Grindstaff Family

Eating, Teething, Standing and Smiling

2009-09-09T21:05:00.003-04:00

A friend recently said after seeing Anna, "I think she grew since I saw her two days ago!" Anna is definitely growing like a weed. She loves to eat and thankfully she is not very picky. She does get a little vocal at feeding time. I think she is trying to say "Hurry up Mom. Stop talking to those other kids they can feed themselves. I need my food now!" :) Anna is looking so cute with her 6 little teeth. I think that she is working on 2 more as we speak. She is so easy going she isn't even fussy. She doesn't nurse very well when teething so it is either teeth or maybe she is just wanting to move onto a bottle full time. I think Anna might be a mountain climber some day. She was standing against the couch this afternoon and was trying so hard to climb up. She was holding on so tight, trying to lift her legs that it won't be long til she is climbing onto the furniture. Well that is the latest with Anna. She is in deed a sweet, smiling, wonderful baby. What a gift from God!!

Little Princess

2009-06-24T09:35:00.002-04:00

What is it about princesses that little girls are drawn too? I'm sure there are alot of reasons, some good and some not so good, but I must say that this video of Meredith mentioning her favorite princess (and the biggest one in her opinion) just makes me smile. Enjoy.

Time with Grandparents

2009-03-08T21:28:00.003-04:00

This past week Erin and I were in Orlando with Anna so my parents got to spend the week with Reed & Meredith. They got here the Saturday before we left and were here for Anna's baptism. They also got to go fishing (a great pastime of Reed & GG).

More fun pics

2009-02-20T14:13:00.002-05:00

Here are the kids with the neighbor (Jillia) hanging out in the back yard earlier this week. It is fun to have friends for the kids in the neighborhood. They had a blast being goofs together. And of course--we must include a photo of Anna as well--notice the socks!

Why do we buy toys??

2009-02-10T16:33:00.003-05:00

When kids can be so entertained by the simplest of things and great imaginations...why do we buy toys? Reed is now a photographer...his new thing is to be the picture taker--especially when he takes pictures of himself.

These first two are actually taken by Reed himself.

Welcome Anna

2009-01-10T22:00:00.003-05:00

On December 29th, at 8:57 AM we welcomed Anna Katherine Grindstaff to our family. She was 7 lbs. 4 oz. and 20 in. long. She is a beautiful, and generally relaxed baby. Both Reed and Meredith love her dearly and want to hold her often.

Sibling Love

2008-12-19T15:42:00.002-05:00

Just simply thought this video was cute...

Christmas trees and singing

2008-12-05T09:44:00.005-05:00

Just thought I would combine posts and put up some pics of the kids helping with the Christmas tree, but then also some video of them performing quite well in the living room. Enjoy.

Fishing Day

2008-10-04T12:15:00.004-04:00

This morning we went as a family to the UF ponds and had some fishing. Basically everyone caught something--at least it was a family affair. And, at least we caught one of the big channel cats.

ABC's & Jesus Loves Me

2008-10-04T11:56:00.006-04:00

The other day both Mer and Reed wanted to show off their ABC ability, and even "Jesus Loves Me"--and for some reason the word Hippopotamus keeps showing up...enjoy.

Pancakes and talking

2008-08-18T10:48:00.003-04:00

This morning was my first of what I hope to be many Father-Son breakfast dates. I decided to take Reed to 43rd St. Deli on 13th and just hang out as father & son. We had a great time, but the best part was after we ordered Reed's blueberry pancake (one of his favorites) I asked him a question I wasn't sure what the response would be. I asked, "Reed, what kind of man do you want to be?" His response warmed my heart more than you know...he said, "A man who walks with God." What more could a father want?!

What a long strange trip...

2008-07-30T09:22:00.005-04:00

At the beginning of July we took a trip to Indianapolis, Cleveland and Pennsylvania. We did the grandparent tour as well as visiting friends. It was a good time and we're glad we did it, but it was also pretty tiring. It was good to be home.

