New Year's Eve (Goodbye 2012)

 We spent the evening with Brianna, Travis, Deacon, and our kiddos.

 Normally Deacon is the life of the party, but this year was the first time he fell asleep before midnight. We missed his little voice this year saying, "Cheers!" Since he's with us in our New Year's Eve picture every year, this year we thought we'd take one of him sleeping. We missed you Deacon.

Rock Creek and Bully the Camel

After we got home from Logan, Anson told us that this year didn't feel like Christmas to him because he didn't get his old stocking full of treats. We didn't fill the stockings since we didn't take them with us to Utah. It did feel kind of strange. The day that we decided to have another Christmas celebration, Dick had the injury with the snowblower. Today we celebrated Christmas again by letting the kids wake up to a full stocking. 

We also went to see the Rock Creek Christmas lights yesterday. Before we decided to have a Utah Christmas, I had planned on going to see the Rock Creek lights. So many people had recommended it and Brianna and I really wanted to go with our families. After going and experiencing the most beautiful lights in the world, plus a very friendly camel, we decided that this will become a Christmas tradition for many years to come. I love old traditions but I also like to discover new ones. The camel's name is Bully. Bully loves carrots and he will take them from your hand or your mouth. He really is a mystical, majestic, gentle creature. He looked like he came out of one of the Christmas books that Grandma Ruth gave our children. This really made our Christmas complete.

Then we came home and celebrated with the English Crackers that Pam and Don Adams send our family every year. I guess Christmas time wouldn't be the same without them.

 Deacon loves to look at the lights while he lies under the tree just like his Papa showed him. Dick would do this when he was a little boy and taught our children to do it when they were little. Now our grandchildren are doing it.

Merry Christmas again!

Accident with a Snowblower

Dad and I went to workout today. When we got home, he was feeling really good. He was so excited to clear all of the neighbors sidewalks and driveways with his snowblower. He got one side of the street done. Anson and I were in the kitchen when we heard the doorbell ringing continuously followed by pounding on our kitchen door. When I opened the door, he was holding his arm really close to him while squeezing his hand really tight as if he was holding pressure. I knew something awful happened as soon as I saw his expression. After he finished one side of the street the snowblower stopped because it was clogged with ice. He was unsticking it when he felt a pull on the glove. He told me that he was going to open his hand really quick and that I needed to look to see if he had to go to the ER. I looked at his face and told him that I didn't want to because when one of my sweethearts is hurt, I am not a nurse. I become a wimp. When he opened his hand, I knew we had to rush him to the ER. It didn't look good. I was so glad that Anson was home. The weather was not very good. It was snowing quite a bit and Dad became a little hysterical. Anson kept really calm while I tried to get Dad to breath deep. He was in so much pain that it was really breaking our hearts. I noticed that Anson's eyes were watery but he remained so calm. When we arrived in the ER the doctor was a good friend and the father to one of Dick's ex-students. Then one of the nurses was also one of his ex-students that graduated with Richie. A little while later, a good friend who runs the ER Dept. and the ambulance team showed up. She was so sweet and gave me a big hug while the doctor visited with Dick. She sure helped calm me down and asked if there was anything she could do for us. She is in our ward at church. I asked her if she could find someone to give Dad a blessing. She left for about 5 minutes and when she came back told us that two employees would show up shortly to give Dick a blessing. When the two gentleman showed up one of them was a dear friend, Kent. He did the ultrasounds on me when I was pregnant with Aubrey. He's also done ultrasounds on all of the rest of the family for one thing or another. Kent is also the father of one of Dick's ex-students. The other gentleman was a respiratory therapist and was such a sweet man. The doctor studied the X-ray and decided to call an orthopedic surgeon because the injury involved the bone. His bone in the middle finger tip was crushed and on the pointer finger a piece of his bone broke off too, but it was a cleaner break. The ER doctor talked to us about amputating his fingers from his knuckles up. Dr. Joe Peterson, the orthopedic surgeon was in Jerome. There was a huge accident on the highway so he was being delayed in traffic. We decided to wait for Dr. Joe. Dick was in so much pain until they numbed his fingers while he waited for the surgeon. Dr. Joe was so kind. He fixed him right up and took our worries away. He ended up removing some skin from his forearm and gave his pointer finger a skin graft. He didn't amputate. We were so happy,

 While Dad waited, he said that he needed a Deacon kiss so Anson brought him in. I love the way Deacon is holding Anson's thumb so tight in this picture. He was really worried about his Papa.

