"Love Gift"

The other day while visitng family for Thanksgiving I mentioned to a relative that I had a gift ready to give them and meant to bring it that day. However, since I had forgotten it and would be bringing it at Christmas time I wanted them to know that it was not a christmas gift but just a little "Love Gift". Love gift just rolled right off my tongue like I said it all the time, this is not something I mention a lot however...and then I remembered...GRANDMA Ruth! She brought "Love Gifts" all the time as we grew up. Anything from candy to donuts to socks to crossword puzzle books. Usually no special reason, just meant she was thinking about us before she came to say hello. It just made me smile and remember her. Isn't that what all gifts should be? ... even Christmas gifts..."Love Gifts" given from the heart to "treat" the other person. So this Christmas season I hope to give even the simplist of gifts as "Love gifts." I miss you Grandma Ruth!

A Dream Come True

After a very long wait, the day finally and unexpectedly came. I have wanted a Pontiac Grand Prix GT in the '97-'03 body style since they came out in 1996. Something about the way the car looked just lit me up. I have never been one to lust after a car. In fact, I'm not really a car person at all. But this car was the exception. Of course I've never been willing or really able to go into debt to get the car before now. So over the years I reconciled that I wouldn't ever be able to own the car of my dreams. However, my gracious mother had put together her own dream list of things she wants to do someday. One of those items was to buy me my dream car.

Well all that came to a head on the 28th, yes black Friday, when Mackenzie and I decided that we will get up early and experience my first shopping fiasco. We just wanted to get out and see all the wackos trampling people in the doorways of Walmart. Maybe we might even take advantage of some discounts at Lowe's for our home improvement ventures. There was add on the radio for Mel Hambleton Ford about cars for $500. We thought we should go check it out. So we get there at 8am and the $500 cars were pretty much gone, but there were other cars on sale with 'one day' specials. Low and behold there sits a perfect Grand Prix GT.

Before this day, I had decided that if I was ever going to buy one, it would have to be Red, have tinted windows, sedan, CD player, and cloth seats. Those were the unneggotiables. I also wanted the equalizer 8-speaker Bose system and a sunroof, but that would come in model '99-'03.

So, there sat a 1998 Grand Prix GT, red, with tinted windows, sedan, and cloth seats. It was very reasonably priced for a Grand Prix right now, but still more than we could afford right now. Especially considering that it has only had one owner, and was taken in to the dealership every 3 months for oil changes and required maintenance. It also has remote start and a Fram Air Hog air filter. This car is extremely clean and in immaculate condition. So as not to give up easily I immediately called my mom. We talked for a few minutes and figured out if it was possible. Well not really. Then I made some other calls. Turns out it's more possible than I thought. So I called mom again. She decided that it might be able to be done under strict rules and regulations (most of which involved the acquisition of a personalized license plate). So long story (sorry) made short, it's in my garage. My wonderful mother can put a check mark on her dream list and I don't have to wonder if I will ever drive my dream car. I love it, and it is a huge blessing. I'm really thankful and would love to show anyone more of it.

New Little Babies and Goat Cheese

We sure are getting a lot bigger lately. We just passed the 16 month marker and have finally grown out of our 12 month clothes. We have learned several baby signs and have started to articulate words a little more clearly. Communication is coming along quite nicely. But even though we are getting big fast, we still have a baby moments when it's milk time. In fact staying healthy, growing big, following rules, and learning everyday, keeps us quite busy, but it just seemed like there wasn't enough to do. Well needless to say, there has been some baby talk aroung the Williamson house lately. It seems like everyone else is making a new addtion to there family within the next year. So we decided that circumstances were working out quite nicely for us and it was time to grow our family a little bit more. So here is the first look at our newest addition!






















His name is Kasarli (pronounced Ku-shar-lee), which is Turkish for "goat cheese." We've always wanted an orange kitty and wanted to name it a word from our oversees trips. We came up with Kasarli a long time ago and liked it. So things are still changing quite a bit around here, but now we have a new baby too. He's so cute.

Generations

A short trip to Topeka to celebrate 50 years of barbering by Grandpa Williamson. Pictured here are four generations of Williamson family. It was quite the exciting time. We really like the cake and the baloons. In fact, we got to bring the baloons home and now we walk around the house with them. It was a good time to see family and share in the celebration.

Good Bye...COUCH

Today it is time to say goodbye to this lovely beast. It has been in our family for...hmmm I dunno...too long. Mom first purchased it sometime when I was in highschool then it moved with Resa and Eric to Tennessee and when they moved to Kansas I inherited it for my apartment. From there it came with me when I married Brad and moved to our home here on Parkwood Lane. Within the next week it, along with its now fashionable slip-cover, will be moving to a house with 3 single girls. It has served us well for many afternoon naps, a cozy spot to watch movies, lots of conversation with good friends, and its most recent use as a toddler jungle gym(well it may have been that when it was brand new too) Like I said it has been around too long. GOODBYE COUCH!

Little Things...

I learned how to play house today. Mommy put my baby doll to sleep in this box and I decided to get in instead. Boxes are so much fun!

Dolly came inside with me and I read her the tooth book by dr. seuss.

This is the first time I got to play in the water at the kitchen sink! I had so much fun I didn't move for 30 minutes! Thanks Mom!

I love watching daddy work outside!

7 months Old

Here I am exactly SEVEN months old! Life is so much fun!

A Day of Faces

What a Ham!!

Merry Christmas...in February??

Here I am playing in all the WONDERFUL paper!! well, I guess I am paused for a moment while Stella checks to see if I have any teeth yet...hmmm NOPE.



Here are my cousins Naomi and Elena thoroughly enjoying the late-night gift mania!




Here is everyone who came to the 3rd annual "Bowling Extravaganza" It was lots of fun. The smiles are very large in this picture because daddy had turned the camera timer on and then ran to get into the picture. ...while running he decided to jump over a full size chair and wound up tripping and flying(yes flying) flat on his face much to the suprise amusement of everyone in the pic...somehow he still scrambled to make it into the photo though. Most of us are still laughing at his "athletic display."

You're still my hero Daddy!

First Christmas Present

My eyes lit up as I began unwrapping my very first christmas present EVER!!! I loved the paper the best. But once I saw the toy inside I thought it was pretty cool to play with too.

I sat right next to Mama Robin and played with my new stacker! Some of the pieces made lots of noise, that was the best!