"Team Williams" family blog

40 Reasons for 40 Years!

2010-06-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

The patriarch of this little family is celebrating a milestone birthday, 40 years old!
In his honor, a reason of the top 40 reasons I love/appreciate/enjoy Dan (in no particular order):

40. He has a perfect nose. I regret that Quincy didn't inherit it.
39. He has a perfect chin. I regret that Quincy didn't inherit it.
38. He has beautiful blue eyes. I am thrilled Quincy inherited them.
37. He is a snappy dresser
36. When he puts on dark sunglasses and asks "Do I look dangerous?"
35. "Write if you get work" and other Dan-ism's
34. His absurd devotion to the Snoqualmie Valley Elk
33. His traditional chili burger breakfast choice
32. "snick - ers"
31. When we spend hours talking about what we would do if we won the lotto (even though we don't play)
30. Watching "our shows" together while eating ice cream
29. His honesty
28. His compassion and generosity
27. When he sends flowers to me at work for no reason
26. He let's me sleep in on the weekends
25. I rarely ever have to do the laundry
24. I mostly NEVER have to fill my gas tank myself
23. When he cooks scrumptious dinners
22. He looks good in a hat
21. A tremendous love, and ridiculous knowledge of all the old Highways of Washington State
20. His appreciation
19. His patience
18. His excitement about toys, trains and matchbox cars
17. Snuggles :)
16. Those sideburns - 10 years later, I still love 'em
15. Appreciates a wide variety of music
14. We work well together to get things done
13. I still get kinda excited when I see him coming to "visit" me at work
12. His love for Christmas - everything about it
11. His wit and sarcastic sense of humor
10. When he talks to me about sports (as though I understand)
9. His patriotism and respect for the American flag (this was a very recent discovery of mine)
8. When he is affectionate and tender with me
7. Kisses after a clean shave (wink wink)
6. Weekend morning coffee
5. When he bakes blueberry muffins while I am still sleeping in the mornings
4. He is handy around the house
3. He is so smart - he can answer almost all my questions (it's like having a human encyclopedia!)
2. World's best hubby!
1. World's best daddy!

Happy birthday Dan! I love you!

tap tap tap This thing on?

2010-04-15T19:51:00.001-07:00

Anyone out there? Anyone still care about this blog? Team Williams?

Should I bother trying again? :)

Spain Girls Reunion!

2010-01-20T22:10:00.000-08:00

So, lucky girl that I am, left Spain 11 years ago with not only an amazing, life-changing experience living in and traveling throughout Europe... but I also left with 4 of the best girlfriends anyone could ask for. We try as much as possible to re-unite as often as we can, but being so scattered across... well, currently, North America, it isn't something we get to do quite often enough. The last time we were all together all at once was in 2003 for Lindsay's wedding. Too long ago!

This last weekend we managed to make it happen again... no weddings required! We all met up in Phoenix, where Jenny currently lives. It was an amazing weekend! I flew in Thursday night, and first spent the evening catching up with my dear high school friend, Erin, who has two adorable little girls (one of which is only 5 weeks old!). After spending some time with Erin, it was time for her to drop me off with Jenny...and the official "Spain Girls Reunion" began! During the weekend we mostly laughed and relaxed, and remembered how lucky we are to have each other!

Here are the stats from the weekend:
50 - beautifully painted toes (and 10 pretty fingers!)

1 - incident of falling down laughing in the hotel hallway

2 - occasions requiring a dash to the bathroom to avoid an "accident"
1 - incident of laughing while drinking a margarita = messy
1 - phone call from the hotel about the noise from our room
3 - hours of shopping (without kids!)

42 - references to a "ballerina/ballerino"
27 - references to a "carabineer"
4 - references to a "best boy"

5 - "Chocolate con tequila" consumed

374 - memories of Spain discussed

562 - photographs taken in Spain looked at

(11 years ago! Our "roadtrip" to Portugal)

15 - shot's taken (German Chocolate Cake shots?! YUM!)

1 - unsuccessful attempt at using broccoli as a tequila shot "chaser"

0 - opportunities to lounge poolside (sad)
0 - calories consumed (it's a rule - calories don't count!)
1 - brief baby visit (with Jenny's adorable little one!)

3 - Awesome hubbies who took over Daddy duties the entire weekend we were away (Thank you Dan, Bob and Jared!)
172,800 - seconds of FUN!

I can't wait until we do it again!

"Blast Off" It's a Rocket Party!

2010-01-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

I could not allow a birthday to pass without doing something to celebrate. It's simply not in my nature. (Although, I did temper it just a bit...I will save the big stuff for later)

So, after several conversation's like this -
Me: What kind of birthday party do you want?
Quincy: *Silence*

Me: Do you want a Lightening McQueen Party, or a Monster Truck Party, or a John Deere Party?

Quincy: YES!

I sorta gave up... and did what I wanted to do, which was a Rocket Party. I am sure in the years to come, he will have a very definite idea of what type of party he wants to have. So, for now, mommy had her fun!

Rocket Themed decor:

Conveniently, we have tons of Rocket Stuff already because Quincy's bedroom is Retro-Rocket themed. I just strategically placed a few items from his room around the party area. I strung up some silvery stars from the ceiling (also, conveniently left over Christmas decorations I just didn't pack away) and hung some rockets (that will later be launched... a HIGHLY anticipated event for ALL the Williams' family men) to look like they were flying around space. Quincy helped me decorate by tossing some silver star confetti all over the kitchen island. He did great with it... although, eventually gave up on "scattering" them and left a substantial pile of stars on the table. I think we will be finding stars in the oddest places for weeks.

Do you know that very little "Rocket" themed party supplies exist? Why are mother's everywhere forced into throwing horribly boring, cartoon character parties. Not for me, no sireee.

I did however, find these adorable Straws, and that was the extent of it.

Rocket Themed Games:

Ok, This is where my party may have fallen short, but there were only 4 kids, and I just didn't get too creative with the games. I found some crayola space stickers that they could color, which actually did keep them quiet and entertained for about 10 minutes (which is like eternity). The put the stickers up on some poster board paper with a big moon on it. We then used this poster board to play "Pin the Rocket on the Moon". I realized that "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" is the worlds most versatile game. It can be re-created into just about ANYTHING! It was fun... and amused the kids for another 10 minutes.

Some of the "big" kids got into it too.

Rocket Themed Food:

The best part of a themed party for me, is coming up with creative foods to fit the theme. For this party, it was mostly coming up with fun names for everyday foods. Here was the menu:

Star Dippers and Caramel Sauce = Apples cut into star shapes (at least that was the idea) with dip

Intergalactic Veggies = Veggie Platter

Moon Mac n' Cheese = Um... Mac n' Cheese

Cosmic Chili = Pioneer Woman's Chili!

Space Spuds = Baked Potatoes w/ all the fixin's

Alien Goo Sundaes = Blue Jello Cups

Tang! Of Course!

Had I been really adventurous, I had planned to make corn dogs and stick them into floral foam or something similar to prop them up as "Rocket Dogs"... but, not for this party. Life goes on... we hope.

And the best part of a kids birthday party?

THE CAKE!

There are so many Rocket Cakes out there... but this was one I found that I thought was cute and do-able:

Find the tutorial here (Theirs is a little bit prettier... please don't judge me too harshly).

Rocket Party Favors:

Ok, These were what I spent most of my weekend working on. It was fun, and something I had long wanted to do... but, man, it was time consuming!

First you make the cookies... then the black outlines... then let them dry overnight.

Then, fill in the blue... let it dry 5-6 hours. Then, fill in the red... let it dry 5-6 Then write the "Q". Allow the entire cookie to dry at least 24 hours before placing into cellophane baggies. Phew. Add cute little "Rocket" Thank You Tags, and VIOLA! Done!

Fleets of Rockets drying before "launch"

I really liked the sugar cookie recipe I found here. But... royal icing is just not tasty. Pretty, but not tasty (and it was even a Martha recipe!). Any one have a better one?

So, there you have it. During November and December I really had to stop with all the parties because I was so busy at work... what a bummer, that's the best time of year for parties, too. Now, I am hoping that I can get back in the swing of things, and have fun again! :)

3 Year Old in the Hizzy....

2010-01-10T22:53:00.000-08:00

It is official. Quincy is 3!

We had a fun day to celebrate this eventful milestone birthday (er....)

Dan and I both took a half day at work, and picked him up from daycare at noon. First stop, Red Robin for lunch. They announced his birthday to everyone in the restaurant and sang to him and brought him a ice cream sundae. He was a little bit bashful, but you could tell he really loved the attention (where does he get that from?)

We then drove to one of our favorite neighborhoods in Seattle, Ballard to visit "Golden Gardens". Quincy loves the beach so much (he asks if we can go quite often), so we took him to the closest sandy beach we could think of. It wasn't too cold, and the sun peaked out occasionally. Hey, it is January in Western Washington, we did pretty good. He dug around in the sand for quite awhile, and then... the highlight of short Quincy's life occurred: A Freight Train rumbled past.

Bless his heart, he tried to chase that train with all he could give.

Once the train was out of sight he matter-o-factly declared, "Let's go find that train guys!" (Yes... he calls us "guys")

We played along for a good 90 minutes or so, before he caught on somewhere around Issaquah. He was NOT happy. Quite upset actually, and continued to ask to go see the train throughout the remainder of the evening (and week actually).

I think all-in-all, despite the train incident, he had a wonderful birthday!

I am amazed at what a grown up boy he is. He always surprises us with new things. I can't help but look at him, especially at night when he has finally fallen asleep.... he looks so grown up now. He is not my baby, not even a teensy, tiny bit. I am trying to remind myself that he will continue to get bigger and bigger. At some point in the next several years... he will stop crawling into bed with us every night, he will not be so quick to give me kisses and tell me he loves me, he will not want me to hold him and carry him, he will not want me to play at the park with him, instead of saying "I am not happy" when frustrated or upset.... he will just slam the door and give me the silent treatment, he will not want to help me with my hair and makeup or pick out what I should wear (which he really likes to do)... sometimes it is hard to remember, but I am trying to enjoy it all... all. I swear, just over the last month he has more independent than ever. I can already see three being the "I will do it all by myself" phase, and even that leaves me with mixed emotions. So grown up, and only three.

Wait for it.... Wait for it.....

2010-01-10T22:27:00.003-08:00

NOW

New Years Resolution...

2010-01-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

To start blogging again, now that the hub-bub of the holidays is over.

This resolutions starts.... soon. Get ready for it.

It may require you to set aside at least 45 minutes.

Find a cozy spot... maybe a nice cuppa tea.

It will be worth the wait.

I swear it.

November Updates

2009-11-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

Howdy Blog Readers....

I have been insanely busy over the last several weeks. Work keeps my extra, extra occupied... and when I am not at work, I am spending some quality time with my two favorite guys. So here are some really quick updates:

Quincy is finally loving swimming lessons! It took about 5 lessons, each one with progressively less clinging and crying... now he is like a fish, and impressing me with every lesson!

Oh yes, did I mention I am taking online college classes? I am taking an "introduction to business" course, but truth be told... I can't handle it. Not because it is hard... I have aced the papers turned in thus far, and done pretty well... I just don't have the time for it! I know getting my degree (finally) would be great, but I might have to come back and try again when Quincy is a little bit older.
Birthday festivities are beginning... got my first gift from my mom, the plaid jacket featured on my other blog. I love it. I am going to wear it today when Dan and I go out for a birthday dinner and a little antique-ing. Maybe Dan can take a picture of my all done up :) I will add it later... check back soon!
Keeping up with the cake decorating classes, and I utterly love it. It is so much fun, and not to boast, but I think I am pretty good at it!
Dan is hoping to hear soon about a supervisor position he applied for... everyone think good thoughts for him! I know he is the best man for the job, it's just a matter of convincing the right people of it!
Planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas is in full swing! I have too many things I would like to do, so now it is a matter of narrowing down what exactly I will be doing this year, and what will have to wait... stay tuned!

Halloween!

2009-11-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Halloween with friends, even though it was not as elaborate as I had hoped to make it... I will just have to save up all those spooky party ideas for next year I suppose. We had just a few friends come over for dinner and then we packed the kids up and drove to the only well lit and sidewalked neighborhood in town... along with everyone else in North Bend!

For weeks we asked Quincy what he wanted to be for Halloween, and the most consistent response recieved was "An Amazing Monster". When I tried to get more details, like what an amazing monster looked like? how many eyes did it have? what color is an amazing monster? etc. the only answer I got was that it was "really, really big". Hmmm. So, instead of risking it and creating a monster costume not to his liking, we instead defaulted to a regular ol' store-bought costume. Batman. Boring, but I guess there will be many more Halloween's to come for me to get super creative.

Don't bug me, dad.

I instead got super creative with my own costumer. I saw a children's costume at Pottery Barn Kids, and loved it.... a cupcake. Why couldn't a grown up be a cupcake? I could find no good reason. So I made my own little costume (whipped it up Halloween morning!) and I loved it! People even knew what it was without explaination!

We had a great dinner. My friends helped me create a sppoky meal. Darby took on the "graveyard" meatloaves (she even found little plastic bones to stick in them!), Lisa made the "Bleeding Heart Brie" and I made the Mashed Potatoe Ghosts and Ghouls Gravy. It was a pretty scrumptious meal.

