Ali turns 6 years old! - WICKED!

Okay - Ali had her friend party today to celebrate her 6th Birthday and wanted her theme to be the Broadway Musical "Wicked". We decided to make potions and have the kids decorate their own cupcakes and make witches brew, complete with dry ice! They had so much fun and I had an absolute blast! Oh - every single one of the girls ate ONLY the frosting off their cupcake and threw the cupcakes away. I will have to remember that next time and not bother baking :0)

I can't believe Alison is already 6 years old and will be starting the 1st grade in just 2 weeks. Summer is almost over and fall begins a new chapter in all our lives. Enjoy her pictures - I will post more!

"Summer Lovin" or shall we say... "Lovin' Summer!"

Okay - I know I am a HUGE slacker when it comes to blogging.  I'm a busy girl and I am not going to make any more excuses.  Just enjoy the update and SMILE!  We are having a great summer so far.  We've gone to the Dirk Family Cabin once and will go again this week.  Ian turned 2 years old and we had a great time with 2 birthday parties.  We will be going to Idaho for Derek's family reunion at the end of the month and Alison turns 6 years old on August 8th.  Derek's birthday is August 13th - so we'll be busy with birthdays for another month.  

Christine (my twin) is in town and staying with us and took some awesome pictures of our family.  They turned out really great.  I'm attaching a few today for you to take a look.  

Alison has been taking swimming lessons and Ian has shown us he REALLY, REALLY, REALLY likes to be in the water.  We took the kids to Lagoon yesterday and Ian Loved walking in the lazy river.  He kept telling me "leave me alone!" I hovered, but he did really great - but is a little over confident for my comfort level.  Alison is still a little nervous to try swimming, but surprises us by trying out something new because it is HER idea.  She'll be swimming soon.  We are also trying to get her to ride her bike - but in true Ali fashion, it has to be on her own terms.

Ian is talking in full sentences now and really is quite articulate.  He is in full "MOMMY" mode and will only let me do stuff for him, screaming at anyone else who tries to help him "NO, Mommy!"  Needless to say - I am even more busy now.  I am grateful to be called Mommy - so I deal with it.

Christine and I have been doing a complete Transformation (it's an 18 week challenge to change all aspects of our lives... Physical, emotional & spiritual).  It has been going really well.  We are in the middle of it and plan on completing it and celebrating in Denver this October at the Transformation conference.  To learn more, just go to Transformation.com.  It's awesome!

Derek is busy at work and loves his job.  He travels a bit and enjoys those he works with (making it really nice for everyone).  He proves to me all the time that he is an awesome hubby, father and my very best friend.  I love him so much!

As for me - I'm staying busy as usual.  No real update here.  Well - there you have it.  I have contributed to the blogging world yet again.  We hope all is well with everyone!  Take care and until next time... Love the Williams  

Bring on Spring!

We are all so ready for warmer weather.  Easter weekend proved to be a lot of fun for our family.  On Saturday morning, we did the traditional Easter Egg Hunt at the Sallstrom's house and then came home and decorated our own Easter Eggs.  We ran some errands, Derek worked in the yard and it started to rain - dampening our spirits only for a couple hours.  While the kids napped, I got  my very first pedicure!  I also got my nails done and then took Alison back to get her nails painted.  We all got dressed up (Ali, me and Derek) and met Auntie Kareen at PF Changs for a nice dinner out.  Then... we ventured over to Capitol Theatre where we saw WICKED!  It was so amazingly wonderific!  We met Auntie Nicole and Uncle Brandon and all sat together.  Alison was very scared of the winged monkeys (who wouldn't be... the are seriously creepy), the Wizard's Head and voice and the little lion in the cage that she thought was real and someone was hurting him.  Other than that - she loved it and we couldn't get enough.  I wish we could go back!