Reed proudly posing in front of "Benny" at Ball State

Meredith having fun at the park in Rocky River

The kids had a blast with family and friends...and even got to visit a kiddie park and the zoo.

Reed even climbed a tree.

Who needs a trampoline or a giant...

2008-05-26T16:38:00.004-04:00

When you've got dad? We actually got into a good rhythm, but dad got pretty tired.

It ended up beautiful...

2008-05-16T22:25:00.005-04:00

When we started out about 8:30 this morning for Jacksonville to go to the zoo with friends from church I wasn't too sure we would actually spend much time at the zoo. The sky was foreboding and not too promising. But we made it there and then when we were getting our tickets we found out over 1200 school kids were there...great! But the day was great. I have not seen animals that active as long as I can remember. It only sprinkled once (when the kids were at the splash park getting wet anyway). It really was a precious gift from God for which I am thankful. It is great to have fun with the family!

Poe Springs

2008-05-08T21:37:00.003-04:00

Today the family ventured out to one of the many springs here in north central Florida for the first time. We went to Poe Springs, and luckily there was some sand because the kids still don't like the water all that well (that's an understatement--swimming lessons need to go better for Reed). Chad got in, before the snake was swimming loose, but we did find out it's a harmless watersnake that is very prevalent in this area.
After getting home, Reed wanted to run through the sprinkler in the backyard--he had fun before he got too cold.

Colorado

2008-05-05T09:48:00.003-04:00

This past week our family was in Colorado. Erin and I were at Bear Trap Ranch (an InterVarsity Camp) west of Colorado Springs while my parents and brother watched Reed and Meredith all over the place. On Wednesday my parents brought the kids to the camp and we got to fish and play and have fun. It was 70 that day and then the very next day it was snowing...beautiful to sit in a lodge in the mountains and watch the snow come down.

Birthday Wishes

2008-04-07T17:53:00.000-04:00

Make a photobook - it's easy!

Easter

2008-03-24T13:18:00.003-04:00

Easter was a beautiful day here in Gainesville. The Lord was very faithful to our family and the services at church went wonderfully. Then we went to spend time with friends and the kids had a chance to play and hunt for eggs (still not really sure how eggs and a bunny got stuck with the resurrection of Jesus Christ).

Kids and the Gator

2008-02-16T20:38:00.004-05:00

I finally decided to give the kids a bit more of a treat on their car--I enabled it to use the second speed and man is it a difference. Finally Meredith enjoyed the time in the car--and even took a quick try at driving on her own. Reed is getting better at driving and they have fun riding together. Reed's neighbor friend Jillia even took a turn driving.

It's impossible to say how much I love my wife!

2008-02-13T20:49:00.000-05:00

Make a photobook - it's easy!

It was simply time to post again

2008-02-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

It had been too long since the last post. Life is changing, but family is always a great joy. Meredith went pee for the first time on the potty--I can't post a picture, but believe me it is really cute. Reed is a child who loves to help...he simply wants to do anything we are doing. The other night he wanted to help me grill. It was great because I had an extra apron that matched mine from Starbucks. He loved it and looked really cute. Then the next day the kids were playing in leaves they had helped rake. It's crazy we are still raking leaves in January!

A Good Day

2008-01-03T10:31:00.000-05:00

January 1st--a good day to be a Wolverine fan...even my daughter got into it. Though this may not win me friends when I live in Gainesville...oh well.

Christmas celebration

2007-12-26T16:58:00.000-05:00

Christmas with family has been good. Life has been a bit crazy as the kids have a bit too much to play with and early signs of ADD are showing up. However, the generosity of family is wonderful and we all received things we loved. Most of all we have been given the gift of Jesus Christ--the greatest we could ever hope for and one that never wears out.

Exercise...never too early to start

2007-12-09T20:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the kids joined some other kids from the church (as well as many from the community) in a Diaper Dash (50 yard run for Meredith) and a Tot Trot (100 yard run for Reed). They had fun...it is amazing that it was December 8th and in the 80's. Not quite the feeling of Christmas.

