Birthday Shout Out!

You've Had A Birthday

Shout Hurray!

We want to sing to you

Today!

One year older and wiser too--

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (clap) TO YOU!!!

Happy Birthday to Auntie Lisa Davis Tucker, and Aunt Jan Duffy Davis, and Aunt Ann Duffy Caldwell! We LOVE YOU and hope you have a happy day!

Friday--A Week Later!

Lots and lots of hard rain. Boy, we sure need it! The sad part is that it is causing mudslides in the burn areas. Mandatory evacuations for Modjeska Canyon were called for this afternoon. I'm going to call Dan and Dodie (who stayed with us during the fires) and see what's happening with them.

The rain started about 5 this morning and hasn't stopped all day. Pretty heavy at times. We are hopeful it will lighten up just a bit because, of course, BYU plays tomorrow in San Diego and we will be going!

I've had two Primary graduation and Faith In God interviews this afternoon. Gosh, that is one of my very most favorite parts of this calling. When you are able to encourage and be part of a child having such a positive life experience in the church it is the BEST!

Friday--1 Week Ago

Okay. I'm finally getting my blog caught up from Thanksgiving and being sick. So scroll down and get the 'news'.

Every thanksgiving, Natalie, Christine, and I do some counted cross stitching. We make monthly decorative pillow covers. Can you tell which month we are doing this year? Yes, February! I used to do them myself, and then the girls developed the skills and like to do it too, so it wasn't too hard to recruit them to help. We give these as gifts to Duff's family at Christmas time, and it's fun to work on them together. Darla thinks she's helping too, even though she just cozies up on the throw on Natalie's lap! What a life!

My cousin, Kristin, had a workshop for her enrichment activity last month where they made these darling scrapbooks for a side table or coffee table. Lisa came home and told me about them and suggested we do them for our Thanksgiving Craft this year. Kristin cut out all the paper and craft chipboard and ribbon. A BIG shout out to her for putting these kits together and sharing her idea! Above is the back side of Christine's. (MEMORIES. Friends and Family together forever. Made: November 2007)

After you glue all the paper onto the chipboard, you antique the pages. Here is Christine doing that step.

Lisa and Meredith gluing and antiquing. Notice how the pages graduate from small to large.

We had everything spread out all over the table! This view is looking down from the office loft. l-r: Meredith, Lisa, Natalie, and Christine. Sorry the pictures are kind of blurry. I was soooo sick and didn't realize the camera wasn't set on the right button.

Natalie and Christine deciding which picture to put where and cropping. Christine and I often stand when we do things like this. For me, it's a clearer perspective.

Lisa holding up her book. Meredith looking on.

A very full table and a very blurry picture! It was fun picking out all the embellishments.

Adrianne getting her papers adhered. Christine finishing up.

Lisa, Adrianne, and Christine concentrating and working. By this time, the guys were watching The Hunt For Red October. See Sean Connery on the TV screen in the background!

Adrianne tying on her ribbons to the rings.

Christine's finished book. Such cute colors. These are the colors of her room: pink, brown, and a touch of beige with blue.

Here are the finished products. l/top-bottom: Natalie's, Cindy's, Meredith's. r/top-bottom: Lisa's, Adrianne's, and Christine's. Didn't they turn out cute?

Shaun and Josh admiring the books. They were very good about letting us craft. The guys all went up to the office and did some computer gaming while we scrapped. We listened to Christmas music, and had the Santa Claus 3 on the TV at one point too. In the end the guys were pretty impressed with our work! Duff even got all the leftovers heated up for dinner while we put the finishing touches and cleaned up. Thank You Duff!

FINALLY we all finished! Here we are with each of our books in front of the warm fireplace. We're all a bit on the tired side, but pleased with our accomplishment. Now we are starting to brainstorm what we will do next year! Hmmmm....Stay tuned!

Christine's Birthday Activity

Christine was so sick on Monday that we couldn't even get her up so we could travel. She kept saying, "I have to get better for my birthday. I just have to get better for my birthday!" while her fever raged and her throat hurt and her head was stuffed up.

