worth the wait...

so it's been 3 months since i've posted...i think that might be some sort of record. there are lots of reasons why i haven't been posting, but let's get to the task at hand. this post will definitely have been worth the wait to somebody really soon.


i've NEVER done a giveaway...mostly because i've not ever had anything to give away. i don't think i've ever THOUGHT about doing a giveaway. until the other day. veeda let me know about the yo gabba gabba gang coming to town and the "there's a party in my city" concert scheduled for november 9th at the maverick center. long story short, i bought too many tickets. i can blame it on lots of things...but it's done :) and it's turned into a really great thing...my first (and only) giveaway!

(image from nickjr.com)

what's being given: 5 tickets to the 6pm show on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9th
what you need to do to enter: leave a comment, that's it! (only one comment per person 'cause we needs to keeps things on the up and up, you know?)
when it's all over: comments close on friday, october 29th at midnight MST
when you'll know who won: the winner will be randomly chosen and on saturday, october 30th i'll contact the winner and announce it here...it'll be a nice halloween surprise, don't cha think?

the winner can use the tickets however you'd like...use them yourself, give them to some deserving friend(s), invite some other friends, invite some other kiddos...you could do a lot with 5 tickets. i'll contact the winner and request mailing info and pop the tickets in the mail. it's that easy. i guess it might be easier for you if you live in utah, but if you live somewhere else and want to come here for the concert, i've heard it's pretty slammin'.

i've also added some fancy schmancy buttons so you can FB, tweet, and all that other stuff to let lots of people know about what's going on.

so i guess that's it...ready, set, COMMENT!

p.s. after the winner is announced i've decided to go private with the blogaroo...one of the reasons i haven't been posting is that i've been self-editing and thinking about how people will react to what's written instead of just writing to write. i'll be heading back to the whole reason i started blogging...to have an journal online. so it'll just be for me to write and my posterity to read when it's all blurbed and stuff :)

mei, be reasonable...

that's currently my favorite line from our family's favorite movie...my neighbor totoro. lots of times when our kiddos watch lots of movies they get mean and confused and bored. but i really think that totoro makes them nicer. no joke.

knowing talented people is really fun. veeda threw her daughter a totoro themed birthday a couple of weeks ago and we got to go. i'm still trying to get up the courage to try making our kiddos their own totoro doll. and that hot dog her hubby made...holy moly. check out the whole post here. so, so fun :)

and here's a super cute pic of isaac making dessert sushi that veeda's husband took...it warms my heart how much he's into what he's doing. thanks for the invite guys!

up too late...

...reading blogs. this was her monday moment and my 4:46am sunday moment :) lots of understanding, respect, perspective and promises.

favorites...
"please know that it is worth it now, then and forever"
"i know deep down inside i am doing God's work"
"yours is the work of salvation and therefore you will be magnified, compensated. made more than you are, better than you are, better than you've ever been"
"you are doing terrifically well"
"rely on Him. rely on Him heavily. rely on Him forever."

when are you getting yours?

(image from natalie)

i love this woman. lots. i can't believe we met her just over two years ago. they are family.

long story short, pertussis vaccinations are something we can all learn much more about. much aloha norton fam :)

read here for some really importante stuff.

i'm related to all of these people...

yep. all of them. these are all my siblings, the peeps who have married in so far, and all of our kiddies. we took this the night before weston's surgery (i think). we've been trying to do something like this for a LONG time and finally got 'er done.

the amazing thing is that we did it in about 12 minutes. a storm was coming in, the field's owner was driving towards us, and the children ALMOST outnumber us. so thanks ryan. i think you are officially our family photographer :)

i love everything about this photo. the craziness, the happiness, the closed eyes...everything. we are really loving this time in our lives. and as sue always used to say..."be happy, be thankful, be blessed".

dejavu...

