PINKSTON FAMILY

One thing is clear . . .

2012-01-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

Even though our boys are changing and doing silly things daily, we are terrible about taking photos/video footage to document all the fun happenings - I knew we were due for another blog post, but we had hardly any photos, to post, so it became clear that I needed to set a belated New Years Resolution - leave the camera out and use it MORE!! These two were taken yesterday -

Coleman was sleeping so peacefully and Connor was playing independently really well, so I took advantage of this rare occasion by cleaning their bathroom . . . apparently Connor thought that Cole needed a diaper change, because after cleaning the tub, I came out to find diapers stuffed all around his arms - so silly!

Connor has just been staring blankly at the lens whenever a camera is around, so we have been trying to teach him to smile - This one was so cute, but I have to admit it pulls a bit at the mommy heartstrings . . . he looks too grownup!

Introducing . . .

2011-12-11T07:57:00.001-08:00

Our sweet baby boy #2 arrived a bit early -

October 28th, 2011

Coleman K. Pinkston

joined our family and we love him so much already!!

Chris and Coleman right before leaving the hospital

Connor seeing Coleman at home for the first time

Connor holding Coleman for the first time - it was so sweet how he held his hand :)

Our adorable, chubby Coleman

Our ward Halloween Trunk or Treat was the day we came home from the hospital -

Isn't Connor the cutest little Tigger ever?!

My mom was able to fly out and help the day Coleman was born - we were so grateful for her help, and we couldn't have survived without her! Dad joined her for the last week of her stay ... we had so much fun and felt so blessed to have them here, especially for Thanksgiving and Coleman's baby blessing - these photos were taken right after the blessing :)

We were lucky to have nice weather late into November, and we took advantage of the fabulous trails around Columbia - This is Grandma Denise with Connor on the day that everyone went biking on the trails by Rocheport.

Connor's latest obsession - horses!

So naturally the carousel at the mall is one of his new favorite things -

My dad is a great photographer, so we wanted to do some family photos while he was here - but between juggling a newborn and an active toddler it proved more difficult than I expected ;)

I think this photo sums it up!

Our Little Climber

2011-10-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Needless to say, we are two very (overly, ridiculously) proud parents - time to start looking for a full body harness for next summer!

Better Late Than Never . . . Right?

2011-10-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

WOW - it has been forever since we posted anything to the blog, but things are finally starting to settle down a bit for us here in Columbia, so it is time to play "catch-up". These photos were taken around Connor's 1 year birthday by my father while we were vacationing in Utah. I LOVE them . . . no professional photographer could have gotten these same expressions out of him and I think the quality of the photos is so amazing! In fact, when I went to have some of them printed, the girl helping me requested a copyright release from my photographer - Thanks again for doing such a great job Dad!

It has been way too long . . .

2011-07-29T20:57:00.000-07:00

Our life has been completely crazy the last few months, and then flipped upside down the last few weeks - I finally had a moment this evening to blog about everything that is happening ;)

Right after our last blog post in April, I got called to be Relief Society President and Chris got called to be the 1st Counselor in the Young Men's organization at church - Add Connor to the equation, and needless to say, we did not have much spare time on our hands! My normal blogging time was in the evenings once Connor had fallen asleep, but I was also falling asleep much earlier that my usual bedtime (8pm instead of 11pm), because . . . we are so excited to announce that baby boy #2 is on his way and will be joining our family in November!!

Connor has been growing and learning new things every day, sometimes it seems more like every hour! He is a very friendly, personable little guy - he loves EVERYONE and has no fear of strangers. He makes everyone's day - from the ladies at the gym's kid care to the old man at the grocery store - by blowing kisses or waving hello, playing patty-cake or peek-a-boo. He is such a comedian . . . he loves to make other people laugh, and he loves join in the laughing when all the adults around him are doing it too.

We celebrated his 1 year birthday on June 25th with a big backyard BBQ, and then we went out to Utah for the next 2 1/2 weeks to visit family - it was a whirlwind trip and we LOVED it! Connor took his first steps while we were there, and now he is walking everywhere!!

The last 2 weeks have been nuts because Chris found out that he was selected for a promotion to Senior Attorney - we are thrilled (and Connor and I are so proud of him and all his hard work :) The new job is taking us back to Columbia, MO and they want him there by August 1st, so we are in a mad rush to sell our house and get relocated. We are thrilled to be returning to a place and friends that we loved so much, but we will miss our home and friends here in Springfield. Last week we went to Columbia on house hunting trip, and by the end of 5 grueling days, we finally found a home we loved!!

Here are a handful of photos representing the last few months - Utah and new home pics to follow soon!

Connor's 1st Haircut at a salon

Connor's B-day hat

Connor was hilarious sitting in his highchair greeting his guests as they arrived

Two of Connor's favorite things are balls and balloons -

so they were ALL OVER the backyard during the party

This photo is of Connor while we were singing "Happy Birthday" -

at first he looked like he was going to cry, but then he settled into loving the attention

He LOVED his fist taste of sugar and chocolate - who can blame him?

What a fun party!! It has been a great first year and we're excited for the next one :)

Clapping

2011-04-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

Connor really likes his food . . .

Funny Pics

2011-04-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

We have so many funny videos of Connor eating, crawling, climbing and playing . . . but we are having issues getting them to upload to blogger, so these silly photos will have to do :) Connor is so fun lately - almost always happy and trying to find ways to entertain us. We are so blessed to have him!

