CHD Awareness Week
February 7th-14th

Our Miracle:

Our HEART journey started with this sweet baby girl born with a BROKEN HEART....

and today that sweet baby girl is a fun, vivacious, 6 1/2 year old who unless you catch a glimpse of her "Special Heart Zipper" you would never guess that she had to fight for LIFE!
She won that fight!

Brynley's open heart surgery in May 2006 repaired two large Atrial Spetal Defects (ASD) and repaired a cleft in her mitral valve. It was a miracle that they found the defects in her tiny little heart and it was by Divine guidance that her surgeon was able to repair them. Now 6 years old, we give thanks that our sweet baby girl was given the opportunity to grow and thrive.

Here’s to the opportunities that the future holds; to the passion and knowledge of medical professionals, to more advanced technology and care, and to those of us that can spread the message about heart defects, bring more funding, more research and better outcomes for kids born with CHD.

And to our Family and friends that carried us through the roughest parts of this journey....

THANK YOU!

(Heart Check 2011)

In honor of CHD awareness and "Princess B"

Please wear RED February 7th-14th

We're Loving SOCCER!

I'm in LOVE with Kindergarten ART! The Kids in Princess B's class made "self Portraits" of themselves this week for
Open House Night
Bet you cant find B.....

Did the Curly Hair give it away??

and.....Caterpillars for the "Very Tasty Tree"

and sticking with Oregon's rainy season...
Ducks!
B's has HOT PINK feet.... Because "I just like pink, Mom!"

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Rain Rain go away...

23 laps at the JOG-A-THON

29 & 31

Cory and I celebrated our birthdays this week!
It was a pretty low key event because Cory also had FINALS. Grrr!
But there was cake and singing.
So all in all it was a good party at the Williams house!

Brynley helped out with the cake eating!

Here's to another great year.....

Princess B's School Picture

Kindergarten 2010

{The Oregon Rite of Passage}: rituals marking the transitional phase into a tribe or social group. An event in a person's life indicative of a transition from one stage to another

Bet you didn't know that there is an "UN-official" rite of passage when you move to Oregon

Here's my version

#1: RECYCLING!
There is no getting around this here! EVERYONE does it! Bins bins bins! Bins for Compost, Bins for Cans(soup not pop) Bins for Cans (Pop not soup) Bins for plastic, Bins for Glass (clear) Bins for Glass (Color) and then the smallest Bins of all....bins for trash (which I still haven't mastered! Whats left to actually throw away?) But I did it! I recycled! Took my BIG ol' bag of plastic bottles and cans(pop not soup) and headed to Walmart where there are machines that count your "goods" and print cash vouchers to redeem inside! It was Fab! Two full "trash" bags in and a whopping $3.85 out!

(recycling pics are from google)

#2: The COAST!
Ahhhh the "beach" you say.... Envision hot sand, warm water, beach towels and sun screen..... NOPE this is the COAST! Its amazing! But not one ounce of warm sunshine to be seen! Foggy drizzle, chilly wind, huge waves, wet sand.....We enjoyed every minute of it and craved more when we left! The "Aunts", their kids, Bryn and I went for three glorious days of R&R! We wore sweat shirts and walked in the wet cold sand, laid on the warm rocks, and saw the sights! oh and had a heavenly "crab-melt" sandwich at the Chowder Bowl in Depot Bay.
ps...Aunt Mary does the BEST rendition of Weezer's "Beverly Hills" (I know, I know, I was a bit surprised my self!)

(more Coast Pics when I figure out how to upload my camera to the macbook)

#3: CANNING!
Oh the childhood memories! I can remember each and everyone of my Aunts in the kitchen with my Mom canning and freezing berries, jams, veggies, and sauces! YUM! Tonight Aunt Barbara continued my rite of passage in becoming an Oregonian, with a warm batch of Blackberry Jam! We just had to walked down the road a few yards to pick the berries! They grow EVERYWHERE in Oregon! Even in the medians of the highways! We topped off our picking bowls in the backyard and headed in to learn.

First you rinse
Then you squash
After that you dowse it with sugar
Add a little pectin
Pour the sticky goodness into jars
Then the best part...lick the leftovers from the spoon and pan!

It was so delicious! "A Good Batch"

Three Oregon rituals down....
Stay tuned as We continue our:
{Oregon Rite of Passage}

Happy 4th of July!

What a Fabulous Day!

We went to the Freedom Festival in Provo

Ate hot dogs with the Price Family and Friends

AND watched and lit Fireworks....

Yup... Perfect Day!

"the boys"

Andi's twins:
Keegan in blue
Collin in green

Great News...We Still Exist!

Life is busy!
Great things lay waiting for us....
in
OREGON!
Yup, We are moving to Portland.
Cory was accepted into the CRNA (Nurse Anesthetist)
Masters Program
We are planning the move for August
School starts in September!
Lots of choices to make....
Wish us Luck!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010

Family Pictures
by the AMAZING
Ambyr Porter

Cory took me and Princess B on a date
Tuesday afternoon...

the Bookstore, PF CHANGS, and Shopping

It was great hanging out just the Three of us!

I think Princess B loved the desserts the most!

notice the CRAZY hair! {makes me laugh}

She had Chocolate Cake
and ate Every last crumb!

Thanks Cory for a lovely afternoon

If you ask Princess B what the silvery colored line running down the middle of her chest is she smiles, shrugs and says

"Oh, dats my SPECIAL HEART"

Four years and 2 months ago We learned that our baby girl was given a

"SPECIAL HEART"

Three years and three months ago Princess B got her scar that marks her

"SPECIAL HEART"

Three weeks ago, we learned that her "SPECIAL HEART"

Is doing going GREAT!

Princess B LOVES her Cardiologist Dr Minich!

(might have something to do with the prize tokens that she gives her :)

Here she is doing her "Look Mom, NO HANDS"

for the EKG

Great News!

Dr Minich says our "SPECIAL HEART" looks good

& we are Appointment free for another year!

Brittney Davis Photography is having a contest!

Princess B is Picture # 9 VOTE for Her!

How would YOU define a good day?

Is it Playing outside until it's dark?
Is it playing until your feet look like this?
Is if being so adventurous that your poor ankles look like that?
Or is it Getting so dirty that mom has no choice but let you take two baths in one day!?!

WE say it's ALL of the above!