remember this post with this picture? it was after my sisters finished the top of utah marathon last year. you'd think that i was the one running the race. i'd had a long week and just died for an entire hour while everyone else hung out and recovered from their real marathon. i was just recovering from the marathon of life :)

well, i guess what they say is true. history repeats itself.  but this time i feel like i really earned my nap :)

 image from megan

last weekend i got to run the wasatch back ragnar relay. i'm still trying to decide how i feel about the whole thing. i mean, it was a HUGE accomplishment for me to participate and finish. but i guess i'm trying to decide if i want to do it again :) it's two days later and my body still hates me.

i was runner 8. all 12 runners on our team had 3 legs to run in a little less than 36 hours. i knew my first leg would be "meh". i'd be nervous and not really know how run a real race. and it was hot. AND i forgot my music and didn't see my team until i was more than half way done. so it was "meh". 

my second leg however was something i'll never forget. it really was my dream run...nighttime, downhill, and a little on the chilly side. i usually average between a 11:30 and 12:00 minute mile (i'm really slow). but on this night during this run i ran a 9:46 mile. i still get emotional just thinking about it. 

i thought about weston the entire run. about his little heart, his surgery, the past year of our lives, the endless support and love and prayers we've received...and i just ran my little heart out. as fast as i could. and i kept going when my body was screaming at me to stop.

when i crossed the exchange line i asked the ladies from our van what my time was. they said, "11:36". my heart sank to my stomach. but come to find out, they thought i'd asked what time it was. that's when they quickly calculated my pace and told me "9:46".

and i cried.

and hugged megan.

and cried.

and wanted to throw up.

and died in the back seat of the van for the next two exchanges.

the sticker is already on the back of our van and i have to say my life does feel a little more complete knowing that i was a part of that crazy race. AND i'm already thinking about framing the medal with a caption that reads "for westie". 

i'm ecstatic for life to slow down to normal crazy instead of this "life on crack" crazy we've been living for so long. my whole being is so full of gratitude for the village of friends and family that's gotten us through this past year.

here's to exhaling :)

 

the day has arrived...

that we've been awaiting for such a long time. last night i may have freaked out a little bit. i'm just sayin'...it's hard to wrap my mind around this tight rope walk of faith and fear. but i find that i'm learning the same thing as before. it's all a choice. and i think last night i needed to be scared so that i could be okay today.

to be honest, i'm pretty sure the anesthesiologist thinks i'm a heartless, emotionless shell of a woman :) when they took weston away, i just gave him a kiss and told him goodbye. i didn't have any tears left. and i wasn't scared. i knew that what's happening is to help little man and it's necessary for him to get better. even as the surgeon took us into that tiny room to explain the procedure and disclose the risks, i just nodded and smiled. i didn't have any questions. i've gone over and over in my head 10,000 times what is wrong with his heart, what they'll do to fix it, and all the unimaginable possibilities of what could happen.

so i'm not scared. i don't know what will happen. but this peace that overtakes me whenever i walk into this hospital is the most real thing i've felt in a long time.

this just in...

so weston's surgery is scheduled for a week from tomorrow...june 15th. tomorrow morning, june 8th, he'll be headed in for a minor same day surgery. just some stuff to get ready for the big shabang. we're feeling good about it all and still so grateful to be so close to some of the best doctors, surgeons, and nurses around. we'll keep you updated :)

never woulda thunk...

if someone had told me in january that i'd be able to run 9 point something miles in may, i would have laughed in their face. really loud. and really long. i've never really loved running, but lately i've found a nice zone and rhythm. i get why people run and why they like it.

last weekend i ran my first race. come to find out, it might not have been the best choice for a first race. this was definitely NOT one of those fun runs. it was sponsored by a running club in the area. and now i know. running club = in it to win it.

holy moly these people were fast! i ran with megan. we finished 3rd and 4th to last. and all the muffins and apples were gone by the time we crossed the finish line. but we crossed the finish line. and ran the entire way up the mile long hill. those were my goals and i felt good about it. my body hated me for about 4 days though. i still haven't let it know about the wasatch back :)

and ok, ok. i'll post a picture. i hate it. but i know i'll want it to look back on later. the end.