Connor playing with his basketball (whatever he plays with inevitably ends up in his mouth :) and wearing his BYU hoodie the day of the big game - Biggest fan!

Connor loves playing with his snack cup . . .

But he still is trying to figure out how to get his hand and the snacks out together :) Eventually the whole thing just ends up in his mouth -

Time to put up the Baby Gate?!

2011-03-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

February, Gone Already?!?!

2011-03-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful month of February!! Chelsea and Ava were with us for almost the entire time, and we had a blast - we kept very busy filling every minute with exercising, cooking new healthy recipes, carefully picking out the most exciting and sinful food splurges on our "free days", playing Settlers & Big Fish, swimming, library storytime, playing at the park when weather was nice, visiting MAC, and the list goes on and on . . . I wish we would have paused to take more photos and videos. We did get adorable videos of the kids swimming and of Ava feeding Connor, but they won't post to the blog, so this picture of Ava feeding him will have to do :) He absolutely would not eat his green beans from me, but if Ava was holding the spoon he LOVED them! She was such a good big "sister" and Connor misses her very much!

This park is a couple blocks from Chris' work, and we have decided that we are going to meet at the park for a picnic lunch every Thursday - Connor got a kick out of watching the ducks chase the torn bread we tossed into the pond.

Just some funny photos that we have taken of our little man -

Super Bowl Weekend - Go Pack!

2011-02-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

What Connor does while we play settlers -

Wrong end :)

Handsome man cruising around on the living room floor after church -

Watching the Super Bowl with dad - we think the Packers won for Chris :)

2011-02-02T18:02:00.000-08:00

We have been so busy lately because we have been lucky enough to have some of our favorite people visiting! Chelsea and Ava are in Springfield with us for the next few weeks - we have been doing our own bootcamp, eating healthy and playing lots of Settlers :) Ava is such a good cousin to Connor . . . here she is reading to him!

On Saturday, we went to the park . . .

On Wednesday, we played in the snow! This was Connor's first time sledding, and Missy loved it too :)

We thought we'd post a few photos of Connor doing things he loves - #1 is stuffing things in his mouth . . .

#2 is playing in the bath - and of course, the bath toys/washcloth usually end up in his mouth as well :)

We have been feeding Connor cereal and vegetables for quite sometime now, and we were excited to start fruits (babies are supposed to love them, right?) . . . This video speaks for itself - he had a similar reaction to bananas :)

Connor the Entertainer

2011-01-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

Connor's not quite sure about this solid food thing . . .

He was more interested in the spoon than in the food

Video of his first taste of rice cereal

Then he decided to test his balance

Little taste of the Holidays!

2011-01-09T18:52:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful vacation visiting family in Utah over Christmas and New Years - we are missing everyone already :) Sorry these photos aren't in chronological order - They downloaded backwards (the end of our trip first), and there are simply too many to rearrange them
Enjoy . . .

Connor loved to sit on the back of this huge stuffed animal "Cheeto" - when he would get tired of sitting he'd just recline back and chill - he loved lounging too :)

Chris was so excited to take Connor swimming for the first time, and Connor did not disappoint - he loved the water :) We took him swimming at his Grandma Norma's club house - the same pool that Chris has been swimming in since he was little!

Snuggle time with Grandma Norma after swimming :)

How Connor rang in the New Year - this photo was taken at 12:01 on 1/1/11 -

Connor has always loved bathtime, but he seems to particularly like his personal bath and changing room at Grandma Kay & Grandpa Dave's house - Funny boy!

Grandpa Dave brought balloons home from work for Connor and they provided HOURS of entertainment - he was thoroughly fascinated by them!

4 generation photo on Chris' maternal side -

Connor's first hike in Zion's National Park - We love this place :)

One of our favorite things to do with Mom and Dad is hiking and exploring - looks like Connor is following in our footsteps!

It was worth braving the cold weather for views like this :)

Never to young to start . . . right?

We have 4 generation photos of Connor with Grandma & Grandpa Call and Hill, but they weren't downloading properly (we will work on that and post them soon!) - But we thought this one of Grandpa Call playing with Connor was priceless! They were both so entertained by each other :)

Connor with Grandma Denise on Christmas Eve - magical :)

Connor with Daddy on Christmas morning - Connor has been a very good boy and Santa found him at Grandma & PaPa's house (we think his declaration of love on his bib for the jolly, old man helped a little :)

Christmas Eve with Momma in front of "the burning bush"

We had such a wonderful time with everyone that we were able to see - We have many more pictures, and we will post more soon, but I think this is a pretty sizable start :)

Connor Loves Santa :)

2010-12-09T10:30:00.001-08:00

This week we took Connor over to Bass Pro where they have the real Santa :) We thought this photo was hilarious because he looks excited - even though he has no clue why he's waiting in line!

Nancy was able to come with us to see Santa - This photo is them in front of a HUGE fireplace at Bass Pro - Lucky Connor was spoiled and cuddled all week :)

Santa said that Connor asked for squeaky toys, a book and yummy food - does formula qualify for yummy food? Unfortunately, I don't think so!

They were both pretty entertained by each other :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with friends in Springfield. We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving as well. Here are some pics of Connor getting ready to go out and do some shopping on Black Friday!

