as soon as her feet touched the corn.

We picked out three pumpkins and hurried home to watch the Mississippi State vs. Texas A&M game.  It was a fun day!