2005 Christmas Letter

Welcome to the Griffith Family Christmas letter for 2005. This year we just didn't seem to have the right family photo to order cards for, and I just kept putting it off and finally decided to just write an online version and send it around via email. :) We have had a wonderful year, filled with blessings and peace. Even though I am authoring this letter, tradition dictates that it be written in some anonymous third person voice. So here goes!

Family

Visited Vancouver Canada in February and saw the white whale. Thanks to a signing bonus (see below), we went to Hawaii again, it was amazing as ever. Since we live 5 minutes from the 5th largest lake in Washington and the state has the highest per-capita boat ownership we felt obligated to buy a boat. We purchased a small used Larson with our good friends The Fosters. We loved playing out on the lake this summer. For family vacations we visited the Farm Folk Fest in Tremonton and took the boat to Hayden Lake in Idaho. We spent Labor Day at Scottish High camp in the Northern Cascades, where we hiked and ate huckleberries! For Thanksgiving this year we got together at my sister Sara's house in Boise Id, there were 34 of us all together, and 22 kids!

Mark

The biggest transition in Mark's life was quitting BEA after 6 years (counting the time at WebLogic prior to the BEA acquisition), he loved his job and had a ton of opportunities to learn, grow and work with a ton of smart people. Mark started working in February at Amazon.com where he works as a program manager in ordering and fulfillment systems, its a fun new world with lots of software and physical moving parts with a volume and scale that is hard to imagine. As a present to himself Mark bought a new camera, a Nikon D70. Shortly thereafter he discovered Flickr and photo happiness ensued. Mark continued to enjoy hiking this year, his two favorite trips where hiking the Kalalau Trail with Rod Zollinger and the backpacking trip thisu summer in the Olympics with Scott Barentsen. On the latter trip they had great weather, an amazing time and they even saw a bear. Mark was called to serve with the young men's organization in our local congregation, which means lots of camping and hiking with the young men.

Stacey

This is Stacey and I am not writing in the 3rd person! This past year I served in the Young Women's organization in our congregation. I was President over the 12-18 year old girls. It was an amazing calling for me and one I will not forget. I enjoyed all of the trips that Mark mentioned above. It was a very fun and fullfilling summer for me. It was hard for me at first to see Sofi go off to 1st grade and be gone all day. It made me realize how fast 6 years have gone by and how much joy she has brought to my life as a mother. I'm enjoying being home with Miles and hanging out with him. He definately keeps me on my toes and I feel like I'm on constant alert with him. Which makes for some tiring days, but mostly entertaining days. Kiah continues to amaze me with her maturity and kind heart. She becomes more and more fun to be with each year. I can't wait to see what is in store for her future. I was released from my church calling in the fall (when Mark was put in the young men's organization) and then asked to be Sofi's Sunday School class teacher. I am over the 6 year olds for two hours each Sunday. They are very lively and funny. I learned to knit this past year from my friend Angela Mcswain. Since learning I have made about 8 scarves and 12 hats. I even made Mark and Miles matching wool hats. With one child at home during the day, I am looking into taking some independant classes from BYU. My brain needs some stimulation and I've been wanting to finish my BA for some time now. I look forward to what 2006 has to offer.

Kiah

Kiah became an official teenager this year turning 13. She has really buckled down this year with her school work and is doing very well, we are so proud of her. We continue to be amazed by her mature and wonderful nature, she is a great kid. She is really into MySpace, where you'll notice that all the pictures are of her, how ironic for a teenager. Also for some reason she talks on the phone alot, we haven't figured that one out yet. :)

Sofi

Sofi turned 6 this year and started first grade. She loves school, especially her friend Sophia. She is enjoying learning how to read, loves math and swings everyday on the bars. She is in gymnastics and can do lots of cool tricks, like flips and one armed cartwheels.

Miles

Miles turned two this past November and is a jabbering fool. Lately he has realy really really gotten into Thomas the Train. He scored this Christmas with a train set. And loves to zoom around the house on his scooter.

Were sorry we didn't get out a physical Christmas letter this year, we enjoyed the cards we got from many of you and we'll do better next year, maybe doing both the online and the hardline version. Drop us a line at our email address : griffiths at niffgurd dot com and please stop by if your ever in the Seattle area.

Cheers
The Griffiths