Some of our favorite things :)

2010-11-19T10:27:00.000-08:00

We love bringing Connor into bed with us in the morning - he is always so smily, happy and talkative right after he wakes up. Chris still has sleepy eyes, and Connor is in a phases where he goes blank when he sees the big, black camera come out, but I love this photo anyway!

This is one of Connor's favorite "games" lately!

4 months and growing!

2010-11-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

Connor has found his fingers and apparently they are scrumptious!

Halloween Costume - Perfect little round bear face with funny, tiny features :)

We loved having Grandma Denise visit - so much fun!! Despite the evidence in the pictures, Connor is actually becoming very smiley, but whenever he sees the "big black box" (ie. camera), he completely blanks out! We miss having her here, and are looking forward to spending time with so many family members over the holidays - that way everyone will see smiles in person :)

Connor's Latest Trick :)

2010-10-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is Connor's solution to avoiding tummy time - Doesn't he look completely exhausted once he's done?! We were so excited :) I only wish he would've done it a 1/2 day earlier so Grandma Denise could have been here to see it!

Trip to Colorado & Connor's New Trick

2010-10-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

Connor getting ready for his first roadtrip! We had so much fun visiting Chels and Ava in Colorado last weekend - thanks for having us & we love you two!

Connor and his adorable cousin, Ava - she was always so cute and sweet with him . . . if he was ever fussing, she'd try to comfort him by saying repeatedly, "it's okay, Connor, it's okay"

After bathtime - not really a highlight of the trip, but I thought this pic was gorgeous :)

After church - Nate, Chelsea and Ava bought this vest for him before he was born and we think it makes him look so handsome!

We walked to the park one afternoon, and this is one of Ava's silly faces looking through a playground peeking hole :)

Chris is still one of Ava's favorite people - and Ava is one of his :)

Connor is so lucky to have such a wonderful aunt!

This was so funny - apparently this trick requires lots of concentration, as can clearly be seen in his facial expression - ha!

Bigger and Bigger Everyday

2010-10-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

Connor loves his walks - and Missy loves them too! He gets so excited when he looks up and sees the tree branches arching overhead :)

Connor really hates tummy time, but this morning he did pretty good! He is constantly playing with his tongue . . . seems like lately it is always hanging out of his mouth!

Chris couldn't resist taking this picture of Connor during church last Sunday - he was so serious and curious about everything.

He keeps us smiling:)

2010-09-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Just more photos . . .

2010-09-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Thought you'd like to see some updated photos of Connor - we just think he is so cute and funny! This first one is right after his daily baby massage . . . he loves to bundle up in a fleece blanket afterwards. Doesn't he look so relaxed? I tell him everyday that I wish I had a personal masseuse too!

We call this his "Blue Steel" face (ala Zoolander :) - it is a face he pulls frequently, and we can't help but laugh everytime!

I love the expression on his face when he is being burped . . . reminds me a bit of a little turtle :)

We just love how his eyes are so expressive and twinkle so brightly when he smiles!

This past week, Connor started to notice Missy - When he sees her he lets out a funny little laugh as if to say - "what kind of funny thing are you?!" It is adorable and we can't wait for them to become best buddies as Connor grows up!

Growing and Growing and Growing . . .

2010-09-05T20:17:00.001-07:00

Connor is growing and changing everyday - We have LOVED having Nancy here the last few weeks and were so sad to say goodbye to her yesterday :( She was such a great aunt with Connor and he just loved her. While she was here, she gave him his 1st haircut - something had to be done about the little baby mullet - and now he looks even more like a little man!

Megan and Travis came down to see the little guy and get a preview of what their life will be like in a few months :) Megan is SO great with babies and Connor just loved her - he was smiling and cooing so cute that morning!

We had to take a picture of Connor is this cute sleeper that Grandma Denise and Papa sent for him - it was the first baby gift he received . . . even before we knew he was going to be a "he" :) So cute and cuddly!

This photos cracked us up - all we have to say is, "CONNOR WANT WINGY" . . . (thought you'd find that funny Nate :)

Connor's Blessing Week

2010-08-26T20:12:00.000-07:00

We were so happy to have visitors again this last week - Chris' father, mother and grandmother came from St. George, Utah and his brother's family came from Alabama. His sister Nancy is also in town for a two-week break between travel nursing contracts. We feel so blessed to have such wonderful supportive family members and so many people to love Connor already :)

Grandpa Dave and Grandma Kay wasted no time cuddling and playing with Connor - this photo was taken right when we picked them up from the airport.

Connor went on his first boat ride with the whole group - We went to Branson and took a dinner cruise on Table Rock Lake. It was a beautiful day . . . we are so excited for fall time so we can spend more time outside as a family!

In just the one week while they were here, Connor got noticeably stronger. He is holding his head up longer and more frequently every day. Grandma Kay bought Connor a bumbo too keep working on all his amazing skills ;)

On Sunday, Chris was able to give Connor a name and blessing at church. It was a beautiful blessing - Chris did such a good job, and Connor was so sweet and slept through the whole thing. At the end, Chris held him up for the congregation to see - Connor caught the loop on his pacifier with his fingers and threw it across the stand - so funny! We loved his little white outfit . . . especially his hat and mini tie :)

Our Little Man

2010-08-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

Thought we'd post some updated photos of our little guy in his "man outfit" - it's a little big, but he's growing like a weed and all the newborn clothes are pretty tight :) Missy is pretty attached to him . . . she's always somewhere nearby protecting him!

