The Williams Family

End of Summer start of Fall

2009-10-22T13:13:00.001-07:00

As a family every year, we would all go to Sandpiper on Pacific beach. The last couple years we havnt gone, due to schedules and having a hard time getting close to 35 people to all come together at once. Well, this year, we all reunited and made it happen. It was such a blast. Here are some pics of our wonderful time.

Preston also had his first day of preschool. He was so excited. He looked so handsome!! The first day the parents get to go with them, so Michael and I both went, and then went out to Red Robin after.

Handsome guy all ready to go!!!

What would we do without family?

2009-09-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I would do a post just on my family. I love them all so much, words really cant describe. We are all so close, and I think we would die without each other. Here are some pics of some special people in our close family circle.

Enjoy!

Ladd-Wickwire Reunion

2009-08-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

A little while ago we did our annual Ladd-Wickwire family reunion. I'm so proud of our family....we have successfully had 4 or more reunions! Every time we go, we always have such a blast. Dan and Gail (my aunt and uncle) are such wonderful hosts. All we do is laugh, catch up on the last 6 months of our lives, and take lots of pictures. This year we got to go to the farmers market in downtown Vancouver. "Farmers Market" does not do it justice. It should be called a fair without the rides. We could have spent all day there. It was just too much fun.

Here was Basketball Papa and Carrott and their 3 grand kids.....

(Its a little hard to get them all to sit and smile all at once)

Papa and Preston

Prestona and Nay Nay watching and waiting on the balloon guy

Oh man was there good food there. Here was a huge, I'm talking huge payaya plate. Michael got a bowl of it and it was so good.

Little Nay Nay jumpin around

This is one of my favorite pictures ever!! I think I might get it framed and put it on our family wall. Maya refused to get in the pool so she lounged and watched everyone else. Doesn't she look adorable!?

Also at the market there was an antique car show going on. So we walked up and down the road and ooh'ed and ahhhh'ed over all of the cool cars. Michael and I picked out which ones we would want for ourselves if we lived back in the 50's.

Preston and Papa. That floaty Preston is in is way too small for him but he loves it. I think by next year he will pop it if he tries to get in it again.

I cant wait for the next reunion. I think its going to be in early November. We will all be bundled up in fleece and sweatpants and drinking hot chocolate. Mmmmmmm can hardly wait.

Convention 2009

2009-08-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

This year our convention was at the beginning of July and man it was hot. It was one of the best conventions I have been to though. The information was so wonderful. And Preston was actually really good. We stayed in a hotel in Federal Way so that made the 3 day adventure much more bearable. Every night after our long day of sitting and taking notes, we came back and got dinner and went swimming. What a good way to cool off and relax. It cooled down to the 70's at night and that made it much more comfortable.

Here is a picture from our seats. I think there was around 9,000~10,000 people on average each day.

Michael and Preston waiting for the first session to start.

Lorri reading a book to Preston before bed. Michael, Preston and I all shared a room with Lorri and Nicole.

Michael doing his "famous" cannon ball. He pretty empties the pool. It makes every ones heads turn.

Preston swimming on his own. With his little water wings of course.

Pam and Lorri.

Preston waiting for the session to start. He looks so handsome.

DD and Ricks Anniversary Party

2009-08-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

This was DD and Ricks first year of marriage. We had some family and friends over to our house and had a barbecue and made a big fire in our pit and made smores. It was such a fun night. We had good food, and awesome company.

Here is the happy couple

Lorri and Bob

Group shot!

Great end to a fun summer night....

Graduation and Farewell

2009-07-05T05:08:00.000-07:00

So this was Preston's first year of Preschool. He is in the A/B class which is the 1st of 2 preschool classes. Next year he will be in Pre-K. Soooooooo, a couple weeks ago, Mrs Hizzey put on her annual graduation for all of the Pre-K graduates. Preston's class had a small part, but it was really centered on the Pre-K kiddos. It was still really special though, because 3 of the kids Preston goes to Mrs Paula's with graduated. So we went to support them, and to see Preston have a small part in the whole production. We got to see him sing and do some sign language to a couple songs. It was a bittersweet night though, because the three that graduated wont be going to Mrs Paulas anymore since they will be in full time kindergarten. We love those kids to much!!

It was such a beautiful night. We had so much fun. I cant believe that next year it will be Preston up there graduating.

Preston showing off his present from Mr Ron and Mrs Paula. He got a sweet card and some money to buy whatever he wanted. The next day we went to Target and got him a baseball T, ball, and new bat.

Mrs Paula, Preston and Mr Ron after the ceremony

Garrett was one of the three who go to Mrs Paula's and graduated. Him and Michael have a really cute bond. Michael was really sad that Garrett wont go to Mrs Paula's anymore, so he got him a little gift. Lightning McQueen box filled with candy and a Cars action figure. He loved it!! We will miss Garrett a lot!!

Preston and Andrea. (These two are like brother and sister. I love it!)

Garrett giving Michael a hug after he got his present.

Preston and Abbby. She was one of the other 3 who graduated and goes to Mrs Paula's. Her and Preston absolutely love each other. She get so excited every time he comes around.

Preston and Mrs Hizzey. She is the sweetest thing ever.

Michael and Preston walking back down the aisle after he sang.

Our little singer!!! Hes standing next to one of his buddies Colette (The one in the yellow dress).

Preston in front of the graduating kids. Singing....singing.......singing.......!!

Preston's name was called up to the stage to be apart of all the singing. At one point the parents joined and sang with all the kids.

Preston and daddy right before the graduation started.

Garrett getting ready to get his "diploma"

Ms Abby was next!

What a fun night. All the kids were so proud of themselves. Next year it will be Preston up there!!

Prestons Teeth Cleaning

2009-07-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

So Preston just got his teeth cleaned for the second time now. We go see my Aunt Renie who is a hygienist. Her and Preston have a connection with each other, so Preston actually likes when we go get to see Auntie Renie to have her look at his teeth!! She is so great with him. So gentle, but also has fun with him, so he is always at ease.

