First Day of School!

This week was my first week back at school!

(I know...it isn't that exciting)

I was really bummed to be back on campus with another full load of classes...philosophy 202...family life 325...infant development 331...sex and gender 306...and LDS perspectives 353...UGH!

Brandon, being his sweet self, wanted to get me excited about my first day of school so he bought me a brand new, super cute backpack to start the semester off right!

It is so cool and has a place for all of my things! A main part for my folder and books, a built-in laptop pocket, a soft pocket for my iPOD, a little pocket for chap and gum, an insulated pocket for lunch, and two extra pockets...just in case!

Definitely a step up from my nasty old JanSport!

Family Fun Time!

I LOVE FAMILY TIME!

The Sunday after Christmas we had a little family reunion. I was so sad because Brandon and I had to go back to Utah before the party but luckily Brandon pulled some strings and we were able to stay until Monday!

Family, friends, and like always...ToNs of food.

Brandon got a little taste of Poly feasting!

Mom had a little Kalani Islanders reunion.

I got to see some family that I haven't seen in years!



Our little fam fest was the perfect ending to our Christmas trip in California.

Now we're back in Utah...freezing...and praying that we'll be back in Cali soon!

4 Christmases!

Home Sweet Home for Christmas!

This was Brandon and my first Christmas together as a married couple.

The day was loaded with family, food, presents, and lots of LoVe! We actually started our Christmas festivities on Christmas Eve with Brandon's family. We went to his house and opened one gift...PJs! Then we went out to dinner with Steve, Shel, Cam, and Adam! After some delicious din, we came home and opened one gift with my family, watched Elf, and had a sleepover in our room with Danika, Amber and Cj.

Christmas morning we woke up bright and early and waited to see what Santa brought.

Yes, we just woke up...

I love stocking goodies!

My little bro bro is getting so BIG!

Love my sissys!

After we saw what Santa brought, we opened our gifts and had Christmas breakfast Hawaiian style with Auntie Nani, Uncle Dave, Jaymi, and Sara. Then it was off to Brandon's house for our Christmas breakfast part 2 with Steve, Shelly, and the triples! We opened gifts, stockings, and just relaxed until Linda, Peter, and Byron came over with many more wonderful treats! We stuffed our bellies full of snacks then ran back down to my house for dinner and presents with the Norris family!

We had so much fun spending time with our family (especially my Great Grandma Carol!)

We are so grateful that we were able to make it down for Christmas this year. We can't wait until the next time we're able to visit our home sweet home in beautiful California!

It's how cold!?!

It has been absolutely frigid for about the last two weeks but I didn't realize how cold it really was until I saw this...

Brandon's shampoo FROZE!

Those two bottles of shampoo used to be clear! Now you can just barely see through the bottom corner of the blue shampoo and the red is completely frozen!

Weird huh?

Anyways, that just proves to all in California that I wasn't exaggerating about how dang cold it is here...the shampoo says it all.

Hell Freezes Over...

Our first snow...oh boy!

I woke up this morning and saw through the blinds that it was a little brighter than normal. That can only mean one thing...SNOW!

I made Brandon drive me to work because I'm such a chicken...but he's such a sweetheart he did it without hesitation!

Global warming...What a joke!

We saw Herbie the Love Bug!!


The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert

This past weekend, Brandon and I had the opportunity to see the MoTab Christmas Concert in Salt Lake!

I love LOVE love this concert and I've been so excited to see it ever since tickets came out. I registered for tickets four different times the day they came out and I didn't get any! Luckily my wonderful friend Melis was able to spare two tickets for us.

This was Brandons first time and he loved it too! The guest artists were Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Herman (you know the grandpa from Gilmore Girls)

Brian Stokes Mitchell was an amazing singer! My favorite song that he sang was "New Words" originally by umm...I can't remember who. It was such a good one. Edward Herman told a couple Christmas stories including the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Christmas story which was awesome to hear because I'm related to him!

Well the concert was amazing and we can't wait to go again next year! Maybe we can get our families to come out too :-D

Little Miss

Miss Abigail Rae Williams

(this is her official post now that I have more info from Shannon!)

Chris and Shannon's little girl is finally here!

Abbey was born on Wednesday, December 10th at 9:45pm. She is healthy and cute as can be weighing in at 7lbs 3oz and 19 inches long.

A little about Abbey:

Abbey has a cool little story to go along with her name. Shannon was named after the River Shannon in Ireland. When Chris and Shannon visited Ireland, they saw that the River Abbey flows off of the River Shannon. And Abbey's middle name, Rae, comes from Shannon's mom's middle name.

When we talked to Chris and Shannon on Sunday, they were giving Abbey her first bath! We also found out that she loves to suck on her hands and Chris' thumb!

We can't wait to see our new little niece when we come home for Christmas. CoNgRaTs Chris and Shannon! Give little miss a hug and a kiss for us!!

Nicknames...

So at Brandon's work everyone somehow ends up having a nick name. Brandon is B. Will, his buddy Chad Simmons is Chimmons, Brian Turner is B.L.T.

Well I was lucky enough to be given a nickname as well..

Yep! That's me...Wife Williams

This is a poster that Brandon's work put up assigning teams for Sub-for-Santa. Brandon and I spent Wednesday and Thursday night buying, wrapping, and delivering gifts to six different families in Provo. Each family was so grateful that we were able to help them out this Christmas but the family that made the whole event worth it was the very last home we stopped at. The mother was so happy and appreciative, she hugged each of us and cried and thanked us over and over again. She even made us a pumpkin coconut dessert! It was such an amazing experience.

A quick little update...

Abbey Williams

Born on Wednesday, December 10th at 9:54ish (at least that's when we found out)

So you think you're funny?

Brandon is such a sweetheart...he always leaves cute little notes around the house telling me how much he loves and appreciates me.

Well I found this one this morning on a box that once read "Renee's Donuts"...

He thinks he is sooo funny!

Love you too babe.

Charlie Brown Christmas?

Do you remember Charlie Brown's Christmas tree?

...I can't help but think of his tree when I see our little Christmas tree!Brandon and I decided not to get a tree this year since we'll be in Cali for Christmas but I still wanted our house to look a little festive so I made a tree out of paper.

We're hoping to dress it up with some home-made ornaments and lights tonight for family home evening :-D

It's a little smaller and faker than I'm used to but it works and it's our very first tree together! Awwww...

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving!

Oh what a wonderful vacation!

Brandon and I were able to go home for a whole week for Thanksgiving!

It was such a busy trip, filled with food, family, and friends.

We drove home on Saturday, went to church on Sunday, Brandon worked on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday (while I stayed home and played!) On Thanksgiving Brandon and I stuffed our faces all day long. We had lunch and made ginger bread houses with my family...dinner with his family...then dessert with the Norris/Merril family!

On Friday my fambam and I went to the Artis house for another day of family and food. Later that night Brandon and I went to see Four Christmases with Wes and Kimmie...it was so funny!

On Saturday mom and I blasted Christmas music and decorated the house while C.j. and Brandon put up the lights outside. Later that night we caught up with some friends and went to Sushi!!! MmmmmMMmm...then we took Ambam out for her long anticipated birthday ice cream date!

Sunday came way too fast and it was off to Utah again...now I'm sitting here at work..missing my family and counting down the days till we're back home for Christmas...

18 days and counting!!