Mom/Kathy

It's New Year's Eve! Hooray! It was five years ago today that Nana passed away. I can't believe it's been that long already. I wonder what she's up to! There are days that I miss her. Our Christmas in Utah was wonderful. I loved being in the snow (knowing that I wouldn't be in it for long). It was so beautiful--all the lights on the houses, snow on the roofs--very Christmasy and postcard-looking. We had fun cooking, shopping, baking, just hanging out, and visiting. Little Jaylon is sure a cutie. We had fun with him. Dad and I visited a couple from Paso Robles who had moved to Spanish Fork last summer. We went to lunch at Magleby's in Spanish Fork. Not the same as the Provo place, but the food was good. Dad filled you in on the evening at Bruce's. That was very enjoyable. On Christmas night Diane and Mike, Aleece and Jeremy, and Jason and Melanie and kids came to Michelle's for a little visit. All in all it was a fun time. Hope ALL of you had a wonderful Christmas!
Some comments on things: Andrea, we loved seeing Cal and the snowman--what a hoot! Grant and Alison, we loved your Christmas letters. Your sarcasm can be pretty funny. Grant and Lisa, we hope your trip was enjoyable, and that your visit with Las Vegas siblings was fun for you all. The calendar is wonderful--thanks Lisa for all your hard work! Thanks again to everyone for the Sacred Grove picture. It looks really nice in the living room.
Let's hear from everyone about your Christmas! Love, Mom
P.S. FYI--in the family picture above, Adam's outfit was a tiny red and white stripe so it looked pink. I actually LIKE the way I looked--young, thin, sexy.......

Jaylons favorite toy is the vacuum, and according to his dad he'll be playing for ohio state. He also likes the gay lookin bear who sings thats what friends are for! He didn't really know what was going on but he sure liked all his presents he got for christmas. The plan as of now..ryan is moving here first week of march and i'm just doing appointments and want to go back to school so i can be a Master Esthetician instead of just basic.

Love you all, Maggie

Cal is in a committed relationship with a snowman

Ok Cal Loves this snowman at Sherrie's house-this face he is making in the bottom picture is one of pure and intense joy. The first picture he is pushing the snowman down and and then saying "Oh no!" in a super high pitched voice. Hope everyone had a good Christmas and I will be expecting to see some photos! I will add more later-I just had to get these on cause they're awesome.

RUSS

I am reading the blogs. I just haven't had anything to add to what Mom blogs. We are waiting for the snow to arrive and it looks like it is starting to come. The temperature is 31 but it feels like 21 according to the weather forecast. We are under a winter storm warning. We went to Bruce's last night and had a good time. Plenty of food and Bruce, Diane and I regaled everyone with tales of growing up with Grandpa and Grandma. Then we talked about Bruce living with us in Michigan and our old VW bus. Bruce's kids loved it. I guess they hadn't heard the stories before. Mom, Natalie and Michelle are making sugar cookies. We have completed two puzzles already and the third one is on the table. Ryan, Maggie, Jalon, Matt and I went to Kneaders this morning for all you can eat pancakes and french toast. Matt works there in case you weren't aware. It was good. We were talking to the owners son. He had an Ohio State shirt on so I was talking to him about living in Ohio but that we had lived in Michigan so we rooted for both. He said that he also lived in Midland, Michigan. I told him that we lived there also and he brought out his parents who are owners. They are members of the Church and so they asked me which ward we lived in. I told them I was the first bishop of the 2nd ward and so we talked about Midland. They lived there from 1985 for a few years. It is a small world. They asked me if I was Matt's dad so I don't feel so old today. The wind gusts were 70 MPH in the mountains this morning so Matt couldn't hit the slopes. That's my blog contribution for the month. Have a Merry Christmas!!

Dad blogging . . .

I've already asked Dad twice if he has read the blog and I got a no both times. So maybe we should also set up a dummy blog pretending to be the kids in his ward in order to get him to read and/or contribute to the blog. But if he figures out that it is from his actual kids, he may stop reading it so we have to be careful.

