And So They Lived...

Ultrasound - 20 weeks

2010-05-24T00:08:00.000-06:00

This is our favorite clip from the Ultrasound. It's amazing to see our precious little baby moving! It's funny to watch it jerk and punch me--it did this when I laughed--and to watch it 'cozy' it's head and swallow. ^_^ So cuuute! Hope y'all enjoy it almost as much as we did.

9 Weeks

2010-03-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-9-weeks_1098.bc?read_more=1&scid=mbtw_preg09:682&pe=2UxlOJF

Nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct.

8 Weeks

2010-03-01T18:40:00.007-07:00

http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-8-weeks_1097.bc?intcmp=timeline

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

I am seriously gaining weight--no waistline anymore

Just getting over the worst of the sickness--If I don't eat often enough, I'll get sick but its not an all day thing anymore

Today, I cleaned up the living room and visited a friend--which is a lot more than I have been doing

No Use Waiting...

2010-03-01T18:15:00.005-07:00

No use waiting in:

trying to update the whole YEAR that I've missed--I'll have to admit that I just MISSED it.
updating whats going on NOW

Michael got a job that we will be accepting today or tomorrow in So Cal, Tehachapi.
We're shopping for a house to rent for the 1st year
We're having a BABY

2008-11-08T15:41:00.004-07:00

Michael couldn't wait while this casserole baked.

I caught him in the kitchen licking the pan!

Celebrating Autumn

2008-11-04T20:42:00.033-07:00

Yeeaahhhh!

Corn Box

Corn-Angel

The Slide

Pumpkin Cart

Trampoline

You can't tell, but this is a trampoline and Mike pushed me!

I had straw in my garmie bottoms all night...i-tch-y!

No worries though...I got him back pretty good.

Pigs

Baby Piggies

Daddy Pig--Massive--

Stairs

Where's he goin'???

Candy

Yummy, Old Fashioned Watermelon Candy Stick

The Maze

In the maze...6 forks in the road...which way?

Beautiful, Spooky, Autumn Night

Halloween

2008-11-04T20:17:00.006-07:00

These are our pumpkins this year. One is a nerd and the other is the ASL 'I Love You'.

BYU Football

2008-11-04T20:02:00.009-07:00

Oops...a little out of order. For the sake of my husband, I must represent our activity during this season's BYU Football. I, personally, have managed myself better; being better prepared, dressing warmer, parking closer. But it's getting cold now, so I'm done until the BYU vs. Utah game.

Road Trip!

2008-11-04T15:43:00.025-07:00

We took a mini road trip to Colorado for a cousin's reception and the one day trip took 3 days. This was fun becuase it was an unplanned vacation and we stayed in two, nice, hotels. (I talked one of them down from $90 to $67. eh he he he.) We took our time and did whatever we wanted. We enjoyed the scenery and now we can say we've seen two more states.

We went through parts of Utah I've never seen before, through Colorado (some gorgeous rock formations/valleys), back through Wyoming (there is nothing there but a lot of grass and windmills-which scare me-), and down through Midway and Heber City rather than Salt Lake.

New Family! We took the trip for Michael's cousin's wedding reception. Dave and Allysha were married in the Sacramento Temple with a reception in CA and CO. (Dave is Michael's cousin).

These are some of the things we saw in Colorado. 40 bums on one block, a goth' in a top hat on a 7 ft high bicycle and a man who walks backwards are among the things we couldn't get pictures of. I love the new things you find when you travel. :-)

A longer "more interesting" route home.

We counted over 300 windmills through Wyoming and these pictures were taken hours between each other.
Pretty blue skies, though, eh?

Holding Down the Fort

2008-11-03T20:44:00.006-07:00

This is a real dog!

He was barking at us!

He looks like a Staffordshire Terrier and/or Bullmastiff.

He wasn't even scared to be up there.

2008-11-03T20:20:00.009-07:00

I needed a change while my hair grows out-you know that awkward stage between short and long-so I got it done.

Somethin' c-raaa-zy.

Now I have an excuse for those 'dumb blonde' moments...