Clean & Dirty

2007-12-09T20:46:00.000-05:00

Our kids do love to make a mess, but surprisingly they also enjoy cleaning up.

A taste of Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T21:26:00.000-05:00

We traveled up to Cleveland (properly Bay Village) for Thanksgiving. We enjoyed time with family and watching the Packers beat the Lions. Our flight up ended up being really nice--Erin and Meredith, and Chad and Reed each had their own row and it really was helpful in allowing the kids to sleep (hopefully the trip back will be much the same). We got all our Christmas shopping done for our Cleveland family so we don't have to ship anything (a key thing to which I am very grateful to Erin for pushing us towards).

Makin' cookies

2007-11-17T14:52:00.001-05:00

Reed had a good time making cookies this morning with Erin. He sure does love to help out any way he can around the house.

Click To Play

I haven't felt well....

2007-11-14T12:59:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple videos and pictures on Meredith hopefully on the mend. She has been running a high fever since Sunday and is fighting some kind of nasty virus. This is the first time she has really eaten anything halfway substantial in days.

Kid videos

2007-11-11T20:38:00.000-05:00

Here are some videos to enjoy of the kids dancing and singing. They are a lot of fun--and they love the "dance party."

Hawthorne Trail Bike Ride

2007-11-10T22:09:00.001-05:00

The weather was great today and we were able to take advantage of it since we just got some fork mount bike racks. We went down to the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail and rode for about 2 hours today. It was great, and at one point Meredith even fell asleep. We got back to the trailhead and had a picnic and kicked the soccer ball around before heading home.

Bob the Builder & Holly Hobbie

2007-11-02T07:50:00.000-04:00

Wednesday night we went to over to some friends' from church house. We had chili and then went out "Trick-or-Treating" with the kids. The neighborhood was a great environment and the people loved seeing 6 little kids dressed up as princesses and princes--and then Bob the Builder and Holly Hobbie. Here are few pictures.

Meredith

2007-10-21T20:18:00.000-04:00

Just a few pictures of Meredith--it's nice to see Packer's fans start young!

Fall Festival & other pictures

2007-10-21T20:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday our church had a Fall Festival. It was an amazingly busy day, but it was a lot of fun. Reed and Meredith played and jumped in the Bounce House as well as running with eggs and throwing footballs. The day before we went to a pumpkin patch and had a blast running around a hay stack maze (sorry no pictures of that right now).

Time with friends

2007-10-14T20:25:00.000-04:00

Our kids had a great time on Friday night as some friends watched them while Erin and I got out for a date. We ended up having a nice dinner and went to the observatory on campus to look at some stars. We then played cards with the friends who watched the kids. They really have a good time with them and apparently there might be some marriages arranged by the way they look at each other.

Mer eating a lemon

2007-10-06T22:32:00.000-04:00

Here is just some comic relief...for some reason our girl likes lemons.

Click To Play

Vacation...no, a trip.

2007-10-06T22:24:00.000-04:00

We just got back from a trip to Panama City Beach. The weather was great and the place we stayed was nice. Yet, with kids to take care of and a new place, it wasn't so much a vacation as it was simply a trip with the kids to a new place. Though we had fun and also learned that though the beach there is great (beautiful white sand)...when you live in Florida a 5-6 hour drive to the beach seems to be a bit much. I've included some pictures from our time.

I know...

2007-09-20T09:19:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's true--I don't post very often. Well, I have a new computer and hopefully better access to pictures. Therefore, I hope to post a bit more often. Last week Erin took the kids to our church's Wednesday night prayer meeting. Well, she took Reed and Meredith came into music practice with me and danced while we all sang. Here is a picture of Reed with his Bible.

Mer walking across room July 2nd

2007-07-02T22:49:00.000-04:00

In the past few days Meredith (while mom is away) has been learning how to walk. This is the longest one yet--thankfully mom will be home in a couple of days. Meredith went from simply standing up to acting like she knew what she wanted to do...a bit different than Reed and it's always fun to watch kids learn something new.

