The Williams

Is it too late for a Thanksgiving post?:)

2011-12-14T15:10:00.001-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Kansas at Karson's grandparents' ranch. We had so much fun. As always, Karson took several thousand photographs, so it took me a while to go through them.:) Here is everybody who was there. :)

Karson and his dad had lots of fun taking photos.:)

This is Karson's cousin Kally and her husband Ryan.:)

Karson's brother Korbin and his wife Amy...

The whole Williams' crew...

Kerry and Marilyn, Karson's mom and dad

And, of course, Karson had fun finding things to photograph around the ranch.:)

Happy Holidays to you all! xoxo

Summer Fun

2011-08-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

I feel like I need to start this post with a bit of a disclaimer. :) I did a horrible job of taking pictures this summer! We really had such a wonderful summer and I think we were enjoying it so much that I didn't want to stop and take pictures.:) If this were a summary that one of my students wrote, they would not get a very good grade.:) Our summer started with a quick trip to Cali. My dad became an elder at our church in June, so I flew home to surprise him and be there to support him and my mom.

Karson and I then met up in Taos at his parents' cabin for a week of relaxation. We had such a fun trip. Kerry and Marilyn are the best hosts and we did a whole lot of nothing, which was perfect! I don't have any pictures (probably due to the fact that we/I sported the pajama and no makeup look for most of the trip), but Karson thinks he has some somewhere, so maybe that will be a later post!:)

We then went to Cali together to spend time with my family. It was such a wonderful trip.

My parents took us out to a fun little Cuban restaurant for my birthday. Fun times! I love this picture of my mom!

Karson and my mom love to cook together. They made homemade pizza one night. It was delicious!

We also went to Laguna Beach for the Pageant of the Masters. It was so much fun. I highly recommend going to see this sometime if you are ever in Cali in the summer. The only picture I have is of the trolley ride to get the the theatre. :)

Later in July, Karson took me to the coast for a little romantic getaway. We had so much fun spending a little time together, just the two of us.:)

On the way home from the coast, we met up with Elena, one of my high school besties, and her sweet daughter Isabel. We hadn't seen each other in several years since we live so far away, so it was such a special treat. We also got to see another very sweet friend of mine, Kimberly, who also lives on the Cali coast, but I forgot to take a picture! Kimberly, it was so good to see you too!:)

When we got home, Haylee and Eleanor had planned a little German themed birthday celebration for me. Karson and I were in Germany last summer with Matt and Eleanor on my birthday, so she decided to bring Germany to us this summer. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? And Haylee made the cake...she is so talented! Love these girls so much!

Lane, who has been like a sister to me since First Grade, came into town to visit. We had so much fun! I love this girl!

I know I left so much out, but we really felt so blessed to have such a great summer with family and friends! Here's to a new school year!:)

Lately

2011-05-07T19:15:00.001-07:00

I haven't been very good about blogging lately (as you may have noticed:)) SO...here is a hodge-podge of pictures of what he have been doing lately...

Karson's dad, Kerry, came into town and they went to a photography class for the weekend. They had a great weekend and we really enjoyed Kerry's visit! Marilyn, we missed you!

We enjoyed a very fun evening with the Wilks at the Kenny Chesney/Zac Brown concert.

We picked our first asparagus from our garden (told you this was a hodge-podge:)). We planted it two years ago, so having our 2 first stalks was a big event in the Williams' household.:)

My parents came into town from Cali to celebrate Easter with us and it was wonderful as always. The Goodes and Blair joined us for Easter dinner.

Blair entertained us on the piano with his talent as always.

Probably one of the most fun things that we did was eat all of our meals on the patio that my dad and Karson built last Spring. I'm so proud of my two favorite men for working so hard to build us such a beautiful back porch!

A year ago our backyard looked like this...

A little paint...

Lots of working during the crazy snow storm that we had last March ( do you remember that?)

And now we finally get to enjoy it!:)

Hunter and his parents came over and I think Hunter and my Dad had some good bonding time on the patio.:)

Karson also did newborn shots for the first time. Hunter is SUCH an adorable baby...thank you Matt and Eleanor for letting Karson practice his photography skills on sweet Hunter!:) Here are some of my favorites...

See...I told you this post was really random.:)

Thanks for reading!:)

XOXO

He said yes!

2011-02-04T10:46:00.001-08:00

Sometime last year, Karson lost his wedding ring. I really thought that it would turn up eventually..."we" lose things a lot in this house and then find them later.:) After about a year, I decided to cut our losses and go ahead and buy a new one. Not being one to pass up the opportunity for a fun surprise, I decided to plan a "proposal" of my own. These are the pictures that I got when I asked him to show off his new bling.:)

It ended up being such a fun night! We went to dinner and then I got down on one knee in front of the Frisco library.:) Not only was it a beautiful night, but I thought it would be kind of fun to do it at the library since that is one of Karson's favorite places in the world! Yes, he LOVES the library...

The best part of the evening? Definitely the fact that he said YES! The other best part? That I wouldn't change a single moment of these past 9 years...I am truly blessed. No matter what our lives have in store, I know that God is the author of this great love story and I am one blessed girl.

Holiday Fun

2011-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

We had a great holiday with my parents. I didn't do a good job taking pictures...I guess we were too busy having fun.:) I went home for a few days by myself to visit my parents at the beginning of the break and I don't have a single picture to show for it!:) We had fun...I promise!

Then, my parents came to Frisco for Christmas. We had such a blast! Here is Karson enjoying his Christmas present... My mom enjoying her goodies...
Fixing the car...a.k.a. male bonding...:)
Our friends, Jeff and Carrie Williams, also came into town from Boston and we enjoyed a little dinner and Starbucks with them.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

A Big Apple Birthday

2010-12-12T17:53:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I met my parents in New York for my mom's birthday. My mom and I have always wanted to take a girls' trip to New York, and it was so fun! My dad didn't want to miss out on the fun so he came, too. We really missed Karson and wished he could have been there, but it was still such a fun little weekend getaway!

Here we are enjoying our morning routine of Starbucks and hailing a cab.

On our first night there, we took my mom to see the opera Carmen. My mom loves the opera, so I thought it would be the perfect birthday present for her. My dad and I enjoyed it also and we were very grateful for the English subtitles.

It was SO cold, but we found warm places like the MET to keep us warm.:)

While we were there, we also saw the New York City Ballet perform the Nutcracker. It was AMAZING!

Here is my mom enjoying Patsy's Pizza. My good friend Molly recommended this place to Karson and me when we went to New York last year, and it was just as good as I remembered it being!

Of course, we had to visit Rockefeller Center...

And what would Christmas in New York be without the Rockettes?

We watched Mamma Mia! on Broadway on our last night there. It was so entertaining! At the end, the whole audience was standing up clapping and dancing...super cheesy, but SUPER fun!

It was such a fun trip and I felt so blessed to see my mom on her birthday. It has been 10 years since I spent her birthday with her, so that was a very special and wonderful time! I hope your Holiday season is a blessed one! XOXO

Thanksgiving

2010-12-02T19:48:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season as much as we are! We enjoyed Thanksgiving this year with Karson's family in Seminole, Texas. His family hosted a terrific Thanksgiving as always! As usual, we were not great about taking pictures of our holiday with family. He did set up his tripod one night and he took some family portraits. Here is the clan:

Karson's brother Korbin and his wife Amy and Karon's parents, Kerry and Marilyn

Amy and Me

Korbin and Amy

The boys and their wives.:)

Karson's grandparents Doris and Hughie

Happy Holidays!

Taking One For The Team

2010-11-20T19:16:00.001-08:00

I am SO blessed to be a part of an AWESOME second grade team. Not only are they awesome teachers, but every one of them is a very dear friend. They are always helpful and kind and they know how to have a good time!:)

Today was no exception... Before I tell this story, I need to first say that this might possibly be one of those stories that you "just had to be there" to see how funny it was. I'll take my chances and tell it anyway.:) We go to a Turbo Kickboxing class on Saturday mornings. It is SUCH a fun class. It has a lot of fun choreography and it is a LOT more "dancy" than regular kick boxing. It is probably the most fun that I have ever had working out.:) Today, in the middle of a dance move, I lost my balance and completely ate it. While I was trying to get myself put back together and rub my sore ankle (and regain my pride :) ), my teammates must have done a little quick planning. Just as I was getting up, they all started throwing their hands up in the air and then they all fell on the floor and started rolling around. At first, I was thinking, WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THEY DOING??? and then I realized they thought I would feel a little less silly for falling if they were on the floor as well. Now that's a true friend, don't ya think?:)

What Happens in Vegas...

