The Morris Family

Our Little Gymnast!

2009-01-06T11:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Grandmother and Grandaddy, Kimsey started Gymnastics yesterday! Andrew, Josh and I went to watch our little gymnast in her first class! She LOVED it! She has hugged me over and over saying thank you for gymnastics, and can't wait to go back next week! Although she loves it, Andrew and I discovered, she really NEEDS gymnastics! We were almost falling out of our chair laughing at her prissy style and lack of coordination! We have a long way to go and so much to work on! Her first flip was actually a belly flop! By the end of the class, she had conquored the flip, so she came a long way!

The gym is really cute, and she got to participate on the floor, the beam, the bars, and the really long trampoline! She got quite the workout, and was one happy girl!
Thank you Grandmother!!! We have six more weeks to go!

Jumping and Growing Up!

2009-01-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

We have been having so much fun on our new trampoline! Andrew and I got the net up today, and now the kids are having a blast as you can see! Thankfully, for the cold-natured people out here, the weather has been warming up! It's been in the fourties and fifties, and would you believe there is STILL snow everywhere??? Crazy I know! However, this warm spell is not so good for snow tubing...Andrew has been up all night for a couple of nights running the snow machines, trying to make enough snow for this weekend. We are expecting 80 or more people to snow tube, so we kinda need the snow! The good news for the snow-dreamers, is more is coming in a couple of days, with colder temps! Good news for Snow Tubing!

My Sweet Kiddos!

And since they keep growing despite the promises they make to Mommy and Daddy, Josh decided he was going to start wearing big boy underware like Daddy today! He informed us after breakfast, and promptly started taking off his pjs! He selected his Buzz Lightyear underware, and became quite proud! Note the pjs on the floor behind him!

Yes, my boy is growing up! So sad, but so proud! Andrew is particularly excited about the raise he is going to have now that he doesn't have to provide diapers!

Well, that's it for now! It's the beginning of a new year, and we are anxious to see what 2009 has in store for the Morris Family!

Love to You ALL!!!

Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Joshua

Merry Christmas!!!

2008-12-26T08:08:00.000-08:00

T'was the night before Christmas, and all through our home,

the kids were squirming and on the roam! The stockings were hung by

the chimney with care, in hopes that Santa Claus soon would be there!

The cookies were placed for Santa to share and the kids got in bed without a care!

Much to their wondering, it would appear, they would sleep soundly while Santa was here!

The morning would come, with mom up before the sun.
And in her excitement, she'd make everyone join her fun!
So, the rest of the family would open their eyes, and try to focus to see the surprise!

Santa stuffed the stockings with goodies and toys, and we soon discovered

we were good girls and boys! We opened our presents with lots of paper to tear,

and found wonderful gifts of clothes and toys to share!

We opened our presents with paper to tear and found

wonderful gifts of clothes and toys to share!

When the last gift was opened and the floor found once again,

we noticed a note with a bow on the end!

The note was from Santa with a great big surprise, so we followed

his instructions and could believe what was before our eyes!
Santa put a trampoline in our backyard!!

We had a very merry Christmas morning! We got ready and went to our neighbors for brunch, and then came home for a long nap! While Andrew went out and groomed his new snow tubing hill! So, after we woke up, ofcourse we wanted to join him for our own snow tubing fun!

We had a great time playing on the hill!! The kids flew down! Josh with a grin on his face the whole way! And Kimsey sqeeled with the delight each and every time! Andrew did jumps and I did a little of both!

Christmas morning, we had a little more snow, but less than an inch of fresh.

Last night, we were supposed to get a little more, but didn't. And today, we are expecting another 6- 10 inches of fresh snow! This is our trench we have dug to get to the car!

Remember, I told you on the last post, to watch our chiminea, and watch the difference in the snow levels! Well, some has melted since Tuesday morning, but you will get the picture! And, remember, we are supposed to get more on top of all this today! There are many places in our yard and around campus, that pass my knees as I try to get around! So, the kids are having a hard time playing out in all this! It's bigger than them!

We hope our friends and family had a very merry christmas as well! We miss all those we didn't get to be with this Christmas season! Much love to you all!

Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Josh!

Christmas Time is Here!

2008-12-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

WE LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!

We have had some fun this Christmas Season! We had a Glorieta Community Christmas Gathering on Sunday night with those who live and work here and their families. The kids participated in a "Live Nativity" with as still of a picture as we could get. Turns out, it was quite the mobile picture!
Kimsey was the Angel, and our friends Abigail and Silas played Mary and Joseph.

The Shepherds almost took out baby Jesus a few times, while Kimsey played with Mary's hair!

Joshua was not the happiest Wise Man on the block! I don't think he like costumes very much!

(if you recall the Halloween pics were quite similar, just different outfits!)

This was the closest I got to getting the whole crowd!

That's everyone except Kimsey..she was behind the Wise Man!

Costumes or not, they still LOVE each other!

My Angel and Wise Man!

Later the Kids sang for the crowd! Both Kimsey and Josh enjoyed this time quite a bit!

I know I have promised snow pictures, and while these are a week late, here they are!

This was the snow falling last week, when it stacked up to a little over a foot or so!

This is the view across the street from our house...

The snow plow decided to dump its load in our front yard!

This is a good 4 foot pile, which means it'll be around until the Spring!

Christmas in our house! We have our tree, and added Christmas Lights outside this year!

And, as I am doing this blog, you won't BELIEVE the snow outside!!! This is a great shot from last week, that will be fun to compare with what we have now!

So, stay tuned because there are MORE snow pictures coming!
The Backyard now...

We pray all our friends and family, near and far, are having a

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

WE LOVE YOU!
Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Joshua

Allergy Results...

2008-12-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

We have accomplished finding a new Allergist in Santa Fe. We were very pleased with the practice we have found! Both of the kids needed to be skin-tested again...poor things! They both did a great job considering the circumstances!! The results???

