Hello Family and Friends-


We hope that you had a Happy Easter and were able to celebrate with family. This year was extra special for us as a family. Clark understood decorating eggs, he understood that the Bunny left him a basket and he was 100% perfectly well behaved in church. Like he was hanging on every word.

Friday night we decorated eggs. I was prepared for a mess. I underestimate this child. If you give him a task with specific instructions (Put 1 egg in a color cup. Be very careful. Then don't touch) the kid obeys to perfection.

Run Away Egg

But when you leave him to his own devices this is what you're left with--

He is washing bananas.

The Easter Bunny jam packed his basket with a pillow pet, a hamburger bank, cookies, chalk and garden tools.

Watching him find his basket was very entertaining. He did a quick scan, zeroed in and made a mad dash.

In unEaster related news- Matt and I have been trying to make small changes around the house in effort to cope with cabin fever. Our latest project was a tiny change in the kitchen that made a huge impact. It was one of those things that slap you in the face and say "why the heck didn't we do this sooner?!"

Before:

 After:

I just laughed to myself when I realized that the before and afters look the same. I told you it was a small change. In case you're missing it: we added knobs and pulls. In real life it is a big big difference, I swear.

We have had some crazy weather this month. In the span on a week Clark learned how to play catch in 50 degrees and build a snow man in 20 degrees.

A few days later...

This next picture is just cute

We are so eager for the weather to behave so we can get out of the house and move.

Hope you're all doing well,
Colie

Hello

Perhaps its the weather that's getting me down, but I have been kinda bummed out lately. Every day seems to flow into the next and without sunshine, fresh air and going places life around here is getting pretty stagnant. I am running out of indoor activities and Clark is noticing. We both have cabin fever pretty bad, only the ways we express it are completely different. I rearrange furniture and paint things, Clark yells obscenities all day. He has taken to pushing the dogs around and yelling "GO".

I did get creative and make him a baby hammock under the table. That was a big hit all day. I made him a banana milkshake and we pretended to be in the Bahamas. When he saw the hammock he said "Oh, wow, thanks Colie!" For some reason he has taken a real liking to calling me by my name. Matt is still Daddy, of course.

I have also resorted to bringing in his outdoor play slide, which he calls his WEEEEEE (because that is the sound he makes when he slides down, of course). For some reason he thinks that in order to play on the side he must wear shoes. Safety first is his motto.

We made popcorn for the first time. He liked that. I tired to explain to him that its more fun to eat popcorn when you watch a movie, but he still refuses to watch TV. It could be because of the intense frustration he feels when the scenes change. He yells "WHERE'D THEY GOOOOO!!!!!"  To avoid meltdowns we just don't watch anything. Even commercials confuse him. Which means that I have to step up my ABCs and 123s because Big Bird wont be teaching them.

He does understand cleaning, the kid is a pro. You're welcome future wife of Clark, no training required. The dogs, however, do not understand what a clean floor is and like to paw print it up immediately after we have scrubbed it.

Don't deny it Krum, I know it was you

We made the most delicious muffins over the weekend.

There was hardly any sugar--other than natural sugar from the fruit-- and they tasted wonderful. The blueberries were of course the star of the show, but freshly squeezed oranges and orange zest proved to be exceptional backup singers.

In case you were wondering what was going on slightly to the left in this photo--here it is.

I only got one chance to take a picture of the perfect muffin.

Clark's vocabulary has picked up again and he is putting together small sentences nicely. He says thank you to everything and always offers bites of his food without being prompted. I got him dressed the other day and he said "Thanks shirt, Mommy". Which I know means Thanks for getting me dressed and picking out this shirt, you're awesome and I love you. He is also getting into helping me cook. He pushes a chair up to the counter and likes to pour and mix. He actually does a really good job and can keep focused for up to 40 minutes. That is eternity in toddler. His favorite songs are Maclemore Thrift Shop and PSY Gangnam Style. He is obsessed with fixing things and all things tool related.

Have a good week,
Colie

Time is Getting Away from Us

Hi All-

First off, I'm sorry it has been awhile since I have posted. We have been triple tasking around here and I misplaced the camera cord (again!).

Let's back up to Valentine's Day shall we. Clark loves new drinking vessels so I found a mustache sippy cup and a matching plate at--where else?-- TARGET.

 

A little known fact about Clark is that if you put sprinkles on anything he will eat it. Brussel sprouts, creamed spinach, beets---throw some sprinkles on that mess and it is down the hatch. Naturally when I saw heart shaped sprinkles I knew everyone was going to be a winner.

Believe it or not, that is his surprised face! He was half asleep when he came down for breakfast. I started a new job the week of Valentine's and it required everyone to wake up at the crack of dawn to get to their destinations for the day. I couldn't put enough sprinkles on 6:30am to make him enjoy it.