On Easter Sunday, I ditched the family in the morning to go to choir practice, then to another ward to sing, then home again to get ready for our ward and then sang in our ward.  The kids looked so darling in their Easter Clothes and Derek did a great job explaining to the kids the true meaning of Easter.  Thanks, Derek!  We had a great dinner and are hoping for a great week ahead.  Hope everyone is well.

Disney Hangover!

Where on earth did February go - and March for that matter?  Our family decided to piggyback on Derek's Orlando business trip and make it a family vacation.  We left on March 5th and came home on March 16th.  Despite our entire family's effort to take turns being sick throughout the vacation... (I had a sinus infection just before the trip then Alison got an ear infection that ruptured, Ian got a bad cold and cough and Derek got the flu just before coming home) we had a great time!  A friend in our ward found us a nice condo to stay in, we had a 7-day park hopper to the Disney Parks and passes to Sea World and Aquatica (Sea World's Family Water Park).  There was really no need to rush everything in and get all the parks done from morning to night.  So, we did a lot of half days at the parks and rested and relaxed and swam where we were staying.

Ian got to ride and airplane for the very first time and was excited.  Alison would have been more excited if she would have had a window to look out of.  For some reason, our row did not have windows.  She was pretty disappointed.  We waited and waited to get going and Alison asked "When do we blast off?"  We giggled because she was so eager to get into the air.  Ian sat and played with the seat backs and tray tables for a bit and then ventured across the aisle to a grandma sitting in the opposite row.  She had a mighty mouse shirt that had lots of little rhinestones on the front.  It was funny watching Ian stroke the picture set squarely on the woman's chest.  Our kids are so funny!

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I also don't want to recount every detail of the trip, so I will just talk about some highlights.  Magic Kingdom was a big favorite of Alison's and the teacups and Dumbo, Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh were the favorite rides.  We got to visit with Tinker Bell and her fairy friends Iredessa and Rosetta.  We waited an hour to see them.  Ian was very nervous around the "real people" characters and loved some of the costume characters like Mickey and Minnie, Pluto and Goofy.  He also enjoyed Winnie the Pooh and Piglet most when we had dinner with them.  Alison proved to be a little more daring this trip and tried to figure out what was "real" and what was make believe.  She is a big thinker, that one!

SeaWorld was by far Ian's most favorite place to be.  Alison didn't want to admit it, but she fell in love with it too.  She wanted to love Disney parks more - but I believe it was a toss up.  Afterwards, she told us she wants to be a SeaWorld animal trainer.  We found the best souvenir - a SeaWorld Barbie with a Shamu, dolphin and sea lion to train and she can take it in the tub.  Ian wouldn't stop saying Shamu and still says it ALL THE TIME.  He got a Shamu stuffed animal and some mini whales and dolphins for the tub.  Ian loved watching all the fish, dolphons and whales swim.  Ali liked the Sea Lion show and we went back to SeaWorld 3 times.  They have a big roller coaster that was pretty cool - even Derek rode it.  I rode the Atlantis ride and got soaked!

So, we did Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom (the safari was the best part), Sea World, Aquatica (where we all sunburned really bad except for Ian), Disney's Hollywood Studios - formerly MGM Studios.  Here is where Ian saw the most characters and LOVED Bolt and Chip & Dale.  Ali and Derek learned how to draw Goofy and Ian and I had fun walking around meeting a lot of characters.  I an met Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater.  I asked Derek to ride the Tower of Terror and he did.  He made the mistake of referring to it as a scarier version of the kids ride at Lagoon called Ladybug Bop and Dinosaur Drop.  Ali was insistent she wanted to go.  So, she and I headed up to the ride.  I was sure we wouldn't make it past the lobby since it looked like a scary, haunted hotel.  But, she kept telling me it was all make believe and wasn't real - so she checked her fear at the door.  We got on the ride and I knew the whole time this wasn't going to end well.  When we made the first drop, she came off her seat about three inches.  I had a hold of her the entire time - but she started to cry and was not enjoying the up and down, especially the part of rising off her seat and then slamming back down.  She held back the tears after it ended to let me know she would NEVER ride it again.  We were so proud of her!