Kimsey:
The doc. had never seen such a severe allergy to milk before!! So, we are still VERY allergic to milk, and egg, and will probably never out grow those. They did find allergies to bermuda grass and grass mix, which explains the environmental issues. And Kimsey is a very likely candidate to be diagnosed with asthma, but they like to hold off on that. However, she is back on daily breathing treatments for asthma prevention, and has graduated to an inhaler!

Joshua:
Here is the interesting case! Josh showed a 2+ on milk and egg allergy, however he rated a 2+ on the control, which means they are likely a false positive! So, we are going to confirm with a blood test, and HOPEFULLY he will have outgrown his milk and egg allergy!!! He has some mild environmental allergies, but he is doing VERY well!!

All in all it was a good visit. It was very long for the kids, and it is tough getting all the testing done, but they are champs!
PS I promise to post some snow pictures soon!
Lots of LOVE!!!
The Morris'

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

Friends and Family,

I would like to introduce, Princess Snow White and the Cowboy! Halloween was a wild and crazy day at our house this year. The kids were into the excitement for the first time, and we actually had costumes, too! Our Princess Snow White was the fairest of all, for sure! And she played the role with sass and class!

Our cowboy rode his horse to town saying, "Yee Haw!!"

We did our Trick or Treating with our friends the Jedi's

aka Silas and Josiah!

Josh didn't take a nap, so he was not exactly in the mood to be a cowboy!

Here we are with our next door neighbor, the fireman!

aka James Strickland

Crying Cowboy....

Our friends, Silas and Josiah took us around town to all the churches having Fall Festivals and we had a blast! We played all kinds of games, and got lots of candy! FBC Santa Fe had inflateables which turned out to be Kimsey and Josh's favorite part! Turns out Kimsey has no fear! Miss Upsidedown and backwards!

Josh was crying when we put him on to start, and then cried when we made him get off!

And most of the time, they went together!

Well, the night was fun and definately ended with a bang for Kimsey. About 12:30am, she fell out of her bed and started screaming. We soon figured out something might be broken, so we called an intern to come sleep on the couch and stay with Josh. Andrew and I took Kimsey to the ER and found she has a broken collar bone. Once her pain medication kicked in, and she wasn't in severe pain, she started making friends with all the nurses. She now has an impressive sticker collection from all her new nurse friends in the ER! The doctor even printed off a picture of her X-Ray, so we can show everyone her broken bone! They put her in a collar brace for 4-6 weeks. The doctor said this first week would be most uncomfortable, but after that we should be well on the mend. So, all in all it was a very eventful halloween! And in 4 more days, we will be in Georgia!!

Adventures in Colorado...Part III, The Final Saga

2008-10-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Mesa Verde!!

Mesa Verde is a national park outside Cortez, Colorado. It is 8500 feet in elevation and is the home of many cliff dwellings where people lived in the 1200 and 1300's. It is very interesting and beautiful! We took a tour to see the City Palace, where Kimsey thought it was her own personal castle! This was how my grandparents and my family spent our one full day together and it was great! The picture below is driving up to the top of Mesa Verde.

You can tell by some of the trees, they did have a fire several years ago.

Kimsey and her Grandaddy...

Andrew and his Little Man

Grandaddy and Me..it was too beautiful not to take pictures with the ones you love!
A Family Portrait!This is the City Palace from a distance

If you look close, at the middle of the picture in the alcove, you'll see more buildings
The Canyon...much smaller than the famous Grand Canyon, but still huge!
My Girl and Me!
We got to tour the City Palace, and to get up to it, we went down a narrow, steep trail, and the climbed a ladder! Daddy and daughter on the tour...
A close up of City Palace

Kimsey Ray!

That's my Girl!

We had a great time! Grandaddy, Andrew, Kimsey and I finished the tour and found Grandmother and Joshua sacked out asleep in the car! It was so sweet! We picniced in all that beauty for lunch, took some more scenice drives and then headed back to Durango! We ofcourse found the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, which I highly reccomend! Our trip was great! This was our first trip off campus since we have been here, and it was much needed! I think we enjoyed it so much we might be checking out more places to visit out west!

Until Next Time,
The Morris'

Adventures in Colorado...Part II

2008-10-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

We made it to Colorado, and had a great time! We met up with my grandparents, and had a wonderful visit! We missed them so much, and it had been far too long since we had seen each other! Durango, Colorado had a beautiful playground that we made several stops at to let the kids play! I mean, who wouldn't want to play with the river and this view right behind you?! It is more majestic than the picture portrays!

Dad pushing Kimsey on the swings!

Our little man enjoying a swing, too!

Grandmother and me...boy, do I miss her!

A little family portrait!

We stayed in Durango, which has the coolest Choo-Choo-Train that you can ride up to Silverton on a very scenic tour! It is a neat town nestled down in the valley between the gigantic Rocky Mountains! We drove around looking at the leaves, the sights and the town. We ate dinner and then swam in the hotel pool (heated ofcourse!) before heading to bed. The next day we got up to head out to Mesa Verde! Our friends in Gainesville, the Parkers, said it was amazing, and they were right! After a long day at Mesa Verde, we came back, swam some more, ate a good dinner and were out for the night! We had to say good-bye to Grandmother and Grandaddy as they headed back to Salt Lake City, UT to catch their flight back to Georgia...sad moments. Andrew, the kids and I hung out in Durango a little while longer before heading back to Glorieta in just enough time for me to get back to the Front Desk. Andrew is back hard at work today...not even stopping for lunch! This was the first trip we have taken since being in New Mexico, and I think we are going to have to do more! Stay tuned...Mesa Verde pictures coming up next, and you DO NOT want to miss those!

Lots of Love!
Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Josh

Adventures in Colorado...Part I

2008-10-16T11:50:00.001-07:00

Going to Colorado was a lot of fun! But, to put it in Josh's words, we were headed to "Rodo!!" Today, I am going to take you on the first part of our adventure, which ofcourse began in the kitchen with road trip snacks! We found some chocolate the kids could have, and made up some chocolate dipped pretzels with sprinkles...okay, Chirstmas Sprinkles. The kids wanted to try them out, but the chocolate wasn't quite hardend, yet..well see for yourself! But, Josh was a happy camper!