And I wanted to keep practicing my newly learned cake decorating skills, so I decorated a cake for the occasion.

We tortured the children by making them take pictures before trick-or-treating!

And the dad's eyed the loot after trick-or-treating

Snow Queen Lisa, and Hippie-Zombie, Nate (a big change from just an annoying hippie in 2008)

Farmer Darby, and her favorite chicken, Jeremy

I am sorry to say, somehow we did not end up with pictures of our friend "Al"queda.... and Dan, well he was a "party pooper". No, really. No costumer this year. I will work on him for next year.

Two Year Old Available for Rental

2009-11-01T21:14:00.000-08:00

I won't say he is for sale... yet, but definitely for rent. And even saying "rent" is a misnomer, because there will be no charges. In fact... we may pay YOU.

At our wits end here at the Williams house. We have not slept an entire night without a third person in our bed in weeks now. Peace typically doesn't arrive until after 10pm. Dan and I have only had "lunch" dates at Subway and Red Robin since August. And to describe Quincy as "high-energy" is putting it mildly.

But don't worry... he will be nothing but adorable for you, we swear it.

P.S. A special "Thank You" to my mom who has taken pity on us, and will actually fly here in December just to give us a quick weekend break. Bless you, sweet mother of mine. Seriously.

Wilton Cake #3

2009-10-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

Our final cake for Course #1, and learning to make roses! This was the cake I was most excited for, and I loved making the roses! I think I will make a rose cake at least weekly. Don't worry... I won't actually EAT these cakes, that's what friends and co-workers are for.

Being so close to Halloween I was going for a very dark and Gothic look. I iced it in black (or as close to black as I was able to manage!) and very deep scarlet red roses, with deep, dark green leaves. I also sprinkled some edible black glitter over the top. My original plan was to include some "cake jewelry" some beads dangling from wire up and out of the cluster of roses, but then I decided to go with the "less is more" approach. The cake itself is a three layer Red Velvet cake with pre-made store bought cheesecake filling.

And fear not, we signed up for Course #2, during which we will learn how to make Royal Icing and other types of flowers, with a grand finale cake: a basket full of flowers!

"Special" Sandbox

2009-10-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

There is no mistaking it, fall is upon us and in the Pacific Northwest that means rain, and lots of it.

Last weekend Quincy wanted to go play in the dirt (um, yes, he is 110% boy). He has all kinds of little tractors and construction vehicles that he likes to dig in the dirt with, and if that is a change from his usual request to watch "Scooby Doo" or "Sponge Bob Square Pants" I am all for it.

With the rainy weather however, even when it is not actually raining, the dirt is quite saturated and not at all conducive to digging.

So last weekend I got creative, and followed a queue from Quincy's daycare.... a rice "sandbox". I found the biggest tupperware I could find, and the remnants of the rice I had and he loved it. He played for quite awhile in his sandbox, and played in it almost everyday this week.

A couple days ago I stepped it up just a little bit... bought a bigger aluminum roasting pan and a very cheap, big bag of rice.

Our floor is nearly always covered with rice, but that is OK, as long as he is happy and using his imagination instead of being glued to the TV! Anyhow... my floors are nearly always a mess anyhow, who am I kidding.

Wilton Cake #2

2009-10-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

OK! Second Wilton Cake from my Cake Decorating Class! I tried to think of something fun to do... but, I just stuck with the basic clown theme. I am more excited for the cake itself... a lemon cake with lemon curd filling (four layers)... OH YUM! But the decorations are cute too.

I have BIG plans for next weeks cake... so stay tuned.

Annual Pumpkin Patch Trip

2009-10-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had our annual Pumpkin Patch trip with the Froelich clan. It was great fun, as usual. The weather was PERFECT. It was sunny and cool, just like it should be for a perfect pumpkin patch trip. I went all out... you can read more about that at my other blog, but it was worth it. It turned out great and I am looking forward to doing it again next year!

We ran through the corn maze, found our perfect pumpkins, had dinner at Jerrie and Karl's place... and Quincy was in hog heaven with his cousins and especially his teenage cousins who doted upon him. What wouldn't a boy love about having several beautiful teenage girls shower him with attention? He is a smart 2 year old... he knows whats up.

Future Pianist?

Karli's Pumpkin was so big it took two of them to carry it!

And the evening ended with children being tossed about... so you know the night ended well!

31 Shopping Days

2009-10-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

ahem

This is a notice to all. 31 shopping days until yours truly turns... well... turns 1 year older we will say. If you are stumped as to what glorious gift you might want to bestow upon me, venture to my other blog for a 21st century "wish list".

Cake Decorating Class

2009-10-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

Because I don't have enough going on already... insert tone of sarcasm here.... I thought it would be loads of fun to sign up for a Cake Decorating Class! My dear grandmother made the most beautiful cakes, and it was such a nice memory of her, I thought... maybe I can do it too!? So I did! Class is every Tuesday in October, 4 in all and I now present to you my very first cake, all gussied up:

So, it's not perfect, actually...it is pretty darned flawed. But I am sure that with time, I will be a pro... or at least a darned good amateur.

I was going to write "Annie's Alphabet" (The name of Quincy's daycare) but really.... I could barely get just a simple letter "A" to look right. So, this is what I ended up with and it will just have to do! I think it is also important to note that the cake inside is confetti cake, I thought it was most appropriate.

Let me know if you need me to decorate a cake for you any time soon.

A Giveaway!

2009-10-01T23:13:00.001-07:00

Be sure to check out my other blog "All my little inspirations" for a fabulous Halloween giveaway!

A Salute to our German Heritage!

2009-10-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

Look Mom! Sauerkraut and Schnitzel!

Just in time to honor the final days of Oktoberfest! OK... maybe not so much Dan's German Heritage, but at least the good fine German blood running through Quin and I.

When my mother was a young girl her family lived in Germany where my grandfather was stationed with the Marines. During this time, they invested in a little article of clothing for my uncle, a traditional pair of Lederhosen.

My brother's wore the Lederhosen when they were little, and when my mom brought the Lederhosen for Quincy to wear when he was big enough, both Dan and I were pretty excited. Who do you know that has an authentic pair of Lederhosen?

This last weekend we had some nice sunny weather and decided... it was time. Time for the LEDERHOSEN photo shoot.

So without further ado... I present Germany's finest:

Grandpa V's visit to Washington

2009-09-28T23:51:00.001-07:00

Q: What do you get when you force a two year old boy to stop playing and take a photo with Grandpa?

A: The fattest, poutiest lower lip this side of the Mississippi.

We love you Dad! So glad to have you visit, even if it was too short!

New Rubber Boots!

2009-09-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

It became clear over this long weekend that summer sandals would not longer be appropriate as we entered September. It poured and poured all weekend long... which meant there were some awfully wet toes in the Williams household! Quincy and I set off to the Outlet mall to find a more accommodating pair of shoes at Stride Rite. We found some, a perfect little pair of boat shoes. Then, on our way to pay...we hit gold! A pair of spider rubber boots! We purchased them as well, and Quincy eagerly placed them on over his little bare toes. We did lots of puddle jumping and mud squishing to be absolutely certain that they were just right. They are and both Quincy and I are as happy about it as can be.

Quincy Quotes

2009-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Quincy is a chatterbox. I don't know where he gets it from. He say
s the funniest things sometimes:

Yesterday as I picked him up, this was the conversation -
Me: groan You are such a big, heavy boy now
Quincy: No I am not. I am little. I am little, like a squirrel.

On our way out to a Mexican Restaurant-
Quincy: I want a hot dog
Me: Oh, Quincy sometimes we go places that don't have hot dogs. We get to try something new.
Quincy: Oh BUMMER.
Really, what made this the funniest had more to do with the face he made and the tone he said it in. Dan and I were in stitches.

He has also turned into a backseat driver, telling Daddy to slow down. Dan like to thank me for that. heehee.

Oh, it's fun!

Isn't he Precious?

2009-08-17T21:04:00.002-07:00

a face only a

mother could love

The Seattle Aquarium

2009-08-17T21:04:00.001-07:00

After dropping my mom off at the airport to head back home, we decided to play "tourists" and hit the waterfront. We visited the Seattle Aquarium, ate some fish and chips at Ivar's, and had a Carousel ride. Quincy was beside himself. He was so full of joy he was bursting! It was pretty funny, especially as his joy manifests itself in the form of mega-energy and super-loud two year old. It was a setting where we could allow it, so it was fun for all (until it came time to leave, the fun stopped then).

Dan poses with a Waterfront statue

If Quincy thought the Aquarium was fun, he was just in seventh heaven while riding the Carousel. I was a little unsure about letting him ride without sitting with him, and frankly, I think he was a little unsure about it as well... but once the ride began, he squealed with absolute delight. These are the moments of motherhood that make bearing through the tantrums worth it!

A visit with Grandma

2009-08-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of spending some time with my mom this last few weeks. She came up at the end of July, and was able to stay for a little over 2 weeks. Quincy had a great time. He insisted on mostly hanging around the house with Grandma all day, but I think they got in some nice walks as well as a visit to Woodland Park Zoo, and the Children's Museum. Dan and I filled up on as many "date-nights" as we could. I hope my dear mother didn't feel too taken advantage of! :) We loved it! We even went on a double date one night with friends whose daughter was staying with her Grandma too! Yay for Grandma's!! I really, really, really wish I had one around more often. Hmmm... I am sure there are some good speech pathologist jobs here in North Bend. I even briefly thought I could handle another child, then reality hit... I could only do it if I had a live-in Granny!

Sadly, because Quincy and Grandma mostly hung around the house... and Dan and I tried to not hang out around the house, we have limited photographs of this last couple weeks with Grandma. We did go on an adventure one day while she was here however. It started out as a trip to "Northwest Trek" and ended up as a trip to Mount Rainier. I think we were all very happy it ended up that way too. It was a perfect day, and Mount Rainier is just so lovely. We did a little "hiking"... as much as one can do with a 2 year old, and had a really nice lunch at the Inn in Longmire as well. While hiking around we even came across a mother deer with her two young fawns. It was quite a sight.

Seven Year Itch

2009-08-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

An Engagement Photo

Isn't that what they say? Well, we hit our 7 years of wedded bliss on August 10th. We celebrated in grand fashion, taking advantage of my mom's extended stay we headed over to Suncadia Lodge for a few days. It was so relaxing. I spent some time at the spa, we took a long bike ride, we enjoyed good food, and caught up on some sleep. It was so nice to get away, and I am so appreciative of my mom for watching Quincy for those few days for us.

I am amazed that 7 years has gone by! Look at how much has changed in those 7 years! But funny enough, it feels like just yesterday! We had such a wonderful wedding, and everyone we love was there to celebrate with us. Since that day, we have had a lot of fun, and been through some tougher times together as well. I am so lucky to have a husband who will stand by my side through it all. We recognize when the other needs some support and time alone, or maybe some time to reconnect with eacy other. We laugh together, especially now that a charming boy has joined our family. I look at Quincy in amazement sometimes, it is our love and commitment to one another that created this beautiful child. Together we are a family, and it all started seven years ago with an "I do".

A visit to Cannon Beach

2009-08-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Much needed "Team Williams" family updates... coming your way!!! Isn't it funny, when we have the most to blog about, is also when I have no time to blog! I will do my best to update everyone on all that we have done over the last month (or more) over the next couple days.

Most recently... a fabulous, albeit too short (3 days), trip to Cannon Beach, OR. It had been a several years since Dan and I went, and it was Quincy's first real visit to the ocean. The last two hours of the long drive there, Quincy whined that he wanted to go back home. The last two hours of the long drive home, he whined that he didn't want to go home and demanded we return to our cottage and the beach. We all wished we could have stayed longer (and I wished the weather had been just a little bit nicer!) Our favorite parts of the trip:

A visit to the Tillamook Cheese factory! Quincy loved watching all the conveyor belts and cheese moving from one place to another

Ice Cream! Ice Cream! Ice Cream!

Playing in the sand, making castles... and then DESTROYING said castles

Time to relax together as a family
Lots of walks on the beach

Our little beach cottage, just a block from the beach
Playing in the waves, the cold Oregon waves

Seeing the starfish in the tide pools of Haystack Rock

Watching all the colorful kites in the sky

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely three day weekend, with sun and warm weather to really make it feel as a Fourth of July weekend should... hot and sticky! We celebrated with friends on Friday evening, and on Saturday Quincy and I went with Darby and Ellette, over to Darby's mom's place for some fun and BBQ. The kids had fun (although Quincy was seriously lacking sleep, which is dangerous) playing together, throwing rocks in the lake, and watching the fireworks go off all around us. We got home and laid out on the lawn watching the neighborhood fireworks light up the sky. Quincy became frightened by the noise, so all the little fireworks I bought went unused and he ended up sleeping in our bed all night.

Today we celebrated the last day of the long weekend, and warm weather with a quick trip to local Ollalie state park. It was pretty, and the river looked tempting on a hot day like today.

10 years ago...

2009-06-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

It recently dawned on me that it was 10 years ago this month that I returned from my year abroad. I look back and feel so lucky to have spent that time in Spain. It helped mold me into who I am today, and still today I think of my time there fondly.

10 years ago...

I had some of the best friends! The "Spain Girls" still keep in touch, and we try to have reunion's as often as we can. 10 years later it is harder and harder to do. We have married, had children, spread out, but these girls are still a huge and important part of me. I laugh often remembering some of the wild shenanigans we got ourselves into!

