Christmas Catch-up

Since I got incredibly sick the day after Christmas and then started school I haven't had a chance to post anything from our holidays. So for my records here is a quick summary.

My beautiful girls 12/24/2009
This was supposed to be for our Christmas card that never got sent out.

Caroling with the Thackers 12/24/09

A neighbor requested the 12 days of Christmas, instead of 5 golden rings "K" got a white gold ring!
So proud of my brother. He has chosen really well and the proposal was so sweet.
I'm getting another sister on June 12th! Hooray!! I love getting new siblings. It's so fun.

Five generation photo with Grandpa. He is turning 80 next month. He is one of the hardest working men that I know. He is amazing and still going strong. I couldn't get all my girls to look decent in any of the pictures, so here's the best one. At least Lala is looking in the right direction.

We went to look at lights afterwards and talked about Christ's birth.
After Santa came I got this shot.

And you have to have a picture of the Christmas tornado. Mr. Call and Monkey are holding up bendaroos, the only thing Monkey asked for Christmas. Bug absolutely loves the dollhouse. The girls play with it everyday.

The girls got bunkbeds during the Christmas break. Bug was so excited to be in a big girl bed she was jumping up and down. It was soo cute.

This year turned out to be so great. We are so loved and so blessed.
We have such amazing family and friends and a loving Heavenly Father and Savior. I'm so lucky to have such a great husband, and three beautiful loving girls.

Merry Christmas! (better late than never.)

I needed some sunshine!

Mr. Call needed to deliver his bronze sculpture of Lord Baden Powell to a Scout Museum in Las Vegas! YEAH!! The smog and inversion were getting to me. I can't believe we were the worst in the country, for a while there! All of us had a long weekend ahead because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we needed to escape. So we decided to go see some family in St. George where it's at least 20 degrees warmer, the air is clean, and Mr. Call could deliver his 90 lbs of bronze to the museum. On the drive down.

The girls were so good on the way down. Baby Lala slept the entire way. She didn't even make a peep! I was starting to worry that she had died back there, but she was happy as could be when we arrived. Bug on the other hand was happy in the car but boy was she grouchy when we got out. You would think that would mean one sleepy little toddler and a very awake infant. But, nooo. When we got to Grandpa's house that he so kindly let us borrow, Bug would not go to sleep until 2:30 in the morning. Sheesh!

How I love that face.

Mr. Call drove the rest of the way to Las Vegas while we got settled in for the night. While he was there he discovered that the museum had another sculpture of his that had been donated by a great guy who likes to collect Mr. Call's work. Pretty neat!
We enjoyed the next day hanging out with Aunt Lor, climbing petrified sand dunes, the girls hit it off with their cousins, and Mr. Call and I got to enjoy some fantastic family. Oh it was wonderful and so beautiful!

Loralee and Monkey

The red rock was perfect for Bug who enjoyed her fishy's when she reached the top.
That pink ball of fuzz protruding from my body is baby Lala wrapped up warm and snug, asleep.

Did I mention, it was beautiful?

Unfortunately our camera battery died after visiting this canyon so these are the only pictures I have.

Funny story. Monkey who had some stickers, gave me two. They both said great on them and I made the comment that I was double great. She replied with, "Mom you are great, you are great at yelling." I thanked her and then she realized that she had insulted me, which she made up for by telling me I was great at other things too. I had to laugh. It's no secret that I need to work on speaking with the tongue of angels. My girls deserve better, but alas I struggle with that.

I'm so glad we took some time as a family to just take it easy and enjoy the beauty of this earth.
We became closer as a family. I will remember it forever.

So did you get to do anything fun over the holiday?


Post Script: Did you hear there is going to be a Casual Blogging Conference in Sandy UT on May 28th and 29th. Oh I want to go so bad. The awesome CJane will be speaking. You can check it out at http://www.casualbloggerconference.com. Not to mention they are giving away a free ticket every week. This week MMB is giving it.

Don't stop thinking about tomorrow.

Did I mention I'm back in school? Yep both me and Mr. Call are studying our little hearts out and sticking to routines for the first time in... ever? (The routine part, not the studying part.) So far so good.
I finally got caught up on homework yesterday, (it's easy to get behind when you sign up last minute and there is homework due the first day,) was headed home, and feeling good.
I was enjoying the blue sky in Ogden, (it's not so blue in Bountiful,) and jamming out to the radio when "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow" by Fleetwood Mac came on. It spoke to me, especially the second verse and chorus. I may have made mistakes in the past and not done my absolute best, but I can do it now, keep going, and think about what tomorrow will bring.
We can survive this if we keep trying.
I think I am looking forward to the 40 minute car ride by myself twice a week.

Apparently I need to take an English class to learn how to write correctly. You still love me, right?

She slept through the night!

Happy 8th anniversary to us! And I'm starting to feel better too. Oh it's going to be a good day!

A new year.

A new year, a new start. My friend, Laurie, chooses a word for her year. I like that, because it pulls all of my goals/commitments together into one word. My word for the year is Focus. 2010 is going to bring new challenges, new trials, but also a chance to chase dreams. If those dreams are ever going to come true, I need to focus. I can't be lazy and indifferent. I need to work hard and use my time wisely. I hope 2010 brings many blessings and a chance to work on dreams, whatever those dreams may be, for all of you.

A birthday in pictures

It was my Mom's big 5-0 and my cute Dad threw a surprise Fifties party!

Everyone dressed in their Fifties best, and we had some great lookin characters show up!

Thanks Aunt Brenda for my skirt!

Monkey looked so grown up in her Poodle skirt.

We sipped rootbeer floats and had hot dogs. Aren't my girls so cute. It reminds me of the song "Sippin Cider."

Every year since I can remember my Dad has gotten my Mom a calendar and filled it with stickers representing the different date nights. Mom always looks forward to it, and they have a date night every week. I think it's really sweet.
This year they are going to Hawaii for their anniversary, hence the tropical calendar.

Lala loves her uncle Matthew.