The Willisons

The Kiddos

2011-12-13T12:41:00.001-05:00

I was trying to get the kids together for a cute photo that I could blow up and hang on the wall in our toy room. I decided to go with this first one, just cropped slightly differently. I used Canvas on Demand and it turned out real cute. I love having a big picture of the kids on the wall right where they play. It's perfect.

Julitette is 11 months

Update: She has started taking steps at 11 months, essentially beating both brothers to the punch. However, she still prefers to crawl seeing that she doesn't have the strongest footing yet. She's talking much more now. Her first word is definitely, "Hi!", just like her brother Cito. Two peas in a pod, right?! She's adorable and loves to laugh. Another pitter-patter. She will walk/crawl to the oven window and see her reflection and just start busting up. She has a loud, bursting laugh like her Mommy.

Lincoln is 5 years

Update: So, Lincoln is the youngest in his class. Actually, according to Mississippi rules he wasn't even supposed to start K this year. But I cleverly figured out a way to usurp their birthday deadline by enrolling him in California first. Anyway, I gave you all of this history so that you would understand how amazing this news is that I'm about to tell you...Lincoln told us that his teacher, Mrs. Platt, came to him and said that he is the FASTEST READER in his class!!!! (I'm sorry, but a mother has to brag. It's only right to be extremely excited and proud of your child's accomplishments.) Anyway, when he told me this, I was shocked and, of course, tears started welling up in my eyes. I am so proud of him. Go Lincoln! I love seeing him grow up. He's so wonderful. Him and me, we're kindred spirits for sure.

Christian is 2 1/2 years

Update: Christian is the fastest scooter rider any 2 year old has ever seen! He boogies down that sidewalk like a flash of lightning. He can totally keep up with his big brother, which is def an accomplishment, since Lincoln is Mr. Coordinated and super fast himself. Christian is my favorite toddler. He is the one I don't want to grow up. He is such a cuddle bug. I love it! So cute with his pillow and finger sucking. He also says the cutest things. Like right now our favorite saying of his is: you ask,"How are you?" and he says,"Outstanding Sir!" So amazingly adorable. Jon even taught him how to salute while saying this. Pitter-patter.

Our Puppy

2011-12-13T12:14:00.001-05:00

Mr. Geranimo!

Born June 14, 2011

(6 months younger than Jujube)

Nicknames are as follows:

Moe

Moser

Mo-mo

Ga-mo-mo

(That's his gangster name. Ya gotta say it with the right attitude and a little head swagger!)

Best friends for life!

Christian is born to work with animals. He absolutely loves every kind! But his most favorite is his little puppy named Geranimo. They play together constantly. It is another one of those sweet things in my life that make my heart go pitter-patter. I've wanted to have a puppy all my life, ever since my best friend died when I was five. I miss you, Brewster :0) So now I get to make that wish come true for me and also give my kids one of the best presents they could ever get--a puppy! Can you tell I'm an animal lover?! Christian not only gets it from me, but his daddy too. I'm drawing the line at two dogs, two cats, and two horses, though. I will not have a zoo in my house with all kinds of cages and poo to clean. That will be plenty. And I will def not be the only one cleaning that stinky stuff up either!

A Mandated Request!

2011-12-13T11:54:00.001-05:00

My life will be in jeopardy if I do not start posting some pictures of Ms. Jujube for the grandparents to see. Please forgive me, I will never do it again (hopefully!)

The Virgin Mary

This is Juliette's favorite blankie. She can't sleep without it! She used to love wearing it draped over her head like this. So adorable. Now she just likes to snuggle into it when she gets tired. I love my little lady. She has such a great personality.

My Easiest Baby

Jewels is so good at playing with toys and entertaining herself much more than her brothers did at this age. What a blessing that has been for me, seeing how overwhelmed I normally am with babies. The boys used to make me hold them constantly, couldn't sit down and snuggle, I had to be standing. However, I can put her in the toy room and she will have at it. She does have a sign, though, to tell me when she wants to be picked up. She will sit on her bum with her legs in front of her and start moving them frantically and make grunting noises until I pick her up. So cute.

What a Fish!

This little lady takes after her oldest brother in that she LOVES the water. The second I turn on the faucet she squeals for delight! It makes my heart go pitter-patter. She just smiles and laughs the whole time she's taking a bath. Absolutely adorable. I don't know why I don't do it more often...

The Container

When I need to keep Jewels contained to one area, I will put her in her bouncy. Normally, I will do it with baby einstein on while I vacuum, etc. Luckily Christian still loves Baby Einstein, too, at 2 1/2 years old, so they will hang out and watch it together. These two are two peas in a pod. They get along so magnificently! They will look at each other and just start cracking up. It's so hilarious to hear them laugh together. I love it. Seeing my kids play well together is probably one of the sweetest joys in life for me :0) Btw, Lincoln is doing better with Christian. Much better. At least for this week...

My Lil Pumpkin Princess

2011-12-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

Juliette's First Halloween

10 months

Go Giants!

(that one's for you, Grandpa!)

Armstrong Woods

2011-11-02T16:17:00.001-04:00

Our little lady at 6 mo

What a smile!

Mr. Lincoln... all tuckered out

Sitting on a redwood tree log and having a great time with Grandma and Grandpa

Mommy's heaven on earth!

I love the way they smell. I love to climb them. I love to look at them.

Redwoods are the best trees ever created!

I'm so grateful to have grown up in Northern California. It was so nice to go home this summer :0)

Deja vu

2011-02-05T13:23:00.000-05:00

My grandmother Dolly gave little Juliette this sweet outfit.
It's hard to see here in the pictures, but the style of this outfit reminds me so much of what I wore when I was a baby. When I look at these photos of her, I feel like I'm looking at little Dorsey.
I love deja vu!

I Love My Auntie

2011-02-05T11:04:00.000-05:00

Jewels at 7 wks

We've had a special request via text message from Jewels' Auntie Robin to post more photos on our blog :0)

So, straightway I put Jewels in her "I love my auntie" sleeper and took some shots of her in her bumbo. She's just starting to be strong enough holding her neck up to sit in this chair. She hasn't taken to it a ton yet; she lasts a couple of minutes. However, the boys are having a blast playing in this thing. They can both still fit in it. Pretty funny.

Lovely Juliette.

Wide eyes: I'm hoping they stay big like mine.
Lincoln looked the same as her, though, and his eyes look more like his dad's now.

Profile pic.
Jewels: "Hey, Buster. Don't you mess with my bro. You better watch out cuz I'll come and get you in like 7 months!"

And here she looks like Jon. Can you tell how excited I am?

Love

2011-01-05T15:17:00.000-05:00

Lincoln might have a tough time being nice to his brother, but ever since the first time we told him I was pregnant, he has been in-love with the idea of having a baby sister.

He is so amazing with her. He loves to coo to her and calm her when she's upset. He will rush to give her her binkie. He kisses her and always loves to be a part of whatever I'm doing with her, whether it be nursing or changing her diaper.
He is smitten over his Jewels.

"I told you to stop chewing that green bubble gum!"

2010-12-31T15:05:00.000-05:00

Les Miserables

2010-12-29T14:41:00.000-05:00

During Cmas break Jon was obsessed with finishing the unabridged version of Les Mis. He started way back before we were married. He can now finally say that he has read the entire book. There were many 'slow' parts, but all in all, he said is was well worth it. One of the best books he's ever read. I think he enjoyed it so much b/c he had an adorable reading companion.

This is Juliette at 11 days old.

His Many Disguises

2010-12-28T14:51:00.000-05:00

This is Christian...

with his favorite glasses
(he borrowed them from Mr. Potato Head)

and with his favorite hat
(Lincoln's CLEAN underwear)

He's such a crack-up. He's loved putting Lincoln's underwear on his head since he turned one--or younger. It's so hilarious looking, and kinda gross, but he sure gets a kick out of it.

What can I say?

2010-12-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

... handsome!

