We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas Season Kickoff brought to you by the Simmons' Family Dancers. You will have to pause the music at the bottom of the blog. Who said "Bible School Girls" can't dance?! Enjoy!

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God Bless America

I got this in an email this morning and even though the election did not go as many of us had hoped, I think the following article is very true.


Welcome, Mr. President
(by Kent Heaton)

Election Day has passed and the nation has elected a new president. Every four years our country is subjected to the grueling process of selecting a candidate to fill the job of President. He now takes the reign of leadership for this country. A great deal of people will be disappointed in the selection; more will be pleased. Save the coming of the Lord the sun will rise upon a new day and life will go on. Life is funny that way. When the year 2000 herald the coming of a new millennium people thought the world was going to come to an end. During this political year many believed that with the election of the president the country would disintegrate into a whirlpool of chaos. Life goes on.
After the flood the Lord proclaimed, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22 ). The circle of life goes on regardless of the political, economic or social upheavals of our time. This election will change the country as much as any election. At the days end man still has the same needs. The view one has of the President, his view of himself and his view of God will determine what life will be like.
Peter commanded through the Holy Spirit to “fear God and honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17 ). Rome did not have elections like we do so the king under consideration (probably Nero) was not the most wholesome person to have in power. However because governmental authority is established by God (Romans 13) then we have an obligation to be subject to the king; or President as in our case. The wise man wrote, “Fear the Lord and the king” (Proverbs 24:21).
Peter wrote in the context the manner of life of the Christian should be a model for others to follow. “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God” (1 Peter 2:11-16).
Whether we like the one elected President or not we are to be subject to them. People of God do not revile and bring accusation against those in authority (2 Peter 2:10 ,11; Romans 13:1-7). “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:7). Jesus taught the same lesson in Matthew 22:21.
The election of a President does not change our obligation to serve the true and living God. Peter proclaimed this truth in Acts 5:29 – “We ought to obey God rather than men.” We are to offer up “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:1-3). This is what is important in life. Welcome, Mr. President. All our prayers are with you. God bless America .

Halloween Pictures

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids from Halloween.

Jake's 1st Deer

Yesterday was the Juvenile Deer Hunt in Tennessee. Brent and Jake went in the morning. They saw a couple but couldn't get a shot. Kenneth took Jake back yesterday afternoon and Jake came home with an 8 point. This was his first deer and I missed it! We were at a Hayride and didn't have time to get home before they had to take it to be processed. Not that I wanted to be up in the tree with him when he shot it, but I would have liked to have seen his deer in person not just in a picture. I feel like I have missed his first steps! I'm glad Kenneth was with him though. That will be a special memory for both of them. Thanks Lynell and Lori for taking pictures for me!

Beach Bums

As if the news of Brian and Ginger getting married wasn't exciting enough, they decided to get married on the beach AND we were invited to go! I had not been to the beach in 15 years and Brent and the kids had never seen the beach. We had a great time. Jake and Annie especially. They now share my love of the beach. Brent and Jared... not so much. I still think they had a good time even though they were not crazy about the sand and water. The weather was perfect. Not too hot, but warm enough to get in the water. There wasn't a drop of rain the whole time we were there. It was a very relaxing trip to me. Hope you enjoy the slideshow of some of our pictures. Sorry for the sideways ones. I'm not really sure how to fix that. Becky??? We got some really good family pictures on the beach too, but I am saving those for Christmas cards. Brent says he has no plans to return but I definately have no plans to wait 15 more years to go back. Nana pack your bags!

Congratulations Brian and Ginger!

Brent's older brother Brian got married last week and in my opinion could not have found anyone more perfect for him than Ginger. She has fit into our family just perfectly. There has never been two people who I wanted together more than these two. They were married on the beach in Destin, FL. The whole family went down there for the wedding. It was the first wedding I had ever been to on the beach. It was beautiful and we all had a wonderful time. Thanks guys for letting us share in your special day!!! More beach picture later...

Way Back When...

I found the website www.yearbookyourself.com through one of the blogs I stalk. :-) I had alot of fun with mine and Brent's pictures. The kids thought it was hilarious. Here is my favorite of each of us! We make such a cute couple!

Really, I'll be fine!

This is me after the first full week of school... how long till Fall Break??? I do not like Civics any better than I did 20 years ago and 7th grade math is killing me. I used to like Math and was pretty good at it, but I guess my brain has turned to mush. And no, Mom, I don't secretly smoke. It was just part of the picture! :-)

School Days

Last Thursday was the first day of school. Jake is in 7th grade, Jared is in 3rd, and Annie is in 1st. Jared and Annie both have GREAT teachers! We've had them all before. Jake's teachers are new to us, but so far so good. I think Annie was the only one ready to go back. But when Thursday got here, they were all a little excited. Jake was excited about having a locker. Jared was excited about having a new binder and a planner. (He gets that from me. There is nothing like a brand new school supplies!) And Annie was excited about getting to see all her friends.
I knew this blogging was not going to be easy once school started. Hopefully, I will post again before the last day of school!

Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.

Thursday, we went to pick up the kids at Brent's parents. We had just gotten around five inches of rain. There was a low place in their yard that was FULL of water. Brent commented that when he was a little boy, he used to play there after it rained. After we ate supper, I walked outstide and saw Brent walking across the yard with his jeans rolled up to his knees. (He will probably never let me blog again after I post this). I knew exactly where he was going. I grabbed my camera and followed him. Before I knew it, I had kicked my shoes off and joined him. It was even still raining just a little. I don't think the kids knew what to think but it didn't take long for them to join us. I'm sure we were a sight to see, but we had alot of fun! My Gran-Gran used to say that you could tell a boy had become a man when he walked around mud puddles instead of walking through them. Looks like Brent may have some growing up to do and I'm glad...I think everyone, no matter how old, has a little "kid" left in them that needs to come out sometimes.

From Tea Parties to Tractor Pulls

What does a girl do after a tea party with friends?

She goes to the Tanner Tractor Pull, of course!!!

Welcome to B and E Plus Three

I said that I would never blog, but I have become quite a blog stalker (as Brent likes to call me). I decided that since I like reading everyone else's so much, maybe there would be someone out there that might find us interesting too. We have lots of extended family that we don't get to see as much as we would like and I thought this would be a good way for them to keep updated on our "exciting" lives. I'm not sure how often I will get around to posting, but I am going to give this a try. Welcome to the world of B and E Plus Three!