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'...