Population Boom in Texas!

APRIL is a Big Month!!!  and Annie Lynn just arrived in Austin, Texas, April 8 at 8:08pm.  She weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces,  20.5 inches big!  Congratulations to Ashley and Zack!  And Brady, her first cousin, now share the same birth date!

Yesterday,  April 8, Esther and I spent the afternoon shopping in Medford.  I mentioned Ashley several times and it seemed like where ever I went,  Ashley was on my mind.  I don't remember having this much awareness and I'm now pondering this event even more.  All our grand children and great grand children are very special.  All grandparents should feel the same way!  Glad to get these quick photos from Grandma and Grandpa in Corsicana, Texas!  (click on photos to enlarge)

Cruisin the Gulf of Mexico

Lori has left New Orleans on a trip of a lifetime.  The Norwegian Jewel sailed into the Gulf of Mexico Sunday, March 9.  Our cell phone was buzzing all day trying to keep up with all the photos!!  Everywhere you look there was a photo!  And Mardi Gras is in full swing in New Orleans.  Bourbon Street was visitors wall to wall! The ship is a floating city as you can see with a great deck view of the New Orleans skyline.  With a plush room and aquatic fun everywhere you look,  Lori should have no problem enjoying herself.

She was invited to assist in energy medicine classes that will be given on this cruise.  She has taken two years of these classes to supplement her physical therapy business.  The instructors noticed her abilities and offered to pay her way as one of their assistants.  She jumped at the chance to learn first hand and take in what she as always enjoyed,  water fun!  The cruise will be a great balance of work and play.  I'm sure when they dock again in New Orleans,  we'll have a thousand photos to sift thru for the next installment.  Keep watching for the return of the Cruiser!  (Click to enlarge)

Christmas Memories

Time is moving too fast towards Christmas, 2014!
Since Roly's Texas clan didn't get any group shots this year and we're missing, Paul,  Shawna and Jaime's in this photo, it was time to give you this memory.

Portland, Eugene and Ashland gathered up the mountain at Callahans on Thursday following Christmas for a delightful evening.  We were privileged to have two of Adam's friends join us.
The evening was punctuated with calendars early  and closed out with gift giving at Lori's house.  It's always a great joy to have our entire family together and even though we made several attempts to connect our computers with Skype,  it didn't happen.  I hope this photo says a warm hello and welcome to all of you in Texas, Oregon and to Jaime out East. (click on photo to enlarge)

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

My First Photo for the New Year comes from Texas!  Can you name all three without looking at the calendar?  We are all thankful to join in the celebration and pray that all of our Freed clan will join in the prayer of thankfulness.

"The New Year lies before us like a fresh track of snow -
 be careful where you step for all your tracks will show."

May the year 2014 be a meaningful year for all of you! And thanks to Texas for this first beautiful photo and for letting the Ducks win the Alamo Bowl!

Winter in Ashland

Winter comes to Ashland about every twenty years!  Since we've lived here over 20,  we've now seen two winters that we remember!  Eight inches of snow,  3 nights at 8 degrees,  schools cancelled for the past 3 days, no bus transportation, Lori can't get her car out or up her hill if she could.  She has to walk several blocks to get a ride and to get home.  It's just like many Indiana winters in distant memory!  But we managed to get to Church Sunday and our Advent Faire went on with the show!  Lori, Esther and I continued to help folks make sand candles.  You can see one delighted customer carefully taking her candle!  We had fewer customers this year and still made about 25 candles!  It's a busy days work and very rewarding to share in the happy responses.  We are always delighted with our Christmas tree,  the lights scattered around our town and the warmth of the wonderful memories in our storeroom of valuables!  Your are all a great part of those memories and we're still here to enjoy them!  This Christmas-Christian Season is always special!

California to Eugene

The week of Halloween,  we headed for San Diego to spend time with our college friends, the Kresses.  On the way we had lunch with a former colleague,  now 96 years old, living in Pasadena.  After nearly a week in San Diego,  we headed for Seaside, California. Seeing Lori's Amanda was almost on our way home!  We had dinner on Cannery Row and spent time with Amanda at her work in the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. We spent the next night with the Pannabecker's in Los Gatos, only about 5 blocks from our route home.  They too are college friends which makes for great conversations and a delightful overnight stay. We almost forgot what San Francisco free way driving was like but with GPS we managed quite well to weave our way back over the Grapevine with a stop at the giant discount mall!  There we stumbled into a Tahoe Joes Restaurant. . .a great experience!

We no sooner got somewhat rested when we were on the road again by 7am on our way to Corvallis, Oregon to see the State Water Polo tournament.  Lori, Adam and Hallie, Adams new girl friend were there. Adam had been assisting Ashland's new coach.  Adam was on the Ashland Championship team and knows the game well. We spent most of the day inside in very warm conditions! After an evening meal with Lori and the team,  we headed for Jana & Paul's place in Eugene.

We relaxed in their new home with the family,  catching up with Derrick, Brady and Payton.  It was hard to believe that after a pleasant nights rest, we would see Derrick making breakfast over a hot grill! With Paul's help they fed us well just before we headed for Ashland. But, .......as we pondered the trip,  why not head for the coast,  mow the yard,  make the beds and then continue our trip to Ashland!  It worked and so did we making it home about 8pm,  not before we had a wonderful Halibut dinner with an ocean view at Winchester Bay.  I did get some rest and up in time Sunday morn to sing with an octet at church!  It will probably take at least 2 weeks to get rested up!

Big Changes

Whether your a little boy or a big boy,  there are just some things that are life changing! Down Texas way,  Blake is all excited about losing that first tooth!  I imagine,  Holly and Joe had a BIG celebration when that tooth got pulled or fell out! and all happening with new baby Evan is getting most of the attention. We're all
"pulling" for you Blake to keep your place among the Pair's!

Meanwhile,  Adam,  Lori's water polo star found a peach in Portland!  He's been avoiding women lately but stumbled seriously when a new face startled him on his way to class at Portland State.  He opened the door for her and Divine providence brought her back to the same door a week later!  He stumbled through and fumbled for words to ask her name!  Hallie and Adam have now become eating companions!  She has even made a trip to Ashland and Adam a trip to Portland to meet her parents and family.  I believe her family will be taking a vote on whether they approve since Adam is the first boyfriend Hallie has introduced to her family.  And as all of you know, it's always best to get our family's approval too.  These relationships are always a package deal!  (Click on photo to enlarge)