Juliette's First Bath

2010-12-26T15:02:00.000-05:00

She loved being swaddled in the towel. Really, in comparison with the boys as infants, she wasn't that bad. She actually stayed calm most of the time. I think Jon and I finally came up with a better system to do sponge baths. Instead of using the infant bathtub insert thing, we put a towel over Jon's legs and just used the bath water from the boys' bath to wash her down with a wash rag. It was so much easier. One disclaimer, though: She pooped and peed on the towel to the point where Jon's pants had to get changed the second time we did this. So, if you're trying this at home, be prepared for anything!

Introducing My Priceless Christmas Present

2010-12-25T15:27:00.000-05:00

Juliette Colleen

Born:
Saturday, Decemeber 18th, 2010
at 4:35 pm

Weighing:
8 lb. 1 oz.

Measuring:
20 inches

Look at those adorable legs under there!

What a Merry Christmas!
I finally got my girl!!
And she's absolutely amazing!!!

My Boys

2010-12-21T15:39:00.000-05:00

We Love Our Nonners!

2010-10-28T22:18:00.000-04:00

I am SO grateful that my kids have a grandma to grow up next to and live close to. They need her so much. Grandmas provide something very special that parents can't provide. My boys absolutely adore their nonni. Every night Lincoln prays for Nonni all on his own. The other night he even said a second prayer because he realized he forgot to ask the Lord to help his nonni. It's the sweetest thing to witness. I'm so glad she's here.

Mom, thank you so much for leaving California to come out to Indy to be close to your grandbabies. It means so much to me. I hope they will be able to have you around for many years to come.

We love our Nonners!

Christiancito

2010-10-18T20:06:00.002-04:00

Hi! My name is Christian Robert.
Christian after my mom's great aunt who is an amazing, amazing person. And Robert after my favorite daddy. My parents like to call me Christiancito, my Spanish nickname, and Crisco, because my Gma T loves using Crisco in all her baking. I'm 18 months old now weighing in at the 50% for height and the 5% for weight.

These are the things I love to do:

- Whenever I hear an airplane, I love to point to the sky with my middle finger and say, "Oohh."

-When I'm lying in my crib, I love to put my first two fingers in my mouth to comfort me. I never really liked binkies; salty fingers are way yummier!

- I love to play tag with my brother. He's super fast, but I still love being chased by him even if I don't get too far. When he tackles me, he's actually pretty gentle. My big brother just started being really nice to me and now I'm not so sure if I like all the attention. He's a lot bigger than me, ya know. Getting all these hugs and kisses and tackles are kinda scary :0)

- I absolutely LOVE puppies. And my mom thinks I say that word really cute, too. I'm wondering when my parents are gonna get me a dog. I really want one. Maybe when we move and we have our own fenced-in yard. Oohh, I can't wait. That feels like an eternity away...

- Did I ever tell you how much I love my daddy. He's such a great guy. My favorite part of the day is when daddy comes home and I go running up to him. When I run I love to lean over and put my hands behind my back like Superman. Did you know that my daddy really is Superman? My mommy says that I'm gonna look just like him when I grow up. I can't wait! I hope my hair turns curly in junion high, too, just like his did.

- Have you ever watched Baby Einstein? If you haven't, you're totally missing out. I get so excited when my mommy turns it on. I especially love the caterpillar at the beginning of every show. I love listening and dancing to the music the best. The pictures are really neat, too. Even my big brother likes to watch it with me. He's so smart cuz he can name all the things we see.

- Did I mention that I LOVE to dance? Ever since I was little-- okay, littler--I have been rockin in my car seat or dancing around in the living room. I like to move my hips back and forth or bend my knees up and down. It's really great when I get my arms going up and down like disco fever with my middle fingers pointed out, too. You should really try it sometime.

- My favorite things to play with are balls. I love to throw them like baseball or kick them around like soccor. It's especially fun on the trampoline where everything is fenced in so the balls can't roll out. My mom says I'm really good at it. She thinks that I'm gonna be a natural at sports. I sure hope so.

- My favorite things to carry around are blankets or stuffed animals. I love to hold them and then run up to my mommy and give her a hug. She loves when I do that, especially if I rest my head on her shoulder. I can get anything I want if I do that...

- I also love to climb up and down on things, like our slide or the stairs or big beds. My mom says that soon I will be sharing a room with my brother and sleeping in the bottom bunk in a big bed. Oohh, that's so exciting! I wish my sister would get here sooner.

- Some big kid things I like to do are: sit in chairs all proper-like and put my hands together when it's prayertime. I've been doing that since I was really little and my parents have been so impressed. It's really not that hard, ya know, but for some reason they think I have super powers.

- Lately I've found the funnest game: I climb onto the side table next to the couch and then dive for the pillows on the couch. I haven't gotten hurt yet and I do a really good job being careful. It really is the funnest thing. It makes me crack up and giggle every time. It's even better when there's somone there like my daddy or mommy or nonni to dive onto. Then they even catch me.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. And my hands are getting really tired from all this typing. Talk to ya soon! Ba-bye

As Sweet as Ghirardelli Chocolate

2010-08-23T15:47:00.001-04:00

I love these pictures of Gpa Robby and Gma Trish with the boys. They are so sweet. Here we are at Ghirardelli Square in SF. This was Trish's first time meeting the boys. She was wonderful with them. We all really enjoyed spending the day hanging out with my dad and Trish. It was awesome.

I do have to give my dad some credit here. He is known for being a goof-ball. So, to get this many smiling photos of him and only one silly one is pretty dang impressive. :0)

Music to My Ears

2010-08-21T23:20:00.005-04:00

Here are some pics of my dad and Christian at my favorite park in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Park. This is the playground they have there. These pics were taken back in May when the whole family went out for Robin's wedding. We were so happy to get to meet up with my dad and Trish, and of course, their puppies.

Christian and Gpa Robby

Christian meeting their sweet dogs

And of course, we couldn't hang out at the park w/out some guitar playing!
The boys absolutely love listening to their grandpa sing and play the guitar. Both of my boys absolutely love music, either playing an instrument or dancing along to it. The video below is one of my most favorite memories with my dad and the boys. It was music to my ears. It was the cutest thing ever! Their dogs even joined in and accompanied my dad on vocals. It's really quite hilarious!

Hip Hip Hooray!

2010-08-17T21:11:00.003-04:00

It's preschool time everybody!

Today was Lincoln's first day (second year) at preschool.

We started the day off by cutting his hair. Lincoln hates that part, but the stars must have been aligned for me this morning because he hardly put up a fuss. Thank goodness!

To top that off, Ms. Julie (his teacher/girlfriend from last year and now for this year too) said he did a fantastic job today. (She was especially emphasizing that he ate all his lunch. See, Lincoln has been a pretty picky eater most of his young life, and so Jon and I have been doing what we call 'extreme intervention' to try and help him eat more types of foods this whole summer. He has improved tremendously and we are very proud of him, and not to mention relieved. So, right now I'm working on getting Lincoln to like sandwiches for lunch so that it'll be easier for me to make his lunch in the morning. So far, so good. Hip hip hooray!)

And according to Lincoln, Ms. Julie was right. He did do a fantastic job today. When we were driving home he told me all about how nice he was to the other kids and how he shared with them. Yea Linkie! That's what I like to hear. He's the oldest in his class now, so it will be great if he can set a good example.

So adorable! I could just eat him up. I love when I can catch a real smile. Good job, Link!

Big brother and little brother

Sitting at his 'desk'

"Yes, I'm pretty much on of the best people I know."

(to quote his shirt)

Another reason why this day was so great...

I worked out finally!!!
It's seriously like one of the first times that I've worked out this pregnancy. Now that Lincoln is in preschool I can use our neglected treadmill while Crisco naps. It felt soooooo good. I made myself go for one hour and walked around 3.2 miles. And stretched afterward! One of my favorite parts. My plan is to exercise every Tue and Thur when Lincoln is in preschool.

My other goal is to use the rest of the time that Christian is napping to work on my family history. Today I got a whole hour. I'm so excited to finally get back to this. It's been way too long. I definitely know that I have family on the other side of the veil that are waiting for me to take their names to the temple. This will feel so good to make progress on my family history again.

