Spit n Fire

When you think of Rachel, or maybe I should say, when I think of Rachel, i always remember the 'spit n fire' of her personality, and I don't mean that in a bad way! My Samantha reminds me of Rachel when younger. Sammy is hard, but i tell her all the time, you are just like your aunt Rachel, and that 'spit n fire' will serve you like it has her. what do i mean by that. Rachel is super kind and always helping people, especially special needs people. she gives them the time of day, that isn't easy, and you get taken advantage of alot, but she seems to not mind, she is strong in her beliefs and will not succumb to vain temptations. she is artistic and what makes her art great ( and i am always floored by her creativity) is the fact she creates what 'she' likes. there is a sense of 'who cares' what anybody else thinks, and that makes her stuff whether singing, painting, or craftiness uniquely Rachel, and Rachel is unique! She wasn't fooled by the great looking guys that wanted to date her but were nothing more than great looks. She can tell if you are worth anything pretty easily and is not afraid to kick to the curb the ones that needed kicking to the curb. Rachel is strong, with a great sence of humor, she is a great mother, and you can tell she just adores her kids!

we love you rach, and hope this year is another great and happy one for you!! 29 pretty soon our parents will have 4 kids in their 30's!

Coolest Game i have ever seen!

alright, that title sounds dramatic, but I truly cannot think of a better sporting game i have ever seen in my life. (and it was Soccer for crying out loud). Real Salt Lake was in the MLS Championship game against the LA Galaxy, and from kickoff till the end, i was soo entertained. this was high action soccer! We (Real Salt Lake) were huge underdogs, and barely made the playoffs, but put it together when it counted and made our way to the Championship! LA Galaxy have David Beckham who is world famous (top 5 player) in the entire world. I wish i would have had the forsight to record this game. we were down 1 -0 at halftime, we made a fantastic score in the second half and out played LA the entire second half, we had numerous opportunities to score a winning goal, including the very last play of regulation and came up just short. these guys were gassed, you could tell they had given it their all, it was so neat to see a team put it all on the line. the game came down to penalty kicks. it was soooo dramatic. i was on the edge of my seat and sweating. you have to watch it for yourselves http://real.saltlake.mlsnet.com/t121/ then click the link for MLS cup 2009 penalty kicks to see for your selves how it turned out. this is the first major sports champiionship in utah since the 1971 Utah Stars... it was just soo entertaining.

finally deck is finished...sort of

Finally, after a ga-gillion moments spent thinking about the daunting task at hand, we finally finished re-doing our deck. (well mostly Deena and her grandpa) but i did help as i could with all my work schedule. it looks sooooooooo much better now without the trellis and having slats. the biggest task was painting it all... there is still some structural things to take care of, but it is ready for the winter at least!

Utah Jazz

Grandpa gave Caleb and I his tickets to the Utah Jazz game last night! We had a lot of fun, it was the first game of the season at home for the Jazz, so there was lots of promotional things going on. We both got Jazz hats, which are actually really nice. We went early to enjoy the atmosphere, and hung out around the tv studio, and even got on TV! (nobody saw it but us, but we were excited!) then i was telling Caleb all about the last time i was there with dad, and the Jazz bear showed up at our seats and played around with us... low and behold, Caleb turns around and there was the bear sitting right next to him! he gave him a high five! (and we held onto our hats for sure!! (inside joke with dad and i)The Jazz won and we had a really fun night.. thanks dad for the tickets and allowing Caleb and i to have a memorable night!

Sarami

October makes for easy blog ideas, since there are so many birthdays!! but i am especially excited to talk about my little sister! I don't know how she does the things she does, i just know she has been doing it for as long as i can remember. I know that Annie has commented on the "spaz" or energy bursts that the callister boys have, where they freak out momentarily to 'release' the built up hyperactivity (usually from sitting too long) that we tend to accumulate. well Becky has this trait as well, and there is honestly nothing more amusing to me, then seeing her in one of her spaz 'wigouts'. it always puts a smile on my face! but most things she does put a smile on my face. She is saintly, though she would probably never believe it. Strong personality and strong beliefs, strong determination and will, these october girls are pretty special. i think that is why i was attracted to Deena right away, she is the double image of what i grew up with all my life. So in a way, I owe my family to Becky, as well as my strength in dealing with these strong personalities. I love it, i need strong women in my life, and 2 of the strongest have had to deal with me for quite a while now! i love ya beck, and hope there are many more opportunities for me to see you 'spaz', chat about kids and school. discuss books, give each other strength, and help each other pull through. (or maybe take a spin on a motorcycle) happy birthday little sis!