Connor LOVES his baths . . . this photo was taken after last night's bath - love his sleepy little eyes :)

He is always sleeping with his little fist tucked up under his chin . . . it makes us laugh because many of his ultrasounds showed him in the same position!

Visitors - Round #2

2010-08-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky to have another round of visitors during the 2nd half of July - Dad and Brittany came out to meet Connor, and brought with them Mom, Chelsea and Ava for a return visit :) We loved having everyone here and are so grateful for all their help, love and support!

I thought it was so sweet watching dad hold Connor ~

Connor loves his Aunt Brittany ~

Dad and Mom holding Connor after dinner on his 1 month Birthday :)

Ava enjoying a red velvet cupcake for Connor's B-day . . . I think she liked it!

5 weeks today

2010-07-30T07:25:00.001-07:00

We can't believe that we've had Connor here for 5 weeks - unbelievable how fast time flies!! He has already gotten so big (on Tuesday he weighed in at 7 lb. 12 oz.) and we are starting to see little smiles occasionally. Chris was lucky enough to catch this one on his phone - it is totally lopsided, but we love it anyway :)

So Grateful for Visitors :)

2010-07-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

We have been lucky enough to have many visitors come to see Connor already - Grandma Denise will be here for 2 weeks and she has been such a big help! Nate, Chelsea and Ava came to meet Connor before Nate deploys to Afghanistan and we had such a fabulous time with them - we will miss you Nate, but we are so proud of you and love you very much! Huge thanks to you all for choosing to spend some of your valuable time with us and for making the long drive to our house :) We are lucky enough to get Chelsea and Ava here next week again, along with Grandpa Kevin and Aunt Britt - more pics will follow, I'm sure :)

On one of Connor's first evening strolls ~ Missy's favorite time of day!
Ava LOVES Uncle Chris . . . and he adores her too!
Nate had the magic touch with Connor - I don't know what I'm going to do when all my baby holders are gone!
Chels is so great with babies!!! I'm so grateful for all her expertise and advice :)
Sweet picture with Grandma - Connor is so lucky to have so many people that love him already!

Photo Shoot

2010-07-12T16:58:00.001-07:00

Chris got me a Nikon D-SLR for my birthday so we could get lots of great pictures of Connor once he arrived . . . we had so much fun playing "photographer" for his first photo shoot - We just can't get enough of all his different faces - Hope you enjoy them too!

A Couple Firsts

2010-07-12T16:45:00.000-07:00

Connor's first pediatrician appointment - hair looks just like dad's :)
First sponge bath at home - love my baths - just like mom :)
Snug as a bug in a rug in my musical swing!

Bringing Connor Home :)

2010-07-12T15:53:00.001-07:00

Jess and Connor snuggling in the NICU right before we got to take him home with us ~

Loaded up on the carseat and ready to go - so TINY!

Putting him in the car at the hospital - do you think we look happy enough? Huge thanks to all the wonderful nurses who took such good care of our little guy, who taught us so much about how to care for him ourselves, and who always offered to take pictures of us :)

Home at last ~ Chris walking in the house with Connor sound asleep!

He's HERE!!!

2010-06-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

We're so happy to have Connor here - and even more excited to have him come home with us ( hopefully tomorrow night :) We'll update more later, but until then here are some of his first photos!

The Belly

2010-06-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Okay - I am posting these reluctantly - but we have daily requests for pictures of "the belly" and I'm giving up the fight!!! Lucky for you all, we want excuses to use our new camera, otherwise there still would not be any photos to share ;) I have 2 1/2 weeks left to go, and it definitely shows!

Connor's Nursery

2010-05-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

We've been working for months to prepare Connor's nursery and it's finally ready to go . . . the only thing left to make is the crib bumper, but since that can't be on the crib until he's about 1 year old anyway, I'm not too concerned :) The only piece of equipment we have left to purchase is the diaper genie, but that is not a very exciting piece of decor anyway. It's a fun, bright, colorful room - hope you enjoy it and hope he sleeps well in it!

P.S. July 2nd is just the due date. If he comes on another day we'll just peel off and replace the numbers. You know me, can't leave any project unfinished.

Updated Ultrasound Pics

2010-04-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to take a quick trip home to Utah last weekend - it was wonderful to see many family and friends who we haven't seen in quite sometime (Pictures from all the events and activities to come soon!) We were also lucky to get more 3-D ultrasound pictures taken - Connor was not in a cooperative mood and kept turning away from the camera, but this is the best shot of his little face If you look closely, you can see his fist by his eye :) He already looks (and feels) squished, so it is hard to imagine that he's going to get even larger - EEK!

Our Latest Project!

2010-04-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

So, last weekend we finally decided to refinish the deck. Instead of re-staining it, we decided to go with a solid paint. It turned out to be a little more "red" than we anticipated, but hey, it adds color. Here are some before and after shots.

Family Portraits - Christmas '09

2010-03-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

These are the family pictures we took over Christmas break - sorry I'm so late posting them :) My favorite is a tie between all the babies and the one where all the siblings are laughing at Brittany trying to figure out how and where to stand - a picture says a million words, and this one proves that true - Our family loves to laugh and we always laugh a lot when we're all together!