Pensacola Beach

2010-08-16T15:53:00.000-04:00

While we visited my gma Dolly in Mississippi, Lincoln and I got to take a day trip to Florida. We had such a blast swimming in the ocean, jumping the waves, and playing in the sand. The water was warm and the sand was white. That was Lincoln's first time swimming in the ocean and he did a great job being careful and listening to mommy. Unfortunately, I got way sunburned (but never pealed, thank you very much! Lincoln just browned some more like my dad. I swear the kid has some latin in him. He can dance and he can tan.) Too bad Daddy wasn't there to join in on the fun. The poor guy was busy taking care of patients in the dental clinic and working late at night in the lab. Some day, some day. Someday will be soon if the AF moves us to Biloxi. Day trips to Florida as a family would be sweet!

"Watch me suck in my stomach, guys!"

I know that looks scary, but don't worry everyone. Lincoln is actually above average in his weight percentile and still right on the top for height. It's Chirstian that we're more concerned with. He's my skinny-minny ranking 5th on the percentile for weight. Yikes! Weird, cuz he'll eat anything I give him. I think it's that he has a small appetite. Lincoln's the just the opposite.

Rocket to the Moon!

2010-08-16T15:18:00.000-04:00

On our road trip to Mississippi, Lincoln spotted this ginormous rocket alongside the road at an Alabama rest stop. We didn't have time to stop, so we promised that we would stop on our way back home. Needless to say, my boy would not stop talking about the 'rocket to the moon' that he was going to go inside the whole trip. Even though it was gated off, he still got a huge kick out of seeing a real rocket. It was a really great attraction.

The troopers:
Nonni, Christian, and Lincoln

Some Cool Cars in Monterey

2010-08-16T15:11:00.000-04:00

No idea what this thing is

Not surprising, we spotted this one in Carmel.

We absolutely LOVED our bug. It totally set the tone to having a very fun and carefree trip.
(And, Jon picked it out. What a lady's man)

More Monterey...

2010-08-16T15:05:00.000-04:00

the bad girl

and the good guy

Trying to Look as GQ as the Gardens

2010-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

The Gorgeous Gardens

2010-08-16T14:56:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of the beautiful gardens at the Old Monterey Inn.
One morning I woke up early just to go outside, sip hot chocolate, meditate, and breathe in the heavenly California costal air. It was so peaceful and serene. Definitely one of my favorite parts about the B&B.

Two hummingbirds taking a bath on the fountain right in front of where I was sitting. Couldn't get anymore perfect, especially since my darling was by my side to enjoy it, too.

Just Chillin' on the Steps

2010-08-16T14:47:00.000-04:00

"I Caught a Fish!"

2010-08-16T14:42:00.000-04:00

(this actually has nothing to do with the fish, I just thought the statue was really cool...)

Lincoln's first time fishing.
Free at the fair. How awesome is that?! The pond was stocked with tons of cat fist and flounder-type fish. They first give the kids a lesson, and then help them catch a fish. It was a great experience.

Mom totally dropping the ball and missing the fish in the shot. Opps!

Here we go. Lincoln is trying to touch it and Dad's telling him to be gentle. 'Eww, gross' are what Lincoln and I are thinking of the slimy creature.

Ally & Lincoln at the Indiana State Fair

2010-08-16T14:30:00.001-04:00

Girls are so much better at hugs :0)
riding on the tractor train

Lincoln riding his first ever roller coaster. Both of them did spectacular. They totally loved it and wanted to go on every ride again and again. I was impressed.

Holding on to the bar while riding the ferris wheel

Us and the Horns and some tuckered out kids--okay, parents, too! My feet were about to fall off. Next time I go to the fair I am wearing sneakers. Sandals did not cut it.

This Whole Time!

2010-08-16T14:16:00.000-04:00

Did I forget to mention that I am pregnant?

I am so sorry that it has taken me this long to announce it on our blog. It definitely wasn't that I was keeping it a secret, I just never remembered to mention it formally.

I am 20 weeks along and will find out the gender on Aug 25th. I will definitely be making a HUGE announcement then (if it's a girl). The pregnancy is going amazingly; I have nothing to complain about physically, just some crazy insurance run-arounds. Our baby is due at the end of the year. We are very nervous to have 3 kiddos, but feel confident that the Lord knows what's best for us. We have had a very spiritual experience with deciding to try for our third child and look forward to meet our newest little one.

Celebrating Five Incredible Years of Love in Monterery

2010-08-16T14:02:00.000-04:00

Jon Robert & Dorsey Elizabeth,
loving our 2nd honeymoon!
(thanks for taking care of our boys, Nonni!!)

Monterey Bay
We spent the whole day walking around and enjoying just being together.

Fresh Cream Restaurant,
where we celebrated our anniversary.

The Old Monterey Inn,
the B&B that we stayed at for two nights.

Now, This Is Some Good Advertising

2010-08-16T13:49:00.000-04:00

Here's a little funny for all you chocolate lovers out there...
Jon and I saw these chocolate bars in the airport on our way to Cali.
We got such a kick out of the titles and descriptions we had to take a picture:
-survival chocolate
-instant gratification
-emergency chocolate
--the ultimate balanced diet
-dechox

Joy's Bed & Breakfast

2010-07-08T15:45:00.001-04:00

This was the sweetly nicknamed Bed & Breakfast that we stayed at while visiting our hometown for Robin's wedding. Jeff Mann's parents let us stay with them. They are empty-nesters, so they had three bedrooms that we could use to separate us and the boys in. It was absolutely wonderful staying there--right down the street from Terrie's house and not far from Kraig's. Joy was the best hostess ever: she had a pack-n-play for Christian, lots of toys for the boys to play with, a safety gate to block the stairs, fans for white noise, dark curtains to help us adjust to the time difference, baby monitors, a high chair, and an extra fridge. I mean, what more could I have asked for?!! It made packing so much easier. Not to mention, the company was wonderful. We really enjoyed getting to know Joy and Richard better. They were so easy to talk to, and quite an adorable couple, I must add.

Thank you, Joy and Richard! We loved staying at your home.

BBQing...in the RAIN!

2010-07-08T15:21:00.001-04:00

Obviously, we weren't expecting it to rain. When we started out, the weather was perfectly clear (I think). And then, of course, as soon as the charcoals were ready it started to sprinkle. Not so bad, we thought. But then, the heavens opened and torrential rain started dumping down on us. The boys lived it up a little and played in the rain while trying to keep the food from getting ruined. It was quite a scene. Definitely unforgettable.

Swimming in the Crick

2010-07-08T15:11:00.000-04:00

This is how it started...

And, this is how it ended. Good job, Dad!
I couldn't help but feel how much I loved my boys that day as I watched them all play in the creek. It was very sweet to see.

Jon, I love you

2010-07-08T14:37:00.000-04:00

It doesn't get better than having a goofy husband that can make you laugh!

Blast from the Past

2010-07-08T14:34:00.000-04:00

Me, Leigh, and Kristina.

I'm guessing that I'm around 17 here. These girls were like my step-sisters back then. Crazy to see old photos from high school. It's entertaining to see a young me, though. I enjoy analyzing the differences. I hope one day that I spend time on coverting old photos to digital ones. It's well worth it. One day...

The Best Memorial Day--Ever!

2010-06-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

We spent the day at Pioneer Park in Mooresville, maybe 7 minutes away from our house. Last fall, my mom and I feel in love with this park as we would run through all the winding paths and beautiful scenery. It reminds me so much of home, especially of Howarth Park. It has an awesome playground, a really fun water park, sports fields, tons of trees and greenery, long jogging paths, bridges, and a great creek! How could you ask for more? What a gem to have so close to our home.

Nonni looking over one of the bridges.

Christian, Daddy, and Lincoln starting to explore the creek with all its water and rocks.

Mommy and Christian loving the relaxation of the creek.