We went to Downtown Disney for some dinner at T-Rex and some shopping.  At once Upon a Toy - Ian got two Mickey Mouse dolls (one hard and one stuffed) and ALison got to fill a box full of My Little Pony ( dolls) and all the princess clothes.  Whatever you could squeeze into the box, you got for $12.  Not too shabby!  She got the best deal of all.  Epcot was next and then back to Magic Kingdom.  SeaWorld without Derek proved a little difficult.  Our stroller fell apart (the wheel fell off and the axle broke), so I had to find a new one.  We drove to three different stores, but ended up with a great stroller to finish the trip and hopefully last us 5 years like the last one.  The kids got to play in the water this time at SeaWorld and it was so much fun.  

We relaxed at the condo a lot and even got to watch the Space Shuttle take off in the distance.  That was so cool!  Even though we were all sick at different times, this was a great family vacation and it felt like one.  We loved having the full kitchen and used it to our advantage.  We definitely left there with a Disney Hangover, but had such a great time with the kids.  We are grateful Derek had the 2 1/2 days of conference so we could come along and enjoy Orlando with him.  THANKS Derek for taking so much time off to play with us!

The weather cooperated the whole trip.  It was at least 85 degrees every day we were there and then it rained for 4 days after we left.  That was good for us but sad for all those Spring Breakers out there.

We came home to see all the hard work our concrete guys did for us with our patio and RV pad.   They finished pouring both areas by the next weekend, before it started snowing again.  We love it.  Now, Bella can't eat the rocks and we have some great space in the backyard to entertain our family and guests.  

Alison is back to playing soccer and has another game tonight (Tuesdays at 5:00 pm).  

We also went to Idaho Falls this past weekend for Derek's sister's baby blessing.  I got to help Derek's parents paint a tree on their wall downstairs.  They stamped apples on the tree and wrote all their grandchildren's names on them.  The saying on the wall reads... "Grandchildren... the apples of our eyes".  It turned out really well and their basement looks so good with the new paint, wallpaper, borders and decor.  

We are all better and ready to see what April has in store.  Spring break is April 6th - 10th and  Oh - We are taking ALison to go see WICKED on the 11th.  We can't wait!

Good-bye January!

Okay - so January came and went in a blur!  I remember some things and forgot so many others.  I lost my phone at the Draper Temple open house.  That means, I lost all my friends' cell numbers and some of their home numbers, too.  So, for all my loyal friends and readers, if you want me to call you, reply in a comment with your phone numbers so I can stay in touch with you :0) or call me and I'll write it down.

Facebook is my newest addiction.  I have connected with so many old friends in just 2 short weeks - I am in awe of the internet and it's power.  I'm sure there's some kind of conspiracy where all facebook members become entranced and start doing it's creator's bidding, some evil plot or something, but I am thoroughly enjoying it!  

The kids are getting more and more used to Bella.  Bella is proving puppyhood to be a bit of a struggle.  She loves to chew - as we knew going in.  We just didn't know puppies are fascinated by electrical cords.  She bit through some cordless telephone recharger cords and the worst was Derek's surround sound base speaker.  We weren't to pleased.  But, she is a smart thing, too.  She does lots of tricks.  On command, she will sit, give you 5, get dizzy (in circles) lay down and we're working on rolling over.  She will even do all of them before you ask her if you're holding a treat in your hand.  She loves apples and we use these as treats for her as well.  She'll be starting puppy classes on Feb. 10th.  Keep your fingers crossed.  Hopefully she will stay away from chewing up our new table.  We've doused it with bitter apple spray so we're hopeful.

