January 2026

 January always feels a little slower. The company is all gone and the decorations come down. There really aren't any parties or events. Slowly but surly life goes back to normal...

These two won their first mixed doubles USTA Advanced tennis match this month! So exciting! 

We actually got a little weather this month! We had an ice storm one weekend as well as some snow the next weekend. 

                                                                

When the kids weren't trying to sled during the snow day they were playing with their friends making up dances and dressing up in costumes and drinking hot chocolate! 

During the second snow weekend Tim and I took a quick trip down to the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida. Tim had a meeting and I tagged along. We didn't have beach weather, but we enjoyed the spa and some wonderful meals together! We even managed to meet up with my cousin Cliff who lives there but forgot to take a picture! 

Here are a few more random pictures from this month. Next month we are going on our family ski trip to Telluride. I am also going on a girls trip to Turks and Caicos! 

December 2025

 We started off the month decorating for the holidays! We love when our house is all lit up for Christmas! We have lots of family coming to celebrate this year so we worked hard to make the house look great! 

Our elf, Jennie, came when we were all decorated! She has done some funny things!

The girls had another Chorus Concert this month. They did such a great job! 

Ellasen had a horse show this month too! She did great and placed 3rd!

We had our annual Griffith/Durr holiday event this month. We went to dinner and then to a German Christmas Market!

We celebrated the twins' 12th birthday this month! We had the family over on their actual birthday and had breakfast for dinner! Eden choose a chocolate cake and Everly wanted caramel apples! 

The twins hosted a sleepover birthday party the next night for some of.their friends. The theme was Alice in Wonderland, flowers and teacups. We arranged flower bouquets and drank fruit tea out of my grandma's tea cups! The girls ate cookie cake and watched Alice in Wonderland before settling in at the ripe old time of 12:30 am. We were pretty exhausted the next day, but Jennie had hidden elves all over the house for the girls to find! They had a great birthday party!

Then it was time for the Christmas Spectacular at AAC! 

We did some other fun holiday activities this month including Elf the Musical(where they celebrated Eden and Everly with another birthday dessert and Christmas Eve Brunch. 

Ellasen got the chance to go to the surgical center with Tim this month. She is on the healthcare pathway in school and is very interested in surgery and medicine so this was really cool for her to see her daddy at work! 

Finally it was time for Christmas! We did the traditional Christmas Eve Chinese food and putting cookies out for Santa. We spread reindeer food and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas". Christmas morning came and we celebrated all day! The girls woke up to Santa gifts and stockings!

The puppies got to open their stockings too! 

We had a great day! 

After Christmas Uncle Jason and his family came for a visit! We had the best time hanging out! We went to the aquarium and celebrated a second Christmas and New Year's Eve!

It has been a year full of adventures and milestones and some sadness and trials as well. We are looking forward to what next year has in store for us!