This is a new way to upload--just click on the link ("Mer walking across room July 2nd") and it will take you to blip.tv and click on the video...hopefully it all works for you.

Mer walking across room July 2nd

Fun at the park

2007-05-09T11:20:00.000-04:00

On Monday, before the smoke from the wildfires hit, the family ventured to a local park that for us was previously undiscovered. It was a great park and not very crowded. Here are a few pictures of the time. It is always fun to get to enjoy the nice weather together as a family.

Response to Virginia Tech Shootings

2007-04-23T14:09:00.000-04:00

Monday April 16th, 2007 was a tragic day. The senseless murders of so many have left us angry, sad, bewildered and filled with questions. What causes someone to do this? Where do we find the comfort and hope we desperately need?
Over and over we have heard that crime like this is inexplicable. On one level this is true. The acts of the killer were beyond comprehension due to their extraordinarily brutal and hideous nature. As far as evil goes this is an extreme picture of it, yet herein lies the problemàevil. It does exist and though our society tries to deny it, after events like the one on the 16th, it is impossible to deny. We’ve seen horrific displays of evil throughout history, but if we’re honest we see evil in ourselves too. For most it thankfully never manifests itself as it did in the killer, but we are fallen people with the same propensity. Granted, his was to an extent that is shocking and inconceivable to most, but evil exists in this world and we must acknowledge this fact if we are to begin to find answers.
So where do we find hope? Comfort in our grief? Hope in fighting evil, hope in healing? Second Corinthians chapter one says that God is the “God of all comfort.” He will give the comfort you need when you need it, and you will in turn be able to extend needed comfort to others. Share your grief with God, be comforted. Then share your hope with others. Also, healing is a process. Don’t rush it. Engage your pain, ask your questions. Don’t hold back; bring your whole being to God as you grieve. Let Him carry you through this time (or any difficult time). He promises to never forsake us or leave us, and even promises a time when He will kneel down and wipe every tear from our eyes. As believers we have the Holy Spirit to minister to us on this earth and it is a small taste of the future glory of being with God in heaven where evil no longer exists, where death is no more.
Tragedies like the one of the 16th make us long for a peace-filled place like this even more. The promise of heaven does exist, but only for those who have turned from their self -run lives and now look to Christ alone as the only way to God. You see, even if our sinfulness never manifests itself as terribly as another’s, we are all still imperfect compared to a perfect God. No human is perfect like God, therefore we are under the penalty of sin, which is death. Not just a physical death but a physical death that leads to a spiritual death of separation from an eternal God. So how does Christ help us? He alone lived a life without sin so He is the only person not deserving death. He alone could take on a penalty for us which he himself didn’t owe. His death alone on a cross some 2000 years ago was the penalty each and every human deserves. In Jesus alone do we find true life. Oh, how I long to be in heaven with Him someday. Until then how I long for people to know the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, the offer of true life that is only found in Him and the hope of healing here on earth and a place of perfect peace for all eternity with God in heaven.
Erin

Easter Egg Hunt

2007-04-11T21:45:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday we went to an Easter Egg Hunt that was put on by a sister church in town. We went with some friends from our small group. It was a good time, and Reed finally enjoyed the bouncy cage. It was a beautiful day--though the Floridians thought it was too cold (about 50 when we got there at 10am).

Reed has been alot of fun lately. He loves church and reading the Bible...Erin asked him today what Curious George was doing, and his answer was "reading the Bible." If only that were true. When Reed pulls into church he yells "yea church." Hopefully that will continue for the rest of his life. He and Meredith have a ton of fun together, and Meredith keeps up with him pretty well...she will be a tough one.

Bike Riding

2007-03-26T21:35:00.000-04:00

We are finally posting again...I know, it has been a LONG time--sorry about that. Tonight we went out for a family bike ride and it was an absolute delight. We put the kids in the pull-behind stroller and they seemed to have a wonderful time. It was such a change from the previous experience. The last time we used it was before Meredith was born and it was not all that enjoyable. Erin and I actually had a few small "disputes" over how to go about using the stroller safely. Yet this time, it was very different. The laughter that came from behind me was absolutely infectious. I don't know if it was Reed was bigger, or that Meredith was sitting beside him, but it was a much different time and so much better. I'm sure there will be many more times like that and there are apparently quite a few trails in town where we can take them. Should be fun times.