- Adam

Hello everyone! We're off to Santa Rosa tomorrow afternoon. I feel pretty good-I've got presents wrapped, I know what I'm wearing for the family picture, and I got my nails and toes done today in a festive shimmery red! Isn't that family picture awesome!!?? Adam I totally noticed the photographer-he was looking at my package too! I just found out that this lady in my ward (who is really nice and cool) is Rex Pinegar's daughter-so is she cousins with the Pinegar's we know? What's the relation? I'm gonna walk right up to her and be like, "Sup Kris-I had a fake wedding with your cousin Matt so we're kinda related-Dang you must be feeling mighty crunchy!!" (a little throwback to Racine). Just a little FYI for any Pei Wei patrons-If you want a dish, but it's a little wok fried-you can as for it to be "stock velvet" and you can get the same yummy sauce and flavor, but with pure chicken breast-no little fat layer. I was excited about it-you might be too. I'll be doing New Year's cards (that say Merry Christmas) because there were several obstacles that made it almost impossible to get it going on time. To be honest-I'm even considering Valentines cards (not with the Christmas cards though). We'll see-I'll surprise you. By the way-Michelle the wax melter thing you got me is awesome (yes I opened it early-obviously) it stank so good and strong, Thank you. Oh and regarding your tie-those are back-only bigger-they're really "in style" right now (shot out to the lady at Nordstrom who put me at ease by letting me know that tortoise shell is "in style"). All right off to pack! Andrea

Alison

Isabella wants to know why Adam is in a dress and Olivia asked if he used to be a girl... "Then why is he in a pink dress?" Of course, according to her Dad looks the weirdest because he has funny sunglasses on. They both think I look HOT! I was hoping to include a bit of Isabella's Holiday program for you, but my wonderful husband's videography technique can leave one a bit queasy. We ran out of battery anyway, but the concluding song "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", was a delight in diversity with a nod to Hannukah and Kwanza. My friend did present the nativity in Isabella's class without an issue. My other friend had to do the same for her daughter's 2nd grade class on the spur of the moment after it was learned that the Muslim mom was in her class also teaching a Muslim prayer and giving everyone prayer beads. Thanks, but you might be crossing a line.

Last night we had a beautiful blizzard (while we were eating ice cream).

My bathroom is now painted, I have lights and a shower door. Too bad I don't have any faucets or a toilet. It could still happen!

Adam, I wore those ties to work, every day, at Frito-Lay. They were all the rage.

Alison, be sure to send us the update on what happened in Isabella's class.

Michelle

Adam

This is a great picture! Although, I am wondering why the photographer was innappropriately looking at my package, forcing me to cover up and say, "Hey!" I can't believe everyone else just let that slide - what was I like 1?! And I really love Michelle's tie.

Alison

Due to the insane pressure to ignore my pressing Christmas card responsibilites, I am posting! Sheesh! R u happy now? Is 11:00pm really the time for an exhausted, glitter blind mother to write about nothing? I guess we'll see... A reminder to Natalie to put empty bread bags over her socks before putting on her boots while in Utah. Don't want to get your feet wet while playing in the snow. So were bread bags the only choice back then, or just the choice of the poor? Like the triangle sandwiches and such? Was there a plethora of weather resistant clothing options that we were unaware of? Hmmm?

Isabella's class has had a couple of presentations by other parents of their religious December holidays. A bit of "Spin the Dradle" (sp?), the Muslim holiday, Eid (The Feast of Sacrifice in Islam). Upon learning this, my friend offered to share her religious December holiday. This was met with some hesitation so she is storming her way into Isabella's class tomorrow, ignoring the obvious discomfort of the teacher, to share her religious December tradition. What religion might this be you ask? That would cause her cross necklace wearing teacher to be uncomfortable? That's right, Christianity. Heaven forbid we let the majority share their views. We might offend someone... So... I have to get back to the glitter haze of my Christmas cards and preparations for my 8:30am presidency meeting. Love to all.

Finals Week

Hey I like this blog idea!

Well i've just got finals this week, the worst week of every semester. I have a new job, it's called donating plasma. It pays the bills i don't have and allows me to have some extra cash to enjoy food that isn't from 1925. Great Gramms and Gramps are doin good, aside from the fact that Grandpa has flipped a few times and wears his huge jacket inside while the living room burns down. I will most likely be the only person representing the Greg Garrett family as my dad is my dad and my mom is computer-illiterate. I sure hope i spelled that right because if i didn't it would be oxymoronic of me. Well that is all, home (vegas) on thursday, nervous break down about my grades until then!

--Kyle

Santa came with the police and fire truck to pass out candy canes and collect stuff for toys for tots. It was really cute. Gabrielle was wearing these gloves that clip together and she wouldn't let me unclip them so it looked like she was walking around with handcuffs on-you can kind of tell in this picture.

