Friday, November 5, 2010

Thankful for...

November seems to be the perfect month to share what we are grateful for!  We should probably be better at expressing our gratitude every day not just in November.  But since it is already November....why not start sharing!  I am going to try to share what we are grateful for all month along.  We have all been saying what we are thankful after our family prayer at night.  And since I am already behind...  here is some of our gratitude list for this week:

- I am eternally grateful for my wonderful little family.  I am thankful for a husband who loves us.  I am grateful he is such a hard worker.  I am grateful that he sees past my imperfections.  I am grateful that he listens.  I am grateful he loves his kids so much.
- I am very blessed with three wonderful children who are healthy and for the most part happy.  I am grateful for the joy they bring in my life.  I cannot imagine not having them.  I am grateful for Oaklie and how she has such a strong testimony and she shares it every fast Sunday.  I am grateful for the hugs and kisses my little McCall gives.  I am grateful for the smiles and loves Cash shares with us.
- I am blessed and grateful to have wonderful parents and in-laws who care and love me and my family.  They'd give you the shirt off their back if you needed.  They always seem to put their kids and their families first.  I am blessed to have a wonderful brother and sister-in-law and beautiful neices and nephew in my life.  I also have wonderful brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws.  We are truly blessed and grateful for the awesome immediate families we have.  They probably don't know how much help they have given us and we love them all for it.
- I am eternally grateful for my Heavenly Father who knows me and loves me.  I am thankful that he is so merciful and forgiving.   I am so grateful for the gospel in our lives.  I am extremely thankful for the Savior Jesus Christ and for his wonderful blessing of the atonement that he has given to us.  I am thankful for the example he is in my life.
- I am thankful for our home.   And I am thankful that it is not just a house but it is a home.  It is a place that we feel loved and cared for.  It is a place that provides us protection and shelter.  It is a place that we feel safe in.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Oh Buddy...

Our precious, cute, handsome, lovable little buddy has gained a not so pleasant habit.....I can blame this one of J....C has decided that he likes to sleep in momma's bed or daddy's bed.  Depending on who he is trying to talk into it.  J has been really tired at night so instead of rocking him to sleep (WAIT....you did hear me right....we are STILL rocking that cute little precious two year old buddy to sleep....) he thought it was a grand idea to stick him in bed with us.  While for the most part it puts him to sleep faster....when I have to carry him into his bed he wakes up saying Momma's bed Momma's bed.  Then I get to still rock him to sleep cause ya know he is so darn cute and snuggly.  Yesterday at nap time he wanted Momma's bed...Uhm...no....  He also has a habit of now wanting to be sung to.  If you have heard me sing....its not a pretty sight.  But he likes it, so I guess that is not totally a bad habit... We'll just call it bad because well hif you heard it you would call it bad too... Bad habit # 3... he has these little Thomas the Train jammies he loves....ya you guessed it....there not coming off....(at least very easily)....  Thank goodness he is precious, cute, handsome, lovable, snuggly and all that good stuff....cause other wise....he might have just been kissed and hugged and just put in bed.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Little Things

I am starting to realize that when you are in the thick of things in life and you're deep down in those trenches, it is important to remember the little things that bring happiness and a smile to your face.  It's important to remember those little things that may not seem significant but they do have tons of value in your life.  I want to remember things like:

How O is growing up so quickly and how she acts (most of the time) like a young lady.  She'll be eight in January and she wants so badly to grow up fast.  Even her primary teacher mentioned how she thinks like an adult sometimes.  She notices things that most kids probably wouldn't...like earrings, how your make up is done, the new this or that.... She can carry on pretty adult conversations too.  I want to remember it, but I also want her to know that its okay to be a kid to do kid stuff.

Or how the kids enjoy their snuggle time with us.  They throw little fits if we run out of time.  But they want to feel that love and security that they feel from us....

And when C gets in trouble he will tell the person he mad upset "Sawyee" with pure heart and the best big hugs and kisses ever.


I love that my sweet little buddy still wants to be rocked and snuggled to sleep.  It is the best part of our afternoon together is when we sit quietly all snuggled up in his room.  I try (may I do say that I try...but it sounds awful) to sing songs to him as he falls asleep...if I don't remember he asks.  Sing....  I love how he curls up on me and snuggles in. I love his beautiful eyes as he looks staringly at me.  I love his sweet little sheepish grin under his gigky (binky).