 Anson and Brianna were so helpful. They stayed with us and Dad asked Anson if he could hold his hand when Dr. Joe numbed his hand because he was going to squeeze very hard and didn't want to hurt my hand. Sweet man! Always protecting me. I think that he just didn't want me to know how much the numbing shots hurt.

These were his fingers after they got repaired. Dr. Joe said they'd look a lot better once the healing took place. He put a pressure dressing and he will see him in 10 days to remove the dressing. I hope that the skin graft takes. Especially because of his poor control with his diabetes.

When we got home Brianna and I found the glove stuck in the snowblower. Inside the torn glove were his finger tips. You could see the small pieces of bone and nerve in the tips. I am so thankful that he had gloves on. If not he would have lost a lot more than the tips of his fingers.

 Sometimes I wished we lived in a big city because of  Dick's health and the big medical centers in big cities. Then days like today, I get reminded that we live in a little piece of Heaven. Hospitals with Dick's ex-students, employees who are dear friends, doctors and other professionals that are parents to his ex-students, employees who can come and give him a blessing, etc. Then when Dr. Joe came in to repair his fingers, it was like my own father was working on my sweet husband. I love Burley and I am so grateful for dear, dear friends and a little piece of Heaven here on Earth.  

Christmas in Utah

This year we decided to spend our Christmas in Utah. Mainly because with Richie's schedule, he was only going to have Christmas day off. We headed out on the 22nd and met at Temple Square in SLC, Utah. My good friend Leanna met us there and so did Brianna's best friend, Amanda. Richie got let out early from rehearsal so he was able to join us. The lights were so beautiful especially the Nativity Scene but the best part of all was having all of my children and best friends with us. I wish Chrislynn and their children could have been there.

The next morning we woke up to tons of snow at Giselle's house. There were deer tracks in the snow and Deacon was telling us all about it.

Before everyone headed out to Richie's house, Giselle made us all sit down so that she could present us with a gift. A GOLEN TICKET! Everyone had their own envelope and this was what was inside. She wanted all of us to drive around and look at Christmas lights while we drank hot cocoa and ate popcorn.

When we got to Richie and Chrislynn's house, I let the girls open some Christmas pajamas. They looked so cute in their matching pajamas!

Richie and Chrislynn fixed lunch for everyone. It was so nice to just lounge around and enjoy everyone's company.  Getting to hold little Josie made this grandmother very happy.

Sophia entertained us with her made up songs about Christmas Eve while she piled up the presents with her name on it.

Later that night, Brianna and Travis made dinner at Giselle's house and Grandpa Vosco joined us. They made their Bourbon chicken and rice with asparagus.

After dinner Giselle and Travis made popcorn while Giselle got the hot drinks ready for everyone. When  Grandpa Vosco left, Giselle passed out Christmas CD's and we all piled into our cars to go see Christmas lights. A few minutes after we got in the car it started snowing and it made our Christmas outing just perfect. 

We went back to Richie's to tuck the kids in bed. The boys played Risk, a tradition they try and do every year. The girls visited in the living room while Brianna made some caramel puffs.

Chrislynn was trying to finish up Josie's stocking before Christmas Eve.

The girls dropped me and Deacon off at Giselle's while they went shopping for last minute things at Walmart. Deacon found this gingerbread man at Giselle's house and ate the chocolate pants.