So, I didn't anticipate that the boys would actually go swimming in the creek. And, of course, I was happily surprised. Since we didn't have any extra clothes, I stripped Crisco down to just his sandals so that some of his clothes could stay dry. Then the boys played and swam and played some more. It was absolutely perfect! I couldn't have asked for a better family retreat. It really did warm my heart, especially seeing Jon being the best daddy ever and being completely willing to play in the creek with his boys. I loved it. And so did they.

I'm a Bike Riding Machine

2010-06-24T11:58:00.000-04:00

This is Lincoln's first real bike. I think it's an 18-incher. It's metallic yellow (Daddy's favorite color) with pegs and all. We even bought him a Lightning McQueen helmet, skater style (which I have to say are way cuter than the traditional shape). Lincoln's absolutely loved it since day one. And, since day one he's loved going super fast. I was worried at first that he wouldn't be able to brake well. But once we explained it to him, he got it immediately. What a relief. Another thing that I've been very impressed with Lincoln is how safe and obedient he has been. He never goes in the street and whenever we cross the street he automatically walks his bike across. I love how smart he is with riding. I am looking forward to taking down my poor, neglected, yet beautiful bike and going riding with him this summer. I really need to get on that. It'll be so much fun. That's one of those 'wholesome recreational activities' that I truly look forward to doing with my kids. Now I just have to get Jon to fall in love with biking, too. Maybe since he has more meat on his bones now, his butt won't hurt as bad :0) That was his chief complaint. (he he)

"I Love My Daddy!"

2010-06-24T11:37:00.000-04:00

Link: "Here ya go, Dad. Here's your birfday cake."
Lincoln thought that Jon was getting a cake for his birthday. At 3 yo, he hasn't really grasped the idea of Father's Day. It doesn't matter to us, though, it's a party either way!

Jon: "Thanks, Link. I love gigantic cookies!"

Link: "Me too. What are we waiting for?! Let's eat some now!!"

Happy Father's Day, honey.
I really appreciate all the ways you contribute to our family. You are so dependable, so trustworthy, so true, so fun, so funny, so helpful, and so handsome with all those curls! One of my favorite parts about parenting with you is just that--that we parent together. I love that we take the time to discuss the different phases are children are going through and how we should handle them. I love that I can rely on you to be right there next to me as we discipline and love our children together. Thank you for being such a great companion. And thank you for being such a great father to our children. You make a difference. And I know that our boys love their daddy. Just like I love you!

My Dear Romeo

2010-05-25T17:12:00.003-04:00

Born on Valentine's Day, 2001
Passed away on April 29, 2010

at the age of 9

Mommy and Daddy saying goodbye

How sweet it was to hear him purr for the last time and to hear him talk to me again. This video was taken on the same day that we put him down. Reina, as I mentioned in the video, is his beloved 'wife' who passed away suddenly in December. Ever since then, Romeo had not been the same. He became depressed and hid in the closet most of the day. I knew I should be worried when he stopped eating his wet food. When we took him into the doctors he had dropped from being 17 lbs, three years earlier, to a devastating 9 lbs. We ran tests, gave him several medications, but he kept on losing the weight and stopped eating altogether. After a month of debating what to do for Romeo, we decided to let him pass on to a better place where he could be with Reina again and not be in pain any more. Sometimes I still have flashbacks of Roo and find myself missing him a lot. But he lived a glorious life. There were many wonderful moments.

Here's a tribute to my memories with Romeo:

He's my darling Roo. Probably the animal I've had the longest in my life. He was my baby for 6 years. My mom gave him to me for my 22nd birthday. I found him in an animal shelter way back in California. I went into the shelter, as a brand-new convert, asking the Spirit to help me find the kitty I was supposed to adopt. Romeo's cage was in the corner, and the second I heard him meow at me, I knew. When I held him we had an instant bond.
A few months later he met his future dad. It took him a couple of months to warm up to Jon once we were married and now living in Utah. However, once that happened I remember Rudakiss becoming a trader and starting to like his dad more than me! (All because his dad was the one who would come home early enough to feed him first. Romeo did love his food. Always begging for more.) You knew Romeo was favoring you because at night he would sleep between your legs, making it impossible to change positions. This drove Jon nuts :0)
Rudy did not like to travel, but he was forced to anyway. There was no way we were not bringing all of our kids with us where ever we moved. If Romeo was really nervous in the car he would stick his tongue out like a dog and start panting, but it really made him look like a snake. Romeo started his life in California, had a detour in Provo for 2 years, and finished his final three years in Indiana. He traveled by car to all of these new destinations. Poor thing. He is now buried next to Reina in a beautiful place.
He and Reina loved to wrestle. Like clock-work, every night at 10 pm they would take off upstairs and chase and tackle each other. It brought Jon and I so much laughter. It was the best entertainment ever. One day I hope to post of video of their matches.
Having Romeo was like having a dog. He would come to a whistle, no matter where he was. He could be around the block and he would still come scurrying to us with his stomach flab swinging to and fro. He was protective like a dog. If we were all outside and a dog came near our yard, he would puff up and try and scare the dog away. So cute. He also liked to go on walks. Whenever Jon and I and the kids would go on walks, he would tag right along. Several times I was able to get him to follow us all the way around the block. So sweet. What a great cat. What a great companion.
Rooster was also a master hunter. I learned this right away when I adopted him. Within the first couple of days of letting him outside, he brought home a gift for his new mommy of a nice feathery bird. Then another and another. To Romeo's disappointment a loud, obnoxious bell was placed around this panther's neck. He proceeded to find ways to catch grasshoppers and mice. Once of my least fond memories of his mice catching happened on the day that I brought my first baby Lincoln home. In comes Romeo through the basement window (which happened to be the nursery window!!!!!) with a live mouse in his mouth. Of course he doesn't kill it and lets the dang thing go in my newborn's room. I seriously had a major panic attack and thought my world was coming to an end. Luckily Romeo and Daddy fished the dang thing out of the shoe closet and got it the heck outside. Crazy times. But fun memories.
Romeo had a ba-gillion nicknames. Jon and I are suckers for nicknames, so here are a few of his: Rudy, Rudakiss, Roo, Rooster, Reclusakiss (like recluse), Romey, and Romeo cheese. We love and miss you our dear Romeo. See ya in heaven, Rudy.

Our Easter Stroll

2010-04-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

Since we didn't have church on Easter Sunday this year (due to General Conference--which was AMAZING!), we wanted to celebrate the beauty of the day by going on a nice stroll with my mommy over in Plainfield.

Here's my wonderful hubbie. Oh! and baby, too!

Relaxing together as a family on our front porch. It felt so sweet. It's nice to get a break from all our commitments once in a while. We really enjoyed calling family and letting them know how much we love them.

Link: Hey Mom, where did the Easter bunny go? I need more candy.
(what an expression)

My favorite thing to see...

2010-04-11T22:39:00.000-04:00

Look at these great dads all taking care of their kids. Good job men. What a beautiful thing to see.

Wait a sec... where's my guy?

(j/k. he's the one taking the pics ;0)

What Cuties

2010-04-11T22:32:00.000-04:00

Gorgeous Ellie

Doesn't Vincent look so handsome?!

Little Owen. His skin looks so porcelain and smooth.

Ally, I love your spirit!

No, we were SO close!

2010-04-11T22:14:00.000-04:00

Okay, so at the end of Crisco's birthday party I convinced everyone to stick around to play just one round of Guesstures (my favorite game). I totally thought that the girls would kick the boys' boo-tays. (Nichole and I are serious gamers, to say the least.) Little did I know, though, that the guys had some kind of ESP thing going on. I gotta give us ladies some credit, we did end the round tied with the boys. However, when we went into over-time the score ended totally lopsided: 8-12. So sad!

Here are the boys, holding their trophy and gloating in their win! Number one (not!).

The ladies.
(Sorry Miranda that you guys headed out before we took the group pics.)

BTW--next time, we are totally winning...I think.

Happy Birthday, My Little Christian!

2010-04-11T21:58:00.000-04:00

I love you, baby!

The birthday boy. My Easter baby.
Born on April 12th, Easter Sunday. So sweet.

Crisco: Hey Mom, can we have this every day?
I love this stuff!

