"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas"

After Thanksgiving, I realized there was nothing I could do to stall the holidays.  Danny and I had been so excited for the holidays for months!  This would be our first Christmas in our own home, where we didn't have to travel.  It would be our first Christmas morning with just our kids!  Then Luke got sick, and none of it seemed to matter.  But Danny and I recognized early on that even if we didn't feel any yuletide joy, we needed to put Christmas on...with all the jingle bells and whistles...for the older kids.  So, when December 1st rolled around, we decided it was time to don our gay apparel.  Well, it was time for the house to anyway. :)

Papa spent the majority of the day with Luke at the hospital, and Danny and I set most of the day aside to spend with Claire, Sophie, and Johnny.  We got the house all cleaned up and started setting up the tree!  We turned on Pandora Radio, tuned to the Holiday Jazz station I created a few years ago, and got to work. 

The kids were awesome Hand-The-Branches-To-Daddy helpers, and even helped fluff out some of the branches.  While they worked on the tree, I set up some more decorations, and realized that we have way more real estate to decorate than ever before!  Time to start building our inventory a bit more. 

The kids were very proud of their work!  And as we decorated, we talked about what they wanted for Christmas, and how excited they were for Santa to come.  It helped us as parents feel the Christmas Spirit to see our kids so excited.  And both of us realized how important it was to us to give our children an awesome Christmas.  Claire, Sophie, and Johnny have been so amazing through this whole experience.  They are so willing to give up time with us so we can be at the hospital.  They pray for their brother every day, and always look forward to their next visit.  They, more than any kids we know, deserve a visit from Santa.  

And even though it may push us to the very limits of exhaustion, we're going to have a great holiday season.  After all, we couldn't disappoint these brown-eyed beauties...

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving was over six weeks ago, and I'm just now getting around to blogging about it.  I know my memory is going to be fuzzy, thanks to a whole new level of sleep deprivation.  But I can say this with certainty.  This year's Thanksgiving was the weirdest Thanksgiving ever.

It's hard to feel in the holiday spirit with your baby boy in the hospital.  Even though we were incredibly aware and grateful for our blessings, it was hard to get the emotions going.  Danny and I were just so tired.  Danny spend the night before at the hospital with Luke, so I was at home with the kids on Thanksgiving morning.  I'll be honest...it wasn't a pretty sight.  I was so incredibly exhausted, and bummed that I wasn't with Luke.  Or, to be precise, that Luke wasn't with us.  The kids were also tired, and they smelled blood in the water that day.  They were out of control.  And I was trying to get them bathed and looking cute before we headed to Grandma Candy's for the first portion of the day.  I don't remember particulars, but I do remember yelling a lot...and maybe teaching my kids some words they didn't know before. ;)  Like is said...it was ugly.  By the time Danny made it home, I was in tears and ready to cancel the whole stupid thing.  Not just Thanksgiving, but the entire holiday season!  He talked me off my ledge, helped me finish getting the kids ready, and we headed to Grandma Candy's.  Papa stayed at the hospital with Luke for the morning so we could spend the first part of the day with my family, and then Grandma Candy was going to head up to the hospital to switch places so that we could all be together for the Call/Lovell Thanksgiving in the evening.  Oh, the hospital shuffle!

Once we got to Grandma Candy's, my mood had improved, if only marginally.  The kids, however, we stoked!  Claire, in particular, was so excited for turkey.  That girl loves her meat.  And they always enjoy their time playing with Isabelle and Eli!  These cousins really are becoming the best of friends.  

Especially the boys.  Every time they see each other, they run across the room and give each other a big hug.  After that, they are basically inseparable. 

While the final preparations were being done for dinner, Danny took the opportunity to sit and look through our new cookbook from Aunt Heather.  The lucky girl got to spend some time with Guy Fieri from The Food Network, in the flesh, and was able to fandangle us a signed copy of his new cookbook.  Awesome!  Note how Danny is barely able to open his eyes.  I seriously had to take four pictures to get one with his eyes open at all!  That's how tired we were. 

The girls passed the time making Thanksgiving pictures for Luke's room.  They were missing their baby brother, too.

And finally it was time to eat!  And it was delicious, as always.  It was nice to spend some time together.  It had been over a week since Luke had been admitted, and we hadn't spent time together with anyone.  It was a nice reprieve from reality, complete with a side of cranberry sauce. 

