Thursday, January 31, 2008

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Driving Home

We don't have teenagers any more -- Jacob just turned 20 on January 15.

I imagine they fit in a back seat a lot better when they were little.

Cherokee Lake

TVA

You can see from the shape that the sign is in how highly the locals regard the TVA!

Next year's Christmas card photo

Tobacco Barn

Shawn grew up in tobacco country -- the bottom land around the TVA lakes was the perfect place for this crop. His first jobs were cutting and hanging tobacco in this barn.

When Shawn's dad died, the brothers decided to take the path of least resistance with the federal buyout -- in fact, we just got our check in the mail this week -- and left the fields to grow over and the barn to be reclaimed by the earth.

As anyone who's ever been to my home in Michigan, the Kimbro tobacco barn is in a bit better shape than the barn in Leslie. But it's catching up fast!

Outhouse

Mooresburg Afternoon

We drove out to Mooresburg for the afternoon. Shawn wanted to get some of his father's vintage fishing tackle from the shed -- we didn't bring home the rubber worms or the old school fish finder, but carried back a custom rod and a couple molds for making lures.

What was supposed to be a quick trip quickly turned into an adventure, as the boys set out to explore the woods behind the house and around the lake.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Knoxville Weekend

We couldn't believe it when we looked at the calendar and realized that we hadn't been to Tennessee since Shawn's birthday last September.

We took advantage of United E-Saver & flew down to Knoxville for a long-overdue weekend in the land of the Orange and White.

It was a full family weekend: in addition to the kids, we caught up with Michael & Leah and Creig & Tonya for dinner and a UT basketball game on Saturday night. The #8 Vols beat Georgia by 20 points!

Somehow, I managed NOT to take any pictures until after the game, when we went to see DJ play at the Bistro. Hopefully, Tonya will share some of hers with me.

We finally got to meet little William Luke Morrison, DJ & Sarah's baby boy, born at the end of October. What a sweetie!

From top to bottom, the pictures:

1. Ella tells the papparazzi to leave her be.

2. Holding Will Morrison (compared to Ella, he's light as a feather!) while chatting with Sarah and Tonya.

3. Tonya takes her turn with Will.

4. Shawn and Creig are fascinated by his pictures.

5. Cory & Jacob mug for the camera.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Ice Breaker

I'm not sure if you can see it in this picture, but there was a thin film of ice over Lake Placid this morning. While it was strong enough to hold the gulls, our swans easily cut right through it. The male acted as an ice breaker for his partner, as they headed out into the river.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Cory & Shelly on the steps of the Smithsonian

No water

The wind's been howling and the temperature's been dropping the past couple days. I was very surprised when I took Crockett out this morning to find that all our water had blown out to the Bay!

I was able to walk around the jetty and under the dock to take these pictures of the house and the boat.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Is it soup yet?

Jacob has the makings of a good cook as he helps in the kitchen.

Perpetual Christmas

It seems that Christmas 07 is like the Energizer Bunny -- it just keeps going and going...

The kids got in late last night - they'll be here all week before they have to go back to school (Daniel, Cory, Shelly), work (Tiffany, Jacob), and daycare (Ella).

We opened presents this afternoon after everyone (except Ella, who is more like the Energizer Bunny than Christmas!) slept in.

In the pictures, Daniel makes Cory slightly uncomfortable as he explains to Shelly that his new boxers have boxers on them.

Ella and Tiffany investigate what's in their "stockings."

And Cory shows off his new look.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Happy New Year!

This year, these gnomes really do have something to smile about!

It was a happy football day in the Miller-Kimbro house, when the Tennessee Volunteers hung on to knock off the Wisconsin Badgers 21 - 17 in the Outback bowl, and then my underdog Michigan Wolverines upset the reigning national champion Florida Gators 41 - 35 in the Citrus Bowl.

2008 is off to an excellent start!