Jimminy Cricket

I remember Dad getting a jimminy Cricket toy at work (or someplace) because it was the charactor that most reminded these people of Dad, or at least their thinking was that Dad, had a very Jimminy Cricket -ish personality. I thought that was pretty fitting for a man who "always lets his concience be his guide'.

I spent last night at the priesthood session alone, for the first time in, I don't know how long. I always have Dad and usually Dan with me, they were both gone for this one. It was telling that there was a talk about Fathers and Sons. Brother Ballard said that Fathers need to listen to their sons, and sons should seek advise from their fathers. Well, I have an exemplary Father, who i know had an exemplary father as well. I thank my 'lucky stars' this is the case. I can remember his attempt at the awkward (for both of us) bird and bees talk, I know he was trying to do what he as a father should do. mostly I remember that he never blew me off, there where times when i am sure it wasn't the most convienient or pleasant thing to father me. however, even in my more rebellious times, my friends always commented on how much they liked me dad. i know my dad didn't approve of what we were doing most of the time, but he genuinely liked my friends, he saw past adolesent stupidity and saw them as people with potential. Jeff, and Thayne, Matt Maio, Jason, all made comments about how they liked my dad, not because he condoned things we did, but because he was always friendly and asking them about thier lives, he was a fatherly figure to some of them who were missing that in thier own homes. Dad never left me out when i was living on my own. he came by all the time to see if i wanted to go golf, or come over for dinner, or go hiking or camping. I know he thought that if he gave me opportunities to be with family i would come back to family.. and he was RIGHT!!

i could go on.... and on. but i just want to wish my Dad a happy birthday! and let him know that i love him and hope that i can be half the dad to my kids as he was and still is to me!

My First Ride in an Ambulance

Well, i have experienced my first and (hopefully)last ride in an ambulance! i was working on a job and while i was opening the lid on one of my tanker trucks it blew up on me! if i wasn't holding on to the ladder as tightly as i was, it would have knocked me clear to the fence (40 ft away). As it was, i was completely covered in Slurry seal and the initial blast hit me square in the face. i couldn't see and passersby who saw it thought i was covered in burning tar! (luckily the material is ambient temperature). the paramedics were immediately called and i was hosed down with a water hose. all of the efforts of people with eye wash, could not get the debris out of my eye, the paramedics said i had to go to the hospital so they could numb my eye and they would have nesssisary equipment to clean the debris out of my eyes. (the nessisary equipment turned out to be q-tips, and something called morgan-lenses.) the nurses and doctor had never seen anything like my eyes. they see some terrible stuff in the emergencie room, but they said they would be talking about all the crazy stuff and amounts of stuff they pulled out of my eyes. i was there for 3 hours then they made me see an opthamologist for expert opinion on further treatment. they put a die in my eyes that makes the scratches show better under their binodular thingies. they said my cornea looked like a scratched cd that has been in the glove box for a year or so. any ways the prognostic for my vision returning to complete normalness is excellent. so i thank my lucky stars.

what we've been up to

We have been trying to have fun for this 'last' month of summer. we wen't down to St George for 4 days and played around Sandhollow Res and played around the town. then this weekend I started working on my deck, getting it all repaired and replacing the broken trellis with straight slats. it is going to look really good when i get it all stained and painted. Dad came up for the big BYU win over #3 Oklohoma, which was a great end to a great week.

fun house mirror

Ok, so I was playing around with our webcam thingy and noticed all these cool features. the kids and I had a blast taking pictures of us with the built in fun house mirror feature. Tell us what your favorite is!

