Christmas 2007

Holiday Pictures

I tried to get this image a little bigger, but I forgot to make it a large image. I'll try again.
Trying to get Breyton to smile.
The boys, Eric, Stephen, and David.
Paige putting lip gloss on Brooklyn.
Paige, Tanner holding Brooklyn, Brinley holding Breyton. Tanner, Brinley, and Paige are Kimberly's, Brooklyn belongs to Stephen, and Breyton to David.

Christmas in Louisiana

A Christmas tree with ornaments that tell our history over the years.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.
Since my camera was not functioning on Christmas day here are pictures of some of our decorations.
This is the holly tree by our driveway and it was exceptionally beautiful.
We had Kimberly, Stephen, and David's families for the holidays with Eric home from BYU and Rosalia (five children and seven grandchildren). We also had our parents, but they all went home before this picture was taken.

Home for Christmas

Eric, Stephen, Desirae, and Brooklyn all arrived safely in Louisiana! Today, we get ready for the great-grandparents to arrive! Brooklyn is eating her favorite raisin toast and then taking a bath after watching Atlantis (she pulled that rocking chair over and climbed up to sit on it all by herself! Lastly, Eric and Rosalia making faces...

Apartment Hunting

Stephen and I spent all day last Friday checking out apartments in Shreveport. We looked in the areas that we were told would be good,but in the end we settled on an apartment north of town in the countryside. It is a fourplex with a tiny postage stamp fenced in back yard,but it is set in a pine forest and there is a gate in the back and you can go right out into the woods. Lots of open areas. It has more of a feel of a housing development than an apartment complex. All of the apartments in their price rang are about thirty or more years old and about the same size as the one they have now, so looking for how they have kept them up was a factor. These apartments had granite counter tops even in the bathroom and nicer cabinets. Oh, yes, and they come with a washer and dryer! We hope that Desirae will like it. I don't think that she will ever stay home again! It was hard for her not to be there with us. Stephen's cell phone was nearly dead by the end of the day.

I also want to say that Stephen spent Saturday doing yard work and putting up our Christmas lights! He was such a great help! Ted was in Gonzales (near Baton Rouge) with Rosalia at a soccer tournament.

The three Theodores and Brinley with her eyes open!

We had a great time in Indiana doing the usual Thanksgiving Turkey, shopping, and ball games. I just wish we had been able to spend a little more time, but I'm grateful for the time we did have. Brandon is getting so tall! He is still really good with babies. Mason has his shy impish grin and he plays so well with his cousins. Tanner and Brandon played video games 'round the clock. Brinley and Paige worked on a coloring project with Mason and we just tried to keep Bridger away from the scissors (he cut up a bed spread and curtains before we got there). Ted drove the 16 hours up and back. It was a long haul, but we listened to a Dick Francis mystery on CDs to keep us going. I got most of my papers graded! Now I have to somehow get my Christmas tree out of the attic and get going on decorating!