Niceville/ Fort Walton Beach December

The second half of December was spent in Niceville/ Fort Walton Beach for the kids and me.  Josh came with us for the weekend.  Josh painted his parents downstairs with the help of Jamiie, Jon and Carter.  Then he headed back.. He has this things called work that sometimes keeps him from spending all his time with us.  The kids and I spent the week mostly with my family.  On Friday, Jamiie Jo picked the kids and I up from my parents house right after their naps.  We headed up to Niceville to get ready for Jeremiah’s birthday celebrations.  The young adults and maybe almost getting close to mid age adults, that would be Josh and I, were going swing dancing in Pensacola.  Josh would be meeting us up there.  The last time all of us had gone together was when I apparently was 2-4 day pregnant with Landon and Josh and I met Sally for the first time.   I am pretty sure it was also for Jeremiah’s birthday too.  What a lifetime ago!  We made it a little later than the plan was to the Swing dance place.  We are Williams, and I have come to the realization that our family is awesome but just always late.  I started being late as soon as I became a Williams, I mean like the VERY next day.  I promise you I was almost never late before hand.  I have people who knew me then, they can tell you!  

We all had a great time dancing the night away.  Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Williams to watching the little ones!

The next night we did some birthday pie and gift giving to the birthday boy.  Jessica joined in, via Skype.

Swing Dancing

Happy Birthday Jeremiah!!

Christmas eve was spent with my family, giving our traditional Christmas eve gift and driving around looking at Christmas lights.  The next morning we woke up opened more presents and then headed to the Williams, kids in their Christmas pjs, to help with Christmas dinner.  We opened gifts and then my parents and Adam came over for some yummy food and family socialization.  Jessica again joined us for some family love over Skpye.  I love that our family all get together so often.  Big family gatherings is the big dream I have always had since I can remember. I love that I am so blessed to have that dream come true!

Christmas at the Gormans

Christmas at the Williams

The day after christmas was basically spent saying good bye to the Gorman's and Jon, Merry, and Owen and packing everything.  We are really sad that Jon and Merry are moving.  Boy, are we going to miss them.  Jon is being stationed in Germany for 9 months.  And BIG NEWS (which we actually didn't find out until after Christmas) Merry and Jon are going to have another baby!!!  Merry is going to Connecticut the first week in January.  She will be there until June, when she will be moving back.  Thankfully for us.  We want her, that little man, and that sweet baby bump! We will get to see her and Owen for Jessica’s wedding in April though.  

The day after the day after Christmas we loaded up first thing, and started our 10 hour drive.  Our Trip to Missouri was quite different than past years.  We finally out grew traveling in one van.  With the addition of our new sister, Sally :) we were one too many.  Thankfully my awesome husband bought me a van for my birthday.  Whoohoo! So we caravanned.  It was a lot of fun and really a better way to travel.  So much more room! I quite enjoyed my entitled place of passenger next to my man in front!  On the way up, Landon, Sally and J rode with the Grandparents.  Jamiie and Arabella rode with Josh and me.  No cramped quarters for us!  We did our normal drive, which I really don’t know but I do know we stop in Paduka, TN. Our second day of travel is a couple hours short and we arrive in Missouri in time for visiting and dinner ;)

Arrived at the Hotel in Paduka, TN

ARABELLA'S FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH SNOW!!!

SNOW!!! Lots of Snow on the way up to Missouri