Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

ACCOUNT OF A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap-
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name :
"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem;
"To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
"Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys -- and St. Nicholas too:
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound :
He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot ;
A bundle of toys was flung on his back,
And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack :
His eyes--how they twinkled! his dimples how merry,
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry ;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow.
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow ;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle :
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Christmas Kids Part 5

Here are a couple from the past, I'm not going to give Caitlin's last name because she (thinks she) is all grown up now.

And this is my 10 month old great-granddaughter Gabby, meeting Santa for the first time. I think they hit it off.

A Sad Day

Very well said on behalf of all of us. 

Christmas Kids Part 4

I have to admit, this one kind of got to me. No matter how old they are, this is how they will always be to their family. Godspeed, Dean.

Sgt. William Dean Reeves (US byGod AF), currently stationed in Afghanistan...December 25, 1981.

Final Score: U. L. Coleman 25,000,000 - City of Bossier 0

This is the press release from the City of Bossier on the Walker Place settlement. It appears that the City totally folded. 
How could it get to this point over a simple curb cut? My theory is that it was nothing but pride and power. The City Council took a stand and instead of wisely coming to a mutual agreement, they hung on and spent millions fighting the lawsuit – out of pride and stubbornness. I could be wrong, but it sure as heck appears that way.
I especially love the spin in the last paragraph, “The City of Bossier City is excited about the opportunity to facilitate and support this exciting new development in South Bossier and looks forward to the added quality of life it will bring to residents and visitors.”
May be, but I bet it tastes more like crow than chicken.
Elliott Stonecipher estimates that the total cost to the city will come to $25,000,000.

As part of a comprehensive settlement resolving pending litigation, the City of Bossier City will be entering into a Consent Decree and Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with U.L. Coleman Company, Sequoia venture No. 2, Ltd., A. Teague Parkway, L.L.C., and Walker Place, L.L.C. to facilitate and fund infrastructure in a 90 plus acre commercial and residential development in South Bossier.

The settlement was approved this afternoon by the Bossier City Council during a special meeting called to address the issue.

The litigation filed in 2008 centered around the establishment of a curb cut on the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway for access to the proposed development to be located north of Walker Place. As part of the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement the city will grant a curb cut and a median cut on Teague Parkway among other items including:

· $10.4 million for infrastructure in the mixed use development.

· $1 million to develop a city park on city property north of the CenturyLink Center. U.L. Coleman Company will provide funds for the park's design.

· Construction of an elevated pedestrian/bicycle walkway over the Teague Parkway in the vicinity of the proposed park.

· $6.7 million in damages and costs.

· A transfer of 39.4 acres of city property for use in expanding the mixed use development to more than 90 acres. The property to be transferred is bordered by Walker Place, Barksdale Boulevard, Angelle Drive and CenturyLink Drive.

As a community partner, U.L. Coleman Company has also agreed to fund $100,000 to implement regulations to provide standards for future residential and commercial development in the Barksdale Boulevard corridor in South Bossier.

The City of Bossier City is excited about the opportunity to facilitate and support this exciting new development in South Bossier and looks forward to the added quality of life it will bring to residents and visitors.

Christmas Kids Part 3

More Christmas Kids. 
Here are more Christmas kids wishing you Merry Christmas. Email your picture and information to mybossier@gmail.com or just post them on the My Bossier Facebook Page. There will be more.

Ireland was a little nervous about visiting Santa

Riley, a little more experienced, was ready with a list.

Riley and Christmas Bear

Christmas Kids Part 2

Here are more Christmas kids wishing you Merry Christmas. Email your picture and information to mybossier@gmail.com. There will be more.

Youngest first. Braxton Davis is not yet a month old. He can't figure out the hat, but has been told it is something good!

The Cooper Kids with Mammaw

The smallest Cooper counting down for Santa

Christmas Kids

I noted on Facebook that I really enjoy seeing all the pictures of the little children at Christmas, and enjoy putting up pictures of my grandchildren and my great-grandchild, and it occurred to me that it would be nice to share on the blog.
If you would like to see your child wishing everyone a Merry Christmas on My Bossier, send me a picture and the caption you would like on it. Family pictures would be great too. If you don’t want to use last name, that is fine.
I’m putting up a couple of mine to kick it off!
Email your picture and caption to mybossier@gmail.com.

Great-Grandaughter Gabby checking out the tree - her first!

Ashton, Celeste and Aubrey hoping Santa is good to all

Congratulations Mike Nerren

Mike Nerren has won the election for Judge. Of 9,350 votes cast in Bossier Parish, Nerren won by a margin of 266 votes. In Webster Parish, where the count isn't complete, he has an insurmountable lead at this time.
Congratulations to Judge Nerren.

Undecided Voters