I returned a lot thinner! Everyday in Madrid I walked miles... to school, to the grocery store, to the park... wherever...if it was sunny, we walked there. On top of that, I was also running nearly everyday. Nowadays, it is hard for me to find the time (and energy) to do either.

I was happy to return to good Mexican food again! Many people assumed (for some reason?) that because Mexico and Spain spoke the same language, they ate the same foods. NOT SO! In fact, it was hard to find Mexican food much at all!
I spoke spanish. I dreamed in spanish. I could easily hold a lengthy conversation explaining any thought I had.... and get my point across. Now, I try... but I struggle. It is a dissapointment to see how far I have declined.

I came home to doing nothing but enjoy the summer. My mom encouraged me to enjoy the summer before getting back to school and starting a new job. I am grateful for her advice still 10 years later. Now I know... it was my last summer to be free and young, without (much) of a care in the world.

I had a packed passport to be proud of, and a wealth of experiences to last a lifetime. Seeing so much of the world made me more appreciative of history, different cultures and the amazing things God can do.

Despite counting down the days until I returned, I missed Spain tremendously upon leaving, and was anxious to get back and visit again. Some things never change!

Birthday Boy!

2009-06-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

It is Dan's birthday! He was pretty upset about the whole Michael Jackson thing... but we went out to dinner, and opened some gifts and he ended the night playing his new Wii. All in all, I think it was OK. I hope it was at least!Love you darling!

Father's Day

2009-06-21T21:15:00.001-07:00

I won't dwell too much on the how the day itself went, as I think both Dan and I spent most of our waking hours wondering why exactly we became parents in the first place... that's just how it goes when you have a 2 year old, I suppose. In between temper tantrums I was able to contemplate fatherhood a little bit. I have been lucky in life, not only to have a wonderful father myself... but to have also had the fortune to have a great partner in this crazy "parenthood" roller coaster ride.

Baby Chris

Yes folks, I went there... an old PROM photo (eek)

I have learned a lot from my own dad... I wear my heart on my sleeve as he does, I trust people and expect them to be honest (sometimes to a fault), through him I have learned to love all types of music, I appreciate laughing and quick wit, and I never, ever litter (but I do chew gum sometimes, sorry dad). My father is amazing and I love him dearly. Seeing my dad happy and healthy makes me happy too!

I have also learned a lot from my darling husband, watching him be an incredible father to our son. Mostly, patience. He has an amazing knack for it, that I don't know if I will ever truly capture. I certainly would not be able to do it without him, nor would I want to... he keeps me laughing when I feel like I could easily be weeping. Oh, and ladies.... he does laundry too (swoon).

A New Blog

2009-06-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

OK... trying something new. A blog mostly devoted to the things that inspire me to create and decorate. As long as I have projects to keep me busy, this blog should stay busy too...

http://allmylittleinspirations.blogspot.com/

the mouths of babes

2009-06-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

With Quincy speaking entire phrases and sentances with alarming ease these days, he has us laughing as often as he has us pulling his hair out (50/50 isn't too bad I guess). Here are a few of his gems:

In one of his favorite books Pigeon finds a Hot Dog (which is a fave simpy for the fact that he would eat hot dog's at every meal) the pigeon describes a hot dog as being a "taste sensation". So, one day as we discussed hot dogs (yes, it is a topic of conversation in this house) I asked him what a hot dog tasted like. His response, to my suprise, was"It's a taste sensation". It cracks me up everytime I ask him.

Since he is a two year old, he likes to be very contrary. Anything you say, he will disagree with. Dan once commented, "You are the best boy ever". His reply? "No. Not me" OK, sometimes your right.

The funniest conversation we have had, may not be appropriate for this family-friendly blog, let's just say... it was held while changing his daiper and the comparison between mommies anatomy and daddies anatomy... as well as the sizing differences between his own and daddies body parts, was discussed, unprompted. Dan and I about busted a gut.

It is also fun to tell him things to say. He is very good at repeating most everything you tell him, and sometimes just hearing him speak full sentances and thoughts is amusing enough.

Of course, with everygood thing must come some challenges. He also loves to say, "NO! Not you mommy!" or "NO! Not you Daddy!" and when we suggest a nap or bedtime he tells us, "No, I waked up". When I tell him "No" to, say, jelly beans at bedtime, he cries, "Say YES mommy!" Mmm. nope, sorry.

and so it goes...

Baseball Season

2009-06-02T20:29:00.001-07:00

Baseball Season is upon us, and even I am in the game. Quincy demands it. I have noticed a trend, whatever sport "season" it is... he is obsessed with. So it stands to reason, that Baseball would be no exception. We have our Mariner's shirts and ball caps ready, and a 2 year old sized baseball bat has been purchased (although only allowed OUTSIDE). Let it be know... this kid can play. He hits the ball more often that you would think, and then he "runs the bases" and usually informs me that I have to say "run", which I do.

We are counting on him going right to the major's out of college and paying for mommy and daddy's retirement. No pressure.

After playing at home over and over and over again... we took it to the baseball fields. He ran the bases several times. Sometimes he would start at 3rd and make his way to first... we will work out the details later.

The May Run Down

2009-05-31T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well, with tomorrow as the first day of June, thought it would be a good time to wrap up the month of May.

My Mother's Day was wonderful. I received a lovely bouquet of roses, and a watch. What I wanted the most was a few hours alone to clean up the house... and I got it. It was a great weekend. Naturally, on a day created to honor Mother's, I found myself analyzing myself as a Mother... and again, naturally, it is hard not to think of the challenges I have within this difficult role. But then... I thought about it again. Mother's Day is not at all a day to relfect on one's own mothering skills, but instead to see myself in my child's eyes. At his tender young age, he still see's me without those flaws that feel so huge to me. I hope as he grows older, that I can continue to be the mother he deserves and the mother he see's in me.

We made a trip to visit Grandpa Gary. It was a nice warm day, and we had a good visit. The next day we went to ride the train in Snoqualmie... always a BIG hit.

Memorial Day weekend was beautiful... a rarity here in Washington. We have been enjoying warm, sunny days most of the month and it has been wonderful! We spent some time BBQ'ing with friends... and I was quite amused to look over and see them all sporting their North Face jackets. So Pacific Northwest. It was photo-worthy.

We spent Memorial Day at the Froelich Farm. And no trip to the farm is complete until you have had a ride on a horse, and a ride on the tractor. Both were accomplished!

This weekend, was a trip to the Flaming Geyser. Not really the most impressive flame ever seen. But another gorgeous weekend, so you can't complain.

(Looking for the flame....)

My Big Boy!

2009-05-03T16:07:00.001-07:00

*** Future Blackmail photos on this post****

Quincy is growing in leaps and bounds! I know he is no longer my baby when he tells me "Mommy! The music is too loud" in the car. Sorry Quin... mommy likes the music LOUD.

Also, at daycare, one of the other litte kids is currently going through potty training, so guess who else is suddenly interested? Yup. Mr. Man, Quin. It is pretty fun, and certainly just in the beginning stages, but still pretty darned exciting. We bought him some very special underwear ( I let him pick them out... he selected "doggies" ) and we sit on the potty. He has gone potty several times, and yesterday while helping me in the garden he told me "mommy, I need to go potty". AMAZING! It was first for us, he actually pro-actively asked to go potty. He sat down and went and got two jelly beans (which actually were his gummy bear vitamins! LOL) but then... 20 minutes later, he went again. Uh oh... we had to buy jelly beans since he can't take 15 vitamins a day! hee hee I am thinking that by the summer he may actually be out of diapers? Maybe it is wishful thinking...

Anyhow, here are those blackmail pics I promised!

Busy, Busy weekend!

2009-05-03T15:51:00.001-07:00

Warning: This post may be boring to some. But the results are HEAVEN.

Last weekend Dan and I had quite a goal. To completely re-organize the mess of a garage we had accumulated. We dropped Quincy off at Aunt Jerrie's farm (THANK YOU A MILLION TIME OVER!) early Saturday morning... and didn't pick him up until Sunday afternoon! We spent all weekend cleaning, re-organizing, purchasing shelves and Tupperware boxes at Lowe's, and putting it all back together again. We did treat ourselves to a nice dinner however, since we were baby-free after all! It was SO exhausting, but in a great get-stuff-done kind of way! I can so easily find anything and everything we need. I also took the opportunity to clean out and re-organize our kitchen pantry as well. Oh how I love organizing. It is a strange love, I know. Speaking of strange loves.... I LOVE my label maker. How did I exist before? It a person could marry an inanimate object, I would marry my label maker. It took a lot for me not to label the obvious; i.e. freezer, dryer, washing machine, door. So, now I present a photographic journal of the process:

Before: Messy, oh so messy (sorry for the blue hue of the picture, I am not the professional photographer that Dan is) Work in Progress: Its gotta get worse, before it gets better.

Triumph! We have conquered!Right side
Left side
... and everything clearly labeled!

A Belated Update: Easter

2009-05-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

For Easter, we changed things up just a little bit. We went to San Juan Island to Dan's sister's in-laws house. It was a full house; Jerrie and Karl and the girls, Pat and Alan Froelich (of course... it's their house after all!) Sarah and the kids, and out special guest, Nancy. Nancy was an exchange student from Belgium that spent last year with Jerri and Karl. We were so glad to see her again!

We woke up early Saturday (no joke - 5:30am) in order to make it Anacortes to catch the ferry to Friday Harbor. It is always fun on the ferry (not however usually fun waiting for the ferry). Having Jerrie and Karl there helped to keep Quincy well entertained. Note to self: always take Jerrie and Karl with us when ferry travel is involved. During the weekend we decorated easter eggs, decorated the traditional Paar family "Easter Cake", ate well, played games, watched the deer trapse through the yard, played ball outside, explored the island and generally had a swell time.

Here are some photographs of the afore mentioned activites:

Easter Cake = Lots of Jelly beans, strategically placed (or not)

Audrey takes this job quite seriously.

Cousin Audrey and Qnicy check out "Mr. Heron" outside Pat and Alan's house

A scerene hike, and a little "rock climbing". Not so easy with a 2 year old.

Annie poses for the camera. Karli and Quincy toss the ball around. Now Quincy teaches Nancy. Good thing cousins are around when your legs can't go any further. Thanks Karli! Cailee and Quincy checking things out. On a hike to the beach, a little rain won't stop us!

The kids in their Easter best: (L to R) Quincy, Cailee, Audrey, Karli and BadenCheck out that Easter basket!! I see a basketball!!Decorating the Easter Eggs. What fun!Karli and Audrey say "Hello"Future models in the making.

Mommy's Big Girl Bed!

2009-04-04T20:11:00.001-07:00

Well, it is Dan's bed too. We were excited to get our first "grown up" bed, a pretty big purchase as we anticipate this is the bed we will sleep in for many, many years to come. Both Dan and I realized that it really was the first bed frame we had picked out and purchased in our entire adult lives, and it is gorgeous! It is a very dark wood with both a headboard and footboard, from Thomasville. It is a pretty big bed, but lucky for us we have a very big master bedroom so it works. Now, we can either: 1) never move or 2) only move to another house big enough to accommodate it. Anyhow... we took pictures, because that is what we do (and when I say "we", I mean, Dan). And now, our bedroom is complete. HA... right, who am I kidding.... I am never done decorating. It is a lifelong project for me. Sorry Dan.

"Why Not?"

2009-03-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

A new phrase has emerged. "Why Not?" is quite commonly asked around these parts. Here are some examples of its usage:

Quincy: What's that?
Me: I don't know
Quincy: Why not?
Me: Because I can't see what your pointing at
Quincy: Why not?
Me: Because I am driving and can't look at you
Quincy: Why not?

Dan: Don't throw your hat on the ground Quincy
Quincy: Why not?
Dan: Because it is raining and there are puddles, we don't want it to get dirty and wet.
Quincy: Why not?
Dan: So you can wear it

and so it goes....

Today he did not want Dan to come with us when we went to run some errands. This is how it went:

Me: Can Daddy come with us?
Quincy: No! I am going to say bye-bye to Daddy.
Dan:(making a sad face) Can't I come too?
Quincy: (angry) NO! Daddy, you go take a nap! Come on Mommy.

by the way... he did eventually allow Dan to join us. I was glad for this!

Slimey the Worm

2009-03-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

I have re-discovered through my two year old the joy of Sesame Street.

I love Slimey the worm. He really is the best character of them all.

That is all. Carry on.

California: Final Thoughts

2009-03-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

My trips to visit California are never long enough, and are far too infrequent. I miss my family and friends, and I always leave wishing I had more time to visit more people... it seems I always miss out on visiting at least a few people I had hoped to see.

Thank you to my mom, who always graciously opens her home to us! She has a beautiful home with a lovely view, and all the old folks in her neighborhood loved us in our mammoth, beige Lincoln. Quincy is lucky to have an involved Grandmother (or Babo, as he calls her?!) and we were so happy to have a night on the town baby-free!

I am grateful to my brothers who kept Quincy quite entertained throughout the entire trip! He would have been perfectly content doing nothing but playing basketball and the drums with them the entire 7 days.

Grandpa shared his chocolate milk with Quincy and built a fire everyday, and that's all it takes to make a two year old happy. What a swell Grandpa!

