Jenny and Brian have been so good to have me here during the Christmas break! I've gone to multiple family parties with Brian's side and they've all been so good to let Laura and I be adopted into the family. It's been so fun to spend so much time with Callie, Jake, Josh, Adam and Will. They are such good, fun kids! Christmas morning was fun for me because I've never had younger siblings of my own to watch Christmas Eve as the excitement makes them bounce off the walls. And I've always been the one to wake up super early and wake everyone else up..so it was fun to hear the whispers at 6:30..."it's six thirty..can we wake everyone else up yet?... I bet Santa came..."
The kids all lined up on the stairs to see what Santa brought. The same stairs all of us kids lined up on when we were young!
Jake does a great impression of Santa's Elves.
On Christmas Eve we went to Brian's parent's house and all the grandkids did a nativity. Here's Mary and Joseph.
The whole cast.
Playing around with Will.
I love this picture of Adam, all ready to play in the snow!
Well I survived finals and got home as quick as I could! I needed a break after those last couple weeks and I've been having a good one so far with Jenny and her family! Today was spent making Christmas treats. Don't worry...they're not all for us.. We (as in mostly Jenny) made pretzel/rolo treats, press cookies, caramels, and peppermint bark. I stepped in and made the tiger butter... my favorite. Here are some pictures of the day...
And we ended the night with a little Harry Connick Jr. and dancing!
Well here I sit in the library...taking a breather after a long day. Finals started yesterday and I'm already feeling it. Working at the testing center during finals week just makes an already hectic week that much more crazy. I have 5 finals... 5 days... and 40 hours of work, not to mention study groups and study time that needs to happen as well. Is it possible? I sure hope so. Making good use of the reading days we had and spending every spare moment in the library will hopefully pay off... I will just be in definite need of a break after! Good thing it's almost Christmas! I have 3 finals down...13 hours of work down...(the phrase,"please don't write on this test, no calculator, and you'll get a bubble sheet at the printer" will be forever running through my head.) Only 2 finals and 27 hours of work left!! Then I'll be on my way back home to good old Farmington. Can't wait. Jenny, if I fall into a two day sleep coma the minute I enter the door, don't be alarmed!! I'm just catching up!! I really do love being in school and everything that comes with it.. but man, I'll be happy when this week is over!
This Saturday a big group of us went up to the BYU vs. San Fransico basketball game up in the energy solutions area in Salt Lake. It was so much fun and we won! Here are some pictures!
After the game we went to Temple Square to see the lights! They were beautiful! I love Christmas time!
Sara was nice and warm.
We ran into our good friends from freshman year and had to take a picture!
I was sitting in my speech anatomy class waiting for it to start when my friend Shauna came and sat next to me. Before as much as a hello she says, "Sara Callan. I decided you're going to run a half marathon with me." My first reaction was, "Ya right. that's 13 miles! I could barely run the mile in 9th grade gym class. I'm not a runner. I never have been, never will be." But then I thought...wait a second. Why do I tell myself that! Why wouldn't I be able to run a half marathon. It's not like I couldn't physically do it if I trained. It's all a mental game. So it was decided. I'm going to do it! It's not until May.... Yes that is about 5 months away.. But I think it's perfect. Being in school I wouldn't be able to train extensively, right now especially with finals coming. But we've started running a couple times a week, starting slow but we'll do more as next semester goes on. Over Christmas break I'll make a strict schedule, and I'm going to stick to it! With all of you as my witness! I honestly am excited now! I've never done something like this before! And what better time in my life than now! So here we go!
Thanksgiving week was great! It was nice to go home and spend time with family, it was nice to have a break from school before finals, and it was super nice to eat a lot of food!
Going into Thanksgiving this year I knew it was going to be different with Mom and Dad gone. But if anything it made me more thankful for them and what they are doing! I know they missed being with us and I know I definitely missed being with them but I know that we are all being blessed for it. I think one blessing I've realized I've received is being strengthened when I do miss them. I miss them all the time, don't get me wrong, but I've noticed that is not an overwhelming missing. It's more of a... 'well.. I wish my mom and dad were here. But I'm happy with where I am right now. And I know they are happy. So why would I want it any other way!'