We kept explaining to her that sometimes life happens even on our birthdays, etc. But she was determined to be well by Wednesday. The reason: she wanted to go to the Newport Beach temple on her birthday to do baptisms for the dead. So after school, she and her dad headed over to the temple. They met up with the other Beehive girls and some of their dads too, and shared some precious time in the temple.

Of course they topped off the evening with a traditional stop at In 'N Out Burger on the way home.

The Newest Teenager!

Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday To You!
Happy Birthday, Christine
Happy Birthday To You!

And Many More..................

Happy Birthday, Christine Lynnise Duffy! ****13 Years Old**** An official teenager!

Enjoying a mug of hot chocolate at the cabin.

Christine was born on Monday, November 28, 1994 at 10:39am. I woke up in the middle of the night at, 2am, when my water broke (which was the first time it did that on it's own with having 5 children...), but wasn't in labor. We called the doctor and he told us to get down to the hospital right away. Duff went and woke up the kids and they all came in our room while I was getting ready. Duff gave me a blessing and off we went.

After walking around forever and no labor starting, they finally put me on a pitocin drip around 7:30am. I had my first four children all natural childbirth and decided this time that I would try an epidural. After all, it had been 9 years since I'd had a baby and I was being a little nervous and wimpy this time around. The doctor said he'd be back to see me after lunch, but true to my former labor and deliveries, by 10am I was 'complete' and went from a 3 to a 10 in two contractions. The doctor barely made it back in time. Fortunately his office was right across the street!

All the kids had decided to be in the room when she was born. Now I would not have comfortable with that before, but this surprise pregnancy after so many years was such an event for our whole family that I thought, why not! It was probably one of the most spiritual experiences for all of us. My mom brought them down to the hospital and my dad arrived all the way from Bakersfield just in the nick of time. (He left as soon as he heard I went to the hospital)

They came in and my mom and dad scooted in too. Interestingly, I was not self-conscious. It was a beautiful thing. Christine was born and we were all crying and laughing and hugging. Everyone got to hold her and they let the kids carry her down to be weighed and measured. As the doctor was attending to me, they would run down the hall to my room and give me the details.

We got a congratulations card a few days later from Dr. Stadler in the mail, handwritten, telling us that in all the babies he has delivered, he had never experienced something like that before and was very touched by it.

I wanted to name her Lynnise, but the kids decided on Christine, which means annointed follower of Christ. That was a good fit and so Lynnise is her middle name. It is after my sister Lisa Lynne, who couldn't have any children and is the most natural mother of us all, and my sister-in-law, Denise, who always wanted another child and couldn't have more than her three (due to RH-).

Christine was born on her great-grandma's birthday, Myrna Davis. Mamo Myrna was at her senior citizen lunch and tapped her water glass with her spoon making the announcement that she had a great-grand-daughter born on her birthday that day! Everyone cheered and applauded for her.

Sure do LOVE YOU, Chrissy!

Traveling on a Stormy Tuesday and Aaron in BYU Blue!

Well, wouldn't you know---the day we leave it decides to get stormy and snowy! We got a little taste of it but would have loved to have stayed and really enjoyed it.
Below is Aaron Bryant. He drove us to the airport in the truck and then drove it back to Mike and Julie's (his in-laws, Duff's brother) so Shaun could pick it up after classes on Wednesday.

I had to make these as big as I could. Your eyes are not deceiving you! Aaron is married to our niece Bethany. He works at Graypoint for Duff in SLC. Now anyone who remotely knows Aaron, knows that he played football for the University of Utah and is a Ute fan through and through. It is part of him. He is as crazy for the U as we are for the Y. We have a family truce with him when it comes to the Y vs. the U. Aaron and one of the car dealers he works with made a bet on the football game Saturday. The loser had to wear the winning schools tshirt.

So these pictures of him in a BYU Cougar Football tshirt, with a smile on, I might add (!), give me a good belly laugh!

Aaron, you are such a good sport! We love you! (and THANKS again for the ride to the airport.)

Missed Monday--aaahhhhhh....BUT: Family Pictures!

Well, I completely missed Monday--cleaning so we can close down the cabin for a few weeks, and still sick. But here are some of the pictures we took on Friday in Midway.