We made a very heavy hearted decision for me to quit my job at Riley, I couldn't physically work nightshift anymore. I'm too old to stay awake for days on end. I also couldn't fathom being away from Clark for 12 hours to work a dayshift on my old unit so I needed to get creative. I now work (2) eight hour days a week and I could not be happier. Its taken me a month, but I am officially caught up on 6 years worth of lost sleep. Orientation week was a doozie, no one was willing to be separated from each other for (5) 9 hour days. Tensions ran high and a lot of tears were shed. Clark doesn't nap well when he is at his day care so every night he was belligerent. One night he used the ketchup from his turkey burger as hair gel.

Look at the crazy in his eyes. He would fall down laughing--at nothing-- and wouldn't be able to stop, like a mad man.

But after a long week we were able to spend the whole weekend together-- a weekend that I didn't have to sleep half the day and be tired the other half because I had been up the whole night before working.

We enjoyed a ham and kale breakfast casserole and coffee

 and Clark learned how to 'Cheers'.

He also needed proof of what was in his daddy's mug.

This might be one of my favorite pictures, you can actually see the love for his daddy in his eyes.

Like I said, we have been triple tasking at Casa del Williams, we are adding to trim to all of our interior windows. Its a small project, but it makes a huge difference. Personally, I think Matt just wanted an excused to buy a new miter saw.

Clark was happier than a poodle in a ray of sunshine with all the tools laying around. He took great pride in his own handy work.

I love how he copies everything that we do, he cleans better than I do and can hold a hammer just like his daddy. This, however, is alllllllll him.......

Finally, an update on the Polar Plunge. I had a totally awesome, and hand sewn, purple sparkley prom dress to wear. Matt zipped me up and RIIIIIIPPPPPP went the zipper and it was impossible to fix on short notice. So I had to wear a pretty pink lace dress from my closet. I added wool mittens, leg warmers, a scarf and a hat--you know, to keep warm.

Friday there was an ice storm and the city shut down until lunch time, Saturday I was expected to jump into Eagle Creek. I wasn't thrilled about it. It was far worse than I could have ever thought. Going in wasn't bad, it was the million mile walk to the locker room to change that killed me. My body was so cold I lost feeling to my skin and couldn't get my clothes on. I am pretty sure I mooned 100 people.

Matt came with the camera and the video recorder. But it was too cold for Clark and he had to leave before I plunged. The only pictures I got were on my phone. I have no idea who this guy was, but I HAD to have a picture with him.

Hope everyone has been keeping up with life a little better than we have been! Promise to post again soon.
Colie

I'm Taking the Plunge

Hello Family and Friends,

I am supporting the Special Olympics and participating in the Polar Plunge on February 23rd. I will be wearing a vintage prom dress and perhaps gown gloves and a tiara. I am required to raise a minimum of $75 in order to plunge myself into the freezing waters of Eagle Creek Reservoir, this is where you come in. Please find it in your heart to donate to the Special Olympics and to my frost bite. I promise to post pictures of my black toes.

Click HERE for my personal donation page, it is safe, secure and all the money goes to supporting the Special Olympics.

Thank you so much,
Colie


If for some reason the above link isn't working properly here it is again
https://www.firstgiving.com:443/fundraiser/coliewilliams/polar-plunge-2013-indianapolis-eagle-creek

Colie Goes High-Tech

Check it out, ya'll! I got an iphone. I know, so unlike me to have something high tech. To be honest, I am having a really hard time figuring it out and it took me about 5 minutes to figure out how to make a simple phone call and another 5 to figure out how to hang it up. Still don't know how to check the voice mail. Anyways, you may notice a new sidebar feature, Instagram, it is my new favorite thing.

Colie

L+C=Love

Hello

The Williams Family packed it up and went to Chicago this weekend.

Clark needed to see his girl friend, Leena. Every time those two kids get together they fall more in love.
How can you blame him, Leena has a hypnotizing side bang swoop, deep brown eyes, mocha skin and a huge vocabulary. 

She is smitten with his sense of humor, his giant appetite and his big blue eyes.

They wrote each other love notes and shared all their toys (give or take a few instances).

Chicago got its first real snow of the season while we were there and it looked so lovely.

We added multi-layers to the toddlers and went out to play.  Neither one of them had really played in the snow before so it was sweet to watch. Clark thought the sled ride was amazing, even with all the snow Matt kicked up in his face while he was running.

No snow play would be complete without a little frost bite to the face.

The adults had just as much fun, but it revolved more around gambling, wine coolers and laying on the sofa in a pile of blankets while the kids took naps. Oh, and eating more food in one day than a normal person eats in a week. It was fantastic. 

Thanks Josh and Shilpa for a really fun and delicious weekend.

Colie