Here are the road trip snacks before I bagged them up!
The drive up highway 550 was AMAZING!! God has some incredible handiwork that we drove past! Jodi Greenlee, these are for you!!

The mesas and rock formations were georgeous!

They had so many colors!

I couldn't stop taking pictures! It was absoulutely breath-taking! If anyone comes to visit, we are taking this tour! I promise! Well, as you can see, we haven't made it to Colorado yet! So, the journey will continue soon!

Who Let The Air Out of Our Balloon?!

2008-10-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Adventure is our calling, so in the name of adventure, I have been trying to plan these fun family excursions that get us off campus and exploring the southwest. It just so happens that Albuquerque hosts the largest International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in the world. So, I made plans for us to experience this amazing Fiesta! The first plan got rained out, and since the Fiesta was ending this weekend, I thought we should go reguardless of weather so we could have this amazing time! 4am rolls around with a loud alarm beeping for us to wake up...we didn't want to, but it was for the Hot Air Balloons, right? So, we crawled out of bed, much against our own will, go the kids and all the stuff and headed out the door by 4:45. As we drove a little over an hour, in the rain, we were thinking, maybe this wasn't the best idea! But, we were on the way, might as well keep going. So, we got there , paid $10 to park, $12 to get in, (good thing the kids are still free!), and got our coats, hats and gloves on, and off we went! As we walked onto the field, the wind was blowing..hard. We soon learned that Hot Air Balloons do not take off if the winds are any higher than 10-15 miles an hour...that would have been good to know. So, after hanging out in the dark for close to an hour and a half, we discovered there wouldn't be any balloons taking off in the Mass Assention that was to take place. So here is what we did see...

Pilots buring up their propane...

Some airing out their envelopes...
Airing out their banners...
Playing in all that soft grass!
Rolling around in the grass..they really had great grass!
Kimsey got to stand in a gondola basket...
And that is about it! We were disappointed, but we had fun! We learned they have great grass, and DO NOT go to the Balloon Fiesta if there is wind or rain. Well hopefully the Balloon Fiesta of 2009 will be more fun! We will attempt this again, and hopefully have better pictures to share!

Things They Are A Changin'!

2008-10-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

As you can imagine, things have been quite busy out here, but I am going to try to catch everyone up on the happenings of all the Morris'! Summer Staff left us and went back to their homes and school. Then, we had 9 interns come and join us here for the next 9 months! They are a great group, and we are excited to know them better. Fall is in full swing, or maybe it's winter...you can decide for yourself! Glorieta stays very busy in the fall with Festival of Marriage, Retired Ministers, Fall Celebration, Pastor's Masters, Fly Fishing, and a bunch of small groups too! Andrew has been very busy and I have picked up working at the Chuckwagon in additon to Front Desk for this month before we head back to Georgia! Here are some recent pictures!

This is a summer night red sky...it was beautiful!!!

Andrew and I decided to take the kids and experience some Fall in New Mexico. Ski Santa Fe opens their ski lift and lets you ride around and see the Fall Leaves. So, we decided to grab some fried chicken (not easy to find out here), and have a picnic and ride the ski lift! It was to be a perfect fall family experience. We had some friends who wanted to take their kids too, so we all met to get fried chicken! Our friends suggested we just eat there, so we decided on that. Little did we know that would be a neccessity! We ate and headed up the mountain...

And, suddenly there was this white stuff...
Fall colors with a light blanket of white, and by the time we got to the lift, there was snow everywhere!
We rode to the top, getting colder and colder! I think Josh froze because he didn't move at all!
Kimsey was thrilled at all the snow!
They let you get off and walk around at the top, but we couldn't see very much, so we got back on and went back down!
And, on the way down...it started snowing on us!

Please keep in mind, the date is October 5, 2008!

In another season of change, Kimsey is growing up on us! She put away her baby blankies in her baby box, so we took her on her first trip to Build-A-Bear to get a big girl stuffed animal!

She was very proud, and excited! She wanted to

name her pretty purple bear, A Kitty Kat! Thankfully she changed her mind

to Shortcake!

Well, that is it for now! We have some fun events coming up. We are hopefully going on Saturday morning to Albuquerque to the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, and then next week we are escaping a couple of days to Durango, Colorado to meet up with my Grandparents! And, on Nov. 6, the kids and I are flying to Atlanta!! So, we hope to see everyone there soon! Lots of Love!

Summer...

2008-07-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

A friend recently reminded me that I have only posted pictures of Glorieta in the snow, so I thought I would give you some shots of Glorieta without all the white stuff. I took a picture of our main entrance as we passed by today, and some other places around campus. Our outter loop is approx. 2 miles, and it is a workout! Especially, with 2 kids and a stroller! Don't forget our elevation leaves you without oxygen! I am usually in need of a lung transplant by the time I get back!
This is our prayer garden. There are 27 levels, and our volunteers make it absolutely amazing! You can sit out here and have some time with the Lord, and there is soft music playing all around you! This is one of my favorite places, that I rarely have the opportunity to visit all by myself!A look at Baldy! This is the great hike out here! It is a little over 10 miles round trip to hike to the top and back, but the view is amazing!
Josh hanging over the rails looking at the goldfish in the pond. Unfortunately this pond is in the prayer garden and my kids are not so good at remembering to stay quite over there! My two beautiful kids on our walk this afternoon! They look like they love each other here...I think I'll keep this for future refrence!
Josh's haircut yesterday afternoon, compliments of Daddy!He thought it was the end of the world...

until he realized it wasn't so bad afterall!

