Griffin had a blast with all his Aunts and Uncles. Despite being the only little one (cousin Brian has renounced his title and is now fifteen and taller than me- a family rite of passage,) there were a ton of goofy people willing to play with Finn.


All five of Luci and Reps's kids were there with all their kids and Cass's cousins on the other side. It was pretty epic and I need a nap just thinking about it.

Everyone was in rare form. Well, actually, most of them act this way all the time, they were just doing it in the snow this time.


All the young swinging singles hit the slopes daily, but G, Jake and I took it light, only venturing to Squaw to ride the monorail and drink beer.


We celebrated the New Year on the pier overlooking Lake Tahoe. The views were decadent and Jake and I luxuriated in reading novels while Griffin terrorized our relations. Jake re-read the Hobbit, while I wasted valuable time reading a middle school series I picked up while student teaching. The many adoring relatives provided tons of fun for G Dawg and he features prominently in our annual slasher film.

Snow in Tahoe

Immediately following Griffin's Birthday, Winter Solstice, my Birthday, Christmas and Grammy B and Aunt Kati's visit, (deep breath) we loaded up the car and drove to Tahoe to experience the wonder of snow and the Jones Clan (my maternal krewe of relations.)


Jake and I didn't see this kind of snow until we were in our mid-twenties, so we are glad to give Griffin the snow-filled childhood we never had. We made mud and chigger angels, instead.


Griffin goes over the snow on his red sled- a much easier way to haul a toddler.

Jake and G Dawg in motion. Frankly, I think Jake and I were just as enthralled with sledding as Griffin was, if not more. In Baton Rouge there was an outdoors store that had a fake snowy hill, but really it was a carpet-covered incline. We went there for Birthday parties to slide on carpet. We are really undernourished when it comes to snow.

Wheeeeee!!!

2010 Resolutions

So, as you may have noticed, better blogging habits was not one of my resolutions. I'll do my best, but we are moving at the speed of light here, people. Check Facebook for the latest and greatest G Dawg. More posts to come, but don't get too excited...

Since Christmas

In an effort to show how well-balanced he is, Griffin likes to carry a purse. Some may call it a satchel, but really it's my pumpkin-orange handbag from 2003. Only now it's Griffin's. Isn't that one of the moments you dream about when you are pregnant? Giving your young son his first purse so he can cram it full of important thing like animals, hair ties and Aunt Joell's business cards.

Since his Birthday and the holidays (more to come later) Griffin is the proud owner of many, many toys and an ever-expanding vocabulary that includes "hecka messy in here", "goober pea" and "dammit" (overheard on the roadtrip home from Tahoe.) Grammy Barbara gave G Dawg the motherload of little animal figurines (and he already had dozens!) Granny Lynn sent L'il G a "road mat" and a set of farm equipment vehicles- which Grammy B's animals all ride in. Cindy (following in the tradition of her mother, my grandmother, "Luci,") gave Griffin a train set that the farm animals and tractors can also enjoy.

Don't even get me started on the new Hungry Hungry Hippos game...

Jake is engaged in the generational tradition of teaching his son how to play Hungry Hungry Hippos while Grammy Barb looks on appreciatively.