Merry Christmas 2007 from the Whites of Northern Virginia. This time last year, Brinson had 2 teeth and was learning to stand up. In fact, on Christmas Day 2006 Brinson stood up unassisted underneath the Christmas tree! Fast forward to Christmas 2007: Brinson, now age 19 months, has 16 teeth, runs everywhere and repeats everything. From the moment he opens his eyes in the morning until he shuts them at night, he is all talk and go-go-go. He is definitely 100% all boy. This past year we have had a lot of “firsts” primarily centered on the man of the house, Brinson.
I am in my 2nd year providing corporate tax consulting services with KPMG. Several months ago I was promoted to Tax Manager. With the promotion I have been given more responsibility at work and have traveled a bit more, mainly up and down the East Coast. The best business trip I took was when I went to NYC in October and was able to catch a Broadway show starring a Jackson theater pal and was able to visit my cousin Amanda. Shae keeps a busy schedule with Brinson’s Lil’ Kickers soccer classes, mom's connection groups, play dates, bible study, site seeing and numerous road trips. She started a new "hobby" offering handcrafted jewelry with Silpada. Check out her webpage at www.mysilpada.com/shae.white. Shae anticipates going back to work as a speech pathologist next year.
During the spring, Shae and Brinson went on what she called her "Goodwill Tour 2007." As a family we flew in to Oklahoma for a wedding. While I returned home, Shae and Brinson extended their stay and then went to Tennessee and Mississippi. They saw anyone that came across their path! During this time Brinson became a toddler and had two early 1st birthday parties. Brinson went from a very fast and efficient crawler one week to walking the entire living room the following week. During this time Brinson suffered ear infections for 4 months and was having trouble hearing. However, Shae had him tested and we opted for him to have ear tube surgery. He had the outpatient surgery in the morning, and by that afternoon he was responding to things he had not heard before.
Our summer was full of fun and adventure. We toured and picnicked in and around DC (with Shae and Brinson going into DC at times solely to exercise), had several friends and family visits, attended the 18th Century Craft Fair at Mount Vernon and toured the White House. We even saw President Bush get in the helicopter outside while we were touring inside the house. Brinson also took in his first Major League baseball game. In addition, we took our summer vacation over the 4th of July Holiday week. We became American history tourists and made our way around Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown and Virginia Beach. While visiting the Ullian’s in VB, we went to the beach, the Virginia Aquarium and saw beautiful lighthouses. We also went to see the inactive USS Wisconsin Battleship and toured the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial Museum in Norfolk. During the late summer we toured Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, and stood at the point where the Shenandoah River and the Potomac River meet in the Appalachians. Truly a beautiful sight. Also in the summer, Shae and Brinson went to Tennessee to see her brother Eric run in the AAU Nationals Steeplechase track event and stayed with my sister, Leah, and her family.
This fall Brinson went to several different farms for fall harvest and pumpkin patch events. We also went to Mississippi and Brinson saw his 1st Ole Miss versus Arkansas football game. We attended Granddaddy Ellis's 86th birthday dinner and also had a brief visit with Nanny White in Tennessee. On Halloween, we took "Dumbo" a.k.a. Brinson to Trunk or Treat at a local church and then went trick or treating in the neighborhood. At Thanksgiving, we drove to Cleveland Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with Shae’s sister, Jodi, and her family. While there, we discovered that the house where the movie "A Christmas Story" was filmed was in Cleveland. So we went to tour the house. As it turns out, they were having a convention with the actors, Ralphie look a-like contests and red-rider BB gun contests…YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!
So, as you can see, 2007 was a memorable year, and the above was only the tip of the iceberg. If you would like to see pictures from many of the above events, they are on our family website: onceuponababy.blogspot.com.
We look forward to the upcoming holidays and an eventful 2008. Our approaching plans include traveling to Tennessee and Mississippi to visit family for the Christmas holiday, celebrating our 4th Anniversary in London, England and moving closer to my workplace in Tysons Corner, Virginia (as well as DC) later in the spring. So, please check back with us for our new address update later in the year. We’ve enjoyed all of our visitors over this past year and welcome any of you to visit us in the DC area anytime. Our doors are always open. It is our wish that you have a wonderful holiday season, and keep in touch. I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!