Somehow, Johnny ended up being the only one at the kids' table.  Maybe that's why dinner was so nice... :)  

Then we made our way home for a quick rest before heading to the school for Thanksgiving Part II.  Claire just about lost it when she found out that we were getting to eat turkey again!  The kids all enjoyed their second helping of Thanksgiving fare...

But they especially enjoyed being able to see their cousins on the Call side!  Uncle Robbie, Aunt Kris, Andi, and Liam came from California, and the girls were so excited to see Andi again.  

And we were all excited to get the chance to meet Baby Liam.  He was the tail-end of the Call grandkids for 2012.  We started out with Luke, then Lucy, and then Liam!  We had great plans for a picture of the three together, but that plan was obviously thwarted.  We'll have to save that for another time.  But for now, two out of three isn't bad! :)

We enjoyed getting the chance to sit down with the Call side for a nice dinner, too.  We hadn't had much of a chance to talk to any of them outside of the hospital either.  We were reminded of how much we love and appreciate the relationships we have with our families, and how grateful we are that we're back home and close to them.  All too soon, and yet not soon enough, it was time to leave Claire, Sophie, and Johnny to play with Grandma and Papa while Danny and I made our way to spend some time with Luke.  We are so grateful for our children, and we are especially grateful for their strength and maturity in the face of adversity.  They have each taught me and Danny so much already.  We love each of them more than words can say.

We drove as fast as we could to be with Luke.  My heart ached all day being without my little guy.  And on his first Thanksgiving, too.  He'd had a good day with Papa, and then with Grandma Candy.  But I know he was definitely grateful to see us!  And we were definitely grateful to see him having such a great day.  Once I was with Luke, my mood lightened, and I was able to feel those wonderful holiday emotions that I hadn't been able to earlier.  

While it was definitely the weirdest Thanksgiving ever, it was still a good Thanksgiving.  And it was especially poignant to us this year, as we had been constantly counting our blessings.  While I could spend hours naming each and every blessing, I can sum it up pretty quick by saying that we are eternally grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ.  For the gift of His infinite Atonement.  It is by this, and through Him, that we have everything we do and the promise of everything we desire.  It is through His priesthood power that Danny and I were sealed in His holy temple, for time and all eternity, and it is through that sealing that we are promised to have our children with us forever.  That knowledge has been the source of such immense comfort during this trial with Luke's health.  We have never been more grateful for, or reliant upon, the truths of the gospel that Danny and I have been privileged to know from infancy.  It is truly overwhelming to glimpse our Heavenly Father's love for us and our little family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Milestones: Solid Food

I was going through my camera and transferring all the pictures to the computer when I came across these.  I remembered that we had put Luke in his high chair for solid food for the first time the night before we brought him in for that fateful ENT visit at Primary Children's.  This milestone happened on November 12, and I can't believe how much our life has changed since.  I also can't believe how skinny Luke had gotten!  But still so stinkin' handsome.

Luke's first meal consisted of rice cereal and apples, with a side of Spiderman cheering him on.  He absolutely LOVED it! :)  

In fact, I think it blew his mind. :)

He ate great, and it was the best he had eaten in days.  He promptly fell asleep with a full tummy.  He's grown up so fast, and Danny and I are constantly reminded of how amazingly strong and peaceful he is.  We absolutely love our Luke-son!

The First Snow

Ok, to be fair, I think this was technically the second snow of the year.  But the first one was wet and heavy and no fun at all.  This was the first fun snow, where the kids could get out and play.  And it came out of no where!  We went to bed on Friday night (November 9th) with nothing, and woke up Saturday morning to about 8 inches of snow covering our yard!  The kids could hardly wait to get out in it!  Luckily for us, we had all the gear they needed.  Last year, the morning of the first snow, I went out and dropped $80 on snow clothes for the kids thinking they would be needing them all winter long.  They wore them all of three times that year, thanks to an extremely mild winter.  I'm glad I bought everything a size or two big!

Claire and Sophie are regular snow bunnies.  And our yard is awesome for snow play!  They traipsed all over the place, yet there was a seeming never-ending supply of fresh snow.  The girls enjoyed making snow balls and snow forts, which Danny was glad to help with.

Claire loved eating the snow!  After our discussion about the yellow variety. :)

And Johnny was in his own winter wonderland!  I'm sure he felt like an explorer in a new world.  Which for him, it was!  

And you've got to build a snowman!  Danny was a great help, but what the kids loved the most was destroying the snowman.  Sophie and Johnny thought the coolest part of the day was when Danny lifted the bottom snowball above his head and sent it crashing onto the patio.

