Welcome To The Family

This weekend we welcomed a new member to the Williams Household. 

We got a Sphynx Cat from the Granite City APA. 

He has been quite the cat so far. No messes (knock on wood) and he's really great to snuggle with.

His name was Yodie but we changed it to Groucho.
He was being fostered by the director of the Granite City APA and came from a rough background.
He has a few scratches on his side and a couple cigarette burn scars on his belly.
He has been really quite up until this morning. He even slept in the crook of my legs last night.
(hoping that won't become a habit)

Stratton adores him and Derek does too. (he's already claimed that it's HIS cat)

We know he's ugly but we love him just the same. He's really been good for Stratton.

Stratton is so great with him. He loves on him so gently and likes to play with him.

I'm happy to have adopted our Sphynx. I hope he enjoys our house and our company. 

Firday Confessions

I saw this on another blog and thought it would be kind of liberating to do Friday Confessions.

Here goes...

I confess that all thought I love dogs, and would adopt a litter if I could afford it, but I would like to see what it's like to have a cat. (Were looking into a hairless cat right now.)

I confess that I have a small infatuation with ChapStick. I currently have 6 tubes in my purse right now.

I confess I have an unhealthy fear of throwing up. I think that's why I never drink alcohol.

I confess that I never weigh myself. Ever. Period.

I confess that I used to steal my sisters clothes all the time because I thought she had the best wardrobe ever.

I would still trade my entire wardrobe for hers.

I confess that I'm addicted to my iPhone 4. I would rather not eat lunch for a week if it meant I didn't have to give up my phone.

I confess that I have the worst smelling feet EVER!

I confess that I like to read the same books over and over again even if they aren't the best books ever.

My favorite two are: The F*ck Up & Grendel

How I met my Mr.

Everyone has been talking about their significant others on so many other blogs and how they met their other halves so here I go, I'm jumping on the band wagon and telling my and Derek's "how we met story"

Preface: My story isn't pretty but it's ours. Don't judge. Mom, I know you're going to read this so don't say anything!

In April of 2007 Derek and I met for the first time. Derek and I had two friends that were dating (Ali Turner & Corey Seabaugh). Corey lived up the street from Derek when he was living with his friend Jonathan Jones.The first night Derek and I met, I was hanging out with my friend Ali. We were invited to a house party at her boyfriend Corey's friend's house (Derek and Jones' house). I was a little reluctant to go because I wasn't going to know a lot of people and I wasn't really that much of a partier.  Ali and I showed up with Corey and everyone was planning on going to a little bar (that is now closed) called Muddy Waters. A local band (John D Hale Band) was playing so everyone was trying to figure out how they were going to get there and how they were going to get home. Me being the non-drinker that I am was the first one to be volunteered as a DD. Then one by one everyone started to not want to go to the bar...except Derek. Derek was really wanting to go out there for some reason so I decided I would take him there, drop him off, and pick him up when the concert was over (I know, I'm WAY too nice). I drove his piece of crap Ford Explorer out to Muddy Waters. (Which by the way, the fuse in his cigarette lighter went out so he took the fuse from his seat adjuster and put it in where the cigarette lighter went, so of course I had to sit on the very edge of the seat so my feet reach the pedals.) Once we arrived there, I was about to drop his drunk butt off and leave when I noticed that there was NO SIGNAL on our phones. None! Not even a little blip of signal so I could text. I wanted to leave...really bad. I felt bad because we had already driven all the way out to the bar (which is like 20 min away) so we were trying to hatch out an idea of how he was going to get home. That didn't last long because Derek (being as drunk as he was) saw one of his friends and bolted out of the car. Looks like I was staying until this whole thing got over with. It actually turned out to be pretty fun and I had a great time. I even started talking to a guy that I had class with (that will remain unnamed and referred to as Classmate). Come to find out this guy in my class was the older brother of one of Derek's other friends and had known Derek for a long while. So, the band played, I danced with Classmate, found Derek once the band was done and Classmate asked if I could give him a ride home. I had no problem with that (really I was WAY too nice back then). I drug the stumbling drunk Derek out to his car with the help of Classmate and we all three were on our way home.  Derek would fall asleep then wake back up and change positions in the front seat and go back to sleep. About 5 minuets after we left he woke up, sat up straight in the seat and said he needed to use the restroom. So, I pulled over (this place is seriously in the middle of nowhere) and thought it would be easy just to let him pee and get going. WRONG! As Derek is peeing and I'm talking to Classmate I notice these pretty blue and red lights pull up behind us. Great... I have no idea why but Derek is now talking to the police officer and he puts Derek in the back of the squat car. At this point I'm freaking out. I didn't know Derek, I barely knew Classmate and I'm out in the middle of nowhere driving some guys car that I have no idea who he is and now we're having to talk to a cop!!! It took a little bit but Classmate got me calmed down. (Considering I had no reason to panic in the first place. I wasn't doing anything wrong and I hadn't been drinking.)  After about 20 minuets of Derek and the cop talking, the cop comes up to the passenger window and asks me the regular questions and tells me to get Derek back home after he made sure I hadn't been drinking. Once Derek gets in the car again I find out that Derek not only was going pee but he was getting beer out of the back of his Explorer. Side note: Derek was only 20 at the time. Being that he was underage he received a MIC. For those of you out there that don't know what that is, it's a Minor in Consumption. Meaning: if you're underage, don't have a beer in your hand but you're drunk, you get a MIC.  He got off really easy considering he could have given him a few other charges (which looking back he probably should have). I later found out that when Derek was taking the breathalyzer test he sucked on the machine twice before actually blowing AND he refused to sign his ticket until the cop threatened to take him "down town." Derek got back in the car and turned around to Classmate and says "Huh, holy crap, there really is someone in my back seat." It was a long noisy ride back to Derek's house where Classmate helped me get Derek in bed. As we were walking back out the door we hear a huge THUD and out came Derek in his boxers, waving around his new ticket as he declared that if he's going to get in trouble for drinking he's going to drink all night. About that time me and Classmate sprinted out the door and back to Cape.