Another thing I'm thankful for is my siblings. I'm so lucky to be the youngest. I have 9 older siblings, counting in-laws, that I can look up to and ask advice from. They are the best siblings I could ask for! I'm especially thankful for Jenny and Brian for letting Laura and I still come home and eat their food!
Well this break was pretty fun! It started out with nail painting...
Laura pulled out a bucket of nail polish... literally a bucket. We then did what any normal girl would do.....
Line them up in rainbow order!!!!!
Rachel then organized a fun craft for all of us girls to do. We made necklaces out of felt flowers, beads, and ribbon. Rachel is so talented!!
Man... Callie is sure growing up!
The many colors of felt we had to work with.
My finished necklace!
I had some extra so I made a hair piece too.
I just had to throw this one of Will in..
The day after Thanksgiving I headed back down to Provo because of the football game the next day. Some friends and I went to Thanksgiving Point to see the lights! When we first got there we didn't know where to go and ended up walking around most of the parameter of the light... when finally we found where to get on the wagons we had to wait for half an hour!
Davis riding the cow...
Davis and Brandon killing some time..
Brandon, Matt and Davis in front of the wagon.
Katie and I in front of the wagon.
Thanksgiving point always reminds me of going with Grandma and Grandpa Callan to the petting zoo. Those are great memories! The lights were fun and a great way to start off the Christmas season!
Next on the list of activities for the break was the "Holy war." BYU VS UTAH!! It was a great game! Both teams played well and luckily we didn't loose in over time! It was a lot of fun!
Last football game with Acacia this year! I'm going to miss you Acacia!!
After we won we rushed the field with everyone else! Bronco walked right by us!! haha
That's BYU player Jan Jorgenson in the background.
I honestly don't know who this guy is but I wanted a picture of their sweet retro uniforms!
The fans on the field.
So Sunday I headed back up to Farmington. Josh sang in sacrament meeting and did an amazing job!
There's "mini Mark Callan" as people called him.
The boys playing checkers.
Crazy Adam!! Love him!
Over all, it was a great week of fun, food, friends, football and family!!
So a couple months ago our ward asked each FHE family to come up with a video for an oscar's night that would be coming up. The theme was "cliche" and we were asked to use the phrase "oh to be young and foolish." Other than that, it was up to us. So after much brainstorming we came up with this.... we filmed most of it in one night and our fhe brother Jonny edited it for us. It turned out pretty good I'd have to say!
Click here to view it! So the other night was Oscar's night!! My roommates and I got all dolled up and away we went to the red carpet! Our ward is a pretty creative ward so there was a lot of funny, well put together movies! There were awards for all of them such as mom's choice award, funniest, best sound track, best editing... that kind of stuff. Surprisingly, our recieved the best picture award!!!!! Needless to say we were a little shocked! We got a little oscar and candy to share! It was a lot of fun putting the movie together and watching them all as a ward! We have a great fhe family and a great ward!
Our great family after we won "best picture!"
The roommies.... don't worry.. we don't alwa ys dress like that..
Kelsey with Jonny our great brother who edited it for us!
Let's just say, apartment 431 knows how to celebrate holidays. Maybe a little too early... but we are good at it! A week ago we got ready for Christmas. This week we had a mini thanksgiving with some of our friends.We just love holidays!! Here are some pictures...
The BYU cheerleader Barbie tree topper. Always a crowd favorite.
Isn't it a beauty.
The adult table at Thanksgiving
Kid's table
Name tags. A must for any good Thanksgiving dinner.
Our birds. They may be rotisserie Chickens.. but close enough, right?
Uncle Davis carving the bird
Kelsey and Sara made butter turkeys. very festive.
The kids all lined up on the stairs to see what Santa brought. The same stairs all of us kids lined up on when we were young!
Jake does a great impression of Santa's Elves.
On Christmas Eve we went to Brian's parent's house and all the grandkids did a nativity. Here's Mary and Joseph.
The whole cast.
Playing around with Will.
I love this picture of Adam, all ready to play in the snow!