Family Visits :)

2010-03-12T08:29:00.000-08:00

As promised - here are some photos from our last few visits with family :) We have loved having Nate, Chels and Ava back on the mainland and close enough that we can drive to visit them. Over President's Day Weekend we met Mom and Dad in Colorado at Nate and Chels new house - we had a blast just seeing them and hanging around the house . . . especially watching Ava karaoke and take some steps . . . but here are a few photos of our sightseeing at the Olympic training center and Garden of the Gods.

About a month before our trip to see them, they drove out to see us . . . well, mostly Missy so their family could be reunited for a weekend :) Missy was so excited to see them again, and Ava loves puppies! I love this family picture below - even though Missy's eyes are a bit crazy! Ava LOVES uncle Chris and would go to him whenever she could!

Words to live by ;)

2010-03-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

I found this quote and I LOVE it . . .

"I believe in pink. I believe laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing and kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe tomorrow is another day. And I believe in miracles."

~ Audrey Hepburn

Relaxing after a long day . . .

2010-03-01T19:21:00.000-08:00

Chris and Missy watching travel channel to relax after a long day of hard work :) I was dying when Missy sat like this for so long . . . I kept expecting her to move, but she must have thought it was comfy!

2010-02-28T13:23:00.000-08:00

As promised . . . an image from our last ultrasound ;) We were completely shocked at how well you could see the spinal column - Doctor said he looks healthy and has all the signs of "normal" development so we are relieved and excited. We've started putting together things for the nursery, and once it is more "organized," I'll post pics of that as well.

2010-01-10T18:54:00.000-08:00

Most people who read our blog already know, but we are thrilled to officially announce that 6 years, 3 fertility specialists, and countless doses of drugs and hormones later . . . we are finally expecting a little baby boy!!! We couldn't be more thrilled (albeit a little terrified too). The due date is set for July 2nd, which means that I'm a little over 15 weeks along and feeling great in the first stages of the 2nd trimester - still constantly exhausted, but the nausea has subsided. Coming up with a name is harder than we both imagined it would be - those who know us won't be surprised to find out that we both have pretty strong opinions about it!
Here is an image from our last ultrasound - it's not the best image . . . he's pretty wiggly! We were lucky enough to get the imaging done when we were visiting with the whole Call family over Christmas vacation (we put a few of those pics in too, but once we get a few more pics of the vacation, we'll post those too!)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!

2009-10-29T14:49:00.000-07:00

She looks a bit humiliated, I know, but we just couldn't resist - Once she got used to it (and we took the little head piece off), she actually started prancing a bit so I think she secretly likes it!

Fall Colors

2009-10-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

Springfield has the most beautiful fall colors of anywhere we have lived. We have taken a few drives and walks lately to enjoy the vibrant yellow, orange and red trees :) Happy Fall!

P.S. - If you click on the pics, you'll be able to see a larger image . . . I accidentally uploaded them too small - OOPS!

Anniversary - 8 years

2009-10-10T05:47:00.000-07:00

For our 8th anniversary we went to the Fox Theatre in St. Louis and saw The Phantom of the Opera - it was phenomenal!!! The Fox Theatre is the perfect place to see this classic Broadway musical - crushed red velvet seats, embedded jewels everywhere, every corner ornately detailed . . . just dripping with opulence. We were so impressed by the amazing stage, special effects, and most of all, the vocals of the actors and actresses - MUCH better than the movie! (Then again, these things usually are better in a live traveling Broadway preformance) We had such a great time celebrating the great times we've had for the last 9+ years :)

Fun with Sidewalk Chalk

2009-09-09T14:27:00.001-07:00

The neighbor girls were playing with sidewalk chalk yesterday and Missy came out and did tricks for the girls, including "rolling over." After rolling over a couple times on the chalk drawings, Missy looked like a four-legged Easter Egg nightmare. If you click on the photo to make it larger, you can see the colors really well! Needless to say, she got a bath before tracking all the chalk inside :)

There's a first time for everything . . .

2009-07-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

For years, Chris has bragged to me about how he always gets warnings and has never been issued a ticket for speeding (parking tickets on Mizzou campus are an entirely different thing!) I have personally been in the car three times when he's been pulled over and he has never had to pay a penny in fines - Don't get me wrong, I never wanted to fork over extra cash that could have been spent on something we actually want to pay for, but I did think he was just a little too confident. Long story short . . . I guess that even after having a license for 15 years, there's a first time for everything. Guess we'll have to wait to buy the patio furniture for a little bit longer ;(

Missy & Gizmo

2009-06-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

We are getting settled in Springfield, and one of our favorite things is living closer to Nancy and Gizmo - we got the "cousins" together last weekend and they had a blast in the backyard :)

BIG changes

2009-04-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well, we're moving again - Springfield, MO - Here we come! Chris got a job as an attorney for the Social Security Administration and we couldn't be happier. We will miss our friends in St. Louis, all that the city offers and our fabulous neighborhood of Kirkwood, but we're super excited to explore a new part of Missouri and live closer to Chris' sister, Nancy. We are also thrilled about the house we found (lots of space and a big yard for Missy) and can't wait for the closing date at the end of May - Visitors are always wanted and welcome!!! We have pictures of the house, so if you want to see it, just let us know and we will send them by email :)

