Beautiful Annie Turns 5 Today!!

Happy 5th Birthday to beautiful Annie Michele Call. I can't believe you are such a big girl now. There are so many things I love about you, I hardly know where to start. You are so much fun to be around. I LOVE spending time with you. You have such a sweet personality and always include everyone when you are playing with cousins. I like how you giggle, how you are learning to read and can do a perfect cartwheel. I love to visit you and read stories on your bed and look at your beautiful princess dress-ups hanging on your wall. You are so very beautiful but most importantly to me and grandpa is that you are so beautiful and kind on the inside. That makes you a real princess and we are so proud of you. I love you you dearly and can't wait to see you again soon.

Love,

Grandma

Sister's Retreat 2011

This past weekend we held our 3rd (or 4th?) annual Sister's Retreat in Seattle, Washington. Robyn organized it around Taylor leaving for his mission to Brazil. She did a great job getting us where we needed to go. We stayed the first night at the "Camlin," a very cool older hotel in downtown Seattle. We spent most of the next day visiting in the top floor remodeled piano bar, where Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin used to play. I flew home that night and they went on to take the ferry over to Discovery Bay and the animal park. I understand Alyssa and Denise fed the moose and elk bread from their car windows. . . lots of slobber but they loved it.
Ella was the lucky twin who got to come. She was mothered all weekend by six of us and was so darling.
Denise is wise beyond her years and the perfect oldest sister to lead the way.
Everyone "shared" a gift, thought, message. . . something we have learned this year and hope to learn in the next year. Alyssa gave us all this cool head massager/itcher thing that was awesome! Amber gave us a great cookbook, Denise and Alyssa shared books they had read, I gave the Time Out for Women DVD and mom paid for our dinner. Mom had to raise her hand to get her five daughters to quit talking and laughing long enough for her to make a comment.


Robyn picked us up from the airport and we first went to Cheesecake Factory to eat and wait for Alyssa to arrive. Sadly, the airport made a HUGE error and Alyssa couldn't fly in until the next morning. It's amazing what coordination it took to have us all there at the same time. Good job Robyn.
Unfortunately for me, it was also the weekend of our stake women's conference which I did NOT want to miss. So I traveled up and back twice over the weekend. I can't believe how blessed I am to have FOUR sisters and a wonderful mom---all who love me despite my faults and weaknesses and women who I love, admire and adore. Denise said she felt like it was "Sister's General Conference," and I whole-heartedly agree.

We finished the weekend listening to a very well-prepared nephew speak like a RM, then had a great dinner at Robyn's. Thanks for an uplifting weekend. . . I can't wait until next year!

SO FUNNY!

Every now and then, Tim does something quite hilarious. A few weeks ago I LOST an SD card with the interview of Sister Janice Kapp Perry on it. I was devastated and could NOT figure out where it was! We searched for hours before giving up, finally deciding it would turn up at some point. Well, it DID turn up. . . in the refrigerator of all places!

So last week, when I couldn't find my temple recommend, Tim left me this note. I had left my recommend in Tim's shirt pocket and Durfey Dry Cleaners returned it. When Tim discovered it, he left this note on the door and put my temple recommend in the fridge---same place I found the SD card. I'm afraid this joke will never die. One good side note---I can get into the temple without a temple recommend; all I need is Tim to vouch for me. Do you think that will work in heaven? I'm counting on it!

Two Teletubbies

You can't imagine what we had to do to get these little precious faces to look up at the same time.Olivia LOVES the water.

Grandpa, you're funny. . .Babysitting is sometimes just pure joy.

Annie's First Ski Day

The day before the Call family left to go back to Cleveland, Annie, Rosa, and I had a fun adventure taking Annie on her first ski day. I loved being with my two darling grand daugthers at my favorite ski resort---Sundance.

There is nothing quite so cute and quite so fun as two little cousins who love playing in the snow and who love each other.
Annie had a very nice instructor for her lesson. She was very patient and kind and she thought Annie was a doll. . . no surprise there!
Annie learned very quickly in the short two-hour lesson. During that time, Rosa and I skied all over the mountain. . . she skis like a an old pro.
Sadly, Annie and I had a terrible crash on our last run together. We were both pretty shook up but used it as an excuse to go in for hot chocolate. Overall, it was one of the highlights of the Christmas vacation for me. Beautiful sky, clean air, and darling girls. . . what a treat for me!

Sledding at the Cabin

Wiley wasn't so sure he wanted to go at first, but then had a great time once he was out there. He is fearless on the sleds.
A fun time sledding with the kids and grandkids. The cold clean air felt so good to breathe.




Annie loves sledding, skiing, dancing, singing, playing with cousins, her blankie, dressing up, doing cartwheels and giggling.
Rosa loves sledding, skiing, ice-skating, doing cartwheels, art, smiling, music, and playing with cousins.
Ahhh....the newlyweds brave the cold. Steph gave Aaron the hat for Christmas.

Happy 25th Birthday to Megan!!

Sunday, January 9th was Megan's 25th birthday. We gathered with those who were still here to celebrate. Tim was in Shaker Heights, Ohio, with Lisa and the children after successfully completing an 1800 mile journey driving back home. Matt stayed here to finish his rotation and to say goodbye to his parents who just received their visa for their mission in Brazil. Lisa, Tim and the kids called and sang to Megan over the phone. Becca made a darling cake and we enjoyed having Taylor, Megan and Pirate home with us.

This year we are changing our tradition of telling each other what we value and love about them on their birthday and instead, posting it as a comment on the blog. So...here you go family! Let's start the New Year out by telling Megan why we love her:

Christmas 2010

Jimmer is all bundled up and and ready to roll.
"Ticket to Ride" is a great game to play after all of the kids are to bed.


Spencer is just a kid at heart.
The guys made a tubing trail through the trees behind the cabin. Everyone had a great time sledding right off the back side of the cabin. . . at night no less!
Ben and Sharalee take a one minute time out. Christmas is exhausting for parents.Cute jammies Shara!
Wiley and Kimball watch Harry Potter for the first time. . . with dads and moms nearby for editing purposes. They were mesmerized. It was most fun to see them devour the book.
My first picture with my new camera! I love being at the cabin for Christmas with the family. This is the first year we have ever attempted it and I was in heaven.
There is nothing better than playing dress-up with your special cousin.
Baby Hazel is so precious. She is an angelic little soul who smiles constantly.
Annie, Rosa, and Eva dance the lovely princess dance, as only real lovely princesses can.

Baby Olivia pushes her new toy train all over the cabin. Was there ever such a happy little baby?

Ben and Wiley eagerly read Stephanie's new book, "Why Can't I Fly?" Steph wrote and illustrated this darling children's book for a class at school and gave all of us a copy.