Two weeks had gone by and I hadn't heard anything from Derek but Ali kept telling me that he really liked me any that I should give him a chance because we both had tattoos and liked the same music. Friday rolls by and I get a phone call from Derek (or so I think it's Derek) with an invitation to come over and hang out because there was a bbq at his house and he wanted me to come. (I later found out Derek was too chicken to call me so he had Jones call from Derek's phone and act like it was him). I came over, had fun, talked to Derek some more and we started talking more often after that. We talked all summer and even though I was dating someone else we would hang out every now and then. I worked at AT&T in Jackson and it wasn't far from where Derek lived so I would stop by after work and hang out with him, watch movies, make dinner. The guy I was dating at the time was always gone because of his work and so I hung out with Derek as friends. It didn't take long for the guy that I was dating to hate the fact that I was hanging out with Derek and soon there after we broke up because he didn't trust me (even though I had never actually cheated on him). Come to find out the break up was because rumors from some of my "friends" had gotten back to the guy I was dating and of course he believed them and not me. His loss! Anyway, Derek and started "officially" dating on Oct 13th, 2007. We hung out all the time, loved on each other all the time, and after four months of dating we found out that I was pregnant. Feb 1st, 2008 was the day I found out I was pregnant. I had been staying at his apt because I worked in Jackson 3 days a week and went to school all day the other two days. It was convenient to stay at his house the nights that I had to work the next day. Not to mention I didn't have to wake up early and I got to spend more time with him. Anyway, after we found out I was pregnant we wanted to get married before the baby was born and before I was showing. We talked to all the family members and the only weekend we had available for everyone to come in was 3 weeks after we found out I was pregnant. We got married Feb 23rd, 2008, two days after Derek's 21st birthday. We moved out of our apartment a few months after we got married because it had brown recluse really bad and I was scared of getting bit. September 2008 we moved into our own home and October 2, 2008 (my 22nd birthday) we welcomed out little boy Stratton Allen Williams into the world. We have been through a lot together in the almost three years that we have been together but I can truly say I have never been more happy than when I'm with Derek. I love him so much.

So there you have it. That's my and Derek's get to know you story. Like it or not, that's us and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Home

Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma and Pa

Not the way that I do love you

Holy moly me oh my

You're the apple of my eye

Girl I never loved one like you

Man oh man your my best friend

I'll scream into the nothingness

There ain't nothing that I need

Well hot and heavy pumpkin pie,

Chocolate candy, Jesus Christ

Ain't nothin' please me more than you

Oh home, when we come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

Oh home, let me come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

I'll follow you into the park,

Through the jungle, through the dark

Girl I never loved one like you

Moats, and boats, and waterfalls

Alley ways and payphone calls

I've been everywhere with you

Laugh until we think we'll die,

Barefoot on a summer night

Never could be sweeter than with you

And in the streets we'll run so free

Like it's only you and me

Change your something to see

Oh home, when we come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

Oh home, let me come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

I love this video...