SLC Marathon

2009-04-20T11:25:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough to go to Utah for a few days this week (big thanks to the Cordners:) and had so much fun seeing grandparents and a few cousins (thanks for the super cute cut and color Shayla:), playing with Nick and hearing him learn to talk, seeing everyone's soon-to-be new houses, watching Britt play soccer again and hearing all of her crazy mission stories, shopping with Mom and sisters, and seeing Ashley's little baby bump . . . but the highlight of the trip was definitely running the SLC 1/2 Marathon with my dad. I'm so proud of him. He started running at 52 and has been going strong for about 16 months now - he has done two 1/2 Marathons and a few other 10K's. It was a very emotional last mile for me(trying to run while you're choked up is not easy!), as I thought about how grateful I was that we could finally (it has been 1 1/2 years in the making) take on and accomplish this big thing together. I'm so overwhelmingly grateful that he is healthier and happier, and hopefully there will be many more Call Family runs in the future! This year, dad cut 10 minutes off his time from last year's run - that's a huge difference . . . can't wait to see what he does next! You inspire me Dad and I love you :)

Brother-in-law Will, Jess, Dad and Sister Britt

Recovering

2009-04-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that I had a minor procedure done yesterday - just wanted to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Everything went well, and I have been recoving quickly with minimal pain thanks to Twilight and the beautiful Calla Lilies that Chris brought for me . . . he knows they're my absolute favorite!

2009-03-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

This week we took Missy to the groomers for her "summer cut" - she must feel naked because it is super short, but she's still cute and funny as ever :) Only one little problem . . . we may have jumped the gun because now they are predicting snow tomorrow - She's going to freeze her tail off!

Before photo - One of her favorite things to do...playing with Chris:)

After Photo - Looking so pretty and clean :)

New Addition . . .

2009-03-06T12:52:00.001-08:00

Many of you already know that we acquired a new addition to our little family in Hawaii . . . but we wanted to officially introduce her to the rest of you - this is Missy! We have loved having her around - she's a very playful and happy dog. Missy needs to be right in the middle of things, and she always makes her presence known whenever she sees you eating (look closely at the 2nd picture:) Everywhere we go people comment on what an adorable face she has - we've heard everything from "you need to get her into modeling" to "how do you not just laugh everytime you look at that face" - I told the lady that we usually do "just laugh."

Missing Hawaii . . .

2009-02-18T20:18:00.000-08:00

Need we say more? I think in this case, a picture definitely says a thousand words :)

Wish we were still there . . .

2009-02-09T18:14:00.001-08:00

I've been getting a lot of complaints (mostly from sisters :) that we haven't updated our blog for a very long time . . . but I was just waiting for something fun to post, and since we forgot to take pictures at Christmas, our winter vacation was the next big thing! We had a blast spending 9 action packed days and 8 game filled nights with Nate, Chelsea and their beautiful baby girl, Ava, in Hawaii - our absolute favorite vacation spot! I'll post a larger travel log later, but for now, here are a few pics from our stay in paradise!

After a long day of surfing at a new beach we fell in love with in Waianae.

Sunset at Ko Olina

Isn't she the cutest baby girl ever!

We fit in another game of Settlers on our last day there - that made a total of 4 times, each of us won once!

Chelsea making Ava giggle - most of our entertainment revolved around getting her to smile, giggle and talk :)

These are a few of my Favorite Things . . .

2008-12-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Christmastime and U2 - doesn't get much better than this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jgswWMlUN8

Thanksgiving '08

2008-12-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving was full of many "1st times" for us - 1st time hosting at our house(big thanks to our friends the Hilliers and the Browns for coming and bringing such wonderful food and drinks!), 1st time roasting a turkey, 1st time Chris made a pie - We had so much fun, made a few mistakes, but everything turned out pretty good overall. My favorite part was decorating the table - I gold stamped little place card that read "Give Thanks" :)

Me & Alice Cullen

2008-11-15T21:31:00.000-08:00

So, I saw this on my sister's blog and thought I'd try it - I always knew I liked Alice! Kind of fun - if you are a "Twilight" Fan, then try it out!

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Beach Volleyball . . . in Missouri

2008-11-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

Chris' latest sports addiction has been sand volleyball - He's pretty good too, but I'm not biased.

New Music Obsession

2008-10-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to an artist named Joshua Radin lately - his unique guitar melodies and soothing voice have facilitated relaxation after work! I changed my blog playlist to some of my favorites of his songs - hope you like it too!

Providence Bowl

2008-10-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, we made a quick trip out to Columbia to continue our tradition of going to the Providence Bowl Football Game with our good friends - the McCalls and the Schumachers. We also made a quick stop at Shakespeare's Pizza - an absolute must when in Columbia! We miss them(both the pizza and the friends, but the later much more!) and had so much fun seeing them again.

25 Things You May Not Know . . .

2008-09-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

My sister Shawna tagged me for this one - it's a lot of fun (and sometimes embarassing) - 25 Things you may not know about me. It took a while, but it was a blast! Dominoe, Sara, Chelsea and Katie - TAG, YOU'RE IT!

1. I'm obsessed with Europe, Italy inparticular, but if I could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, I'd jet off to Africa to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and go on safari.

2. I changed my college major 5 times - loved what I ended up with, despite the fact that I'm not exactly using my degree!

3. I could literally eat focaccia bread dipped in EVOO and balsamic vinegar for every meal, every day for the rest of my life.

4. Most of you know that I LOVED Andre Agassi when I was growing up, and he was basically my tennis hero. BUT . . . you may not know that I actually kept a scrapbook of articles (and really great photos) of Andre from Tennis Magazine.