As you can tell........

The motorized toothbrush....I love those things!!He was so relaxed. As you can see, arms behind his head, and legs up.....just chillin.

He didn't like the fluoride as much as he did last time. But we made it through.

And in the end, Auntie Renie bought Preston a cookie from Starbucks, and got him a couple balloons for being so good.

He also got a new toothbrush that lights up when you brush. He loves it!!

Family Reunion

2009-07-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

A week or so ago Michael's side of the family had a family reunion. It was really fun seeing some of Michael's relatives that we don't get to see hardly ever. Everyone in his family is so sweet, I just love them!!

Here are the brothers and sisters......the second one in from the left is Michael's grandma Jeanette.

The Ratynski Family. Michael's Aunt DeeDee and her hubby and Nichol (Michael's Cousin)

At the end of the reunion we all took family pictures. Somehow, Michael and uncle Ricky got in there together, and we got them to show us their muscles!!!

DeeDee and Michael's Great Aunt Kathy. (Shes a hoot, I just love her!)

I love Michael's side of the family so much. They are all so down to earth, and so loving. I cant wait for the next reunion!!

Last day of Preschool

2009-06-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

Preston just had his last day of Preschool. Michael and I are so sad!! We feel like he just started. It was a great year though. He has learned so much, we couldn't be prouder. He can spell his whole name, yes, first and last....and count to 25, and he knows all the letters of the alphabet, and he learned quite a few songs too. I know there is more he learned but I just cant think of any more right now. :(

So here he is on his last day of preschool outside Mrs Paula's. Him and I got Mrs Hizzey some tulips and a card to thank her and to tell her how special she is. I'm so glad we get one more year with her. She really is a special lady. And Preston just loves her.

Maddys Graduation

2009-06-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, my cousin Maddy graduated from high school. They had a graduation party at my uncles house and it was so fun. I'm so proud of her!!

Preston and my uncle Phil
MeeMee, Dj and Baby Maya

Preston and his Bawa
(Don't they have the most beautiful view? I took this picture right outside the deck/backyard area.)

The cousins.....Emma, Maddy, and Colton

Tay Tay and Auntie Renie

It was so fun seeing everyone. I wish we had more family get togethers!! But in a couple months we are all re-uniting to do our annual family trip to the ocean. Something we haven't done in about 5 years. But we are restarting the tradition. Cant wait!!

I know you have missed us.......

2009-06-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

So I know all 10 of you who read our family blog have really missed us!! Ha Ha!! Truth is, we have been so busy and blogging has been at the bottom of my list of "to do's" So, I thought that I would just do a huge recap from Disneyland in the beginning of April until now. Then from here, I promise we will be better about keeping up to date with some fun things that are to come. Summer time is here!! Oh yeah!! Anyways.......

Lots of pictures so bear with me.........................

This is 7 posts in 1 long post..............................

Trust me, we are worth the wait..............

Read on....................................

Camping Trip to BeeBee Bridge

Michael and I went camping in Eastern Washington. My mom asked if she could have Preston for the weekend so that she could take him camping with her, so at the last minute, Michael and I packed up the car and took off too!! It was so fun. It was just for the weekend, but it was a blast. It was so hot. But we loved every second of it.

No one took this picture of us. We are nerdy enough that we set the camera on time delay and ran back and posed for the picture. What else are we supposed to do???? Plus we really love our tent!! We got it last year and cant wait to put it to good use. Aside from this trip, we have only been camping once and now that we have all of our camping stuff, it is our goal to go at least 3 times a year.

Our campfire we made.

My hottie setting up the tent. I did help, but I just wanted to stop and take a picture of Michael in action! At this point it was about 3:00pm and the gage in the truck said 94 degrees. We almost melted.

Smores!!

This camping trip was so fun. The three of us are going to go to Chelan to camp in about a month and we already cant wait.

PS. Preston had a blast camping too with Bawa!!

Final Field Trip with Prestons Preschool

Year End Field Trip with New Horizons

So for the end of the year trip Mrs Hizzey planned a day at the beach on Whidbey Island. One of the parents of her students have a house right on the water. This is the view from the house and were we played all day!!

Here is the house it was held at. It was so beautiful. I would love to have a house like this on the water.

All the kids playing in the water.

Andrea, Garrett, and Preston.

Preston and Andrea (His future wife, so he says)

Preston, Garrett, and Ashley building sand castles.

Taking a break for some "melon melon" (Watermelon)

Michael and Livy catching crabs.

There were little crabs everywhere. If you turned over a rock, there were hundreds!! So we all got our buckets and went crabbing!!

Preston and Ashley having a moment. So precious.

Garrett, Abby and Preston crabbing

Cousin Sleep Over

Michael and I have been wanting to have all 3 cousins over for a sleepover at our house for a while now. Everything just ended up falling into place, and finally got our cousin sleepover.

Eating breakfast. Michael loves to make breakfast so he was even more happy to make breakfast for his 3 favorite little ones!!

Nay Nay eating her cheesy eggs

Maya chowin' on waffles

This was Nay Nay walking down the stairs from waking up. I though it was so cute how happy she was. I think shes going to be a morning person!

This was the night before while they watched Cars.

These aren't really in order. This was actually the night before when we got home. It was such a beautiful night so we brought out the pool and Preston and Nay Nay played hard!! Maya was a little tired so her and Uncle Michael hung out on the deck and watched.

Nay Nay and Preston would stand up and then crash down into the water and water would go everywhere. They loved it!! They were laughing so hard.

Prestons 2nd..... YES 2nd Hair cut ever!

And No, you dont have it wrong. He is a four year old little boy who has only had 2 hair cuts.

Preston got his first haircut about 4 months ago. I have pictures but didn't get around to putting them up here. Mrs Paula cuts his hair and does such a good job. She used to cut hair back int he day, and we joke that she needs to open her own barber shop also.

As you can see it was time. It is so curly that it just gets to the point where no matter what you do to it, it looks sloppy.