~ Merry Christmas ~
Bo, Shae and Brinson
I am in my 2nd year providing corporate tax consulting services with KPMG. Several months ago I was promoted to Tax Manager. With the promotion I have been given more responsibility at work and have traveled a bit more, mainly up and down the East Coast. The best business trip I took was when I went to NYC in October and was able to catch a Broadway show starring a Jackson theater pal and was able to visit my cousin Amanda. Shae keeps a busy schedule with Brinson’s Lil’ Kickers soccer classes, mom's connection groups, play dates, bible study, site seeing and numerous road trips. She started a new "hobby" offering handcrafted jewelry with Silpada. Check out her webpage at www.mysilpada.com/shae.white. Shae anticipates going back to work as a speech pathologist next year.
During the spring, Shae and Brinson went on what she called her "Goodwill Tour 2007." As a family we flew in to Oklahoma for a wedding. While I returned home, Shae and Brinson extended their stay and then went to Tennessee and Mississippi. They saw anyone that came across their path! During this time Brinson became a toddler and had two early 1st birthday parties. Brinson went from a very fast and efficient crawler one week to walking the entire living room the following week. During this time Brinson suffered ear infections for 4 months and was having trouble hearing. However, Shae had him tested and we opted for him to have ear tube surgery. He had the outpatient surgery in the morning, and by that afternoon he was responding to things he had not heard before.
Our summer was full of fun and adventure. We toured and picnicked in and around DC (with Shae and Brinson going into DC at times solely to exercise), had several friends and family visits, attended the 18th Century Craft Fair at Mount Vernon and toured the White House. We even saw President Bush get in the helicopter outside while we were touring inside the house. Brinson also took in his first Major League baseball game. In addition, we took our summer vacation over the 4th of July Holiday week. We became American history tourists and made our way around Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown and Virginia Beach. While visiting the Ullian’s in VB, we went to the beach, the Virginia Aquarium and saw beautiful lighthouses. We also went to see the inactive USS Wisconsin Battleship and toured the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial Museum in Norfolk. During the late summer we toured Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, and stood at the point where the Shenandoah River and the Potomac River meet in the Appalachians. Truly a beautiful sight. Also in the summer, Shae and Brinson went to Tennessee to see her brother Eric run in the AAU Nationals Steeplechase track event and stayed with my sister, Leah, and her family.
This fall Brinson went to several different farms for fall harvest and pumpkin patch events. We also went to Mississippi and Brinson saw his 1st Ole Miss versus Arkansas football game. We attended Granddaddy Ellis's 86th birthday dinner and also had a brief visit with Nanny White in Tennessee. On Halloween, we took "Dumbo" a.k.a. Brinson to Trunk or Treat at a local church and then went trick or treating in the neighborhood. At Thanksgiving, we drove to Cleveland Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with Shae’s sister, Jodi, and her family. While there, we discovered that the house where the movie "A Christmas Story" was filmed was in Cleveland. So we went to tour the house. As it turns out, they were having a convention with the actors, Ralphie look a-like contests and red-rider BB gun contests…YOU'LL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!
So, as you can see, 2007 was a memorable year, and the above was only the tip of the iceberg. If you would like to see pictures from many of the above events, they are on our family website: onceuponababy.blogspot.com.
We look forward to the upcoming holidays and an eventful 2008. Our approaching plans include traveling to Tennessee and Mississippi to visit family for the Christmas holiday, celebrating our 4th Anniversary in London, England and moving closer to my workplace in Tysons Corner, Virginia (as well as DC) later in the spring. So, please check back with us for our new address update later in the year. We’ve enjoyed all of our visitors over this past year and welcome any of you to visit us in the DC area anytime. Our doors are always open. It is our wish that you have a wonderful holiday season, and keep in touch. I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU!
~ Merry Christmas ~
Bo, Shae and Brinson
