Last Visit to Opa's & the Fruits of our labors...

This was our last visit to Beverly Hills, Florida. My Dad had a seizure on Thanksgiving.We are still waiting on the test results to see if it was a stroke. He is doing better, and will get out of the hospital on Monday. Regardless, Judy and my Dad are still leaving for Kentucky two days later. We went up to see him on Saturday, but he was asleep. We then went to their house to see what we could do to help. Judy wanted the oranges picked off from their tree to take with them on Wednesday. It was a gorgeous day, so we fetched the ladder, gathered them, and had fun! They smelled awesome! Vanessa and Todd had a little TOO much fun with the fruit! KIDS! Brett really does not get it yet... that you don't just bite into an orange...Adrien the "muscle" behind the scenes!

Thanksgiving...the self-induced food coma

Wow! We had a great Thanksgiving! Our pals, the "Chamness"es invited us over for a great meal, conversation, video/board games, Black Friday shopping ads, and to generally make fun of folks (our favorite pastime)...Terresa had all of her boys together so we were able to get some pictures for her. The food was bountiful and delicious!We have spent all of our Thanksgivings with the Chamnesses--except for the time we went on a cruise, and the first one in 2002(Shane and Kayleen came down from Tennessee). Good Times, good times!

Glock-en-spiele German for "Busta Cap"

We had a great day today! Friends from church took Todd, Adrien and I to a shooting range! Our family really enjoys guns. After all it is our 2nd amendment right :) We tried out several guns to see which was our favorite gun. Adrien and Todd prefer "Hazel" aka .38 Special. I thought the gun a bit too wimpy for me! I prefer the Versa Thunder..it packs a punch! Todd and I are planning on getting a concealed weapons permit eventually. Adrien has an AK-47 in his hands in the bottom picture:) The target at the top is sadly--my shots--I tend to hit the ceiling to the amusement of the boys! Adrien is a fine marksman and was complimented profusely on his natural talent! Theo aka "Shakes" was a good shot as well! Vanessa and Adrien already learned how to shoot from their two grandpa's, who are big proponents of the right to bear arms. I know many people are wailing and gnashing teeth over this one. Mommies throwing hands over children's faces... Hummm...Do I care? Nope! One day the time will come (Oh, No! another THEOBALD CONSPIRACY THEORY (#13 for those liberals counting...)when we will need to defend our food storage, God, and ourselves. I want to be prepared. Our family likes terms like "packing heat" "bustin caps", "hands in the air, thug" as well as "reach for the sky, varmit". Remember when you come trespassing into our home...Guns do not kill people....we do!

Beverly Hills--That's where I want to be ........

Well, My Dad is getting old (75). It is difficult to see a once vibrant, military tough man reduced to a bed. The man that used to jump out of airplanes, run through jungles in Panama, Korea and Vietnam and referee Army basketball and baseball games can't walk. He is also losing some of his memory. He thinks that my mother is still alive and calls for her on occasion. He does remember us, but forgets the amount of time we have visited. What is really sad is that his wife, Judy, thinks it will be better if they moved back to Kentucky. I will not be able to visit as often or just go on a whim to visit. Todd was able to give my Dad a blessing for the very first time on Saturday night before we left. The Spirit was strong and moved Judy, Todd, and I to tears and the kids to silence. Adrien confirmed what I felt as well...that he does not have long. Todd remains silent on this. Todd really loves my Dad. He so enjoys going up there and laughing...we can be just so crazy with Dad and Judy. I remember when Todd and Dad hopped into McDonald's and acted like Easter bunnies or when they took a whiz on someone's garbage in the middle of the night when we were "trash pickin" and hundreds of other crazy stories...here is the drive home--Brett and Adrien asleep and Ness is up --"Night Owl Ness" and here is Dad...

#81 is my son! Goooo Adrien!

Adrien refused to let me take any pictures of him for my blog because I supposedly misquoted him in the earlier "baggy drawers" installment--DENIED. Anywho...He is #81. He is beautiful!Look at the concentration. The inertia! Todd and Brett were intensely observing the championship game. They did lose :( Adrien took it like a trooper!

Vanessa is DRIVING AN ACTUAL CAR--WARNING!