2010-10-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

Goes on the blog a REALLY long time later...:)

A few weeks ago, Karson and I went on a little weekend getaway to Vegas. Both of us are HUGE Garth Brooks fans, so when his tickets went on sale in June, I made sure to get us some! I had three cell phones and a computer ready and waiting and I was determined to surprise Karson with these tickets! Neither of us had ever been to Vegas before, so I didn't know quite what to expect. We stayed at the Trump Hotel and were very pleased. It was a very nice hotel for the price and we liked that it was at the end of the strip in a little less busy area.

We don't usually take pictures of bathrooms, but we had to capture this bathroom mirror complete with TV in it.:) I've never seen Karson spend so much time in the bathroom...just kidding!:)
Every morning we were there, Karson made me breakfast in bed. I think that might have been one of my favorite parts!

We arrived on Friday and on Saturday, my parents drove in from Cali to join us for the concert. They only stayed the one night, but it was fun to see them if even for a few hours!

This is a sweet picture of them before the concert. Aren't they cute.:)

And us at the Wynn before the concert...

And then, it was time for the big night. I must admit, I was a bit giddy when we picked up our tickets. I have wanted to see Garth since I was a little girl, so this was soooooo fun!

And then, we sneaked a little picture before the concert...

My parents after the concert...

The next day, we just enjoyed the shopping and walking around the city. We also saw O and La Reve, which are both Cirque du Soleil shows. We really enjoyed O, but I have to say that I think that La Reve was my favorite.

We also enjoyed the fountains at the Bellagio. They were really exciting!

Overall, we really enjoyed the weekend. We can't wait to go back and see Garth again!:)

My Top 25

2010-08-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Karson and I had a little second honeymoon in Europe this summer. We had sooooooo much fun! We felt very blessed to be able to do this! I didn't really know where to start...so I decided to do a TOP 10 list. My Top 10 soon became Top 20 and it just went on from there.:)

Here they are in no particular order...drum roll please:)

1. We loved the music! Whether it was listening to a concert in Salzburg, enjoying Irish pub music, or enjoying an open air concert in a park, we had so much fun!

2. Driving. It is just different driving over there...:) 3. The Luge ride. I didn't get a picture of us on the actual luge ride, but this is the lift up there. It was so fun!

4. Castles. Whether it was ruins or not, it was so fun to see these historical places. Ehrenberg Ruins in Austria

Mad King Ludwig's Castle in Bavaria, Germany

5. Hiking. We did SO much hiking! It was so fun!

Bacharach, Germany

St. Goar, Germany

Rheinfels Castle, Germany

6. Fun times with Friends. We just happened to run into some of our friends, Matt and Eleanor. We ran into them in Rothenburg, Germany and it just so happened to be my birthday. We enjoyed a fun little birthday dinner...
...and we ended up having the exact same itinerary for the next few days, including the same flight to London. Crazy, right?

7. Watching Karson take pictures. Karson gets so excited when he has a camera in his hand and I think it so endearing that he will stop to take a picture of some little creature or flower when there is a gigantic castle behind him.:)

8. Being a hobbit in Halstatt, Austria...:) One of our favorite things... Beautiful, right?

9. Karson pretending to be John Wayne at the Quiet Man Bridge in Ireland.

See the resemblance? :)

10. The Irish Coast.

Cliffs of Moher

It was a little windy.:)

11. European swimwear...just kidding.;)
12. Irish countryside. It was so beautiful!

Rock of Cashel

Ashford Castle

Kylemore Abbey

hiking up Conor's pass

13. The rain in Ireland.

14. Taking part in magic shows...

15. Seeing really old stuff...

Bath, England

The Baths

Stonehenge

16. The food. We loved it all...

a full English breakfast in London

The Naschmarkt in Vienna

enjoying the BEST ever lamb sandwich...

17. Schonbrunn Palace in Austria.

18.Visiting the Lipizzaner horses in Vienna, Austria. This was a particularly special day for us because our very first date eight years ago was to see the Lipizzaners in Abilene, Texas.

19. The Vienna State Opera. What an experience!

20. Wandering the streets.

The Shambles in York, England

Main Market Square in Krakow, Poland

21. Visiting Auschwitz. This was an unbelievably humbling and moving experience. We were so thankful to be able to visit and remember those who lost their lives as well as those who lived through their time here.

The gas chambers

22. Watching a play at Shakespeare's Globe in London.

23. The Beefeater Tour at the Tower of London. It was so entertaining and informative!

Tower of London

24. Quaint Medieval Cities

Rothenburg, Germany
25. Watching Les Miserables in London. This might have been my favorite night of our trip! We went to see Les Mis on our anniversary and the whole night was just so romantic and perfect! It was such a special evening!

We felt so incredibly blessed to be able to take this trip and we were so thankful for this time together. Our love for each other grew and we were able to make so many wonderful memories! Thanks for letting us share our trip with you!

Run, Sharon, Run!

2010-04-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I ran my first half marathon with my friend Sarah. It was such an amazing experience. I know that people do this all the time, but for me, it seemed like an impossible goal...which is exactly why I wanted to do it.:) I have been overwhelmed by how sweet everybody has been and how much support I have been given. There are quite a few pictures (lots of me...I'm sorry!), but Karson worked so hard to find me and Sarah during the race to take pictures and I wanted to post a few so that we can remember this day and share it with our families.

The morning started with a a very sweet surprise. I should have known that Karson was up to something when he came to bed at 3:00 a.m when we were planning to wake up at 5:00 a.m. He had decorated the house with a TON of streamers. He bought Sarah and I pink boas, decorated bandannas for us and he made us a sign. I had to laugh a little as I was picturing Karson at Hobby lobby buying glitter, sequins, and pink boas.:)

And the race begins...:) Sarah had to remind me to slow down. I got caught up in the excitement!

Karson has very many of these random shots. We think that the runners thought that he was one of the professional photographers because of his fancy camera.:)

We have about 400 pictures that look like this... I look like I'm about to die and Sarah looks beautiful and happy and most importantly, like she's breathing... which is more than I could say.:)
Really...barefoot?Another picture where I look like I'm about to die...sweet Sarah is motioning to Karson to get me water. Not only is she a superstar runner, but isn't she the sweetest friend, too?
Another happy face...I had to chose between smiling and breathing...

Another person who probably thought Karson was a photographer...:)

This actually was a wave...Ha!

And then...we finally made it to the finish line! This picture is an awful (and hilarious!) picture of me. You can zoom in to truly get the full effect.:) BUT it was such a sweet moment for many reasons. When I was really struggling at the end of the race,Sarah gave me her IPOD and I listened to a song that my mom asked me to listen to during the race. It is called What Faith Can Do.

Anyone can feel the ache,
You think its more than you can take,

But you're stronger, stronger than you know
And don't you give up now,

The sun will soon be shining,

You gotta face the clouds,

To find the silver lining.

I've seen faith that moves the mountains,

Hope that doesn't end,

Even when the sky is falling.

I've seen miracles just happen,

Silent prayers get answered,

Broken Hearts become brand new,

That's what faith can do.

Sweet song, huh? And then we saw Amy and Michelle ( and their HUGE yellow banner...Loved it girls!). They were cheering so loudly and jumping up and down . It made me feel so loved! I still feel so blessed that they would give up their morning to come cheer us on!

"Why are you making me cry?!!!"
Notice that Sarah is once again taking care of me and holding the IPOD that I am listening to...:)

Karson did such a great job of finding me and handing me water and calories during the race that he wasn't able to park and get to the finish line in time. This picture is when I first saw him. I was so stiff that I could hardly walk to him! We were all laughing!

Getting loved on...
A few hours later, our friend Amber finished the FULL marathon. So proud of you girl!

Our little group...

Our sweet friends Amy and Michelle who came to cheer us on...

My parents weren't able to make it, so they emailed me a little something from Cali...I wonder if their neighbors heard them? :)Thank you to everyone for being so encouraging! What do you think, is it time for a full? Ha!

*****************************************************************

Karson here. Sharon thinks I'm proofing her blog entry. I thought I'd add a pic of what we caught Sharon doing that night during our Church's small group. We were watching a marriage video. She already is perfect and didn't need to learn anything else.

The best Easter surprise EVER!

2010-04-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

Look at what the Easter Bunny brought us this year!

We had a surprise visit from Mackenzie and her mommy on Easter!

This is a picture of sweet Mackenzie just a month ago. It is AMAZING to see how much better she is doing and how truly blessed we are.We had so much fun with her! She is such an sweet baby!

We spent the whole day cuddling and really just staring at her. She is beautiful and truly a miracle!

Doesn't she look excited to go on her first outing?!

She is finally able to eat from a bottle. She can't eat very much, but Amanda gives her a little formula in her bottle and then the rest goes through her feeding tube.

