Our sweet Gracie

This post is dedicated to our sweet Gracie. This is Gracie's pre-k school picture. I couldn't pass up buying it because it's so classic Gracie with the crazy hair and sweet smile.

Today was Gracie's first Primary program sacrament meeting. She was very excited and jumped up out of her seat when I told her it was time to go sit up front. The moment she got up there she started waving to us and continued throughout most of the program. It was sweet and funny! We were trying to signal to her to sit down and be reverent, but she just couldn't contain her excitement! Our primary is really large and the whole stand was full with lots of extra chairs set up. I think there were 60 to 70 kids. All the 14 sunbeams, including Gracie, were lined up right in the front. Their theme was My Eternal Family and they sang The Family is of God, which is such an amazing song, and of course I start bawling! (This was a really bad day to wear black liquid eyeliner! I was a smudgy mess) The Valiant 9 class got up and said there parts perfectly and then it was the sunbeam classes turn. The kids did so well telling something that they do with a family member that makes them happy. When it was Gracie's turn she froze a little and shook her head like she wasn't going to participate. Then she changed her mind and said, "I like to make cookies with my Mom........and go to McDonald's.........and then I go to bed....... and I love my Mom!" She was definitely improvising, but it was just so heart felt and sincere. She was so excited and I was feeling so blessed. It was one of those great moments when you feel so blessed to be a Mom and have such a wonderful little child to take care of. Gracie was very proud and continued beaming throughout the program. When she came back to sit with us she gave us huge hugs and kisses and said, "I'm so happy!" It was the best sacrament meeting we have had in a long time.

We feel really blessed to have such a curious, happy, vibrant, imaginative, strong little girl in our family. Gracie is such a blessing in our family!

Marley turned 2!!!!

This weekend Marley turned 2!!!! I can't believe how fast these 2 years have gone by! Marley is such a great kid and he always makes us laugh. He loves cars, especially Lightening McQueen, so of course that was a big part of his birthday. He loved having all of his friends around to play with at the park. The weather was beautiful and the temperature was perfect! The only draw back was that the bees liked our food and cake as much as we did. Other than that it was a great day. Marley loved his cake and could hardly wait to pull all the cars off it. The kids all loved the piniata and playing together. Thanks to Grandma & Grandpa Williams, Uncle Leroy, Brandon, and the Richardson's, Raney's, Caudle's, Myers, Young's and Tanner's for joining us and making it such fun party!

Marley became very bashful when everybody sang Happy Birthday to him.

He loved his cake and all the cars.

Such a classic dirty face boy picture. SO cute!
He stopped playing long enough to blow out his candles.

Marley, Douglas and Gracie blowing the candles out together.

Marley loved his Lightening McQueen piniata!
Especially when he found out there was candy inside!!

Gracie and all the kids took their turns hitting.

But nobody could break it! It was a pretty solid piniata!

Douglas stepped in and after 3 good hits, the candy finally fell out.

Marley loved opening gifts of course. Who doesn't?!

Grandpa Riley gave him a new tricycle. He was very excited!

On sunday, we sang to him again and ate the rest of the cake.

We blew out the candles together. He's pretty excited to be 2 now.

Gracie was really excited to have cake and ice cream again!

Marley was so sweet and said over and over "Tastes good!!"

Sessions Family Reunion

Before school started we had our annual Sessions family reunion at Mom and Dad's home in Mt. Hope, Kansas. Everyone was there except Dan, my brother who was deployed in Mosul. But, through skype, we were able to talk to him and see his face and super bald head! It was amazing! We had a lot of good food, laughing and good talks. The kids LOVED playing together and now Gracie and Marley constantly talk about their cousins. We had our traditional talent show, family auction, and family history night and we added a birthday party for all the kids, (since we miss them all year) swimming at the YMCA and a date night when my parents took all the kids!!! (11 out of the 20 grandkids). It was a busy week and we all had so much fun! Thank goodness for Family!

Here are some random pictures from the reunion. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of each family, and we forgot to take one picture with everyone. Oops! Hopefully we'll remember next year. Sorry to everyone I missed.

The baldies: Ben, Mom and Dad. Doesn't my mom look great bald?!

Justion, Heidi and brooklyn

I took these date pictures with my phone,

so they aren't as clear, but I still like them!

Ethan, LaDawn and David

Heidi, Brooklyn and Maria. Maria's date was missing, but he came later in the reunion:)

Anita & Douglas

The kids running to the waterslide that Grandma and Grandpa surprised them with.

SO exciting!!!

Cute little Ethan

Collin taking Marley down the slide. He wan't so sure about it.

Grandpa acting crazy as usual!

Grandpa and Gracie anticipating the freezing water at the bottom of the slide.

Lydia and Sydney soaking up the sun.

Collin dancing with Gracie to Barbie's 12 dancing princesses. So Cute!!!

Collin showing all the girls his moves. He can dance!!

Douglas doing what he does best... Cooking! He made some AMAZING food!

Charlie, Gracie, Daxton and Ella chasing bubbles.

Liam taking Gracie for a ride on Grandpa's lawn mower.

Good thing they have a lot of grass!!

The kids "feeding" cupcakes to all the Dad's at the Mad Hatter birthday party. We celebrated everyone's birthday since we miss them throughout the year. The party was so fun and the hats were a surprise to Mom who has recently added quite a few hats to her wardrobe after losing her hair due to Chemotherapy treatments.

Charley and Daxton

Double trouble, but just so cute!

Celeste looks guilty. I don't think she was expecting to have her picture taken.

Harper and her new best friend, Uncle David

Gracie and Grandma

Williams Family Vacation- South Padre

The second half of our Williams Family vacation was on the coast from Corpus Christi to South Padre. It was HOT, humid and so much fun!!!

Disclaimer: If you don't like looking at other people's vacation pictures, stop now!!!!

I tried to condense and I came up with 25 pictures.

It's a lot, but 25 out of 888 is pretty good, I think.

Enjoy! We did.

This was the view from our room.

It was especially beautiful at night, but our night pictures didn't turn out.

This was a replica of the Nina. Try explaining that to a 4 and 2 year old.

Douglas, Gracie and Marley touching the stingrays at the Corpus Christi Aquarium
The rays were trying to suck on their fingers.

Gracie was so excited to see the dolphins swimming.

Marley too!

Our group minus Darlene who was the photographer.

The Sand castle gift shop

Gracie LOVED the mermaid!!!

NACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Our family luchadores

The whole family

Finally at the beach!!!

Gracie is our little mermaid

Running from the waves

Douglas riding the skim board
Nice form!!

Gracie and Grandma playing in the waves

Running wild!

Grandma Darlene

I just love this picture! She loves the beach!

Marley digging in the sand

Grandpa Riley

Anita and Marley riding the waves