Gingerbread Houses

We made a village this year. Two big houses, 4 little houses, a big tree and a bunch of gingerbread men. It was super fun! 

The finished village. 

It went really smoothly this year with the different work stations for different age groups. I did all the 'glueing' while Papa ran interferace and helped keep everyone busy and out of trouble :) 

The boys house. 

The tree decorated by Papa, G and J3. 

The girls house. 

A little house I decorated and a person done by either J3 or G. 

E's little house she decorated alone. 

Papa started this one and I finished it. 

And I did this one too, with some help from R :) 

Shirley The Jersey. A Christmas Story.

Some friends of ours wanted to go on a trip, but they had a cow they needed taking care of . Papa said sure and told me later, but I was fine with that. They brought her over the 22nd of December. Her name is Shirley and she reminds me of a large happy dog. She is inquisitive and alert. She walked right over the wire fence to explore the pigs and right back in again when Papa put the fence down. She is easy to catch and lead and she seems to be, very much, a people cow. You know; instead of a people person? She's a people cow. Shirley is a purebred jersey cow with a rough coat. I'd never seen a Jersey with a rough coat. Looks neat. I knew she was in labour the night she got here so I put her in our new calf pen with Ivan, Isabel's calf, and watched her for a bit. Until 1am actually when my feet were frozen and my eyes kept closing all by themselves. I went inside to bed but resolved to wake up in a couple hours to check on her. I must have been tired because the next hour I saw was 8am!! I thought, for sure, there would be a calf but no! While I was still scratching my head over that she lay down and gave a little push and I saw feet!! I ran inside and woke up the kids, made them get jackets on and boots and we all went out to stare at the cow! Then we went back inside as nothing was happening..that friendly cow kept saying 'good morning' to everyone and wouldn't lay down again to push the calf out!!   I stayed outside and watched her and when she was down again and staying down I called the kids and they all came out and watched the calf being born! Papa stayed inside with S but the other 6 were all there. Wonderful experience! Shirley did so good and after the calf was out and she was up she shared the love and licked Ivan all over just the same as she did her calf! A Christmas Eve calf! What a wonderful reminder of life and love and Jesus! 

L hand milking Shirley. Norman is the red calf, Ivan the black calf. 

 What a busy day it was. A friend and two of her children came for breakfast, a wonderful lady dropped off a quilt, a couple of guys showed up to pick up a freezer full of old meat for bait (a very big pig that died a couple years ago in the bush that we were going to feed to the dogs and never did as it smelled so bad!), Papa took the oldest 4 kids skating with church family for two hours while I cleaned house and napped littles,  R and her 6 kids came to see the calf and have a quick visit. C's and their 4 boys stopped in to see their cow Shirley and name the new calf Norman (city slickers anyone?). At one point there were 17 children in the house! Papa and Mr. C went to pick up some hay. Everyone was visiting and having a great time! I totally forgot it was Christmas Eve! The dog barked, the kids yelled, Grandma and Grandpa are here! The families were introduced, the calves seen again, the snowsuits, gloves, hats and children packed up, hugs given, good byes said, Papa and Mr. C arrived. R and her children left, C's packed up their boys, checked and double checked for mittens and jackets and oh don't forget the babies boots! Than a moment of silence. Ahh. 

Children chattering excitedly, Christmas Eve! We've remembered! Gingerbread houses and snack night and Grandma and Grandpa and excitement reined! I remember Papa hugged me and I smiled at him and we went into the kitchen to set up for the gingerbread house decorating. We decorated, we chatted and ate, we even opened gifts and hugged and laughed and then we were saying good bye again to Grandpa and Grandma and yelling MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Then again the house had a moment of silence before the little excited voices. Reminding us. Another Tradition. A wonderful Tradition, the annual watching of 'The Nativity Story.'  

Later that night after the kids were in bed Papa and I took a couple deep breaths and finished a few surprises for the next days giving. When the house was ready for bed I went out once again in the dark cold night to check the calves and Shirley and marvel. Every birth is a gift but God becoming man, being birthed into this human world to save us from sin is the greatest gift of all! What a personal reminder of the magic of life, the God thing that opened my eyes and quiets my heart. Thank you Jesus! 

*Disclaimer. Our children close their eyes for several minutes several times in the movie 'The Nativity Story' we also fast forward the first part and both births. 

Gingerbread Couples :)

The only gingerbread men/women we made this year.

It's a craft kit and they loved it :) 

Bonus....

it's not fattening :) 

Lines go up and down..

Left to right.

J, L, E, R and J3. 

When they were done we hung them up all over the house!! 

If only they smelled as nice as real gingerbread!! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!!!

          Wowza!! The Christmas letter already!! We've had a busy year as per normal but I’ll give you some highlights ;)

          -The Griggs Family is learning, growing, and enjoying life together; enjoying our new, since the last Christmas letter, home church group; and enjoying watching each other grow in God’s word and love and in many other ways!!