California: Day 7 & 8

2009-03-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

Day 7 & 8: Disneyland and Adieu

At last, what we had all been long awaiting for! DISNEYLAND! We were so excited and ready to go... but in true Voigtlander form... we left much later than we had planned. That's OK, it allowed us a chance to eat delicious Breakfast Burritos! Yum! (Don't worry, we ate almost nothing but Mexican food during the entire trip!)

I was pretty disappointed to hear from Dan that the battery on our camera was nearly totally dead upon arriving at Disneyland, so our photos are limited... and poor, as we had to buy disposable camera's. Oh well, at least we have our memories, and a reason to return. We all remembered the long lines as soon as we go there, and getting in was no exception. We were amazed when it took us nearly an hour to get from the freeway to the inside of Disneyland. We immediately broke up into two groups... Grandma and Grandpa with Quincy, and Dan, Jessica, Tyson and I took to running to Space Mountain. It was an excellent day, not too busy at all. We zipped right through so many of the rides we were shocked! I think the longest wait we had was for Space Mountain at 45 minutes, and that was only because some dink dropped his cell phone and the whole ride had to be shut down in order to retrieve it. We spent the day going back and forth, sharing Quincy and sometimes breaking up into smaller groups. I tell you what, having cell phones sure makes it a whole lot easier than it ever was when I was a kid!

Quincy was amazing throughout the whole thing! He enjoyed (or at least didn't scream in terror) many of the rides I thought he would do badly with... Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain... just kidding, no Space Mountain. The moment that made the whole day worthwhile was seeing him light up at the sight of Mickey Mouse. Things are a little different than when I was a kid... now you have to wait in line to see Mickey, but we did (and a long line it was!) and when we finally got up to him you couldn't hold him back! He gave Mickey the biggest hug, and we all melted.

We stayed through an amazing fireworks display, and Quincy finally fell asleep while waiting for the tram to take us back to our car. It was a long day, but I think we all had fun! And I know Dad received more birthday wishes that day than perhaps he had during his entire life combined! They really make a point in wishing all the birthday people a Happy Birthday! It was neat!

Finally, after all our excitement, it was time to get to go home. Luckily I signed up to receive text alerts if our plane was delayed, and on our way to the airport I got a text that it was pushed back about 90 minutes. It was a beautiful day, brilliant sunshine and in the mid to upper 60's, so we decided to stop off at La Jolla Cove and see all the Seals with their babies. It was nice way to end our trip, and we both agreed that we really were not ready to leave. We could have stayed for much, much longer... and I think that if I had said the word, Dan would have moved down to Cali in a flash. But, truth be told... I love Washington too, and I couldn't leave it so easily. So... we will just continue visiting, maybe just more often.

California: Day 6

2009-03-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Day 6: Palm Springs - The Yakima of California*

Since we knew that we would be on our feet all day the next day, we decided this would be a good day for a long drive and lots of sitting. We decided a drive to Palm Springs might be fun. Dan loves all things mid-century, and Palm Springs is the capitol of Mid-century style, so he of course never wanted to leave! We specifically drove there in order to go on the Aerial Tram up to Mount San Jacinto State Park, taking a rotating tram from the valley floor at 2,643 feet all the way up to the Mountain station at 8,516 feet in just a few minutes. It was quite a ride, and of course Quincy didn't bat an eye! He has no fear! I had been on once before, but it was prior to the addition of the rotating floors on each tram, allowing you to see your entire 360 degree surroundings.

Teaching Quincy to pop his ears

* For you non-Washingtonians: Yakima, WA has a large sign declaring it the "Palm Springs of Washington".... which is kinda goofy to us, because it really seems about as far from Palm Springs as you can get. So we laughed as we entered Palm Springs saying... it's the Yakima of California, right.

California: Day's 4 & 5

2009-03-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

Day's 4 & 5: Legoland and Balboa Park

On Monday, we woke up late (at least I did...hey! It's my vacation too!) and decided to pay a visit to Great Grandma Geno. We had a very nice time sitting with her and chatting, and Quincy was quite content playing with all of the doggie toys, much to Nikki's (Grandma's dog) dismay. After a little bit, we had to get going and Grandma had a bus trip to go on but it was so good to see her. It is so nice that she is living down in Vista now, so that I can visit her much more often than I could when she was living in Paradise, CA.

Thanks to my friend Leanna's blog, I learned that the last hour of Legoland is free... no need to pay for neither parking nor entrance fee's! Sweet! It was great, especially because Quincy is really too little for almost any of the rides, and not to mention it is crazy expensive! We picked up my mom from work and headed to Carlsbad. We spent almost all of our time playing around the water feature, and riding the two rides Quincy could go on several times. It was fabulous because there were literally no lines at all!

We picked up Jessica at the Oceanside train station, as she had just spent the last week visiting her friend Jen in Visalia. Quincy immediately recognized Auntie Chet amid the crowd and ran to her for a big hug! We left Quincy with my mom and went out for burgers with the little brothers. It was fun hanging out with all of them, it doesn't happen often and we always have some laughs.

Tuesday, Day 5, my Dad had the day off as did Jessica, so we all headed to Balboa park. It was a gorgeous day for it, not a cloud in the sky! (Ahhh... California weather is the BEST! )We even saw a firetruck and a fire engine parked in the same parking lot as us, and the firemen let us check out their truck. Quin was dumbstruck! We wandered around the huge park, and eventually Quincy, Dan and my Dad went into the Model Train Museum while Jessica and I wandered through some of the free museums and gardens. Sadly, the main reason we went to Balboa park was to ride the train they have near the zoo and we got there only to discover it only runs on the weekends! Too bad! I guess there will always be next time! There is still so much to do in San Diego, we will never run out of activities!

Jessica and I are pretty dang photogenic. We can't help it. It is in our genes I suppose.

California: Day's 1, 2 & 3

2009-03-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

How time flies when your having fun! We have just returned from our much too short trip down to California. We packed in quite a lot, so for my reader's sake I have broken down our trip into a few shorter segments.

Days 1, 2 & 3: Tractors and Weddings

We arrived Friday evening, and after a stop in Old Town for some yummy Mexican food we headed to Grandpa's house to play the drums. He had been demanding this for several days prior, even once refusing to leave the car and telling Dan to drive him to Grandpa's house to play the drums. That boy sure loves to bang on those drums! He is a natural.

Saturday morning we headed to the Vista Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum to check out the tractors. Quincy was in hog heaven. They also were having a Civil War Re-enactment that weekend which was amusing, everyone all dressed up and playing the part.

That afternoon, my dear friend from High School Erin McWhirter became Mrs. Harold Horn. It was a beautiful wedding, held at the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas. I had never been there before, and it was quite a lovely place for a wedding ceremony. I was able to see so many people I hadn't seen in so long. It was good, and what made it even better was than my dear mother took Quincy home after the ceremony so that Dan and I could not only enjoy the reception baby-free... but also so that we could stay in the Gaslamp District of San Diego overnight. It was good fun, and I am always amazed to see how many people roam around the streets even on a cool March night.

We leisurely woke up Sunday morning and took a slow drive back up to Vista. Quincy hardly even noticed our return Sunday afternoon, he was far too involved in playing Basketball with his uncles. Between the drums and basketball, I am surprised we had time for anything else! At least his loves are well balanced... music, sports, automobiles.

Desperate times...

2009-02-22T22:47:00.000-08:00

Before

Desperate times apparently call for desperate measures. Dan has been asking me to update the blog for quite awhile, so this weekend he had to get creative in providing a blog-worthy experience for me. I submit for your enjoyment, the new (and improved?) Dan:

After

I must admit, it is a little weird. We were out and about and on more than one occasion, he walk past me or towards me and it took me a full second to realize it was him. In the close to 9 years we have been together, he has always looked the same! With that being said, it is also a whole lotta fun. It's like I have a new boyfriend, except even better because I don't have to worry about things like... Will we break up? Will he like me? Is he the one? Is my breath OK? Should I just order the salad, or the messy, saucy burger I really want? Will he try and get fresh? I hope so. teehee

Three Cheers for Sunny Days!

2009-01-18T17:23:00.001-08:00

We had a much needed weekend filled with glorious sunshine. Sadly, Dan and I are recovering from colds... Dan is worse off than I am... so we didn't enjoy it as much as we wished we could have. I could not however let this weekend go by without enjoying it at least a little bit! While Dan slept, Quincy and I drove up to Rattlesnake lake to watch the sunset and take a walk. We didn't do as much walking as I hoped, at least not enough to earn any desperately needed "activity points" for my weight watchers program and really, we spent most of the time throwing rocks into the lake. He also insisted on wearing his cowboy hat, which was pretty dang cute. With the sunset, the lighting was perfect for some beautiful shots of my growing baby boy. He isn't such a baby anymore. We also made a trip to IKEA this weekend. Bad idea. Never again with a 2 year old. Without further ado... pics of Quincy at Rattlesnake Lake at sunset on a chilly January day.

Terrific Two!

2009-01-06T22:22:00.001-08:00

It is official. We have a two year old. Astounding. The last two years have been quite an adventure, and it seems to get better each and every day. We love you Quincy! Happy Birthday!

Envious....

2008-12-28T21:45:00.001-08:00

I know. Other parents look at this kid and just can't help it.

Williams Family Christmas Run Down

2008-12-26T17:35:00.000-08:00

I think this really has been one of my most favorite Christmas's... ranks right up there with one of my last Christmas's at home in Vista, when all my siblings slept in the basement Christmas Eve night... waking up all together in the morning.

This year was a favorite for a couple reasons:

1. The snow really created an ideal Christmas. Not only did it snow heaps all Christmas Eve and Christmas Day providing a White Christmas, but it allowed us the opportunity to spend over week together relaxing and enjoying the season with one another. We are so blessed to have so much love in our home. It also provided an excuse to spend last weekend with my sister-in-law's family, something we do not do often enough!

2. Christmas Eve with dear friends. We invited friends over to spend Christmas Eve with us. Darby, Jeremy and their daughter Ellette, as well as our friend Al all braved the treacherous conditions to be at our home. I hope it was worth it to them, because we loved having them. Ellette and Quincy played and played and really had a blast... our house showed it. We are so fortunate to have such good friends, and we look forward to all the fun we will have in 2009 with them.

3. Quincy! What fun it is to have the magic of a child at Christmas in our home! He is so excited for decorating our Christmas Tree, seeing the Christmas lights, reading Christmas Books, seeing Santa, opening gifts, singing Christmas songs. It will be a fun time of year for a long time to come.

My wishes for next year are for Quincy to better understand the reason for our celebrating Christmas. I hope that Dan and I can help him to learn more of Christ and all he has given us. That he can live a selfless life; with honor, integrity and JOY!

Jingle Bells!

2008-12-26T10:59:00.001-08:00

One of our favorite things this Christmas is Quincy singing "Jingle Bells". He does so well! Here is a video from our Christmas Eve sing-a-long.

Welcome Winter

2008-12-21T23:27:00.001-08:00

Winter has certainly made it presence know here in the Pacific Northwest, as it has throughout much of the country. We stayed home from work for the first time in our almost 9 years with the company. On Thursday we drove all the way in to work at 11, only to find out that they were sending everyone home! Back in the old days we would have risked it... but now with a toddler, things just are not the same.

Saturday's forecast was for blizzard like conditions and extremely high winds. So, instead of staying at home to brave the storm... we drove to Snohomish to hunker down with my sister in law's family. They have propane and a generator, so we knew we would be warm... plus, it was just a fun excuse to go over there and play games and enjoy the season. This California girl saw things she had never seen before! Wind blew snow all around, sometimes making it difficult to see. Snowdrifts created some odd humps and lumps all around.

We contemplated staying another night, but decided to make the trek home. I think we made a mistake... we should have enjoyed one more night there, as we returned home to no water. We are hoping it is just frozen pipes... not broken pipes. Regardless, we have been unable to get a hold of a plumber, and you don't realize how much you use water, until its gone. Flushing the toilet? Brushing your teeth? Bathing? Washing your face? Washing your hands after using the bathroom? Hot cocoa? Dirty Dishes piled up? Its kinda a bummer.

Luckily, we have most of the week off, and I think I will re-arrange some vacation time around to only have to work a little bit tomorrow. I am so behind! Urg! Looks like things will be warming up into the 30's (that is warm compared to the low 20's we have been seeing!) so I am hoping we will be done with the snow and ice for at least a little while.

Update: Since I wrote this blog last night... our pipes thawed up a bit and water is again running! Thank Goodness!

I have included some pics, although nearly all of them were from the first day of snow... more came since those pics were taken, and more is expected! Good thing we have no obligations, other than a drive to Snohomish for Christmas dinner!

We'll see if I get to make those Christmas cookies I had planned on making this week...

Weekend in Cali

2008-12-18T09:48:00.000-08:00

A little late with my post, but we came home and were immediately submerged back into "real life"... except for today! Home at 10 am, watching "Wow!Wow! Wubzee" and the snow fall outside. I love being trapped at home and not going to work! :) we realize that Quincy is totally unprepared for snow. No Hat. No Gloves. Not that he would wear them, oh well.