Alison has a cold and she is miserable when she gets sick.  She crawls into bed with us and we have to taker her back to her own, but that little time with us comforts her enough to get past the sick feeling and fall back to sleep.  Ian and sleep aren't the best of friends right now.  Ian had an ear infection and is teething (I wish those last three would just hurry up).  So, when he wakes up in the middle of the night, it's an all out screaming and yelling fest in his room.  He will scream and cry, call out everyone's names, scream and cry some more until we go get him.  He won't go back to sleep unless it's in our bed.  We really are trying very hard to break this habit.  He will scream for an hour or more if we try to let him cry it out and then everyone (including the dog) is awake.  On the flip side - Ian does flips in our bed so Derek and I really aren't sleeping that great anyway.  It's a loosing battle at the moment.

Alison has started swim lessons.  She is pretty nervous in the water but really wants to learn how to swim.  So, she is in level one and will be for another round of lessons. She is doing great though.  Every lesson she gets a little more comfortable.  She is also making some more friends in our neighborhood.  There are a couple gals (Christa and Rachel) they're sisters, and they come over almost every day to see if Ali can play.  She loves it.  Summertime is going to be fun for her.  I just need to keep her motivated to stay in school through the spring. :0)

Alison is also learning how to read and even read a book to me last night.  She is also a huge fan of Fancy Nancy books.  This will be books she works toward adding to her collection by reading every day with me.  It's not a bad reward system.

Derek and I are hanging in there.  The nights are getting much better with Bella.  She isn't as lonely and she's sleeping almost through the night without having to go in the backyard (Hooray).  Ali and I went up to Park City yesterday and it was so nice.  Sundance was over, so there weren't too many people, other than the usual skiers.  I have two favorite places up there.  They donated to our Susan G. Komen silent auction last summer. I am listing their websites on my blog.  Check them out.  They're awesome!

Well, that's it for now.  If you are dying to know what's going on in our family and I haven't blogged in a while, you can catch us on facebook.  Chances are - we're on!

The Nights Have Gone To The Dogs!

Okay - one dog in particular.  Bella is proving to be a highlight to the holidays as well a hinderance to our sleeping schedule.  I know - puppies are like newborns.  They cry and whine and eat and poop.  Well, she has taken it one step further.  She is a little sick.  I wound up taking both Ali and Ian into the doctor on Monday and they both have ear infections.  Then, I took Bella to the vet and she has Coccidia - a parasite in her small intestines.  Turns out, all the pups from the littler have it.  So - there's lots and lots of poop, blood, special diet, antibiotics and very little sleep.  It sounds gross (that's because it is).  My hands are getting raw from washing them constantly and now lotion just burns when I put it on.  Oh well - it's the price I pay for loving this little pup.

It's not little Bella's fault and we are doing all we can to make sure she gets better fast.  The kids adore her, when she is not using Ian as a chew toy.  When Bella is feeling a little frisky, she runs towards Ian.  His first response is to cover his crotch with his hands.  I guess Bella has gotten him a few times.  She is really adorable and very playful and also pretty smart.  We are teaching her to go potty in one place outside, she is already sitting on command and learning her name.  She hears "No" a lot - so she and Ian have a lot in common.  

We are looking forward to Bella (or Belly as Ian calls her) getting better so we can get her trained.  She already feels like part of the family.  Derek is trying to become a dog person (but this is going to take time).  I just hope it's sooner than later.  Ian decided he likes Bella's new crate and crawled in himself to check it out.  We were so happy when it was super warm yesterday and spent most of the day outside.  Bella enjoyed a nap sunning herself in the backyard.  Spring can't get here soon enough!  

The Big Surprise!

Is not updating your blog as quilt-wrapped as not writing in your journal?  If so - I know I am a slacker.  But - there have been some very fun things happening in the lives of Williams.  

Alison - I have bragging rights to my daughter.  Two weeks ago, she read her first book all by herself and tied her sneakers all by herself (in the same week).  That was a big, successful week for her.  Then, she won an award for her painting (Alpheba from Wicked) she submitted to the Reflections contest at her school.  She was only one of 2 Kindergartners who submitted anything.  She hated going up on the stage, but was happy she won a medal, a certificate and a free ticket to the Clark Planetarium.