Preston got his first bike!!

This was a big deal not only for Preston but for Michael and I. We felt like it was time. Preston just turned 4 in May and he is such a good boy. We thought we would surprise him with this Diego bike. He absolutely loved it. He put on his helmet and "Lilly pads" (elbow and knee pads) and took off down our street. No fear!! We live in a cul de sac and so its perfect for him to take off. Hes fallen a couple times but nothing any big deal because hes so protected by his Lilly pads.

Takin' off!

Gettin ready

He could not be happier..........

Mothers Tea Time

On a beautiful Saturday morning in May, Preston and I went to his preschool New Horizons, and had mothers tea time. Mrs Hizzey puts on "Mothers Morning Tea Time" and a "Daddy and Child Night" Michael and Preston did the "Daddy" night a couple months ago, so I was so excited when I got to go with Preston. He was such a sweetheart. We went and got coffee before and he just chatted my ear off the whole way there!! Then when we got there, all the kids gave their mommas a gift. It was a picture of them, in a painted wood frame that they painted and decorated. And best of all, a hat. It was made from a paper bowl and plate. But I just loved that Preston picked out the colors, and the decorations, and even the bow to tie it on. I loved every second of it. Plus, the kids all got up and sang us all a song, and told us mommas how much they loved us. It was so fun. I cant wait for next years Mothers Tea Time.

Preston is wearing the hat he made me. So cute huh?

Showing me the gift he made me. Picture and frame, and then a card he made also.

Preston and his class singing to us moms.

Preston and I before we left.

Maya spent the Night

Michael and I got to watch Maya a couple months ago and we loved every second of it. She is always so good when shes over.

Shes such a ham!!

This is her all dressed up for meeting Sunday morning. Uncle Michael did her hair!! Slicked!!

Preston and Maya getting ready for bed. Maya watching her big cousin brushing his teeth.

Well, that is all I have for now. But my goal is to blog alot more this summer. We have a lot of fun things planned. Hint.....swimming lessons, camping trips, days at the beach, sleepovers, zoo trips, movies under the stars at Silver Lake, and a couple family reunions and much more.

We cant wait!! I love, love, love, summertime.

Disneyland 2009

2009-05-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

The long awaited Disneyland pictures...................

Drum roll please....................

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Preston and Mickey. This picture was actually on our 3rd and last day in Disneyland. We had what was called a "magical morning" in our Disneyland trip package. You get to go into Disneyland 1 hour before they open the gates and do whatever you want before the crowds. We loved every second of it. We got on and off every ride with no wait. The best part, we were the first ones into Toon Town that Sunday morning, and we literally ran to Mickey's house. He was sitting in the front entry way waiting for the first person to come. We were the first ones!! Michael and Preston ran right up to him and gave him a big hug. There was something about seeing Mickey that morning that sealed the deal for our whole trip. I have never seen Michael so much like a little kid then at that moment. I knew right then that his trip was fully satisfied. Preston loved it just as much. They both soaked up every minute..........

Among the may things we bought Preston in and out of Disneyland on this trip, we bought him his first watch. He is always telling Michael and I "Its 10:40" No matter when he says it, its always ten forty. Too cute. So hes really been trying to be a big guy and tell the time. So we felt like it was fitting that we bought him his first watch there. It has 3 different colored straps, and 3 different colored covers that you can put on it. Mickey, Goofy, and Pluto.

The Princess pictures were all on our last day as well. They have what is called "Princess Fare" You get to meet 3-4 Princesses and talk to them, get their autograph, and then as you walk out, there is a whole section with Princess out fits and so on. At this point in our trip, almost everything was crossed of the map for Disneyland, so we decided to take Preston to meet the Princesses. Little did we know that he would not only love every second of it, but actually have one of the Princesses fall in love with him.

Ariel taught Preston how to kiss a Princess on the hand like a Prince would. He loved it.

Here is is girlfriend, Belle. She is the one who fell in love with Preston. She spent the most time with him out of all the Princesses. In fact, she held up the line, because she kept talking to him, asking him questions, and making him feel like a true Prince. It was so cute.

Preston and Jasmine.

In front of Mickeys pond in Toon Town.

This is the second time Preston got to meet Minnie. She was just coming out of the "back staging area" and Preston ran right up to her and started asking her questions.

On the Alice and Wonderland ride.

Pinocchio ride.

Meeting Buzz Lightyear outside the Buzz ride.

One of the days we went to Long Beach. It was beautiful. It was in the low 70's and I guess Californians don't come to the beach unless its int he 80's. So we pretty much had the whole beach to ourselves. It was a blast!!

Daddy and Carol outside the Palace.

Preston and Pooh loving on each other. They just sat there and held each others hands for a while. Then hugged it out, and we moved onto Tigger.

This is the first meeting with Minnie. Our fist day in Disneyland.

Goofy was the first character we met while we were in line to meet Minnie.

Its a small world!! It was open and newly refurbished. It smelled new and it was so magical. I loved every second of it. We went on it twice I loved it so much.

Papa and Preston at Hard Rock Cafe

The pictures aren't in here, but we also went to the LA Zoo as well. By far the best zoo. It was huge!! Carols daughter and her sweet granddaughter went too. It was so fun to meet Carols side of the family. Then we all went to the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal City. I got a drink called "Pickled Tink" Cute huh? And I took home the souvenir glass!! Whoo hoo!!

This trip will forever go down in history as the best ever. We seriously didn't want to leave. We still think about being there....the smells, the sunshine, the noises. It truly is a magical place. Daddy and Carol were the best hosts ever, and took care of our family so well. I loved seeing Daddy's house, and being in his world for the whole week. Every morning we woke up we had something so fun to look forward to. It was so hard coming home. The only thing that made it easier to come home, was that we resolved to come back soon. We were thinking of making it a tradition to come every other year.

We are already counting down the days.......

Dinner in Mukilteo

2009-04-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Pres and Daddy!