My sweetheart. He delighted in eating his own cake and loved making a huge mess. It's the only way to go on your 1st birthday.

Crisco: Hey Dad, ya want some! It's the bestest!

My Little Jezabelle

2010-03-24T16:39:00.000-04:00

My first calico

What a sweetie she is. She loves to cuddle with me and always wants to sit in my lap, even when I'm feeding Christian. She's great with the kids. Very patient. Even though Christian is still learning how to be gentle (he's on his way, though. He already recognizes the sign when I use it!), she still goes back to him time and again to let him pet her. She loves Lincoln and lets him carry her all around the house. He is such a gentle boy. I am so proud of him.

I love girl kitties. They are so sweet. (Can't wait to see what girl babies are like... he he)

Her many nicknames:
Jezzie
Jezabellie
Jezzers

I love her coloring. Orange, white, and black. She's definitely a little fiery like her orange spots. Our 9 yo kitty Romeo gets intimidated by her when she goes to wrestle with him. Our first girl, Reina, was more his match. We're hoping one day Romeo and Jezzie will become good friends. That would be perfect.

Our St Patty's Photo Shoot

2010-03-24T16:13:00.000-04:00

Okay, let's be honest: I like the flag, but the shadowing is not helping my physique and the positioning is backwards. However, I do love Christian's stoic face!

I look like a mother hen trying to collect her chicks.

Crisco: Really guys, are family photos that important? They're definitely not any fun!

Seriously, Christian's right. Jon and I decided that the next time we try to take family shots, we're not gonna worry if the little kids aren't posing perfectly, and just try to enjoy ourselves so that our smiles are actually genuine. Nothing is worse than off-camera bickering. he he. I laugh now, but it's the pits during. Anybody have any tricks of the trade?

The final four
(not too shabby :0)

Happy Birthday Grammy Trish!

2010-03-24T15:28:00.000-04:00

In honor of your birthday, I put Christian in this shirt that you gave Lincoln when he was this age. I thought it looked adorable with the phrase "Little Prince". Apparently, Christian thought so too with that cute little pose at the top. Can't wait for you to meet the boys in May! I'm sorry it's taken so long. But at least we can look forward to the future. I hope you had a happy, happy birthday!!

A Shot Out to Gma T!

2010-03-06T09:29:00.000-05:00

Gma T, Lincoln drew these smiley faces all by himself just for you! Hope you like 'em since you are the master of all smiley faces.
I had no idea he even knew how to do this. I love being a mom; it's so much fun when my kids surprise me with something new they can do. Even the simplest things make me so proud.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-03-05T16:11:00.001-05:00

-from the spirited Willisons. so matchy, matchy!

(Jon, really. You shouldn't wear your high heels when we take family pictures. It makes me look like a midget! Mercy... It's like I've got my own Redwood tree growing in my house :0)

Mommy & Link

2010-03-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

-dressed up for church and rockin the curly hair-

Who Does He Look Like?

2010-03-05T15:58:00.000-05:00

Daddy or Mommy?

(Should I even ask??)

Nonni & Link...and playdough

2010-03-05T15:53:00.000-05:00

It's Laundry Day--Hip Hip Hooray!

2010-03-05T15:27:00.000-05:00

Little Crisco at 10 1/2 months.
(Wow, I can't believe he's almost 1! That's crazy. And so great at the same time. Life is so much happier now that he can move around on his own. Christian's happier and a ton easier, which makes mommy a whole lot happier. Cheers to crawling! And cheers to Christian's adorable smile!!)

btw--his twin put him in the laundry hamper. that would be his daddy, just wanted to clairfy :0)

My Little Bishop

2010-03-05T15:18:00.000-05:00

Last Tuesday we were having our weekly Family Home Evening Night. Jon did the lesson on loving to read the scriptures (since we were just about to finish the Book of Mormon--refer to previous post). As a game we decided to play "Name That Apostle". It's something we made up, but it's pretty obvious how it's played: Jon holds up these cards, shown above, in his hand and Lincoln picks one and tries to name it. It's pretty incredible to me that he knows who everyone is in the Quorom of the Twelve. However, that's not really to my credit. You see, while I was looking for supplemental material for a FHE lesson on apostles, I stumbled across this great video on Sugardoodle that sings all the apostles names to a fun little tune. It even came with these printable face cards. Score! Anyway, Lincoln got obsessed with the video and asked me if he could watch it over and over again everyday. I thought it was adorable. I love how much this kid just LOVES the gospel. He's my pride and joy. Needless to say, I wasn't totally shocked that he could name all the apostles. However...

I was completely shocked as I noticed Lincoln start to do something with the cards once he had finished naming them. Jon had tried to continue on with the lesson, but I stopped him and told him to check out what Lincoln was doing. My little 3 year old then proceeded to put all of the prophets and apostles in order of seniority! Can you believe it?! Isn't that incredible?!! Even I can't do that, let alone most faithful adults. I couldn't have been prouder.

My little Lincoln, how I love your enthusiasm and knowledge. I know that you came from heaven to be in our family, and I thank God every day that I have the opportunity to be your mother. You are such an amazing little guy.

I love you, Link!

What a Special Day

2010-03-05T14:38:00.002-05:00

Lincoln and I finished the Book of Mormon!

I can't even remember when we started it. This picture is of Lincoln's very own Book of Mormon. If you look closely, you can see how worn the pages are. I'm guessing that it took us nearly 2 years to complete it. But that doesn't matter one bit, because we did it! We read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover. And it felt so good.

Despite all the war chapters in the end, it was really beautiful what Mormon and Moroni wrote. Their words really touched my heart. I think that this is the fourth time that I have read the BoM all the way through, and each time--without a doubt, I know that these were prophets of God who wrote the words contained on these pages. It speaks right to my soul. The swelling description found in Alma 32 of the joy of the gospel is exactly how I feel when I read the scriptures. They become delicious to me and they fill my body with joy. I have felt the Holy Ghost purely resonate within me many times while reading this sacred book. I am so glad that I have been diligent in sharing the light of the gospel with my children at such a young age. I know that it will help keep our family strong and united as we study the words of God together. I believe in Christ. And I know that the Book of Mormon testifies that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. And I encourage everyone to find this out for themselves. I promise that it will make you so happy.

Up to this point, Lincoln and I have completed the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. We are now on to the Bible! I am so excited. We are definitely starting with the New Testament, though. Then, we'll move on to the molasses (the Old Testament :0) However, I have never read the Old Testament, so I'm really looking forward to reading all the classic stories, like Job, and obscure books, like Haggai. Wish us luck!

(If any of you are wondering how I was able to read all these scriptures with a young child, it was actually quite simple. I found a spot in our routine that worked, and kept it up. Reading scriptures right before naptime has proven to be the best time for us. It's a dependable time slot in our day and a nice way to relax before going down for a nap. Depending on how the kids are doing will effect how much we read; but I always make sure to read, even if it's just a verse.)

I am so glad that we were able to finish it. What a special day!

Wow, What a Hill!

2010-02-21T21:14:00.000-05:00

A group of us packed up all the kids and headed out to Hummel Park on a snowy/sunny Saturday. We had such a blast going sledding. It's one of my favorite 'extreme sports'. I haven't been since I was a teenager. I like to think that I'm pretty daring. Shockingly, I'm more of a baby than I thought. (i.e. There was a jump that was pretty decent. I decided to do it, but as I sled down the hill I started freaking out. I did the jump, but vigorously tried to slow my speed in the process...Not so tough as I thought!)

I love this pic. We're missing Crisco b/c we left him at home with Amira, our bbsitter. It worked out great, though, cuz Lincoln needed some Mommy and Daddy time to himself.

This was Link's first sledding experience. And it didn't go so well. He got banged up a couple of times going down, so he wasn't a big fan. He liked eating the snow and playing with his best bud, Vincent, a lot better. :0)

Can you tell who this is?
We got Vincent, Ally, and Link...all ready to go!

Their respective mommies

You might need to enlarge this one to see Jon getting some air on this one. This is the jump I was talking about. What a great shot--perfect timing!

