HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! I just want to say how great it has been to be with everyone this season. I love you all SOOOOO much. It is so awesome to be under one roof with everyone. I cant wait for round 2 on the ravs tomorrow, or I guess today.(its late)... well I love you all a ton!!! Good night.

X'mas Memories

Okay, I know I'm really late on posting my fave memories... I've been a little busy. Here are all my faves. Opening one gift on x'mas eve (I used to try and guess which was the best to open and mom always had the eve service outfit as the one we would open), matching jammies, opening stockings in the morn (that meant I didn't have to wait for John to get up and shower), ravs, santa, mom making bags/boxes for each of us to organize our gifts in as we unwrapped, omelets for breakfast, sleeping by the x'mas tree (dan you crack me up... you were so obsessed with that), shopping for the tree... it was always such an ordeal to find the perfect tree, I could keep going. I know I was supposed to pick my faves, but they are all my faves... I just can't pick. As for new traditions in the Smith house... we love to go shopping really early the day after Thanksgiving (there are some real nazi's out there and we get a real kick out of it), and I don't know if this will stick (let's hope Ry doesn't always work x'mas day), but Ry has a special gift for Jonah for when he gets home from work. I thought that was special. :) AND mom bought us bubble lights so we will definitely be carrying that tradish on when the boys are old enough... oh racing the bubble lights is another fave of mine. I guess that's all. I cant wait for x'mas this year. Eve is tomorrow. Love you guys. Dan and Kendall, it won't be the same without you.

Several things

Number one...where did everyone go??? I'm the only one posting to this Garippa Family blog.

Number two...apparently the Phoenix Suns are doing really well, so I wanted to say...

GO SUNS!!!!!!

Number three...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

MOM AND DAD

WE LOVE YOU!!!

p.s.

i changed the layout i hope no one minds. if you do, let me know.

it's a wonderful life

today was a wonderful day. i love my church. it has been a really long time since i have ached to go to church, but this morning it felt like being with family. i no longer wanted to hide in the back row and slip out during the benediction. i want everyone to know my name. i want to be a part of this community. that feels good. i realized today that i'm not as young as i once was, but i think i'm a little wiser and that makes me happy. today i spent time with my good friends, we laughed, and we sulked a little.

i spent time with my precious sister, who makes me laugh and who i'm very proud of, 22 is a hard age. i wouldn't go back.

today the sun was shining and it was eighty degrees; beautiful. as i write this i'm eating a small dinner of crackers and cheese with a large glass of wine. i'm listening to george winston. and i'm thinking about when we'll all be together.

i guess it doesn't take much to make my day wonderful. i'm thankful that i am free to enjoy these small moments of this good life that i live.

Family Traditions

I love this seasons. The lights, the weather, the food, the friends and family, the drinks (eggnog, wine and such), the celebrations of the greatest gift that was ever given, Christmas music. I really love almost everything about November to December.

But I think my favorite thing is all the traditions that our family has, raviolis, sleeping by the Christmas tree when we were little, opening one gift Christmas eve, playing Santa, putting a puzzle together, banging pots and pans, etc. etc.

I have two questions, the first, what are your favorite holiday traditions? The second, for those who are married, what are new holiday traditions that have formed in your own little family?

I Love Pictures

2 hours to post

BLOGGING RULES:

1. Thou shalt not use profane language
2. Thou shalt not post nude pictures, unless the subject is under the age of five and in a bathtub.
3. Thou shalt not take the Lord's name in vain
4. Thou shalt not covet thy sister's comments
5. Thou shall buy all of Hannah and Mary's items on their wish lists.
6. Thou shalt not have any other Blogs before this Blog.
7. Thou shall identify themselves when posting: Fergies and Smiths
8. Thou shall honor and pay tribute to Captain Jack Sparrow
9. Thou shalt not ever spend this much time on any one post
10. Thou shalt not take these rules serious with the exception of #3 & #7


Rule Monitors: MissHannah & Maria Elena

Maddox Elias

Yippee Maddox is here....



Way to go Rachel, we are so proud of you. Those of us in Tejas cannot wait to meet the big guy.

Suns

We are having some great fun watching the Phoenix Suns out score everybody. Daniel, we will be watching a few games when you get here!
The weather here is fabulous and everything looks festive!!! We can not wait for you all to be here!

Four way stop hell

On my way to work and my way home everyday I go through about seven four-way stops, and it seems that no one is really sure what to do at these intersections, most of all me.

I guess I always thought you stop completely, and if the other person got there first you let them go and then you go. But that doesn't seem to be the way it works. Drivers will just sit there waiting and then there is the stop and go game, were you start to go at the same time and then stop and then go and then stop and then finally someone waves you on, and you feel like an idiot...and I go through this seven times. Arghh!

Can someone please explain the rules regarding a four-way stop?

FA GITAS!!! :)

I know that Hannah Listed about 99 thousand places to eat but she forgot one very important place that is very dear to my heart..... FAJITAS!!!!! or as mom calls it FA GITAS!!!!

P.S. I as well want to hug and kiss and get Rachel, Caleb, Malia, Jonah, and Maddox but my longings differ in one way... I not only want to but WILL get Christy, Justen, Rachel and Blackman! hehehe...

