Friday, December 15, 2017

Christmas 2017


Merry Christmas!  Here's what the Williams family has been up to....

We are in a very busy season of life with three kids who are active, over-achieving, energetic, social humans--while parents are trying to keep them fed and clothed (particularly challenging with growth-spurt adolescents)…all while managing the family schedule and keeping the gas tank full.  We are in our second year of three schools--high school for Kaela, middle school for Graeson, and elementary school for Maezie.  Fall season is especially busy with football, marching band, dance, and school schedules—but so far, we haven’t forgotten a kid somewhere!  But amidst the craziness, we make it a priority to spend quality time together: planned vacations, Friday family nights, ice cream trips, or just one-on-one time in the car.



This year we went to Victoria, Canada for our family vacation—a new experience going out-of-the-country!  We drove part of the distance, then onto the ferry to cross the water, and straight into the harbor of Victoria.  We toured the parliament building and learned about Canadian government and their relationship within The Commonwealth.  We especially enjoyed having high tea with lots of delicious treats!  We also rode around the city on a double-decker bus, toured a historic castle, and explored the butterfly museum too!



Our other adventures throughout the year were closer to home.  In August, we got to experience the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse.  Our house was right in the path of totality so we had a neighborhood eclipse party, watched the build-up through our special glasses, and then got to take them off for the two minutes of total darkness.  It was quite the thing when birds stopped singing, bugs came out, and stars started shining.....at 10 in the morning!  Also this summer Bryan and Jill celebrated our 20 year anniversary by spending a week in Seattle with no kids, thanks to Grammy for babysitting!



Kaela will turn 16 on Christmas Day, so she's been spending this year behind the wheel with her driver's permit (gasp!) and gaining driving experience with parents.  She's also been active in marching band, basketball pep band, theater, and high school youth group. Graeson is now 13 (two teenagers, ack!) and he is a busy boy!  He is a second-degree black belt in taekwondo, and he played some new positions in football this year; he also ran on the track team this past spring.  When he's not doing sports, he plays percussion in jazz band, and he's also enjoying a cooking class at school. Maezie turned 10 this year, and this meant getting her own kitten.  She's very active in three dance classes--jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary--as well as school choir; she also decided to try beginning band and she is playing the trumpet.



So when we are not doing all this, we are....sleeping.  We are a happy, busy, fun, and love-filled family!