Category Archives: Family Fun

Wine bottling time!!

Leave a comment Standard

Well after we found about the baby. You maybe wondering how did we celebrate. Well you guessed it we bottle some wine. Well Merriann can’t drink it what else would you do with it. It will be ready to drink after the baby is born so it’s OK! Well the type of wine we are bottling is an Apple wine. It was going to be a Apple cider but we missed the cider bottling window back in October, and the only thing different between an apple wine and an apple cider is that the Apple wine is formented longer and because of this longer fermentation it is not a sweet as a cider.

Here are some pictures of Merriann and Zoe helping in the bottling of the wine. And I know what some of you are thinking ….If her husband really loved her he wouldn’t ask his pregnant wife to bottle wine she can’t even drink yet!! Well, I only ask if she wanted to!!! 🙂 And she said “Yes Dear” so to me that means that she really wanted to do it and that was good enough for me.

Oh this is a video of my wonderful wife and daughter using the corker they got for me earlier last summer at a yard sale.

~Greg T

Our first Adoption Problem :-(

Comments 9 Standard

I just wanted to share with everyone that today we had our first let down in this quest to bring that someone that the Lord has picked for our family. 🙂 We got a email today stating that there is not enough room in the Pride training scheduled in Feb for us. So we are being scheduled for the class in July 😦

Why is the next class in July you say?

Because the training is a 30 hour weekend long training course. And the schedule one of them each quarter of the year.

So with all that said we are a little sad today but I guess we just have to remember that we are on God’s timeline and he has already picked the child for us. He will put him/her in our family when it is the right time for the child, us and most importantly when he is ready. So in that we are pleased, but still little sad.

~Greg T

Anyone Up for a Little Jog??

Comments 3 Standard

I want to share with everyone that we are going to train and enter the 2008 Seattle Marathon. On a quest to improve our overall health and fitness, need for a big challenge for 2008, besides we are weird and strange (As if you didn’t know that already), and we don’t know any body that has ever done one! (Maybe there is a very good reason for this 🙂
You maybe wondering were did I get this hair brain idea from well I as many of you know that I am trying to loose about 30 pounds of myself. So have been working out but not loosing much weight and I was simply getting bored with my workout program. So I have been looking for a different program and couldn’t find anything that I liked. Then one late night or early morning at work I was looking around online when I came across a PBS program: Nova ~ Marathon Challenge (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/marathon/). Basically it was a program about how they took a assortment of very different individuals about 12 and trained them to run the Boston Marathon (the oldest and one of the hardest in the country). Well, I begin to asked myself over the next couple day was it possible for me to do this, and after talking to Merriann about it (and yes, she did look at me the as if I had lost my mind!!) She thought that we would do it together. (And for the record that is one of the many things I love about me wife, she wants to do big and small things together. What a Help Meet!!)
But Boston was a bit of a trip, so I thought that we would have to go to San Fran, or somewhere in Cal. to do this but much to my surprise Seattle has one. So it’s on November 29, 2008, God willing we will start and finish the 2008 Seattle Marathon. We are not trying to break any world speed records or anything. Just complete a great challenge and get fit. So over the last couple of days we got our training materials together and today is day one of the training. A simple 30 minute walk! I can do that!! And now that we are going to be hardcore athletes, can start using cheesy sports quotes like: “We are just going to train one day at a time.” “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” and other Blah, blah, blah 😉
Oh, before I forget to ask does anyone else want to join us? Just want to see if anyone else has also lost their minds. 🙂 But it would be so much more fun with more people. So just think about it.
~Greg T

Adoption Update

Comment 1 Standard

Wow, two posts in one day! Things are getting crazy around here. I realized we haven’t posted about the adoption in a while. Right now we are waiting until the PRIDE weekend in February. PRIDE is a 32 hour training program we have to complete before we can become foster parents for the foster to adopt program through Antioch. Antioch does it all in one action packed weekend. OK, maybe not action packed but definitely busy. After that weekend we have another 7 or so classes we have to take. We will be well trained. :O) Good news though, a friend told me about an organization that does local CPR/First Aid classes for FREE! Way better than paying $40-$50 per person. And they cover infant and adult CPR/First Aid as well as blood born pathogens (we need all of that). So there you have it. Our update and a photo ’cause that’s the way its done.

Happy New Year!!!

Comments 3 Standard

Our family wishes you and your family a “Happy New Year”. We spent some time with new and old friends to bring in 2008. Our friends Lorenzo and Nancy opened their home and hosted a New year’s party.

It was awesome, it was our first visit to their place. They have a beautiful home.
Of course the Trinty sister’s were there!
You know the Mother, the Daughter and the Girlly Ghost!
AKA. Trina, Monica and Merriann 🙂

Nancy didn’t want to be left out or out done of the crazy pictures for the night! So here she is in all her glory!

The ladies mostly played the Taebo card game and the guys just sat around talking about the old Navy days (Meaning Lorenzo and I talked all night). And since there was a brand new baby there the ladies all wanted to hold the pretty baby, Ruby!

Aunt Heida had her most of the night. She even took the nights group picture with Ruby.
You would think that is was her baby. 😉

We watched the count down of the Space Needle in which fireworks didn’t go off for about 2 minutes after the new year started. What a way to start the New Year in the Northwest.

Well we ended the night sharing what are hopes and prayers we had for the future year. While I can’t share with you what others there that night shared. But I will share with you what mine was and is. I pray that “I could keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing!” Meaning be more fruitful for Jesus the Christ and the kingdom of God. (And oh, loose 30 pounds by May but that is not as important as the Main Thing.)

~Greg T.