-The Griggs Family Home school is still going strong! We've added a science program called Apologia to our ACE curriculum this year and we are loving it!! With 3 children in two grades, 3 and 2, and Rose doing sort of a pre grade 1 work we have a busy kitchen table J With Jesse, age 2.5, and Grace, almost 1, we also have a busy living room.

-The Griggs Family House Building is going really good. We got what we are calling the ‘half addition’ floor, ceiling, window frames and walls, except stuccoing, pretty much done this summer/fall. The VERY TENITIVE plan is to move into it next summer sometime.

-The Griggs Family Homestead is filling freezers with beef and pork, feeding critters, collecting eggs, making cheese and beer, curing bacon, selling piglets (28!! This year!), and generally keeping busy!  With butchering season upon us and snow on the ground it should slow down soon. Just in time for the holidays!

          -Ages and Stages Of The Griggers J

                   *Jed is almost 9 years old and in Grade 3.

                   *Levi is 7.5 years old and in Grade 2.

                   *Emmaline is 6 years old and in Grade 2.

                   *Rose is 4.5 years old can’t wait to do school next year!

                   *Jesse is 2.5 years old and officially toilet trained J

                   *Grace will be 1 when you read this and is trying out this whole walking thing J

*Some one new will be joining us around June or July of 2013 J.  We are excited to see who he/she will be J

“And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21.

Merry CHRISTmas From

                                                         The Griggs Family

The littlest Grigger..

        

And There Was Light..... And Other Happy Thoughts :)

Papa and I picked out a new touch lamp for our bedroom. He picked it up the other day. Touch lamps are very cool.. Just ask J3 :) 

The kids all took turns checking it out and turning it on and off. 

This lamp replaces the one Papa bought second hand before we were married :) 

The old lamp we fixed every two years or so until this winter it died completely. 

We paid less then $3 for this one :)

 It was part of Papa's Christmas present from his bosses paid the rest!!

We also picked out new feather pillows, and gave our old ones to the boys, 

a new microwave, to replace ours as it turned off at weird times :(,

and a new phone set to replace the one we bought when we moved in this place almost 7 years ago, 

the hand sets no longer held a charge for more then a couple hours, and that gets really old!  

 Thanks Guys :)  

Christmas :)

The first thing we do every Christmas and the only thing that truly matters... 

Papa reading about the birth of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. We know Jesus probably wasn't born in December, we've even explained it to our children, but for us it is a time to celebrate His birth when the world celebrates themselves. A time to put some meaning into a otherwise meaningless holiday. It doesn't all make sense, it is tradition.. not just the worlds or the Churches (neither of which matter to us as a couple), but our families.

About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel. There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told! When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived. Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God, ” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or two young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law. In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God: God, you can now release your servant;release me in peace as you promised. With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation; it’s now out in the open for everyone to see: A God–revealing light to the non–Jewish nations, and of glory for your people Israel. Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother, This child marks both the failure andthe recovery of many in Israel, A figure misunderstood and contradicted— the pain of a sword–thrust through you—But the rejection will force honesty, as God reveals who they really are. Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She had been married seven years and a widow for eighty–four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fastings and prayers. At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem. When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth. There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit. And the grace of God was on him.
-Luke 2:1-40 (MSG)

Christmas Family Pictures.

A bunch of gorgeous kids!! 

15 of the 17 grandkids on my side of the family. L to R

O5 & K3, my brother D &A's kids.

 Our family, L6 & J7 with E5 & R3 holding Baby G6w with J3(1) in front of them.

A8 with little brother K2 in front of her and big brother L9 beside her, brother T&D's kids.

K3 is right under L's chin with little brother R2 sitting on the floor in front of her. My sister M&D's kids.

M5 with little sister C2 sitting by her feet, my sister A&K's kids.

Missing are J14 & A11 my sister S&D's kids. 

Just the girls. Beautiful bunch of girls!! We bought their matching dresses at Costco and it was a bit confusing as there was a LOT of little blond girls running around, but MAN were they ever cute!! I didn't plan it this way but my girls are wearing new headbands from the Griggs Gift Box sent from Papa's family and they really helped us tell all those little blond heads apart. The girls LOVE their headbands :) They still were a bit confusing I realized when Uncle D asked which girl was which :) The headbands helped there too as we were able to match colors to girls for him. We don't see them as looking that alike as we always see them dressed differently, but dressed the same and you could totally get E and R mixed up!! 

 There are 9 girls and 8 boy grandchildren on my side of the family. There are 3 boy and 4 girl grandchildren on Papa's side of the family :) 

My side totals 31 members with my parents, siblings, in laws and grandchildren. 

Papa's side with parents with his sibling and niece add up to 12, with our family being 8 of the 12. 

