It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.....

Turkey and stuffing have gone the way of all good food and now it is time for some serious business - hauling out the Christmas decorations! That sounds like good work for some strong strappin' good looking fellas.
This strong, good lookin' fella was far wiser than your average bear and decided to rotate the tires.....
When he got the tires off, we found a long deceased rodent-looking creature stuck up under break system. Stuck in a serious way - and very....flat...and kinda mummified.......(click on picture for a closer look).
Ethan spent the time looking for Santa and popping all of the bubbles on the bubblewrap.
Ethan loves Santa. He doesn't see him as a gift giver, only a cool looking guy with a red hat and a big belly. Phil and I saw a big Santa at Walmart and couldn't help ourselves. We put him at the dinner table and told Ethan it was time to eat.....

Davy's 40!

I am sure he can't believe it - would you?? This cute little face is that old??

David is my one and only brother. He was always busy growing up - I don't know if I have the story correct but I do believe he never slept when he was little........actually, I don't think he sleeps now either.

David has one of the biggest hearts around. I love him for it. He is a great "kid".

The only complaint I have is that I don't see him enough. He is funny and talented. I think they call it being a ham..... I think he is way smarter than me, but I am better at acting smart. I know he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to.

When he was little he brought a tinny tiny baby chick home from school (ah, that sneaky teacher). We all thought it was a hen and he kept it in his room. He made a wonderful pet until he grew up into a ornery rooster. We had to eventually take him out to the barn, but I had to take a broom with me for protection everytime I went out to feed the horses. We eventually took him to a farmer that had lots of hens so he could keep his mind occupied on something besides terrorizing us :-)I think this is his graduation picture.

David is a hard worker and loyal friend. I hope you have a great birthday, Davy - I LOVE YOU!!

Happy Thanksgiving

From our family to yours - Happy Thanksgiving.

We are grateful for all of you, our friends and family. We are so blessed!

We are grateful for this wonderful country and all of the military men and women that fight for our freedom. We are so blessed!

We are grateful for the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thankful that we know who we are, where we came from, why we are here - what God's plan for us is on this earth. We are so blessed!

May all of you have a blessed day with your family and loved ones. We love you!!

When you sit down to eat your turkey.....

Think of Bryan in Ghana - who eats meals like this.....

(Yes, this really was a meal - however I don't know if they have to kill it or it comes to them already...you know..."gone".)

We Remember

Today is Phil's dad's birthday. Wayne McGrath passed away a little over three years ago, but we still think of him often and feel grateful for his influence and testimony.

We didn't see him as much as the other kids just because we lived so far away. We always loved it when he came to visit, tho. The children loved playing with him and going out for that memorable trip to the Dollar Store - Wow! They were given a whole $5 dollars to spend however they wanted. Such fun!

I still hear his chuckle in my head sometimes. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was a very gifted speaker. You were never bored listening to him talk. He loved to have his family gathered around him while he told his great stories.

Each Christmas Eve he would retell "The Night Before Christmas". He always did it by memory and every year was different. Some years were shorter than others, and each year usually had the adults rolling in laughter by the time he was finished.

He had a great testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The most time we ever spent with him was when he was the Mission President of the St. Louis Mission. We lived only three hours away and was able to visit often. He would often share with us his experiences in the mission field and bare his testimony of Jesus Christ and how wonderful and simple the gospel was. Be obedient and endure to the end - it was that simple.

We still sing the songs he used to sing - Froggy Went-A Courtin' and "The Squirrel Song" (does that song even have a proper title??). Ethan wants to hear them every night before he goes to sleep.

He was a creative inventor. I have never seen simple projects become so complicated. Phil has picked up that gene somehow, he is his dad through and through with that trait.

He was a great husband, dad, grandad, mentor, teacher, coach, and disciple of Christ. His children and grandchildren have a great legacy and name that they can be proud of and carry with honor.


Always doing anything and everything with the grandkids (this is Megan at 11 months).

Taking time to wrestle with Logan while serving a mission in St. Louis.
He overcame a lot of adversity and trials growing up. He was successful in everything he did.
This is a picture with Bryan when he was about 3 years old.
Picture with his wife, Barbara, when they let for their mission.
He was a great basketball player, tennis champ, and coach.

More Pics

Elder McGrath and Elder Akomah-Mordi
Elder McGrath with children from Church.
Elder McGrath and his roommates in Nsawam, Ghana. I'm not sure what this pose is supposed to represent...haha.