"I said Tar-Tar!"

2008-11-02T19:55:00.004-07:00

Shortly after we got back to Utah

End of Summer

2008-09-20T17:51:00.004-06:00

We head back to Utah:

We accumulated 2 real wooden bookshelves (an up-date from our wire cubbies) from my parents and a nice, solid wood dresser from Michael's parents, and of course the motorcycle. Therefore, we also purchased a trailer! Can you see how our poor trooper of a car is all weighed down? She did a good job though! I'm proud of her towing capabilities and she got us home with everything, safely.

(The motorcycle did fall through the floor of the trailer as we entered Salt Lake City, but that wasn't the car's fault.)

News of the Family

2008-09-20T17:45:00.002-06:00

While staying with my parent's in California:

Mom traveled almost the whole summer. I think she was home a total of 3 weeks of the 3 months we were there.

so...

We spent most of our home time with Dad, laughing late into the night while eating candy.

Mark is Argentina, and all the info we have on him is available on his blog: elderrunolfson.blogspot.com

Although it is a little out of date due to complications with his MTC entries.

Kayla is active with friends, did some traveling with Mom and is preparing to drive!

Britton is also very social and is taking some acting classes. We just might see him in a commercial sometime in the future.

I wish I had thought to get some up-dated pictures of them to post.

2008-09-14T22:11:00.004-06:00

Red Bluff Moto-X Nationals

Ages 4-Adult

Top left: Age 4-6 catagory

Top right: This baby has a spiked mohawk!

22nd Birthday

2008-09-11T21:54:00.012-06:00

Michael confiscated my car and had it detailed. It's beauty makes me happy just remembering it.

A family party, dinner, Mom's homemade cake, and a ride on my husband's new motorcycle. FUN!

4th of July Celebrations

2008-09-11T21:02:00.008-06:00

Mike and Nate set off Fireworks at the Call Ranch

Mama Call made a yummy, and pretty dessert.

Happy Birthday Candace!

2008-09-10T21:47:00.002-06:00

4:00 pm.
Okay, it's a little blurry, but this was our sky all summer. The colors are pretty acurate, the sky was that dark, the sun varried from pink to orange, and the air was thick with ash. It settled on cars in chunks the size of nickles.

The Motorcycle

2008-09-10T21:36:00.003-06:00

All the pieces of the new motorcycle are finally intact.

Time to suit-up.

First test drive...

Everything works!

Glamour shots.

Look at my silly family.

Did you get a good look at Dad in the back?

Happy 1st Anniversary Michael and Kristin Call

2008-09-10T21:17:00.003-06:00

Happy Anniversary!

Dinner on the river, "Riverside Bar and Grill", Re Bluff, CA.

(Summer Squash Ravioli & Pork Chops with fried Apples)

Hotel room with SUPER, California King bed--soooo soft

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Sparkling Cider

Have we already had a whole year of "happily ever after"?

Celebrate with Friends

2008-09-10T21:07:00.006-06:00

Happy Birthday Whitney!

2008-09-10T20:02:00.002-06:00

An old friend has her own 'happily ever after'. Don't they look happy??

All Too Familiar

2008-09-10T19:28:00.003-06:00

The fact that our cheap-o camera can even pick up the details of this spider should indicate how large the creep was. Even Michael, our farm boy, hadn't ever seen a Wolf Spider this big. He could take down my cat.

Too many stories of these being on me to be comfortable.

Our New Dwelling

2008-05-30T22:56:00.003-06:00

We've arrived! Back in the glorious North Valley and very glad to be here. Our skin, lips and plant, 'Herb', are SO glad for the extra humidity. It's a little cramped being two people and all of our summer items in my old bedroom, but Mom and Dad and the Missionaries made some pretty big re-adjustments and got us some extra drawer space. I'm very grateful. Isn't it pretty?!?! We're in the bottom level of the house so it's a little cooler and right now, the temperature is perfect.

Good News!

