Spring in Seattle...

Home again, home again, jiggety jig...that is what my mom always says after coming home from vacation. We got to spend five days in Mt. Vernon, WA last week with my sister, Amy. We landed in Seattle around 3 p.m., to sunshine and 46 degrees. Sunshine is pretty rare in the spring so we felt real lucky...
until we traveled about 10 miles north...then we hit a winter wonderland.
I called up to my sister's and she thought I was joking because it was beautiful where she lived. And, once we got there (after traveling 40 miles in 2 hours) she was right. It was beautiful. Caleb, however had a hard time waking up and it didn't even faze him that a suitcase fell on him while asleep...
The reason I wanted to go to Seattle in the spring was because of their annual Tulip Festival up where my sister lives. It is absolutely amazing, the acres of tulips in all colors. So, Saturday, we headed out for the street fair. And it was cold. It had spit snow that morning, but cleared up, and as we were finishing up at the fair, Amy looks ahead and says " Hail in three seconds." It was hysterical. It hailed for 25 minutes, and once again, it looked like a winter wonderland. But that was nothing compared to waking up Sunday morning and hearing my nephew, Zachary, say "There is at least 2 inches on the ground."
It snowed all night and was still snowing Sunday morning. And I am talking big snowflakes. So, my kids, who haven't seen a good snow in a long time, got dressed and played in the snow. They said it was the first time they had snow like this in April. (Did I mention we were in Nashville during an earthquake before we flew out?)
Two hours later, the snow was gone, the sun came out, Danielle drove up, and we went to the tulip fields.
I don't know how to even describe the tulips. I am sure Smallworld would have a poem, but all I have is pictures....

Aside from the highlight of the tulips, we had a great time as a family, especially just spending time with my sister and her family. this was one of the best times I have had with Amy in a long time.
Tuesday, Mike, Caleb, Scott, and Zachary got to go back down to Seattle for a Mariners game. It was a fun night for the boys, and the girls got to stay up and watch Enchanted.
Wednesday came too soon, with tears and goodbyes, but what memories I have of this time together!
Our trip home was LONG to say the least. We got caught in a storm in Dallas, and couldn't take off because of a tornado warning. (note the weather theme of this trip) We sat on the plane for 3 1/2 hours before taking off. We landed in Nashville at 4 a.m. Knoxville time, and drove up to our house at 6:45 a.m. But, hey, we saw the sunrise! And now, time to catch up on our sleep...
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Apr. 26, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
Those tulips are AMAZING!!!
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Apr. 28, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sadie423
The tulips are beautiful! We went to a wildflower farm in TX once, but it wasn't nearly as nice as those flowers
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Apr. 29, 2008 - Hi from Kathy P - your husband's co-worker's wife
Posted by Anonymous
Hi: My husband (Mark P.) works with your husband. He told me about your blog tonight so I was checking it out. I have one too. but have no time to keep up with it. We have 8 children with one married - we have adopted several times - now your husband will remember who we are . . . . Loved those pics to Seattle - I am from Oregon and Mark is from Idaho Kathy P.
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Apr. 29, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
I forgot to leave my email address: chatkat@bellsouth.net Kathy P
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Apr. 30, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Suzanne
What gorgeous snow and tulips! I can't believe that my 8 yo dd recognized your kiddos after nearly a year since seeing them for ONE time. :) Thanks for sharing all of your weather-related adventures and photos to go with them. The tulips remind me of the ones I saw in Holland as a seven or eight yo. (My dad was stationed in Germany at the time.)
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Jun. 26, 2008 - You didn't need a poem!
Posted by QueenoftheHill
Those photos say it all. I can't believe how beautiful it is there. Why have I never been to the tulip festival -- or even heard of it? The King is from Washington, after all. Men!

Surprise, surprise...

Ok, I stopped even reading everyone else's blogs because I got sick of seeing mine with nothing new on it. So, after much procrastination, and laziness, I am back :) So here's a bit of me the last two months...
This little girl was one of my lights in a very dark time...and she still prays for the baby every night.

My Bekah turned six, and had a fun High School Musical Birthday party...
Caleb turned eight, and Duncan joined us for the second annual Chic- fil -a birthday lunch
Danielle came for a fun girls weekend, and trip to IKEA!
My four favorite people on Easter...
And, Caleb, earning his Wolf badge and giving me my mother's pin....

What I wished I had a picture of, is the day I forgot to put the emergency break on in our stick shift car. Mike thought it had been stolen, but no, it was stopped by our neighbor's deck....yikes...that was February 29th, leap day, and I am so glad it is now spring...
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Apr. 25, 2008 - welcome back!
Posted by DrHibiscus
nice to have you back in the blogosphere. great pictures! I would be happy that spring is here too, if it wasn't for my darned allergies...
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Apr. 25, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
Welcome back! Look like you got the flickr thing figured out--sorry, I was out buying garden stuff!

