The Derby (dar-bee)

Pinewood Derby was a greatly anticipated event in the Williams' household. Walt and the kids started a month before. So great was the excitement that not only did Ethan make a car, but Cameron and Laurel each "needed" one of their very own. That's right 3 cars.

Walt let each child pick and draw their design on a paper that he cut out and then cut the pine with. Ethan did all the work on his car except the cutting of the wood. It was truly HIS car. He loved it.

Unfortunately, even with starting a month earlier than the race we ran into some snags. Ethan was sick. He got sick the week before the race, when they planned to have all the painting and wheels on, pretty much done. Then Ethan and Walt were going to test the car and tweak it. We he just didn't feel up to it. So the car didn't get finished until the night before.

The morning of the Pinewood Derby Ethan woke up sick. Really sick. His throat hurt. I took him to the doctor to find out that he had strep throat, again. Normally, I'd have made him stay home. But come on, the kid spent a whole month designing and building his 1st car. Not to mention the years of watching previous derbies. Oh the anticipation was very high.


So this was our solution. I gave him 2 doses of antibiotics and he wore a mask. He had strict instructions not to touch anyone or any other car. He washed his hands about 10 times (I exaggerate, but it was a lot) during the event. To my knowledge, no one else got sick and Ethan enjoyed himself immensely! He also took 3rd place, of which he was pleased. It was a fun night, even if he was sick. Success!

In the eyes of the beholder

Love this little boy who is growing too fast! His eyes only have love in them.

"Turn around, and your tiny. Turn around, and your grown."

"Come what may, and love it!"

"Come what may, and love it!" My newest motto spoken by Elder Wirthlin in the October General Conference of 2008. Some days are not so easy, and life has seemed to have thrown a lot of difficult things in my way lately. Yes, I have pouted and cried, and then cried some more. This is not what I wanted for my life, but it has come none the less. After weeks of daily crying and pep talks, I think I'm okay. I WILL be happy again. I am a happy person, so "Come what may," and keep smiling. Who can frown all day long when you wake up to the most beautiful 6 faces in the world to you?

If anything, I am most grateful for those faces--healthy and strong, vibrant and happy (most of the time)! I am grateful for a wonderful husband who just loves me so deeply. I think that even after nearly 11 years of marriage I am coming to fully understand and trust in that love, though I know that it is fully reciprocated by my love for him. Life has thrown us a lemon or two lately, but I am grateful for the chance to make lemonade! But please Lord, grant me time to find enough sugar for the lemons I have before allowing another one to come my way!

Holy Smokes!

I just realized how long it's been since I last posted. Seriously, there's got to be an easier way to do this. To add pictures on here takes FOREVER!! I'm on a mission to get this blog to be easier to update.

So, no pictures today, but an update none the less. Christmas was great. I didn't seem to feel the usual stress of Christmas that I normally feel. Well, to be honest Christmas 2008 I didn't either, but I did feel morning sick! This Christmas there was a rush, but not the "get to the store, did I get everything I think I'll need/want, will my kids be happy with what they got" kind of rush. Nope. I didn't feel that. I was so focused on making it meaningful. I had the 4 oldest kids make something for one of their siblings and they could buy the others. They each got some homemade gift, and I think they were all quite happy with them. Yes, this equated to me do most of the work as my children are all still young, but this was happy stress to me. I also used things we already had. Very little was bought in the making of the gifts! Love that! The last couple of years Walt has urged me to make Christmas more simple and smaller. Well, he was right! It's great and wonderful. My kids may not get tons, but somehow it seems better than the gotta' get 'em everything they want kind of Christmas. I hope that this way they will realize that our most precious gifts at Christmas are the Gift of the Savior and our family.

After Christmas we were fortunate enough to go down to Vancouver, WA to visit with Walt's brother's family. I was refreshing for me to get out of my normal routine for a bit. The kids cousins are all older than my kids, their youngest is a year older than Ethan; however, they were great with them! The teenaged girls spoiled Laurel and listened to her non-stop chattering about anything and everything with sweet smiles of adoration. They thought she was "So cute!" Yes, she is, but she sure can talk. As for Ethan and Cameron they followed Jonny all around and I think Jonny enjoyed playing with boys close to his age. There are 6 kids in his family and the only other boy is the oldest.

While in Vacouver we had planned to visit Walt's best friend, who lives outside of Portland, on a specified day and time. Well, shortly before we left it began to snow. As we traveled the snow kept falling, falling, and falling. We had just exited onto the 450 bridge, when our friends called to tell us to abort because they had already gotten 4-5 inches of snow. However, it was already too late. We had to go over that bridge. It took us a riviting 2 hours to cross that sheet of ice! It was scary, and I am so happy that we made it safely across. Walt showed some mighty fine driving skills!! We saw plenty of people who had to park their cars and hike off that bridge. We got turned around and crossed the opposite direction which goes under the top bridge we previously crossed in about 5 minutes. Big difference! So we didn't get to see the friends, but we were safe and that's what counted that night.

When we got back to Vancouver, it was about 8ish, but my kids still went sledding on the hill my brother-in-law lives on. They were out there until around 10 p.m. At least they have a good memory to go along with the tense one from earlier in the evening.

