GRANDBABIES

This is a collection of pictures of the grandkids... On the left is Bennett with Grandpa.  On the right is Grandpa with Brooklyn.

We met Bennett for the first time at the airport, and then Grandpa got to hold Brooklyn for the first time when they arrived a few days later.

Here are the three little ones...well, Carter is not so little anymore, he looks huge in comparison to the babies.

 

Look how happy they all are.  They were super mellow with each other.

We had a lot of fun posing them for pictures in the blue chair in Gma and Gpa's room.

Our kids are really good at taking artistic and close-up shots of their children.  Luckily, they downloaded photos onto our computer while they were here.



Carter liked the orange tree out back.  We picked a few oranges while he was here and would eat them for lunch.

We were so glad that both Bennett and Brooklyn were at ages where they were super responsive to us. We got so many cute smiles while they were here.  There is hope that they will start to actually look at us on Skype one of these days so we can continue the relationships that we were building while they were here.

Parks were a fun destination while we were together.  We did lots of sliding.

Carter is always up for running and then falling down or sliding as if he is playing baseball.






We made new plaster print ornaments for the new babies to go with the one we already had for Carter.  How great it was to have all three with us at one time.  We got to see our children in action as parents and were so pleased with the great job they are doing as parents.

 We have a little better perspective on how our Heavenly Father may think or feel when we are parents and grandparents.  It is truly an eternal principle that we are so thankful for.  We love our children and our grandchildren so much!

RANDOM CHRISTMAS MEMORIES 2011

Christmas was all about family.

 It was about Breanna swinging Carter...




...and starting a gingerbread house.

It was about Christmas dresses for Brookies...

It was a little bit about opening gifts...


...and a lot more about being together.

It was the discovery of exciting new things for Carter.

 It was preparing and eating a wonderful meal!

It was naps.












It was Carter laughing hysterically at a Grover knock-off commercial about Old Spice.

It was cute couples.





It was Jenna blogging.

It was Grandma and Grandpa with their grandkids.

It was PRICELESS.

FAMILY PICTURES

Seeing as we may not all be together for a long while, we had to take some family pictures. We found a deserty place on the way home from church and had the full-time missionaries in our ward come take them with us.

We took more pictures at home of the smaller family groups to put in our family room here at the mission home. If you cannot wait until next Christmas for a picture, let me know and I can send you what you need.

CHRISTMAS EVE 2011

Christmas Eve in Phoenix was a variety of fun family activities...like going on a walk to see the neighborhood Christmas lights for Carter and Grandpa...even a sometimes grumpy Carter.

Like our family tradition of making pizza on Saturday nights...even on Christmas Eve night.  And master chef Austin leading out in

pizza production...

...And the help of Assistants Elder Henrie and Bird in designing the last pizza.

We even had a special visit by not one, but TWO SANTAS that delighted Carter.  They brought him a toy car, a treat as well as a Restoration DVD and Pass Along Card...Hmmm.  Santa wants to bring the world his truth!

We had story time with Grandma...a cute lift-the-flap book we got in Portland last year that Carter already has memorized...

We had cute Christmas baby clothes to model.

 We had cute Christmas mommies to model... and uncles to model...

We read the story of the birth of Christ from Luke and ended with singing both Silent Night and Jingle Bells...a very good combination.

It was a very special night to celebrate the birth of our Savior with family and close friends.

CHRISTMAS EVE HIKE 2011

 One of the things we really enjoy about our area in Arizona is the 

proximity to some nice hiking areas.  

One of our favorites is the Thunderbird Recreation Area which is only a few miles away and overlooks the site of the future Phoenix Arizona Temple for the Church.

On Christmas Eve, Breanna, Jenna and Bennett joined me in a hike up the east side of Thunderbird.  We found that someone had decorated a shrub on top with Christmas ornaments so that was a fun surprise.  

Bennett was a happy camper...content to snuggle asleep with Mama the whole way!
 This is a Christmas Eve tradition that I would love to keep!

PHOENIX ZOO

 

"We're Goin' to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo; How about you, you, you; You can come too, too, too; 

We're goin' to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!"

"Grandpa's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow..."
We bought memberships at the zoo in anticipation of the family coming this Christmas and it was well worth it.  We found the Phoenix Zoo to be a really great family place!







It was huge.  There were lots of exhibits and walkways and good animals and places for photos.

We loved being together as a family in a family-oriented place.  Even though the babies were too young to appreciate it, we loved being there with them! 

Picture perfect animal background for a family picture with Austin, Laura and baby Brooklyn.






We had a wonderful time at the zoo!  We look forward to
going back many times while we are here in Phoenix!