Anyhow, we had quite the whirlwind visit to Vista, only 3 full days is definitely too short! We arrived quite late on Friday night. The flight wasn't too bad, luckily it wasn't a full flight, so Quincy was able to sit beside me and watch Elmo on my laptop. Food is a good distraction to an almost 2 year old as well. Saturday we ran some errands and went out to lunch with Jessica and Tyson, and then that night a big party at my mom's house. I saw all kinds of folks I hadn't seen in far too long. We were also celebrating my grandmothers birthday. It was fun, and Quincy has a new love... Ellie. They wrestled and had all kinds of fun together. Here are some pic's from Saturday night.

Quincy with Great Grandma:

Quincy and Ellie

All the girls! Me, Jessica, Brady, Crystal and Marla

Sunday afternoon was a big party at my aunts house. It was awesome! I so so many family members I hadn't seen in years! We were all together in the first time since who knows how long! There were lots and lots of photos taken! Some dear friends, Kristin and Amy and their daughters also showed up, as did old friend Leanna Hunt. It was so good to spend time catching up with all of them... although, the blog world makes it easier to keep up even when distance keeps us apart.

Quincy makes a move for the cake:

Cicely, Leanna Hunt and Jessica:

Hayley, Kristin, Jessica, Cicely, Jeweliette and Amy:

The Voigtlander's:
Sunday night was my favorite, and really what I wanted during this trip most of all, a night with my mom and dad and bothers and sister. We played Balderdash... and my family is so dang funny to play this game with. We are so creative! I was laughing so hard at times that I thought I would wet my pants! I miss them. I wish I didn't live so far... or I wish we could afford to visit more often. Monday was pretty mellow... sadly, I brought the rain and wind and cold from Seattle with me. It was not the sunny and 70 degree weather I was hoping for. Jessica and I took advantage of granny (a.k.a "Ba-Bo") and got our nails done and went out for lunch. That night I got my fill of delicious Mexican food to last me until our next trip in March.

While there, we also discovered Quincy's talent for the drum.

Future drummer for sure:

I was sad to leave on Tuesday, especially since that was the day with the most sun! I made a point of driving down the coast on the way to the airport so I could enjoy it as much as possible. We got there at 12:30, only to be told that our flight was cancelled, and I would be on the 4:30 flight, landing in Seattle at 7:30pm. It took everything in me not to completely lose it and cry then and there. How was I going to entertain a 2 year old for 7 hours in a small area??! It wasn't easy, and I was VERY grateful to land and have Dan's help. I don't think I will attempt a trip like this by myself again for a long time! It was good to see everyone, and I appreciate all the great parties everyone threw while we were there!! we love you all!

Let the Christmas fun begin!

2008-11-30T23:08:00.000-08:00

I am feeling very excited for Christmas this year, and I think it all has to do with that sweet little boy of mine. He is not old enough to really grasp the idea of Christmas, but old enough to enjoy some of the things that go along with it... but without the greediness that will no doubt arrive in a couple years.

I had planned to get out all the Christmas decorations this weekend, but didn't... guess that will be next weekend. We did enjoy some Christmas fun however, make a trip to the Redmond Town Center where they have a little "train" that drives around the parking lot. Quin was completely and utterly beside himself. He had a fit when we walked past it (had to get to the ATM first) and when it came time to get off the train... for get it! He could have gone on and on for hours. We also paid a visit to Santa, for a boy who is not at all shy, he sure was hesitant to sit on the ol' jolly elf's lap. The closest he got to a smile was when he heard to "beep beep" of the train driving past outside Santa's "shop". Later this week we will attend our work Christmas Open House... and this upcoming weekend, Dan and I are eagerly awaiting a weekend to ourselves, a trip to the Seattle Symphony and a nice restaurant. We should also get some much needed Christmas shopping completed... with a stop at a couple Toy Stores, I will be officially DONE!

(Notice how disgruntled he is in this picture... it's because we were forcing him to leave the train!)

In other news, Quin is keeping us amused as he is now all about "tickling" you. He will get you and say "tickle, tickle" in an adorable little toddler way. Of course, we have to pretend that we are being tickled to pieces. Also, for the first time that we have observed he is jumping and he loves it! He will jump at ever opportunity, usually while yelling "jump!". He has discovered his love for "cha milk" a.k.a chocolate milk. He is putting together more and more words to create more complex phrases. He has also begun "reading" all by himself, especially "Good Night Moon". He will go through the pages saying "night mouse, night star, night kitty". His new love of Richard Scarry books is... well.... scary.

2008-11-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

With a long weekend, there is much to be Thankful for. I am so glad to have a day specifically devoted to reminding ourselves of all we are blessed with. We hosted Thanksgiving at our home this year and only had time to contemplate today after the house was cleaned, but here is what I have thought about (in no paticular order!):

My two nieces, Annie and Karli who helped me clean up the kitchen and hand wash our nice dishes, they made the clean up go SO much faster.
My brother in law Karl, simply because Quincy loves him so much, that he yelled "No!" every time Karl put on his jacket to try and leave.
My dear sister in law, whom I adore and look up to, she shows me how to be a loving mother and a strong wife.
Our Uncle Jim! He brought the Turkey, cooked to perfection!
My father-in-law Gary, who kept us all entertained with his tales of bravery and adventure as a Seattle motorcycle cop.
My sister-in-law Deb, who has provided hours of endless entertainment by bringing beloved Richard Scary books for Quincy.
My darling Dan, who helps me in every way he can ... and flows an endless stream of compliments to me like whenever I am needing it most.
Quincy. How is it that such a little munchkin can be so smart, cuddly and good-natured? How is that somebody I have known for so short a period of time, have me so totally in love? How could any future children ever even come close? Is it even worth risking the disappointment?
My family in California. I can't stop thinking about how excited I am to see my family for the holidays! I am so excited to see how Quin enjoys them like I do.
Lastly, Weight Watchers. I am needing it right about now.

A weekend with Quincy

2008-11-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

A photographic journal of Quincy's weekend...

New word : MINE

Brushing those pearly whites:

"Helping" Mommy with yardwork!

Bathtime Artistry!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-11-17T10:05:00.001-08:00

I have almost always thought it was something quite special to share a birthday with my mom. Something that sets us both apart from other mom's and daughters. Mom, I cherish you. Thank you for your love and support through the years. Happy Birthday!

Yay! Family Photos!!!

2008-11-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

We had some family photos taken in October, and I have quite anxiously awaited a glimpse of how they turned out! At last we have some to see... see more at Kelli's blog. Apologies if you see these again in a Christmas Card, or packaged up in a frame as a Christmas gift! :)

Haunted House...SPOOKY

2008-11-01T13:39:00.001-07:00

At our little party, the kids decorated a "Haunted Gingerbread House". They did a great job, all participating with only some of the candy being consumed. This has resulted in a mostly sticky floor, and I have mopped twice now....less sticky, but still some stick. Anyhow, here is the house in progress as well as the completed materpiece. Martha would be proud.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

A second Halloween for Quincy proved to be quite fruitful! I plan on using all the chocolate/candy bars and making "Halloween Cookies"... chopping them all up and making chocolate "chip" cookies out of them. Goodness knows, we do not need more candy around here. Not that cookies are much better... but at least I can take those to work and know they will be eaten up quite quickly. We had a little Halloween party, and had lots of fun! Al Harrison, the Broyles family and the Rassmussen family joined us (in costume) and we had a great time! Had a "ghoulish" dinner and then off to trick or treat! Added bonus: Dan and I had the day off today, which meant we could spend the while day cleaning, cooking and decorating (did I mention that Quin was in daycare? YAY!) Quincy also had his very first dentist appointment today! He was not the hugest fan, but it was overdue. Could this make me a very mean mother, or a very good mother? Oh well, without further ado... some pictures of the cutest cowboy in North Bend!

Branching Out....

2008-10-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

So, I have realized that this blog is mostly devoted to Quincy, and the events our family participates in on a daily/weekly/monthly basis... depending on how on top of it I am. Dan has his own blog, and I thought, well... why can't I. So, now I do.

Not really sure how this other blog of mine will go, but I can tell you it will be much more filled with the radomness of my life... less Quin-isms. That is not to say it won't have Quin -related topics, that would be impossible. I am his mommy after all.

Anyhow, here is where this other blog of mine can be found www.cicelytime.blogspot.com

Getting Ready for Halloween!

2008-10-20T17:56:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend, complete with a trip to the pumpkin patch! We joined the Froelich clan at Craven Farms in Snohomish to pick out the best pumpkins and then back to the farm for a delicious dinner and good family time. I thought it was funny how the kids loved the "petting zoo" complete with caged kittens... yes, kittens, when there are mostly the same animals running around at the Froelich farm.. but without the crowds. Quincy loves the farm animals, and thoroughly enjoyed his quality cousin time. He was quite worn out by the end of the evening, and it was evident as we tried to put him down to sleep that he was just a little beyond the point of no return. As the kids grow older, it just gets more and more fun. Audrey took a particular interest in playing with Quin, holding his hand and always asking for him, it was very sweet. Jerrie also took some very nice family photos of us that turned out perfectly! I am very much looking forward to the holidays this year, and this is just the beginning!! Looking forward to the next few months, for sure!

Quincy and Uncle Karl share the same first love... tractors.

Tantrum, thy name is Toddler!

2008-10-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, how moods shift around here these days. There is just no telling what will cause a mega-fit, nor how to stop one's mega-fit. We simply cannot take any happy moment for granted, because within seconds the whole world could come crashing in. Is it because Thomas the train is over? It's time for a bath? or I have to get out of the bath? Mommy wants to put shoes on me? We have to go bye-bye? No lollipop's for dinner? I have to drink water, instead of milk or juice? Or... the wind blew in the wrong direction? Sometimes it is anyone's guess, even Quincy doesn't seem to know.

The flip side... occassionally this angel makes an appearance, with his bright blue eyes and silly laugh. So... it is worth it.

Worst Blogger Ever

2008-09-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

It is shameful, really. I can list all the many excuses I have but honestly... I am just too tired! So instead I will do a super quick run down...

Quincy started a new daycare this month. Annie keeps a blog of all the things they do during the week, so you can see what he is learning and great pics if you check out her blog too. I have it listed from my blog, "Annie's Alphabet". She does a much better job of keeping up her blog....

I have been waking up at 5am every weekday morning and doing a BootCamp... hence the too tired. So far, not quite the results I was hoping for, but I haven't given up yet.

Working like a dog, as always...

Went to the "Threshing Bee" in Ellensburg... SOOO many Tractors. Quincy was in HEAVEN.

Attended the "Twighlight Tours" at the Cedar Falls, a closed up company town up the street from us. Been closed since 9/11 since there is a power plant there. We had lots of fun, and our friends went with us to make it even better! Willow and Quincy were so cute together!

Had a much needed "Girls Night"... lots of fun!

Got a new laptop, so Dan and I don't have to compete for the computer... now I really shouldn't have an excuse for my blogging laziness. Oh well.

Hopefully that will tide you over for a little while...

Another exciting weekend to report...

2008-08-24T22:42:00.001-07:00

Summertime always seems to be so busy! So few warm weekends left, and so much to do!!! This weekend we drove to Wenatchee to visit Grandpa Gary. He made us some yummy lunch, and we spent lots of time out on the patio enjoying the warm day. We can't wait until he is bigger, and he can go out on Grandpa's boat to fish. It might be a few years before he is ready for that though.

We also decided to finally take Quincy on his first train ride. We are so lucky to have a restored train in our very own town! Quin was a little frightened at first, then he had a grand ol' time! We might have to take him again before he turns two and we have to start paying for him!

Amusing videos!

2008-08-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

Had to post this video... too much fun!

And here is one of Quincy making a pizza... yes, he can make pizza.

So Cal Photographer anyone?

2008-08-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

I randomly happened to find this great photographer online and she is currently in San Marcos....but only for a short time longer. Anyhow, with all the friends and family I have in the San Diego/ North County area, I wanted to give a little shout out... if you need any work done, check her out.

Here is her blog and website, pretty neat stuff! :)

http://kellinicolephoto.blogspot.com/

So much to tell....

2008-08-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Covered in a fine layer of dirt and mosquito bites, I am updating this blog to let everyone know we are quite alive, happy and relaxed after a flurry of activity over the last few weeks. From a 5k run to a visit from Grandma and Grandpa, a visit to the Zoo and a weekend camping trip... it has been a very busy, but fun, month.

Where to begin? How about some photos?

My friend Lisa and I ran the 5k at the "Railroad Days" in Snoqualmie on August 2nd. We came in at 36 minutes. Next year we are aiming for the 10k!

Grandma and Grandpa spent about a week visiting us here, and Quincy was spoiled as any grandchild expects. We were able to visit Auntie Jessica at a music festival in Darrington, and Quin even helped to make some pizza's! We had oh so much fun with all the family and Quincy learned some new things too! He learned how to "punch it in" from Auntie, and he learned that Granny and Papa are suckers for those big blue eyes of his.

After Granny and Papa left, Dan and I had the whole next week off. We took Quin to Woodland Park Zoo and had a very fun (somewhat tiring) day. Quincy enjoyed himself enormously and found great joy in the gorillas, the butterfly exhibit and.... the under construction Penguin Exhibit. He really does have an unhealthy love for tractors. We blame it on his Uncle Karl.

Finally, we went a very fun camping trip with our dear friends for what we have decided is just the first of many annual camping trips. It was dirty...but that's what camping is all about, right? Dan has more pics (a very funny one of a VERY dirty baby on his blog) He also has lots more pics loaded at http://picasaweb.google.com/rustedvan. Check them out!