And, here are the haircuts! Not so bad for people who have no idea what we are doing, huh?!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

2008-07-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

Hello to all! We miss everyone so much, and feel quite out of contact these days due to our own fault. We have been so busy! Life at Glorieta is going well! This being our first summer out here, we have just had to experience it first, so there have been a few bumps along the way. But all in all, we are totally whooped, but completely fullfilled! We are still humbled by God's grace in putting us right here! In case you are wondering what life is like out here, let me fill you in. Close your eyes and imagine America in the 1950's in a small town combined with life on a church staff, and there you have it! It's like a large church campus where we all live and work together, but we have guests, volunteers, and staff on campus, so you can walk around and stop and visit with whomever you pass on the road. You can sit on the front porch, eat peanuts and drink a coke while watching the kids in the yard and saying hello to all who pass by! It is quite idyllic, and a wonderful place for family vacations, and group trips! So, if you get the chance, come on out! We would love to have you! We'll take you on in putt-putt, but beware! Just ask the Smiths or the Parkers! See what they have to say!
Well, Joshua officially turned 2 years old last week! It seems like just a month or so ago we celebrated his first year, and now we are onto the next! He is growing up quick these days. He is finally speaking for himself quite a bit, although Kimsey would still love to be his spokesperson! Here are some pictures of Joshua opening his birthday presents from his Nanna, Uncle Joel, Audrey, Lance, and Grandmother and Grandaddy! He loved his present time! It gets more fun with each year!

Kimsey and Josh on our Big Blue Chair!
Josh's face as Daddy brought the presents in the room!
Boys and their trucks!
Something to beat on!
"Shoes!" yelled Josh!
He loved his new clothes!

Back to work!

We have had a blast this summer, and have so enjoyed our company, too! All of Andrew's family made it out this summer, followed by our dear friends, Scott and Claire Smith, and then a suprise visit from the Parkers! Our Lakewood Family is still very close to our hearts and we are thankful that the miles haven't distanced our relationships! Please forgive me for not having posted anything lately! We love you all!

The Morris'

Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Joshua

Summer Is Here

2008-06-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hello from New Mexico! Life at Glorieta has gone full speed! Andrew and I have been working almost nonstop for the last 6 weeks. Fuge started this week and brought 900 students, and this is its smallest week of the summer. We have 7 weeks of Fuge and Lifeway events, and thousands of people a week on campus. This is a far cry from the desolate winter we experienced. The weather has finally taken a turn for the better! Well, it did snow one day last week, but thankfully it did not stick! Now the weather is in the upper eighties, but every night the winds blow and bring the lower 50's to cool us off. Considering our house does not have air conditioning this is a HUGE blessing! Andrew is a very popular man on campus being responsible for all recreation and recreation space. I work part-time at the front desk, and I have learned when people ask about him, I don't associate myself as his wife or they start begging me! I try to explain that I cannot do anything to help them, they just have to keep trying to get ahold of Andrew themselves! Yikes! The kids are doing great. Kimsey has taught Josh to be just as social as she. They go all over campus waving and talking to everyone! It takes us awhile to get anywhere with those two! But, they are a big hit and have all the summer staff wrapped around their little fingers! Sorry for no pictures right now, but we just wanted to touch base and say hello. I will try to get some summer pictures up soon!

Love to you all!
Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Josh
aka Speedy, Cookie, and TBA on the kids "other names"

Can You Believe It?

2008-05-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, on May 10, 2008, Andrew and I will celebate 5 years of being married! I keep thinking back over the last six years, from the time we met up to today, and boy has it been a ride! When Andrew and I got married, we were still in college. We knew what we loved and what we wanted to pursue, which was camping ministry. We assumed upon Andrew's graduation, that we would find a camp and move off to wherever that may be. Well, a camp position didn't open up to us at that point, but we were expecting Kimsey in about 6 months! Thus the journey we didn't imagine, began. God took a few years in refining Andrew and I, and defining our marriage. Don't get me wrong, we are both still being refined every day. But, in those years of frustration and confusion, He gave us Kimsey and Joshua. He broke us down each one at a time, and began to build us back up in Him and together. God allowed us to define our family, and He confirmed our calling. Because being out of camp for over 4 years, didn't change our love for the ministry, it only grew it. Last summer as we prepared for Kids Camp with Lakewood, I told a friend I just kept wondering how long God would keep us away from camp. I knew we were in a process, but at the time, I didn't know how long it was going to be. As God would have it, just 3 months later, Andrew would get the phone call that started the process of finding Glorieta. So, for me, it is a wonderful gift to be celebrating 5 years of marriage at the Glorieta Conference Center in Glorieta, New Mexico. I will try to post more pictures soon. Because as this place thaws out, and things start to turn colors and bloom, I keep stopping in awe of the beauty that surrounds us. God has some mighty fine handiwork out here! As of Saturday, it will be 5 years since I walked down the aisle at Lakewood and promised the Lord my life to Andrew and he to me. In some ways, it seems like it was yesterday, and in other ways, Andrew and I have both changed so much from the people we were on that day, by the grace of the Lord. And for that, we are thankful. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have helped us along the way, with love, guidance, wisdom, and being with us all along our journey. We love you all!

Andrew and I on our first trip to Glorieta

Joshua's 1st Birthday. We celebrated in Gainesville having no

idea, in a few weeks, we would here from Glorieta!

This our family in our UHaul, before we loaded it up in Gainesville.

Little did we know, we could actually fill up the whole thing!

It has truely been a wild ride, that in hindsight I wouldn't trade a minute of, because God's hand has graciously been directing us all along. I look forward to the next five years to see what God has in store for us! I can't even imagine Kimsey and Josh in 5 years!!!

Lots of LOVE!
Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Joshua

Spring in New Mexico

2008-05-07T13:26:00.001-07:00

I know it has been awhile but things are getting VERY busy out here at Glorieta! We are finally thawing out, and I am praying we won't have anymore snow until November! (At least!) Several things have happend over the last month or so. Andrew buzzed Joshua's hair! He is growing so much, and his vocabulary is expanding. Although, Kimsey still doesn't let him say much for himself! Andrew got a promotion! I am so proud of him!!! He is now also responsible for all of the summer staff out here, so that increased his workload quite a bit! I have officially quit Gap for the summer. I am working Front Desk and directing the Pre School and Day Camp for the summer. So, we have lots going on, but we love every second of it! Here's pictures of the kids!

