Christmas Day Picture

Not the best picture of our kiddos but they still look cute. Maybe next year they will understand that you are supposed to smile for the camera.

Willis Chirstmas in Photos

Here are a few of the highlights from the Willis family Christmas.

Grandpa and Grandma spending Christmas Day with all their grandchildren.

Ally really appreciating the "Hinged Angel" we gave her.


Gotta love this girl for all the sugar and spice she brings to the family.


Great-Grandma and the grandkids.

Sigmund Christmas in Photos

Here are a few of the highlights of our Sigmund family Christmas.

Family Pictures

Meeting this cutie!

New table saw for my dad.

See his excitement....doesn't happen too often.

Don't you dare try to touch my Woody doll.



Lots of cousin time.

Tasty Tacos t-shirts for Jared and Jason.

A Kindle Fire for my mom.

Being entertained by Jacob.

Makenna telling the story of the first Christmas.

What You Talkin' Bout Willis

PINTEREST.

Yep that's right, Pinterest.

I was introduced to this website several months ago by my good friend Sarah. And since then Pinterest has become somewhat of a vice of mine. Don't get me wrong I really do enjoy the site and find it helpful but I sometimes feel that it is both good and bad at the same time. Just hear me out.

I'll start with the good.

1. I am finding all kinds of fun DIY projects like this and this and this that seem both easy and fun.
   
2. It helps me not spend hours upon hours searching for new yummy recipes , creative ways to decorate, or simple ways to turn your everyday toilet paper roll into art.
3. I have found some very good teaching/craft ideas for the kiddos.
4. I have even found a few Christmas present ideas. Sorry no link to those. Don't want to ruin any surprises.
   
5. Family pictures were made easier because of ideas like this.
   
6. There are tons and tons of great ideas for fashion. And normal everyday fashion too.

Now for the bad.

1. It is consuming my life. Not really but kinda. I spend way to much time looking though the site finding things I like. So I guess in regard to #2 on the good list the time I save looking has been replaced by finding.
   
2. And most of what I find I will never wear, never want to spend the money on to decorate, and never take time to do my self. Because lets face it I live in the real world. I live on a budget and spend most of my time taking care of my family.

All that being said, I really have found it helpful and fun. I have used several things I found on the site and either used them as inspiration or actually duplicated them. And I am planning to continue to do so.

So I guess the lesson for myself is..... spend my time wisely and don't get carried away with the time I spend on Pinterest.

Oh and also if you have not checked it out you should. It is pretty cool. But be cautious....it may consume your life:)

Naptime

Most Sundays after church Colin is out cold on the ride home. Actually Colin is notorious for both falling asleep in the car and after anytime he has been around a decent number of people.

I would have to say he gets the car thing from me and the being exhausted by groups of people from Jared.

My guess is that Colin is an introvert but I am really starting to get away form the point of this post.

Actually there isn't really a point to this post other than to show his Grandmas a cute picture. So here you go Grandma Janelle and Nana....ENJOY!

Trimming the Tree

Setting up the tree

Adding decorations

Colin enjoying a snack. What he chose to do for most of the decorating process.

Finally the star.

What You Talkin' Bout Willis

Still changing things up a bit on "What You Talkin' Bout Willis Wednesday".

I, as in Allison, have high-jacked "What You Talkin' Bout Willis Wednesday" this week. And probably for the next few weeks or until Jared wants to reclaim his creation. So on to what I'm talkin' about.

As I mentioned yesterday we started our Jesse Tree last night.

If you are unfamiliar with a Jesse Tree you can see my previous post here.

But we are doing it a bit more structured this year. All the stories are the same just a bit more detailed with the devotional/application part. I found a great resource for Jesse Tree devotionals and Bible Stories on a favorite blog of mine, A Holy Experience. So that is what we are using this year.

I am really looking forward to using this to help guide us through celebrating Advent.

If you are interested in down loading a free copy all you have to do is click here to see a preview and subscribe to the blog.

What Are You Waiting For

Just like the title of this post says, "What are you waiting for"? What a great question to ask yourself as Christmas approaches.

Tonight we will start our third year of doing a Jesse Tree. Our Jesse Tree is our way of trying to fully embrace the season of Advent. A way to fully grasp the importance of Christ's birth and His becoming fully human, born a baby.

I sit and ponder how at even the young ages of our children they are already beginning to become a part of this world. A world who focuses more on so many other things this time of year and not Jesus.

A time of year that is spent waiting in so many ways. Both good and bad. Waiting in line, waiting to open gifts, waiting to see family, waiting to see what bowl game the Cyclones might play in, waiting for snow, waiting for baked goodies, and just waiting for Christmas in general.

So the question I am trying to ask my self daily during the season of Advent is "What am I waiting for"?