Well, that was tied with the part where they buried Danny in the snow. :)

During all of this, Luke and I stayed inside where it was warm.  Luke wasn't feeling so good at that point.  It was only 3 days before we brought him in for his appointment at Primary Children's.  I'm so glad we were able to enjoy this beautiful winter Saturday as a family.  It really was a perfect day.

Trick Or Treats!

With all our fun family activities leading up to Halloween, I was wondering if the actual day would be a let-down for the kids.  Not so much. :)  Both girls had a fun Halloween activity at school, so the day started out with getting dressed up!  Danny even stayed home from work during the morning to help get the kids dressed and be there for both of the girls' school activities.

The girls were most excited to finally get to wear make-up!

Danny dropped Claire off at school, and then headed to the preschool for Sophie's Halloween Program.  The kids sang their Halloween songs, and then did a little trick-or-treating.  Sophie sang her songs with gusto, but would anyone expect anything different? ;)  

And after class time, Claire had a Halloween parade to do!  All the kindergarten classes got together and did a costume parade.  Claire, as you can tell, was very confident in her Merida costume!  She rocks the wig. 

After school, we had a little bit of time to hang out before it was time to get ready for trick or treats!  I started a new tradition this year, or really continued my Mom's tradition, of chili and tortillas for dinner.  It was my first time making my Mom's chili, and I haven't tried tortillas in a while, but the dinner turned out awesome!  The kids ate great, and then we got them in their costumes.  I was unseasonably warm that evening, so luckily the kids didn't have to cover their cute costumes with coats.

Before taking the kids around our neighborhood, we decided to go show them off to the grands and great-grands.  Papa thought the kids were too cute!  How could he not?  Luke wore the same Tigger costume that each kid has worn for their first Halloween.  I can't believe that costume has been worn by four kids!  Best $12.00 I ever spent at Target. :)

Great Grandma Lovell loves it when the kids come to visit, and our girls really do miss their time with her.  How cool is it that they not only know their great grandma, but have a real relationship with her?

Johnny was being a two-year-old and not cooperating at all, so there's no picture of him.  But as you can see, Luke and Great Grandma had a little talk.  Grandma loves that boy, and the two of them have the cutest conversations.

And we couldn't leave Great Grandma Call out of the fun!  We swung by her house for a quick visit and a little trick-or-treating, too.  We love our Grandmas!

And finally, after all the waiting and practicing, it was time to go trick-or-treating!  Danny and I have never taken our kids trick-or-treating before.  In Cali, there wasn't really a neighborhood we felt comfortable with, so we stuck with the ward Trunk-or-Treat.  So we were excited not only to go trick-or-treating at all, but to have our awesome new neighborhood to do so in.  We decided to see if Ruby wanted to come with us, and she thought that was a great idea!  Lucy came too, but she mostly slept in her stroller.  I think she had the greatest time! :)

I can't believe how quickly Claire has grown up.  I remember each of her Halloweens, but I swear something happened since the last one, and she grew up into this girl that I hardly recognize!  I didn't get a picture of just Sophie, but that's because she was never standing still.  She was all over getting that candy!  Sophie has to be the most precocious girl I've ever known.  I love her to death.

Luke did so good, and just hung out in the Moby.  And Johnny, after a few houses, finally got the hang of the whole thing.  Interestingly enough, he didn't like the houses that had any Halloween decorations, creepy or not.  It made him kind of nervous!  That was okay with me...I love it when he holds my hand.

Seriously, how cute is he?!

Daddy thought so, too.  Danny loves doing this stuff with his kids!  Greatest.  Dad.  Ever.

We had the kids out for about an hour before we decided it was getting chilly and late, and headed home.  After all, it was a school night. :)  The kids got plenty of candy, in fact we still have plenty of it at home and it's been more than a month since Halloween!  I have to give a shout-out to Julie and Brian for coming and hanging out at our house and handing out candy so that Danny and I could both take our kids out.  This whole living next to family thing is pretty nice! :)

Happy Halloween! 