This is what we did for about 2 hours...:) She napped...I ate strawberry shortcake.:) It doesn't get any better than that!

Look how sad she was when it was time to go!

I hope your Easter was as wonderful as ours!

A VERY belated HaPpY BiRtHdaY!

2010-03-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

I am DEFINITELY not going to win the "super-duper" wife award for this one...I am a little (OK...a LOT!) late in posting about my sweet hubby's birthday. My tardiness ( and my lack of picture-taking) are absolutely NO reflection of my love for this AMAZING guy. We have just been a little busy in the Williams' household these past few weeks. :)

Karson's parents came to town to celebrate with us the weekend before his birthday. We had a fun day of watching movies, shopping at Home Depot, and lots of good food. These are the only pictures that I have to document our time, so you will just have to use your imagination for the rest! Karson was a little excited about his birthday TV.

We all enjoyed the finished product.:)

For his ACTUAL birthday, he said that he wanted to eat sushi (on the couch). That was a pretty easy request.

I also made him wear the "birthday pin" . For those of you who can't see what it says..."It's my birthday...wanna spank me?"

I had a Kindergartner give me a card that had this in it my first year of teaching. I'm not sure if the funniest part of it was that it wasn't even my birthday or that this sweet kid spoke NO English and kept taking the pin off of my desk and bringing it to me to wear...:)Needless to say, it has become a Williams' family must for birthdays...:)

I am so blessed to celebrate yet another birthday with the love of my life!

Mackenzie is doing GREAT!

2010-03-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give you a quick update on Mackenzie. She is doing SO well. Today, the doctors were using words like MIRACULOUS and UNBELIEVABLE to describe how well she is doing. Her surgery was very successful and the doctors are very pleased with how she is doing. The first 72 hours after open heart surgery are the most critical and she is a little over halfway through that time period with absolutely NO complications. They said that she might get to go home in as early as a few weeks. Thank you so much for your prayers (and please continue to pray!) and please join me in giving thanks for this blessing.

Pray for Mackenzie

2010-03-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

This is Alli, Sharon's friend. Sharon just called & asked that I post a request for prayers for sweet little Mackenzie. She is scheduled to have heart surgery this evening to try & repair the hole in her heart & also to create a fourth chamber since she was born with only three chambers. The family wasn't expecting this surgery to take place so soon, but it is a blessing that the doctors feel that she's strong enough for it. Please pray for God to guide the hands of the surgeons, nurses & staff that will be participating in this surgery. Pray that Mackenzie can be healed & that her mom, Amanda, & the rest of the family will have peace as they wait. I know many of you may have small group bible studies tonight, so please ask them to pray as well. Let's lift up this precious one to our Father!

Sweet Mackenzie

2010-02-21T13:59:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give everybody an update on this precious little girl. These pictures were taken of Amanda and MacKenzie about a week ago and I just wanted to share them with you. She has had a pretty rough week, but she is one little fighter! Earlier this week, the doctors discovered some other issues with her heart that are keeping blood from being pumped to the rest of her body. A few days ago, the doctors had to do emergency surgery to remove her colon, because it had lost its blood supply.

Here she is with all of her "gear" on post-surgery.

At one point this week, the doctors gave her a 1% chance of making it through the day. Against all odds, she not only made it through the day, but she is remaining stable and even getting a little stronger. For this blessing, we are so very thankful.

Please continue to pray for MacKenzie and for her family. Specifically,we are praying that she would stay free of infection and continue getting stronger so that she can have her heart surgery soon. Please also pray for MacKenzie and her family as she is fitted for a colostomy tomorrow. I know this will be an adjustment for everybody.

Also, several of you have asked how you can help. This touches our hearts more than you can imagine, especially since none of you have even met Amanda or MacKenzie. I have spoken with Amanda and have found a few ways that we can help. If you are interested, please let me know and I would be more than happy to give you more details.

Thank you again for your prayers. This beautiful little girl has already found a special place in our hearts and she has changed our lives in so many ways. We are completely and overwhelmingly in love with her.

A Snowy Day and a Sweet Friend

2010-02-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

My sweet friend Michelle took these pictures to document our snow day. She was dropping off a Sonic Drink and snack on my front porch when she took them. Is that sweet or what?

The next day, I decided to venture out and take some pictures myself! Isn't it beautiful?

Happy Snow Day!

Update on Mackenzie and Amanda

2010-02-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

First of all, I want to thank you for your prayers. Thank you for the texts, the phone calls, and for loving my family. Mackenzie is in the NICU, but she is stable. She is 5 lbs. 7 oz. She cried when she was born, which is GREAT news! Amanda hemorrhaged severely after the C- Section and they ended up having to do a complete hysterectomy to stop the bleeding. She received 100% of her blood volume through transfusion, but is now stable and recovering. Please continue to keep her and Mackenzie in your prayers and please join me thanking God that both of them are on the "other side" of this.

baby Mackenzie

2010-02-09T18:29:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a little something asking for prayers. My cousin Amanda is scheduled for a C-section tomorrow. Mackenzie is scheduled to make her debut at around 1:30. We would really appreciate your prayers. Specifically, we are asking for prayers for a C-section without any complications and for MacKenzie to be stable enough for them to not have to do open heart surgery until she is at least a few weeks older. Thank you for your prayers!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you:

and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned: the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:2-3

Beautiful Blogger Award!

2010-02-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

My sweet friends Michelle and Chani gave me this very fun and sweet award! Thanks ladies! The two of them actually have blogs that I LOVE to read...you can click on the link if you want to see them.:)

The point of this award is to share 7 seven things about yourself that people may or may not know and then pick 7 friends to also give this award too. What a fun idea, huh?

And now for the seven things...drum roll please.:)

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1. I used to be REALLY messy and a HUGE procrastinator. Those of you who work with me now probably have a hard time believing this... Now, I'm practically obsessive. I can't stand a dirty dish in the sink or an unorganized drawer ( it doesn't mean that it never happens...it just REALLY bothers me now). The only thing that I don't do is make my bed. I don't understand the point. I'm just going to unmake the next time I walk in the room. Are there any other non-bedmakers out there? Or am I the only one?

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2. I HATE scary movies. I mean REALLY hate... I'm super jumpy...which is not a good thing when watching scary movies (or opening crescent rolls...I don't do that either...the "pop" startles me too much). When I was growing up, I fell out of my seat and landed in my nachos on the floor when the T-Rex came into the control room in Jurassic Park. When I saw SCREAM for the first time in high school, I sat next to the guy I had a crush on and he got up and moved to another seat because I kept screaming...oops...but I'm a great date for a romantic comedy.;)

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3. I take gummy vitamins and I prefer my steak medium rare. A few months ago, I bought some gummy vitamins at the grocery store. A lady there asked me about my children. I lied to her and told her I had a kindergartner. It's kind of true, right? I didn't feel like saying that they were for me and risking the LOOK that would immediately follow my response. And I only eat medium rare steaks at nice restaurants...

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4. I have lots of favorites. Here are a few of my favorite things in no particular order:

the color yellow, eating fish and spinach, playing Chopin on the piano, traveling, my GI-normous collection of holiday socks that I never wear, going to Mavs games, eating Ben and Jerry's cake batter ice cream, getting flowers, watching NCIS on Video on Demand, reading books by John Case, and hula hooping. Yes, I love to hula hoop. I was the Kern County Champion in 3rd grade and I still love to hula hoop. Don't judge...

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5. Karson and I kiss after every prayer...well almost every prayer. We don't kiss in church.:) My parents did that and my grandparents did that. It's a tradition. In fact, I don't think it ever occurred to me that it wasn't normal until K and I got married. He was a little confused...So if you ever see us smooching after a pre-dinner prayer, you will now know why.

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6. I'm VERY accident prone. I seem to attract danger. Sometimes it makes for a good laugh and for a good story and sometimes, IT IS REALLY ANNOYING! If you see a spill, I'm probably to blame. I've been in earthquakes in Alaska, L.A., Bakersfield, and Taiwan ( I was in a nude Hot Springs for this one...ladies only mom, don't worry...fun times...) I started a fire in Home-Ec and knocked my sewing machine onto the floor and broke it. I've been stung by numerous jellyfishes on numerous occasions on numerous islands. Then there was the time that I was face-to-face in a courtroom with a murderer from America's Most Wanted. How exciting...

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7. I can't think of anything else.

Now, I have the privilege of passing this award onto 7 friends and fellow bloggers. This is going to be a really hard task!

Here we go...in no particular order.:)

1. Hattie

2. Alli

3. Lane

4. Andrea

5. Jenny

6. Miranda

7. Lori

I can't wait to learn 7 new things about you!