Because really what am I waiting for? I hope it is the coming of my savior Jesus Christ. Both His past coming and future coming.

All that being said my goal is for our family to embrace this season of Advent and wait in hope for Jesus Christ. Waiting to celebrate His birth and waiting in anticipation for His coming again.

Iowa State Men's Basketball Game

Last Tuesday was a big day for the Willis kiddos.

It was their first time ever to experience an Iowa State athletic event.

Shocking, I know. It is surprising that it has taken Jared (die hard Cyclone from birth) 3 years to share this experience with our kiddos.

Here are some pictures of the kiddos enjoying the game.

Colin's First Official Haircut

Last Sunday after many weeks of me begging Jared to let me cut Colin's hair, Jared finally caved. Colin did great and sat rather still the entire time.

Now let me just say that even though I really, REALLY wanted Colin to have a haircut I am somewhat sad that he no longer has the baby look to him. Yes, I know he had to grow up and it was just a haircut but it was a bit more drastic than I was ready for. Now I understand why Jared kept putting off the inevitable haircut.

Don't get me wrong. I am very glad his hair is cut and I definitely think he looks much better. But there is still a part of me that is a bit sad that he looks older now.

A Thankful Thanksgiving

So during the month of November we started what I hope will become a yearly tradition. It is what I will call the Thankful Turkey.

Basically it is just a way to make the whole month of November a time to remember all of the things we have to be thankful for.

Makenna looked forward to each day when she would get to cut out a new feather and tell us what she was "thank you" thankful for.

Here is a picture of Makenna and her Thankful Turkey.

A simple yet easy and fun way to get kids involved in remembering to be thankful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

What You Talkin' Bout Willis

I recently had a conversation with Makenna involving the fact that baby Micheal had been born and had come out of my sister's tummy. I proceeded to tell Makenna that the baby in mama's tummy would come out in March. Well a little while later Makenna was talking about her new baby sibling and I happened to ask....

"Do you remember when our baby is gonna come out of mama's belly?"

Her answer after a lot of thought. "Stomp!" (get it marching/stomping)

Future Volleyball Player

A while back I took Makenna to watch our friend Megan coach her High School volleyball team. Needless to say Makenna had a great time and asked me a bunch of questions. By the end of the match she was even shouting and clapping along with me.

Well the next day Makenna decided that she was gonna play volleyball like the big girls. And this is what she came up with....


Watch out coach Frederiksen.

Pregnancy Number 3 : 21 Weeks

We had an ultra sound today. The baby looks great and is growing well.

No, we didn't find out the sex. It really isn't that important for me to know. I would just rather know the baby is healthy. Plus, it takes the fun out of the delivery for me as I don't really have any surprises as to when the baby will arrive. So the surprise of the baby's sex is always something to look forward to.

Here are the first pictures we have of Baby #3.I can't wait to actually meet this little one and really see what he/she looks like.


And for all those who love pregnancy pictures.

Family Pictures

And this one is my absolute favorite:)

Family Pictures

Bet you thought you would get to see some family pictures by the title of this blog.

But not today. You'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Instead you get to hear about how we took family pictures a couple Saturdays ago and how we will not have to pay a single cent for them. Well, that is until I want to get some printed.

This is how it all went down. Only three things had to happen.

1. Find a photographer to use our camera. Thank you Megan.
   
2. Find poses to recreate. Thank you Pinterest.
   
3. The kids had to cooperate. Thank you Halloween candy.

All in all I personally think they turned out really great. But you can judge for yourselves tomorrow.

What You Talkin' Bout Willis

Makenna found one of my bras and Jared happened to ask her what it was.

Makenna's response, "A nipple".

Colin's 18 Month Pictures

Makenna's 3 Year Pictures

Silly Colin

I don't know why but this kid has a fascination with shoes.

What You Talkin' Bout Willis

Today's "What You Talkin' Bout Willis" is highlighting Makenna.

Actually the next few weeks will be conversations with Makenna.

Here is this weeks.

As we are driving in the car and passing a hog confinement Makenna proclaims....

"Daddy you stink!"

Makenna's 3rd Birthday : Part Three

On the Saturday after Makenna's birthday we had her "Cow" birthday party. If you remember from last year I made a huge mistake and planned a party for Makenna and then asked her what kind of party she wanted....lesson learned.

Anyway this year she finally got her cow themed birthday party. We celebrated with the Willis side of the family since my parents were in Texas celebrating the birth of the newest member of the family Michael Everett.

Makenna had a blast. And when Jared asked at bed time what was her favorite part of her birthday party her reply was, "Playing in the leaves with Ally and Drew":)

(Pin the tale on the cow)

(Snacks)

(Barn Cake)

(Makenna's special cow cake)

(Opening presents)