Holar

This is my first time bloggin. Yeah boy! Thank you Andrea for suggesting this. I loved reading everyone's blog. It is fun to know what everyone is doing and to have a good laugh. I am just sitting at work. I had to get here at 8:00am (which is an hour earlier than normal) to let the painters in. We are renovating our office - new paint, tile, carpet, and entire bathroom. I am crossing my fingers that it will be done in time for tax season. I will be heading to Utah on Saturday (weather permitting) to spend Christmas at Michelle's. I hope it snows because I don't remember the last time I had a white Christmas. Love you all!

Natalie

Extended Family News from Adam

I am not sure if everyone knows or not, but Corbin and Kenz are moving to Cedar City (more familiarly known as Festival City USA) to pretty much start over. Corbin is leaving the movie biz behind to go back to school, starting undergrad bascially from scratch at SUU, and go on to pursue med school and become a doctor. He will transfer his EMT license to Utah for a job and Kenz will be able to stay home and raise Wyatt and any future kids. They will be living in the basement of Kenz's brother's house for the first semester and then plan on finding a place after that. Corbin starts school on Jan. 7, and Kenz will move on about the 15th because she gave her boss a month's notice. So, just a little FYI for everyone. Remember them in your prayers. And remember my law professors in your prayers that they will be guided to grade my tests with the utmost possible points. Thanks.

Adam

Great idea Andrea - glad someone's thinking! For those of you who don't know, we started finishing the basement. The plan was to frame in all the rooms and completely finish the bathroom. The framing took them a day but apparently a bathroom takes a minimum of 2 months. They put in the wrong slate (which is growing on me) then they thought if they gave me an upgraded sink and put fancy molding that would make me happy. The sink will work but I told them to rip out the molding and they had the nerve to be irritated. I just want this bathroom to match the rest of my entire house, is that too much to ask? At this point we are just hoping to have another working bathroom by the time Mom and Dad come.

We are looking forward to Christmas and it should be a white one. Ryan is also coming. I need to head out to meet Mari. More later.

Love, Michelle

From Adam

I just realized that all of our posts will say "posted by Andrea" at the bottom. So, make sure to specify who is posting. I posted the one about Dad.

Posted by: Adam

Dad's e-mail

Don't worry about the profanity-laden e-mail you sent to a bunch of people, Dad. Everyone knows that you didn't send it on purpose and that you are a stand-up guy. Love you , Dad!!!

Adam & Michelle

I (Adam) am finally finishing up my first semester of law school and boy, was it a doozie! The tests were hard and I think I faired pretty well, but that's what I thought on a mid-term this semester and I ended up getting a low grade. So, we'll see . . . School doesn't start again until Jan. 22 so I get a sweet break which I will spend reading (for pleasure) and maybe snowboarding (it would be my very first time - I know - crazy!).

Michelle is now working three full days a week. She likes having more time off, but the days that she does work are packed with clients. She is planning on running the St. George Marathon next October and has been training for it. She did a wonderful job decorating our home with a beautiful Christmas tree and other Christmas decorations.

We will be in Burbank with the Delaneys for Christmas and we will return to Vegas to ring in 2008 Vegas style!!! Yeah right. That's all for now.

Adam & Michelle

This is new to me!

Family, I'm so excited to have a family blog! I had thought about some kind of a family e-mail chain letter to keep in touch with each other and to know what everyone's doing, but I think this blog thing is going to be great. Let's ALL do it, and it will be fun. I doubt that you'll see many pics of me and dad, but that's okay! We've both been VERY busy that last couple of weeks with tithing settlement, choir rehearsals, Sing Noel performances, and Silver Belles Christmas performances. Now we're on the down side, things are slowing down, and we're looking forward to Christmas in Utah at Michelle's. We're flying up on Tuesday the 18th and coming home 12/27. Andrea, we enjoyed your blog and thank you for setting up this one. Let's all get busy and keep it going! Love to all of you. Mom

Hey everyone! This is the kids new favorite thing-hanging out in the dryer. They also eat 2 apples a day, which is a lot, but since it's the natural toothbrush, I have no problem with it-Gabrielle has one more dentist appt and we're done! At least once a week she asks me, "We're not going to the dentist today right mommy?" I feel bad that because I let her drink juice non stop and eat fruit snacks (dentist said these 2 are the worst) she has to live in fear of the "driddling" (drilling). Anyway I just wanted to get this started! Love Andrea