F I V E

Miss Mckinley Reese is five.

A whole month of celebrating the day you graced the world with your luscious locks and sweet smile. Alex was leaving for New Zealand for a month so you got to open your presents early via Facetime. Next, a day at preschool on your actual birthday with Skelton/Parachuters as your gift of choice to your class and a huge bag of loot from your darling preschool teachers.  Then off to lunch @ Hot Dog on a Stick at the Mall with Mimi, Papa and Britty to ride the train and carousel with a surprise visit from daddy. Sunday, a family party with the Lawrences- more presents, more cake and more fun. This past Sunday, we celebrated with the Williamsons and our new stuffed kitty "Pepper/Mr Whiskers/Mittens" was welcomed into our home.

The most exciting details of the actual day included you climbing into bed with us at your usual 5 AM call time sharing, "I feel five" and after leaving preschool, "I am 5, I think I talk different now". Five has been particularly good to mommy because we all know there is a rule that all five year olds have to try new foods at least once.

At five:
-You love playing pretend with make up, dress ups and dolls
- You are a whiz on the i-Pad and found Bobby's World in the OnDemand and have to watch it every day.
- You still don't like pizza, love all things chocolate and crispy shrimp
- You want to be a princess when you grow up
- You love mermaids
- You can buckle yourself in, dress yourself, brush your teeth and help with the silverware.
-Family Home Evening is only successful if there are "other people there" because that is what makes a family
- You are great at making friends
- Your hair sparks jealousy among the masses
- Your coloring is getting so much more precise and you love to write little notes
- You weighed 47 lbs @ your last appointment and didn't even cry when you got a shot.
- You have become a pro on a two wheeler with no training wheels and learned to swim this summer without floaties.


You have been such a blessing in our home and there is never a dull moment. It has been a life changing experience to watch you learn and grow and to find your own opinion. You have a strong will, a sweet and tender heart, an imagination, a stubborn streak and give the best hugs in the world. WE LOVE YOU!

The pretend, foam make up kit was a hit and will hopefully deter the marker faced brother in the next picture.

Said Marker Faced brother. You said you wanted to make him look like "a lady".

You and your best cousin, Brynlee.

Painting daddy's nails.

Our beautiful girl.

A house of Gearheads.

This pretty much sums of Mark Williamson. His passion, probably since birth, was for all things that had two wheels, went fast and I am sure terrified his mother. I remember seeing him the first time on his gun metal gray Honda CBR- hat backward, huge mutton-chop sideburns and taking the ladies for rides. Seeing him on that bike just added to all the reasons I knew Mr Williamson would be mine.

We had fun times riding that bike up the canyon, she was there the day he proposed and it was a sad day to see her go. Throughout our marriage, we have had MULTIPLE bikes at any given time in our garage and before kids, I looked forward to Springtime cruises on the back of the bike in the balmy AZ air. I rode on the back of a chopper going 100 miles and felt like I might fly off the small suction-cupped pad, sat in what seemed to be a recliner of comfort on a BMW cruiser and have held tight to my love on a Kawasaki police bike.

I guess I always knew it came with the territory, Mark and his bikes but little did I know the thrill of the road would be etched in the DNA of my children as well. Every day, seriously, Kingston talks about riding a motorcycle. Mark will take him out, set him on his knee or on the tank and cruise around the neighborhood. Mc rides as well and begs to go faster. To be honest, I think it's pretty cool. Mark and I have a vision of hanging out in the garage with our kids and their friends building cars, talking bikes and bonding over all things mechanical. All I have to say is I better step it up and stop crashing because soon enough, my kids will ride better than I do!

Kingston and some light reading.

Mckinley and daddy racing the bikes @ Fat Cats. Of course Mc picked the tatted, leather bikini lady rocking the ape hangers.

My sexy man at his recent track day.

Hugging the curves.