Griffin Family

12/01/04 Hi Guys! Hope you are well.  Andy was just complaining last night that he hadn't heard from you in awhile.  I asked if he'd written you and he said no that was my job - he send pictures, I write letters.  I said well no wonder you haven't written - I haven't written and it's probably my turn!!! So I thought I'd take a minute and type as fast as I can and tell you what's up here in hopes that you'll write your son!!! Everybody is staying extremely busy.  AJ came home with all A's and 1 B+ (in Gym class of all things).  We are very proud of him.  He is doing very well with the Tuba, playing basketball and seems to maybe have a candle lit under him about scouts - we'll see.  He is a little behind in scouts but has a list and seems to care about getting caught up with the other kids.  Football season put him behind.   Dallas is still doing choir and basketball.  His team has had a rough go of it this time around. ...

11/30/2004 LETTER TO BECKY Katie and Grandpa Laurito The visit with Dad was nice.  He was pretty easy to have.  He brought his car full of stuff that we went through when he first got here.  He likes to watch the financial channel on the TV so he did that some.  I made 1 and ½ of my binders with the material you sent.  I didn’t have any more binders and needed some cardboard to do the inside of the 2 nd binder so it’s only partly done.  I still don’t have pictures from you or Ruth from the funeral.  I also don’t have Ruth’s talk.  I wanted to put that in my binder. Dad slept on the couch and made waffles for the kids.  It really was a nice visit.  He took us to golden corral for dinner Saturday night.  He was going to go home Sunday but the weather was bad so he went Monday morning. The circus, circus buffet is cheap-- but it is also yucky.  At least when we went we didn’t care for it.  There are a...

10/18/2004 LETTER TO BECKY This weekend Andy was gone all weekend doing games and so I got busy.  I went through AJ’s room –aaaggghh!  And sorted through all the hand me down buckets we had.  I’ve bought several containers to make them “save” better.  I sorted everything by size 10, 12, 16’s etc.  and season.  Then I went to Target and bought him an upright cabinet closet for his current clothes.  I went through his 2 dressers and kept only the nice stuff in his current dresser and ditched the worn clothing and stored the stuff that’s too small.  What a project.  His room looks wonderful.  He came home and was in awe.  He’s like, what do I owe you?  Do you want me to do something for you???  I was like…well… you better keep this room clean!!!!!!  He also helped me to stow all the buckets of clothing – I had run out of steam and not quite finished putting things away.   I had done this to the girls room ...

10/17/2004 ABOUT MOM’S CONDITION FROM BECKY Grandma Laurito's hair is growing in! FYI Shell-- (cause Ruth probably already knows)--I went to visit mom on Friday and talked to her the Wed before and she is not doing well.  Maybe things have improved  (have they Ruth?), but she was having a hard time speaking or concentrating on a thought.  I was surprised cause everything had been so good over the weekend.  I guess it hit Sunday after you left and just went downhill fast.  Hopefully she is feeling better now but just thought I'd let you know.

9/1/2004 LETTER TO BECKY Chase Family The disc came with the package.  It was a pretty good deal I think – I got 2 sheets of each kid, the disc, the bonus smiles card, a photo magnet kit and a mini photo album scrap book type thing for $39.99.  For $6.99 I got the family picture packet which comes with more photos then you’ll ever be able to use in a life time.  My next picture session is 10% off and the one after that is free.  So I’ll probably take Katie and Holly in at Christmas time for their 1 yr old and 3 yr old pictures.  I told Andy I won’t make him to another family photo again for awhile – just had to get one with Holly in it! Bryce Griffin & Dillon Chase Mom was really good Friday and Saturday but by Sunday she didn’t feel good again.  She read to the kids and helped with Katie in the middle of the night Friday night.  Sunday morning she was having a stomach ache and not moving very well.  She got up and d...

8/27/2004 Letter to Gail Behler I am sorry to hear about your mom – I think my mom mentioned something some time ago.  I guess not too many of us are safe from Breast Cancer.  I hope they can zap the cancer and she gets feeling better soon. Grandma Laurito and Holly My mom is deteriorating.  She seems to get worse every time I see her.  She says she has lost over 40 lbs since I saw her just over a month ago.  (she lost 40 lbs in 11 days).  She has switched from one medication to another but her cancer continues to spread.  She has it in her liver, spine, head…just about everywhere.  She has a really good attitude and doesn’t complain much but I know she is suffering quite a bit.  She is in pain most of the time.  She was diagnosed 13 years ago so she feels really lucky to still be here.  She is going to try to come visit us this weekend.  I am really surprised she is making the trip but I think it helps her to ...

8/25/2004 LETTER TO KAREN VASCONEZ (FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL) Shelly and Baby Holly Hey I really enjoyed the why men shouldn't babysit pictures.  We have one or two of our own we could add to that!  I had one I wanted to send you of Katie in the fridge buck naked - but I am at work and I guess that one never got sent here.  So I sent a couple of other fun pictures. Did you know Becky had twins last October 31?  Two little spooks, Sydney (girl) and Sam (boy).  They were 6lb14 oz and 8 lb 3 oz or something like Kevin and Becky Chase Famiy that - poor girl was HUGE.  Course with 15 lb of baby, what do you expect??? I love that picture of the two of us pregnant together.  That was 2 or 3 weeks before she delivered.  And 8 or 9 weeks before I delivered my 9 lb 13 oz girl. So how are things going there?  Do you still have the 2 little girls or have you had some more?  Are you in Florida or New Jersey now? ...

Elmo and Holly 8/25/2004 (letter to Mom - Deanna Laurito)  I’m glad you wrote – sorry to hear you are not feeling too good though.  Darn medications. I’ve been having problems with my court computer and just didn’t log into messenger last night – it usually logs in automatically but we had turned it on earlier in the day and then when I came in my office it kicked that one out.  Needless to say – I was working – just didn’t look like it! My computer geek is looking into the virus situation.  He thinks we may have something network wide here.  He is not sure.  Hopefully he’ll figure something out.  It is a little annoying but not too much of a bother.  I almost deleted this message thinking it was just more crap!!!   Grandma Laurito and Holly That will be fun to see you this weekend if you guys make it down.  We have a ward swim party BBQ Friday night so if you get to our house before 9 p.m. that’s where ...

8/24/2004 Letter from Deanna Laurito:   Ray Laurito standing, Deanna Laurito seated, Dillon Chase, Dallas and Bryce Griffin Dear Shelly, I continue to get the "message" - we have the anti-virus scan running all the time and we have run it to specifically try to eliminate the "message".  I don't want to send anything to you at work to create or generate more of them. I have been really nauseated and actually threw up again today.  Immediately took an anti-nausea pill. I have taken them about 4 days (out of 5 days) since receiving the new chemo on Thurs.  Don't know if you have communicated with Becky this week, but we went up there on Saturday.  Kevin was putting in new windows with the help of his neighbor, Kevin.  Ray pretty much supervised but actually held the window in place while they located a tool or something and helped lift the windows into place - two outside and one inside.  Becky and I were to scrapbook.  My he...

8/18/2004  I LOVE COOKIES AND THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE! NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved)       2 cups butter       24 oz. chocolate chips       4 cups flour       2 cups brown sugar       2 tsp. soda       1 tsp. salt       2 cups sugar       1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)       5 cups blended oatmeal       4 eggs       2 tsp. baking powder       2 tsp. vanilla       3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)       Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder.     ...