So the clarity in these pictures aren't the best because we took them with our camera phones! But a couple Fridays ago, the three of us went down to the Mukilteo water front and got fish n' chips and watched the ferries go by. Sometimes I think us Seattleites take advantage of what a pretty state we live in. The sunset was beautiful. Ferries were going by, and the San Juan Islands were in the back round. It was so fun. Preston fed pretty much his whole dinner to the birds but it was worth it. That is one of his favorite things to do! This was a good end to a busy week.

PS. Disneyland is in 5 days!! YEAH!!!! We are bouncing off the walls in excitement. And Preston still doesnt know. We are telling him the morning we wake up to go to Disneyland.

WARNING: There will be alot of pictures and video clips to come...

Stay tuned....

Dinner with Nana

2009-02-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

A picture of the rose Taya gave me.

Sunday night Michael and I had Nana over. It had been way too long since we got to spend some quality time with her. So we had her over for some yummy dinner. We got to catch up on what has been going on in our lives for the last couple months, and Nana got to play with Preston.

Nana and her first born!!

Nana and Preston watching 101 Dalmatians, anxiously waiting for dinner to be done.

We made a recipe from a cookbook filled with recipes from restaurants in the Great Northwest. it was a gift from my mom, and we have been wanting to try some, because they all look so good. So I picked out one that was a seafood medley. We made it with clams, mussels, and prawns. The pasta was in a white wine butter sauce. Oh man it was good. Then we had asparagus, and petite steaks.

It was really good catching up and spending quality time with Nana. Her and Preston love each other so much.

Then Michael, Preston and I went to bed early and got a good nights sleep before the work week. It was a great end to a great weekend.

Madagascar Slumber Party

2009-02-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

When Madagascar 2 came out we bought it that day!! We surprised Preston with it. We stayed up late, ate popcorn in bed, and attempted to let Preston sleep in our bed. Ever since he was born he has always slept in a bassinet or crib, never our bed. We had heard horror stories about other families who let their children sleep in their beds, and how hard it was to break them of the habit. But because we have never let Preston sleep with us, he has been wanting to so bad. So bad, he comes into our room at 5 every morning and tries to sleep with us. So ( I have a point here) we hyped up big time the fact that he could sleep with us and that we would have a Madagascar slumber party. He loved every second of it. However, even after all that build up he tossed and turned and was talking and got too hot, then too cold. So after about 1 hour, we said its time you go to your own bed. Oddly enough, I think he was relieved. He couldn't sleep and neither could we. So after all that build up, I think Preston realizes hes much happier in his own bed!! It was all around a fun family night. Staying up late, watching a movie, eating popcorn in bed. Nothing better.

Shower for Baby Marcus

2009-02-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend me and a couple of other lady's I work with threw my assistant manager a baby shower. It was so fun!! I love baby showers and seeing all the cute gifts. And boy she got some cute stuff.

It was a WAMU baby shower!!!

The most yummy cake ever from Costco. Dinh has been craving chocolate recently so instead of a traditional cake with filling, we went for the 5 layer double chocolate cake. Its Dinhs favorite!

Dinh and her girls!

Opening up her gift from Lisa and Aliesha. I love the baby Bjorn. We had one with Preston and used it alot.

Dinh got so many cute things. Onesies, blankets, outfits, including a whole Seahawks Onesie/Jersey and matching Seahawks pants. It was the cutest thing ever. Marcus is going to be a Seahawks fan at a very young age!!

We played a couple games. One was a baby word scramble.

Everyone is concentrating so hard!

Ronda and Alex gettin down on some of that yummy cake.

Cute face Alex!!

Everyone getting some baby shower food. Yummy......

Ronda and Lenette!

All in all, it was a really great day. The weather was beautiful and Cynthia has such a beautiful home. It was so comfortable and perfect for the shower. Dinh got great presents and everyone had a great time. Now its a waiting game. When will baby Marcus come. My money is on the Thursday the 19th. Cant wait!!

Random picture that I thought was so cute.

2009-02-09T12:22:00.000-08:00

For mine and Michael's anniversary this year, we decided to buy a new camera. We have had the same camera for 4 years, and it was just time. So I was playing around with the new camera one night and Preston was sitting on my lap, and I took this cute picture. I know its really simple but I just thought, when he's a big stinky teenager, we will want to remember how little and sweet something like his toes once were.

Shower Time!!

2009-02-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

Preston has recently been taking showers on his own. As many of you know, he loves his bath time, but he took his first shower about 3 months ago, and ever since just loves them!! I couldn't resist taking some of these cute pictures. They really show you how happy he is when hes taking a shower.

All wrapped up in his frog towel Nana bought him.

15 Things You May Not Know About Preston

2009-01-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

Today Preston is the *Star* Person at PreSchool. (The Star person gets to do show and tell and bring treats) Along with that theme, I thought that I would post 15 things some people may not know about our dear sweet Preston.

1. His full name is Preston Michael Williams
2. He was born Thursday May 19, 2005 at 3:15pm ish.
3. He has never had a hair cut.
4. His favorite movie is Tarzan, Cars, and Lion King.
5. Every night that we get home, he runs upstairs and put his Pajamas on. They are his most favorite thing in the whole world. If it were up to him, he would wear them 24/7.
6. He is in love with babies. He gets a high pitched voice when hes talking to them, because hes trying to be tender and gentle.
7. He named my mom Bawa when he was about 8 months old. She loves that she has a name created by one of her grandchildren.
8. He loves to wrestle with Michael. And at times, is more strong than we realize.
9. He has two cousins that mean the world to him. Naomi and Maya.
10. He loves the book "Teddy Bears Picnic" We downloaded the song to a CD and sing along to the book every night.
11. He has a nose like a blood hound. He is the first to ever smell anything, good or bad. He says " I smell sumpin'" "whats dat smell?"
12. His eyebrows are still invisible. He has eyebrows, but they are so blond you cant see them unless you get really close.
13. When your sick, down or having a bad day, he knows. He will rub your back, tummy or head to try and make you feel better. He gets the same voice he does when talking to babies. Again, trying to be so tender and loving. He will ask you if you are felling better over and over because he cares so much.
14. He loves Giada De Laurentis on food network. Don't ask us why. I was watching it on demand one night, and ever since, he absolutely loves her. Sometimes he would rather watch her then one of his movies or Mickey Mouse Club House.
15. He will be going to Disneyland for the first time ever in April. This will also be his first plane ride ever as well. It is a surprise, so if you see him, don't say anything!! It is going to be a memorable time for him. He wont even know what to do with himself. It will be all he talks about for months. WE cant wait!!