2008-05-21T18:19:00.002-06:00

My supervisor at work is letting me leave a week early! That means that, instead of waiting another 2 weeks, Michael is flying into Provo this Saturday and we're driving out to California on Monday! That's 3 days from now! Whoo Hoo!

Summer Intern!

2008-05-11T19:49:00.006-06:00

Michael received two internships in California for the summer. Both of the companies are in and around our hometowns so we'll be close to family, in a familiar place and loving a California summer! Hoorah! Unfortunately, Michael had to report by May 12th and the school I work at doesn't get out until May 30th. Needless to say, I'm pretty much a train wreck. Lonely and sad. The first morning after he left, my first thought-looking back on the previous day-was "Whoa, I'm glad that day's over. Then I realized it's been just one day; 20 more to go.

Just to get an idea of what it's been like, let me tell you about the first day with him gone. First, all the hot water disappears. I determined that the pilot light in the water heater had gone out. I called our Home Teacher-no answer, then three of our friends-no answer, finally the bishop-his wife answers and says all the men are on a camp-out and wont be home for another 4 hours. So I tried it myself. Bad idea. After trying 4 times to contact Michael, he picks up just in time for my phone to start glitching and freeze, twice. It'd figure. He remembers that he has uncles and cousins in the area who can help, but they were all busy too. I had given up and had resigned my self to sitting in my own human dirtiness until noon when he got a hold of one of our friends that I had called earlier. Thankfully, he was able to set it right and I only had to sit in my human filthiness for 40 minutes. That's the morning after my first night of sleeping alone. (Which happened to be the night that our Mexican neighbors next door got into some fight and started yelling at 1:00 am and scaring the day-lights out of me.)

Mark's Mission

2008-05-10T13:14:00.006-06:00

On May 5th, my family drove out to Provo to spend a few days with us before we delivered Mark to the MTC. We took some family pictures which will end up here in about a week (we don't have them yet) and we set up a Blog for Mark's Mission. Feel free to visit his blog to learn more about his mission. We're all very proud of him. This is at the Sacramento Temple, the day he took out his endowments.

http://www.elderrunolfson.blogspot.com

On-line Video Calls

2008-05-10T13:10:00.007-06:00

My parents took a trip to Europe and discovered a fun new program on-line called Skype. We can call each other for free on our computers, to save on our Cell minutes. It also has video

capability so on the left is the view of Michael and myself from California on my mom's end. And the picture on the right (on another day) is our view into California. The picture on the right is my brother, Mark, 2 weeks before his mission.

2008-05-10T13:08:00.001-06:00

Just as a disclaimer:

I am going back almost a year in our life to bring up the really exciting stuff and, even though I mapped it all out to get the chronology right, I have made some calendar errors so if you notice that some of the post dates jump back and forth, you'll have to excuse me.

Knife

2008-05-10T12:57:00.004-06:00

One night in January, I was cutting up some Potatoes to make Mashed Potatoes for dinner and in one gross second, the knife slipped through the potatoe too fast, punctured my thumb and bounced off the bone and out. ugh...I can still taste that metal. Anyway, after going through shock and blacking out, we taped it up over night with electrical tape and a paper towel-I never imagined it'd hurt so bad; especially when the blood dried to the towel over night and we had to remove it-. The next we took a trip to the walk-in clinic and 3 stitches was all it needed. That was another experience and I don't like that doctor. He didn't understand what, "I'm too queezy, don't tell me what's going on", means. I almost blacked out again in the office. Needless to say my mood isn't a happy one in these pictures. I'm pretty put-out.

2008-05-10T12:53:00.002-06:00

Exploring restraunts is one of our hobbies. Michael and I like to find new restraunts that are unique, convenient or simply fun. We've tried a roach coach that's actually really good (Tommy's Burger), a hot-dog stand in a red shack (J-Dawgs), and this one is the BYU Creamery. Not very exciting but it's a quaint little grille.

Broken Bone

2008-05-10T12:47:00.005-06:00

In December I broke my face at the Gym. Don't ask how. If you know me well enough, you'll know it was some freak something that happened and it's funny and we're not going to talk about it. These pictures are about a week after I hit the bar. The coloring stayed for 2 1/2 weeks and it hurt for about 7 weeks. It was fun though. If anyone is going to break a bone, it should be their face.