Here is the Legacy Bridge. It is on east Main Street in Midway just right about where Midway and Heber meet. It crosses the Provo River. It is such a quaint spot.

Back: Mike, Josh, and Shaun. Front: Christine and Natalie and Darla, of course!



Back: Adrianne, Mike, Josh, Meredith, and Shaun. Front: Christine, Natalie and Darla-do!

Here are all of us. Not the best one, but I clicked on the wrong picture. I'll go back in and try to get another one.

Me and Duff. I got some grief because I wore my 'red' jacket. I didn't even think about a reference to the game the next day! If you notice--most everyone else went with a BYU theme. Geez........What was I thinking???? Duff wanted to be sure the Y on his shirt was showing.

Craig and Lisa Tucker. Love you guys!

Adrianne and Mike. Just about 75 days and counting till the wedding! Yahooie!

This is such a cute one. It was sooooo cold outside!

Josh and Meredith. Just celebrated their 6 month anniversary!

Cute close-up. Looking good you guys!

And last but not least--Me and my sister, Lisa Lynne. We haven't had a picture taken together in YEARS. Hmmmm....maybe a good Christmas present??????

Winding Down The Holiday Weekend...

This little 'critter' has been hangin' around! The cold/flu bug. He feels as nasty as he looks. 6 of the 12 of us are suffering with his jokes and laughter. Fever, headache, chills, aches, stuffy head, runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sore throat.

Hopefully this means he won't pay us another visit this winter and we've taken our turn!

Auntie Lisa and Uncle Craig left yesterday morning. Adrianne left yesterday afternoon to go to her brother's wedding in Las Vegas. Mike left tonight. Josh and Meredith took him to the airport and then stopped at Temple Square to see the Christmas scenes and lights. Natalie went back down to Provo tonight for classes bright and early in the morning.

A fire is in the fireplace, candles burning, hot chocolate and cider brewing in the CoCo-Motion. Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Rise All Loyal Cougars!

Rise all loyal cougars, and hurl your challenge to the foe!
We will fight, day or night, rain or snowwww.
Stalwart, brave, and true!
Wear the white and blue!
As we sing get set to spring, Come on, Cougars--It's Up To YOU!

Today is the B-I-G game! BYU vs. Utah football at 12 noon in the LaVell Edwards stadium. Not only is this a state rivalry, but a huge family rivalry in the Duffy family. Our blood bleeds blue through and through. But in Duff's family we are the minority. The rest of the family is as 'red' as they get, except for Jack who is fair-weathered about it. Aaron, Bethany's hubby, used to play for the Utes a few years ago. We were neutral during that time until they played the Y. Then all bets were off for that game. Duff even wore a red Utah cap to the San Diego game to support Aaron, all the while checking the BYU score on his cell phone!


We have four season tickets this year. So the 'guys' went together and we gals cheered from the cabin. Here they are ready to go! l-r: Duff, Mike, Josh, and Shaun.
A close up--because they were already cheering and sneering before they left! Lots of testosterone goin' on here!
Off to the game finally. And the return was a triumphant one! BYU was victorius over Utah, but it was a nail-biter clear until the end AGAIN! Gosh, I wish they would quit doing that! We girls rocked the place with our cheering and screaming. My ears were ringing for quite a while after that 4th quarter!

One more game next Saturday in San Diego. We already have our tickets. It got cancelled in October because of all the fires so they will play it then.

CONGRATULATIONS Cougars! MWC champions again! Go Bronco Mendenhall!

Thanksgiving Friday

Here we all are having Thanksgiving Dinner. l-r: Lisa (can't see her), Natalie, Shaun (didn't make the picture), Adrianne, Mike, Duff, Christine, Chris Dallies (Shaun's roommate), Meredith, Josh, Craig (can't see him either!)


Adrianne being initiated into the family Thanksgiving Traditions. Her first bite of german Red Cabbage! Let me tell you--it is an aquired taste if you haven't grown up with it. Honestly, most Americans don't care for it. But even if Duff and I are the only ones who eat it, (and the Abramowski side of the family),I make it anyway because the smell just spells 'holiday'! Adrianne was a good sport, but let us know that she'll just be enjoying the aroma from now on!