Lastly, Dan and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary while my folks were here visiting. We were able to spend some time alone together (Thanks mom and dad!!) and it was so nice to remember all those reasons we fell in love. I love him for all he does for me, on so many levels. We are a very blessed family.

A Visit to the Froelich Farm!

2008-07-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

A Fun Weekend at the farm... we got to see Karli do her vaulting, a combination of gymnastics and dance on a moving horse! Wow! We are so lucky to have the farm to visit, and I hope Quin appreciates it as he gets older. He is not yet keen on riding the horses, just watching them... he continues to be obsessed with tractors however. Another fun thing for a toddler? Playing in dirt and throwing gravel. Big fun!

WHOA!

2008-07-07T22:09:00.000-07:00

"Whoa" was the word of the day this past 4th of July, as Quincy said it more times than I could count. I was a little afraid he might be scared of the fireworks, but it was just the opposite... absolute fascination. We went to our good friends, the Enfields house, where they blew up hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks. We just got to sit back and enjoy. I admit, I think I like Independence Day more here in Washington state just because everyone is setting off fireworks all over the place. It is like a war zone in North Bend! It was a little foggy and drizzly throughout the day, so it wasn't quite as lively this year as it was last, but still lots of fun. I love summer! I dressed Quin in an adorable hand-me down that my brothers used to wear, a little jumper my grandma made and I was so excited to see how handsome Quin was wearing it. It will get some more use this summer, for sure.

A neat week otherwise, with lots of Thunder Showers. It was mid-west summer weather... and on some nights we sat in the dark watching the lightening move across the skyline and waiting for the rain to dump down. I love thunder and lightening in the summer, it kind of reminds me of the summers in Madrid.

We also went to another car show, this time classic trucks. The boy loves the old classic cars as much as his parents do. His picture was in the Issaquah Reporter last week as well. Fun! We also took pictures of Quincy with his great gandfathers baseball glove, something we did every month during his first year...and now we will take one every 6 to 12 months, until he tells us to stop already! Look how much he has grown! Here he is at 1 month, and now offically at 18 months old!

A Busy Summer Week!

2008-06-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Well, Summer in the Pacific Northwest has at long last arrived! These are summer days I live for! Sultry summer evenings, light out until nearly 10pm... lounging around with friends outdoors where it is cool. It was a busy week, but lots of fun. Dan's birthday was Wednesday, but most of the celebration was reserved for this weekend. We entertained window salesmen mostly through the week, and have settled upon an expensive window upgrade this summer. It will be nice to see how much it helps with our electric bills this winter, as well as with the outside noise.

The weekend was quite busy. A wedding Friday night, where Quin stole the show as usual (don't tell the bride! LOL). Saturday morning we woke up and went to the golf course for breakfast. It made me remember the great summers at my grandmothers, enjoying hot days at the community pool and warm evening walks on the golf course outside of her home. She is moving back down to Southern California this week, and thinking back to my childhoods, the time spent at her home in Northern California will always bring joy to my heart. I know her move will do good for both her as well as my mom, but the little 7 year old in me is sad to say goodbye "officially" to those summers from long ago.

After our breakfast and a little nap, we joined the Froelich clan for a farewell party for Beau, who goes back to Iraq next week. It was at a lake in Snohomish, and I believe all of Snohomish was there being a very hot and sunny day. we couldn't stay too long, but wanted to visit for at least a little while. Quincy was overwhelmed by the amount of people, the noise, the waves in the water and the heat...

Saturday night we had friends over to celebrate Dan's birthday. It was fun, we had a great dinner and birthday cake of course. We were able to sit outdoors and enjoy the warm evening and each other. We have such wonderful friends, and we are so lucky to leave nearby so many of them! I always look forward to our dinner party's, but our summer dinner party's are always the best of all.

And our marathon weekend continues... this morning we went to Issaquah for the car show. I am so glad that Dan and I share a love for old cars. The only problem we have is trying to agree on which old classic car we would like to have someday. We found several we liked today... and Quincy found a fun one with Kermit. A photographer from the local Issaquah paper took this same photo, so Quincy and Dan may end up with a photo in the paper. We will let you know if it happens!

Having temperatures soar into the 90's today, my dear friend Margaret offered up her pool to us to cool off in. Quin adored every second, and I can see that we may have to visit Margaret's pool more often this summer. No pics to share...yet. After a very busy and very warm weekend, Quin was quite tuckered out. This afternoon at lunch he achieved the miraculous feat of both eating and sleeping at the same time, and we captured this hilarious video of it to share. He will hate my when he is a teenager!

A Quick Update!

2008-06-22T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we have had some fun this week. Here is a quick re-cap of it all!

On Friday night we went to the farm and Quincy had some fun playing with his cousins... He is so lucky to have cousins around the same age to play with, and to make it even better: a farm with goats, horses, chickens, geese, cats, dogs and frogs to visit!

Our neighbor Joshua, and his friend Jared visited us last night too. They came to play with Quincy... Joshua is the youngest in his family and he loves to play with Quincy. These two boys are quite the pair, so we took a picture of all the fun.

By demand, a better photo of my new haircut...

And now begins Dan's "Birthday Week"! Should be fun... I will report back soon!

Father's Day!

2008-06-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

A very nice Father's day in the Williams house. Dan reports to me that his favorite part of the day was when Quincy gave him a big hug after delivering his presents. Dan received a special mug painted with love by Quin, and a nice pair of cuff links. Quincy also surprised us by saying, "I Love you" when prompted. He is such a smart boy, getting smarter everyday! We joined our good friends Darby and Jeremy Broyles and their daughter Ellette, and went to the Seattle Museum of Flight. It was pretty busy but still fun, and Quincy was in heaven! He loved all the planes, and especially loved watching the video of space shuttle lift-offs. Future pilot or Astronaut perhaps? Quincy and I are so very lucky to have Dan. He is the most patient daddy and husband. If Quincy turns out to be half as kind, smart and fun as his father, I will be a very proud mommy.

Quincy and I... I got a sassy new haircut this week. You can kind of see it in this picture, mostly just some new bangs. Very Mod.

Professional Bowler in the Making!

2008-06-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

This last Friday I took Quincy with me to a bowling party I had at work. He was in heaven! He just loved rolling the bowling ball down the alley and would stomp his feet with excitement. He did surprisingly well too, even rolling a strike at one point! He is so social, and I am so glad for it. He really will go to just about anyone with a big smile and open arms! It makes it so much easier on me that he isn't too clingy or scared of everyone but mommy! He continues to learn new words faster than I can keep up with. It is amazing how he grows! He has multiple teeth coming in, all the better to eat with...one of his most favorite things to do!

Last night we got together with our friends for our monthly dinner party. I am so happy to have such wonderful friends living so close by. With the weather getting better, it makes our time together that much more fun... and as our kids get older, they all enjoy playing with one another. Last night we had a rousing game of bocce ball. I had never played before, but it was lots of fun. Us girls played a round while the boys all sat and watched. It was a photo op I could not pass up!

Prepetual Motion

2008-05-25T23:12:00.001-07:00

My boy is a little whirlwind. So, this week I discovered a great way to contain him... the master bathtub. It is big and deep enough that he cannot get out, yet can play happily with his trains while I get ready for work. Don't call CPS on me please. He also had some crazy hair this week, and so I decided to just go with it and turned it into a little mohawk. It suited him.

It seems he learns a new word each day, today he said "apple" as clear as a bell when I offered him apple juice. So, to keep up I added a list of his words to his blog ...now some of these words are only understandable to Dan and I, but I have included them anyhow. His best word remains to be "bubble". He just adores bubbles!

The Week in Review

2008-05-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy and eventful week for us here. Monday morning started off with a bang, literally, as I collided with a tree when I hit the gas instead of the brakes while trying to park. Not a good way to begin my morning. Both the tree and our car have been better, I myself have been to the chiropractor and received a couple massages to try and keep my back and neck from hurting. That evening, a good friend from work dropped off a hand me down train table for Quincy and he has requested to take all his meals there everyday since. The boy spends every waking moment playing with those trains!

The weather has taken an incredible turn this week as well, with temperatures soaring into the 90's. We are just not used to the warmth having spent the last 6 months in a deep freeze. It is hard to acclimate to the change, and whats worse is the massive thaw of snow pack causing the rivers to swell and flood. We checked out Snoqualmie Falls this morning, and it was fuller than I have ever seen it before.

The highlight of the week however was when Jerrie offered to watch Quincy over the weekend to allow for Dan and I to spend some good alone time together. It was just perfect and I am so grateful to my dear sister in law for the offer! We had a delicious meal at a very nice restaurant where they DO NOT have kids menu's, and we both slept in on Sunday morning and went for a nice drive and enjoyed the sunny warm morning. It was a success, and despite some moderate difficulties with his sleeping (sorry for the 4:30am wake up Jerrie and Karl!) he did pretty well at his first sleepover away from us. We joined everyone back out at the farm Sunday afternoon to help celebrate Karli's 12th birthday, and ended the week off perfectly. It was a very relaxing and very nice weekend, I feel refreshed and ready to start a new week and looking forward to the upcoming 3 day weekend!

A Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I feel quite loved and very much spoiled after this Mother's Day weekend and I wonder how I am so lucky? I was able to sleep in both Saturday and Sunday morning, which in itself is pure heaven for me... but then to top it off, I also received the most beautiful bouquet of roses and a perfume I had wanted for a long time. It was much more than I had expected, and I wonder if Dan realizes the precedent he is setting here?! I am well taken care of, and I know that Quin will be a great father and husband someday just through the example Dan sets for him.

I think back to two years ago, Mother's Day morning, when I took that first pregnancy test and knew it was official...I was going to be a mommy. So much has changed since then, life is definitely more complicated and at times far more challenging, but also so much more rewarding. I have so many great examples of mothers all around me, and I am grateful everyday to them. My own mother of course deserves the most credit of all. Showing us children love, and support in everything we do. I knew she was my mother and she had the authority in the house, but I also knew she was a friend and somebody who could help me when things got difficult. Even now as a mother myself, I know that she is there for me when I need her and surprisingly at 30 years old, I need her often. I also have been blessed with a sister in law who displays what I think most mother's only aspire to. A woman who does it all, and always with excitement, patience and unconditional love. I know that in her, I can see glimpses of the mother in law I never had the fortune of meeting, yet raised some of the greatest people in my life today. I am awed by my sweet friends Kristin and Erin, single mom's who are able to parent their darling girls along, showing strength everyday. I know they face challenges as mothers that I could not imagine and this gives me courage to keep going myself. My best friend Darla amazes me, as she generously takes on raising not only her adorable daughter, but also her nephew as well as an entire household of challenging teenage girls. She is a busy mom, but always good humored and I love her dearly. As I look around, I know I am part of an amazing group of woman and I learn from them each day. You just never really truly understand the sacrifices and love of a mother until you are one, do you? I read a quote today that I liked, Sophia Loren said "A mother always has to think twice: once of herself and once for her child". I thought that summed it up quite well. Happy Mother's day to all. Enjoy some of my favorite mommy pictures....

Major Disappointment!

2008-05-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Quincy has continued to be sick all week... and we are unsure if it is due to the antibiotic the doctor prescribed or if he has a contagious virus. We hemmed and hawed all week long and with a few hours to go have decided it will be far less stressful and much more enjoyable for all if we just re-schedule our trip for later in June. The visions of a sick baby on the plane, and even worse for all of us to come down with the stomach flu while in San Diego, helped us to make the decision. I am quite disappointed as I REALLY was needing a trip somewhere warm and to spend some time with my hubby to refresh and reconnect. Oh well, next month maybe. If we can last that long.

Counting Down the days....

2008-04-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a long week here in the Williams household. Last weekend both Dan and Quin were not feeling well. Quincy had a very high fever, resulting in a tearful and tantrum filled weekend and Dan went down with a cold (AGAIN!) It was one of those weekends where I was glad to see Monday roll around.

Later in the week I noticed Quincy's eye beginning to swell, and within 24 hours he looked like our very own Rocky Balboa! "Yo, Adrianne"

I took him in to see the doctor who found that he had an ear infection! Crazy... an ear infection can cause an eye to swell twice it's size? Apparently so. That explains it all! Now we know why we have had the worlds crabbiest baby of all time all week long!

And now all is back to normal! Happy baby, with normal sized eye's. We had some nice spring weather this weekend, and took Quincy to the park. We also went to the Mariner's game last night, or at least half of it....

Here's some pic's of the park...

Now we are just anxious for Thursday when we are scheduled to fly down to San Diego for the weekend!!! Wish us luck for the 3 hour long flight... eek.

A Great Weekend!

2008-04-15T19:45:00.000-07:00

We had a little taste of summer this weekend, with temperatures soaring into the high 70's on Saturday. It was glorious and we celebrated by going to the park and comfortably wearing short sleeves. Alas it was short lived... and last night it was snowing on my drive home! ICK! On Sunday, it was back to being grey out, but that didn't stop us from joining up with the Froelich clan and visiting Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma. We had lots of fun and I think Quincy enjoyed himself, although the day would have reached utter perfection had he been allowed to pet the animals. Oh well, next stop... petting zoo (a.k.a the Froelich farm!)

Enjoy some photos from our weekend!