Prayers Please

2010-01-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

Our family would really appreciate your prayers. My cousin, Amanda, is 32 weeks pregnant with a precious little girl named Mackenzie. They have recently discovered that sweet Mackenzie only has 3 chambers in her heart. There are also some other complications involving the blood supply between them. In addition to this, Amanda has placenta praevia. She was transported from Midland and is now at Baylor Dallas until she delivers. Mackenzie will undergo heart surgery after she is born. We would appreciate your prayers for Amanda and Mackenzie's health as well as for her husband Jarod and her son Kaleb during this time of separation.

Christmas in Taos

2010-01-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has had a good start to 2010! I just wanted to share a few pictures from our Williams' family Christmas. We had so much fun with Karson's family!

The trip had a humorous beginning...we didn't have running water or plumbing for a few days!:) I have decided that I am not a "roughing it" kind of girl.:) So...we were off to Taos to stock up on bottled water. I had to include this picture because it is the only picture from the first four days! Needless to say, no one was very excited about having their picture taken after a few days with no shower.:)

We eventually got the plumbing fixed. I really felt bad for Karson's parents for having to mess with that on their holiday.:(

Our Christmas celebration was lots of fun!

Marilyn opening her presents...

I think Korbin and Amy liked their presents...:)

Kerry gave us each a lottery ticket. I won $20!

Korbin got Amy a new Coach purse! Way to go, Korbin!

We got Kerry a furry jock strap in Alaska. It IS at least made of real fur.:) We never know what to buy Karson's parents...this might have been the best reaction that we have ever gotten from a gift! My favorite part is Marilyn's face at the bottom of the picture.:)

Moving onto Skiing... yes, that is me under the goggles and mask.:) Karson is a much cooler looking skier than I am.:)

One of the highlights of the trip was having Karson's grandparents there to celebrate with us. We were really glad that they came!

We think Hughie liked his new hat...

Another highlight was Kerry's new puppy. Ooboo was so fun to be around! He is going to be a really neat pet. I can't wait to spend more time with him. It made me want a puppy...or I'd settle for a baby instead.:)

We joked that you could tell how cold it was outside by how far outside Ooboo went when he went to the bathroom. When it was in the teens, he would run down the porch and then play a little in the snow. When it got down into the single digits, he would just run down the porch, go to the bathroom, and then run back up. When it was -10 degrees, he would just potty on the steps.:) Too cold!

Love that dog!
Our view leaving the cabin...and back to reality! It was so much fun! Thanks Kerry and Marilyn for a wonderful Christmas!

May God bless your 2010!

Holiday Fun!

2009-12-15T16:49:00.000-08:00

We have had so much fun celebrating the season!

We went with Carley, our sweet neighbor, to Merry Main Street. My favorite part of this picture is that she has cotton candy stuck to her mouth!

We had our "other" small group over one night for a little party.:) So fun!

Karson's work party at Six Flags Holiday in the Park was SOOO fun! It was definitely the best work party ever! We basically got to have a free date and I didn't have to socialize with anybody but my hubby. :)
We even got a free picture as our gift! I love this picture if us on Titan because it is so "US."

Then I went to Josephine's with some of my girls from work. Look at all of the cute babies!

One of the highlights of our month was having the Boswells stay with us. It was so fun! Carrie and sweet Caleb also came over and hung out with us.
Karson and sweet Caleb enjoyed playing the piano.

Jarrett and sweet Case were such a joy to have in our home!

A picture with all the kiddos! Our house was was too quiet when they left! We LOVED every minute of our time with these little ones! (and their parents) ;)

Sweet Macy helped me get ready Sunday morning for church and she decided that she liked my boots!

I decorated my Christmas table, which is always fun! This picture is for you, Jenny.:)

And then, I got the most adorable clipboard in the mail from my sweet friend Molly. She made this!

Some girls baking cookies for our cookie bake-off... We won, by the way!

I know this has been a random post...thanks for reading!

I hope your holidays have been great!

Happy Birthday Mama!

2009-12-05T18:13:00.000-08:00

I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my Mama today! Happy Birthday to a Mama who has always been there for me and encouraged me...Happy Birthday to a Mama who has influenced me...from everything from her faith in God to her love of travel and books.:)

Happy Birthday to a Mama who is one of the strongest people I know...
Happy Birthday to a Mama who is a whole lot of fun... I found this in a random drawer the other day...what were we thinking???

Happy Birthday to a Mama who has been there for every important milestone...

Happy Birthday to you! I love you so much and wish I could be there in person to wish you Happy Birthday!

Thanksmas!

2009-11-29T17:47:00.000-08:00

Karson and I just got back from a week in Cali with my parents! We had so much fun and I am already a little sad about going back tor reality.:( We spent the first few days of our trip home over at the coast. We enjoyed the waves and the beautiful weather!We also visited Hearst Castle. The weather was perfect while we were there and the view overlooking the ocean was breathtaking! I remember going their as a little girl and it is still just as impressive as I remember it! It makes me want to go back to Europe!When we returned to Bakersfield, we did a little Christmas shopping. Karson took my mom to Chico's and was trying to find her that "perfect" outfit...so sweet...)We decorated the tree. This is Thanksmas, after all...For Thanksgiving dinner, we invited a dear friend over. This is "Grandma Jo", my "adopted" grandma. She really was like a grandma to me since we had no family living near us growing up. We enjoyed a lovely family dinner! I can't believe that it has been TEN years since I have celebrated a Thanksgiving dinner at this table...WOW! Time sure does fly! We also had to squeeze in Christmas morning, since we won't be back for Christmas. Matching pajamas is a Prude Family tradition...

Enjoying our Christmas morning...

We got my Dad a certificate for flying lessons...maybe he will become a pilot someday!

We also enjoyed dinner with some dear friends, Dave and Faye Turner. I consider these to be my "bonus" parents. They have always been so good to me and were such a huge part of my growing up. It was so neat to enjoy time with them to catch up.:)

I can't believe that the week is over ...and the homesickness has started again :( We had so much fun and feel so blessed and thankful that we were able to go to Cali!

HaPpY ThAnKSgiViNG!

2009-11-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I've included a cute little Kinder conversation for your enjoyment.:)

*****DISCLAIMER: This conversation took place after at least two week of studying Pilgrims and Indians (or Native Americans if you want to be P.C.) and maybe we need a little more education on the subject...:)

Me: OK friends, everybody is going to get to dress up for our feast and you get to decide if you want to be a Native American or a Pilgrim. Raise your hand and let me know what you want to be and we can put your name on the right spot on our graph.

Kid #1: DARTH. VADER! (Ummmm, was he an Indian or a pilgrim???)
Kid #2: A Naked American... (It took me a few seconds to realize that this wasn't meant to be funny...and I was the only one in the room laughing.:) In this kids' defense, "naked" does sound a lot like "Native" and really, how often do you see pictures of Indians who are fully clothed???)

Hope your Thanksgiving gives you as many reasons to be thankful as mine does!

A Few Things I'm Thankful for...

2009-11-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

This week in Kindergarten, my kids and I have had many conversations about how blessed we are and what we are thankful for. I have asked them to list several things that they are thankful for. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought I would do the same...

1. It only seems right to start with this guy. He's my Favorite, my BFF, the love of my life... Lately, I've really been noticing things about him that I love so much... most are simple things, but just things that are so "Karson." For example, usually at least once or twice per week, I come into the kitchen to see every herb from our garden picked and out on the kitchen counter. It means that he is creating some completely strange, unusual concoction for us to eat...and I love it!

2. I am thankful for my parents. I'm thankful for how much they love each other and for how much they love me. And I'm thankful that I get to see them in 3 short days! It has been TEN years since I have gone home for Thanksgiving and I am so excited!

3. I am thankful for Coke Zero. I. am. an. addict.

4. I am thankful for music. I love to play the piano. There are few things that I enjoy more than playing the piano or listening to music. Whether it is learning a new Chopin song or going to a Pat Green Concert, I love music!

5. I am thankful for Karson's parents. They raised the man that I love and I love them for that.

6. I am thankful for modern technology... I think of how I am able to keep in contact with some of my dearest friends because of cell phones, blogs, etc.

7. I am thankful for our friends that let us be a part of their children's lives. We love babysitting, having them come over to play...they even let us help get their kids ready for bed...

8. I am thankful for Josephine's Italian Bistro. Please call me and we can go eat there sometime...SO YUMMY!

9. I am thankful for my job. Some of the women I work with are my very best friends and I feel so blessed to see them every day!

10. I am thankful for my Room Moms this year. I have always had at least a few good moms, but this year I have so many! Just today, one of them brought me a Sonic drink...and it is not unusual for me to get all sorts of goodies throughout the week. That is just what they do for me! They do so many things for my kiddos, too!

