Happy 31st Birthday Douglas!

The cute birthday boy

Douglas and his mom, Darlene

Gracie handed him his wrapped DVD and said "It's a surprise Batman Movie Dad!"

Sugar cookies, Mmmmm.

Gracie and Marley used fingerpaints to make Douglas pictures and a card.

So proud of her artwork.

Dressed up and ready to go on a date!



Happy Birthday to Douglas! Douglas turned 31 on the 18th. Luckily, he wasn't extremely sick like on his last birthday. To celebrate, we went on a date to sushi and to the movie Valkyrie. The food was great and so was the movie. I would highly recommend it. I was a little bummed that I already knew the outcome and I kept wishing that everything would magically work itself out. But, it was still very good.

For his birthday breakfast we had pecan waffles with fresh strawberries and sausage. We had some awesome Soup and polenta for lunch. (made by the birthday boy)

Gracie helped me make sugar cookies which Douglas requested instead of cake. She is a good little cookie maker. The kids loved finger painting pictures for him and making his card. Actually Marley hated having the paint on his hands, but we at least got a couple good hand prints. Douglas got some good presents especially his night vision scope from his Dad. I feel so blessed to celebrate the birthday of my amazing husband who brings me so much happiness. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Marley even got to Ice Skate!

This weekend we went to a birthday party at the ice skating rink in Odessa. It was the first time we've gone together as a family and we all had a blast! It actually felt like winter. Gracie did great and Marley even got to skate. They had little tiny blades to strap on to his shoes. So fun!

Gracie's Rainbow Dash

Gracie and her new Rainbow Dash


Helping Grandpa fix the toilet

Gracie is great with a screwdriver


Helping Grandpa with the leaves.

Raking leaves with Mom



Last week we were browsing through the toy section at Wal-mart and Gracie saw a My little pony named Rainbow Dash. At Christmas Grandma and Grandpa Sessions gave her a pony named Sweetie Belle and she's been hooked every sense. She asked for the pony and Douglas told her that if she wanted it she could earn some money by doing extra chores to help out. I was excited because she has so many new toys and I didn't want to just give her another. Gracie was excited because we didn't immediately say no and she loves helping out anyway. Over the next week she helped empty the dishwasher, take the bottles and paper to the recycling center, help grandpa fix the toilet, help mom rake the leaves, and keep her room extra clean. It was so much fun to have her cheerfully help. She earned over twenty dollars (thanks to Grandpa who paid her about ten of those dollars for her plumbing job) We headed to Wal-mart to get the pony and then she insisted on buying Marley a toy too. So sweet! So Gracie got her Rainbow dash and Marley got a firetruck. She was very excited to give the cashier the money and get her change back. I think she learned a lot and she's enjoyed telling everyone that she earned it herself.

Cool picture

Poor Marley missed out on all the great fireworks on New Years Eve, so we decided to do sparklers tonight. He loved them so much, he cried when we were done. I just love this picture. I caught it at just the right time and I wanted to share.

New years fun!

This is my favorite picture!

Gracie was mesmerized

Gracie loved the fireworks so much! She did about a million sparklers and

she loved lighting the others with papi.

Yes Douglas has a sparkler in his mouth.

He's like a giddy little kid when we do fireworks.

Douglas and Trent

Brrrrr! It was SO cold.

Grandpa Riley, our awesome fireworks supplier!

This is Douglas saying "If you don't stop flashing that camera in my face, you're going to get it!"



We spent New years eve in Odessa with my in-laws. It is my mother-in-law, Darlene's birthday. So we did cake and presents and then fireworks at dark. I think the Williams family loves fireworks more than anybody I know. Grandpa Riley has the hook up and gets the best fireworks. Gracie really enjoyed it and Marley slept through the whole thing... again... just like the 4th of July. It's a great way to ring in the new year. We hope for the best this year and we'll work our hardest to make it great. May this year bring lot of happiness to all our families and friends.