7 Quick Takes Friday de Nada Mucha (nothing much)

1. 

I can't believe I've been recording this season of the Bachelor and then actually making time at night to watch it!  Lets be honest, the question is, WHY AM I WASTING MY TIME?  I'm not in the midst of recording any shows and this is the one I choose to record!!!??? HUH?

Embarrassing on my part, I have to say; and pitiful on Juan Pablo's part, which I guess is what most of America is saying.  I'm not even a Bachelor devotee other than watching Desiree as the Bachelorette last season and Sean and Catherine's Wedding Special recently, so it's not like I'm tied to the show or anything.  So again, why am I hanging on, hoping it's been worth my 7 nights of watching this thing?  I think it's because since the beginning, I kept defending Juan Pablo coming off as kind of unattached and acting like he wasn't really serious about finding a wife (he's moved onto a bit sleazy now, too) with the whole "lost in translation," "Latino culture" card.   While I still think that's part of his deal, I don't know if I can stomach the last two weeks.  But as Juan Pablo says, "Eeees ok."

Easy on the eyes but not much else going on...

2.

Ever since Addie got the flu a couple of weeks ago, we've all been sick and are still fighting colds.  

I guess we made it pretty far through the winter without getting sick, but I know I can't be the only one who's wishing away the winter sickies for a warm spring around the corner.

I'll just have to think WARM thoughts with the HUGE storm coming this weekend...

3.  

A new rug for the girls' room came today.  

Their humidifier cracked and leaked all over the old one and I definitely didn't want to have to buy another one, but the mildew smell was just too awful (actually, that's what Bill said - I've been too stuffed up to smell it).  But when I went to order it again on Overstock, it was sold out. :(  So I had to go with this one instead.  It was on sale for President's Day but still $50 over the old one.  Bummer.  And then I didn't realize the pile height wouldn't fit under the bathroom door- Bummer again.

Yikes, guess we're stuck with it! 

4.

My birthday isn't until next month, but I found these on sale and free shipping, so Bill and the girls are not surprising me with them - 

Boat shoes.  You can take the girl out of New England but you can't take the New England out of the girl...

5. 

We went to Target as a family yesterday and Addie picked this up and walked with it under her arm through the whole store.  

Guess which softy let her buy it? 

(I'm the mean one who thought at least it's using her birthday money)

And they've been inseparable since - 

Minimus and Pinky get to sleep with AJ

Her other favorite horse, Maximus.

6.

Pic from this morning to share - 

Oh hi dad, I didn't know you were there but I was just climbing up the stairs.

7.

And finally, I got to go for a quick walk tonight (after not getting out for a couple of weeks) because it wasn't in the teens at 8pm for once.

So see, I warned y'all -  a whole lot of nothing to share!

Go checkout those who actually have a life at Jen's place and happy weekend! 

A Year In Blog-dom

Well, it's been a year.

I posted my first blog last January 28, 2013.

Much to the credit of two of my "real life" beautiful friends - Maz (a novice blogger herself back then) and Colleen (a "professional" blogger as I like to call her) - I was encouraged to go off the deep end start blogging about what was going on at La Casa de Williams. :)

I remember reading their blogs with so much joy at seeing what was going on with each of their families... but I personally had no idea what to do, how to begin, what to post, etc. (I still struggle with all of these).  It's been over a year and I haven't even finished my main blog page yet, but I guess that's always going to be a work in progress… I just knew I wanted to start tracking what was going on with our growing family, from milestones to the "every days."

Why the name?

I think the name is pretty self explanatory - Casa Williams, referring to what goes on in nuestra casa.  Maybe it's not the most creative, but I currently speak Spanish to Addie (and Jumie too), so that's where the CASA part comes in.  And I've also ALWAYS loved this sign in my mom's kitchen - I just kept thinking about it when I needed to chose a blog title -

 

It sits beneath Mary on the wall out to the side porch.

Why Blog?

To scrapbook.