Josh's haircutPlaying in the backyard!
My little posers!!
Kimsey right before her ride on the Ferris Wheel in Santa Fe
Getting in....
Going Up...
And, getting off!

Kimsey got Charlotte's Web for Christmas, and has been thrilled at the Ferris Wheel scene. Last week, a carnival set up in the parking lot of the Santa Fe Place Mall, where I work, so Andrew and I decided Kimsey needed a Ferris Wheel ride. She was so excited! She picked out her skirt and sandals for the event, and squeeled in the line so much that everyone in the line was excited for her! The woker even made sure she got in a pink bucket, and off we went! She squeeled through the whole ride, and that 2 minutes was worth the $8 bucks! (Well, for me it was, I think Andrew is still complaining!) Just kidding!

Easter Eggstravaganza

2008-03-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

This is our Easter Eggstravaganza at Glorieta. In Gainesville, Lakewood

held an annual Family Easter Celebration. We enjoyed it so much, that we decided to organzie our own out here at Glorieta. We had the dads meet early and hide all the eggs, and then we brought the kids down to do the hunting. A sweet lady here, donatated a large pink bunny to the child who found the most eggs. We divided it up into two areas: one for kids over 5 years old, and one for under. Ofcourse with a 3 year old and a 1 year old, I wasn't concerned about taking home the giant pink bunny!
Kimsey went to town!
Josh needed some guidance

Kimsey and her new friend, Hailey.

These girls are about 10 days apart and love hanging out!

Kimsey was finding them everywhere!

And somehow, my sweet little 3 year old, won the Huge Pink Bunny

by 10 eggs! I didn't know we had a professional!

We followed the egg hunt with a picnic lunch

by the lake with all the other families and had a great time!

And, God gave us wonderful weather for the event, so we didn't

have to use our snow plan! Although, we did have snow on Easter Sunday

morning!

Good Times in Georgia

2008-03-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

The kids and I had a blast on our trip to Georgia! I didn't take near as many pictures as I had wanted to, but here's what I got!

Kimsey and her cousin Audrey were inseperable!Kimsey received royal treatment from Nanna getting a fingers and toes painted!

More than family, they are precious friends!
Good Georgia times with Kimsey, Cousin Lance, and Uncle Tony
The girls had a slumber party at Grandmothers complete with a Jacuzzi tub!
My brother, Joel, and his son, Lance!

Nanna hosted the kids' annual easter egg hunt!

Grandaddy and Kimsey

We had so much fun visiting with all our family and friends. I think I was enjoying the conversations and company of everyone too much to stop and take pictures! But thank you so much for all the friendships and relationships we have in Georgia, and for not forgetting us now that we are so far away! I enjoyed my family and being home so much. We had a blast seeing so many of our friends at our home in Gainseville. It was a true treat and blessing to spend time at Lakewood and with the church family God has blessed us with there. And, we will never forget our adventure with Andrew's parents as we loved being home there and dodged tornadoes, too!
Lots of Love!
Andrew, Holly, Kimsey, and Joshua

Good Morning Snowfall!

2008-03-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hello from New Mexico! We woke up this morning to some serious snow! Yesterday the sun was shining, we could see the grass in the yard, and we went to feed the ducks at the lake. Today is a much different story! I was certain after seeing the snow on our table, that we had 18" of snow. As you can see Andrew predicted 10" and he was just a little bit more accurate! So, enjoy our snow adventures today, and a few other kid pics at the end!

Even the kids cars had to be dug out, but it sure is tough driving conditions!

Josh is beginning to love the snow more with each snowfall!

Two VERY close buddies!

Kimsey would have stayed out all day if I would have let her, but it was cold for this mommy!

These are some shots I took last week! The kids eat PBJ almost everyday for lunch. And for Joshua it is most definately a favorite! He is saying cheese in this picture!

We had a warm day last weekend, and Kimsey wanted short sleeves! We also went out and bought her Soy Ice Cream! She absolutely LOVED it! This is Kimsey having ice cream for the very first time.

As you all know, Kimsey is our resident Princess. Well, much to Andrew's dismay, Joshua is enjoying being just like his big sister, which for now, means he's a princess, too!

The kids in their dresses!

PS Joshua did start playing football the other day. We have determined he is looking like a future running back! There is hope!

Snow Skiing and More Snow!

2008-02-23T15:07:00.001-08:00

Well, I promised more snow pictures, and I am now delivering! We enjoyed 2 whole weeks of sunshine only to wake up to snow on Thursday, followed by snow on Friday, which added up to over 10 inches by Saturday morning! My Grandparents came out for a visit, and we drove 2 hours north to Angel Fire Ski Resort where my Grandaddy and I attempted to teach Kimsey and Andrew how to ski. I think it went pretty well. Both of them are on their way to being Olympians. :) Okay, how to identify us: Andrew is in Black and Orange. Grandaddy is in Gold and Bright Blue, Kimsey is in Hot Pink with Blue Shades, and I am in Green and Black.

Kimsey did great! I was so proud! She fell a few times, but liked the taste of snow, and then

check out my girl! Up on her skis coming to me! It was a great moment. However, she does prefer the ski lift to actually skiing. She calls it the big swing!

These are some pics my Grandaddy and I took going up the ski lift, not too far from Heaven, I am sure!

Yes, we went up into the clouds before we got off the lift!

And, here is Kimsey this morning building a snowman in our snow.

I am sooo ready for Spring! But, Kimsey sure loves the snow!