get your BBQ on...

i've stayed up nights thinking of ways to thank people for all that's been done for our family, and more specifically for me, this past year with weston. i don't think i exhaled until friday afternoon when i pulled the car into the garage after his cardiology appointment and it hit me that i wouldn't have to lug his oxygen tank around anymore. all i had to do was get our baby out of his carseat and walk inside.

so, we've decided to invite you to a BBQ!

i know it's memorial day, but it's our last chance before things go insane with surgeries and trips and birthdays and workshops. so we get it if you can't make it, but if you can we'd love to see you there.

we'll provide the burgers, dogs and steaks and you just have to let me know what side dish you'll be bringing if you can make it. we've also got a trampoline, swingset and inflatable waterslide (if this weather ever starts acting like it's supposed to) for the kiddos.

when: monday, may 31 at 5pm
where: our house

hope to see you there!

and p.s. if you live in the 'hood, it might be best to just walk on over :)

who and what...

i was reading here tonight after a much needed date with hubby. i felt instantly nostaligic when i saw the video of mary shmich's words that i listened to over and over during my sophomore year of college. it made me think...

of all the time i used to have to think :)
of the person i used to be
and more about who i want to be.

i thought it appropriate to make a list. so i can have it. so i can remember. so i can nail down who and what i really want to be (in no particular order)....

a gracious hostess
funny
considerate
a patient mommy
laid back
a knockout wife
articulate
well read
a good neighbor
a best sister
in tune
a trusted friend
witty
resilient
a consistent runner
a cookbook author
reliable
faithful
a sunday baker
a kind mommy

that's all i can come up with now that kiddos have come in and interrupted my train of thought :) so maybe actually writing this down will get me closer to embodying these qualities than just thinking about them sometimes.

who and what do you want to be?

love it...

i can't say that i've ever been happier in life than i am at this stage RIGHT NOW. and obviously things aren't perfect, they never are. and maybe that's the secret...

finding joy in the imperfections...

i told a friend the other night that i think it's empowering to do hard things. it makes us stronger and more grateful and the people we are supposed to be.

p.s. little man goes in for surgery in the next 2 or 3 weeks. much thanks for the continued prayers, packages and well wishes. after his repair, we'll be hosting the party of all parties to celebrate this dude's life. we'll keep you posted.

took us long enough....

so teetee got married. it was SUCH a fun day. and jon got some great pictures of the kiddos. you'll see our first family photo a few pics down. i have to say, it was pretty humbling seeing all of those people and realizing that they are ours. humbling and happy and the best kind of good. these are some of my favorites...

and FINALLY, our first ever family picture...pretty importante :)

the crazies...

this morning was hard...well until about an hour ago, TODAY was hard. i'm fine now. it always ends up that way. but between a well-timed friend, a MAJOR dose of perspective (that i could only recently draw from) and a good, good man i'm happy to say i can sit down and still see some good from the last 10 hours. here are a few snippets from my day...

i had just walked downstairs when this wave of emotion/depression/hopelessness washed over me and i started bawling like a baby. i turned around and headed to our room and got on my knees. before i could start talking with my Maker to figure out what was going on, jon came in to see what was wrong. it went a little something like this...

jon: why are you crying?
me: ....
jon: callie, what's wrong? why are you crying?
me: i don't know!
jon: what?
me: i have no idea...

i told him i needed him to hold me. and he did. then i looked at him with all the sincerity i could muster (something was REALLY wrong and i NEEDED him to understand) and said, "i feel like i'm going crazy."

then he laughed like he's never laughed before. he said the was THE funniest thing i'd said to him in all our years of marriage. then i cried. and laughed. and cried. and then i took a nap.

sometimes laughter IS the best medicine.