11. And lastly, I am thankful for the 22 kiddos that call me Mrs. Williams everyday. They challenge me, drive me CRAZY at times, but I am so excited to see them every morning and I can't imagine life without their hugs, silliness, and sweetness.

This list is by no means complete, but it is just a few ways that I am blessed! Happy Thanksgiving!
.

Ciga-Wettes and Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T15:53:00.001-07:00

Kid: Mrs. Will-wams, wast night I cut da eyeballs out of my pumpkin and at night, I said to my mama, "MOMMA! You thwow yo ciga-wette in that pumpkins head??? Cuz his heads on fire!"

Maybe you just had to be there...but it was one of the best laughs I've had in a while...

Happy Halloween!

A Shower for Baby Barton

2009-10-27T17:41:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, I hosted a baby shower for my neighbor and sweet friend, Stephanie. She is welcoming a sweet new baby boy in about 6 weeks. The name is still "undetermined", but big sister Carley has decided that his name is Karson.

Too cute! I really wasn't that great about taking pictures...I haven't hosted a shower in a while and I'm a little rusty!

Steph got lots of fun gifts to share with Baby Barton!

Jen, the other hostess, brought some fun games to play. We guessed baby food flavors and then guessed how big around Steph's belly was...:)

Jen, the other hostess, made this super cute diaper cake.:) Isn't she talented?

We love you Steph and Baby Barton and can't wait to meet you!

ALL Play and NO work...

2009-10-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

A little while ago, my sweet friend Amber and I decided that we would take off work on her birthday and have a girls' day. It was so much fun! The day started with a little breakfast at Bread Winners. Then on to Nordstroms for a little shopping...:)

We then headed to the movies to watch FAME. We ended our day with a little spa fun. We enjoyed massages that were heavenly and then pedicures that were very nice also. While the food, movie, and spa treatments were wonderful, the best part of the day was getting to spend time with one of my best friends (oh yeah...and not having to work.:)! Love you friend!

We may have to make this a tradition!

Love at First Sight

2009-09-28T16:18:00.000-07:00

I just returned from an amazing weekend in Houston visiting my friend Jenny and her new baby Bekah. It was so good to see her, catch up, and watch her as a mom! In fact, I would definitely say that one of my favorite things about being in my "twenty-somethings" is getting to watch my friends become mothers. So sweet!

I must admit that as excited as I was to see Jenny, I might have been as excited or more to meet Miss Bekah! I flew in late Friday night and was like a little kid waiting for Christmas waiting for her to wake up Saturday morning. I would have definitely snuck in her room to wake her up and play with her had it not been for my better judgement. :) Bekah is the sweetest little girl! She has the most precious laugh and I can already tell that she is going to be very smart (like her mommy:))It was definitely love at first sight!We visited the Farmers' market on Saturday morning. We enjoyed our coffee and croissants.

Bekah loves to give kisses and she loves her mommy...I just thought this was so sweet!

Then, Jenny treated me to the Spa at the Houstonian. My favorite part was the robes! They were the softest thing that has ever touched my skin! It was such a fun and fancy afternoon!

Then, Jenny made carnitas! I can't find the normal picture of us, so this one will have to do! They were so yummy!

Then, off to the chocolate bar for a little piece of heaven. I might have to go "bar-hopping" more often!

Jenny, I had so much fun! You were definitely the hostess with the mostess! And Miss Bekah, Aunt Sharon loves you! I can't wait to make more memories with you!

I've Quit My Job...

2009-09-21T18:20:00.000-07:00

...and am now gainfully employed as an ice cream server at Baskin Robbins...:)

Whatcha think about that?

Kinder Conversations #3

2009-09-13T16:59:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to apologize that all of my posts lately have been about teaching...I don't really have anything else blogworthy to post.:) So, thanks for reading anyway!

Girl: Mrs. Williams, I have to potty really badly. (We are outside at recess.)
Boy: Can't she just go outside? When my mommy is taking a long time on one potty and my dad is taking a long, LONG time on the other potty, I just go outside. (Yes, if you have children, they ARE sharing these private things with their teacher, classmates, etc.:))
Me: Well...when you are at home with mom and dad it is ok to do that if they say it is ok, BUT at school we always use our toilets inside.
Boy: Hmmm... (thinking really hard) Is that because girls have to sit down when they potty? Like on a toilet?
Me: Well, everybody uses toilets differently...sometimes we sit and sometimes we stand... but we always have to use them at school.
Boy: OH! I remember! Girls have to sit down to use the potty because they don't have that thingie...what's that thingie that I have called???
Me: Uhhh...yes, it is good to sit...well, we better hurry inside:)

This past week, we were talking about dreams, goals, and what we want to be when we grow up. I must say, I have always had several conversations like this with my kids, but none have ever been this entertaining and I have never had so many kids say that they wanted to be an inanimate object...I'm pretty sure I was laughing so hard that I snorted...too bad there weren't any other adults in the room with me to laugh with me.:) And don't worry, we did go back and clarify what some real "job options" are:)

Here are just a few of the responses that I can remember (they were so precious that I wrote them down as soon as the kids went to lunch.) :

Kid #1: a pink smelly marker
Kid #2: a bumblebee
Kid #3: a Coach purse (Now that's a smart girl!)
Kid #4: a mermaid
Kid #5: a spatula
Kid #6: a dog that doesn't bark
Kid #7: a pretty girl like you and my mommy (Now, that is REALLY a smart girl!)
Kid #8: your daddy
Kid #9: I'll have two jobs...a yogurt shop person and a pizza place person. And I'll give you free yogurt if you come to my shop.
Me: Wow! The Teacher gets free yogurt!
Kid #9 : Yes, as long as you pay for it... (Hmmm...)
Kid #10 (my personal favorite): a doctor that helps people's butts...my mommy has this thing hanging out of her butt and it hurts her and she had to have surgery and now she has a bruise and has to sit on a pillow.

Have a good week!

There's a First for Everything...

2009-08-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

First Day of my First Year of teaching...

Kid runs away...out the front door of the building...

Lost a kid at dismissal...found her about 30 min. later...

I could go on and on...it was definitely a "first year" experience.:)

Second Year, First Day of School...

Kid poops all over my rugs and pillows in the reading stations...

A screaming mama runs into my room screaming in Espanol and takes her kid out of my class and runs out the door...

Kid cries (screaming cry) until after lunch...(annoying!)

Third Year, First Day of School...

17 of my 22 students don't speak English...(and don't get me wrong...I loved them, but...nuf said...)

Fourth Year, First Day of School...

I better not disclose this one due to confidentiality issues, but lets just say I lost almost twenty pounds the first few weeks of school...most of you who know me know the whole story.:)

Fifth Year, First Day of School...

8:02- Kid pukes...

8:05- Kid pees EVERYWHERE!

10:00ish- fire alarm goes off...smoke in the kitchen...we evacuate...

10:3oish- kid has allergic reaction to the grass we are standing on...carry her to the neighborhood and hang out in the street...

An hour or so later... we eat lunch in our room because the cafe is out of commission...Yippee!

3:00ish...kid pees everywhere AGAIN! ( And I promise we take LOTS of bathroom breaks.:))

My Assistant Principal and I lift the children over the pee puddle so that they can get out the door for dismissal.

This year...

No pukers, pee-ers, poopers, runners...

No fires, allergic reactions or naked children...

Now, don't get me wrong, I still went to bed at 7:30, but it was a pretty uneventful day.:)

There's a first for everything...

Here's to a good year!

Done!

2009-08-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

I normally wouldn't put pictures of my classroom on my blog, but I have had THREE people ask me to. So...since I am such a people pleaser...enjoy.:)

Those of you teachers who are reading may be able to relate to me on this...

The other day, my sweet friend Jill, told me about this store that was going out of business (Jill, thanks so much and I had fun at lunch!). I bought this "book display turner thingie" (that is the technical term) and I am absolutely in love. Pitiful, I know... It doesn't take much to get us teachers excited.:) Maybe fewer of my books will go to the book doctor, book heaven (or hell), etc. now that I have a better place for my kiddos to store them.

And this picture has a story behind it...

My sweet dad came at the end of the year and was helping me hang fabric on my walls for this year. I left for a few minutes and came back to this...

This is Kellie...Kellie walked into my room to ask me something and when I wasn't there, he decided to recruit her to help him hang fabric. When I returned, I was a little surprised at the sight and decided to introduce my dad to Kellie, my principal.:) Luckily, she is very helpful and would have probably volunteered to do this had she known I needed help, but I just thought it was funny.:)

Happy Friday!

HELP!

2009-08-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

OK, now that I have your attention, I have a few questions for you.