Growing Up

2008-01-14T20:05:00.000-08:00

Well, as much as I would like to stop it, Kimsey and Joshua continue to grow up. Kimsey and I made a deal in the hospital when she was born, that she would never grow up....needless to say, she has not held up her end of the deal. Today, I took Joshua into Santa Fe for a haircut. He did very well, and tonight, as I covered him up to keep him warm through the night, he looked older. In some ways, he was still my baby boy in a crib with footie pjs, but that face, it is beginning to look so old and grown up. Here are some pics so you, too, can be with us on this fun, definately loud, and many times exhausting journey of growing up!

All Grown Up!

Josh's new things include saying, "Please!" and "Ball" and Kimsey has taught him to open the fridge...he can get his own milk! Now, if I can just teach him to close the fridge we'll be in business! He is also picking up sign language very well. Kimsey, is learning more also. Like I said, they are growing up fast!

(And if you look close, he is getting a new tooth on the bottom left)

When All Else Fails...Play!!!

2008-01-02T09:34:00.001-08:00

Well...when you don't know what else to do with the snow, we suggest playing!!! We had a great time using the sleds and snow tube Santa brought Kimsey and Joshua. Andrew's sister, Lenora, also sent us an adult size sled, so we all had some great family fun! Joshua and Kimsey had a blast! I think Kimsey could stay out all day if Johsua would last with her! Don't worry, Joshua's sled has a buckle on it, so we just strapped him in, and sent him down! He held a look of fear until he reached the bottom, then he would bust out a big grin and laugh! Kimsey laughed all the way down, and then would tumble out of her tube and say, "Let's do it again!" Yes, we are learning how to play in the snow, and I must say it is quite fun!

Joshua heading down the hill!

Kimsey's Turn!!!

Whew! That was fast and fun!

Cheese!!!

Andrew and Joshua on the big sled!

A New Kind of Christmas

2007-12-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

We had a very different Christmas for us, but it was a lot of fun! Christmas Eve started off with sleeping in, and a family breakfast. The kids were especially fiesty on this Christmas Eve day. We had plans to attend a Christmas Eve service in Santa Fe together, but Kimsey and Joshua were especially excited and took a long time falling asleep for their afternoon nap. So, Andrew held down the fort here preparing for a Christmas Eve get together at our house, while Shannon and I went to the Christmas Eve service. It was my first Presbyterian service, and it was very good. The music was nice, and the sermon was great too. I rushed back to help put together our party right as the guests arrived. Our neighbors, Jim, Shannon, James, Art, Shelly, Silas, and Josiah all came over. We had a big appetizer dinner. It was very yummy!! All the interns, Allison, Cierra, Jessica, Ian, and Peter all came too. The interns stayed to help us clean up, make a breakfast casserole for Christmas morning, and do a few "other" jobs! We played the infamous (in Gainesville, Ga anyway) Whunoo. It is a fabulous get to know you type game! We watched Hitch and sometime after 1am, we said good-bye to all our guests, and finished our late night job! Andrew and I crashed around 2am! Whew!

Kimsey opening just 1 gift on Christmas Eve!

Joshua decided to open his, too!

Joshua started getting the hang of it, in just the nick of time!

Ta Da! New Christmas PJs!

Best Friends...

One of them loves to pose...any guesses???

Santa stopped by our house!

Can you believe the US Postal Service knows where Glorieta, NM is!

Well, the wild ones, aka Kimsey and Joshua finally crashed! We woke up on Christmas morning, started a fire and coffeee (the essentials to life). Then, we woke the kiddos! We had a great morning opening presents. In fact, we didn't even get through all of them before our late morning breakfast with our neighbors and the interns. We came home, finished opening our presents, and then the interns came over to wath The Bourne Ultimatum.

Merry Christmas!
Kimsey getting into her stocking!

Kimsey got a "people" hairbrush, some princess bracelets and hair stuff,

a slinky and princess underware in her stocking!

Ta Da! She got to the bottom!

Joshua apparently sat on a gift bow, we didn't realize it for a little while, but

it was most definately picture worthy!!

Justin sent some great gifts! Joshua loved his!

Josh really got into the unwrapping!

And very fiesty when the gift was unwrapped!

Thanks Grandma!

Kimsey loves her baby and baby doll bed!

Thanks Nanna!

Joshua loved all the toys including Kimsey's snow tube!

After our great day, and much needed nap, we woke up to make our first Christmas dinner all by ourselves. I had studied Rachael Ray very closely before attempting our first ham! Fortuantely it was a success! I am very proud, and we definatley have enough ham for 2008. No one needs to worry if we have food! Ha! Ha!

Drumroll please....!!!!

A close up, if you will!

This is our yummy ham with an orange sugar glaze
served with pears and apples!

The dinner presentation

We had a fabulous Christmas in New Mexico! We missed our friends and family in Georgia so much!! But, we have spread our wings and are flying out here starting new traditions and making new friends. We love you all!!

Christmas Traditions!

2007-12-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

As we prepare for our first Christmas, too far from family to visit, we are trying to begin some fun traditions. At camp, traditions define each camp, and as camp staffers, Andrew and I desire to create traditions that will define the Morris'. So, I was curious about family and/or Christmas traditions either you do with your family or have heard about. Or, you could get even more creative, and create a tradtion you think we should try! You know us, we are up for just about anything. All ideas will be taken into consideration and voted on! (By all registered voters of the Morris family) I would love to see your best shot, get creative, and give us some ideas to help make memories for this year and many more to come!
Merry Christmas!

December In New Mexico

2007-12-17T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!
We haven't forgotten y'all, we've just been pretty boring! Andrew is into his new work routine, as a part of his job he had to ref paintball in the snow the other day. Yes, snow is still very frequent around here, but just an inch or two at a time now. It is only 7 more days until Christmas, and Kimsey is quite excited! We finally got her to understand the true meaning of Christmas, which is exciting for Andrew and I. I am very busy working in the Santa Fe Place mall at Gap. I am enjoying it, but Andrew and I are tag teaming quite a bit, so it is difficult to see each other! I did request Chirstmas Eve off and got it, so that is very exciting! Christmas decorations aren't the same out here, so things look different, but we have lots of snow to keep us in the Christmas spirit! We would love to hear from those checking in! Shoot us an email or post a comment here! More pictures coming soon...I promise!

