Things I am Thankful For:

I definitely have a lot to be thankful for each and everyday, but I would like to highlight a few things that I am especially thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Family
This Thanksgiving we were able to spend most of the week with the Griffeth's. Wes, Lindsay and Nate flew in from Las Vegas and spent the night with us on Saturday. We all travelled to Marietta for church on Sunday and then we headed back here so that Bayley could complete two more days of school. Tuesday the Griffeth boys congregated here in Oxford, Alabama to play golf. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for golf and I think they all had a good time. Wednesday we headed to Marietta to spend the remainder of the week there. We took family pictures...which I am anxiously awaiting to see the results of so that I know if I have a Christmas Card picture or not. Thursday morning Jeff, my mom and I got up early and headed to the Gobble Jog in downtown Marietta. When we left the house it was pouring rain and pretty cold, which is the reason that the rest of the Griffeth clan did not join us for the race, but by the time the race began the weather cleared and we ran without rain. Jeff and I ran the 10K, a first for the both of us. It was a pretty hilly course and I didn't finish as well as I had hoped...I do not train on hills at all, however we all felt good about the run and enjoyed the race. I think I may make that an annual event. Friday was Black Friday, which is one of my favorite shopping days of the year. As you know there are tons of bargains and as most of you know I cannot resist a good deal. So my mom and I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and hit the stores with our list in hand. We did well and were home by 10 a.m.. Saturday we left Marietta early and headed back home. It is nice to have a couple of days to recuperate from a vacation. We had a great time and are so thankful for all of our family. Both Jeff and I have been blessed with great extended families as well as 3 awesome kids!

What Trey's Hair Looks Like after getting a blowpop stuck in it

Bayley reading a story with Aunt Lindsay

The Girls with cousin Nate

Bayley's Pilgrim Costume for School

The Griffeth Boys Golf Outing 2007

Health
I am so thankful for my health and the health of my family. The kids came down with colds last Wednesday and are still fighting the effects today. As I listened to Trey and Kendal repeatedly cough during their naps this afternoon, I thought about how thankful I am that every nap is not that way. I have to say that I am always thankful for our health, but I am especially thankful when one of us is sick.
The Gospel
I am so thankful that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am so thankful that I have the gospel in my life. I know that I am as happy as I am with my life because I continually try to live the teachings of the gospel. Despite my faults, I know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I am thankful for a latter day Prophet who leads and guides us today. I am thankful for the priesthood. I am thankful that I have a worthy priesthood holder in my home. I am thankful for the Relief Society and for the opportunity I have to serve in my calling.
Friends
As most of you know, Jeff and I have moved around quite a bit since we have been married. Each and every place we have lived, I have been blessed to find wonderful friends. It is always hard to move onto a new place and leave old friends behind, but it is also exciting to forge new relationships everywhere we go.
Computers
Finally, I am thankful for my computer and the internet. It has made my life so much easier in so many ways. I love the access to information, the ability to keep in touch with friends, and e-mail. What would we do without them? Wait, what did we do without them?? It is hard to believe that I wrote my first email in 1995 when I first went to college...I think I got onto the internet the first time that year as well. It is amazing how much has changed in the way of electronics and computers since then...I can only imagine what things will be like in another 12 years! WOW!

Growing Up!

Bayley wiggling her loose tooth
Bayley coming home from school and showing off her new toothless grin
Kendal showing off her face paint
Trey
Trey posing...yeah right, I just caught him as he was getting ready to jump up and run


Everyday I am reminded of how quickly time goes by. I really can't believe that Bayley is 6 years old, losing teeth, reading, old enough to hold real conversations with sometimes, and just altogether growing up way too fast. Yes, since our last report Bayley has lost another tooth...that makes 3 in total. She pulled out the second and third teeth on her own...a brave feat for any 6 year old. She looks so cute...I am hoping the other top tooth will exit before Christmas so that she has the "all I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth" gap. Bayley has been keeping busy with swim and dance. I question her every couple of weeks to make sure that she is still enjoying both...and she is. We are trying our best to let her do the things that she want to do, but at the same time limit her on her activities so that she doesn't get too burned out at a young age. Somedays you just need to be able to come home and play and we do have a couple of those days built into our week. Both Kendal and Bayley participated in our Church Primary program last Sunday. Both had speaking parts and Bayley sang in a duet with another little girl. Grandma and Grandpa "G" as well as Grant, Alyssa and Olivia drove over so they could watch the girls in action. Both the girls did a superb job. Both memorized their parts and amazed me with how well they were able to perform. Just ask my mom, they don't get their stage presence from their mom...I was painfully shy as a child! It was so much fun to watch the girls sing their little hearts out, the songs that they have learned this last year in primary. I am so proud of them! Kendal is still our little firecracker. She is either really happy and loving or the opposite. Fortunately she is usually more of the good and less of the bad, but when she is bad you had better brace yourself. Trey is into everything. He is getting way to fast. As soon as he sees any type of opening to trouble, he will quickly take advantage. He loves to turn on any water faucet he can reach, read books, and pull out things from the kitchen cabinets. It is so fun watching him run around and explore the world! Jeff and I feel trully blessed to have three wonderful children! The kids as well as Jeff and I are excited about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. It is going to be fun to spend the week with the Griffeth family in it's entirety. I'm sure I will have lots of pictures as well as activities to report in the coming week...stay tuned!

Halloween 2007

We had another fun Halloween. The kids loved dressing up and we had a great trick-or-treating experience this year. Our neighbor friend, Ginger, invited us to accompany her family and some of her friend's families trick-or-treating at one of the nicer neighborhoods in this area. We decided to take her up on it, because if you have seen where we live, our neighborhood is not the ideal trick-or-treating location. The houses are spread far apart and there really aren't any kids around. The neighborhood that we went to, was ideal for trick-or-treating. The houses were relatively close together, the neighborhood was shut down to car traffic, the houses were well-decorated, and oh yeah, the candy was great. We spent 2 hours trick-or-treating and the kids loved every minute of it. I was actually surprised how well that they did. We did prepare well...we made sure that they all had comfortable shoes and that Trey was locked down in a stroller. Halloween was definitely the highlight of our week, other than that it was business as usual. Kendal already started the dialog for what she wanted to be for Halloween next year and all of the funs things that we would get to do again. Here are a couple of pictures from Halloween Night!