5. Most of you know that I am pretty attatched to being with my family during the holidays, but did you know that I actually quit a job the day after I had accepted it because I could not get over the fact that I'd have to work a couple shifts during Christmas break - HA! It was at a copy center on BYU campus. Good thing I've grown up (not much), but a bit since then :)

6. I'm obsessed with coats and jackets - can't get enough of them! This is one of my latest obsessions (but in red)!

7. I love to read - especially classic literature - but I have a problem remembering the endings.

8. Our apartment is located above a Ben & Jerry's - you'd think that would be a major problem considering my ability to inhale ice cream - But we've only been there twice since moving here a year ago.

9. I took dance classes from age 3 to 12 - I know that's shocking to those of you who have actually seen me attempt to dance!

10. I love to teach people how to do new things - piano, tennis, rockclimbing . . . but my favorite has been snowboarding. I've taken many people up for their first time, and only one came home with a concussion (sorry Dad!)

11. I love to find little known artists and songs that I love, but my major resource for the finding is only mostly embarassing!

12. Sometimes when Chris and I aren't doing anything we like to wander around Sam's Club - pretty exciting, isn't it!

13. I'm usually very organized, and everything in our apartment is in it's place, but somehow I still manage to lose my keys ALL THE TIME! They've been found in the strangest places.

14. I have changed a flat tire once in my life - all by myself, when I was 15 years old, in Drivers Ed. The instructor didn't have time to help, so he told me I'd get extra credit if I could figure it out.

15. I love Christmas decorations, and I've been collecting them since I was in my teens. The thing that takes up the most storage is my Christmas Village, which Chris has dubbed "The Metropolis" - I have over 60 pieces.

16. When I was younger I was a bit of a kleptomaniac - gum from the gas station, playdough from school . . . Luckily I got over that phase pretty quickly!

17. One thing I want to do really badly, but Chris isn't convinced that he wants me to, is try skydiving. I'm working on his permission for my 30th Birthday!

18. I love being a tennis player, but I've always secretly wished that I would have done soccer too - especially when I would watch Britt and Ashley play!

19. I absolutely LOATHE McDonalds!

20. Sometimes when I'm alone, I will read out loud in an English Accent - however, I think it might need some work.

21. I purchased all the gear I needed for snowboarding before I had ever actually boarded at a resort to know if I would like it or be good at it! Luckily my board, bindings, boots, coat, pants, gloves, goggles and the rest ended up being well used!

22. I love eating outdoors - from patio seating at a restaurant to a picnic in the park, a sidewalk cafe in Paris to my personal favorite - my parent's deck, surrounded by the beautiful landscaping, food, family and friends.

23. I would rather watch a period film (preferably set in 18th or 19th century) anyday over something depicting the present time - guess it has to do with my love for art, history and the humanities.

24. I only own 1 pair of jeans - don't really like them that much - probably because it's impossible for me to find ones that are comfortable and look good!

25. I don't like my ears to be touched - especially bent!!! If they get "moved" then I go crazy until I can press them back against my head - I know, crazy, but c'est la vie!

Rock Climbing with the YW

2008-09-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

I've been YW's president in our ward for almost 6 months now, and the entire time the girls have been begging to go climbing - last Saturday we finally went. It was an amazing experience - all of the girls finished every climb that they started. They were all so strong and determined. On the way home we listened to Elder Scott's General Conference talk from October 2006, where he draws an analogy between Rock Climbing and the Atonement. All of the girls were powerfully impacted and on Sunday many of them mentionned that the trip was a very spiritual experience. Aren't they the cutest group of YW you've ever seen?

Totally Inspired & Obsessed

2008-08-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

We have been totally obsessed with watching the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing - it is so fun to cheer on team USA. We are so blessed to live in a country with much talent and opportunity. Our favorite events have been Beach Volleyball, Swimming and Tennis(of course). We are particularly interested in Men's Beach Volleyball because of Chris' friend from Costa Rica, Jake Gibb, who is playing for the US and is competing well - Go Jake!

Trip Home

2008-07-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

Our Trip back home to Utah was so much fun - we were able to be there for 9 days. While we were there, we got together with lots of friends and family to do all our favorite things - play games, run, talk, rockclimb, shop, Cafe Rio, Jamba Juice, look at the mountains, be in the mountains, be entertained by our nephew, Nickolas, and the list goes on and on. We literally did not have one second of down time. The highlights of our trip were 1. Running a 10K with Dad, Nate and my Uncle Tim, and of course 2. Meeting Will and the BIG WEDDING! We really liked Ashley's new husband Will - Super nice, southern mannered guy. Their wedding was wonderful and Ashley was one of the most beautiful brides ever! We sure do miss everyone, but hopefully we will see you all again soon.

200 Have and Have Nots!

2008-06-15T21:45:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Dominoe's blog and thought it was really fun. Basically, you copy and paste the list, and then bold things that you have done. Feel free to join me - I'd love to learn more about you too!

