Holidays in Missouri

We spent about a week and half in Missouri.  We had lots of fun.  We did our normal yearly events as usual.  Biggest differences were the addition of our new sister, Sally and wedding planning for Jessica and AmberDee (Josh's cousin's fiancé).  We had a blast and are looking forward to it again next year!

Visiting Grandma

Snow day!!! Landon's first snow man :)

Missouri Christmas- Our 3rd Christmas celebration

Second snow day! We got lots of snow fun in while visiting ;)

We rang in the new year at Grandma Williams house, which is where we general stay when we go to Missouri.  She was in the nursing home the whole time unfortunately.  Sally bought Josh some birthday wine.  The girls drank the Lambrusco (1 of the only 2 red wines I really enjoy) while the boys enjoyed Apothric Red.  We all enjoyed Uncle Mark's annual trumpet playing of Auld Lang Syne.

Happy New Years! Happy Birthday to my Love!

Just as every year, we headed over to the Strattons for some family, food and football time on New Years Day. As always it was lots of fun!

Aunt Christie and Uncle Steve's for our annual seafood New Years Celebration!! 

New Years Day Fun

Brother and Sister 

Silly faces! Silly couple!

Sally, Jamiie and I decorated Cody (and in April- Jessica's) apartment.  Jessica was sick so she missed out on helping :(.  After Aunt Christie's we all went to Cody's for a little surprise party for Josh.  He was quite surprised.  Thanks Cody for letting us use your apartment!!  Thanks sister for your help getting everything ready!!

Surprise!!!! Happy Birthday Josh!!  

 AmberDee and Christopher (One of Josh's cousins) recently were engaged.  The sisters were able to join her for some wedding dress shopping. What fun!! She is going to be a beautiful bride!  Thanks AmberDee for including us in the celebrating!!

Sisters!

Sally had dyed her hair before Thanksgiving.  She brought her dyes, pink, purple, green and blue with her so Jamiie, Sally and I all dyed our hair.  It was fun!

Tie Dye hair adventure.  Thanks Sally for dying Jamiie and my hair!

Visiting with Grandma.  They had a cool castle play house at the Nursing home.  Landon is showing Grandma his tricks :)

I thought this was a "must have" picture.  ;) 

On the way to and from Missouri we got lots of indoor swimming time.  The hotel we always stay at has a indoor swimming pool.  Landon and Arabella love it.  Landon even remembers now, so when we talk about visiting Aunt Jessica he asks if we will be swimming.  He was very excited this year weeks before we left Gainesville.  

On the way home.  My travel packs for the kiddos were quite the hit, thankfully. Plus I have great little travelers!  Once back at the Williams, Arabella and Landon were quite tucked out from 2 days of traveling.  

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

Christmas Paintings

I painted several Christmas themed pictures for gifts this year.  I plan on trying to sell my paintings soon.  But for now and I am sure in the future I love making them as gifts.  Let me know what you think of them.  

Gainesville December

Half of our December was spent in Gainesville.  It was filled with lots of Christmas cheer, giggles, outdoor explorations, and enjoying friends.  The kids and I were only in Gainesville for 2 weeks and then we packed up and headed to Niceville/ Fort Walton Beach and later Missouri for a month.

Build and Grow Gingerbread House/ Day Out with Mommy

See that little smile, see that little smily girl looking up at the at the top of the monkey bars? She climbed up to the top and back down to the other side all by her self.  I am officially afraid of heights.... now! SO scary and proud of my brave little adventure who has almost no fear.  Oh, I love both those cute kids a lot!

LEAVES! PILES OF LEAVES!  LOTS OF FUN!

This was a sad day despite all those handsome and silly smiles.  Mike, Vernine, Kayla, and Zach moved to Texas.  Although we are so happy for them and their new adventures. Their absences has left a hole in our hearts.  We will miss then all dearly.  Thank you Blaszczyk family for being great friends who have stood by us and shown us over and over again God's love and compassion.

Books- this little lady loves books!

We made life-size "gingerbread men" our of some butcher paper.  The kids loved it!

MOPS Christmas Party- the cookie decorating was my kids favorite part I think.

This little man of mine loves to tell stories, and I love watching him tell them to me.  This particular story lasted almost 15 minutes and it was about robots.  

It is beginning to look at lot like Christmas....

everywhere you go.....

