Blessed {by Kara}

Most of you know that I have been a bit down lately due to lack of dates, potential dates, potential anything as it relates to my dating/friend life. Sunday I focused my fast on needing to feel hopeful and at peace about my move, my ward, and my life in general.

Sometimes I don't feel much during my fast, but other times, like this last Sunday, I did. I woke up feeling a complete sense of peace about everything and that I was making good and right decisions. Then I got to church and I felt so much a part of the ward, then I got a calling that will really make me feel a part of the ward (Relief Society Secretary -yikes!). It all helped me realize that we are guided when we allow ourselves to be guided and that we have so many blessings in our lives. I am abundantly blessed to have my incredible family in my life, the gospel, a fantastic job working with my dad and brother, and my health. What more can I ask for?

I'm Off!

Hellooooo Family!

I leave today for Haiti but want to share with you a picture of all the dolls the ward lovingly made. I forgot to count as I packed them away, but I think there are around 120. I made 20 and Christian made 1 really cute bear.

Please everyone stay safe and healthy while I am away and know I love you guys!

Lots of love,

Kara

Skiing with the Williams

Hello!!!

About a month ago, Thomas, Lauren and I headed up to Park City for a few lessons. Thomas and I were boarding and Lauren was skiing. It was a great day and Thomas and Lauren both did fantastically well! Unfortunately, I being older and more fragile had to end my lesson early due to my many many bruises, aches and a sprained wrist. I didn't see Thomas during his lesson so there is only an after picture, but I caught Lauren in action and posted the video.

Oh and I threw in at the end, for good measure, a picture of the culinary delights Christian and I cooked up at our last cooking class. Mmmmmm, tasty.

Love you all and miss those of you not here!

Kara

Thomas after a day of boarding


Before hitting the slopes (I'm still injury free)

Lauren's first lesson

Cooking class results...

Christmas Memories

So I thought you might enjoy seeing a few Christmas pictures. It was another great Christmas. We have all had the stomach flu since then, but enjoyed a healthy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We love you guys and want you to know that we are thinking about you.



Lincoln did something new this Christmas. We would wake up every day to our tree not decorated. Linc would neatly place all the ornaments in a box. The kids became accustomed to decorating the tree again first thing every morning.




This is our kids and their cousins performing the famous Christmas play. Cora of course is the visionary and has jobs and roles for everyone. They rehearsed for weeks, so as you can imagine, it was magnificent.




This is what Rick and I look like after being kept awake all night long by our cute Lincoln. We finally fell asleep at 5am, and the kids kindly woke us at 6am declaring it was time to get up. I still feel a little dizzy.




The kids just before seeing all the Santa magic. Even Aspen lucked out with new p.j.s this year.

A FABULOUS SKI WEEKEND!

We had such a wonderful weekend at Keystone these past few days. I just had to share some pictures because we now have three kids that ski in our family, and each one loves it. Cora, Lincoln and Brigham all LOVED skiing. I think we were the most shocked by Lincoln, because we have never really talked to him about skiing nor has he really ever seen anyone ski. He could not wait to get on the hill and start. It was really exciting for Rick and I. It has always been our dream to have a skiing family, and look at us, well on our way. The other amazing thing is that if you look at these pictures, Linc will blow you away. He was so aware, and excited, and with us, that it just comes through in these pictures. Our own little Christmas miracle.


MY FAVORITE SKIIERS


LINCOLN AND HIS AMAZING TEACHER, RICK!


THE BOYS SKIING FOR THEIR FIRST TIME


BRIG DOING AN AMAZING SNOW PLOW



PROOF THAT LYDIA AND MARISA WERE THERE TOO!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Hey everyone,

It seems so strange not to be able to call Grandma today. My kids have come up with a great new tradition for our family. They have declared December 2 the day that we set up Christmas decorations in honor of Grandma. I thought it was such a nice gesture that we are setting up Christmas today when they get home from school. They wanted grits for breakfast and they want to have fried chicken for dinner.

I can't help but think what an amazing woman she was. Here are her great grand children insisting that she continue to be celebrated. That is such a reflection of her amazing personality and love that we all felt when we were with her.

I hope that you are all doing well. I remain so grateful for grandma in my life. I think we are all so lucky to have had a grandma like her.

Lots of love during this christmas season,

Marisa

Lauren won 1st Place!

Lauren wrote a sweet, little story called "Grace and the Ugly Cowboy." She entered it into the Reflections contest for her school. We went to the Reflections open house last night and saw that she won 1st place for the literature category! She was thrilled and we are so proud of her!! Way to go La-Dee-Dah!

Williams Family Halloween Pics

Here are of the latest photos of the Williams kids. We had a great Halloween. Thomas was a grumpy old man with a walker and the sign, "Keep off my lawn!" Lauren was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Christian was a pirate and Sophie was a pink princess.











The kids had fun decorating pumpkins with Christian and Kara. Overall it was a great year!

Happy Halloween!

Last night Christian and I went to a couple of parties. It was a lot of fun and we invited Nate and Clay Bowen and a couple of guys I met to go with us. Just wanted to share a few pictures from the night. Lots of love to you all!

Kara

Trip to the Tetons

I just got back (literally 45 minutes ago) from my trip with Matt up to the Tetons. It was absolutely beautiful. We camped by a lake called Lake of the Mountains and went 4-wheeling on Friday and Saturday. I met Matt's brother and his Uncle and his family. I also reacquainted myself with his sister. They are a great family and I was put at ease quickly.

The setting was gorgeous and we would ATV up to lakes and snow packs and places that you normally wouldn't visit on foot. It was a fun trip but I have never been so dusty and dirty in my entire life. Nor have I eaten as many hotdogs as I did over the weekend. Oh and the mosquitoes were horrible and I have a ton of bites -especially on my buns :(.





I dropped off Matt at the Jackson Hole airport and began my trip home Sunday afternoon and that was sad. But I got over it, filled up the tank with gas and headed home. Then suddenly I started to notice that I didn't recognize where I was and suddenly I am in Montpelier, Idaho. That sucked rocks -apparently I am one who always needs clear directions when driving. It added an hour to my drive home, but I was able to speed past Sweetwater Condos and have flashes of memories of our trips there -roller skating, the witch who stuck needles in you, skiing, and playing in the pool and hot tub. Great times.

If you are dying for an update on me and Matt, there isn't one. The weekend was a lot of fun and we won't see each other for another month, but that is okay. We both have big tests next week (Bar & GMAT) and then we are both headed on big trips -me to Sweden and Denmark, Matt to Cambodia and Thailand. It would have been fun if we could have worked it so I could have done both, but the trips are at the same time. Oh well.

Love you all lots and I'm excited when I have time again just to sit and talk.

Kara