It's Still Snowing!!!

2007-12-11T13:04:00.001-08:00

Well friends! It is still snowing out here in the southwest! The pictures you are about to see are from 3 hours ago, and I warn you, the depth has already changed! There is a minimum of 6 inches all over and many places have more than a foot of snow! The weather report here says it is 27 degrees and feels like 19...I cannot confirm or deny those reports because I am numb! If anyone receives heavy packages from New Mexico, please open them! It will be us getting to a place where we can thaw out at a much cheaper price than plane tickets! Just kidding (well sort of)! We are having a lot of fun playing in the snow. Yes, it is supposed to continue tonight and tomorrow! Hopefully we will be able to dig out so I can go to work tomorrow night! The kids and I drove around campus and took a few pictures. I really wish you all could see this! I personally have never seen anything like it! And, if you can believe it, everyone is still working hard around here! In Georgia, everything would be totally shut down! But, they do have snow plows out here, and they drive by every couple of hours and clear the roads! Aren't they nice?!

This was what we woke up to about this morning! Lots more than yesterday!

Andrew came home for lunch to play with us! Check out the snow, y'all!!

Andrew shoveling snow on his lunch break, and the kids playing!

Kimsey and Joshua in the snow! Joshua just ate snow, and he kinda likes it! :)

This is our house and to the left of our house!

Views around Glorieta, and the lake 1/2 frozen with ducks still swimming!!!

Andrew's Office!

Let it Snow!!!

2007-12-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

Well, it is officially snowing here at Glorieta! We had a couple of inches on Saturday night, which mostly melted by late Sunday afternoon. However, this Monday morning has dawned with lots of snow coming down! It has snowed nonstop for the last 4-5 hours! I think we have about 2-3 inches out there right now! Joshua is having a hard time getting around in his snow gear, but he is doing quite well considering he has only been walking for 3 weeks! Kimsey loves the snow! She squeals and giggles (if you can imagine that) as she is out in it, and while looking out the window! She is certainly not afraid and loves running around and playing it! For those of you in Georgia, I am sorry the snow has not found you there, but maybe you can enjoy a picture or two from here. The weather forecast is for snow the next 2 days as well. I may very soon leave my comfort level for snow if it keeps up. The plan is to keep the fire going, and fix a yummy hot dinner...I think brunswick stew and cornbread! Merry Christmas and Happy Snow to you all!
Love,

Andrew, Holly, Kimsey and Joshua

This is our backyard!
We are going to leave the snow on our outside table,

and measure the snow this winter!!

This is from our front yard looking left!

And this is from the front yard looking right!

Here is Kimsey enjoying the snow,
but Joshua is having trouble staying on his feet!

Kimsey running around in the snow!

Me helping Joshua!

Josh did make frineds with the snow!

Kimsey and Joshua laughing in the snow!

Welcome to New Mexico!

2007-12-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

We Made It!!!

We left Georgia at 5:35am on Monday, November 26, and arrived in Glorieta, New Mexico on Tuesday at 3:30pm (That's 5:30pm, Georgia time!). So, we made it here quick considering we had a U Haul the size of our enitre townhouse building! We have unloaded and gotten a lot unpacked. The kids arrived on Friday night, around 11pm. Kimsey loves New Mexico with her new house and new friends. Joshua has gotten so excited he has started walking!

Life here is different. The temperature changes about 30-40 degrees a day. Our house is wonderful, but does not have central heating (and no A/C), so we are learning how to keep the house warm! We do have a fireplace. Andrew builds a fire in the morning, and I keep it going until it warms up. However, the fireplace doesn't have any gas, so I am becoming fairly proficient at fire building! True to us, we are decorated for Christmas, and we will be helping to decorate Glorieta this weekend! I hope all is well wherever you are! We would love to hear from you all! I promise to update often, so check back soon!

Lots of Love from New Mexico!

Home Sweet Home!

This is our living room all ready for Christmas!
Snow is coming!!!
Andrew with the kids in their room in Gainesville
One last look around...
Who knew we had this much room to play in???
Closing the door the last time, and Kimsey waving goodbye!

The Results Are In...

2007-06-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well, Mr. Joshua was tested last week for allergies, and he is just as allergic to milk and eggs as Kimsey is! So we have 2 severely allergic kids! But, GOD hears us when we pray to Him, and He answered my prayer! I asked that if the kids were both going to have allergies if they could at least be the same, and they are! It is almost easier to have them both have allergies instead of one having them and one not. So, I am thankful, and I will trust GOD with the children He has blessed us with to keep them safe from harm. I have a bad habit of worrying about this quite a bit, and I need to give it all to the Lord, for He loves them even more than I!

May Already??!!

2007-05-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

Y'all!!! I can't believe it is May already!! Things have been very busy for the Morris'! Kimsey and Joshua are managing through this allergy season. We have decided to go ahead with allergy shots for Kimsey. She had some skin testing a couple weeks ago, and we discovered she is not allergic to ragweed which we thought was what put her in the hospital 4 times over the last 2 years. So, either GOD is healing her or we don't know what she is so allergic to! Time will tell on that this fall. Joshua is about to get tested so we can know what kind of milk to put him on. He is coming up on his first birthday! Can you believe it?

Andrew is doing great at his job. He is enjoying a fun softball season on the men's team at our church. I have been very busy leading my first women's Bible Study at church, working a couple nights a week waiting tables, and going to school a couple days a week. School is going great. Turns out I am a kiss up, and a straight A student now. Funny how a few years can change so much! So, that is us! We are all here, and I am so sorry it has been so long since I updated! I hope to hear from you all again soon!