Glory Baby...

Glory Baby
by: Watermark
Glory baby you slipped away as fast as we could say baby…baby..You were growing, what happened dear?You disappeared on us baby…baby..Heaven will hold you before we doHeaven will keep you safe until we’re home with you…Until we’re home with you…
Miss you everydayMiss you in every wayBut we know there’s aday when we will hold youWe will hold youYou’ll kiss our tears awayWhen we’re home to stayCan’t wait for the day when we will see youWe will see youBut baby let sweet Jesus hold you‘till mom and dad can hold you…You’ll just have heaven before we doYou’ll just have heaven before we do
Sweet little babies, it’s hard tounderstand it ‘cause we’re hurtingWe are hurtingBut there is healingAnd we know we’re stronger people through the growingAnd in knowing-That all things work together for our goodAnd God works His purposes just like He said He would…Just like He said He would…
BRIDGE:I can’t imagine heaven’s lullabiesand what they must sound likeBut I will rest in knowing, heaven is your homeAnd it’s all you’ll ever know…all you’ll ever know…
Thank you, Smallworld for blogging words that I can't put into words right now and for understanding how I feel. One day I hope to get my thoughts written down.
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Feb. 10, 2008 - Praying for you ...
Posted by arajbrown
as you try to put it all together. Love you- amy
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Feb. 10, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
I love you!!
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Feb. 11, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by bestsister
Praying for you too. Barbara
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Feb. 12, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by LaDonna C.
You are on my mind and in my prayers...I'm so sorry.
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Feb. 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by jennfromtenn
You are in my prayers. Jenn
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Feb. 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Mom
You are in lots of Arizona prayers too. We love you.

Bringing back memories...

Last night I was supposed to be online searching for "activities for the letter N" to get ready for my Monday fun class, when my fingers made it over to another web site that led me to the exciting news of my NKOTB. When asking my parents this morning what they thought my earth shattering, life changing news may be, my mom said, "the bad boys in the hood or something like that must be coming." I'm so proud, they know me so well, just not the name of the group.
So this has led me to ponder all day long about my journey with NKOTB and my best friend from high school, Bernadette. Upon reading the news, I had to email her and let her know that I would fly to Orlando to see them in concert with her one more time, granted I am not about to go into labor. Bern and I met in the 7th grade through her cousin, Eileen, but it wasn't until sophmore year of HS that we formed a life long bond and sickness over the New Kids. Her favorite was Donnie, mine was Joe.
We lived, breathed, and dreamed NKOTB. As soon as the new Tiger Beat was out, we got it. New album, it was ours. Baseball cards, shirts, pillow cases, posters, dolls, key chains....they belonged to us. We skipped school to stand outside the Orlando Arena and hope for a glimpse of them. We had front row seats (on the side) and, thanks to Bern's beauty, we got "after show passes" Of course, we soon learned that you had to be 18 to go to the after show party, at their hotel, but I won't get into all that...we were only 17 and denied.
We did get to meet Joe, Jon, and Jordan when we were 16 at the Orlando Airport. My dad found out they were leaving on Delta (good ol' dad worked for the company) and so, we got to talk to them for a few brief minutes. We also stalked them waited around for them at the Dolphin hotel when they were staying there after a cruise. I got to meet Joe's dad, and have my picture made with him. I was sure to let him know I was Catholic, since Joe's family was, and was sure I would be whisked away to marry Joe. Did I mention we went to Boston after graduation and lied to misled our parents about who we were staying with?
Sadly, our freshman year of college, they broke up. No more concerts, shirts, dolls, posters....sadly, Bern's and my friendship started to drift apart as well. We lost contact after I got married, but she found me again about five years ago when she heard I was pregnant with Elisa. Now she is the only friend from high school I really get a chance to talk to. It's not often, but we fall back into a good rhythm. Excpet we don't talk about NKOTB. We talk about our kids, our houses, how sloppy we are, how we both wished she lived here. I haven't seen her since 1995, maybe NKOTB will be the bridge that brings me back to Orlando, and we can have a Hangin' Tough reunion (sorry, that was cheesy...)
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Jan. 27, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
You are CRACKING me up! (And I am totally feeling our age difference....)
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Jan. 28, 2008 - ahhh yes...
Posted by bestsister
I clearly remember having youth events at my house where all of us girls would watch the videos and try to learn the dance moves. reaaaaaally cool like. And then I moved to a new city for my grade 10 year and the first girl I met said to me "We could be friends....as long as you don't like New Kids" . I was an island I'm afraid. And every time our worship team picks "Step by Step" by Rich Mullins, my dear husband breaks into his best NKOTB imitation just to make me smile "Step by Step, oooh Baby" those were the good old days!