200 Have and Have nots!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight(watched it live-does that count?:)
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a professional sports game
17. Been to the top of the Sears Tower
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse (of the moon)
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking(Most likely in Junior High :)
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving (I hope to someday!)
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files(So embarassing!)
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone snorkling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't (Eating too much dessert, yum!)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Teaching piano and tennis)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Sung on a CD
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason (I have a great hubby!)
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently - Was almost there in college with French
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report (mostly)
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy (Kite)
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Seen the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money (A golf tournament called the Whiff & Giggle - can you tell it was serious?)
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school (Someday)
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to see someone you love in hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people (My YW, I hope!)
108. Brought out the worst in people (Most likely, but I hope not!)
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play on Broadway
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band (Not as cool as it sounds - it was the keyboard in Junior High!)
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (if mini golfing counts)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon (So excited to train for another one :)
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo (Kareoke?)
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo's David
147. Had your portrait painted (caricature count?)
148. Written a fan letter (ANDRE!)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away (I was young and I don't think my parents even knew I was gone)
152. Learned to juggle (Not well though!)
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight (what female hasn't?)
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous (Jane Seymore & Joe Lando -Thanks Nate!)
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone's life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to sew (straight lines)
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog (Pretty obvious, right?)
190. Had chicken pox
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik's cube
196. Know CPR (thankfully, I've never had to use it)
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible (Does my Jeep count?
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Gotten a professional massage

Family Visits

2008-05-31T20:35:00.000-07:00

Chris' parents, grandmother and siblings with their families came to St. Louis this weekend. We have been busy showing them Chris' work, the Arch and all around our gorgeous neighborhood here in Kirkwood. We took a trip to the Botanical Gardens and the Zoo - So much fun! The garden was gorgeous this time of year :)

Weekend Fun

2008-04-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

If you live in St. Louis, then you'd better be a Card's fan or else . . . Chris and I have jumped in line and love Cardinal's baseball! We went to a game against the Astro's last Friday and even waited through a 2 hour rain delay to see our Redbirds play!

We have searched far & wide around the midwest for good climbing and have found a couple spots already, but we have a new favorite to add to the list. Saturday we drove to southern Illinois to a gorgeous place called Jackson Falls - the river and waterfalls win this locale 1st place for "Best Climbing Atmosphere."

2008-04-11T05:32:00.001-07:00

We took a quick road trip to Memphis last weekend with our friends in St. Louis, the Hilliers - mostly so we could try out the famous Memphis dryrub ribs (Chris' idea - but I must say that we didn't complain!) We gorged ourselves on ribs, tasting and comparing to find the best rack between 4 different BBQ places around Memphis - Chubby's, Rendezvous, Blues City Cafe & Corky's . . . And the winner is . . . Corky's! Unfortunately, we ate there last and were so full by that time, that I could only manage one rib. Chris, however, was able to find more room! They were so good that I know I'll be craving them soon - lucky for me, Chris is the grill master and makes fantastic ribs, rivaling Corky's!

While we were in Memphis, we went to Graceland - It was really amazing to see all the extravagance and excentricity. I'm just wondering who came up with the idea of all those one-piece jumpsuits? Elvis' musical accomplishments were really amazing. Oh, and P.S. - He totally lives :)

We had a really neat experience on Friday night when we arrived - we had planned to go to the National Civil Rights Museum, but found out that it was the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. We knew we wouldn't be able to get into the museum, but we went there anyway to stand on the lawn and take part in the memorial they were holding there. The wreaths in the bottom picture are on the balcony where he was shot - speeches were given by his son and daughter, Jesse Jackson and some others from this balcony. It was thought-provoking, touching and inspirational.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

2008-03-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

We went to the coolest event last night - the Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour was at the Moolah Theater in St. Louis. Six of the award winning films from the film festival in Banff, Canada were featured - all of which focus on adventure, nature, environment, outdoor challenges and mountain beauty. We saw films about rockclimbing, mountain biking, kayaking, BASE jumping and skiing - we all walked out with a major adrenaline rush even though we were only watching other people doing things we love to do - well, the whole BASE jumping thing is still yet to be experienced :) One of the highlights was the kayaking film, a French film called "In-flux." It started out on Reunion Island . . . Chris and I were freaking out and thinking of Britt the whole time. Anyway, it was a totally thrilling night and I highly recommend that everyone try to go when next years films tour.

Easter

2008-03-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

This time of year is so beautiful, and we especially love the feelings of faith and gratitude that accompany the Easter Celebrations. I loved President Hinkley's testimony of Christ in the March 2008 Ensign - it was so touching:

"None so great has ever walked the earth. None other has made a comparable sacrifice or granted a comparable blessing. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity without equivocation or compromise. I love Him. I speak the name of Jesus Christ in reverence and wonder. He is our King, our Lord, our Master, and the living Christ, who stands on the right hand of His Father. He Lives! He lives, resplendent and wonderful, the living Son of the living God."

I add my testimony to that of the prophet's words, that I believe with all my heart everything in his statement. I'm so grateful for the sacrifice of my Savior and for His resurrection, which ensures that we all will live again! What a gift of love.

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch

2008-03-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd show you all the best place we've found for rockclimbing out here in the Midwest - it's a place in Northern Arkansas called Horseshoe Canyon. Lots of sport climbing. This trip we took last October with our friends from St. Louis, The Hilliers, and our friends from Columbia, The McCalls. We had a blast!

Beginning Blogging

2008-03-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Family has been telling us to hop on the blogging bandwagon - it's a great way to share news and pictures, so here are some photos to catch up on the last few months - Chris' graduation from Law School & MPA, Jess' Marathon, plus our trips to Washington D.C. and Hawaii - so fun!