I don't know if I had a real reason for starting to blog other than to Scrapbook (is that a verb?).
In the past when I had the time, I loved to put together pictures from an adventure, a summer, a big trip, a year of school, etc. in an actual book and then go back and flip through those wonderful times periodically.  It was a way to really remember the good times.

And now, I feel like if I didn't take so many pictures and record the things we did, than everything might just run together - one activity, one day, one week after the next - and that I might not really appreciate all that we are doing together and how much the girls are growing and changing.

And that leads to some other reasons for blogging that I've discovered in the past year - 

To reflect.

“Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” -Margaret J. Wheatley 

There's a good friend of mine who I respect very much and who has lived an unbelievable, amazing, and crazy life working with and among the people of El Salvador.  He's the kind of person that could tell stories and stories for weeks on end; but when asked if he'd write a book about all of his adventures, he (up to this point in his life) has always said, "No, I don't have time to write because I'm living too much."  Although I see what he means, I have also come to value the importance of reflection.  In addition to creating a way to remember what's happened in our home by scrapbooking, I think that reflecting and "journaling" has been important to remind me of the value and importance of this time in our lives.  Because I'm home with the girls and being with them is really what I do "full time," blogging has really helped me appreciate my role in our family.
It also helps me to slow down more often and really live in the present before I'm too far in the future to remember the past, you know?

For our families.

There is a cute blog that I came across last year called, A Bog For My Mom.  And I always think, yea, that's totally why I do this thang - for my parents, and my grandma, for Bill's family, and friends and family who live miles away or who are close by.  For anyone who wants to see the girls and what they're into.

For our girls.

I hope that our kids will someday like looking back at some of these posts and get a good chuckle. (And it can be a good reference for me when "mommy brain" is in full effect and I can't answer their questions as to when one of them started walking or got their ears pierced or what Christmas morning 2013 was like).

For me.

Blogging has been such a great way for me to be creative.
It has also helped me to be more organized with pictures and to keep track of what we're doing- again, so that time just doesn't keep flying by without really appreciating where we are at.
The times I am blogging the most are the nights when Bill gets home at 9:30 after working a late shift.  So after the girls go down at 7:30, I try to grab my computer and tea by 8:30, and then that day, for a moment, slows down.

For Fun.

There are times I realize I should probably post more serious things, but I think there are also times to not take life so seriously (hence the posts on red carpet dresses).  Who cares about that stuff, I know, but that's the point - because it's light, and fun, and silly.  Which I think is okay, too.
And because it's for fun, I don't want to feel guilty about the times when I'm not able to blog and only post every- so-often, which happens more than I'd like to admit, but that's okay too!

So there you have it.
A year in the books and hopefully plenty more to come.
Thanks for being a part of Casa Williams!
Lots of love from our family to yours,

SSW

5 FAVES - Red Carpet Dresses This Season… So Far

With the Academy Awards around the corner, I thought I'd post the five red carpet dresses I've seen this award season that I've paused at and thought, "Wow!"

You know, those dresses that make you notice the person and the dress she's in, NOT what part is hanging out or being revealed!  If there's too much skin much showing, it's hard to even notice the dress.
AMIRIGHT?  

I am definitely not my fashionable sister, but I just couldn't help gush over these five dresses…
AND I'm hoping that the Oscars this Sunday will give me at least five fabulous dresses for another Five Fave Red Carpet Dress Post next week… 

And off we go -

1.)

Amy Adams, Critics' Choice Awards, who totally pulled off a color most can't!  

2.)

Nupita Nyongo, Golden Globes

3.) 

Julianna Margulies, Golden Globes

4.)

In a similar style dress, Kelly Osborn, Grammy's

5.)

Olivia Wilde, Golden Globes, rocking the bump

These ladies (and their stylists) killed it as they say!
Are there any that I missed?

Linking up with the oh so fun Hallie at Moxiewife.com on a bitter blustery day.

I Love Love Love Love

"I love love love love - milkshakes!" 

This little jingle's been stuck in my head since our Addie Jo has gotten into the show, Sheriff Callie.

One of Callie's sidekicks, Cactus Toby, does a song and dance about how much he loves milkshakes.  