2008-05-10T12:42:00.005-06:00

The things you find in the
Wal-Mart parking lot.

2008-05-10T12:40:00.002-06:00

On our way back to Utah, we found this house in the middle of nowhere up in the Mountains. We decided to scratch Utah, my job, his school and just move in. We also decided to take pictures so we can build one like it later on in life...hopefully.

5 degrees

2008-05-10T12:36:00.005-06:00

Driving out to California for Christmas. It's my turn at the wheel as Michael takes a nap and we head through Nevada. I almost remember what city it was, but we hit the lowest temp we had seen all winter: 5 degrees. Ouch. When we pulled off into a Parking Lot for the both of us to take a rest, we decided we'd only sleep as long as the car was warm. Turns out that it was so cold that was only 3 minutes before the car didn't hold warmth anymore. Sooo freezing.

2008-05-04T22:52:00.004-06:00

2008-05-04T22:44:00.004-06:00

December 2007

Decorating our house for Christmas. I love to decorate Christmas and in a new house, it leads to new opportunities for creativity. I really enjoyed the banister. It was very jolly and gave off nice light.

As a Christmas gift for our Landlady, we made a Gingerbread house. (We took the quick way out this time and bought a kit, but it makes a pretty cute little candy cottage.)

2008-05-04T22:33:00.011-06:00

November 22, 2007

Below: Finishing touches on the Cranberries-orange peels as a colorful topping.

Right: Our first Thanksgiving as a married couple. My first Thanksgiving meal made alone and our first Thanksgiving with just US and no family around. It was bitter-sweet but I was pretty proud of my success. Only a few minor mistakes that I'll learn from next year. :-)

2008-05-04T22:29:00.002-06:00

Michael and I had forgotten it was Halloween until I took him to work and saw Golfers, Ballerina's and Pumpkin headed guys in suites. We were puzzled for a short time as we tried to think of why all was so strange. This guy has an actual pumpkin on his head with a face carved out of it to see.

2008-05-04T22:15:00.018-06:00

October 18th,2007

In the midst of my despair from moving to Utah and knowing no one or knowing anything to do, my Uncle Steven invited Michael and I up to his restaurant, La Caille for a dinner on him. It was amazing. It is one of my favorite atmospheres and the food was NOT disappointing (and I went with high expectations).

2008-05-04T22:11:00.002-06:00

Michael spends quite a lot of his time in school. An average of 18 hrs a day. On these very late nights, I'll take him dinner after I work and stay with him and watch him study. This helps me to not miss him so much. In this picture, we're in the Math Lab.

2008-04-30T23:18:00.003-06:00

The BYU Football season started and Michael was consumed. If you know me well enough, you'll know how patient I had to be to devote every Saturday to football and sit through most of them in the snow-which, if you know me well enough, you know I don't do well in either. But Michael was very happy, and I'll admit that I did enjoy the BYU vs. Utah game and I was able to manage the games better after we learned how to bundle me up. (Except for the long walks into the stadium, lots of people, frozen lungs, etc.) Regardless of all that I 'suffered through', I was very happy to share Michael's excited moments for his football team. He gets very worked up and I like to be the one he Victory Hugs.

2008-04-30T23:08:00.002-06:00

Shortly after moving to Provo, Michael began getting me familiar with BYU Campus. On this day, he took me to his favorite road-side stand, "J-Dawgs". They have great polish dogs with an amazing 'secret sauce'. While we were enjoying our lunch, there came a straight line of ducks waddling past us, so here we are sharing our Dawg buns with the cute little duckies.

2008-04-30T22:58:00.004-06:00

Our first house together. We had borrowed and house sat but as for a house that we had "ownership" of, this is it. It's not gorgeous, but it is SO much more than we ever expected and we're very grateful for it. It's the perfect size for us and meets all of our needs. We're very happy here.