The Superbowl

2010-02-21T20:58:00.001-05:00

Geaux Saints!
Go Colts!
Wait...what? This is so confusing!

Technically, I'm cheating by rooting for both teams (hence the blue shirt for the Colts and black pants for the Saints). But you see, it sounds perfect to me because either way, I'm happy with whoever wins.

A big thanks to the Ramseys and the Allens for coming and watching the Superbowl with us. It was really nice getting together. And Kevin, you did a great job keeping your cool despite the outcome of the game.

The Battle of the Brothers
Umm, yeah. So, we dressed Christian up for church in this Saints outfit that my mom got for Link a couple of years ago. Suffice it to say, he did not have many friends at church that day. It was pretty funny. You know me, I can't help but stir the pot just a little...

My mom is from New Orleans. Which means my loyalty lies with my family. However, while living in Indy for the past 3 years, we have fallen in love with our local Colts. Jon, on the other hand, was not so loyal to the family. He was rooting for the Colts all the way, and antagonzing my uncles in the process! (Which our wallet felt the pain of when Jon made a 'friendly wager' with my uncle Mike that if the Saints won, he would buy him a jersey, and vice versa. Wait a sec-- Is that even allowed in Mormon land?) Anyway, everyone already knows the outcome. Suffice it to say, if the Colts had to lose to someone, we couldn't be happier that it was to Na'lens.
Who dat dat?!

Just Do Your Thang, Honey!

2010-02-21T20:02:00.000-05:00

Me and the girls, Liz and Claire. I just love these ladies.

Shake it like a salt shaker. Shake it like a salt shaker.

The DJ did such a great job. The music was way fun to dance to. My rule of thumb: you know the music is bumpin if you know all the words and can sing along! It was so fun meeting up with my girls there. I say my girls only because their men ditched out and they went as each others' dates. It worked out perfectly, though, because that freed them up to dance all night with me. I do have to say that I was impressed with Liz and Val's dance moves. They had some swagger. And a special shot goes out to my best friend, who is the best hubby in the world. He danced with me the whole time and we had such a blast together. Jon, no one compares to you.

Here's a funny story: I made some special requests to the DJ's. They asked my name, but mistaked it for Dora. So, when they played this dental song by Owl City that I had requested, they introduced it by saying this song was dedicated to their friend, Dora the Explora! Lol. Say what? So hilarious. My name has been confused many times, but that was a first.

Hey lady!

(I found this dress at Dress Barn. It was my first time there, and holy cow, I had no idea that place was so great! It's like the perfect dress shop for Mormons. I was amazed by how many dresses worked with garments. So, I couldn't help myself... I went back and bought some more for church and the upcoming weddings we have this summer. What a find! I definitely recommend it.)

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

2010-02-21T19:37:00.000-05:00

Jon and I went on our annual Valentine's date to the Valentine's dance that the dental school hosts.
We always have such a blast. I look forward to this dance all year long. See, I love to dance. But being Mormon and having certain standards of decency, I refuse to go to a club to go dancing. The atmosphere is just too nasty. This decision really limits my options of being able to go dancing, though. So, in essence, this dance is the only option I have left. For that reason, I go all out, not holding anything back in these dance moves of mine. It's party time, ladies and gents! Let's do this...

The handsome couple

This is pretty much our only dance move that we can do together. (We really should think about taking lessons from our friend, Drew.) But we love it, nonetheless. It's our favorite!

No, wait. This is our favorite ;0)

After three hours of dancing, we didn't look too shabby.

The Joy of Music

2010-01-21T15:46:00.000-05:00

Lincoln just feel in love with his grandpa Robby. He couldn't get enough of him. My poor dad sure got tuckered out.

Crisco: I'm not sure if I like this goofy lookin' guy...

Crisco: Well, okay, if my big brother thinks he's so great. I guess I'll join in on the fun!

I was so impressed with how great my dad sounded. He's come a long way. He has been working on his music career for a several years now, and it is really starting to take off. I just can't believe how talented he is. He's always sung to me as a child. Some of my fondest memories are of him singing to me with his guitar in the morning as I was waking up. Very sweet. But I had no idea how gifted he is at writing music. He played his songs for us and both Jon and I were blown away.

We had such a ball. The second my dad picked up his guitar and started singing, Lincoln hit the dance floor and never stopped. Of course, my heart went pitter-patter. I absolutely love dancing. So, to see my little baby dancing so adorably just melts my heart. (He sure is doing that a lot lately. I am really loving this 3-yr-old stage of life. It's so much fun, and just plain adorable. Ahh, I can't get enough.) It isn't enough to say that this Christmas was the best Christmas I have ever had. It truly was a miracle in so many ways. It brings tears to my eyes as I think of how blessed I was this holiday. It was so wonderful.

2010-01-12T16:08:00.000-05:00

How High Can You Go?

2010-01-12T16:01:00.000-05:00

I think I've met my match!

For my 18th birthday--Wow! That's almost a decade ago!!!, we played Jenga and nobody could beat these steady hands of mine. So, Jon and I finally splurged and bought some new games. For one of our date nights, we busted out the Jenga game. I thought for sure I'd smoke Jon. Little did I remember that he's a Willison! Needless to say, this Chaffee and that Willison were pretty equally dueled. We were astounded by how high we were able to build our Tower of Babel (that should be the name, huh?) and by how long the game lasted. Since it was getting into the wee hours of the night, we only played two games--Jon one, Dorsey one. Looks like we need a rematch. I'll be sure to get back to you with who the winner is. Anybody care to place some bets? Don't be scerd.

Who Wants to Play a Game?!

2010-01-12T15:51:00.001-05:00

Wow! Am I behind...

Lincoln was the most adorable, yet brave, fire fighter. His costume was so easy because his jacket is really his raincoat that I already had, and his boats are really his rainboats that I already had. Crisco was a hotdog. What a hilarious get-up. It looked perfect on him. Jon and I weren't anything special. Maybe one year we'll get our act together, too, and do the same theme for the whole family, like the Morgans. It is way too cute when everyone matches.

Even though our costumes were less than creative, I did manage to make a game for our trick-or-treaters. And boy was it a hit. I made some ghosts out of old shirts and made a poster to do a ghost toss through the jack-o-lantern's mouth. Once the kids got a ghost through its mouth, then they won a candy. It took a lot of tries for some of the kids, but they sure loved playing the game. I think we're going to make this our tradition for passing out candy. I just love traditions, don't you?

Music to Our Ears

2010-01-12T15:38:00.000-05:00

I love the look Christian gets when he sees his brother. His eyes light up and the biggest grin spreads all over his face. Lincoln has been such a great older brother this whole time. I am so proud of him. What a sweetie.

Funny Story:
Jon and I just love it when we'll be driving in the car and suddenly the boys will start cracking up in the back. It is so adorable. Crisco has developed this really goofy laugh, that can be attributed to his daddy and his brother, that sounds like a loud cough. Lincoln will imitate him and they'll just keep on going back and forth forever. Even though it's not music to the ears, it is mucic to our ears. We love the laughter, any kind of it. It always brings a smile and a couple of giggles to me and Jon. I'm so glad my boys love each other. It makes me beyond happy.

Give Me Some of That Red Robin Goodness!

2010-01-11T21:21:00.000-05:00

Happy __th Birthday, Nonni!!!

We are so grateful you live by us. And Mom, thank you for being such a wonderful grandma to my boys. They adore you, as they should. I'm so glad you're here.

What a Cutie!

2010-01-11T21:11:00.000-05:00

Notice his tongue? This was the phase where he would always stick out his tongue when he smiled. Too cute.

Has anyone else noticed how similar babies and kittens/puppies are? They like to play with the same toys, want to be held constantly, and put everything in there mouth!

"Hey, Dad, how do I look?!"

What a goofy little expression. What a great pose captured on camera!

Okay, so I wanted to make a note of the nicknames that Christian has acquired thus far...
(if you couldn't tell, Jon and I LOVE nicknames. I won't even start with the bigillion that we have for each other! Okay, maybe just two-- When we were first married, we would affectionately call each other snot and booger! Isn't that awful!! Lol.)

