College Graduate!

Brett is Officially a college graduate! His diploma came in the mail yesterday. I am proud of him for his hard work.. and unfortunately it is not over.... As I am typing this, Brett is taking the GMAT. 4 hours of pure test seem tortuous to me. But he has studied hard and I think he should do well... We will now in a few hours I guess.

UPDATE: Brett got a 650 on his test today. That is in the 80th percentile. So that is pretty good- not as good as we were hoping for but I am still very proud of him. Knowing the score, we know that BYU is a long shot at best. We may not even apply. So we are praying that he will get into the U- which he should and will be applying to Weber State as a backup. Now its time to start filling out applications and write essays!

Lollygagging in Ogden

This weekend we went up to Ogden to spend the weekend with Alyssa and Kellen. We took the dogs too. It was a fun weekend. We drove up Friday night. Brett really had to study because he takes the GMAT on Thursday and Kellen had to work Saturday till 3 so Lyss and I went out and had some fun that day. That night we went to Texas Roadhouse and then to the Junction... it is a really cool place in Ogden.. it has indoor skydiving... so we watched that for a while... super cool. I would love to do it someday. It also has a flowrider (indoor surfing) which is also cool. We saw Avatar in 3D which i loved! It is an amazing movie and I really really like it a lot. I will definetly go see it again. We came home on Sunday afternoon and I realxed while Brett took another practice test. He got a 640 on the first one which is in the 75 percentile and yesterday he got a 690! Wow-- that is almost in the 90 percentile. I am getting more and more confidant that he may have a shot at getting into BYU.
I am proud of him... he is working really hard. After the test.. its onward to applications which will not be so fun.

Andrew Reed

Another Nephew for me! I guess I am just lucky to have so many! Andrew Reed Galovan was born this morning. Brett and I headed down to the hospital after we got off work. He definitely looks like his older brother. He is just so sweet and calm and so cute. Congrats Mandi and Adam and welcome Andrew to the family!

As King and Queen

I never got to share a very important accomplishment that I made a couple of years ago. This project was so many things... challenging, frustrating, liberating, Time consuming, beneficial, educational, beautiful, and the best project I have ever done and probably will ever do.
It took a little over a year to complete this book about my Nana and Papa. I took both of their personal histories and experiences, and wrote a story about 2 people that even a stranger would enjoy. Hundreds of hours, hundreds of pages and hundreds of pictures were put into this book. Their story is a great one and it was meant to be shared. I was able to finish the book and get it published around the beginning of the year of 2008. Just in time for their 50th wedding anniversary. Even after that, Both of them continued to write their personal histories and Papa still continues it even now. And someday I will complete the book about their lives beginning to end.
I am proud of what I did for my family- to allow them to learn more about their grandparents and see them in a different light. It will be something that I will cherish for the rest of my life and also allow my children and grandchildren to know two of the most important people in my life.

Macy + Andrew = LOVE

My baby sister got a big fat rock on her finger this weekend. He is a great guy and we welcome him to the family of craziness!~
They are very cute together. June 24th is the date set- 9:20 am. I cant wait. She will make such a beautiful bride!

Rollercoaster Ride

A few nights before Brett was set to leave for St Louis, we started talking. He was talking about taking the GMAT and going back to school this year for his Masters of Accounting (MAC). He decided it is what he wants to do and get it over with rather than work for a while and then go back like we had planned. So we started off by looking at schools in St Louis. There are 3- And he has a decent shot at getting into them but they are very expensive especially because we are not MO Residents. So then out of curiosity, Brett started to look at schools here and cost and such and of course there is a huge difference.

I personally had been having a weird felling about leaving Utah for a couple days now. I couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly. Maybe it was because Brett is leaving me for so long and I would not do well without him, or maybe it is my sister getting married in June and me not being here to help with stuff for that. But I figured it was one of those and was keeping my mouth shut. Brett told that night that something was not right with him too. He was having those same feelings of unsureity and that something was just not right about the whole plan. So that scared us a bit. We prayed about it together.

Brett called his brother and talked to him. My sister came over to say hi and I talked to her about it too. Both of them said that if school was a priority and we wanted to stay in 'School mode' then we needed to stay here. It makes the most sense. It is such a plan shift now.. and we are pretty much in limbo at the moment since we sold the contract to our house that I loved so much. And my relief that Brett is done with school is no longer a reality. 1 more year to go!

Programs start in August at Weber State, University of Utah or BYU. As for where we are going to live now... we don't know. If he gets into the U then we will want to live in Draper or Sandy (in between Salt lake and American Fork- where I work) and if he happens to get into BYU- which he would have to get an amazing GMAT score, then we would be able to live in Orem. And if he only gets into Weber, then we would have to move to Ogden and I would find another job there. We could guess and my best guess would be to move to Draper but if we are wrong, we have to move again. We are so lucky that my Papa has offered to let us stay with him until we figure this all out. He is so sweet and we are so grateful. Deadlines for school are march 1. And people Brett knows in the program at the U said that they heard that they got in by the 3rd week of March. So we will know then and make our move.