1. Karson and I are looking for a used elliptical to purchase for those days where there is just not enough time for a gym trip. If you have one or if you know someone who has one, please let me know!

2. We are planning a Europe trip for next summer. Usually, when we plan a trip, I just bug all of my friends for their advice. Now that we have a blog, I thought this might be a little more efficient. :) We will be gone for about a month and would like to visit Great Britain, Ireland and maybe a few places in Northern or Eastern Europe. For those of you who have been, do you have any helpful tips or "must sees" to recommend? Also, would you recommend Prague or Amsterdam? I think we will have time for one of those, but not both, so I would love any suggestions.:) Thanks in advance!

Alaska: Part Deux

2009-07-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

To begin...

One of the first things that we did was go fishing. It was my birthday present from my dad. It was me and five guys on a boat and lots of bloody fish. I can't find the pictures of me with my fish, but I caught the two biggest salmon. The boys were jealous!

On our fishing boat...

Once the cruise began, our first stop was Juneau. We went on an amazing bike ride around the lake and visited Mendenhall Glacier. It was awesome!

Our second stop was Skagway. We went on a helicopter ride and dogsled adventure there. It was probably one of the most, if not the most, spectacular things that I have ever done. I would highly recommend it!

View from the helicopter... At camp...

Action shot...

The dog camp...

We got to spend time with the dogs...

and their new puppies...

Approaching Hubbard Glacier...

And this...

My friends...

Is called "calving"...

We didn't get very good pictures of it except for at the very beginning because I was busy bothering Karson asking him if we were going to die when the glacier hit us...
By the time we left the Hubbard Glacier, it had lost this whole section. It was an unbelievably loud sound...like the loudest thunder that you have ever heard. Our captain was actually talking to us when it happened and he got really excited and said it was the biggest one that he had ever seen.

Lucky us...and you will be glad to know that we didn't die when the glacier hit us...

They were playing in the wake of our cruise ship...

Meanwhile, back on the ship...

Don't ask...

These our our Australian friends that we sat with every night. We had so much fun getting to know them. They invited us to come stay with them in Australia. Maybe that will be our next trip!

Mystery Dinner Night...

And this is at a port in Alaska known for its' ziplines. This is the view starting out the longest and the fastest of the ziplines...

And this is what happens when your glove gets completely wrapped inside the wheel of the pulley and your pulley comes off the cable and you go from about 40-60 mph to 0 mph in about half a second...Once I realized that I hadn't died, but was merely hanging 200 ft. off of the ground by my safety latch (Thank God for those) they came and rescued me. Whew!
Once we docked, we stayed a few days in Canada. The pictures aren't loading. Argh!

But, we did get to spend our last night in the honeymoon suite of the Hyatt. Free upgrades are great! Happy Fifth anniversary honey! I know...longest blog entry ever...

Home Again, Home Again...

2009-07-25T12:49:00.001-07:00

OK, so you'll have to indulge me for a few minutes as I take you on a little blast from the past.:) Karson and I just got back from a little trip to Alaska. One of the things that I was looking forward to the most was seeing where I used to live in Alaska.

Then...

Yes, that's me in the corner of the picture...
The blue station wagon in the corner of the picture is the car that I drove in high school. Yikes!

Now...
We decided to "fly" down the hill like in the good old days...cheesy, I know...

The family who currently lives in the house that my parents built let us tour the inside and outside of the house. It was lots of fun. I even got to see my favorite hiding place in my old bedroom. It brought back a few fun memories!

We even ate breakfast at the McDonald's where I had my third birthday.

I know Karson was thrilled beyond measure.:)

I promise that the "real" Alaska blog will come soon. Thanks for indulging me for a few moments!

Sweet Emma's 6th Birthday

2009-07-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

As a kindergarten teacher, I love all my kiddos. Every once in a while, however, I have a student that I just absolutely fall in love with and wish they were my own. Emma is one of those sweet little girls. She is so polite and sweet and she is always thinking of others. She is also really funny and a whole lot of fun to be around. Emma's mommy and I work together, so I get to enjoy her even more! Today is Emma's 6th birthday, so she came over for a birthday breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and eggs. It was so much fun! Her little sis Avery came along for the fun!

Happy birthday sweet Emma! I love you!

Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME, Happy Birthday to ME!

2009-07-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

My Love,

To simply say Happy Birthday and I love you, I would like to invite you to accompany me to dinner tomorrow evening. We currently have reservations at III Forks for July 3rd at 6pm. Regarding the evening attire, something sexy is highly recommended.

During the evening, we can expect to have deep conversations that may change the world and help humanity. Following dessert, the remainder of the evening is set to be spent cuddling and looking into each other's eyes simply pondering our amazing love for each other.

Love,

Karson

The very first question that I asked the waiter was "Do you have Crème brûlée ?" I think he was like, "Yeah.....uh, we have steaks, too.":)

Karson and I don't usually give gifts for birthdays, but this year, I told Karson that for my birthday, I wanted a "Project Weekend" where we finished some of our home projects. Karson and my dad did all the furniture assembling a few weeks ago and then Karson hung some curtains that I made.

We also finished our guest room. Karson has affectionately named this room the "cry room" because it has lots of wedding pictures of family that make me sentimental. I especially enjoy seeing the wedding pictures of both sets of my grandparents who are no longer living.

As always, my birthday was great and I am so thankful for another year! Thank you for all of the birthday wishes! I felt very loved!:)

Mama in Spain

2009-07-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Col 3:23

As many of you know, my mom just returned from a 100 mile pilgrimage in Spain. Those of you who know my mom and her story, know how truly amazing this is. I still remember this time last year, when my mom was just out of the hospital, and she was planning her Spain Pilgrimage. None of us were quite sure how she was going to do it, but if you know my mom, you know that when she makes up her mind, stuff happens.:) She started training by walking a mile, a mile eventually became a few miles, and a year later, she was walking 20 miles a day up and down hills in Spain with a backpack! We thank God daily for his blessings and for keeping my mom safe during this journey.

Ready to begin...

This is my mom with her pilgrim partner, Debbie (aka. "partner in crime").

On the road...

The scenery...

At the end of the pilgrimage, she was awarded a certificate.

I flew to Cali to surprise her when she returned. I love surprises anyway, but this was probably my favorite ever!

My dad and Ed (Debbie's husband) with the banner...

I was hiding behind the banner and when she got close, I surprised her! It was such a fun moment! This is something that my mom has wanted to do for a long time, and it was so cool to be a part of it. And, of course, you have to love the "surprised" face! You can click on it and really see it well!:)

So sweet...

And one last thing...I know that so many of you have faithfully prayed for our family over the last year and I just want you to know how much we appreciate your prayers. We thank God for this undeserved blessing! My eyes sprung leaks just thinking about how blessed we are!

Love you friends!

Taos, NM

2009-06-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Karson and I just got back from a wonderful week spent near Taos, NM at his parents' cabin. We had so much fun relaxing and being with family. Everything there is so beautiful!
As soon as we arrived, Karson told me that he wanted to destroy the dam...I think he really just wanted to wear his new waiters (correction "waders"...thanks Dad!)... I felt kind of bad for the beavers, but I guess they had already moved elsewhere and the dam was causing the water level to be too high near the cabin.
And, of course, I was right there by his side helping! :)
Isn't it beautiful?

While at the cabin, we did a whole lot of nothing. Amy (my fabulous sister-in-law) and I spent many hours on the couch watching movies:)

We also did a lot of cooking! Marilyn, here is the picture that I told you that I would put on my blog! hehe...enjoy! You really need to click on this one to make it big to see the full effect.:)

While Karson and his brother thought it would be fun to have crazy intense workout sessions...
We went to the Spa...My favorite part of the trip was probably the spa day. Marilyn asked Karson what I liked to do and he said,"Take her to the spa!" Good job honey! Thanks Marilyn for a wonderful day. We had manicures, spa pedicures, a facial, massages...it was wonderful! I had my first Facial Peel. The ladies at the spa were running late, so they decided to give us complimentary peels. The Esthetician put the stuff on my face and then left without telling me what she had done. For those of you who have had peels before, you can imagine that I thought my face had surely caught on fire and was permanently scarred:)

I didn't mean to upload this picture, but it is a good picture of the downstairs part of the cabin.:) Marilyn has done a great job making it feel "cabin-ish" and cozy.;)

And after five years of marriage and 9 years of knowing Karson, I learned how he got his name. Apparently, he is related to Kit Carson and that is who he is named after.

Every time we go to Taos, we always stop at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I know we have them here, but we only go in Taos!:)

My conversation with the lady at the Chocolate Factory:

Me: Do you have chocolate-covered bananas?

Lady: No. Only what you see out here.