Ian-He is still proving to be quite the artist.  I need to ban markers all together in our house - but how fair is that for Alison?  He found one of her brown markers and wrote on everything in his play room under the stairs.  UGH!  Then, just this morning, he took crayon and wrote on our sofa.  Lucky they are microfiber and a diaper wipe took most of it out.  He also got into my paints (we had no idea he knew how to open closed doors) and smeared it all over his new shirt and a sentimental pair of levi jeans (so sorry mom!)  If there is anyone out there who knows how to get oil-based paint out of clothing, please share it with me.  He is into everything and dumped out my mineral makeup all over my bathroom floor the other day.  He played in it like he was in a sand box.  Funny !???

Derek is still working very hard and enjoying his job at Snow, Christensen & Martineau.  We are lucky he leaves for work early, while the rest of us are sleeping, and then comes home to spend some quality time with us before bed time.  He enjoys his work and is working on growing his business and adding new clients.  So, if anyone is in need of a wonderful lawyer, please let me know.  I happen to know an outstanding one who lives right here in this house.  I love him so much!

Candie - okay, now that Christmas is over - I get to brag about something.  This year, both my family and Derek's family decided to do homemade gifts this year.  I got the notion I would sew my gifts.  This is funny since I have never sewn anything of worth for anyone, including myself.  My mother gave me a sewing machine 14 years ago and this is the first time I have used it successfully.  A friend of mine, Adrienne, came over and showed me how to sew a purse.  I bought way too much fabric and decided I would sew several at one time.  That was a big mistake since it would take me so much longer with my inexperience.  But, I finished them all and they turned out really well.  I also made a few SNUGGIES out of blankets for the guys we had names for.

Thanksgiving - This was a lot of fun.  Derek's family came over and the girls had a pie cookoff this year.  Boy - was it fun!  The food and the company were wonderful.  Derek's parents, who recently returned from their mission in Dallas, TX, were able to come as well.  And - Colleen (Derek's mom) won the pie bake-off.  

Echoes - I am in a singing group called "Echoes of the Heart".  We performed at a few church parties and were slated to perform at Temple Square, but a big storm caused the cancellation of this event.  I was so sad as this was to be my first Temple Square performance with Echoes.  We start practices back up in February and I love singing with this great group of ladies.  We have a lot of fun and look forward to other opportunities to share our talents next year.

Christmas Eve & Christmas - This was a great Christmas this year.  We were able to spend Christmas Eve with my sister, Kareen and her family as well as my twin sister, Christine.  She is recovering at my house from surgery and it is nice to have her here.  Christmas Day proved wonderful as the kids were spoiled yet again by family and friends.  We took the time to teach Alison about the real reason we celebrate Christmas and she seemed to like it more this year.  She answered all the questions we asked her - so we know she was listening.  

Alison has been asking Derek for a puppy since she could talk.  He has put me off for 14 years, nit wanting to deal with something like that.  BUT - he couldn't hold Alison off any longer.  She MILKED it big time this year and was asking for a puppy for Christmas.  We just kept telling her there would be no puppy at our home on Christmas Day.  She didn't seem too disappointed - but that's because she thinks dogs are allergic to Derek.  She even went as far as to draw a picture of herself crying and then drew an arrow pointing to a puppy and then taped her fortune from her fortune cookie the night before.  It stated "Your dreams are about to come true".  By this time - Derek had already told me to start looking for a Christmas puppy.  I could not believe it and I was not about to wait around for him to change his mind.

We did not lie to Alison.  There was no puppy at our home on Christmas day.  She was delivered to our home the evening of the 26th and is currently wining her little heart out next door at the neighbors home until tomorrow morning.  We will unveil the puppy them and definitely post it online.  The kids have absolutely NO IDEA!  Until then...