(then shakes his backside).  

Me encantan las maltiadas. 

 AJ cracks up every time she sees it, so I crack up because she's laughing and usually shaking it too.

And because we sing this silly jingle around the house, it reminds me how much I really LOVE my life.  

Sometimes I need to stop and just breathe in all the blessings I have because I am truly blessed with so much.

So here are some simple things that I love love love love lately…

Junie's squishy cheekies.  

A few days ago, my Mom said, "I think I kiss June's cheeks 1,000x every time I'm with her."  

And I was like yea, I do too.  

And that sweet June Bug doesn't mind… at least not yet.  

So I'm going to keep smooching those cheeks 1,000x a day before she gets too cool for her goofy old mom! 

Irresistible

Our charming CASA.  

We've been tentatively looking for a new house lately (well, keeping our eyes open and popping into open houses); but when we think about our house, or come home from an open house, we just aren't ready to trade it in.

We keep getting reminded of how much we LOVE our warm, small abode that we are blessed to call home (for now)! 

Pano shot from where I'm sitting in the corner of couch with AJ, who's watching her show.

That my sister Janet is in town for two weeks before she makes her big move to Pittsburg.  

It's such an exciting time in her life and she's embarking on a whole new adventure.

Yea, Jan!

That our dear friend, Fr. Jay Mello has started blogging. 

This last one he posted on the pope and the mass is just beautiful.  

And lastly today, that Addie Jo is really becoming a good big sister to June - sharing with her and including her more and more.

I'm hoping that she passes on her sense of style as well. ;)

Lots of love love love love to you all, too,

Me

Yum Yum Wood

I know I've been posting about June Bug's teething situation all week; 

so I'm sure you few fabulous readers are sick of it… 

I know I am… 

BUT

I just had to give you a shot of what June's crib looked like this morning - 

Wood-Chuck June! 

Then I turned to see if her TWO bottom teeth had done any damage - 

Um, yea, this is getting serious! 

…And in other news from Casa Williams today,

We have 1,000 lbs. of icicles hanging from our house -

And all the princesses have gone to visit baby Jesus - 

Happy Weekend and any ideas on how to get Junie to not eat her crib?  

7 Quick Takes - St. Valentine's Day

Feliz Dia de San Valentin!  

As I sit down to quickly look back at the week, big snow flakes are falling down outside.  

The wind is not too strong, blowing the snow about, no, it is a soft quiet that only allows the landing flakes a cushion of silence. 

Okay, that's my poetry for the day… moving to some 7 quick takin on Valentine's Day - 

1.)  This is what the girls woke up to at the breakfast table:

Can you guess which one is for which cutie?

2.)  Bill works a late shift today, so Mom was kind enough to come over and watch the girls for two hours this morning so we could get out and celebrate by going to the post office, the dollar store, and then to brunch.

Thanks, mom! 

Bill ordered me a mimosa at Good Morning Mama's down the street.
Gets better with age, doesn't he?

3.) We of course had to pick up some balloons for the girls while at the Dollar Tree - 

This, on the other hand, Bill did NOT allow me to pick up:

4.) Then Grandpa stopped by with these for the 3 Williams' girls:

I sent this pic to Bill at work and he said these flowers from grandpa make him look bad and I said, nah, you got me a mimosa!

5.) Addie's been into CHEESING it lately:

And wearing her cowgirl hat as much as possible:

6.) Then the smaller one, she's getting lazy - check this shot out - 

Not holding the bottle and letting it all hang out.  I mean do I have to do everything around here? ;)

And then when I posted Junie's Five Faves for Teething this week, I forgot to mention my phone cord - 

Who doesn't love this on the gums?

7.)  And lastly, the girls have been really starting to play wrestle together - 

June's bed = Wrestle Mania

Okay, that's the girls I hear.  I'm off, but thought I'd leave you all with a Valentine's card that keeps popping up on Facebook - 

Lovely, right?  But true, I guess :)

Now go and check out Jen and the others who are Quick Takin' it!