Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Merry Christmas 2011

We had an absolutely WONDERFUL Christmas this year. We started the festivities off on Christmas Eve. Travis's mom came over midday. We made yummies, cookies and chocolate covered pretzels. While the girls took a nap, Travis and I ran an errand to pick up a VERY special Christmas present for the girls. :)

After we got home, we all got ready for church. I just LOVE church on Christmas. The carols in candle light...ahh! LOVE THEM!





After church, we ate brisket, baked potatoes and corn on the cob. Finally, it was time to open some goodies that Grammy brought us and give her her gifts.



After Grammy left, the girls got on their PJs, put out cookies for Santa and we put them in bed. Santa put the gifts out and Travis and I exchanged gifts. Can I just say, the boy did good this year!? He got me a Judith March dress and this GORGEOUS Michael Kors watch. I was shocked...and over the moon...and so undeserving. I love our little tradition of exchanging after the girls were in bed. It's so fun!


Christmas morning, we had to set an alarm to beat the girls to the living room. So, we got up at 5:30 am. Travis woke the girls up and brought them out to the living room.


After the excitement set in (which I obviously didn't capture on video) the girls opened the rest of their gifts from Santa and decided on a name for that little guy: Gus. :)

We ate breakfast, put together played with toys, watched a movie and packed for Honey's. Catherine won the prize for the first Christmas meltdown of 2011. She won: A NAP!





About noon, we headed to Hot Springs. We were spoiled again down there and had a yummy dinner of steaks. My mom always gets poppers for everyone to open after dinner. Everyone gets a trinket, some jokes and a crown. :) Nice family pic!






We had such a wonderful Christmas and are so blessed to get to spend so much time with our family. Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!



Sunday, December 25, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing you all


A very Merry Christmas!


Hoping everyone remembers


the true Reason for the season




and enjoys every moment


with your family and friends.

Love,








The Williamsons


Friday, December 23, 2011

Giving

My kids are beyond spoiled. I'll be the first one to admit that. They couldn't even think of anything (other than a puppy) to ask Santa to bring for Christmas.

(This is not a news flash to anyone who has been reading this blog for very long at all)

Travis and I are OK with our kids being a little spoiled. They are only kids once and most of the time, they are very well behaved. (I said MOST of the time!)

But, one of our biggest fears is they will feel entitled and expect things and vacations without an ounce of appreciation. It is SO hard to figure out how to ensure they do not grow up in this world of instant gratification expecting THINGS to make them happy.

We are diligent about picking an angel off the angel tree each year. We explain to them that there are kids who will not receive a thing for Christmas. (Which is often hard to tip-toe around the "Why doesn't Santa bring them anything?" questions. Because, yes, our kids believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas.)

But, it's not only this time of year that we beat this into their heads talk about this. When they don't want to eat, we try to explain to them that there are kids that do not get to eat dinner because their parents cannot afford it. When they are complaining over what clothes they are wearing, we tell them that there are kids who have one shirt, one pair of jeans and one pair of shoes that they wear every day.

We explain to them that Travis and I work hard every day to provide our family with the stuff we have. And, more than that, we explain to them that it's not about the STUFF. Life is more than STUFF.

Still Travis and I live with the fear that we will have three unappreciative, self-entitled girls on our hands. I am sure this comes with parenting, but we question "Are we doing this right? Should we do something differently?"
Then, something happens to make us realize we ARE getting it right. All the talks about how fortunate we are finally sink in. It's little things that makes me realize they aren't going to concede to this self-serving world we live in.

 Like, when I took Hannah to buy a book for Catherine and Emma for Christmas and she was so excited to pick them out that she didn't even ask for a single book for herself. Or, when Emma is so excited to give Travis his gift that she asks him every night if he wants just ONE early present. Or, when Catherine shares. (Hey...she's two...that's huge!)

These small victories might seem like nothing to you. But, to us, they are confirmation that we are doing something right. When Travis and I talk about these things, we realize that we are raising three happy, healthy, giving and faithful little girls. And that is the best gift we can give them.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Christmas Parties Galore

This week has been a week full of Christmas parties!

Monday, Emma had her Christmas party at school. I went to help and enjoy the fun with Emma and her friends. They ate pizza, decorated cookies and made two scarves. One scarf was for them and the other was for the school to deliver to the homeless shelter. (I loved this idea! Travis and I are trying constantly to help our kids understand how fortunate they are and instill the excitement of giving in their sweet little hearts.)



Tuesday, Hannah had her Christmas party. I, again, went to help and listen to all the funny things that a classroom full of 4 year olds has to say. They ate a bunch of goodies and did an ornament exchange.




Wednesday, we met our friends for lunch and did a little gift exchange with them. The girls had so much fun giving the Brown kids their presents and getting the CUTEST water bottle from their friends. I got a fabulous new clutch from Tara, a gorgeous scarf from Kim and the most amazing vintage best friends necklace from Rachel.



Catherine's party was today, but I am off work and kept the girls home with me. I asked her if she was sad to miss her party at school. She, of course, would much rather be home with Mommy. :)


To say we are enjoying every second of the Christmas season would be an understatement. We are having so much fun and relishing every moment with the girls.






Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Birthday, Baking and Santa

This weekend was a blast! Friday night, my parents were up here and wanted to do dinner. But, it was Nicole's birthday dinner, so mom and I went to celebrate with her. We left the girls with Daddy Brooks. They had a blast playing Uno! and watching movies.


Mom and I had so much fun with all my friends celebrating the fabulous Nicole Caire!




Saturday, Travis was hunting. So, the girls and I decided to do a little early Christmas baking (we typically do this on Christmas Eve). We made the usual goodies.


While we were busy in the kitchen, Travis got home. He was proud to show us the deer he killed and had European mounted. Hannah, Catherine and I avoided it like the plague. Emma, well...yeah...


Sunday, after church, we took the girls to visit Santa. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it went this year. The line was a little long, but no one cried or spouted off an unexpected request this year. And, that made me happy!




We had a great weekend and are busy this week with Christmas parties galore! FIVE MORE DAYS!





Friday, December 16, 2011

Wearing Me Out

There is a certain two-year old in our house that is completely wearing me out these days. She is at that stage where she is pushing things to the limit JUST to see how far she can get.

But, in the midst of all this, she is HILARIOUS! It's hard to discipline her because she is so darn funny. Here are a few examples:

Her favorite food is still a "dog dog" (hot dog). She asks for one EVERY night for dinner. When I say no, she says "Aww Man! I neber neber NEBER get dog dog for dinner!".


Hannah got sick the other night and threw up on a stuffed dog. Catherine walked by before I had cleaned it up. She looked at the dog, looked at Hannah and said "Hannah Book! That not nice!"

She still sucks her thumb. I try to tell her not to and that's what babies do. She looks at me and says "I not a baby! I big gurl! I pee-pee in the potty!"


One day at school, she had an accident and pooped a little in her pants. Her teacher was telling me about it when I picked her up. Catherine interrupted her teacher and said "No I not poop in my pants!" I said, "Why are you panties dirty then?" Her response, "Um...Um...Um...EMMA POOP IN MY PANTS!"


Oh Catherine Grace, I love you!