Christian Robert
aka:

Crisco
(our short version for Christian. No Chris here!)

Caterpillar
(he used to look like a caterpillar when he moved around)

Bugga
(to match Lincoln's 'Bubba')

A Dedication to My Little Girl

2009-12-03T20:36:00.000-05:00

My Sweet Little Reina

2009-12-03T20:25:00.000-05:00

cuddle bug

husband and wife

Reina, I'll Miss You

2009-12-03T20:18:00.000-05:00

My dear sweet kitty passed away on Tuesday, Dec 1st. She escaped out the door that cold night and never returned. We thought that she might have been hiding in one of the kids' rooms, like she had before, so we didn't go searching after her. Wednesday afternoon when the boys were napping my neighbor alerted me that there was a cat in our neighbor's driveway. At that time is was practically raining ice. I knew it was her the second I looked over there. My baby girl was frozen like ice. My heart broke into so many pieces and I just cried, "Oh, Reina" over and over again. The rest of the day I couldn't stop crying as I thought of how much I loved my little kitty and would miss her.

She was everything we had hoped for in a cat. She was sweet and affectionate with me and Jon. It made us so happy when she snuggled in our laps. She was patient and playful with Link. It was so funny because they even enjoyed playing with the same toys. She was perfect with Romeo--her love. Once he finally warmed up to her, they became true companions. They wrestled together fiercely, but never seriously. This happened at synchronized times every day. It always would make me and Jon laugh. When they were in a lovey mood, she would lick his head. It was so sweet. Roo was so pampered. We were all so pampered.

We're all going to miss her so much. I'm glad we found her, but it's been very hard to deal with the fact that she's gone. She was everything we wanted in a cat. We love our pets. They are like our second set of kids. I know that losing a pet does not compare to the pain of losing your child in any way. But after this experience, I can't imagine how hard that would be. I've been such a baby with just losing my little girl kitty. My heart goes out to all those who have lost one of their own children. (Tashina, you and your family are especially in our thoughts and prayers at this time of year. You are such a strong woman. You are a blessing to know.)

Best Buds Already

2009-11-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

One of my biggest dreams is coming true...
I've always wished that my kids would be best friends with each other and love to hang out with each other. Well, it's starting to happen. Lincoln has been a wonderful brother ever since Christian came home to us. He's never been jealous or mean. And, just lately, Lincoln's really started to take a liking to his baby brother. Whenever Christian is babbling, Lincoln will come over and start to say the sounds of the letters in the alphabet, too (at least, that's what he thinks his brother is saying :0). It's so sweet. And if Christian is upset, Lincoln will come over and talk to him by making Christian's babbling noises to calm him down. It's the sweetest thing. It truly makes my heart melt every time. Lincoln always wants to have Christian around us. He always says that he misses his brother when he's down for a nap. I love it. Couldn't ask for a more precious gift than my boys being best friends.

My Beloved, Christian Robert

2009-11-16T21:38:00.000-05:00

Six Months Old.

2009-11-16T21:33:00.001-05:00

Where's Lincoln?

2009-11-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

My Boys

2009-11-16T21:14:00.001-05:00

2009-11-16T21:08:00.000-05:00

Families Can Be Together Forever

2009-11-16T20:59:00.000-05:00

Just the 4 of Us

2009-11-16T20:52:00.000-05:00

Our friend and amazing photographer, Charley Green, took our family portraits again this fall. We love them so much. Thank you, Charley! The colors in the background are simply gorgeous. The location was just breath-taking. I can't wait to print these out and get them on our walls.

Poll: We want to print one out on canvas. Which should it be?

Thanks, dors!

Our Sweet Family

2009-10-25T22:22:00.000-04:00

My sister, Jen, and her five kids came out to Indiana for the first time from their home in Missouri to visit us for a couple of days. We had such a great time. I fell in-love with my nieces and nephews while they were here. They are the BEST kids. So well mannered, so helpful, so fun, and so friendly. I love my family. I'm so glad that my sister has finally come into my life. I've wanted to know her my whole life, and now I finally do! It has been a dream come true. I'm so glad that they came out. I cried when they left because I missed my nieces and nephews so much.

Zeke & Crisco
Christian's a picky kid. He doesn't go to others too easily. However, that wasn't the case with his cousins. He loved them-- and they loved him. The cousins would fight over who could hold him. Normally Liz would prevail. I can't tell you how much of a blessing and relief that was for me. I loved the break. They were so sweet.

Isabel & Lincoln
Lincoln adored his cousins, too. The first night they got here we had the boys do a slumber party in Lincoln's room. Man, did he have a ball! He wouldn't stop talking to them. I think he adored Jonah the most. Lincoln would ask for Jonah to follow him everywhere. He still talks about Jonah, even though two months have passed by.

Jen & Elizabeth

My beautiful sister. I love how much she looks like my dad. It's so much fun.

Me & my girl Jenny!

2009-10-25T21:59:00.000-04:00

What a blessed trip to Utah I had. I'm so glad that I got to reconnect with my girl Jenny. We haven't seen each other for over two years, ever since Jon and I moved to Indiana. I miss my Jenny. She has such a great personality. She's so honest and true, faithful and open. I can never get enough!

I got to meet her, I mean their, adorable son, Grant. He is such an amazing communicator! He could talk so well, and he's not even two! I was captivated by his talking. So adorable.

Chris, Jenny, and lil' Grant. What a gorgeous family portrait!

They're Engaged!

2009-10-25T21:45:00.000-04:00

Robin and Tevita

Congratulations, you guys!

I Ran 3.5 Miles!!!

2009-10-13T22:01:00.000-04:00

On Conference Saturday, my mom and I ran a 3.5 mile race. (Isn't that hilarious that we were moving simultaneously in the photo?!) Obviously, we weren't really 'racing', but I did set out with some goals. My most important objective was to run the entire time-- no matter what speed, just no walking. And I did it! I have never run that far before, that I can remember. I used to do cross-country, but the races were just over 2 miles. So, I was super stoked with my accomplishment. I'm not much of a running-lover, but I'm trying to be more active and lose my baby weight. So far, I have lost all of my Christian weight; now I just have to lose my Lincoln weight. I've got 6 lbs to go! I'm so excited. My mom's been a great influence on me. She's very active: teaches yoga, loves to run, and the likes. We're planning on running the mini-marathon here in Indy this spring. My calves and knees are a little scared of the idea, but oh how great that would feel to accomplish that! I hope I don't chicken out ;0)

Me & My Baby Boy

2009-10-13T21:46:00.000-04:00

Crisco, and his many faces...

2009-10-13T21:08:00.002-04:00

"hey dude"

the stinky eye

wanna see my old man face?

"i'm a model. ya know what i mean? and i do my little turn on the catwalk..."

Crisco got his first tooth while we were in Utah!

Jon couldn't believe how much he had 'grown up' while he and I were gone. Jon noticed that he's chubbier and Crisco's babbling more and saying "mama" (Yes!! Lincoln's first sounds were "dada"). And of course, Dentist Daddy was super disappointed not to be there when Christian's first tooth was discovered. It's amazing how much can happen in five days.

Christian did great on our trip. Although we got in to Indy super late, he did amazingly well on the flights heading home. On the first one, he took a two hour nap! I was so stoked. However, my arms and back weren't. They were really feeling it from staying in one position for so long. Totally worth the trade-off, though. It was a lot of fun having quality one-on-one time with my little baby. I love how snuggly he is, love how snuggly he is. I definitely love being a mom the second time around. So much easier for me.

Brookie, these are for you:

2009-10-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

This is Brook Mann's baby boy, Carter Pierce. She didn't have her camera on her, and being the amazing (and wonderfully obsessed) scrapbooker that she is, she asked if I could take some pics of her lil guy in his matching green airplane. Isn't he adorable?! I can't wait to see what she does with them.