Merry (late) Christmas!

Leave a comment Standard

I’m a few days late getting this up but better late than never. I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Our Christmas came a few days early this year since Greg was working Christmas Eve and Christmas day. We had a great time. We try to keep things low key. Greg and I never wanted Christmas to turn crazy for our family. Zoe got some useful and educational toys (the kind I love) Greg paintball (surprise!) and Me…a Kitchen Aid mixer! Bread is soooo much easier with a dough hook.

Now that Christmas is over the decorations have come down. I know some people leave them up as long as possible but by the end of December I am done. Although, remember the large wreath I made to cover a very bare spot on our wall? Yeah…we have a large bare wall now. I’ll have to get on that.

The new year is just around the corner. It is amazing to think of all that happened in 2007. God has blessed us in so many ways. Greg’s job, moving to a wonderful house, finding a new church family, meeting new friends and families that love the Lord and our old friends that we would be lost without. We have been so blessed by all of you. It is humbling to think of all God has done for us. How unworthy we are but oh how He loves us!

~Merriann

Tis the season…..Of the Christmas Party

Comment 1 Standard

Tis the season of the Christmas party. The time of year that you can spend with other adults without kids and everyone is good with it. The first party of the year is the Annual Welch Christmas Party. What is so great about this party is that it is a small group of friends that get together each year and fun is the first priority. This was the 4th or 5th year that Tony and Melissa hosted and every year we have had a great time, this year was no exception!

I had to work the next morning so we didn’t stay that long, only about 3 hours. But one of our new good friends, Monica, came with us. We all met up at our place and headed out to the Lummi Reservation (or as Fred W. likes to call it FreddyRes, I’m not sure why but he does)

It was the guys in the kitchen (Please keep in mind that is where the food was!).

And the ladies were at the tables just talking and getting caught up with old friend and getting to know new ones.

We got to meet the newest member to the group, Ruby and her mother Nancy. Ruby was given the Baby Pass Card so that she could come 🙂

Oh yes, I think that all us had a great time!

~Greg T

Fa la la la la la la la la

Comment 1 Standard

OK, so we didn’t sing Deck the Halls but, Sunday night we went Christmas Carolling with our church. It was so much fun. This is our first year and we will definitely be going next year. We all piled into 4 huge trucks with the beds filled with hay and headed to the James Street Estates to check out their light displays and do some singing and ministering. Now, I am not much of a singer but, with the huge group we had we sounded great! Zoe loved it. A few times she wriggled her way to the front and stood there on the front porch singing and smiling.
On the way back to our cars I also found out that I am an Auntie again!!! My brother Martin and his wife Susan had their 1st baby Sunday evening at 5:29. Her name is Marci (not sure on spelling yet) and she weighed 6 lbs. 15oz. I don’t have a picture yet but am excited to see her. Mom and baby are doing great. Welcome to the family baby Marci!
~ Merriann

Ice Skating!

Comment 1 Standard
Last night Greg’s work had their family Christmas party at the Sports Plex for ice skating. Before we left I was trying to explain to Zoe what ice skating was. I pulled a video up online to show her. It helped however, it was a video of figure skating. She was very excited and wanted to put her dress on and started to dance around the room like the girl was doing. hmm…just a little misleading and no, we are not wearing dresses.

Greg had to work so our friends Monica and Xavier came with us. We had a blast. Getting the skates on with double socks was a bit of a challenge but with a little force we were on our way.

Zoe was very excited to give this a try. Aren’t those the cutest skates?
They had “walkers” for the kids. I am not at all stable on the ice and I knew if I had to hold onto Zoe’s had we would both be on the ground. It took a little practice for her to get the hang of it but she was soon running with her walker. At one point she decided she wanted to hold my had and skate like she saw others doing. Reluctantly I went to the wall and took her hand. After about 5 steps she decided I was way too slow, grabbed her walker and zoomed down the ice.

~Merriann

Time to Decorate

Comments 3 Standard

Last night started our Christmas decorating. Our huge box of decorations came out of the loft and there it all started. Greg had planned on having Zoe and I work on it today but decorating for Christmas was always a family affair (or at least a group affair) growing up and I don’t like the idea of doing it myself so, he helps. Once you get him started decorating he is actually quite good. Zoe was our resident photographer and got a shot of Greg hanging lights.


Once we had emptied our box we still had one rather large blank wall. Earlier this week we rearranged the living room. After all we have lived here for almost 6 months, it was about time :O) There was nothing to put on the wall when we were done so we figured there would be enough Christmas stuff to fill the void but there was not. Greg decided it would be the perfect place for a wreath.

M: We don’t have a wreath.
G: Oh, but you could make one. It’s easy, just braid branches together in a circle. At least, that’s how my mom always did it growing up.
M: Just braid them together like hair?
G: Sure! Of course it would need to be big enough to fill up the space on the wall.

Of course it would. Easy. Last night I had no intention of making a wreath but today I was ready for the challenge. So, Zoe and I took on the project of making a wreath. We headed to the back to cut branches. (I greatly enjoying living in an area were I can do that) I did not braid them but tied them together with wire…a lot of wire. Despite my efforts (and wire) it was not holding its shape. I was not going to give up on it. It just needed more structure. Back outside I headed and brought back the secret ingredient…alder wood branches. They are thin and bend without braking. So, I made a frame (more wire) and tied it all together (and some more wire). It worked! I was rather impressed. Zoe was asleep at the time so I had to do a victory dance by myself but as soon as she was up we did another one. So, now we have a large homemade wreath on our previously bare wall. As I said before, Greg is good at this decorating thing. It is the perfect place for a wreath.


~ Merriann