Hangin' Tough...

Wow, dreams really do come true....and I got rid of all my NKOTB stuff.....
New Kids On The Block Stage Comeback
After months of speculation and rumor, the Kids are coming back. A well-placed source tells PEOPLE exclusively that New Kids On The Block are indeed getting back together. The band's Web site, http://www.nkotb.com/, which had been dormant, is now back up and running in anticipation of the official announcement, which the source says will be made in the next few weeks. The site currently features a television graphic with a fuzzy, flickering photos of NKOTB in their heyday, and a link inviting fans to sign up for info.The boy band, which made legions of tweens swoon in the early '90s, selling more than 50 million albums, became a worldwide phenomenon before calling it quits in 1994. Eighteen years later, they're still "Hangin' Tough." The oldest "Kid," Jonathan Knight, now a real estate developer, will turn 40 later this year. Since the band's demise, former members Donnie Wahlberg, 38, and Joey McIntyre, 35, have seen acting success, while Danny Wood, 38, has worked as a music producer and Knight's brother, Jordan, 37, has continued to record.
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Jan. 27, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by SmallWorld
Wow! Could your year get any better? A baby AND NKOTB?

Catching up...

I know I should have taken my break from school to blog every day. Oh well, there's a lot of things I should do. So, I am going to do a little catching up with pictures...
Christmas eve, right before church. We always dress up, although most of the church is real casual. My kids recited the Christmas story from Luke and the girls sang Away in a Manger while Caleb played it on the piano. The Sunday before Christmas, Elisa did the recitation herself at church which was so special.
Putting out our stockings...
Need I say more?
I was so excited to get the Hairspray Soundtrack because I loved the movie so much....then we cranked it up and I read the lyrics...Elisa went around the house singing " I'm the ladies choice"
My Tennessee boys....I had to sneak this hat past Caleb to surprise him....he kept begging for it and it hasn't left his head to much since he got it....although Mike is still wearing my TN sweatshirt...
Ok, since this has taken way too long, I shall just end with this, so I can get on to my next post....
Happy (belated) New Year!

Party of Five...plus one...

So, how exactly do I go about being Party of Five to Party of Six? The title doesn't exactly have the same ring to it since I took my name from the Fox TV show from the 90's. But it does sound good around here....six Williams.
I got a post Christmas gift on December 27th. I found out that I am going to have another baby. While Mike is still recovering somewhat (!), we are excited around here to think that late this summer we will welcome another little baby into this home. Well, hopefully not this one, hopefully we will sell before then.
And so, after four years, I get to hold my own baby again, be sleep deprived again, change diapers again, and paint a new nursery again. What a joyous gift.
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Jan. 12, 2008 - A precious new baby!!!!
Posted by Anonymous
Congratulations!!!!! I'm so happy for you. :) That is so exciting!!!! Pretty soon, you'll have enough for your own soccer team! Pennie Gregg (a.k.a. ex-stalker....I can't be your stalker any more, because now you know my name & can recognize my face. HA!)
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Jan. 14, 2008 - Congratulations!
Posted by bestsister
That is wonderful. Now see some might suggest that you keep the party of five title and have it mean children only, and that you try again... or you could just become party of 6....less sleepless nights. ;-) Praying all goes well for you, Barbara
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Jan. 14, 2008 - I'm so happy for you!!!
Posted by LaDonna C.
I still remember the tears you shed that day at Our Lady of Fatima fellowship hall, telling me Mike had taken down the baby bed and was so excited to do so, and you...not so much! And now look! God is going to bless you again...I truly am excited, mostly because it's Y-O-U and not M-E!!!! I really love all the sleep I am getting these days! :)
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Jan. 14, 2008 - It is worth every lost minute of sleep...
Posted by QueenoftheHill
...to hold your baby after the months of anticipation! In fact, I don't even remember that part and mine is only 19 months old. I can't wait to meet him/her and see that miracle unfold for you where your heart expands and you realize you absolutely love the little thing as much as your other kids and you never thought that was humanly possible... What a blessing. xoxo
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Jan. 16, 2008 - so happy for you
Posted by onfire
I remember you saying you were trying when I first met you. remember divulging that much on the first "date"? boy, we women sure don't beat around the bush. maybe I can join you in the ranks someday.
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Feb. 9, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by jennfromtenn
Congrats!! I haven't checked my blog in ages, or taken the time to read anyone else's, so I guess I'm behind the loop, but I'm really excited for you guys. We are taking this semester off from Monday Fun, but I'm sure we'll see you guys on a field trip or something. Blessings, Jenn