Quincy has continued to amaze us as he learns things so quickly. This week he has been using the word "car" (pronounced "caw") with such frequency he is beginning to sound like a crow! Everytime he see's a car, which is EVERYWHERE, he exclaims "CAW!" It is pretty cute! He is a smart boy.

Bubbles!

2008-03-29T23:37:00.000-07:00

Some cute Saturday morning pictures of Quincy's new favorite pastime...bubble blowing. We had some spring snow this week, so we have resorted to blowing bubbles inside. Makes for a nice sudsy floor, which is the closest I think I will get to mopping for awhile.

This week Dan also brought out a ragged old hat that once belonged to his sister Jerrie. Quin thought it was just so funny to wear this hat, and it made for some cute pictures.

Easter Fun!

2008-03-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

Well... it was kind of fun. Poor Dan was very sick, which meant we missed out on some of the Easter fun we had originally planned on. We weren't able to visit with family and participate in the fun Easter egg hunt on the farm, and we also missed out on a "date" a friend had offered free babysitting for. I am sure all will be made up in time, and Quincy was never the wiser. He had a great weekend just hanging out with mommy (daddy was too contagious!) It is so fun for us to watch the pure joy on his face! It is amazing the difference between now and just a few months ago at Christmas. At Christmas, he really could care less, and showed very little interest in all that was going on. This weekend, he was so excited for the small activities we participated in. My mom sent a sweet package full of Easter goodies, and he was so excited to open the box and all the gifts, giving the stuffed bunny rabbit "love" as he pulled it from the bag. Sunday morning a modestly stocked Easter basket awaited him. He peered into it and immediately smiled and removed the toys to play (no candy from the Easter bunny yet!). Later in the afternoon, after his nap, Daddy "hid" (more like randomly placed in obvious areas) Easter eggs full of crackers, raisins, and little cookies all around the living room. I had some serious doubts about how successful this would be. To my surprise, after I showed him what to do... he took right off, gathering all the eggs into his basket with very little prompting. Once all the eggs were gathered, then the fun was eating all the "treats" that were inside them. Our biggest surprise of the weekend however was when we blew bubbles from his Easter basket and without a moment of hesitation he began to exclaim "Bubble! Bubble!" We about died! He probably says this better than any other word, and we had no idea until now! Still, days later we blow bubbles just to hear him say it. It is one of the cutest things ever! He is such a smart boy! They even told us at his daycare that they are going to advance him to the next class because he is developing so quickly. He is still a little guy at only 20 lbs, but don't be deceived, he's a smart one! He is also waiving and saying "Hi!"... but only when HE feels like it. Another word he is getting the hang of (which is actually pretty helpful) is "More". He is growing so fast. Its really hard to believe.

Hopefully with my next blog we will ALL be healthy, and have more fun to tell you all about!

Farewell Matilda

2008-03-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

We said goodbye to our dear companion of many years this weekend. Rest in peace Matilda. We love you and you will be missed.

Celebrating 14 months!

2008-03-07T23:13:00.000-08:00

Dan and I have taken a few days off of work, something we both needed badly, to spend some good quality family time together. Quincy turned 14 months on Thursday, and we decided to do something fun. We went on his first visit to the Zoo. It wasn't Woodland Park in Seattle, but a smaller and lesser known Zoo in Issaquah. It was perfect, a small "taste" of the Zoo without the crowds. They had two tigers, some cougars and lemurs and lots of parrots, reindeer and alpacas. Quin's favorite parts of the Zoo were all the brass animal statues, steps to go up and down on, and the highlight of the trip... wooden benches to climb on (can I tell you how glad I am he was free?). He was such a good boy all day long, even without a good nap in. It was a very fun day. Today the fun continued! Quincy and I got some free passes to the "Kids Quest" museum we went to last week with Darla and Millie and decided to visit again, this time with Daddy. He just loves that place, although today's visit was MUCH busier than our last mellow Wednesday afternoon visit. It was still a lot of fun and we had to tear him away from the place, but I wasn't going to let him skip a nap again today. That results in a very crabby baby! His favorite part of today was playing with the water exhibits they have. That was Dan's favorite part too, he made a dam, and was like a little kid! We still have 3 more days off work, and I am hoping that at least one day will be spent getting some much needed projects done around the house (much to Dan's dismay!)

A Big Boy Haircut!

2008-03-02T18:07:00.001-08:00

Sorry Auntie Chet... it had to be done! Quincy's hair was getting so shaggy, that Dan and I made the decision it was time for his first haircut. He did amazingly well, only getting extra squirrely when the electric clippers made an appearance. He was pretty serious the entire time, but no tears or fear at all. Now he just looks like such a big boy. I just keep look at him thinking how handsome he looks, all grown up. Dan was recently reminiscing about all the little baby things he misses... laying in bed as a family while Quincy kicks his legs and giggles, and holding him while he "jumps". He just keeps growing up and amazing us. Apparently he is quite the comedian at daycare, always entertaining the other kids and teachers. Where does he get that from?!

A fun visit with friends!

2008-02-29T22:57:00.000-08:00

We had a very fun week this week, with a short but adventure-packed visit from my best friend Darla Bailey and her 3 year old, Miller. I was lucky enough to take half a day off, and Quincy and I joined them for a great afternoon. We visited "Kids Quest" childrens museum in Bellevue. Initially I was very unsure as to how Quin would like it, thinking he might still be too little to really get much out of it. I knew it would be great fun for Millie, and give Darla and I a chance to do some catching up as well. Fortunately, both Millie and Quincy had a fantastic time and could have played all day had we let them. There were some neat water exhibits, music areas, a science section and a big semi cab that the kids could crawl around in... but the hit was a huge bird themed play area right in the center of the museum. It was great fun for us all, and I really look forward to taking Quincy back soon. The best part for me, NO CLEAN UP! All the blocks, puzzle pieces, legos, etc. all get picked up by the staff at the end of the night and I don't have to lift a finger. Pretty good, right? The two kids had a yummy dinner and took a bath together. I have never had to fight to get Quin out of the bath like I did that night. He was in absolute heaven having an older kid to play with in the bath. He has always loved older kids, and he just adored Millie. It was just about the cutest thing!

At one point while watching our children play, I just thought out loud about how odd it was to be sitting there with my best friend of several years watching our kids play togather. We aren't nannies... or babysitters. We are mothers, and sometimes both Dan and I look around and think to ourselves "When did all this happen?". After some consultation, apparently this feeling never really goes away.

First trip to the park

2008-02-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

With such a nice string of weekends, the fun just keeps on coming!! This weekend we made a quick trip to the park here in our neighborhood. There was some initial trepidations on both the swing and the slide... but it didn't last long and within seconds our little "Evil Knievel" wanted more, higher, faster and all by himself. He seemed to like the slide the most. I was a protective mother bear who wanted to hold on to him all the way down, but Dan just set him up there and let him at it. He LOVED it and kept wanted to go again and again.

February updates from the Williams clan

2008-02-19T22:16:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile, so a much needed blog update is in order. Dan has been pestering me... and I am not sure why he doesn't jump on here and blog too? We will have to discuss this option perhaps. The last month has been good and Quincy has continued to blossom into quite the little personality. He is a constant comedian. Where does he get that from? With a mom and dad so serious all the time? Who knows. Whenever he gets the reaction he is looking for he just keeps up the antics. We have received reports from daycare telling us the same. He has such a good time playing and entertaining everyone he meets. He also seems to love the outdoors, especially now that he can walk (and run) around freely. It hasn't been too great here to be able to even go outdoors often, but this last weekend warmed up and was dry long enough to do some exploring. On Saturday we went to look at the trains in Snoqualmie and on Sunday we took a nice long walk in a park in Bellevue. Both days, Quin was beyond himself with joy. As we parked in Snoqualmie, he initially just stood there not quite knowing what to do. Dan took his hand and encouraged him to walk, and he beamed. A smile from ear to ear for a good solid portion of the entire afternoon I believe. He occasionally broke free from our hands to be independent, but he would come back and grab mama's hand to walk along further. He was so cute about holding our hands, and was quite aware of coming back occasionally to hold them. We were very amused. He was quite a trooper on Sunday, as we went for a pretty long walk. Daddy held him the last third of the walk and he was dead asleep by the time we got back to the car. It was a fun weekend, and we look forward to future trips to places like the Zoo, the aquarium, and other parks now that he is so aware and excited for everything around him.

It is not all fun and games, however, as we are most definitely entering the "temper tantrum" phase. As Quincy gains independence, he also gains a strong will of his own... and it doesn't always coincide with our own ideas. We have had some mad, thrashing around the floor, blown up fits over some pretty silly little things, and he gets so worked up that he doesn't even remember what it was he started the tantrum over in the first place!?! Grocery stores are hard. He doesn't want to sit, or even be held... he wants to RUN all over the place. Not so fun in a busy Safeway with a list of things to buy. Thankfully Dan does an amazing job with him. He has the patience I lack, and can always calm him down and restore our home to a happy one.

Valentines Day was pretty mellow at the Williams house. The day after, Quincy's daycare offered a "parent's night out" night where they stayed open until 11pm for an extra fee. We went out to dinner, and had to scratch our heads to remember what kinds of things we used to do with all our free time (and money!). We ended up checking our watches every 30 minutes or so until we felt like we had gotten our money's worth and could pick the baby up. He did really well though, and had fallen asleep before we got there to pick him up. Now that I know he is good staying late, next time we might actually go to a movie too! It is nice to go out for some "adult time"... no kid's menus, or big messes, or crayons and paper to pick up off the floor 20 times.

A sunny, family day!

2008-01-14T22:31:00.000-08:00

We had a very nice and SUNNY day together as a family yesterday! The sun can do so much to lift your spirits, can't it? We miss it here sometimes!!! With the holidays and Dan working so much lately, it has been hard for us to have some good family time, just the three of us. So this last Sunday, with the sun shining and the temperature reaching all the way up to a balmy 50 degrees, we decided to make an overdue trip to the new Olympic Sculpture Park on the Seattle Waterfront. It is a really nicely put together park, and a fantastic way for us to introduce Quincy to the fine arts at a price we can afford.... FREE! Quin loved walking on the gravel, until the 2nd or 3rd stumble, then he refused to budge. There were lots of other children there, and he is fascinated by them. He just watches their every move, and yells his baby jibberish so matter-o-factly, as if to say "Hey Guys! Over here... I want to play, too!" Dan and I are in constant awe of him and he provides us endless entertainment. I recently read a magazine article written that summed up this last year perfectly. As Quincy is busy discovering all the things this world has to offer, we are busy as parents discovering all the things he has for us. He is new to this planet, and we are new to him. To the parents of multiple children, we are probably absurd to see as we fuss over him, everyday he learns something new and we treat it as though he has discovered the solution to world hunger. He is a genius (of course!) I watch him like a hawk, nervous in my recognition that he is already learning independence. We gloat to anyone who will listen about how he just yesterday pointed at his bottles and said "baba" telling us what he wanted (thankfully ending a bit of a fit he was having), how he is so silly and tries to make us laugh by doing things like trying to "feed" mommy his bottle, how well he walks after such a short time... enjoying a game of "chase", and how the pediatrician confirmed at his 12 month check up that he is a genius. Ok... so maybe not exactly , but he did say he is very developed in his verbal skills, especially for a boy, saying "ball" "dog" and "uh-oh". We are so lucky and so happy with him, even on the hard days. I have felt all kinds of love. Love for my parents, siblings, friends, boyfriend, husband. But NOTHING is like the love I have for my baby. It is amazing. It is cliche. It is true.

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Quincy!!!

2008-01-06T18:32:00.000-08:00

As we start the new year, I am amazed that I now officially have a toddler! We had a good New Years, just spending some time with friends. I know my life is changed forever as a parent, by looking at how we spend New Years. We actually were in bed mostly asleep at midnight. Mostly because the power was out when we got home at 11:00, but also because we were just TIRED! Now come the New Years resolutions! For me, I just want to work on dropping this extra baby weight I am still holding onto!

My mom came to visit and be here for Quincy's first birthday. It has been nice, of course. Having an extra pair of hands is ALWAYS nice as Quincy continued to wear us out running around all day long! Today we the big day, and we officially have a one year old. Its hard to keep from getting emotional when I think about how far we have come in the last year. I was so afraid a year ago about what motherhood would be like, and how capable I would be. I felt not at all ready for it, yet I suprised myself and motherhood came pretty natural. Fatherhood was natural to Dan as well, and I remember just falling in love with him all over again as I saw him tenderly hold and love our newborn child. As for our first birthday celebration...We had a fun party, with all kinds of friends and family here to help us celebrate. Quincy gobbled up his birthday cake in less than a minute. The boy loves sweets just like his mommy! He kept up pretty well, only get overwhelmed and crabby a few times during the party... afterwords is another story! So much action makes for a weary and fussy boy! It was so much fun, and so special to have everyone here.

Merry Christmas to All!!!

2007-12-29T08:46:00.001-08:00

We had a lovely Christmas, very mellow, at home just the three of us along with my sister. It was nice and relaxed, and the baby took it all in nicely. He was mostly interested in walking all around the room saying "Uh-Oh", his new word and something he says pretty darned often these days. Quincy received a couple toys, one from Grandpa Gary and one from Santa, but he was mostly interested in paper and a variety of other items he shouldn't be getting into. I do love this time of year, but it is sometimes a little bit of a relief once it is all over. Now the clean up begins!!