The excitement didn't stop there. We returned home and I had hoped to get things back on track. I had the kids help me unpack and clean. This led to much screaming, moaning, and fighting. Yah, I'm sure you know the kind if you have kids. Well, long story short, Cameron ended up sitting on the drain in the shower, and it overflowed and went through the floor/ceiling in to my kitchen. So we started the new year with 30 half inch holes drilled into my new kitchen ceiling and a very loud fan blowing. The dry wall took a week to dry out, but at least there was no major damage.

This week we are heading into some events. I am having carpal tunnel surgery on my wrist and the following day is Walt's 29th birthday yet again. He hasn't been excited for his birthday for a few years now, and this birthday is no exception. I wish I could say it looks promising that we can make it extra special, but I am worried it might be a rotten day. I think I will have to prepare early this week to do something thoughtful and loving for him that day.

1 month, 2 months, a house, and more

Aaron at one month. He was so broken out that this was the best picture of him. Laurel seems to be hogging most of the picture.

Aaron at two months. He was just starting to smile socially. Here he is laughing at the light fixture in our new living room. I'm not sure I know why it's so funny.

Now for the house. I know my sister has been waiting to see it. So now, here it is! Probably, not all in the best order either.
The front door from inside the house.

Downstairs half bath.

We will be using this as the sitting/home teacher room. It is to the right of the entryway.

Walt's office, left of the entryway.

AAAAA!!! These are completely out of the order I thought they would be in. I tried to change them, but I am not savvy enough.

In the dining room looking into the family room and the kitchen. This picture was purely to help give the relation of the rooms.

The living room. (Note, the previous owner used this as their formal dining room. I said, "No way with carpet.")

That is the light fixture Aaron finds so hilarious.

Cutie Luke in the corner of the picture here.

The dining room (ours at least). We plan on putting a window in the wall back there, so that it will get some natural light. I would also like to paint the bead board white.

The kitchen.

Laurel's room. It is long and narrow. The wall on the left of the picture is where her bed is.

Boys bathroom.

Ethan and Cameron's bedroom.

The staircase that you see as soon as you walk in the door.

Master bath. Love the moulding around my mirror!

Master closet.

Master bedroom.

Luke and Aaron's room. This room is still covered in girly wall paper. It will change to be like the rest of the house...someday.

Mudroom/food storage room. Off of the playroom before the garage. The door you are looking out is an outside door that we generally enter.

The play room. It used to be a 2 car garage. The large doorway is the entrance to the mudroom/food storage.

Part of the laundry room! Lots of storage for a little place.

My craft room. Again some wall paper border that will have to come down eventually.












Well folks, that is the basic tour unfinished. I will have to post more photos as things actually take better shape. I'm afraid for now it is still quite chaotic here but beginning to smooth out. Wish me luck.

Our newest family picture. Taken in our yard against the fence. The barn/shed is our neighbor's. I love how much of a crayon box we look like. Goodness, I am in love with my family. Aren't they all just adorable?

Moving on up!

We are set to close on our old house and our new house on Friday. I am so excited! I have been trying to hold back the excitement, just in case... But really, I am too excited to think clearly at some moments. I especially am not sleeping well. I am hoping that our new house will hold as much joy as this house has in the last 8+ years that we have lived here. Walt keeps asking me if I will cry, or at what point I will cry about leaving our small home. I don't know when, but I am sure I will cry. Cry that I am leaving the house I have lived in the longest in my whole life. Cry that I am leaving the house that I brought home all my babies to. Cry that our house served us so well. Cry that we are happy to move to a house that will fit our large, young family. Cry that my new house has 2 stories, just like I have wished for my whole life. And I may just cry because I will have twice as much to clean! What ever happens, there is one surety, I will cry. The memories here are so fond and dear to my heart. This was a happy home! So, thank-you house, you were a good one, and adieu!

Gifts of God

As most people know, who read this blog, our baby Aaron Lee Williams was born July 21st. He has been such a delight! I love my babies so. I can't help but stare at him, and I marvel at the miracle he is (and that all my children are). He has a look all his own, and yet he looks like he is one of us.

In the months previous and weeks after his birth have been those full of commotion, frenzy, faith, and prayer. We have been trying to sell our home since May. My previous post explains all this. It has been a difficult experience, especially keeping an immaculate house with 4 children for that long. Things seemed to just get worse and worse around here. It was at times discouraging, but all the while I spurred myself on saying, "It is all a trial of your faith. The Lord has not led you here to abandon you now." I am glad to say that exactly a week after Aaron was born we received 3 offers in the same day. We agreed to one of the offers, which is somewhat strangely a family we know. I have prayed and prayed unceasingly since May and I still feel good about it all. I hope that things will continue to go well. If all goes to plan we will be moving in a couple of weeks. I am so grateful to the Lord for His love and gifts to our family. Even when things seemed they couldn't get worse around here, and then it kept seeming to get worse, He provide the way to take care of our needs. Now that is LOVE!
Enjoy some more pictures of our newest little one. He is only a day old in them.