The Clark Family Experience

A Fond Farewell

2011-08-22T15:37:00.001-07:00

Well, despite my best efforts, fate threw a kink in my 7 Skirt Styles in 7 Days. My husband's wonderful grandpa, John Edward Smith died on Thursday after 87 amazing years of selfless life. He was a fantastic cancer surgeon and part of the Army's Signal Corps during World War II. He always had a kind word about everyone and was a humble doer of good deeds until the day be died. He is a very special man to us; I love him like he was my own grandpa and it has been a tender time of remembrance and reflection for our whole family.

With the crazy amount of preparation needed for the funeral (I played my violin with my nieces and we had to practice a lot!), I just couldn't finish the project in 7 days. I apologize and I will definitely make the last two skirts sometime this week. I'm looking forward to wrapping it up and giving you some more inspiration.

Today, I'm going to enjoy the amazing spirit of love, comfort, and peace that I have felt since Grandpa died. I know I will see him again and I know he is having a glorious reunion with Grandma and his loved ones in heaven. I appreciate deeply your kind comments full of sympathy and compassion. Hold your family close, take care of each other, do a good deed for someone and have a wonderful week!

Day 5: Two-Tiered Skirt

2011-08-20T00:53:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday! The arrival of the weekend means we're more than halfway done with my 7 Skirt Styles in 7 Days challenge. Where is time going? I hope you've been inspired to give a few of these skirts a try (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4). They are an easy way to jazz up any lady's wardrobe, no matter her age.

Today's skirt is a quick and easy one. It's comfy and straightforward, making it perfect for playing all day long, a quick beach cover up or a did-someone-just-knock-on-my-door-as-I'm-stepping-out-of-the-shower? moment. Those are great, right? Ha! These skirts are almost as quick and easy to make as the yoga skirts, so try making a bunch. You can also use the method for this skirt to make multi-tiered skirts, like the long sweeping skirts belly dancers wear. Hmm...I need one.

Supplies:
1/2 - 1 yard lightweight fabric (cotton, blends, linen, chambray, and seersucker are great)
1/2" wide elastic to fit around the waist.
Thread to match

Measure your wearer's waist and cut a piece of 1/2" wide elastic to that length. Measure down the outside of the leg from the waist to determine your skirt length.

Cut the first tier: take the waist measurement and add 5-8" to it to make it a number that's easy to work with (I am not smart in math, so I like to work with even numbers I can calculate quickly). This number is completely arbitrary, so don't worry too much about it. You just need at least five inches to provide ease in the hips. Divide the skirt's length measurement by 3. Use this number (round it up or down to make it easier) plus 1 1/2" to determine the length of the piece of fabric. My measurements were 18" waist and 14" length, so I went with a piece of fabric that was 30" (around the waist) by 6".

To cut the next tier, multiply your expanded waist measurement by 1.5. This will give you the width of the tier, and the length is just the total skirt length length number minus the yoke number (so 14-6 gave me 8". Add 1" for seam allowances and cut your second tier. I ended up with tier 1's fabric being 30"x6" and tier 2's fabric being 45"x9".

ALERT: I'm in a crisis right now and can't finish the post now, so I'll wrap it up in the morning. Sorry!

Independence Day 2012

2011-07-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays. I love America and I'm thankful to live in a great land of freedom and opportunity.

We celebrated this year by running a 5K in the Freedom Run in Provo. Well, I should say I ran, along with Greg, Leslie, Kinzie, the Alexander family, and Rex and Case in the stroller. It was a blast for me, but since Adam and the kids had to be up by 5:00 a.m., they didn't find it quite as enjoyable.

We headed to Alpine after the run to get ready for the Neider reunion. It was a fun-filled day with cousins and delicious food and lots of preparation for the highlight of the day: Rob's fireworks spectacular. Adam and Rob set everything up and I made a music mix to go along with it. Karli spent her time being cute and modeling her darling ensemble that we whipped up the night before.

The fireworks were definitely the best part of the day. Aerial fireworks really make a show spectacular and the kids were enthralled.

That's Rex peeking out from his hood, enjoying his tasty fingers.

God bless America, land that I love!

Karli's Fifth Birthday

2011-07-21T20:10:00.001-07:00

My sweet, caring, helpful, creative Kar-Kar turned five. FIVE! She's starting kindergarten, becoming a very good little cheerleader, and getting sweeter every day. We all think she is wonderful and we are happy to have her in our family.

She helped me make a Ponyo cake with lots of fondant.

We had a fun party with lots of cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents, and even some friends from Korea.

I love this expression on her face!

She blew out all the candles like a pro. Happy birthday, Karli! We love you and your free spirit to pieces!

2011-07-21T20:02:00.001-07:00

The Alexanders and Kahananuis came to Utah for a loooong visit and we had a blast!

The kids especially loved the dinosaur museum...

...the Children's Discovery Garden...

...and playing in Grandma's and Grandpa's yard. These three boys had a blast! We really missed having Gracie, Cooper, and Colton here to enjoy the fun.

After eating way too much yummy food, several birthday parties, Independence Day, and hours of fun, our cousins had to head home. We were so sad! Come back soon, fun families!