Preston and Maya
Preston and Papa
Waiting for the garbage man.
The two most handsome men ever!!

Preston and Naomi

Our Anniversary Dinner at Mama's

2009-01-07T21:03:00.000-08:00

The three sisters
Bawa and baby Maya. (She has mashed potato in their mouth!)

So good. Lets just say it was pretty much a feast!

Michael and DJ all dished up and ready to get down

The three BFF's

She is the biggest ham.

For our anniversary my mom had us all over for dinner. She made a turkey feast!! Taya and Mandy brought dishes and my mom made a turkey that was probably 20 lbs!! It was so juicy and tender. We all were unbuttoning our top button just to stay some what comfortable. Then we ate a home made cheese cake with berry topping that was to die for! Then we opened our gifts and Preston opened his. We love everything we got and so did Preston. We got some way cute lamps and a wall art saying that you paint on. It says "Always Kiss Me Goodnight" So cute. We loved everything. Earlier that day, Michael's mom got us a cast iron skillet. We had been wanting one for so long, so that too was just a perfect gift. WE have such wonderful family. We couldn't ask for anything more.

Fun Times at the Seattle Aquarium

2009-01-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

I told them to make goofy faces! Preston's face cracks me up!

Preston in the play area.And dressed up as a diver.

On new years day we all went to the Seattle Aquarium and then walked to Red Robin on the water. We had a window seat right by all the boats, so it was a great view while we ate. This was mine and Preston's first time at the aquarium. It was so fun, and there was so much cool stuff for little kids to play with. We touched a lot of gooey stuff, and got to see so many different kinds of sea animals. The seals put on quite a show. It was such a fun and relaxing day. Preston absolutely loved every moment.

End of our anniversary weekend.

2008-12-30T20:47:00.000-08:00

In Edmonds waiting for the ferry.

It was just a little windy out on the deck of the ferry!!

We live in such a beautiful state. I love going on the ferry's

Michael and I went out to Sequim to pick up Preston. He had gone out there to be with Michaels mom and grandma. They had a blast the whole weekend. So we met them out there and made everyone dinner then took the ferry back home. It was an end to such a great weekend.

Our Anniversary

2008-12-30T20:38:00.000-08:00

The happy couple

The best cake ever......coconut and white chocolate.....

Michael and I went to Salty's this year for our anniversary. Michael's mom took Preston out to Sequim for the whole weekend, so Michael and I got to have a nice relaxing weekend together. We ate way too much as usual, but oh man, it was so worth it. At the end of our meal the waiter brought us an "on the house" piece of their signature white chocolate coconut cake. It was melt in your mouth heavenly. The waiter brought it to us, and by the time he came back with refills on our drinks, the plate was clean!! He probably thought we were a little weird, but it was sooooo good. Then we went and walked around a little on the water, and then went home and had champagne and watched Iron Man. Such a good movie. It was such a great night, just the two of us. ( It kinda felt like we were dating again...)

Looking way ahead in the future...

2008-12-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

We decided to take a little drive around Lake Stevens the other day. We ended up finding the High School Preston will be going to some day. Its about 3 mins away from our house. Its a really nice school, and even better..... it has a pool! How cool is that!? Anyways, it was a fun day driving around and sightseeing. But it looks like the snow is just about to go away. :( Oh well, it had to end sometime!

Sleding Sunday Part 2

2008-12-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to go down the steep hill!!
DD and Uncle Ricky

Lorri, Uncle Rick, and DD all ready to go down together!!

Michael, Rick, DD and Lorri all about to go down together.

Yeah Uncle Ricky!!!

So we showed up to DD and Ricks just in time. BREAKFAST!! Oh yeah, they had just made sausage, eggs, hash browns and english muffins. Yummy!! So we hung out and ate breakfast for a little bit, then all got our snow gear on and went sledding at a public park in Marysville. It was so much fun. I was a little scared so I took pictures!! Then they all convinced me to go. Well, I got to the top of the hill, and oh man, it was steep and sooooo icy. So I totally chickened out and Lorri had to go down the hill with me!! My eyes were shut and I screamed the whole time!!! And that was it for me. For the rest of the time I watched. Then we all went to Starbucks and got hot apple ciders to warm ourselves up. Then we all went our separate ways to take naps, baths and so on. Then, DD, Rick and Lorri all came over to our house, and we had a comfort food dinner! Perfect ending to a perfect weekend. Michel made a mouth watering beef roast, with roasted veggies, and rolls. It was so good!!

Sleding Sunday Part 1

2008-12-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

No Fear Preston!!

Getting ready to go down.

Taking Preston for a ride in the neighborhood.

On Sunday we got up pretty early and hit the snow again. We got out the sled this time, and played at the playground in our neighborhood. Then we all packed up, and went to the elementary school Preston will go to a a couple years, and found a great hill that all of the kids in the neighborhood have been sledding on. We had so much fun. It was just the 3 of us, and we just went up and down over and over again. Then, we decided to go see DD, Rick and Lorri. So in the car and to Marysville we went. It was perfect timing too......

Snowy Drive out to Granite Falls

2008-12-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

The lake that was frozen over.

It doesnt look as scary as it was in person, but this was a steep hill!!

Some of the scenery on the way out there.

I stuck the camera outside of the car to get this shot, but I thought it was pretty cool.