This is the reason why I want a little girl! This little girl is SO stinkin' cute. I remember sitting on the front porch of our old house with my dad singing while he played dulcimer. This brings back such great memories.

Valentines Day Cards

Heart Stripe Red Valentine's Day Card

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View the entire collection of cards.

Time to Talk

I know I dote on my family quite often but I would like to just take a minuet and say Thank You to my family members. All of them. I have see many tears in the last few years, not just bad ones but good ones as well. But, it's the good tears that get all of us through the bad tears. I know my life isn't perfect, but I don't want it to be. I like knowing that someone loves me so much they're willing to hurt my feelings to tell me I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing or kick my back side to make me work harder because I should be. I love that I have shoulders to cry on and arms to wrap around me when I need a hug. I'm also thankful that I have the love of a family that I know truly and unconditionally cares about me.

I want to take a min and tell you about my night. Not all of it. Just the moments that really made me proud of who I am, what I have, and where I'm from.  The details aren't necessary but I watched my 2 year old heal a wound just being his loving wonderful self. I love my son, more than anything in the world. He is the sweetest little guy you will ever meet. I love that he knows exactly how to make someone feel better by just giving them a hug, a kiss, and saying I love you. Nothing is better than having those little arms wrapped around your neck and those sweet little lips pressed up against yours. He truly is the best gift God has blessed me with (Derek too of course). I'm also very proud of who I am because I have come to realize that I'm needed even if it's small and I can help just by lending an ear and giving a hug. I'm truly thankful for what I have when it comes to family.  My family is always there for me. I love my family on both sides. I love Derek's family like they have been part of my family for my entire life. I couldn't imagine my life without them. I'm also thankful for where I live. Tonight at 10:30 we went to Casey's Gas Station and Stratton REALLY wanted a hash brown. It's his favorite thing to eat next to french fries. The two people working heard that Stratton really wanted a hash brown so they went in the back and made one for him even though the kitchen was closed. Anywhere else, I couldn't imagine people doing that for you.  I love what I have and what God has blessed me with.

Some food for though...

When you think God isn't listening because you asked for a better relationship with your husband,
don't be mad when God doesn't give you those warm fuzzy feelings towards your husband. God is going to give you the opportunity to make the relationship with your husband better.

When you ask for more money, he's not going to put more money in the bank for you, he's going to give you the opportunity to make more money.

Maybe next time you pray you shouldn't be asking God when he can do you for, but ask him how can he can help you help yourself.

Derek's Heavy Metal Quilt

As promised...

Here is Derek's quilt that I made him for his birthday/anniversary present. 

These aren't the best pictures because I only had my phone on me last night.

Derek and Stratton really enjoyed snuggling up under it last night.

Especially since Stratton hasn't seen Derek since last Tuesday!

 Here it is! All my blood, sweat and a few tears was well worth it. 

Derek loves it and the best part is that I get to use it too!

Valentines Day Blog

If you haven't noticed... I have officially changed my ENTIRE blog for Valentines day!

Love songs: CHECK

Heart Background: CHECK

Cute Header Picture: CHECK

Valentines Day Countdown: CHECK

Anniversary Countdown: CHECK

The next thing on my to do list is:

-get a cute picture of Derek and uploaded for Valentines Day and our Anniversary.

-post pictures of Derek's Heavy Metal Quilt

-make taco's for dinner

Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far. If not, just remember tomorrow is the halfway point.

I got a new swim suit!

Now I need to start getting in shape so I look good in it...

Thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Leslie I found a new swim suit for this summer!

I have been a little self conscious about my "after baby butt" so I have been looking for a new swim suit.

Let me know what you think.

I got it here.

 I got the black bottoms and the green top

Thanks again Leslie for the recommendation!

I also updated my 101 in 1001 check it out!

Wow...I miss my husband and blogging.

Derek has been gone since last Tuesday and it has been a LONG week without him. This is the longest we have ever been apart from each other (and the longest he has been away from Stratton). I know all those military wives out there are probably scoffing as they're reading this...but I'm not a military wife.

Since he's been gone I've been trying to stay busy.

I started a t-shirt quilt for Derek two weeks ago and I FINALLY finished it. 