Ushering In The Holidays

The week before Halloween is when the holiday season starts to ramp up.  Summer is definitely over, Fall is in full swing, and after Halloween you can blink and it's Christmas.  Looking back, I felt compelled to do so many things as a family.  Honestly, at the time, I couldn't figure out why I was stressing myself out doing all these things before Halloween!  I'm not one of those people who loves the trick-or-treat holiday.  I wondered why I wasn't saving my energy for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Now, with Luke's diagnosis and hospitalization, I see it as a tender mercy.  These were the last family activities we did before our life changed forever.  But I have a whole blog dedicated to my feelings about Luke's cancer!  Only happy feelings here! :)

  We kicked off things off by painting some pumpkins to take to Aunt Rachel's place.  The kids loved that idea, and the pumpkins turned out adorable.

I was particularly a fan of Claire's witch. :)

We had to wait a day for the pumpkins to dry enough to take to the cemetery, but unfortunately once the pumpkins were dry the outdoors were not!  It seemed to rain and snow for a few days after we finished our painted pumpkins.  So placing them had to wait.

In the meantime, we went to Grandma Candy's ward for Trunk or Treat on the Friday evening before Halloween.  The kids were so excited to finally don their costumes!  I think I've come to enjoy buying their costumes so far in advance, and seeing the kids get more and more excited.  I picked out the girls' costumes this year during a childless trip to Costco, so I had to wing it.  I was most worried about Claire's costume, since we hadn't seen the movie "Brave" yet, but it was a sparkly dress with a wig, so Claire was on board.  I have to say, she looked incredible!  If her eyes were green, she'd be the real life version of Princess Merida. Everyone LOVED her costume!  Sophie made a beautiful Cinderella, and was excited to be this princess since she got the movie for her birthday this year.  And Johnny, of course, was a muscled Spiderman, and he lived the part.  Luke isn't pictured, but he wore an adorable fireman costume compliments of Baron and/or Roman. :)

Uncle Devin and Aunt Jessie came too, just weeks after little Emma joined the family!  The kids had been waiting to meet their newest cousin.

It was unanimously decided that she was just too stinkin' cute!

The Trunk or Treat also meant the first of way too much candy!  The kids appreciated getting the chance to practice their trick or treating skills.

On Monday, the 29th, the weather was cooperative, and we took the chance before Family Home Evening to go up to Aunt Rachel's place and put out her pumpkins.  I think they looked really cute on her headstone!

But nothing is cuter than this guy!  Poor thing was still not feeling good, as were were still treating his ear infections.  Yet he was still able to smile.  I didn't realize how prophetic Claire's nick name of "Mr. Smiles" would be...this guy can smile through the worst of it.

"Happy Halloween, Aunt Rachel!"

I love that we have the opportunity to keep my little sister so much a part of our family.  And every time we got to visit her place, it gives Danny and I the opportunity to teach our children the most precious doctrines of the gospel.   Thanks, Rachel, for that opportunity.

After we got back from the cemetery, it was time to do our FHE Activity...carve pumpkins!  The kids had picked out two nice pumpkins earlier that day and were anxious to get started. 

The most fun part, of course, is playing in the guts.

Danny and I had high hopes of each carving one of those cool designs from the carving kit, but after about 20 minutes of painstakingly poking holes for the design, Danny abandoned his effort for a classic jack-o-lantern designed by Claire and Sophie.  I don't know why I didn't do the same thing...but I get focused.

Three of my cute pumpkins with their cute pumpkins. :)

Since Halloween wasn't until Wednesday, we still had one more evening to fit in some fun before the big night.  Two years ago, we had a caramel apple FHE before Halloween, and we had so much fun I wanted it to become a tradition.  But last year we were in Carlsbad, CA with Grandma Candy having fun on the beach, so we skipped that new tradition.  But this year we were sure to fit it in!

Luke just took it all in, from the comfort and fun of the bouncer.

And Johnny was only interested in getting to the part with the sprinkles. :)

Sophie and Claire took the caramel application very seriously...

And were pleased with the outcome!

As was I.  :)

Since living with Grandma and Papa during the Christmas season last year, Claire discovered she loves caramel.  Papa makes homemade caramels every year for their neighbors and friends, and Claire snitched more than her fair share of caramels!  So this treat really was right up her alley, and she knew it.

Sophie was more intrigued with the whole sticky-apple-on-a-stick concept...

...and Johnny was still all about the sprinkles. :)

I thought this picture turned out so cool!  It looks like the white chocolate chips are Danny's teeth!  Complete happenstance, I assure you.  But pretty cool effect!

And with the consumption of way too much sugar before bed, the night before the biggest candy holiday of the year, we tried desperately to get our kids to sleep.  They more or less cooperated, with a litany of threats about cancelling Halloween the next day.  Which they all knew they couldn't stand to miss...