blog block

I have been having blog block lately. I know that I should be posting things more regularly, and my family is just growing and doing all the time, so there should be plenty to say and throw out there. I have been finding myself severly fatigued and exhausted lately, i am sure it is related to my busy work schedule, but i have been kind of a bump on a log lately. this is such a different experience for me. So, i am going to try and bring back the old active Josh, and kick this anomaly to the curb.

i thought for my blog i would share some thoughts from my Elders Qourum lesson this afternoon. it was on the Savior. pretty broad topic. I had been reading the Mortal Messiah by Mckonkie and I have learned so much about the time and situations surrounding the life of Jesus, that it has been just incredible to me and eye opening. I have gained a tremendous respect for Joseph, and John the baptist. Joseph must have been sooo influential to the young Jesus, it was the fathers responsibility to make sure that their sons read and understood the scriptures, said their prayers and new the Schema and Mesuzzah, learned the rites and participated in the ordinances when of age, (hence Jesus coming with joseph and mary to the passover and teaching in the temple).

but what i really wanted to say here was that i read a section about the life of Jesus from baby to his ministry. he learned line apon line, had to study his scriptures and explore their meanings and messages. in other words he had to work at it. it made him more human to me (that may sound funny) but he is God, yet human. he felt pain, had sickness, hunger, and fatigue. Certainly he felt the nail prints in his hands, the scourging, and the pressure of all the weight of the world. he shrunk before bitter cup, because he knew (this is going to hurt man!!) but did it for us. He anticipated that his friends would turn and run, but never anticipated that the Father would withdraw his spirit from him leading to the agonizing "my Father my Father, why hast thou forsaken me!" Truly, he had to do it alone, it was the only way, but as Elder Holland said, " lets never allow him to be alone again." lets use the gift he gave us so that his atonement wasn't vain for us. and help others along the way.

Daniels Turn!

Ok, after Seeing Jake's last post with his super Fu-Manchu. I thought it was time to compare! so i gathered pictures of myself (in similar pose) and now I just need a Daniel addition for the full Callister collage...all this from a Dad who cannot ....or dare i say Will not do it!! looks like we are fresh of the set of Chips Patrol!! or a rockin episode of Simon and Simon!

Official Welcome to the 3rd Decade!

I want to officially welcome the 3rd member of the Von Callister Clan to the 3rd decade of life. this is the decade of family, moving up the ladder, gray hairs, odd hairs in odd places, nicer cars, mortgages, tight budgets moving to a little more fluidity, dotting on kids, remembering all the cool things you thought were sooo important at one time in your life because of your kids interests. weightier callings, and wierd weight fluctuations.. Rebekah and I want to extend a warm hand of encouragement to our 'little' brother who is now, not so little, and getting older, and Older. we are excited for what the future holds for you, and hope that you can continue to look to your past and stay young, for it wont be to far off when you are looking at your 30's as past, so make good memories! you have accomplished much in your first 30 years. take a moment and look back on that, you have lived in Germany, played in a successful band, earned bachelors and masters degrees, married one of the coolest people on earth, landed a good job, and those are just the certifiable memories. many more to come!! the 30's really are the new 20's, although the small of my back tells me that isn't necisarrily true some times, i feel great and want to do all the things i did in my 20's... it just takes a little longer to recover from them.. your a great guy, i cherish some of our fun camping and just out right laughable moments through out life, and look forward to many more! oh, and by the way this birthday actually marks the fact that you have already lived 30 years, working on 31. you are older than you think!

The year of the Boar

Boars do not dazzle or shimmer. They possess the old-fashioned chivalry that grows on you until you totally depend on it. It is so easy to trust Boars. They have a calm expression and a sincere manner. They are blessed with endurance and work steadily at tasks with great patience until completion.

Once Boars arrive at a decision nothing stops them. Of course, before they reach that decision they weigh all the pros and cons. They definitely want to avoid complications. Sometimes they ponder so long they miss the opportunity altogether. But never mind, Boars always believe in miracles, and miracles always happen to them. Fortune favors Boars. They always find someone to help them without having to beg.

The year 1983 is the year of the Boar.... a certain relative of mine was born that year, now whether or not this describes him i am not sure, what i am sure of is this...Daniel James Callister is grade A, blue ribbon, Genuine, Certified, 11 on a scale of 10, coolness in my book! i wanted to post this because i felt bad that Caleb took some of the attention away from Dan's birthday, but it was fun to have Dan around to celebrate both of these occasions! i wanted to do something i did with Jacobs birthday a couple years ago... here goes.