Hawaii

2008-04-30T22:06:00.011-06:00

Some highlights from our Honeymoon. We LOVED being in Hawaii. Convertible cars, wind, hair in knots, sticky faces from the humidity, salt dried all over your skin from snorkeling, Seafood, grease and the smell of Sunscreen, sand in your sandals...totally and completely carefree. Impulse snorkeling, warm rain...I could go on forever.

In the top collage, there are pictures of pink pineapple and pineapples that have 3 bushels on top, our meal at the Luau (mouth-watering) some shots from the PCC, hotel room, our car, and some great sun-setting.

In the bottom collage we have some pictures from the show at our Luau (fire-throwers), our favorite beaches, Pearl Harbor, the Sea Turtle we swam with, and some of the activities from the Luau.

Nauvoo Collage 2

2008-04-30T17:01:00.004-06:00

Nauvoo Collage 1

2008-04-30T16:52:00.002-06:00

These are some of my favorite pictures that give the same feeling that we had in Nauvoo. It was quite, peaceful, beautiful and we were so happy.

2008-04-29T00:24:00.003-06:00

On Left-In order from Left to Right
in each row starting at top:
Mary Ellen Stotts, Deanna Bryan,
Aunt Christy, Sam Stotts,
Brad Call, Aunt Tonya,
Grandma Gloria, Larisa Call,
Michael Call, Dad, Mom, Myself.

On Right: Brad and Larisa Call
Michael and Kristin Call
Bret and Terrie Runolfson

2008-04-29T00:19:00.002-06:00

The second day in Nauvoo, I went through the Temple and recieved my endowments. My Michael being there with me was one of the sweetest things I can remember.

2008-04-29T00:03:00.003-06:00

I think of all of us, Mom had the most laughs over Dad's "renditions" of their early marriage stories.

2008-04-28T23:58:00.002-06:00

Mom and Dad exchanged stories about early married life and everyone had a lot of good laughs.

2008-04-28T23:51:00.006-06:00

Left is the window in Carthiage Jail that the prophet, Joseph Smith, fell from after being murdered-exterior. Above: Mary Ellen (the photographer) shut us up in the slammer at Carthiage Jail. Above and to the right Michael and I stand at the Window is Carthiage Jail, which Brother Joseph fell/lept from after being shot-interior.

2008-04-28T23:43:00.006-06:00

June 6th we started our travel to Nauvoo. We spent the first day acquiring our Marriage License in Carthiage, Hancock County, Ill. The picture below is inside the Hancock County Court House. Below and to the right is the Nauvoo Temple, or "Our Temple", and on the right Michael and I are answering questions for our Marriage License.

2008-04-28T15:40:00.004-06:00

On our way to Nauvoo, all the men made a stop in the middle of Nowhere, Missouri at a Firework wearhouse. Needless to say, all the women were crying "Illegal!" and all the men bought fireworks.

2008-04-28T15:03:00.003-06:00

Michael's mugshots show off his Rock Star hairstyle. Right before I attempted to cut his hair for the first time, we straightened his waves.
Our wedding was two weeks later, so that haircut was the haircut in our Wedding photos.

2008-04-28T14:57:00.003-06:00

In February, I took a flight out to Provo to visit him. He'd been gone since we got engaged in December and I missed him too much. While there, we had our engagement photos taken and I watched him shave for the first time. I caught him on camera when he wasn't expecting it. The picture on the left was his apartment across from Campus. The picture on the right was at his Aunt Ann's house in Ogden. She was our photographer. She has amazing talent.

2008-04-28T14:34:00.005-06:00

Valentine's Day, 2007

Our first Valentine's Day. We were newly engaged and Michael was away at school in Utah. Quite a display for being two states away. There were Hersey Kisses on the floor and note reading, "Just kissing the ground you walk on." All those dark spots on the carpet are rose petals. They're also all over the piano. Also included was a dozen roses, a love-letter, and a picture of our Temple.

2008-04-27T18:36:00.005-06:00

We're at the Garland's Christmas Party. Three weeks later he proposed marriage...finally. All the older women at the Party were trying to steal him from me. My brother, Mark, took this picture.