How about this! The kids let Duff and I, and Craig and Lisa off the hook for clean-up. They all pitched in and it was cleaned up and put away before you could blink. And very nicely so!

Banana cream, pecan, and apple pies, and also a pumpkin dessert rounded out the meal.

Happy Day!

The Duffy's are G-R-A-T-E-F-U-L for...in 2007

As we finished dinner, we went all the way around the table and named something we are grateful for beginning with each letter in the word G-R-A-T-E-F-U-L. Here are the results:

G-God, gravy, golf, grass, geese, gasoline, Gospel, goodies, gemstones, grandmothers/grandfathers, gizzards, gameboy

R-righteousness, rice, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, rain, Ricks College, re-runs, repentance, red, reservoirs, ring (engagement!), red-eye flights, rivers

A-apostles, airplanes, artichokes, apple pies, air, Arizona Cardinals, Auntie, Adrianne, automatic transmission, art, atoms, ASU

T-temples, Thanksgiving, Thomas S. Monson, time, turkey, tile, tithing, trees, trust, Tom Brokaw, tomatoes, teeth

E- Enos, Easter, Elohim, El Torito Grill, engines, electricity, experience, eternity, Ephraim, eyebrows, everything, eternal marriage

F- Forever families, fathers, Fords, forgiveness, finance, Fox Sports, flowers, fruit, first aid, film, fine looking woman (all the men said this one about all of us women. Nice, huh?)

U-uteruses, Uranus, umpires, umbrellas, underwear, usery (interest), universities, udders, underwriting, USA, under carriages. (this was a hard letter)

L- Lips, love, legs, longboarding, law school, Lisa, lights, lettuce, luggage, life, LA Lakers, LaVell Edwards Stadium

Getting Ready for Dinner

Our 27 pound Turkey. Auntie and I were at Costco Tuesday and couldn't resist this one. Good left-overs for tomorrow.


Natalie loves to baste the turkey. So she takes over that job every year and does a FABULOUS job. Always deep golden brown and tasty.
See what I mean! It just makes you drool in anticipation. Humm..... now the only question is: white meat or dark meat??? What is your preference? I'm a white meat lover. Duff loves dark meat.
Beautiful table. I love these fall colors. They are 'grounded' to me. Simple, yet rich in textures and symbolism. I love all sitting together. My family: my greatest blessings.
Food, wonderful food. Rolls, green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, (we are a split family when it comes to potatoes: 1/2 of us love mashed, 1/2 of us love boiled), stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce, and red cabbage--german tradition.

Sitting down and having a family prayer of thanks is one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving. We have so much we are thankful for. The two at the top are each other and the gospel.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Everyone finally made it in and all safe and sound. It was a late night waiting up until midnight for them to get here, but we slept better knowing we were all together at last. Up this morning for a light breakfast. Appetizers are on the way! Meredith, Christine, and Natalie cooking up a storm. Meredith is stirring the filling for the banana cream pie and Christine and Nats are getting all the stuffed mushrooms ready to fill. It really is a lot of fun working in the kitchen together. Lots of conversation, laughing, and fun in the air!
Still cooking..... and still in pajamas! Isn't that what holidays are for? COMFORT!
Men are 'hovering' around waiting for the prayer to start digging in. Oh, Mike--caught you red-handed picking already! Stuffed mushrooms, shrimp, croissant wrapped weinies, vege platter, and artichoke/spinach dip with wheat thins. YUM. And of course--family tradition from grandma and grandpa: Shirley Temple Punch. I guess that really started with Mamo Minnie and Daddo Kurt. I can't ever remember not having Shirley Temples on a holiday.
Guys trying to distract me by getting me to look up to the computer loft so they can 'pick'. Sorry--not buying it boys! Mom's a little smarter than that after all these years!!! (Josh, Chris Dallies, Shaun)

Can you guess what is holding their attention? Ahhh, nothing like Thanksgiving Football! More 'jammies' and blankets for lounging. We were hoping for snow, but are loving it being COLD! Especially our AZ family: Josh and Mere and Lisa and Craig.