Who Could Ask for Anything More?

My son sent me pictures!!! For my birthday!!And his companion did too....(alright, I know it's the same pictures, but still...)This is Bryan with Elder Mullaney - his first companion and trainer.This is the first picture I have seen of him for 8 months!Funny, he just seems to fit right in....
Bryan recently went back to the temple in Accra. They are allowed three visits a year.
An excerpt from his letter this week:

"This temple trip was a much needed and appreciated spiritual high. I really learned a lot and now I have a lot to think about. I just remember how lost I used to be when it came to the gospel, and the scriptures, and the temple. Man, I’m kind of glad that I haven’t had to spend to much time learning a language. I feel like a totally new person when it comes to my spiritual knowledge and the ways and dealings of man and God. But for every little piece of spiritual gravel I pick up, a colossal dump truck unloads more and more on the eternal pile that there is to attain.

Well that is that.......thanks for all of your support and love. I really do appreciate the opportunity I have to be out here, and I know its only because of you and dad and the love you showed me....I know that. I love you both."

Local Kids Get Creative

***Newsflash***

Several children at McGrath City recently worked hard on papermache creations at the Van Gogh-n-Dada Art Center . Creative juices began flowing on Tuesday, November 18th when art instructor Devin Martin gathered the students around a pile of newspapers. After spending several minutes deciding what animal/thing could be represented successfully, tape and newspaper began flying back and forth.

Cousins Journee and Jordan fashioned their favorite fictional game characters, respectively "Pikachu" and "Pokemon in Repose". Journee stated that the project was "very fun". Her sister
Quinn was in the "Wall*E" mood and formed a very life-like representation of the main character.

Logan, a local 16 year old, went sci-fi creating "Yoda". When asked for his thoughts on the week, Logan stated enthusiastically "Fun, it was".

Master Art Guru, Devin Martin, said "Recycling paper into fun is my specialty."

Of course, younger children also participated in the project, each working diligently to express themselves.

The course ended on Friday. Students are able to take their creations with them to thier own homes to finish their wonderful projects.

A big thanks to all who participated. For more information, contact your local art center at 555-PAINT.

Game Night

It was the last night of the cousins' visit! We went to the church for game night. Uncle Devin taught the kids a very weird game, the rules of which I am not sure, but it entailed getting hit in the behind when a ball was missed......

Logan was distracted with a V7 cube. He is obsessed with it!

We played kickball, basketball, and yes - another game of charades. The boys wrote things for the girls to act out and vice versa. Suffice it to say they each came up with 42 ideas apiece.
Samantha had the last charade of the night. I wish I would of turned the camera on sooner so you could see her fancy walkin'.

Isn't it great to be young?

I had a great birthday - it was wonderful having family here to share it with me. The kids were taking most of the pictures, so sad to say they are not printable. I didn't have a one that wasn't blurry. My mother gave me a beautiful handmade white sweater from a chenille spread with an antique pin from one of her dear friends that has passed away -Thanks, Mom!! By the way, the Title 9 sweater is one of the most comfortable things I have ever worn.

My crafty sister made me these placemats- I love them! Thanks Sami.

Megan gave me some of one of my favorite series - X Files. Woo hoo.

My wonderful husband is getting me a present that we are waiting to go on sale - more of that later.

It was a wonderful day with wonderful children - who happily stayed at home while we went out to the movies....except Zeb. He and Phil were having a serious discussion.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane.....

Today consisted of Quinn's favorite breakfast, french toast and sausage.Tonight we had finger foods (egg rolls, tortillas roll ups, bean dip and chips, etc) and then we gathered together for a great game of charades. Everyone had a good time, although at times the acting left a little to be desired.


Zeb took a different approach to the evening.

WALL*E

Tonight was a WALL*E Party. Like any good party, you must begin with decorations! Such as flying saucers...... Don't forget to include refreshments, like these yummy moon cakes.

Jordan enjoyed some......

And Journee....

And Rose gobbled them up (after waiting "all" day for them)

And no party would be complete without a "Guest of Honor" - Uncle Devin invited him this morning.....

And he was ready to watch with us tonight!!!

Big Breakfast

It was Indiana's turn to pick out a breakfast this morning. She chose "Big Breakfast" which consists of "bacon, hashbrowns, and runny eggs", and I added some homemade biscuits. Yummy!