P.S.S.I know what you are all thinking right now... MANAGER!
Well.... SHUT IT!!!!

Love you guys!

Things I want to do while I'm in Phoenix

1. Kiss, hug, tickle and get - Rachel, Caleb, Malia, Jonah and Maddox
2. Kiss and hug Christy, Rachel, Justen and Ryan,

unless you want me to tickle and get you too.

3. Go to Scottsdale Fashion
4. Go to Keirland Commons
5. Eat at Oreganos (I know I'm weird)
6. Eat at Buca
7. Eat at Pei Wei
8. Eat at In and Out
9. Go to Sedona
10. Hike Squaw Peak
11. Do something random and fun.
12. Bang pots and pans
13. Go to the Dubliner
14. Go dancing with my dancing queen sisters and dancing king brothers
15. Have breakfast at AJ's, or paradise bakery, or Hot Bagel, or Einsteins or all four on the same day.

and last but not least

16. Be flexible and do whatever

I CAN'T WAIT!!! 13 DAYS, THE COUNTDOWN IS ON.

I can't

Stop eating. Just wanted you all to know. Everyone at work keeps bringing in food, and somehow is ends up on or near my desk, and so I just keep eating.

I guess Topomax stopped working once and for all. Mary that ought to make you happy.

here goes nothing..

it's my first post! i feel like i should say something clever, but i've got nothing. i'm just sitting here at work, counting down the days and hours til Christmas. (12 days and 5 hours left of work, by the way). in truth, it is bittersweet. i have to say that working for my dad has been awesome. we have lunch together almost everyday and it is doubly sweet to finish a project or accomplish something not just for my boss but for my dad. he and i have very similar personalities and get along together so well. i will miss him immensely. however, i am getting a little tired of working in an office, at a computer 40 hours a week. especially on days where there's not much to do, it can get very boring here.
so, that said, i am in a wierd place right now. excited for the next stage, the move, a new start... but scared to leave my family, my home, my job, and the state where i've lived all of my life. (for all you texas haters, it's not that bad!) when i get too down though, i just think of Maddox's baby cheeks and it's all better! hahaha. yes, i love the baby cheeks.
back to work.
cheers mi familia.

A Flick... Right in the Head

I forgot I have a funny story to tell you guys. Ryan was telling me that in the middle of the night, last night... out of nowhere... I flicked Ryan right in the forehead. What the??? I totally don't remember it. Whoa, flick him in the head in my sleep. That is so jacked. Just thought you guys might get a kick out of this.

Mary- it reminded me of when you worked at that bank and that customer flicked you in the head. I can't not laugh when I think of that. What is wrong with people?

I'm finally here! Sorry it took me so long. Things are a little crrrrrazy right now. If you could only see how big my belly is. It is out of control. I can't go anywhere without a comment. Let me tell you some of the best... "I hope you are due later today", "excuse me... how many children are you having"(yes, she actually said children), "when are you due? in a week. Yeah man! She's due in a week and she's still walking around... that's awesome" (and he was yelling), oh and here's the best... I got out of the car and two young guys saw me and yelled out "DAMMMMMMMMN". Those are just to name a few. I am a walking show wherever I go. Anyway, we have our final walk thru on the house on Tuesday and move in the following Tuesday. We cannot wait. We are so excited for the new house. I can't wait for you guys to see it. I also can't wait for you guys to see Jonah. He is such a doll with so much of a personality. He cracks us up. I better get going. I'm trying to tie up everything with work before I get my six weeks off. Can you believe that in less than a week we will have a brand new baby boy. How fun are the holidays going to be with little Maddox to nuggle with. AHHHHHH, I can't wait, I can't wait! Daniel- I still say that Kendall is going to fall in love with Maddox and you guys will never leave for Colorado... you'll just move here instead. Well, maybe that's me just secretly hoping. Love you guys bunches! Ry says hi! Joey- good luck with that job... did you know ry had that kind of job one summer in highschool. Boy, were his hands all cut up... wear gloves!

Wish Lists

Hey guys I found the answer to our wish list idea. Its a product of google and since most of us use gmail already it should be easy for everyone to sign up for. Its called Froogle, just go to froogle.google.com and type in anything that you can think of and it will find it online for you. You need an account with google, which is easy and then all you have to do is make a shopping list and from the shopping list you can put into your very own wish list. You can search for other people's wish list. I think the best part is that the results that it gives you seems to be endless so you can compare prices, products and choose the vendor you want. If we were to do it this way you would know exactly what someone was looking for. I think the bigger everyone list is the better which requires a little time, but that way it gives everyone a chance to buy something that not only the person wants but something that you want to buy them as well. So maybe these won't be complete by this christmas, but we should just keep ongoing lists because this would work for birthday's or whatever too. I don't know tell what you guys think, I have started one and you can see it if you go on there. Love you guys!!!

The pictures have nothing to do with this there just for fun. (click them for full size)

Mannnn!!

I changed my blogging name because Kendall informed me that everybody else had a cool name except for us her, Joey and I. So I am now the first pirate to blog or maybe I am just Leandro Barbosa a.k.a. "Brazilian Blur" a.k.a. "Captain Barbosa" a.k.a. "LB"