Merry Christmas!!! Love the Williams Family

Stockings for our little loves

Landon's Christmas

Arabella's Christmas 

Arabella's first Christmas 2011

A Flashback to December 2012

We had a small little Christmas at our house 2 weeks before Christmas.  We wanted the kids to enjoy their presents, have our own Christmas family traditions- besides celebrating Christmas for as long as possible is always a great idea ;)  We opened presents, enjoyed our gifts, and had a big Christmas dinner.  It was really nice to have a little Christmas with our family of four.

The kids and I went home a week and half before Christmas.  Since we were all sick, Josh was working a lot we went to get taken care of.  My parents were really helpful. A day before Christmas Eve day and much to my surprise and delight NO SIGNS OF ILLNESS in any of us (.  Man, was I ecstatic!!  It was such a blessing!  We were able to enjoy Christmas eve and Christmas with no tissues, coughs, trips to the bathroom, or anything!  I don't know what has been going around Gainesville or why we seemed to get everything but I was glad to have a healthy family for Christmas.  Even better was that we were healthy the whole trip!

A sleeping angel

Mater Sandwich- by Mommy made especially for Landon

A few days before Christmas, Josh arrived in town and I had a BIG Surprise for him and the rest of the Williams family.  After Josh spent a little time at my parent's house we headed to Niceville.  We had to make a quick stop- at the airport to pick up JESSICA!  No one knew she was coming home for Christmas.  Jessica and I had planned the surprise visit for over a month.  We tricked the rest of the family (which included getting Jon, Merry, and Owen over) into thinking Jessica wanted to Skype.  Apparently there were some "issues" connecting and that is when Jessica walked in the door.  By the look on everyone's face I think we succeeded in our surprise!  She stayed until the morning after Christmas.  




We did our traditional Christmas Eve- Christmas Eve presents (from Grandpa and Grandma Gorman) and Christmas lights viewing.  Landon loved his Christmas Eve present which was a Rescue Squad Mater set.  He has been asking for it for almost a year.  We did our lights viewing around town.  Bella enjoyed it for a short time and then zonked out.  Landon loved it but only for a short time.
Christmas morning, we woke up at the Gorman's and had a nice morning with presents, breakfast, and watching the kids play.  My parents, brother and the rest of us went to the Williams for a big Christmas lunch.  I love this time of year because I love Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!!! The whole family was there which is such a big thing for Josh and me. We were trilled to spend it with both our parents and all of our siblings and new nephew.  After dinner we chit chatted, eat dessert, and played with the little ones.  Shortly after my parents and brother left, we opened presents at the Williams.  Landon was took his role again of being the gift giver.  We also did our secret Santa gifts.  I had Jamiie and Merry had me.  Josh had Merry and Jon had Josh.  After presents, we watched a movie and ended the night.

Christmas Eve

Arabella's First Christmas

Christmas Morning at the Gorman's

Christmas At the Williams'

The day after Christmas was sent packing and saying our good-byes to my parents.  Earlier the day after the day after Christmas we headed on the road.  I was really nervous about how Arabella would do on the trip.  Thankfully she did well!  She did need quite the entertainment but as long as Jamiie, Daddy or I was entertaining her she said happy 95% of the time.  She slept but not any more than normal.  Landon, like normal, didn't sleep at all.  He had fun playing with Daddy,Uncle J, and sometimes Grandpa and Grandma Williams though.

Our first night we stayed at our normal stop in Paducah, Kentucky.  We enjoyed the indoor pool.  Bella would have preferred a warmer indoor pool but we did get some smiles out of her.  Jeremiah, Josh and I watched a movie that night until 2 or 3.  We made good time the following day and arrived in time for dinner with everyone.

Paducah

For 4 days, we enjoyed visiting with family, seeing all of our aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.  Family trips are always so much fun!  We visited Grandpa on the farm, went out to dinner and hung out at Grandma Williams and Aunt Christy's house.  Uncle J sent a lot of time trying to get Bella to warm up to him.  By the end of the trip she did and was having lots of fun with her silly uncle.  Landon loved all the attention he got from everyone.  He played with Grandma, which was awesome to see him enjoying his great Grandmother.  I unfortunately became sick the day before we left (big surprise- seems like that is all my family and I do these days).  Thankfully, whatever it was was short lived and I was feeling mostly back to myself after a long nap while everyone went to church services and just a restful day in general.

Grandpa Monks' Farm

Family Dinner

 

The trips are never long enough and soon it was time to leave. We said our good byes and started the 2 day (17 hour) trip back.  The kids both did well again.  We stayed with my parents once we returned for a night and then made our way back to Gainesville the next day.

On the way home to Gainesville- ONE tuckered out little boy