Bowling and hair cuts...

Yesterday we took the kids bowling.

We were the only ones at the bowling alley so it was pretty nice.

Richard I, Richard II, and Richard III

This morning Richie III was playing the piano and Sophie came to join him.

Richie didn't want to share the piano and told Sophie that she had to press the foot pedals so that the music could sound better.
Sophie quickly obeyed her brother and pressed the pedals with her hand while she worked on her apple.
He had the piano all to himself after that.

Richie III and Sophie got a haircut today.

Richie told the hair stylist that his favorite color was blue,
but that he wanted his hair red today.

Sophie... Before

Sophie... After

Aubrey playing Wii with the little ones.

Papa and the little princess.

Dick, Anson, Richie, and Chrislynn went to a matinee today. I stayed and watched the kids. Richie III asked Aubrey if she could invite her two friends to come over. He met her friends two days ago. I think it is pretty funny because Aubrey's friends (Ellie and Sammy) are 10 years old. When Sammy rang the door bell, Richie came running down the stairs screaming, "I'm so excited!"

Brianna and I went to sign up at Curves today. For our '2010' New Year's Resolution, we decided to start working out again.

Richie and his sweet little family!

Richie arrived about 7:30 pm last night.

The kids opened all their presents this morning. Richie III woke up at 4:30 am and told his mommy that they had to come downstairs to open presents. Chrislynn told him it was still very early and he went back to sleep for a little bit longer. When Richie III was opening presents this morning he said, 

"This is the best Christmas ever!"

Sophie loved her bunny hat and mittens. 

Today we had our Christmas ham that Grandpa Vosco brought us. There was a lot more people sitting around our table than usual and I loved it! The only thing that was missing is our Giselle.

Grandpa has had a wonderful time with the little grandchildren. Aunt Aubrey's little heart will be broken again when they have to leave. She is so close to the children and she loves them so much. They follow her everywhere she goes.

I love my family so much! I love feeding them and taking care of them.

Little Deacon waited in the fairy box.

 Grandma Ruth Call had this little fairy box made for our Richie II when he was born, 29 years ago.

12/26/09... A surpirse visit from Grandpa Vosco Call!

Yesterday we had a surprise visit from Grandpa Vosco Call. (Dick's father) He didn't even call to tell us that he was coming. It is so hard to get him out of his house because he doesn't like to make the two hour drive. He's been having some eye problems and it worries him to drive long distances. Even before he started having eye problems, he just doesn't like to drive to Idaho, especially by himself. 

There was a knock on the door and when I opened the door, there stood Grandpa. He said, "I have to leave in an hour! I just had to bring your Christmas presents and your Christmas ham!" It was so strange! He was being so cute giving everybody their presents.

Aubrey got a special book that belonged to her grandmother. He wanted to share it with her. In this picture, Grandpa was telling Aubrey that this was one of Grandma's favorite books.

We moved Aubrey's drum set to the basement because of the noise. Aubrey dragged Grandpa Vosco downstairs to show him her drums.

Grandpa use to be a drummer in college. He could still play pretty good.

The kids were very impressed!

Brianna, Travis, and Deacon showed up to get their presents and to see Grandpa. Deacon loved his Great Grandpa Call. I've never heard him coo so much as he did with Grandpa Vosco.

I love this picture of Deacon with his Grandpa.

12/27/09... Richie and his little family get here today! We're expecting them in about an hour. I got our bedroom ready for them, but Richie said we could stay in our room and have the kids sleep with us. That will be so much fun to have our grandchildren sleep in our room with us. I'm sure we'll make some wonderful memories.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

This was a very different Christmas for me this year. We didn't have Giselle here with us and it just saddened me. It's the one time of the year that I get very selfish and want all my family together. Richie is not here either because this year he gets to spend Christmas with Chrislynn's family. He will be here on the 27th, so I am so excited about seeing them and the children. We had a very relaxing day on Christmas Eve. We had a late brunch and stayed home most of the day. Dick and Anson worked on putting in some speakers in Anson's El Camino. Bree and Travis spent the day with Travis and his family and didn't show up until 10:30 pm. At one point Aubrey said, "It feels really different because it's just us and nobody else is here." I told her to remember this so that when she leaves and gets married she can remember Dad and I here at home all by ourselves. Aubrey said, "Mom, I'm always gonna come see you as long as you give me presents!" She was totally serious!


Dad and Anson were on YouTube listening to old songs. Deacon joined them.


We always let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve.


Anson loves iTune giftcards.


Our family tradition... Dad reads The Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve.