I love that he calls his blanket his "Cookie", (maybe he things he if calls it that we'll give him a cookie too?)

I love watching little M sleep all snuggled in her bed with pinky (her blanket) snuggled up right next to her.

Or how C volunteers to say prayer every time J asks who wants to say prayer.  He just sits there with his eyes wide open with a big ole grin on his face.  He just loves the Amen part at the end.

How C loves the Tiny Turtle song and the cute actions he does with them.  And how I am actually a little sad I'll miss those little actions in nursery.  Thank goodness we do them at home all the time.

I love how O is getting into the horses so much and how her and her little friend are planning on teaching her how to barrel race... Or how she is excited to learn how to lope...

Or how M came home with a love letter to a little boy named Garrett....It went:  Dear Garrett, I love you Do you love me? Frum McCall.

How O and M are getting to be good little readers.  O is really reading like crazy and has a passion for reading.  I somehow don't have that enthuiasim to read like she does.  I am excited for her to learn and grow.  I hope she has that passion for reading and learning forever.

How J works so hard to support our little family.  He has had a lot of stress lately but he tries so hard to not let those muddle down our family.  I am so grateful for all he does for us.

Sometimes.....its good to remember the little things in life....

Monday, August 30, 2010

Back to School

These two lil' rascals headed back to school. 


Sunday, August 29, 2010

County Fair 2010

We love and anxiously await this time of year....because its County Fair time!!!  YAY!!!  We LOVE the County Fair...well some of us love it more than others....mainly because his wallet doesn't necessarily enjoy the County Fair.  Being from this little neck of the woods the Box Elder County Fair has always been a BIG deal in my family.  We practically lived there (not really, we were just there all the time) for this one week that rolls around every year.

We started off with watching the parade...


This year was no exception to the excitment.  This year was the year O would be old enough to have a bucket calf.  We got the bucket calf at the end of April and O has been working hard with it all summer long.  She helped bottle feed the calf, she practiced leading the calf, she worked with it on setting up, she learned how to use a show stick, she learned (the Sunday before...) how to properly lead the calf (I had been showing her wrong,but my awesome neices helped her), she helped clean his pen and she helped feed and water all the animals.  We also washed and scrubbed that little holstein to get him looking snazzy for the fair.  She loves her little Bucky and she was soooo excited to be able to show him.



At the show, Joe said I was making her nervous so he made me go inside and watch the class before hers.  She did awesome at showing her calf.  She did everything that she was suppose to and did her very very best.  I couldn't have been more pleased with how she did.  She didn't end up in the top three of her class but she did get a blue ribbon and $10.  She was pleased as punch and I don't think I could have wiped that little smile off of her face.  She took great care of Bucky all week long at the fair with a little help from Dad (he feed on his way through to work on Thursday morning) and he helped her all week long.  She also had help cleaning his area from her cute little cousin Mercedes. 

Before her class
Showing her bucket calf


All the kids were going to also ride in the horse show too.  About July timeframe M decided that she just wasn't gonna trot on the horse and well that is kind of an important part of the Walk/Trot class.  So she decided to opt out of showing the horse this year.  O was going to use Roanie because she had been shown off of before, but for some reason she decided that she was going to be an onry cuss for the last month and a half.  O decided she would use Chip, which in turn meant lots and lots and lots and lots (I think you get the idea) of practicing.  I have learned that I lack a little patience when it comes to teaching my own kids how to do things...  But practice she did and she worked hard all summer long.

On the morning of the show we got Chip all bathed and prettied up and waited until a little later to head into town because I thought we'd have more time that we ended up having.  We pulled in and saw that the Leadline class that C was suppose to be in was already in the arena.  So because of my slacking off on waiting to come into town C didn't get to show.  But as we waited for the them to finish up, a helper gave C a ribbon too since he was suppose to be in that class.  O was cute as a button and we warmed her and Chip up a little and she was headed into class.  Truth be told I don't think I have ever been that nervous before.  There is just something nerve wrecking about the unknown and the what ifs.  What if Chip decides to trot faster and faster and faster and break into a lope?   We haven't practiced loping.  What if she falls off?  What if he runs away with her?  But she had it under control and did awesome.  None of my fears occurred.  She actually sat really well when he trotted and he was pretty darn calm the entire time.  She ended up getting 5th in her class.  She was the last one to get a ribbon.  She was a little bummed because up to 4th place paid money and she only got a ribbon.  But then she realized that their were probably seven other kids that didn't even get a ribbon.  She was still excited she showed Chip so good.  We were proud of her too.

