Dog-Sitting

Ethan is taking our job of dog-sitting Kipper a little too literally.

Ethan Learning to Blow a Bubble Gum Bubble

They're Just Too White and Nerdy

With pens in his pocket he must protect them.

(For the record, this is how they are dressed for Nerd Day.)

Realization (updated*)

Today Alex and I had to kill an hour in Canandaigua before we picked up a friend of ours and then went to play practice. We ran a few errands and then started to drive in the direction of our friend's home. We were really too early to pick her up, so we went past her apartment and continued driving. "We'll just drive around for a little while," I told Alex. The friend's apartment is near the hospital and as we drove past the hospital Alex said, "Oh, I almost said 'Mom, lets go visit Mum.' but we can't now." It mad us both sad.

I forgot that I had this picture. I wish that I would have remembered it then I could have put it on one of the memory boards we had made. This is from May 2006 when Alex, Hudson and I did the Memory Walk in Mum's honor.

* Here is another picture I just found. I love this one. Everyone looks so genuinely happy!

Good Bye Grandma

I feel like we've been slowly saying goodbye for a long time. You've been so "not you" for so many years that when I looked at the older pictures of it made me really sad. You were laughing. It was wonderful to see. Alzheimer's is a terrible disease. You were a tough lady... all throughout your life. I hope I am even half as strong.

Hello All! (And goodbye 2008)

I just realized that there may be some new readers here at wildwilliams because we invited everyone to come take a look with our Christmas card. So if you are new here, hello!! And not to bore the people we are closest with, but let me do a little updating on our family: Alexandra is 11, in 6th grade and quite busy with dance, soccer, she just got a part in the musical at school, was selected for All County chorus, plays the flute and brings home awesome grades. Hudson is 9, in 4th grade and also is busy with dance, soccer, playing the trumpet, Student Council, drawing, building with Legos and also being an excellent student. Ethan is 6, in 1st grade, plays soccer in the summer, is working very hard on his reading, also loves to draw and play with Legos, and is our family clown. Justin is happy with his new job and I stay at home and watch 2 little girls (Cate and Celia- I talk about them sometimes so now you know who I am referring to.) If you are new here, why don't you leave me a comment just saying Hi! We love comments and it will be fun to see all the new "readers" we have.

Last year I re-capped 2007 with pictures from each month that didn't make the blog the first time around. I did it again for 2008... so here we go..

January:

I made Alex a quilt. It was the one New Year's resolution that I actually followed through with.

Hudson testing out the fabric food I made for Cate to play with. (He was sick that day so hung out in his jammies all day.)

I checked on Cate during her nap and found her sleeping like this!

February:

Gabby (my niece) and Ethan sharing the love.

Waiting for the train in Rockville Center when we went down to visit my sister and her family.



March:

The tree house takes shape.

Hudson running through the tundra, and throwing snowballs at his brother.
April:

We stopped at Stone Quarry Art Park on our way back from visiting Howes Cavern. It was pretty interesting, but it was so much hotter out that day than we expected and we were all dying!! (Keenan, my nephew and Grandma Chickie came along.)

Ethan being a goof in the car.

Its hard to take good pictures inside of Howes Cavern.

Hudson in the cavern.

May:

Hudson showing off the hat I made him to wear for the dance recital. The dance recital had a candy theme and Hudson's group danced to "Lollipop" by Mika.

I made the poster for Ethan's teacher for Teacher Appreciation Day.

Waiting for candy during the Memorial Day parade.

Alex and Cate met up in the park after the parade and shared some popcorn. (Alex marched with the elementary school band in the parade and played her flute.)

June:

I have no pictures from June as my camera was dead and I sent it off to be repaired. Sorry! (It was horrible timing because I missed Ethan's kindergarten graduation and the dance recital.)

July:

(I am making up for June's absence with far too many pictures for July)

Hudson took a comic drawing class with Mr. Reddout at the Mill Art Center.

Cate, Thomas, Hudson and Dominick hanging at my parent's lake house.

Hudson playing soccer.

Ethan "warming up".

Ethan had his 2 cousins Dominick and Gabby on his soccer team. Sometimes he and Gabby had trouble focusing.

Hud being a goof.

My sister Megan and I did a lot of things together with the kids this summer.... like painting ceramics...

and Strong Museum.Justin built our chickens a house. Alex and Celia at the family reunion.

My three visiting Grandma Chickie's house.

August:

In August we vacationed in Inlet NY for the 4th year in a row.

September:

The kids sang at Rally Day at our church. they even made their cool t-shirts!

October:

More t-shirt fun... getting a jump on Halloween.

Enjoying a beautiful fall day.

November:

Alex enjoys her Celia time before school.

I made shepherd beards for the church pageant.

Our chicken laid her first egg.


December:

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.

The kids in front of the tree... why are the boys shirtless???

Well, that was a taste of 2008. You can also read the archives to see more pictures and catch up with what we've been doing. There are videos too.... click on the youtube link over there on the right. Have fun! And thanks for stopping!!

Happy New Year!!

Justin and I hosted a kid party at Grandma and Papa's house on New Year's Eve (thank G & P!). We had Caroline, Alex, Ethan, Dominick and Gabby as well as Joanna, Anthony and Cate over to celebrate. (Hudson spent the night with a friend.) We played Apples to Apples (seriously the best $25 buck we ever spent.... seriously!!) and lots of Wii.... and taking a page from the Sue Milton book of new Year's celebrations, we had a goody bag to open every hour with something for the kids... glow sticks, party hats, noise makers, candy... little stuff but it was fun and it really helped to make that clock move along quicker! (Thanks for the great idea Sue!) Cate was fading a couple hours before the ball dropped so Joanna and Anthony went home, but the rest of the gang stuck it out until midnight!! In fact Ethan and Dominick thought that they didn't have to go to bed then because it was already the next morning! They cheered in the New Year and made so much noise that Kipper (Papa and Grandma's dog) started howling. It was pretty funny.

Justin and I both think it was the best New Year's Eve we have had in a long time. And we are offering up our services for next year!!!