Welcome to the Family

Ashlyn Elizabeth Griffin was welcomed into the family on Monday, August 17th at 11:17 p.m. She weighed in at 7 lbs 2 oz and measures 19.7 inches long. Everyone is at home now settling into the life and routine.

Baby Ashlyn, how cute!

One big happy family (mom and dad showing big brother how to hold the new baby).

Sarah admiring her handy work (and Devin's handy work too).

That is a good big brother in the making.

Ashlyn and Autumn (Sarah's friend).

Uncle Monte and Aunt Jen with Baby Ashlyn!
I think between Monte and I this makes 17 nieces and nephews and they keep on coming and that is what we love.

DD and Darrick Came to Visit for Monte's Birthday

Every year we go camping in Northern Idaho for Monte's birthday and this year DD, Baby Bear and Darrick came up for a visit. Of course, we also had our usual suspects, Tom and Connie. Nick, Nancy (Tom's sister) and Joslyn also graced us with their presences for a couple days. Monte's mom and Jim even made it up for Monte's birthday. It was a full camp, the only way we like it.
We managed to take a mere 500 pictures over the week, so pull up a chair and get comfortable because the posts to follow are a small sample of the fun.

Water, Water and More Water!

Camping next to a river meant lots and lots of fun in the water. From tubing and soaking your feet to jumping off rocks and hanging in the sun.

Bear's very first dip in the cool water of the Inland Northwest.

She did NOT like it one bit, in case you were wondering she is squealing in the picture and jerking her feet out of the water. It is okay if you laugh a little bit, Danielle and I did. It wasn't all lost, she warmed up to it quiet well and had a good time the rest of the week.

Not sure what exactly this picture is, but Monte asked me to take it, so I did!

DD, Bear and Uncle Monte.

Monte and I floating down the river.

Monte jumping off the rock. Michelle also jumped but we only have a video of her accomplishment and I am still having trouble getting them to load.

Darrick playing in the water.

Bear taking her frist "float" on the river. Uncle Monte and I gladly gave Bear many firsts that week. It was alot fun... her first camp trip, her first camp fire.

Mom and Bear hanging in the water.

Michelle and Bear hanging out.

Chanel waging the rapids of the rushing river!!!

Darrick and Joslyn taking a break and eating a snack.

Nick joining Joslyn in the river.

Bear peaking over DD's chair to see what is going on.

Darrick (feet on the left) and Joslyn (feet on the right) trying to catch fish.

They were spinning each other in the tubs and making themselves dizzy, it was very entertaining to watch.

How do you get from one side of the river to the other? You swim of course!

Oh, how sweet!

Happy Birthday Monte!

There were presents.....

Cougar shirt...

Bear plaque and nuts...

Scrapbook...

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) book....

And then there was dessert.... open wide!

Fun Around Camp!

Bear getting ready for a drive.

Darrick and Bear hanging out.

Flowers that Monte got for me. Mom this picture is for you and it isn't staged.

Darrick and Uncle Monte going for a ride.

Chanel and Baby Bear!

Enjoying the camp fire.

Michelle and Joslyn (Tom's neice) hanging around the campfire.

Darrick enjoying himself cleaning huckleberries, DD not so much.

Tom teaching Darrick how to chop wood, he caught on really fast.

Ahhh, sisterly love.

Uncle Monte teaching Baby Bear how to pick her nose. Looks like she got the hang of it.

Monte giving his best Michael Phelps impersonation.

Darrick giving "the Michael Phelps" a try.

Chanel catching some zzzzz's.

GO FISH.... anyone!

This is the result of a 17 year old being left alone with a nine month old. The sticker was original on the tap light in the camper, but Chanel found a better place for it.

Bath time camping style... it is a good thing she hasn't out grown the sink yet.

Darrick and DD cuddling by the campfire.

Day Trip to Avery

Of course we made our yearly trip to Avery with the jail, train car, fish pond, bridge and gift shop.

The farthest out on the bridge that DD would go. Not sure how she managed to smile in the picture, but she pulled it off. Kudos to her!

All of us saying cheese.

Chanel's turn to say cheese.

It took about four takes to get a picture where Darrick wasn't messing with DD.

Baby Bear in jail. Isn't she a bit young?

Darrick trying to break himself out.

DD taking her turn feeding the fish.

Aunt Jen and Uncle Monte chiling with Bear.

Darrick getting ready to explore the train car. Ticket please!

Uncle Monte right behind Darrick.

"So Uncle Monte where are we? And where is camp?"