Me: Ok, thanks. I see you have a "frozen banana" on your menu. What is that?

Lady: A banana covered in chocolate.

Me: Ok. I'll have that. (Hmmmmm....)

It was delicious!

And Karson and his dad, Kerry...just chillin...

I hope you all have a great week!

Fun and Friends

2009-06-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

In the past week or so, we have had so much fun with our friends. This is the Fowler's Annual Memorial Day BBQ crowd. So fun!

And then, we had an afternoon party at Wayne's house. Amber, one of my very sweet friends, has a dad who throws great parties! We had fun hanging out by the pool and getting sun-burned!:) This is us with Amber and her hubby, Matt.

And then, here is Karson with his ladies. :) hehe

Me, Amber, and Crystal...Please excuse the fact that I look like a beached whale.

We had some friends over for dinner. I think this picture is out of order. I'm not sure what day this was...Oh, well! Fun times!

...and the Chamblee twins stole the show, as always! You really need to click on this one to enlarge the picture in order to really see how cute this is! Too cute!

And then, we babysat Carley, our neighbor. She asked Karson to "cuddle" with her on the couch and then she made his hair pretty. Precious...

And then, we had Molly's goodbye party at Mattito's. This really deserves a blog entry all to itself. Molly is one of my best friends at school and she is moving to Pennsylvania. So sad! Molly, if you are reading this, just know how much you are loved and you are one of the best friends that I have ever had. Much love to you!

Kinder Conversations #2

2009-05-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Kid #1: Why do your friends give you a shower when you have a baby in your tummy? (We were getting ready for a baby shower for a girl on our team at school.)
Kid #2: BECAUSE....when you have a baby inside you, you get fat. And when you get fat, you start to stink. And when you start to stink, your friends make you take a shower. (Now this kid has it ALL figured out!)

Kid: I ran out of gas...(walking into the classroom with a big smile on his face)
Me: Oh, I'm sorry. Are you tired?
Kid: And the hallway smells...(ewwwww....)

Kid: That one is the mommy tadpole. (Looking at our tadpole aquarium)
Me: How do you know?
Kid: Because she has a big mouth and a big bottom... (Oh, of course! How did I miss that one!)

Me: Who threw up all over the pocket chart and the carpet back here?
Kids: Silence...more silence...
Me: OK, I really need to know who threw up so I can help you...
Kids: More silence...
Me: OK, I'm going to go back to my table to pull reading groups. If it was you, please come quietly tell me. You are not in trouble. I just need to know.
Kid: Ummmm......
Me: Did you throw up all over the back of the room?
Kid: Maybe?
Me: Maybe? Why didn't you tell me?
Kid: I forgot??? (Hmmmm...)

Kid: I'm worried about you Mrs. Williams.
Me: Oh, that is not your job. Why are you worried about me?
Kid: Because you drink a lot of beer... (Huh what?...How does he know? J/K)
Me: Sweetie, what makes you think I drink a lot of beer?
Kid: You know those green bottles that you always drink...that's beer...
Me: Oh, sweetie, that is not beer. It is water called Perrier. (Good thing we cleared that one up!)

Our Office, Easter and the Other Woman

2009-04-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I succeeded in talking Karson into remodeling our office. We currently have two offices; one that is supposed to be an office and another that isn't:)... yes, we have way too much stuff:) So....my bright idea was that if we had wall-to-wall cabinets put in, we could move it all to one office. Maybe it says something about me that I am THIS excited about an office, but I am having fun:) Here is Karson painting...

My parents came into town for Easter weekend (Yippee!) and we put them to work:)

Looking so thrilled...
My mom and I spent lots of time in the kitchen cooking. We look pretty rough in this picture, but I had to include our cooking fun:)
We have a Williams' family tradition that Blair Francis from church spends Easter with us. This is the 3rd year that we have done this and we so love our time together. This year, we also invited over Ron and Bonnie Black, a very sweet couple that we have gotten to know through the Greeting Ministry at church. Blair entertained us with his piano skills:)

Our Easter bunch...please excuse the fact that Karson doesn't seem to know where the camera is:) hehe:) Love you honey!

And here is Karson with his other woman:) This is our neighbor Carley and these two absolutely adore each other! She comes over often to help Karson in the yard and she always ends up taking home more flowers than she plants:) So precious!

Happy Spring to everybody!

I left my heart in NYC...

2009-03-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

What is the first thing that you do when you get to New York? You guessed it...EAT PIZZA!!! My sweet friend Molly told us to go to this place called Patsy's. It was definitely the best pizza that I have ever had!

We then headed over to Central Park. We hired a Pedicab to take us around, which was actually a whole lot of fun. He told us about all of the movies that had been filmed at each spot in Central Park as well as who lived in all of the nearby buildings.

We then visited the NY Library, Chrysler Building, Radio City Music Hall, and the Rockefeller Center. And then...Karson and I were talking about how funny it would be to see someone that we know in NYC, and within minutes, Karson spotted Vicki, one of our friends from church. How crazy!

We continued to walk through the city and found where film crews were filming a scene for a new action movie called Salt. We were in one of the crowd scenes. Who knows??? Maybe you can see us when the movie comes out!We then headed to the Met. We didn't get very many good pictures of this BEAUTIFUL museum, but this was one of my favorite rooms. We also got to attend a concert by Ren Zhang. He was performing some pieces by Haydn and Chopin on the piano. He was so talented and I do love the piano:)
And then to Wicked, which was so fun! At the end of the show, the actors came out and said that the girl who played the Wicked Witch had her debut that night. She was pretty emotional and that was pretty cool to be there for her debut;)
On Sunday, we went to church with our friends, Ron and Wendy, in Princeton. We visited the campus and it was beautiful.

And then, onto the MOMA!

Recognize these?

And now, finally a picture with both of us. Since Karson is the "camera man", that leaves me as the "poser" in all of the pictures;)

We visited the Statue of Liberty on Monday. I have loved her ever since I was little:)

When we were getting onto the boat, we saw my friend Bethany. She was in club with me at ACU. What are the chances of seeing 2 people that you know in a place like NYC?

We then quickly visited the Financial District, and then went to the Late Show. We took an unintended side trip to Brooklyn and Queens and almost missed it, but we made it just in time. When we got there, they pulled us aside from everyone else and told us that because of our smiles, they were giving us front row seats. I'm sure it was just a ploy, but I'll happily take a compliment and first row seats any day!

I'd like to introduce you to our new friends Mary and Wayne. They are from Alabama. We met them while waiting in line for the Late Show and ended up spending the evening with them. They were so fun! They took us to this great little Italian place called Inoteca. It was one of those places where you can't read anything on the menu (I love places like that!) and the food was amazing!

On Tuesday, we began our morning with the St. Patty's Parade. I've never seen so many plastered people this early in the morning! The parade was fun too. I love anything with bagpipes:)
We visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is probably the prettiest church I have seen in the States.Then, we went shopping... SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown, West Village, 5th Avenue....so fun! It was Karson's favorite day!:) I'd like to introduce you to my new friends (from left to right:)) Dolce, Louis, and Gucci:)

The Empire State Building...
We saw Phantom of the Opera that night. It was my favorite! The Phantom's voice gave me chills it was so good! We went to Sardi's for a little "after-show" dessert...Yum!
On Wednesday morning, I wanted to eat Breakfast at Tiffanys...

And then to the Plaza Hotel..."Playing" the Big Piano at FAO Schwartz. I couldn't get Karson to make a fool out of himself with me:)
Grand Central Station...

And then to the Museum of Natural History... I have never seen so many fossils in one place. 85% of the fossils at this museum are authentic. How impressive!

And then, it was time to go home:( We had so much fun. The best part was to be able to spend time with Karson:) Thanks Molly, Jenny, and Wendy for helping us plan our trip!

Baby Got Back...

2009-02-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

Karson's back! Yippeeeeeeeee! As many of you know, Karson has been in Santa Barbara working the past month....yes, a whole month...to the day.... I missed him just a little:) We celebrated his first night back with a very formal Valentine's Day dinner:) Can you tell?

While he was gone, I was very fortunate that Karson's company flew me out to Cali to visit him. I have been wanting to post pictures of our little weekend getaway, but I couldn't find the camera cord:) I know you have been anxiously awaiting these photos:)

This is the precious Hotel Oceana that we stayed in. I would highly recommend it. It wasn't anything amazingly fancy, but it was quaint and cute. My favorite thing was that you could walk outside and be on the beach:)

On the first day that I was there, Karson had to work all day, so my dad drove in to see me. I took him out to lunch for his birthday. It was extra special because I can't remember the last time we have been together for his birthday:) We ate lunch on the pier. Yummy:)My mom dropped by for a quick lunch later in the weekend:)
OK...back to Karson. He is, afterall, the reason for the trip:) Karson and I really enjoyed the beach. The weather was beautiful and the beach wasn't too crowded.
We also ate lunch at the pier. A bird joined us:)

Then, Karson decided to memorialize me by making a sand sculpture of me:) j/k:)

Oh, I almost forgot the last minute trip to Sam's that we had to do for his work on Sunday. I mean, who would want to keep their sailing reservations when they could go to Sam's???