So for now- Brett is studying for the GMAT. He took a practice test a few days ago before he studied at all and got a 640- which is in the 75th percentile and way above average. He is very smart and I know he will do great. Hopefully great enough to get into BYU. He started looking for a job around here and the next day got a call from his old boss at Cultural Hall Home decor where he has worked int he warehouse for the last 9 months. He told her that we were staying around here and she had him come in and he left there with a job... not his old job but an accounting job that is going to pay him $6 dollars an hour more than he was making when he left. wow. It was the perfect situation and such a blessing.

Thank you all for your prayers and your support during this hard time for us. Its been a bit of a roller coaster ride but we know we are doing the right thing for us right now.

WE love you all!!

Cali and Brett

Goodbye 2009

New Years eve was fun this year- as always. We spent it with my family which was so fun. We played games, watched the big car jump, the girls did a dance number and enjoyed we each other!

Here are my top highlights from 2009.... (In no particular order)

-Brett Graduated from school!
-We moved into our first townhouse together
-We adopted Lucy
-Alyssa got married
-Went on a trip to Montana twice- once in January and again in October
-Smith Family reunion
-Nate left on his mission
- Trip to Colorado
- Nana finally stopped suffering and returned to Heaven.



And hopefully 2010 is even better!

Date Night

Last night, Brett and I, Alyssa and Kellen, and Macy and her boyfriend Drew all went up to temple square to see the lights. It was a beautiful night. It was snowing and just gorgeous. This weekend we met Drew and he seems very nice. They are getting pretty serious and have pretty much decided that they will get married this summer. They are very cute together.

After we left the temple, Brett turned down what I thought was the wrong road to get to the freeway. It turns out he had set up a night in a hotel in Salt lake as a late anniversary surprise. It was really cute and he was proud that he was able to keep it a secret. I love that boy.

Christmas 2009

Christmas was so great this year. It just reminds me of how blessed we are to have such a great family. There was a lot of firsts this year without Nana. We miss her everyday and I'm not sure Christmas Eve will ever be quite the same without her. Here are a few pictures of Christmas this year. Along with our new family picture on my side of the family.

We went over to Brett's Uncle Waynes house on Christmas Eve. It was really fun to catch up with the whole family. Then we headed over to Papa's house, did caroling, sub for santa, then went back to my moms house and waited for Santa to come. My brother Dallin is 12 years old. He really wanted to stay out and meet Santa this year. He just wouldnt let it go so he had to be told that Santa is not real. This was done on Christmas eve and he was pretty upset. But the evening continued and soon he got over it.
All in all it was a fabulous Christmas.

Traditions

I love Christmas time! I grew up with a lot of traditions- most of them we still do in our family. It is fun to grow older and have more appreciation for traditions and to be able to start a few of our own. I am excited for the future when I can have these traditions be a part of my childrens lives.

Christmas eve at Nana and Papa's- This tradition has been in place for as long as I remember. We all go over there to be with our cousins, aunts, uncles and Nana and Papa. This year will be a bit different without Nana. And Papa is out in California for the holidays so we wont have either one of them. Growing up, Nana and the girls would cook all week in preparation Christmas Eve. Nana made her homemade wassail and we put plates of goodies together to take to the families we went caroling to. There is always a bit of singing around the piano as well.

Caroling on Christmas Eve- This is a tradition that I hope we never stop. Each family chooses two other families to go caroling to on Christmas Eve. We have about 3 families that we have gone to every year since I can remember. They love it! And since out family is so musically talented- why not share it with others.

Hide from Santa- After the family get together and caroling, we go back home to my Mom's house to get ready for Santa to come. My family has always done Christmas on Christmas Eve. I think it started because my parents divorced when i was young and this way- we never missed either Christmas.
We read stories about Christmas and then open our stockings- (we draw names and stuff each others stockings). Soon, we hear bells outside of my house. The kids all run to the bathroom and shut the door while Santa unloads all the presents. We listen to Santa talk about how good we had all been and how tired he was from flying around the world. When he is gone- we run back out to see what he left us! Then we one by one open our gifts which usually lasts late into the night.

Now that I am married, Brett and I go to the Smith party on Christmas Eve for a short time. They have some wonderful traditions also. They do a dinner and the kids do a nativity scene and a talent show. We like to try to be there as long before we leave to catch the caroling with my family. Christmas Day is always spent over at the Smith's house.

Traditions are a wonderful thing and I am very grateful for them and for all the memories I have had through my life at Christmas time.

Maddex Jaxon Wilcox

My Step Brother and Sister in law had their 4th little one yesterday. He is so so cute! He looks just like the other 2 boys. I am so happy to have another nephew. He weighed in at 6 pounds 15 ounces. Very darling.

the big 26

Yesterday was Brett's 26th birthday. Yes- he is getting old! I attempted to make a cake... apparently I am not good at it... it broke into about 5 pieces when I took it out of the pan... but I frosted it all up and it turned out fine and it tasted good.

We both had the day off so it was fun to get to spend the day together.
Happy Birthday Sweetie! I love you!We put up our Christmas tree and nativity and lights outside!! Our tree is a small one- since we have nowhere to put a big one. I am very excited for Christmas and even more excited for Brett to Graduate and not have school anymore and I get to see him more!

The pictures are from my phone- so they are not the best but I got my camera back today!! I missed her so!