Wild Adventures!

2006-12-31T17:17:00.000-05:00

On Thursday the 28th we took a trip to Valdosta, Georgia to go to Wild Adventure Theme Park. We had never been there, but a lady at church had two free tickets that she wasn't going to use. We didn't know what would be ther, but went anyway. We had a great time. Reed got to ride his first roller-coasters. The height minimum was 36inches for most of the rides as long as you had an adult with you. He just snuck by to hit the line. We were all surprised how much he seemed to like the coasters and different rides...he isn't typically the most adventuresome type of kid. It was just a nice time to get away from everything and spend the day with the family.

Christmas Letter - Sustained Through Transitions

2006-12-21T22:58:00.000-05:00

If we had to summarize the year 2006 in a word it would be transitions. As we look back we are grateful for how God has guided, blessed, sustained and loved us. In January 2006 Chad began discussions with a pastor in Florida (of all places!) Over the course of the next two months the Lord led us to accept the position offered at Faith Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida. We were thankful for the Lord’s provision and guidance. Though farther from family, we believed God was leading us to Faith PCA. The next two months were filled with preparations to sell our house and have baby #2.
Meredith Grace arrived May 30th without any complications. She screamed so loud all the nurses and doctors commented on her cry. Thankfully she is a happy, healthy baby, who doesn’t use her exceptional screaming abilities too often. We are thankful for the Lord’s blessings. Reed and Meredith are so very sweet together. It is fun to see them smile and laugh at each other. Reed is usually gentle and seems to really love her. We hope that they grow to be the best of friends. Reed is full of energy and makes us laugh daily. His vocabulary grows daily with his newest words being “cheese ball” thanks to his dad and uncle Keith. We are thankful to the Lord for the gift of children. They are so very dear to us and we pray that they grow to love and serve the Lord.
After being in Charlotte for 4 years it was difficult to say good bye. The Lord really blessed us in so many ways. We miss our friends from Uptown Church, InterVarsity, Dilworth Pediatrics (and my OB), Starbucks and RTS. We are particularly grateful to see how the Lord continues to develop Greek Ministry in the Blue Ridge. It will be fun to be back in Charlotte in February for the Greek Conference.
We are thankful for how the Lord protected us in our house search process and led us to our new home. We are settled in and very content with God’s provision. The church has warmly welcomed us into the church family. God has been gracious in providing us with friends almost immediately. Chad is learning a lot about church ministry and how to balance work and family life. Erin is learning how to stay sane (even joyful) home with two little kids, while still trying to work quarter time with Greek InterVarsity. Most days are very enjoyable and we are grateful for where the Lord has us.
With all the transition, we are thankful that the Lord doesn’t change, even when life around us is stressful, confusing, disappointing or painful. This year we’ve watched various people go through very difficult situations with tremendous grace and trust in God. These people have challenged and encouraged us to draw near to God and do all we can to know and love Him more. As we focus on the birth of Christ and what that means for this world, we want to remember that the most important relationship we can ever have is with God himself, through Jesus his son. God sent his son to earth as a baby to pay the penalty for all our wrongs. With the penalty for our sins paid, we can be at peace with God and have a relationship with Him here on earth. Wonderfully, we are also assured to be with Him in heaven for all eternity as we “hold fast our confession firm until the end.” The promise of Heaven is a tremendous comfort now when we lose loved ones and a future hope that should compel us to get to know God better while here on earth.

May your Christmas and year 2007 be one of many blessings from the Lord.
With love, The Grindstaff family.