On Saturday Michael, Preston and I took a drive out to Granite Falls. Its about 15 miles East of Lake Stevens. It was such a pretty drive. We went on some back roads to see how the Sequioa would do with the new tires we just bought. They did awsome. Of course, I almost peed my pants, but Michael drives really well in the snow, and we made it out just fine. We also came across a lake and it was completely iced over. I havent seen that in a long time. It was a big lake too!! So cool. Then it started snowing, so we headed back for another night of a lot more snow.

Cupcake Fun

2008-12-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

I saw these cupcakes at Target and had to get them for Preston and I to make together. Hes really into helping Michael and I cook in the kitchen, so I have been finding different things here and there so he can be our big helper. These cupcakes were so cute. Him and I had a blast making them together. He cracked the eggs, and poured in the oil. Then once they were out of the oven, we frosted them, and he got to put the sprinkles on. Then, him and I each ate two cupcakes!!! We had green all over our mouths. We were laughing so hard at each other!! It was one of those moments I hope Preston will remember. Him being a kid, and his mom right in there acting goofy with him. Sometimes, I feel like time just slips away from us, and Preston just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Michael and I try to cherish every moment with him. He is our everything, and we love him more then words can describe.

More Snow Pictures

2008-12-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

The boys are very proud of their work!!
Not the most attractive snow man.

I love snow on trees. Its so beautiful.

3-4 inches at this point.

I took a lot of snow pictures this year. It was extra special because this is our first snow at our new home, and Preston is old enough to really love snow like his mommy. Michael likes snow, but not nearly as much as me!! We made a not so attractive snow man, that Preston named "Master Ugway" from Kung Fu Panda. He is huge and will take a long time to melt!! Yeah!!

Snow, Snow, and more Snow.

2008-12-21T11:59:00.000-08:00

After the big snow came through.
In our cul de sac.

This is one of my favorite snow scenery pictures.

Looking up our street.

Outside our front door.

Well, we got hit with yes, another snow storm. We now have about 6-7 inches. All of the roads are icy and packed with snow. It keeps snowing, then freezing over. We are just so happy it hasn't started raining yet. We heard it wont stop until January 5Th!! Oh yeah!! Lots more pictures and family fun to come.

Warm and Cozy Snow Days

2008-12-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

Our Favorite sent of all of the Yankee candles!!
Yummm!!!
Something warm after we played hard in the snow.

Michael trying to calm him down.

Preston crying because his gloves fell off!!

Michael getting snow thrown at him from Preston!!

These pictures are from one of our many snow days. Our house has been so cozy with the fire on, Mistletoe candles, and hot chocolate. We have played out in the snow everyday since it snowed, and have taken full advantage of how gorgeous it has been outside. Its our winter wonderland!!! We don't ever want it to stop. After we had gotten some good snow, Michael and I talked about moving to Colorado or something just so we could do this more often. Yeah right like that would ever happen!! We are savoring every moment of the snow!! And its looking like its going to be around for a while longer. Bring on more SNOW!!!!

All Snowed In!!

2008-12-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

Who needs a camp fire to make smores?
Smores are Prestons favorite.

His new V-Tec all set up.

Working really hard at figuring it out.

We had a really fun day inside while it was so cold and snowing outside. It was so warm and cozy in our house!! We had a fire going, watched some movies, played with Prestons new V-Tec computer thing, and made smores. It was such a relaxing day. We just had some quality family time, and it was very much needed.

First Snow!!!

2008-12-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

Outside our front door. At this point we had about 3 inches.
Our front yard
Is it beautiful!?

Prestons snow angel

Preston making his snow angel.

He was so happy to be out playing in the snow!!

Our backyard.

We got our first snow of the season Friday night. While most of the greater Seattle are had trace to 1 inch, Friday night we got about 3 inches. Lake Stevens is closer to the mountains and a way higher elevation!! Hey, fine by me...I love snow. We got out there, and made snow angels, got into a couple snow ball fights, and started making a snow man. It was so perfect. I love snow more than the average person.....and I think Preston will be the same way.

Prestons First Teeth Cleaning!!

2008-12-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

Preston and Auntie Renie
Getting fluoride. He got the top and bottom at the same time!! Renie was really impressed.

Renie scrapping away.

Preston had his first teeth cleaning last week. People say they should have their first check up/cleaning by the time they are three. We are about 6 months past due!! So, we went and saw my aunt Renie who has been a hygienist for as long as I can remember. Preston loves her somuch!! So Michael and I thought he would do really well. And my oh my he did. The whole time Renie was saying how proud she was of him, and how wonderful he was being. Nothing scared him, and he listened to everything Renie asked him to do. I was really proud of him too. He looked like such a big boy in that dentist chair!! As far as his teeth, Renie let us know about a couple areas that we need to work on that are hard to reach, but all in all, she said his teeth look really great. Then the dentist came in a took a peak in Preston's mouth, and said the same thing...everything looks great!!

Victory!!!!! Go Hawks!!!

2008-12-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

Lofa Tatupu

Matt Hasselbeck talking to Coach Holmgren at yesterdays game against the RAMS.

We have such a cool stadium

Ok, so I have quite a few pictures still to post, but I had to put this in here. I'm so proud of our Seahawks finally wining!!! Yeah!!! I am a serious Hawks fan, and its been so hard seeing them loose so much, and yesterday they won at the last minute by a field goal! Wahoo!!! I know next year we will be so awesome we wont know what to do with ourselves!!! And these pics are of Lofa Tatupu, my fave!! And of course, our beautiful stadium I love so much!! Go HAWKS!!

A Little Random

2008-12-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

So I know this is really random, but I just love my wreath I put on our front door. It matches perfect with our front door. Isn't it too cute? I love it so much. Is it weird if I keep it up all year? We shall see....

Fun Times with the Gordons

2008-12-10T09:15:00.001-08:00

I think we have a future drummer on our hands!!