M unfortunately wasn't old enough to have a bucket calf and she didn't want to show so her fair consisted of playing with her cousins a ton, eating and drinking lots of pop, spending any money she could wrangle up at home, riding rides and having fun.
On Saturday the girls rode some rides with my cousins daughter Brooklyn
I was trying to create motion with this photo...showing the speed of the train, but still being able to see Joe

Monday, August 16, 2010

Earnin' Money and Buyin' Bunnies

My mother has been kind enough to offer to pay her grandkids for completing certain tasks.  For my neices and nephew, I believe, they had to practice their piano.  For my kiddos, they had to complete their reading minutes from school.  Now they had to pay their tithing out of the money they earned and they also kept the money their to save it for a shopping trip with Grandma.  When asked what they wanted M said she wanted a bunny.  A real live bunny.  You see bunnies are not my cup of tea....nor milk...nor water...nor Coke...nor anything.  I really don't care for bunnies.  The kids and J have been trying for awhile to intrigue me into getting one.  But it didn't work...until now... So she had to pay for her own bunny and take care of it.  They went to town to cash their checks from Grandma, and headed to the bunny farm or whatever you call that place.  M was able to get hers but O has to wait until after the fair because her bunny is going to be a fair bunny.  We'll see how long this round of bunnies last....

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Call Family Reunion at Whitney Resevoir

Whitney Resevoir....it's like a little slice of heaven... Maybe thats why we love it up there so much.  The first weekend of August we head on up there for my Call Family Reunion.  We have a ton of fun up at Whitney each year and boy howdy this year did not disappoint.  From just plain camping, to being around family, to playing horseshoes, trap shoots, fishing, eating, kiddos having a ball, cool air (this year it was pretty darn cool too...cool enough that we wore sweatshirts all weekend long!), pinatas and just plain having fun.  I am grateful J was able to take an extra day off work and we headed up on Thursday night and were the last ones to pull out on Sunday afternoon.  We love Whitney!!!


One great thing about this year was that C seemed to really enjoy playing with others and didn't have the little fits we seem to have at home and nursery.  He SHARED SHARED SHARED!!!  C, TJ and Kiari had a ball playing together and sharing.  LOVE IT!
My neices and nephew came up with my parents and it was awesome having them there.  They are such good kiddos and we love them so much!  My girlies think the WORLD of them and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Kiari attached to Josie and was her little best buddy all weekend long.  I thought Josie would get a little tired of playing with the little kids but she didn't!  C followed her and Mercedes around all day long too!  Dixon played with C so cute.  I think he is happy C is finally big enough to play with him.  It makes me happy too!

My little O is quite the lil' fisherwoman.  The little stink was the only one in our little family that caught any fish and she caught THREE.  M was quite dismayed at her lack of ability to catch a fish.  Needless to say her fishing consisted of a lot of "talkin' to (such as quit whinning and bawling and start having fun)."  I think Josie was a little disappointed too.  But believe me it wasn't for the lack of trying.  One night I think she had about four pull on her line but by the time she "pulled" it in there wasn't anything there.  C...well...he is just happy playing with the powerbait bottle!

J brought home the trophy from the trapshoot...25 out of 25. ...Yep, people he is a dang good trap shot... Guess I need to but that to good use and get him in some big competition to make a little moolah!



I know that my Grandma's favorite part of the weekend was that all eight of her children were there.  That has not happened in a long long long long time.  It was beautiful watching her be so proud (I don't even think that is the right word to explain in...) of the fact all her beautiful, wonderful children were there.  She told me several times that she couldn't of been happier of all of her posterity.  She is a wonderful woman, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother.  We sure love you and Grandpa!!!!  We took some photos of Grandpa and Grandma with their children.  Very special!