In addition to clean up, there are also party plans to be made! Quin's first birthday is coming up so soon. January 6th, and I have a lot to do before then. Thankfully my mom will be here visiting for a few days, and that will allow me the extra pair of hands I need to get my list of chores completed. We will have a small birthday party with some friends and family to celebrate that we now officially are out of "infancy" and into "toddler"-dom. I am absolutely astounded when I really think about it more than 30 seconds. My little tiny boy is growing up so fast, and I just can't seem to slow it down.

Baby Steps

2007-12-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

With the busy holiday season, I have not been able to stay updated on our blog!!! The last few weeks have brought quite a bit of excitement... first we had some major snow, about 9 inches, then it immediately melted off with a major rainstorm coming through. Dan is always like a little boy when it snows. He just wants to go out and play! Quin will have a playmate whenever we receive snow as long as his daddy is here, thats for sure! Quincy has also turned 11 months old. I am amazed that he is almost 1 year old. How time flies.... I must start planning for the big ol' birthday bash! Reports from daycare are that he has started walking this week, although we have yet to witness it. He simply refuses to walk for us as he prefers to be held (hmmm... spoiled?) He has also started pointing at items, which is actually quite helpful. Now I have some idea as to what it is he wants!!! This week he had a high fever, but still made it to visit Santa Claus. No big smiles or hugs for Santa, however. I think if he had had a better nap and bottle beforehand we could have seen some better results. Oh Well, many years ahead to visit old Saint Nick. We have purchased a little Christmas tree and put it up high on a card table at the paediatricians recommendation. It is still very pretty... just small, and that's OK because smaller equals cheaper and daycare costs are taking a heavier toll than we anticipated! Thankfully Quincy could care less how many gifts Santa brings him this year! Don't worry though, we still have managed to get some Christmas shopping in! Happy Holidays to all!!

A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-24T23:08:00.000-08:00

We had a nice Thanksgiving, with a house full of family. I had some help from my sister the night before, and some help from both of my sister in law's the day of, and altogether I think it came out alright. There was only a brief moment when I questioned my own sanity, and then the food was ready and I was OK again.

Quin, in his usual form, was quite the entertainer. He was dressed in his nicest outfit and was on his best behavior. He smiled and laughed for all the guests, and of course was quite adored by all. He also ate up everything put before him!!! Not too much of a surprise there. He does love most food we give him. He had turkey, yams, potatoes au gratin, and green beans... but his REAL FAVORITE was PUMPKIN PIE! He cried for more and more! Uh Oh. I may be creating a "sweets" monster, just like his mommy. We don't want that.

Now we must prepare for Christmas!! Can't wait!

The Big 3 - OH!!!!

2007-11-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

It is here. The inevitable has occured. I could not escape the quick approach of my 30's and here they are. I know as I head into my 30's that is isn't as bad as I am making it out to be. After all, I have an incredible family, an amazing child and dear husband. I have a lovely home and a good, fullfilling job (most of the time). I am healthy and young (at heart). I have many more adventures ahead of me and a lot of things left to accomplish. The most important of these is the task of raisnig a kind, thoughtful and intelligent young man, and with the help of my kind, thoughtful and intelligent husband I think we are well on our way. In the next ten years I would like to have more children. Dan and I have realized over the last 10 months what an absolute joy it is to have a family. I would like to stop the silly yo-yo dieting, and just focus on being healthy, active and comfortable in my own skin. I would like to find more time for myself, to achieve personal growth. If I am not complete, I know I cannot be a complete mother and wife. I want to be a better wife. Dan deserves that. All very big things to look forward to.

Having a great birthday so far. At work everyone dressed in black and white, and my desk was all decorated in black and white by dear friends. I am so lucky to love the people I work with. Tonight they have planned for a fun night out in Seattle, and we have a babysitter all lined up! This morning, my dear husband got up with the baby and I got to sleep in until nearly 10am! Oh BLISS!!! Then I was treated to a pumpkin muffin and latte for breakfast. Its been a very nice day.

Depsite turning 30.

Trick Or Treat!!

2007-11-02T18:44:00.001-07:00

Quincy's first Halloween was quite a lot of fun! It was a cold, dry night and EVERYBODY was out! We met up with some friends and their kids, who are actually old enough to know what Halloween is all about.... CANDY! Quin stayed up way past his bedtime and was very, very tired by the end of the night. He was the most adorable little tiger, but I knew he would be. We also went to the pumpkin patch last weekend. It was a very short trip,

just long enough to get some nice pictures of the experience. It was an extremely cold and frosty morning, so none of us lasted long. It has been a very fun week for us, and I am looking forward to the next couple months.

Hotel Williams: No Vacancy!

2007-10-25T20:31:00.001-07:00

It has been quite a busy, yet enjoyable week of visitors here for us! My dear friend Darla was here for a short visit, and then as she left, my mom (or "Granny" as she is now called!) and brother Tyson came rolling in. They arrived very late Thursday night and planned to leave Tuesday. With the extreme fires in Southern California however, it was decided that it just DIDN'T make sense to rush back and their trip was extended a couple more days. It was a nice visit, although poor Tyson ended up catching the flu bug while he was here. I felt just terrible! I thought I had done such a good job of cleaning up all the little germies before they arrived. Not too fun having the stomach flu, and being stuck on somebody else's couch! Luckily he recovered and was able to spend at least sometime enjoying his visit here. I think he did at least. Time was mostly spent just enjoying Quincy, but they had a couple days to scoot around the city, and see the beautiful fall colors we have here in the Pacific Northwest. I tell ya, there isn't much like it down in California! Dan and I took advantage of overnight babysitting, and spent a glorious night in Seattle... and didn't wake up until 10am! Oh HEAVEN! Just like the old days! It was really nice to get away and just spend some time with each other away from our current "mommy" and "daddy" roles.

The fires in San Diego seemed to be pretty scary, and there were moments when it appeared that they could affect our family in a more dramatic way. Mom called home to make sure everyone knew where to find the family photos in case it came down to saving something from fire. Luckily, Vista was spared from evacuations and everyone was able to stay put and just wait it out. Many people were not so lucky, as you all know.

It has been a very eventful month, and for Quincy it is no exception! After he got over the stomach flu, and remainder of a cold and cough he had battled all month long he developed a slight ear infection! He was absolutely inconsolable! Two days in a row, he spent several hours crying and crying and there was nothing at all I could do to comfort him. I ended up crying along with him from sheer helplessness. I couldn't stand to see my sweet boy so upset. It was an extremely difficult week, but we caught it and got antibiotics before Granny and Uncle Tyson came to visit. They were spared the agony of watching hearing him cry for hours! He is MUCH better now, and back to his adorable self. He is officially crawling like a champ, and he has tooth #5 popping up now! He is growing so fast, and his little personality really shows. He gets frustrated when things don't happen as he would like... a toy doesn't do what he wants, mommy holds onto his bottle when he wants to hold it by himself, mommy won't let him get into the bathroom cupboards, etc. I feel bad that more often than not, I just want to laugh because it is so funny to see! We picked out his Halloween costume too! I am so excited for the holidays, and his first Halloween... Thanksgiving... Christmas... New Years... then Birthday!!! Wow!

Williams house of sickness

2007-10-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

No pictures to go along with this post! They wouldn't be pretty!! My heart lept in my throat Friday afternoon when I saw a missed call from Quin's daycare... whatever could be wrong!! He had been throwing up and they asked my to come and get him. Poor baby boy, he was so lethargic and just wanted to be cuddled. I knew something was off that morning when he cried every time I sat him down to get ready for work... not something he usually does. Lucky mommy, I got thrown up on 5 times! But my sweet boy still wanted to give mama "love" and big open mouth kisses. Yum. Sure enough 36 hours later, guess who else was sick? Poor Dan had to go from taking care of a crabby, sick baby to a crabby, sick wife. He deserves a medal. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that we are done, especially because my mom and brother are going to be here to visit in a few days! We don't want them to get sick too. The worst part of all, was that it was a GORGEOUS weekend, and we had planned to make Quincy's first trip to the pumpkin patch with Auntie Jerrie, Uncle Karl and the cousins. I am so sad we had to miss it! We will have to try and make a trip, just the three of us, soon.

Love and HEALTH to all!

Can't keep a good baby down!

2007-10-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

As Quin approaches the 9 month mark, he has decided that simply sitting is no longer a viable option. He MUST be crawling, or standing at all times. In the bath I battle to keep in sitting down, and when changing his dirty diapers I resort to physically holding the boy down in order to avoid a gigantic poopy mess. And something I have learned over the last few months... just because he is 1/10 my size does not mean he only has 1/10 my strength!!! I am going to have to go to the gym just to keep up with him.

October is here, and the fall weather is along with it in full force. It is chilly and the leaves are beginning to turn. I caught a great photo last weekend of Dan and Quin as our little family ventured into the "big city" for an adventure at the Freemont Flea Market. Driving in Seattle is not something we do often now that we live in the mountains of North Bend, even after promising ourselves we would return at least once a month when we moved here. We had a fun day, and Quincy was a very good boy! He wins all kinds of admirers everywhere we go. I think we even got some good deals on a few purchases just because of the extra cute baby we had with us!

Auntie Chet (Jessica) is back in town for a few weeks, and we have been able to spend some time with her which is always fun. We love to hear of her adventures and hi-jinks while on the road travelling. I especially like the extra set of hands to help with the baby so I can do things, like sleep. Dan and I usually get at least one date out the deal too, which we need desperately! Its really hard to stay connected as husband and wife when we are pulled in so many other directions, but we both know how important it is for our family.

Hope all is well with our dear family and friends reading this! Love to all!
D, C & Q

Quincy: Daredevil extraordinaire

2007-09-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

.... And the parents that save his life every day!

Yes, Quincy is making it apparent to us that babyproofing will have to begin VERY soon! This week he was caught mid-plummet by Dan from his highchair, even after being belted in! He is also learning to climb up the stairs to our jetted tub, and is become quite adept at climbing up whatever he can find to stand up: crib sides, pant legs, mommy and daddy... you name it. He has no fear!! I guess he is leaving that all up to me!

Bad news for Dan yesterday, he did not get the job he applied for last week. Disappointing, but now we just have to hope that whoever DID get the job will do it well, and not annoy Dan further! After a week of working early, I am really not sure how long he will last. He is just not an early morning person! I like that he goes to bed at a relatively decent hour though, and I also like the limited hours at daycare for Quin.

We received some fun news on Thursday, Our nephew and his wife are expecting their third baby early next year and they found out it will be a boy. So Quin will have a little cousin who is just a little bit younger, to play all kinds of rough and tumble boy games with at all the family festivities! It also means that I have a somebody to take all these clothes Quin has grown out of!

Thanks again for reading!
Have a great week!
D,C and Q

A Big Week

2007-09-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! It is our weekly update, and it has been a pretty good and somewhat eventful week. As I mentioned in our last post, Dan had a job interview for a supervisor position. We won't know until sometime next week if he will interview a second time, or what the outcome of his first interview was. He feels confident though, he put a lot of thought into preparing for this and was able to answer the questions with strong examples. He did his very best, so I am proud no matter what the decision. I don't know if I will ever again get to see him in this expensive suit we bought for him, so I made him take a picture this morning and thought I would share it with you all. The man cleans up so well! He has had quite the head cold this week, so he is hoping to feel better soon. One of the joys of having a baby in daycare now... we get to share our illnesses for weeks!

Quin is growing and changing everyday! When I picked him up from daycare yesterday they said he was fussy and needy, and sure enough... a little nub of a tooth is breaking through! So, teeth #3 and 4 look like they are on their way! He was pretty fussy last night, but is back to a perfect angel as of today! He is scooting all over the place, not officially crawling but he sure can get from Point A to Point B in a hurry. He knows what he wants and he can get there quickly, unfortunately what he usually wants in something he shouldn't be getting into! Today on our way home from work I sat in back with him while Dan drove. I realized something... I am missing out on ALL the fun sitting up front!!! I have the funniest boy! He is all about games and laughing, for the first time ever he played peek-a-boo with me! He help onto his burp rag and covered his face up while I said "Where is Quincy?..." and dropped the cloth for me to say "THERE HE IS!" and he giggled and giggled! Over and over he did this, guess he likes Peek-a-boo! I nearly cried from pride and laughter.

I wonder still if I am making the right choice. I work so hard, and so many hours that I just miss out on so much with him. I had one day this week when I thought to myself "I work with babies all day, why can't I be with the baby I love?!", but other days are rewarding and I know that he enjoys playing with all the toys they have there! Interaction with other babies is good for him, but I wish we could be together more often. Typically Dan is dropping him off around 8:30am, and I pick him up about 5:30pm... that's 9 hours! He is only awake for about 13 and 1 of those hours is spent driving! So, all-in-all we are together playing, eating, bathing, getting ready for the day or for bed about 3 hours or so. It's just not enough time. Dan is going start working earlier however and this will put my mind at ease. Dan will be able to pick him up by about 3:30pm, and he will have Sunday's and Monday's off. That means only 4 days at daycare... but it also means only 1 day that we will be together as a family. Not sure if I like that trade-off!
But I suppose that could all change with a supervisor job, and we will just have to wait and see on that.

That's all from "Team Williams" this week. Love to all!

D, C and Q

"Team Williams" family blog

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