Sunday night after meeting we went over to the Gordon's house for dinner and desert, and oh yes, some games!! I forgot our camera and these were the only pictures we took with Michael's blackberry. The Gordon boys have and awesome set up in the house fully equipped with a drum set, guitar, and sound system. We got to hear them jam to "The Who" and they really impressed us!! They are so good!! Preston just stood there in amazement, and didn't move for about 5 mins. Then, once they were done, the first thing he said was "I want to do that!! I want to play the drums" So here he is rockin out in his meeting outfit!! Then we enjoyed some yummy tamales, rice and beans. Then Pam made an awesome 3 layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.....mouth watering as I type. Then we had a showdown between the boys and the girls in a game of Cranium. The boys got all of the easy cards and us poor girls got all the hard ones!! Pam and I are already planning on a rematch to show them who's boss!! Oh yeah! It was such a fun night, with a lot of laughter and good company. It doesn't get much better than that!!

Preston Night #2

2008-12-07T16:08:00.000-08:00

And the completed gingerbread house!! Beautiful!!

Ta Da!!! All of our pizza's...

I made some appetizers. Garlic Bread sticks with marinara, and some little smokies in BBQ sauce. YUMMY!!

Makin his pizza!!

First set of Play Dough

Preston and his two grandmas....

The Cars characters. Lightning McQueen is his fav!!

All of Prestons gifts.

We had our second Preston Night last night and it was a blast!!! This time my mom and Mick and Lorri were all there. This time we all made our own pizzas and we made a gingerbread house. While we made the gingerbread house we watched the movie Cars. I hadn't seen it in a while and I forgot how stinkin cute it is. Preston, Michael and Mick were all glued to the TV!! Preston also got some wonderful gifts from his two Grandmas and his Papa. He got 4 new outfits, play dough, a v tech v.smile PC set the hooks up to the TV, and some the charters cars from the movie Cars. Can we say hes severely loved? ;) All in all, it was a great night and Preston had so much fun. Stay tuned for Preston night #3!!

Way Too Cute Not To Post

2008-12-04T21:30:00.001-08:00

So last night I went to clean out Preston's backpack from pre school, and at the bottom was this. Any guesses on what it is? Well, it actually is a red potato with tooth picks stuck all over it. But if you look closely, its a turkey. He made this at his school and when I pulled it out he yelled "my turkey!!!!" He was so proud of it. This was one of those moments you look at your child and no matter what they had done or in this case "made" you are so proud of them and how far they have come. I just looked at him and remembered back when he was first born and how sweet and helpless he was. But although I miss that tremendously, I love every step of this journey with him. There are a lot of surprises, (like this turkey) but they are all so fun in different ways. Every day he does something new, and every day I become more and more proud of him and what Michael and I made. I just had to post this because it made my whole week. I still think about this turkey and how proud of it he was when I pulled it out of the bottom of his back pack. We love that little man more than we ever thought we could.

The Shelves Have Arrived...

2008-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Before...
And After!!!

My honey hard at work

Preston in his favorite boots.

Blowing bubbles.

This weekend we finally put up the shelves in our garage. We have wanted to put them up since we bought the house 8 months ago. It was an all weekend project but it was so worth it. We have so much more room now. And everything is so neat and organized!! I love it so much. And now we can finally use our elliptical machine we have used a whole 5 times in the last 2 years. ha! We are going to set up a TV and DVD player too so it makes the workin out just a little easier!! Now lets see if we actually do it...

Brunch at Bawa's

2008-12-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Preston and Naomi blowing bubbles that Tiffany gave him.

Preston and Maya
Sweet Girl
Bawa with all of her babies. They all love her so much. They literally fight over her!!

BFF'S!!! The three cousins, Preston, Naomi, and Maya

On Thursday we all went over to Mama's house for brunch. She made the best food, we were all pretty much rolling out of there!! We all just hung out and laughed, talked and had such a great time. Michael and I got to see some people we hadn't seen for a while, so we got to catch up with them. It was a perfect day with family!!

A Nice Surprise

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

The other day my honey gave me a little surprise. I was talking to him "on his way home" from work and about 3 minutes later he walked in the doors of the bank with these flowers in hand. He totally surprised me and did it for no reason. All of my co workers thought he was in the dog house trying to make up for some mistake he had made!! And he was not in the dog house by any means, he was just being the sweet, thoughtful man he is. Then I took my last break and we walked over to starbucks and got yummy white chocholate mochas. Yummmmm. It was all a wonderful surprise. I love him so much...

"Conquering the Evil with the Good" -Romans 12:21

2008-11-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

Entrance to the Puyallup Assembly Hall
DD, Rick and Ricks most favorite thing in the whole world...Cheez-It's!!

Cutie Alex and Nana

Lunch Time!!

Uncle Ricky and Tanner, Preston's other half!!

The fam!! Michael, Lorri (Nanna) and Aunt DD.

Ahh yes. This is the one. Caribbean Crunch!!

This last weekend we had an amazing up building weekend at our Puyallup Assembly hall. Since we moved we are apart of a new Circuit and this was our first assembly with our new circuit. It was such an awesome weekend for so many different reasons. One, we were very prepared. We kept everything pretty simple, and it all jived!! Second, Preston was really good. Saturday and Sunday he took a nap for 2 hours during the sessions. That let Michael and I actually get something out of some of the talks and take notes!! Something we haven't been able to do for.......3 1/2 years!! Thirdly, we got to meet some new people and see a ton of new faces. Fourth, it was such good information. The theme was "conquering the evil with the good" Also, it was great weather and everything went really smoothly. After Saturdays sessions, we went back to our place and had Lorri, Rick, DD, Nichole, and Tanner over for some pizza and wings. We ordered from a delicious pizza place right down the road from us called Sahara Pizza. They have this one pizza called "Caribbean Crunch" My oh my, it is the best pizza I have ever eaten! It has almonds, feta cheese, and chunks of mango with barbecued chicken. (Mouth watering as I type) All in all, it was a great weekend, with good family, friends, food, and of course wonderful discourses.