The next morning, every thing in Logan was flocked with snow. Everything was so beautiful! On our way to Richie's, we stopped by the cemetery where Dick's mother and grandmother are buried. Grandpa Vosco wanted us to see the wreath and Christmas tree he had taken the day before and Dick wanted to wish his mother a Merry Christmas.

When we got to Richie and Chrislynn's, the kids were having a blast playing games. They had prepared so many delicious snacks including Chrislynn's homemade cheese balls. 

Grace waiting patiently for our Christmas Eve meal. I love her little foot on the table. My family would say she gets this from me. I used to do that when I was young.

There was tons of  food and everything tasted wonderful.

Anson making the gravy.

Grandpa Vosco was able to join us again.

Dick's sister, Allyn and her kids joined us too. Skye, her youngest daughter was working so she couldn't join us.

The kid's table.

Dick always reads The Night Before Christmas to us on Christmas Eve. A tradition that was started by his father many years ago. Since we were in Logan, Dick and I wanted him to read it to the grandchildren and great grandchildren just like he did for our children when they were little. 

Another 4 generation picture of the Call men.

Dick, Vosco, and Allyn

The snow continued to fall making everything look like a Winter Wonderland. Perfect scenery for Christmas.

Richie took the kids out to play in the snow. Deacon and Sophie are making snow angels.

For Family Home Evening, Chrislynn wanted to do the Nativity Story with the children to help them understand the true meaning of Christmas. Deacon and Grace were the shepherds.

Sophia was a beautiful Mary and Josie was baby Jesus.

Richie III was the narrator. He is such a good reader. It's truly amazing!

Travis, the donkey, giving Mary a ride.

All of a sudden, one of the shepherds hopped on too. (I love the way Sophie is holding on to Deacon. Such a little mother. When I first noticed her hand in this picture, I got teary eyed.) These two really do have a special bond.

Of course, the other shepherd needed a ride as well.

Convenient how the flash from my camera reflecting in the TV looks like the North Star, huh? After the story, we all sang a couple of Christmas songs. Even with all the giggling and silliness, the spirit was still strong and the children learned a really good lesson.  

Baby Jesus got a little tired and needed some loves from her Aunt Giselle and Aunt Brianna.

This year we gave the kids one big present, instead of lots of little ones. Aubrey chose to open hers on Christmas Eve. We got her a laptop this year. Aubrey loves to write and now she can type her stories straight into her laptop. Anson's present was a ski pass that he has been using almost every day during Christmas break. It was a very good investment!

Deacon on Christmas morning. Brianna and Travis were planning on going back to Burley the night of Christmas Eve, but with all of the snow, they decided to stay one more day. They had left all of his presents in Burley, but Santa still found him in Logan.

All of my beautiful grandchildren! I love them so much!

Grandpa and Josie

Anson is such a good uncle. I love how he holds the babies.

We decided to head home on Christmas day because they were expecting more snow in Idaho the next day and Anson also wanted to go snowboarding. We stopped at Grandpa's to visit for a little bit. This is his backyard. I love the large icicles on his porch.

We went to Sissy's to pack up our stuff and headed home. The weather was excellent for traveling. There was absolutely no snow on the roads.

When Travis, Brianna, and Deacon got back to Burley they  joined the Jones family for Christmas dinner. Randy and Danielle gave Deacon the coolest present of all. A Darth Vader costume! Complete with a talking mask and light up Light Saber. 

We brought the snow with us from Logan because the day after we got home it started snowing and it hasn't stopped yet.

 My Christmas present to Dick this year. He loved it, but wasn't too happy about the payments. He really needed it though, he has such a hard time getting up from our couches. After he sat in it and got up so easily, he was really happy about it. 

It was really different this year not being home for Christmas but we really loved it. I was really spoiled. I didn't have to do any cooking, cleaning or organizing. All I had to do was relax. Richie ended up having more days off then they originally planned so we got to spend even more time with him. It was great seeing Grandpa every day and having all of my family in one place.