Today was one of those days where everything pretty much goes smoothly. I am really grateful for that cause Nick worked a 12 hour shift today so I was "single parenting" it (If you count his drive time, he will have been gone for 14 hours today!). I took Preston grocery shopping and shopping for stocking stuffers, then after we got Ash from school, she had ballet while I ran a couple more errands. When we got home tonight the kids were GREAT...they both helped me clean the main floor of our house, Ash got her homework done quickly and then we all just played, and made some yummy treats. Ash painted my fingernails, she and Preston played trains, etc. It was just a really nice, fun, relaxing, enjoyable day. I LOVE days like today!

Preston laying on the kitchen floor pretending to do a Snow Angel

Preston hugging Ashleigh---he REALLY loves his big sister!

Candid Pic of both kids

Ash posing for the camera. Cute!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICK

It's Nick's birthday today. I had plans for the day...I was going to take the kids to his work and surprise him for lunch, and then decorate his car and make a big fuss--cause I know he hates that. Lol. But instead, we have both been sick all night so today, he and I have been lazy on the couches and watching movie after movie. What a sucky way to spend his birthday! Poor guy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABE.
LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!

Photo shoot

Tucanos

Nick and I went to Tucanos for his birthday dinner. We had so much fun spending time together.

I love restaurants cause they usually send a gift for a free meal during the month of your birthday, so it makes eating out more fun and affordable! :-)

I made sure to embarrass Nick by telling the servers that it was his birthday---they sang to him in Portuguese. It was great! Nick was up dancing, but the song was so short I didn't get a pic of him until after. It was so funny though! :)
After the birthday song--he doesn't look embarrassed, but he was! :-)

Our favorite food there---the grilled pineapple! YUM! :)

After we ate---Ahhh....this is a happy, very full hubby.

dessert---Raspberry cheesecake. It was SO tasty. YUM
Dinner was great!!!!

But after dinner, not so great. I felt SO nauseous all the way home and started puking at home--and all night long. And finally stopped at 130am. But at midnight nick started feeling sick too...ugh. I think we both had a mild case of food poisoning--me worse than him. What a great way to spend his birthday, huh?

Birthday cakes

Quinny watched the kids so Nick and I could go on a date to Tucanos for his 31st birthday. While we were gone they made a couple birthday cakes for Nick! Isn't that sweet? :-)

This is Ashleigh's cake she made

This is Preston's cake he decorated

Today Preston wanted to eat some of his cake
here is him "before" eating it

And "after" eating the cake...funny kid!

Thanks, Quinn!!! :)

Monday randoms

This is what happens when you have a big sister who likes to paint fingernails...sigh...Preston insisted on having her paint his nails too. so pretty!

Then he smudged them....look how upset he got! sheesh...what a "girl". Lol

It's a rarity to see Preston eating anything healthy, so I figured I should take pictures to capture this event.



When I came downstairs this morning I found a letter in my purse that Ashleigh snuck in there. It's a letter to Santa. isn't that cute. :) I'll open it tonight after she goes to bed to see what she asked for. Can't believe Christmas will be here in 1 month! wow!

9 years....

2 days ago (November 18), Nick and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary. What an amazing 9 years it's been.

We've had incredible, wonderful, exciting UP's,
We've had horrible, awful, disastrous DOWN's.
But for the most part, we have been happy, secure, comfortable, and lovey.
I can honestly and seriously say that I am MORE in love with Nick today than I have EVER been!

I thought I would put on here a little photo Montague of the past 9 years together (oh, how we have changed!!!):

Nick and I--first time we met--EFY 1996 in Corvallis, OR

Inseparable at EFY 1996

Our wedding day---November 18, 2000
Happiest day of my life!

Our first born
Christian Nicholas Call
August 30, 2001

Our second "first" born
Ashleigh Elizabeth Call
November 5, 2002

Meg, Ash, and Nick at Seattle Mariners game
2004

Bought our first house in Vancouver, WA
October 2004

Nick and Meg
2005

Nick and Meg at a friends wedding
2006(?)

Our third baby
Preston Adam Call
September 14, 2006

Ash (age 4) and Preston (age 3 months)

Nick and Meg
Living in Utah--2008

Meg and Nick
"Picture time"
Sept 2008

Meg and Nick
November 2008

Nick and Meg
Nick's 30th birthday
November 2008

Nick and Meg
(Annoying him) May 2009

Ash, Nick, and Preston
June 2009

Meg, Ash, Nick
Kindergarten Graduation--June 2009

Ash, Meg, Preston
July 2009

Meg and Nick
Halloween party
October 2009

9 years married
13 years together
I LOVE YOU HONEY!!!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Male Bonding

Preston's train "Victor" ran out of juice (battery died) so he asked Nick to fix it. Instead, nick showed Preston how to fix it himself....the pics aren't too good--I took them with my phone, but if you click on the pics they get bigger so you can see them better. It was a sweet loving bonding time between daddy and son. These moments fill me with love and joy! :-)

Look how much Preston is concentrating! He does the "sticking out his tongue" thing like Ash does.

Preston screwing in the screw....the job is done! Good job boys!