Allergy Update

2007-03-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, as most of you know, apparently Andrew and I have a most impressive genetic combination! Kimsey has very severe food, environmental, and medicine allergies. In fact, last week her allergist explained to me how she is in the top 1% of the most severe a person can be. He is reccomeding that we start her on allergy shots in a couple of months. We are asking for prayer as we consider doing this. It is a 3-5 year commitment, starting with weekly shots for the first year, and a full year before we begin to see improvement. I definately believe Kimsey can benefit from the shots, we just aren't sure if it's the right thing to do considering she is too young to understand what is going on. In the mean time, Joshua has shown signs of being allergic to milk and some medicine, too. Now, it looks like he is also allergic to soy. He is now on a very expensive formula to help us see if he does better without soy in his system. Please keep us in your prayers, that first our children will be healed of theses difficulties and secondly in the mean time giving Andrew and I wisdom on the best choices to make for our children. Thank you so much!

Just a Swingin'!

2007-03-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all! I am so excited that I have found some old college buddies through blogging! I am trying to find the time to get back with each of you. If I haven't responded to you yet, I will!

In the mean time, the weather has been too beautiful to stay inside. Gainesville has wonderful parks, and we have found our favorite little spot! Joshua is just big enough to swing next to his sister, and I have to say it is soooo much fun! I love being a mom, and I love playing outside with Kimsey and Joshua! Here are the latest pics from the park! PS I am not the pregnant woman in the background of Kimsey's pic! That is just another mom at the park!!!

My First Tooth!!

2007-02-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to announce Joshua cut his first tooth yesterday!!
I appologize for not posting a picture to go along, but I have temporarily
misplaced the charger for the camera battery!! But I promise a picture as
soon as I find it (hopefully today!) Anyhow, Joshua has been laughing, and
talking so much lately! It seems he wants to get up and play with Kimsey so
bad he can't stand it!! They are already best buddies. These are fun days in
our home.
Picture day is coming up soon. Let me tell you the plans and if anyone wants
pictures, you can let me know. I am going to get Joshua's 6 month picture made,
and Kimsey's 2 year picture. I will also hopefully get a good picture of the 2 of them
together. My current plan is just to get an 8x10 of their individuals for their photo
album and some wallets of them together. If you want anything more than a wallet
of the 2 of them, let me know so I can plan accordingly. It is my goal to get family pictures
done this spring. I just can't do it all at one time.
Have a great day!!

And Kimsey Came Tumbling Down

2007-02-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

We went out to dinner last night, and while trying to get both kids in the car in the freezing cold,

Kimsey lost her footing and tumbled out of the Suburban head first to the pavement. We are amazed and thankful that she wasn't hurt too bad. She has a big goose egg on her forehead and she scraped her nose pretty good. This morning, she was showing me her boo boos. I had to take a picture as she scrunched up her face to show me! Then, I had her smile, so you can see that she is okay! And, ofcourse we needed a picture of our handsome boy too! I actually took Joshua to the doctor yesterday afternoon because he had run a fever of 102 for 3 days. It turns out he has an ear infection. So, today we are all on the road to recovery!!

Joshua's Parent Child Dedication

2007-02-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

We were blessed with a very sweet Parent Child Dedication for Joshua this past Sunday. Our pastor, Dr. Tom Smiley prayed for us and Joshua. And our friends, Scott & Dawn Smith have agreed to pray for Joshua and Kimsey's salvation and encourage us as parents along the way! Mollie, Ray, Sara, Samuel, Mom, Tony, Joseph and Rachel all came to support us. Here are some of the picturese we got!

Are You There???

2007-02-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

I am trying this blogspot out, so that it is easy for our family and friends to keep up with us
and all that is going on in our daily lives! I can easily post pictures of our each day and even
put up a new post everyday, but I haven't heard from anyone but once! So, I don't know if you
are checking the blogspot or not! Add a comment on occassion so I know you are there, and I will keep the blogs and pictures coming! Does anyone want me to post pictures from Joshua's Parent/Child dedication?

This is Funny!!

2007-02-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Kimsey and I have one celebrity face in common! This is my entertainment for the morning, and now I am off to work! I hope this brings a smile to your face! Give it a try yourself! What celebrities do you look like?

Almost Famous

2007-02-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

MyHeritage - track your genealogical lineage">

Isn't she beautiful?! I definitely think she could be a movie star one day!

Joshua's Check-Up

2007-02-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

Joshua did fabulous this morning at his check up! He is weighing in at 17lbs & 3oz, placing him in the 50%. He grew 3 inches to 27 inches and that puts him in the 75%!! Way to go big boy!
Upon entering the pediatrician today, there were lots of people and kids everywhere! So, we had to stand in the hallway while the nurses joked with me about just waiting in my room in the back! Ha! Ha! I think we have slowed down on our trips to the doctor lately! Praise the Lord for that! Everyone is growing and healthy! What more could we ask for?

Getting Started

2007-02-02T07:37:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our little spot in the internet!!
I am trying to create a blog spot so that we can all stay in contact and I can share pics of our family and what we are doing!! Enjoy!!

Holly

The Morris Family

Our Little Gymnast!

Jumping and Growing Up!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Time is Here!

Allergy Results...

Trick or Treat!

Adventures in Colorado...Part III, The Final Saga

Adventures in Colorado...Part II

Adventures in Colorado...Part I

Who Let The Air Out of Our Balloon?!

Things They Are A Changin'!

Summer...

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

Summer Is Here

Can You Believe It?

Spring in New Mexico

Easter Eggstravaganza

Good Times in Georgia

Good Morning Snowfall!

Snow Skiing and More Snow!

Growing Up

When All Else Fails...Play!!!

A New Kind of Christmas

Christmas Traditions!

December In New Mexico

It's Still Snowing!!!

Let it Snow!!!

More Moving Stories...

Welcome to New Mexico!

The Results Are In...

May Already??!!

Allergy Update

Just a Swingin'!

My First Tooth!!

And Kimsey Came Tumbling Down

Joshua's Parent Child Dedication

Are You There???

This is Funny!!

Almost Famous

Joshua's Check-Up

Getting Started