Pinocchio

2008-11-20T21:18:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Michael and I had the day off and we took Preston to The Storybook Theater to see Pinocchio. It was his second field trip this year with his pre-school class. It was a low budget play but it was done really well. They get the audience involved so we clapped and made noises and gestures!! It was really fun. We took Preston's other "girlfriend" who he also goes to pre-school and Mrs Paula's with. They have been best buds since they were about 8 months old. Shes a sweetie and had all of us laughing. It was a great time!

Preston patiently waiting for the play to start!!

Madagascar Party

2008-11-20T21:03:00.000-08:00

Mandy and Preston waiting for the show to start!!
He fits right in!!

All of the party goers!! Arent they all so cute!!

For most of you who know Preston, you know that he is obsessed with animals. I cant tell you how many times I have seen the first Madagascar movie!! So, when we heard there was a sequel, we knew we had to make it a big deal. And so we did. We had an awesome Madagascar Party at my sister Tayas House. All of the kids dressed up as their favorite animal. We had cake, a couple games, and some delicious food. Then we all went and saw "Madagascar 2, Escape to Africa. It was too cute!! It was extra special too because it was Prestons first movie at a theater. He loved it and was wide eyed the entire time! There are more cute pictures to come, this is all I was able to take....

Grandma Bawa putting Prestons final touches on...

Mayas First Overnighter

2008-11-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

Cousins hangin out
Isn't she precious?

I think she likes getting baths!!

Yummy!! Sweet potato face!!

Lovin' it...

Michael and I watched Maya a while ago but I love these pics so much I had to post them. This was her first overnighter ever and we were so privileged to have her for her first sleepover!! She, as always was an angel and never cried. In fact, she didn't wake up once the whole night. That was the first time she had done that. Mandy was a little jealous we got her to do that. I guess we have the touch after having a bit of a colicky baby!!

Beautiful Night

2008-11-17T13:54:00.001-08:00

Eating fish and chips in the back of our car
Naomi loves the wind!!

I love this one!!!

We took Naomi for the weekend to give Taya and Tyler a date night. We took the kids down to Mukilteo waterfront and got fish and chips, then went down to the water and threw rocks and watched the ferries go by. It was perfect because the sun was just setting and we got some beautiful pictures of the kids.

The Fair

2008-11-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

Deep fried twinkie!! Gross!!! Michael ate it and said it was actually pretty good. Ill take his word for it ;)

Preston and Naomi playing on the tractor

Cute Ponath family
Tyler and Naomi, and Michael and Preston

Naomi loves her uncle Michael

I loved this one!! He blended in to the hay...

Tay Tay and her beautiful little Nay Nay

Preston loves pickles...he takes after his daddy.

See Preston licking his lips getting ready to dig in!!

Naomi was a little too short for this kiddie ride so she watched her cousin Preston and Uncle Michael go round and round.

This year we went to the fair with Taya, Tyler and baby Nay Nay (Naomi, and not really a baby anymore, Preston still calls her that though). We had so much fun. We mainly went to eat and take the kids to see the animals. Preston was big enough to go on a couple rides, so he had a blast.

Fun Fall Pics

2008-11-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

Preston and his "girlfriend" Andrea

Theres our monkey!!

So happy to be jumping in hay

Preston on the Huge pumpkin!!

I know these are out of order but I wasn't blogging when I took these pics!! Plus its still Autumn/fall 'ish outside so I thought I would post. These are Preston at the pumpkin patch in Snohomish. Its called "The Farm" We went with is pre-school class. It was a perfect day, kind of cool and misty/foggy out, and Michael and I both had the day off to enjoy with Preston. We had a blast.

PRESTON NIGHT!!

2008-11-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

Preston making Pronto pups!!

So proud of his work!!

Preston and Nana enjoying the peanut butter mixture

Goofy boy...

Don't those look Delicious?

So for those of you who are super observant, Preston changed his outfit in the middle of "Preston Night. He was wearing his new PJ's that he loves so much, but he made such a mess, they had brown sugar and who knows what else all over them. :)

Putting on the "thumbprint" Hershey kiss

Yummy!!!!

So I decided a while ago that once every two weeks or so I wanted to do a night completely dedicated to Preston. He can stay up late, watch movies and we can make fun dinner and some kind of fun dessert. So this was our first Preston night. Nana came over to celebrate with us!! We made "pronto pups" (hot dogs wrapped in pastry dough) and peanut butter thumbprint cookies. (they have Hershey kisses in the middle) We had so much fun, and Preston was so hyped up on sugar. He helped with everything we made and had so much fun eating it too. Stay tuned for the next Preston night. It was a blast!!

Here are the two recipes just in case you want to have a night of making fun, yummy food!!

Pronto Pups

**1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
**2 1/2 slices American cheese, quartered (2.5 oz) (Optional, we didn't use cheese but I bet it would be good)
**10 large hot dogs
**Cooking spray
**Mustard or ketchup, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.
3. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).
4. Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like "bandages," stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for "face." On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray.
5. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on "face."
Bake 15 to 19 minutes.

Hershey Kiss Thumbprint Cookies

**48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
**1/2 cup shortening
**3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
**1/3 cup granulated sugar
**1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
**1 egg
**2 tablespoons milk
**1 teaspoon vanilla extract
**1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
**1 teaspoon baking soda
**1/2 teaspoon salt
**Granulated sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet. 4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Kate's Wedding

2008-11-09T20:18:00.000-08:00

On Friday night one of my friends Kate got married. It was a beautiful wedding. Michael and I were childless so we let our hair down for the night!! :) By far the best part was when Preston's two grandmas got out on the dance floor and busted a move. Michael and I were laughing so hard. After, we enjoyed yummy cake and a long drive home from Tacoma!! It was worth it...congratulations John and Kate.

WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY BLOG!!

2008-11-05T09:13:00.001-08:00

Well, I did it...I have finally started a family blog for us. I have been wanting to do this for a long time but never found the time. Well, here we are. I thought that this would be a good way for everyone who we love so much follow our lives, and be apart of our wonderful journey. I will try to post once a week (Im hoping) So save this email address and take a look anytime you want at updated posts, and of course, pictures!!