Vanessa prefers to go driving with Todd because she says I "freak out too much, and stomp on the floorboard." Humm. This is my first child and only daughter so far....carried her for 9 months...11 hours of labor...me freak out??Puhleease. OK maybe a little like when she saw a car driving toward her and she covered her eyes? or she backed out of Opa and Grandma Judy's driveway and threw out my back (I was outside the car by the way)..so Todd decided to help her...Here are some photos of her backing out of the driveway..you will notice our neighbor, Jack! Jack walked over and said to me as he gestured to Vanessa sitting in our car, "You could have warned me!" She did "well", said Todd. I wonder why he immediately went in and got a shot of insulin...he also had to "lay down"...hummm. I will say when she drove off a little piece of my heart went with her. One day she will be driving these mean streets ---alone. She looks so grown-up...

Bretty Schools Daddy

We were scrambling to go to Adrien's Championship Football game--Kissimmee Kowboys Vs. Osceola Panthers when Brett came downstairs after a shower dressed in his "Superman" Pj's. Todd and I said "Bretty you can't wear that to the game--please go change" so he went back upstairs and came down in the cutest outfit! Todd noticed that he had on two shirts a bit later.."Brett you need to only wear the white shirt because you will be hot at the game, and Mommy told you not to wear your Pj's"...Brett looked at Todd, and said "Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!"
Brett 1 Todd 0 game over

A New Addition to the family...Captain Jack McQuesten

Yes! Another bullie. Good friends from church called and said that their friends daughter (you following??)is ill and cannot take care of her full-blood bullie. He is still a young dog, and would we want him? These dogs retail between $1800-$3000, and she wanted to give him to us! Sir Walter Raleigh has been itching for a pal,ever since Harland left, so we said, "Yes"...He is an ugly dog, but what bulldog isn't. He is a lot different than Ralls. Jack is umm well "friskier" and barks at ever darn thing..he LOVES to chase our cat, Amidala, up the tree in the front lawn. Amidala, is VERY mad at us and is hissing quite a bit. Jack also sleeps in Adrien's room. He has taken a fondness to Adrien and we think he gets ticked at Adrien for attending school because he has peed on Adrien's backpack--Raleigh kinda just ignores him, but they do play with each other. History buffs: Captain Jack McQuesten is known as the "Father of Alaska" due to his early exploration of our now favorite state...

Halloween 2008

There was a chill in the air....oops this is Florida....there was thick misty steam rising from the Earth's crust..inky black darkness descended on a lonely night..a rustle of tree branches and scampering feet disturbed the quiet...A howl echoed in the night...TRICK OR TREAT! Another jammed pack night o' fun at the Stinkerbalds! Vanessa went as a "scene girl", Adrien refused to dress out because I could not find my pink sheets he was going to use as his "gay ghost" costume. Teenagers! Brett was a combo Darth Vader-Skeleton. I just think he likes to play with the light saber! Taylor from next door was a ghoul. The kids went through the neighborhood while the old folks (Todd, Diana, Barbs and Harland) passed out candy and visited with church members. I was asked by the girls to accompany them to another subdivision while Adrien ventured to his usually haunts with church friends Zach and Caleb. The girls and I had a good time, but Brett started to simply leave his pumpkin bucket in the middle of the street because he was "getting tired and my feets is hurtin Mom" and then he grumbled out loud, "Why is getting candy make my feet tired?" Brett also told a few treat givers that "I just don't like that kind of candy" and he thought it was ok to simply walk on into the person's house!!! Then the kids got home and traded. We watched "When a Stranger Calls" with the fam--It was a good year! Oh the pumpkin pictures are the "after" pictures...Ewwww!

Preparing the "Pump-a-kins" as Bretty says...

In standard Florida Theobald Tradition--we carve the pumpkins! Brett simply LOVES pumpkins as these pictures attest. Vanessa, the ever-dutiful sister enjoys carving them. It was a really fun time! Barbs and Hars popped into town to visit for the holiday...why don't I have pictures of them? Barbs....? :) Barbara took a slew of photos herself! Todd toasted the pumpkin seeds and seasoned them for our annual treat--Yummy!

Ever have too much to blog about?...

Whew! I am just now recovering from a crazzy two weeks! Pictures forthcoming....Barbs, please email me the pics :) Some hints...dog, Halloween, Disney, and I am on facebook. I have been warned about identity stealers, but if someone wants my identity go for it...just make me slightly thinner in my new license picture..oh yeah...we are pretty screwed on credit, so I would not even try that purchase--Hee Hee!
I will talk about the most important thing I can think of right now...if you can't take it, well, your prideful. :) Gee, I am starting to sound like our Bishop! :) I know I am preaching to the choir, but it is important....

A comforting email with the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell has passed among Latter-day Saints in California with these prophetic words delivered in 1979 while he was a member of the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

“Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'

“This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

“Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened....Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."

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