I want to make a shot out to Brook: I was originally planning to stay at her house, until I realized that the Mann's could accommodate me and Christian. And so, Brook had spent all this time cleaning up her beautiful place awaiting my arrival. She even put together the cutest toiletry bag for me. So, I am formally apologizing that my plans changed. But please know that I really appreciated such a kind gesture. And BTW, your house is amazing. Love it. The decorations look really good.

Me & My Sis

2009-10-13T20:49:00.000-04:00

Lucas Jefferson Mann.

He is so freakin adorable! So handsome. I'm so happy for them. Okay, so get this--we were looking at Rachelle's baby photo album and it was crazy seeing the resemblance of mommy and son. Even Jeff exclaimed, while pointing to a photo of Shell and shaking his fist, "There's Lucas. Dang Dunfords!"

I'm so glad that they have a baby. I'm so glad that they have a son that is only 6 months younger than mine. Now our boys can play together. They were almost in the same grade. That would have been neat. But at least they were born on the same year. Now, hopefully we'll have girls together... Scarlet and Juliette. (Sorry, that's enough future baby talk. I still need to get my nights back before I can think about Willison baby #3.)

I'm so happy that I was able to come out and stay with them. It was wonderful. I loved just being able to chill and hang out with them. They are great parents. I think my favorite nights were game night, playing their favorite game called Ticket to Ride, and my last night there when the four of us congregated on their bed, along with Becca, and just had some good conversation. I love quality heart-to-hearts. They are such good friends. Of course, like always, as I was saying goodbye to Rachelle, I began welling up like a waterfall. She has a knack for doing that to me. Maybe one day we'll live close again and our kids can be best friends. Ojala.

Daniel v. Christian: The Light-Weight Title Championship

2009-10-13T20:27:00.002-04:00

Mommy: Alright boys, I want this to be a clean fight. No eye poking or...

Crisco: Hey! He tried to take my binkie. Good thing it's attached to my ribbon.

Crisco: It's on now! Watch out because here comes my Super Man move!

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Utah HUNTS!

2009-10-13T20:20:00.001-04:00

Wow, I hadn't realized how much I missed them. As I was saying goodbye to Mandy, I totally starting gushing and couldn't even talk! Call me Maple because I am a sap.

It was so wonderful to see them again. It was fun catching up and talking about the news of our Plainfield Ward. It was really cool, too, to have Bishop actually there and not at church meetings. They said they are loving Highland and that the kids have made great friends. That's too bad because I was going to try and convince them to move back ;0)

Robin & Tevita

2009-10-13T20:07:00.000-04:00

This is Robin's love.
I had the opportunity to meet Tevita this weekend. (His name is Tongan.) The thing that impressed me most was his eyes. They shined. His spirit was so strong and pure. He's a very good guy. Very generous--always seeing need and offering to help. I'm glad that Robin is so happy. They are very good for each other. They seem to be a great match. I think love is in the air...

Visiting Much Missed Family

2009-10-13T19:56:00.000-04:00

Doesn't Eric look great?! I think the long curls look really good on him.

Mirror shots are so cool.

Crisco just adored Jordan. Jordan would cover Christian's face with his hand, and Christian would giggle away. It was way adorable.

Me and Kaisie.

Her and Jason live in Herrimon, UT. They have five kids. The Willison siblings went to their house on Sunday for a family dinner get-together. It was great to re-connect. I love Kaisie. She is so easy to talk to. You can tell her anything and it's always such a fulfilling conversation. My favorite thing ever.

Family Waterfall Photos

2009-09-20T18:54:00.007-04:00

I've been wanting to take some photos of the boys with their matching outfits before they grow out of them. I've had my eye on this park in Plainfield off of Center St. It turned out to be the most gorgeous location. The boys weren't enjoying the photo shoot too much, so we didn't make it any where else in the park. Plus, we were the ones taking the photos. Hence, not too many family photos were taken. (The ones that we do have were taken by kind strangers.) But next spring, we are so trying this again--with a photographer! Oh, I can't wait. It'll be so lovely and green with flowers blossoming. And...hopefully the boys will be in a better mood to take photos--with a smile.

Rainy Day Water Fight

2009-09-17T21:07:00.000-04:00

Soaked to the MAX!

The boys decided to go outside in the rain and have a water fight one day in August. It was so much fun watching them chase each other with a cup of water. It was even sillier since they were already drenched by the rain. They had such a ball. My favorite part was hearing all the laughter coming from outside as they played. I love having a young child because it gives you an excuse to be a kid again.

Currently Under Construction

2009-09-04T16:41:00.003-04:00

Our blog is currently under construction. I'm not done trying to give it a new design. Especially with the family photo on the top. We're missing our little guy. I've just run out of time trying to figure all of this out. It's crazy how time consuming it is. And since I'm not that tech savy, I make the process even slower. I'm trying out the cutestblogontheblock background for the first time. I'm kinda lost with all this. Like, how do I change my font colors and make my side pictures bigger? I used to use the templates from leeloublogs. That seemed a lot simpler because it changed all the font color for you automatically. But I haven't been that satisfied with it's templates. I'm hoping to find one that I love and just stick to that... Maybe that's just wishful thinking. If anyone has any advice out there, I'm all ears. Any help is soooo welcome!

One More and I'm Done!

2009-08-28T17:41:00.001-04:00

Even More Scrapbook Pages...

2009-08-28T17:33:00.002-04:00

These aren't complete yet, but I'm too excited not to post them on here.

More Scrapbook Pages!!

2009-08-27T22:42:00.003-04:00

Here's 3 more... I'm on a roll!

My First Digital Scrapbook Pages!

2009-08-27T21:16:00.002-04:00

Yea! I'm finally scrapbooking Lincoln's first year. My friend Brook Mann introduced me to this great website: www.howfasttimeflies.com. The website is free, no purchase necessary to use their program. Of course, you just have to buy the pages when they print them out. Brook does such an incredible job on her pages. I'm definitely a rookie. But I'm having fun trying to get the hang of it and figuring out all the features. They're having a 25% off sale until the 31st, so I'm trying to finish as many pages as possible. Wish me luck!

Happy 27th Birthday My Love

2009-08-19T21:35:00.000-04:00

Our Guestlist:

Me & Mine;
(both 27...finally!)

Jon's beautiful siblings: Jordan, Eric, & Robin;

Nanee & the Linkster (almost 3 y.o.);

and Crisco!
(4 mo.)

We Love Family!

2009-08-19T15:00:00.001-04:00

Three of Jon's siblings were able to come out to Indiana, for their first time, for Jon's birthday. Gosh, it was such a blast. We all had so much fun together. Every night we played games and talked into the wee hours. I was in heaven (except for the lack of sleep that followed-- on top of what I barely get b/c of my little guy). Char gave us a game for Christmas called "And It Came to Pass". This was our first time playing it, and it was so much fun. And what's even more amazing is that Chaffee kicked butt! (That'd be me. Jordan gave me this nickname, and I kinda like it. I think it's gonna be my new 'bowler' name.) Anyway, I smoked 'em. Pretty hard to do with 3 intense gamers surrounding you, especially if they're all Willisons! Of course, we changed games and played Jungle Uno (shown above), and I couldn't keep up. Right over my head. I totally pulled a Kraig on that one. I think Jon won, though. Which is very fitting for his birthday.

Link was just in love with his uncle Jordan. He wanted to play with him constantly. Jordan sure has a knack with kids. It'll be great to see him as a dad.

And, Reina loved Robin. When Robin first got here, Ray tried nestling in to Robin's hair, just like she did to Nana McAdam. I think Robin was a bit surprised.

And, Mommy loved... Well, I loved it all. It turned out to be such a fabulous visit. Tons of laughing, and playing, and talking. I couldn't have asked for more. Plus, Ms. Robin definitely takes after her mom and helped me with my kitchen and with holding Christian every day. Thank you, Robin. That speaks right to my heart. Eric helped out, too, by vacuuming my whole house. And Jordan became best friends with Lincoln. Like I said, couldn't have asked for anything more. (Thanks Terrie for teaching your kids about service. This proves examples do make a strong influence.)

Love you guys! Thanks for coming out. That meant a lot to us.