Here is the first picture I took of it. 

It doesn't have the back on it and the border hasn't been added in this picture.

I don't want to post any new pictures until Derek gets home tomorrow.

I want him to be able to see it in person before he sees it online.

I've also been doing A LOT of laundry trying to get it all caught up for when Derek gets home.

Stratton has been helping me with laundry. He is such a big help.

Stratton has also been my little snuggle buddy at night since Derek's side of the bed has been empty.
I know this will probably come back to bite me in the butt when Derek gets back home and he still wants to sleep in bed with me. How can you not want to wake up to THIS every morning...

I forgot my mom gave us a gingerbread house for the Christmas holiday.
Well I found it and Stratton wanted to decorate the "cake" so we decorated it.
It was such a mess but it was SO much fun!
I think we ate more of the candy then we actually put on the "cake".
Here is how it turned out.

 Here he is eating the candy that was supposed to be going on the gingerbread house.

 Here is the final product! The left side is Stratton's and the right side is mine.
I love it...even if it was made a month later than it was supposed to be made.

Danny and Annie

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

I found this on the internet today and it really touched my heart. This is the story of Danny Perasa and his wife, Annie, and how they went to StoryCorps to recount their twenty-seven-year romance. As they remember their life together from their first date to Danny’s final days with terminal cancer, these remarkable Brooklynites personify the eloquence, grace, and poetry that can be found in the voices of everyday people when we take the time to listen.

geocaching

Click here to view this photo book larger

December...Better Late than Never

First Snow of the year!

It wasn't much but it's was SNOW! Jackson school district was out of school that day for this!

Lucky school teachers.

Stratton was watching tv like this and I couldn't help but take a picture of him.

He sits just like his daddy.

I was trying to teach Stratton how to wink. This is the result. Haha.

This too.

Stratton was having fun with the magnets at Aunt Casey's house.

We apparently had too much fun at Aunt Casey's. Notice the orange STILL in hand as he was sleeping.

This was for my mom's birthday. Stratton helped her blow out the candles.

Stratton helped take out the candles and licked the bottoms of them. Not sure where he got that from.

I took a half day a few weeks ago and decided to make a trip down to the SEMO River Campus to get a peek at Nathan Sawaya's lego sculptures. They're pretty amazing. If you get the chance (and they're still down there) you should go take a look at them.

This was the first of our family get together's for Christmas

This was over at Derek's Step-mom's sister's house.

This was the present that Derek and I brought for the rob your neighbor. 

It was awesome!

 This was our cute little tree. Most of the presents under there were for Stratton.

 

This was at Derek's Dad's house on Christmas Eve. We had too much fun watching all the little kids opening the MOUND of presents. I think the parents had more fun playing with the toys once they were actually open though. 

This is Stratton not wanting his pictures taken any more.

Christmas Ever we went to the Light Show at Cape County Park with Stratton. The pictures aren't that great but we had an amazing time watching Stratton.

Countdown to Christmas 1 hour 27 min 20 seconds

We were making snowmen in the driveway.

Grandpa Calvin made him a snow man. It was so cute...until he swatted it off onto the ground.

Christmas morning at our house was really short because we had to make our way over to my Grandma Marge's house.

I love going to Grandma Marge's house on Christmas morning because she makes the BEST breakfast casserole I've ever tasted. We opened up a bunch of presents here too. Yay... just what we needed.
Marcus got JUST what he wanted...from Victoria's Secret. Just kidding, he got a iBlox from our work.

Stratton Loves his Grandpa Calvin

We got Marcus an iBlox from work. I think he was pumped about it.

We got my dad a VCable from work too. It's has a volume adjusting knob on the connector of the cable.

Stratton doing no handed yoga!

He loves his new puzzle so much! It makes all kinds of vehicle noises.

I got a new Kitchen Aid mixer! I can't wait to use it! I hope my home made cookies taste as good as Grandma Marge's and Grandma B's!

The whole family! Even Sage. Poor Sage.

Marcus, Casey, Me and Derek outside of Grandma Marge's house.

Time for Christmas at Derek's Grandma Maxine's house. 

Lots of presents!

Aunt Mary, cousin Payne and Uncle Danny

Aunt Stephie and ALL the presents!

Payne was loving Uncle Danny. I think Payne was a little tired.

Stratton got drums from Derek's grandma. He loves them!

We had 5 different Christmas's this year. I'm SO glad that it's over.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our holiday so much fun!