And what super romantic thing did we do on our last night together??? You guessed it!!! We spent the night in the E.R with one of Karson's coworkers! We really were happy to do it. We can make pretty much anything fun!

I know that it is cheesy (that's me:)), but this post wouldn't be complete without thanking all of my amazing friends who entertained me while Karson was gone. Thank you Steph, Jay and Carley for the numerous meals and Wii fit sessions. Molly, thanks for taking me to dinner and making me go to the gym:) Hattie, thanks for the date night...Karson's jealous:) Courtney and Jen, thanks for cooking with me:) Amber, Jill, Rae, Andrea, Kenny, and Colby, thanks for the meals! You guys are awesome!

Have a blessed week!

Conversations in Kindergarten

2009-02-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

Conversation 1:

Kid: Mrs. We-Wums! (crying hysterically)
Me: What's the matter sweetie? (giving a hug, of course...)
Kid: Bobby* made fun of my girfwend!
Me: Ohhhh.....how did that make you feel?
Kid: I'm not vewy happy.
Me: I'm sorry you're sad. What did he say?
Kid: He said she is not my girfwend!
Me: Well, I am sorry that you are sad, but I bet what he meant was that in kindergarten we don't really have boyfriends and girlfriends. We just have friends that are girl and boys. We are all friends. Isn't that special that we can do that?
Kid: No, but fo' weal..she is MY GIRFWEND!
Me: What is your friend's name? (trying to change the subject)
Kid: Pawina (Paulina...I'm guessing???)
Me: What do you and Paulina do together?
Kid: Go out dwinking togeder. (Who is the DD...I'm wondering?)
Me: Go out drinking together? What do you drink? (I've been teaching kinder long enough to know to never assume and always ask questions)
Kid: You know...like at cool.
Me: It's cool?
Kid: Nooooowwwwaaaahhhhhhh.....like at COOL!
Me: Like at school?
Kid: Yep.
Me: You mean like milk from the cafe'?
Kid: Yeah. Sometimes chocolate, sometimes stwawbeweeeeeeee, and sometimes, you know...the ugly kind.
Me: The white kind?
Kid: Yep.
Me: Where do you drink?
Kid: At the pawk.
Me: At the park? Was anyone with you?
Kid: Nope. Well maybe my mom. I was fouw and she was six.
Me: Oh, so she is 2 years older.
Kid: No, I six now too!
Me: OK. Sounds like she is a pretty neat friend. Go back to your station. Thank you.

Conversation 2:
Another Kid: Mrs. Williams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (crying hysterically...real tears)
Me: What's the matter sweetie?
Kid: MY. PENCIL. IS. NOT. LISTENING. TO. ME!!!!!! (Hmmmmmmm.....)
Me: What are you telling your pencil?
Kid: I'm telling it to do its work and it's not listening!
Me: Oh, I'm so sorry. You must be frustrated. Sweetie, does your pencil have ears?
Kid: (defeated) No....
Me: Could you hear without your ears?
Kid: (defeated yet again) No...
Me: Well, since your pencil doesn't have ears, you might just want to make it do what you want it to do. It probably won't listen very well. And you'll be sad. Be the boss of that pencil. Go sit down.
Kid: Okeeeeeee......Dokeeeee! Mrs. Williams, you're a good teacher.
Me: Thanks. You are a good kid.

Since You've Been Gone...

2009-01-28T18:55:00.000-08:00

...I've kept quite busy:)

Karson, I know that we haven't talked all that much with the time change, busy work schedule, etc. since you've arrived in Santa Barbara, but rest assured that I've been very busy.

Here are just a few highlights that I wanted to share with you of my jam-packed, rip-roaring, exciting schedule.

1. I have organized our movies by genre. You now can find the romantic comedies almost instantaneously, without having to flip through all of the pages.

2. I discovered some old folder games that your mother used for her classroom when she used to teach. They were in the attic...and I might have spent an hour or more in our attic playing them. It was actually quite warm up there...

3. I ran your truck into the fence...again...sorry...there is just not enough room for me to back up.

4. I had pink eye. Yippee!!!

5. I have discovered how much I like sleeping sideways in our bed. It is a great position for T.V. watching and my head is a little farther from the alarm when it beeps in the a.m.

6. I scrubbed the house from floor to ceiling on my Snow Day.

7. I became a brunette.

Now, before you get too worried, I'll tell you that one of these things is not exactly the truth, but I guess you will have to wait until you see me again to find out. Just trying to keep it exciting:)

Goodbye for now!

Happy Birthday Daddy...

2009-01-25T11:55:00.000-08:00

from your little girl...

Today is my dad's birthday. He is 55...a.k.a. A SENIOR CITIZEN:)

Many girls think that they have the best dad in the world, but I really do. Here are just a few reasons why my dad is the greatest:

1. He let me put hair clips in his hair and THEN he let my mom take a picture...nuf said...

2. He ALWAYS has time for me.
3. I ALWAYS know how much he adores me.
4. He is one of the smartest men I know.
5. He can fix anything.
6. He likes to talk almost as much as me:)
7. We think the same way.
8. He is always happy.
9. He makes really good coffee when he comes to visit.
10. He loves my mom.

And let's not forget my grandpa and grandma, who had a little something to do with this special day:)

Dad, I hope your day is wonderful!

No matter how old I get or how far apart we are, I'll always be your little girl! Happy Birthday!

Tag...You're it:)

2009-01-18T19:20:00.000-08:00

Q. five names you go by:
Sharon
Sweetie
Mrs. Williams
We-wum (this is the best one of my kids can do:)
Babe

Q. three things you are wearing right now:
My Grandmother's wedding ring
Citizen's...my favorite jeans
BCBG sweater from Nordstrom (some of you know the story behind this sweet little purchase:))

Q. two things you want very badly at the moment:
My husband to come home
My parents to move to Texas

Q. two things you did last night:
Cooked lamb for Karson's last dinner at home
Helped Karson pack

Q. two things you ate today:
Blueberries
Spring Creek (thank you Smiths and Varners)

Q. two people you last talked to on the phone:
Amber
Rae

Q. two things you are going to do tomorrow:
go to Spin Class with Rae
shop with Courtney

Q. two longest car rides:
from Cali to ACU and back every summer for four years

Q. two of your favorite beverages:
Coke Zero
Propel

Q. the people you’d like to tag for their very own:
Lane
Andrea
Jenny

San Francisco

2009-01-04T13:13:00.001-08:00

Well, I realize that I am probably the last person on the face of the earth to have a blog, but I finally thought I would join the blog world and no longer just be a blog stalker:) I don't promise anything super exciting or insightful, but hopefully it will be worth the read.

So, for our big debut...(drum roll please:)) I thought I would add a few pictures from our Christmas. We decided this year that we would go on a vacation with my parents instead of exchanging gifts. We only did stockings (which turned out great b/c anything too big to fit in a stocking was just placed next to the stocking and still called a "stocking stuffer").

We spent the week in San Francisco. It was so much fun!

Here is our Golden Gate Bridge picture. Despite our patient attempts to wait out the fog, this was the best we did:)

We took a night cruise to Alcatraz on our first day in SF. The view from the boat was amazing!

While at Alcatraz, Karson did something that really ticked me off:) hehe...love you honey:)

We visited several wineries in Napa and Sonoma on Day 2. It was very foggy, but still very beautiful scenery!

Later that night, we ate dinner on the balcony and watched the people in Union Square.

We walked up and down Lombard street which is famous for being very steep with lots of turns:)

We visited the Exploratorium, which was beautiful. These are my parents...aren't they cute:)?

And us...aren't we cute:)? j/k

View from Coit Tower...

This is the BART station at Union Square and the sight of my near death experience...okay, so maybe not that near death, but right after we took this picture I was hit in the head by an empty Vodka bottle that somebody on the bridge decided that they didn't want anymore. Pretty exciting, huh?

Karson loved playing with his new Canon 50D. It takes pretty good night shots:)

And...New Years! It was CRAZY in Union Square! Pretty much anything goes...I mean ANYTHING!

Karson and I have been together for six years and this was our first New Years' Eve together. We enjoyed our first ever New Years Eve kiss:)

Wishing you a fabulous 2009 with many blessings!