The sort of funny thing about those numbers is Papa's parents have a bigger house :) 

My family got together on Christmas day this year, for a later lunch and afternoon & evening gathering. I took like less then 10 pictures and got these pictures from my sil A :) Thanks A!! We had a lot of fun. Playing games, talking, eating and taking pictures. D&A live in Ab and come every 2nd year and it was really nice to see them again. We had them over for lunch later that week and enjoyed visiting and getting to know them and their children a little bit more. Several of the kids, and Grandma had birthdays in Jan so they are all a year older now :) J8, K4, A12, Grandma, L10 and M will be 6. 

Baby G in her Christmas dress Grandma F made up for her from a larger dress!! Super cute!!

 Thanks Grandma!! 

Traditions: Gingerbread Houses.

I love this picture!! We got a gingerbread house village this year so each of the older kids could make their own house! J3 and I did the 5th house and Papa smeared icing on everything :) He looks annoyed but he's really not! J and L are holding the roofs of their houses on so the 'glue' can set (icing) and E is showing me the sprinkles to go on top and R is loving the bowls of candy!! J3 wasn't at all interested in building houses with icing and putting candy on them.. he was just interested in the candy!! He's already got one in his hand. We did get him to put ONE on the house.. but that was IT!! LOL. 

The finished village top view! Top, L to R are J's, L's, E's and R's. J3 and I's is the bottom one! 

L's

Mine.

R's.

E's.

Village Side View :) 

J's. 

A Family Gathering :)

Well this is a bit late but better late then never I always say!
My mom's side of the family got together a week after Christmas this year for our Christmas gathering. We all brought food and ate like kings! I believe there was 75 ish people for the meal!
Grandpa =1
My mom has 2 brothers and 5 sisters = 8
The in laws (affectionately call the OUT LAWS)  =8 which totals = 17
There are 29 grandchildren which = 46
19 of the grandchildren are married (or equal to that) which =65
There are 39 great grandchildren which makes a totally of 104!!

Some of the Great Grandchildren sitting at the table to eat. I believe there was about 22 of the 39 there. Rough count! 

L and his creation! He made it all by himself and it was awesome!

Lined up for food. This is at my aunt and uncles AWESOME house.. I love her kitchen. I love that house! 

Great Grandpa giving all the kids chocolates.

My cousin Steph and her 15 month old little girl. She was eating a chocolate from Great Grandpa.

I know her name but I'm not going to try and spell it :) 

My brother Tom watches my brother Danny get mauled by about 9 or 10 kids. I thought I counted 11 when I was taking the pictures but now I only see 9?? There may be more under the others :) 

We teased Great Grandpa that it was all his fault :) What a great bunch of people! Love you all! 

Smashing The House!

The Gingerbread House that is :) This was the fun that happened after the work with the T's on New Years Day! What a BLAST!! All the kids had a turn to hit the house and several of them 'moved' it. I actually can't remember who smashed it but we all had a blast! The kids got a limited number of candies that night and we spent the next 3 weeks eating them out of a bowl!  Here they are WAITING for the men to finish up and drooling on the table.

 I love L's look on this one.. 

 Baby T with his big smile! Baby J slept through this part.   

J got to smash the tree! I think it hurt pretty good.. but he was very brave about it! 

                            

 Mr. T wrestling with the 4 boys! He had them all 4 pinned!! 

The baby boys sitting side by side. Baby J is the drooler :) 

A Griggs Christmas :)

 Papa's sister and folks send us a package or 2 for Christmas. This year we got it a few days late.. which was really nice! We enjoyed opening gifts more then one day!

The boys enjoying their 'bug eyes' :)

 The girls trying them.. J just pointed out that R's is backwards :)

 I love E's face on this one!

 The girls trying to get their gift out of the box...Papa had to do it and they pestered him the whole time :)

 L opening up his Lego gift! Awesome!

The boys admiring some of the Lego they got!

 The girls trying out their new play shoes.. they LOVE THEM and actually figured out how to walk in them in no time at all!

Papa got to open the last one! I actually don't have a picture of the best one.. and I so far can't open the disk that she put it on. Papa's sister Ruth gave us a photo album that starts in 1976 when his parents got married and ends in 1998. Very cool!! I may have seen some of the pictures before but not all of them. It is really neat to see my husband growing up through pictures :) LOVE IT!!!!

Gingerbread House Creation!

We had a lot of fun making our Gingerbread house this year. As you can see candy was VERY plentiful and that helps :) Papa ate almost all the lego candy before we even got to creating but we had enough for a dog and a snowman! We did a tree this year as well. Papa decorated it. I put icing on the house and did a little bit on it but the kids did the rest.. Of course we had to EAT some candy too. 

That blue thing is the dog.. the snowman is on the other side.. these poor people didn't have enough snow to cover the ground so some of their grass was showing.. They also had a lot of weird stuff, shrubs? Flowers? Dog mess? all over their yard! 

It's tradition to do it all together! Normally we do it Christmas Eve but this year I think it was boxing day!