Christmas Pictures

2006-12-15T16:25:00.000-05:00

Taking Christmas pictures with two kids is never the easiest thing in the world. You can't use a tripod because not a single kid will look at a camera by itself. Thankfully, our neighbor (who had the palm tree background) was home and took some pictures for us. It's easy to see why people pay someone to take family pictures. The kids are getting ready for Christmas--Reed at least understands more. He likes the "big tree" in the living room...I'm not sure he knows what all the wrapped boxes are, but he will in a couple of weeks.

Finally stuff from Thanksgiving

2006-12-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving, especially time at the Children's Museum in Indy. We had a great time in Indy, and I'm pretty sure Grandpa (GG) enjoyed the slide as much, or more than Reed. Reed also enjoys being thrown onto couches...and dad enjoys throwing him.

Click To Play

Reed talking and eating

2006-12-08T10:59:00.000-05:00

Trying another way of doing the video--enjoy all and I'll keep trying more.
Click To Play

Trying the video option

2006-12-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

Here is an example of what happens nearly everyday in our household. Today, the weather has finally cooled off a bit too. It was 33 degrees this morning when we woke up. Never thought I would be so happy to have colder temperatures, but at least it finally feels like it could be drawing nearer to Christmas. Although, we discovered that in our move we likely threw out all of our Christmas lights by accident--they were being stored in a garbage bag.
Click To Play

Meredith Eating

2006-12-05T22:26:00.000-05:00

Meredith has been enjoying eating rice cereal lately - though it seems as though a good bit of it ends up on her face, shirt and head more than in her stomach.

Jacksonville Airshow

2006-10-28T15:18:00.000-04:00

Saturday we all got up and went to Jacksonville Naval Air Station for the air show. We didn't know how the kids would do, but they were GREAT! Reed got a bit scared of the F-16's noise when it was performing, but he did much better when the Blue Angels went. For him to make it all day without a nap was quite a feat--he slept in the next morning until 9 (about two hours more than usual). Meredith was such a joy as well--had a hard time coming home, but that was it. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Meredith and an inchworm

2006-10-28T13:34:00.000-04:00

Not much needs to be said about this--except, I wonder what they're thinking.

Baptism & Pumpkins

2006-10-20T17:34:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday we got the privilege of baptizing Meredith. Nana & Pop-pop (now changed to Poppaw by Reed) were able to make it down for the time and stay a couple of more days. We had fun with the family and they of course did their grandparent duty of spoiling the children however they could. Reed now has his own basketball goal and loves it (pictures later). He is constantly shooting or getting dad or mom to play with him--though he has a bad habit of hiding all of the balls under Meredith's bed. Reed and the family also got to go to a local pumpkin patch. For much of the time it was fun, though Reed had his moments but he was pretty serious about the pumpkin business--especially organizing them by size.

A Day in the Park

2006-10-09T07:47:00.000-04:00

The weather finally has gotten to a place where it's not too hot to go for a hike with the family. Gainesville if full of little parks and we went to the first of many. It is nice to be able to walk outside now without sweating and the kids loved it--Reed really enjoys the "pack-pack" as he calls it--which he did as soon as we got started...Grandpa and Uncle Keith should be proud!

Tub Time and Sandwich Eating

2006-10-05T16:52:00.000-04:00

What a big day we had! Reed successfully and joyfully ate a jelly sandwich. Up until this point I had still cut up his sandwiches into little pieces. He really enjoyed it and did great biting off his own bites. I cried because he seemed like such a big boy. I can't believe that he'll be two next month! Later that evening both kids got a bath together. Sometimes I marvel at the fact we have these two precious children. We are so thankful for them! They make us laugh (and cry) and bring us much joy!!

First posting

2006-10-03T18:13:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the very simple start of a family blog by the Grindstaff's. This will be a place to see the family and find out what is going on in our crazy everyday life. Kids swimming to rolling over to saying nothing but "no." Family life is a joy and a gift from God and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Meredith

2006-10-03T16:40:00.000-04:00

Two of Meredith's favorite activities-sitting in the exersaucer and looking around and being anywhere at anytime with her thumb deep in the recesses of her mouth. Nothing like the slime of a thumb-sucker.