I {heart} Christmas Eve! - December 23

We already have some fun traditions that make this last evening before Christmas almost as exciting as the big day! Here's just a taste of our evening...

After having tamales for supper we get ready for Christmas Eve service and take a few pictures. 

 First my cute little girls...

Then my handsome boys...

And finally the whole crew!

After church we enjoy Christmas cookies and wassail by the fire.

Then the kids get to open one present...their new Christmas pjs.  This year I bought them all "feet attached"...they were just a little bit excited!

They usually agree to a couple more pictures...

before opening the final present of the evening.

Every year they get a new game on Christmas Eve that we play together before they head off to bed. This year's game...Quirkle.

After an exciting game it's time for the Christmas Eve slumber party.

Merry Christmas {Eve}!

Laurel's First Birthday - December 21

Hi! My name is Laurel Joy Griffis and today is my first birthday.  Let me tell you about the celebration...

Since it was Daddy's day off, everyone decided to head up the mountain and spend the morning hiking in the snow. I decided it would be a good time for a nap, since all of the real birthday fun was waiting back at the house!

After arriving back home it was time for the party to begin.  I thought I'd invite my brothers and sisters since they live with me. They are pretty fun kids.

I loved opening the presents, especially the ones with tissue paper.  I got lots of toys, dolls and cute clothes.  See the hat that Noni made me? It's my favorite! I was excited when Mom let me say "Hi" to Noni (and Papa and my cousin Elizabeth and a few aunts and uncles) on the computer and thank her for my presents.

While the presents were fun, without a doubt my favorite part of the day was eating my birthday cake.  It tasted like my favorite food (bananas, of course), but was so much better than the ones Mom feeds me for breakfast. It was delicious and very messy!

I loved my first birthday celebration.  I clapped all day long, especially whenever someone sang that "Happy Birthday" song to me.  Can it be my birthday again tomorrow?

MSBC Christmas Program - December 19

Monique and Zane's Christmas Program

Happy Thanksgiving - November 25

Happy Thanksgiving...from our flock to yours!

Walking in Our Winter Wonderland

All ten of us got bundled up and went for a walk in the snow this afternoon. We had over a foot of snow on the ground and it was still snowing lightly. It truly was a "winter wonderland"!

Liz and Will's Wedding - November 6

We traveled to Florida for a very special wedding and were blessed to spend time with lots of Danny's extended family.  Here are just few pictures from that beautiful day...

Several of the youngest cousins enjoyed playing together after the wedding.

 

Zane survived wearing a tie for the first time...and looked very handsome.

 

Colter actually enjoyed wearing his tie...and also looked very handsome.

 

Monique loved her new dress made especially for this occassion.

 

Liz, Will, Taylor, Sabrina, Emma and Wyatt

 

Wyatt carried a football down the aisle instead of a pillow.  Talk about temptation...

 

Sabrina looking, and feeling, like a princess.

 

And finally Miss Laurel, who smiled at everyone she met.

 

Precious little girls watching Liz and Will dance at the reception.

 

The highlight of the reception for the kids (and some of the adults!) was the candy cart.

 

Colter enjoying a lollipop, with Emma and Sabrina in the background.

 

Monique decided Laurel should get a taste of her special lollipop, too!

Phone Conversations - September 15

This morning Sabrina and Monique were in the living room and dining room respectively, holding their babies and talking to each other on their toy cell phones...

Sabrina: "Ring, ring, ring, ring. Monique your phone is ringing!"

Monique: "Hello?"

Sabrina: "Hi! How are you doing today?"

Monique: "Oh, I am doing just fine. I'm about to go to Wal-Mart."

Sabrina: "Would you like me to watch your kids for you?"

Monique: "Sure, that would be great!"

Sabrina: "Is there anything you need to tell me about them?"

Monique: "Well, one of them can't have milk."

Sabrina: "OK, which one?"

Monique: "John 3:16"

Sabrina: "So John 3:16 can't have milk. Anything else?"

Monique: "No that's all. See you soon!"

And a few minutes later (after Monique arrived at Sabrina's house) I heard this conversation...

Sabrina: "You know our grandmother broke her foot."

Monique: "Yes, she did."

Sabrina: "She fell off the roof and broke it."

Monique: "Well this baby was in my tummy just yesterday."

Baptism in the Clearwater River - September 12

There is no greater joy as a Christian parent than watching your children grow in their knowledge and understanding of God. It is not a one time event, but rather a journey with many precious opportunities to pause and reflect along the way. The moment of salvation and experience of baptism are certainly two of those opportunities. Danny and I have been blessed over the past two weeks as we have been able to personally share these experiences with both Sabrina and Colter. After church on Sunday we invited our family and friends down to the river for their baptism celebration. Danny and I selected a special verse for each of them (and had it engraved on a necklace for Sabrina and a dog tag for Colter) as a reminder of this special day...

Sabrina Laine Griffis

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:11-12

Colter Thomas Griffis

"Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." Psalm 112:6-8

"We are therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6:4

Conversation with Zane - August 25

My recent conversation with Zane while we were trying to leave the library...

Me (holding a wiggly Laurel while four other kids are already headed out the door): Let's go Zane. It's time to go to the park.

Zane (as he is starting to take off his sandals): Otay, Mom. Jus' lemme feel how soft dis couch is real twick.

Zane (after taking approximately one minute to get his sandals off): Ohhhhh, it's really soft!

Me: OK, let me have your shoes and I'll carry you. It's time to go.

Zane (while starting to put on his shoes): No Mom, I'm going to put dem on. Tan you jus' wait up for me? Otay?

Me: OK, can I help you put them on?

Zane: No, thank you. I'll do it myself.

Zane (after taking approximately two minutes to get one sandal on): Otay Mom, you can help me with dis one.

Me (setting Laurel down): OK, let's get this done so we can go.

Zane (pushing my hands away): Dats nuf Mom...I tan finish it.  There, I dot it.  Now we tan go.

"Home" School - August 16

Just one of the many pictures I took on our first day of school...more to come! : )

Noni Dresses! - August 2

Mom took the girls to pick out fabric for some dresses when they were visiting us in June. They arrived in the mail last week and the girls couldn't wait to wear them to church on Sunday...

These dresses are perfect for...

skipping...

twirling...

or just sitting and looking pretty!

Thanks, Noni! We love our new dresses!

Jumpers! - July 30

The kids and I got to watch the smokejumpers do a training jump today. I asked them to help me tell you about it...

Colter: They are loading up to do a practice jump. They're wearing their fire suits.

Zane: Those are the people. When the propeller turns on they hop in!

Wyatt: The airplane started spinning one propeller and then the other propeller. Then it went really fast and took off. That was neat!

Zane: Connor and Sophie were there. They're dad is a smokejumper.

Colter: They had to drop streamers from the airplane before they could jump so knew how the wind would push them.

Monique: The airplane had to fly way up in the sky before they could jump. It took a long time!

Zane: My favorite part was watching them jump because it was fun. I had to look up to see them.

Sabrina: It was fun watching them jump with their parachutes.


Sabrina: When they landed on the ground they would do a flip. I liked that part.

Monique: When they fell down they didn't even cry!

Monique: There were different colors and shapes of parachutes. I liked the blue and yellow one the best.

Wyatt: I liked seeing how tiny the people were next to the parachutes. Even the grown-ups looked like ants!

Colter: We're going to play "Smoke Jumper" at home!