----------------------------

after my aforementioned nap, i was sitting in jon's office checking my email. i was still a little weepy and jon called isaac in to give me a hug. isaac asked why i was crying and i looked at him and told him i didn't know. and he said, "oh, you mean the happy kind of crying?" once again, jon laughed and laughed and laughed. then so did i.

----------------------------

ila has recently become quite the homemaker. in the middle of my nap, she came in and told me over and over that she WANTED to help me fold laundry and put it away. (last week she took all her and ruby's clean clothes of our couch and proceeded to fold, hang up, and put away all of it.) i was too overcome with whatever was happening to take her up on her offer. and just 20 minutes ago she said, "mom, would you mind if i made your bed?" WHAT?!?!

i told her she could help me after i visited the ladies' room. during my visit i heard her say, "mooooooooooooom, i have a surprise for you. close your eyes when you come out." so i did. then she instructed me to open to my eyes. and i did...to a very well made bed and a very pleased little girl.

---------------------------

i don't know what happened to me today. but i'm grateful to feel like my normal self again. i do know i'm ridiculously hormonal, pretty sleep-deprived, and i've got a big decision to make in the next couple of months that is attracting its own share of adversity.

but i also know that life is good. hope keeps me afloat. i need to learn to be as patient with myself as the Lord is. my prayers were answered before any words left my lips. being a mom is hard, but it is the most real and meaningful thing i've ever done.

thank goodness for friends who listen, husbands who laugh, children who love and serve, and a plan of happiness that re-centers my focus. one of my favorite men said this...

"If you understand the great plan of happiness and follow it, what goes on in the world will not determine your happiness."

open for business...

well, i guess she has been open for business since i first posted about modern verses. but i didn't do a great job of explaining how to buy them. so the timing is perfect to mention this, because megan's doing her first giveaway!

visit her blog here to find out more.

visit her etsy store here to buy some.

and this is my favorite of the new ones she's done. it'll look perfect in the girls' room.

finally...

i FINALLY posted on the food blog again...and word has it the pictures are going to be LOTS better :)

somebody's growing up...

can't believe how fast this little man is turning into a not-so-little man. we are all still so in love.

i guess...

i've turned into one of THOSE blogs...reposting stuff from other blogs. i always thought it was a little funny :) and look at me now!

on a side note this girlie and i happen to share the same name.

her words embody what i'd been struggling with all day. here you go!

images from calico

soooo....

i've come to a point, in the life of callie, that i'm feeling better than i have in a while. i just had a conversation with a friend about this. and she asked what was motivating me to do some of the things i've started doing again. i told her lots of things...i'm not pregnant, i don't have newborn baby, it's almost spring, the older kiddos have a few of their own things going on so i have a little more time for my own stuff...see? lots of things.

then i realized another reason i'm feeling so motivated. i've found a really good friend. (she's going to DIE when she reads this post.) but it's true. and i think as young, busy moms that good friends are hard to make and keep. but in the past months i'm glad to say that i've added another good friend to my list...that easy kind of friendship, you know? where you both understand each other's lives are busy...where it's automatically comfortable...where you have the most important things in common...where you can pick up right where you left off...

so enough of the babbling. (i can just FEEL how embarrassed she is right now.) the POINT of this post is to share something. when i find something good i LOVE to share it.

my good friend megan showed me something today that you need to see. it's simple and powerful. it's beautiful but understated.

and i love it.

i just get lost in the possibilities of what to do with these...
and here are some that she's framed as well.




i don't know when she'll start selling these, but i'm glad to be one of the first to show them to you.

so much simple, powerful truth.

which one is YOUR favorite?

you can go to her blog here. keep bugging her until you can buy one :)

ila likes boys....

ila: hey andrew! you wanna watch our plants grow with me?

andrew: sure!

they watched our seedlings grow for 3 minutes. then they started measuring them. and ila was smiling soooooooo big the entire time. sigh...