1983.

The final episode of M*A*S*H is aired and the record of most watched episode is broken

U.S. President Ronald Reagan makes his initial proposal to develop technology to intercept enemy missiles. The media dub this plan "Star Wars".

the Disneyland Tokyo opens.

Pioneer 10 becomes the first man-made object to leave the solar system.

The Nintendo Entertainment System goes on sale in Japan.

Tom Brokaw becomes lead anchor for NBC Nightly News.

Microsoft Word is first released.

Michael Jackson's world famous music video for "Thriller" is broadcast for the first time. It becomes the most often repeated and famous music video of all time, increasing his own popularity and record sales of the album "Thriller".

June 6th....

U.S. President Andrew Jackson becomes the first President to ride a train.

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is founded in London.

1882 – More than 100,000 inhabitants of Bombay are killed as a cyclone in the Arabian Sea pushes huge waves into the harbour.

1889 – The Great Seattle Fire destroys the entirety of downtown Seattle, Washington.

1912 – The eruption of Novarupta in Alaska begins. It is the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.

1925 – The Chrysler Corporation is founded by Walter Percy Chrysler.

1933 – The first drive-in theater opens, in Camden, New Jersey, United States.

1934 – New Deal: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Securities Act of 1933 into law, establishing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

1942 – World War II: Battle of Midway. U.S. Navy dive bombers sink the Japanese cruiser
Mikuma.

1944 – World War II: Battle of Normandy begins. D-Day, code named Operation Overlord, commences with the landing of 155,000 Allied troops on the beaches of Normandy in France. The allied soldiers quickly break through the Atlantic Wall and push inland in the largest amphibious military operation in history.

1944 – Alaska Airlines commences operations. (just ask dad and i about alaska airlines...

1968 – Senator Robert F. Kennedy dies from his wounds after he was shot the previous night.

1984 – Tetris was released.

famous june 6 birthdays..

1436 – Regiomontanus, German mathematician
1502 – King John III of Portugal
1599 – Diego Velázquez, Spanish painter
1714 – King Joseph I of Portugal
1755 – Nathan Hale, American writer and patriot (d. 1776)
1756 – John Trumbull, American painter
David Abercrombie, American entrepreneur
1875 – Thomas Mann, German writer, Nobel laureate
1960 – Steve Vai, American musician
Sean Yseult, American musician (White Zombie)


nothing in my opinion was more important than the birth of Daniel James Callister... (you were born on D-Day!!) that is pretty cool.

love ya dan, hope you had a great birthday!

Caleb's Baptism

Caleb was baptised yesterday June 6th. He was soo excited about it, and really thought it was cool that he shared his baptism day with Daniel's Birthday. (Daniel is a hero to Caleb). His grandpa Von, and great grandpa Nygard were his whitnesses. We all stayed later and had a little party at the house with Hawaiin Haystacks (yummy) and chocolate cake for Dan's birthday. Neither Dan or I could beat dad in the 3 games of (daniel) we played, even though i made 3 of 4 shots from the deck! Caleb also just this week lost his 2 front teeth, so we had to get the customary shot with dad. Fun week for Caleb, our newest member of the church! everybody congratulate him!

Maiden Voyage

today, i finally took a break from work and took the family on the Maiden voyage of our new boat. we sold our other boat, and bought this new / better more powerful one. it is soo much fun, and can pull me up skiing in one second flat!! so any body that wants to get up for their first time or what not, will have no problem with this thing! it has a very roomy cuddy that can sleep 4 people and seats that become a queen size bed in the stern of the boat. it was made for water camping! we cannot wait to take some willing people to Powell or where ever and just utilize this thing. we went to Willard Bay, and i am not sure why i have never appreciated this place before, it was very picturesque, the water was phenomenal (though cold). great beaches with covered pavilians everywhere and restrooms and lots of gnats....we had a great time watching Caleb, kneeboard all over the lake, and even cross the wake! and just taking a much needed break from our 'real lives'...