We got this book on our first Christmas. This book is 30 years old.


Dad has his special way of sharing this story with us.


We gave Deacon a jumper. He's still trying to get the hang of it. I can't wait until he really takes off.


Our Christmas dinner. I felt so lonely without all of our children here. I can't even imagine not having our two youngest ones at home. I think I will loose my mind when they leave.


Anson got some drums for his sister. One of his buddies didn't want them anymore so he sold them to Anson for Aubrey. She had her first lesson today and it looks like we're going to have a drummer in the family. With Anson's guitar and Aubrey's drum, I believe we can start a band now.


It's pretty noisy at the Call's. I think those drums are going to the basement tomorrow!


Santa brought Anson a car stereo for his El Camino. He was occupied most of the day installing it in his car.

The best day!

Yesterday we went to Twin Falls to finish our Christmas shopping. It was Dick, Anson, Aubrey and I. When we first got there we had lunch, then we headed to the mall.

I love it when Dad is ours for the day without any interruptions. He hates shopping, but he promised he was going to make it a good experience for us. I love holding hands with my sweetheart while we walk. What I love the most, is going off with Aubrey... just her and I. We did a lot of window shopping and I think we shopped till we dropped! Aubrey is so sweet, she's constantly thinking of what she can buy for others. She also saved her money and was buying everything with HER money. We went to so many other stores and ended up at Costco. After we had dinner we got in the car to head back home.

When we got in the car to leave, Aubrey looked at me and said... "Thanks Mom, I had the best day." She also put her ear phones on me and told me to listen to one of her favorite songs. Her favorite artist is Taylor Swift and she has every single song memorized. This year Bree was going to take her to a Taylor Swift concert for her birthday but the tickets sold out 8 minutes after they went on sale. Anyway, the song she wanted me to listen to was "The Best Day" by Taylor Swift. It's the first song on my play list. Before she played the song on her ipod, she said, "This song reminds me of us. Have you ever heard the words to it?" To be quite honest, I've listened to this song many times, but I've never paid close attention to the words. We had a 45 minute drive back home. Aubrey and I were in the back seat and I listened to the song over and over again while I held her close to me. At one point, my eyes filled up with tears. I couldn't help think of the unconditional love that our children have for us.

I will never forget this day. I'll never forget the look in her big eyes as she told me, "Thanks Mom, I had the best day."

I love all my children and I am so grateful for the love they all have for me. I am so blessed! I always and will always ask myself... "How did I get so lucky?"

Aubrey's tonsil "enemy"

Wednesday (12/16/09)... Aubrey has been really frustrated with her
"tonsilenemy." She's not being silly, she really calls it that and we don't correct her. The funny thing is, that it really has become her tonsilenemy.

Man, if anyone needs some excitement in their lives... come to the Call's! Aubrey had her tonsilectomy and adenoidectomy on Friday. When they discharge you and tell you it could bleed the 4th or 5th day, they are absolutely right! Blood just kept flowing out of her mouth. She gargled with ice water and it slowed down. As soon as she would stop, it would start up again. After 45 minutes of gargling with ice water, we decided to take her to the ER.

Her surgeon told us to meet him in his office. He tried to cauterize the bleeder, but there was no success. We went to the ER to admit her for surgery. The doctor kept saying, I don't think she is bleeding that much. When we got to the ER, she became very, very ill. She was pale, clammy, and lifeless. Nobody had any idea how much she was bleeding because it was going to the back of her throat faster than she could spit it out. All the blood loss and all the blood in her stomach was making her so sick. I was really scared that we were going to lose Aubrey. She kept telling me, as she put her little hands to her chest, "I can't breath Mom." Her eyes were so big and scared and she'd look at me like she was saying help me. She became delirious and confused. Suddenly she threw up like four gallons of blood and blood clots. I am glad I'm a nurse or I would have died. Her stomach was filled to the maximum. Blood was all over her gown, hands, legs, and the floor. After she threw up and the IV going in fast to replace the fluid, she started feeling better.` She now tells me that she couldn't feel her legs at all, and that she couldn't breath. She also tells me that she couldn't hear when people were talking to her, that everyone sounded muffled. After she was stabilized they rushed her to surgery. The ENT said it was a bleeder that was gushing. He had to stitch the bleeder.

Aubrey is doing so much better. She is still pretty pale & weak because of all the blood loss. She is also afraid to eat anything because she's afraid she'll start bleeding again. She has been spending a lot of time in her daddy's recliner sleeping. The first night she slept on the recliner and I slept by her on the couch. Did I say sleep? I meant I watched her from the couch.