Happy Birthday, Adam! You're A Great Father

2011-07-21T19:56:00.001-07:00

This handsome guy turned 32 this week, so we made him some yummy food at a barbecue with our families. Despite my best efforts, I totally failed in the gift department. Boo. I feel like a schmuck. He is so good to me on my birthday. Darn it.

Just six days later was Father's Day. I feel very lucky to be married to Adam and to have children with him. He is a magnificent father! He balances me, always sneaks the kids out after bedtime for milkshake runs, and teaches them great lessons that will help them throughout life. We all adore him. Thanks for being so fantastic, Adam!

I Am Slowly Going Crazy

2011-06-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sheesh. I always knew that parenting was hard, but I had no idea it was this kind of hard. I've had several things going on that seem to add to the overall mundane, annoying task of being cooped up in the house with four kids all day and most of the time I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. I hate admitting this, because I know it's a real blessing to have children. I adore them! I'm happy that I get to stay home with them to see and hear the cool things they learn. I'd never want it any other way. I wish I could program my kids, though, so that we had more harmony and less cacaphony!

Two weeks ago, I was helping my girls clean their HIDEOUSLY messy room. They had three years' worth of dress-ups, broken toys, shoes that don't fit, and piles of miscellany in their tiny closet, all over their floor, behind their beds--the place was truly a disaster. I suddenly started to get really hot. Then, I got really dizzy. The room was spinning, I couldn't breathe, I had a pounding headache, and I couldn't even walk to the kitchen for a drink. I had to crawl. I was having a panic attack! Who does that? After a useless trip to the doctor, the PA decided that since I didn't have traces of thyroid problems in my blood, I must have Labyrinthitis (a middle-ear viral infection). It causes dizziness which causes panic attacks and there's nothing to be done for it since it's a virus. Boo. So I've been having attacks and lots of vertigo for the past 16 days, and I have four more weeks before I'm out of the usual healing period. I can't function and it makes me feel even worse because I'm not accomplishing the things I usually do. Ugh.

My three older kids are always, and I mean ALWAYS at each other's throats. I can't stand it anymore! I think that they spend seven or eight collective hours in time out every day. All of my usual punishments or rewards are useless lately, and that is hard for me. Do any of you have good ideas to rememdy this? I'm at a total loss.

Amber is out of school for the summer, so she's bored because we have little-kid activities going on for the others. She cries about everything. I ask her to brush her hair, she cries. I ask her if she wants oatmeal or Mini Wheats for breakfast, she cries. I ask her to gather up her shoes from the family room, more tears. AARGH! I am really not looking forward to having her turn 12, when she has an extra dose of hormones on top of her already-emotional personality. I've tried every method of encouragement, reward, threat, and ignorance, but nothing seems to help. Add to this her bossiness and know-it-all personality and it really gets on my nerves. I love the girl and think she's amazing, talented, smart, and hilarious, but sometimes I just can't stand the attitude. Help!

Sorry to rant, but I want to document this stage because I've never heard my mom talk about the downs of being a stay-at-home mom. Everything is always loveley and beautiful and harmonious in her account (which, I know, was not, because I lived it). It feels good to vent. I know things will get better, and I'm looking forward to that day! Until then, you'll find me curled up on the floor of my closet, hugging a Diet Pepsi and clutching a handfull of low-strength Advil in my hand, desperately humming "Love at Home" to myself, and dreaming of the day that Adam and I can take a two-week vacation sans-children to Hawaii. He he.

Seperate and Not So Equal

2011-06-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends. I haven't been blogging here lately because there's someplace else. I'm spending my time with something more rewarding (for now) than the everyday ho-hum of listening to four kids fight all. the. time. Ha ha. I started up a craft blog because I felt like this was becoming one, and I'm hoping to keep this as a family info blog so I can publish it and have it for posterity (just in case my great-great grandson decides that my daily goings on are important for some reason). So if you're interested in my crafting of late, check it out:

Clark and Lily: A Regular Gal's Crafty Endeavors

I'm still trying to get it looking nice, but since I can't run PSE on my laptop, it's still pretty feeble. I have a few recipes and tutorials, but mostly its just a place for me to show off my efforts. Maybe no one is looking, but that's okay because I feel like even a void in cyberspace offers some sort of valid audience for me. Eventually, I'd love to have pages of tutorials and recipes and stuff, so hopefully that day will come sooner than later. I'd love your feedback if anything pops into your brain while viewing the site.

Happy crafting and happy day, everyone!

Amber is a Kindergarten Graduate!

2011-06-03T09:54:00.001-07:00

I've never been one for graduation ceremonies. However, despite having a labyrinthitis-related panic attack in the gym and trying to wrangle three unruly children, Amber's program at school was adorable, short, and sweet. It's been a great year of learning and fun!

The kids sang a few cute songs and recited a poem.

Then they received diplomas and had a great photo op. Too bad my phone's camera isn't great.

We headed back to the classroom to pick up her portfolio and grab a snack.

Mrs. Belnap told the parents how much she loves her group of students and got choked up (she's due next week, after all) and Amber made such a funny face. I thought Amber would be used to crybaby-women by now since I am such a bawler, but no.

Then it was time for one last hug and a photo with the amazing Mrs. Belnap. She was so sweet and wonderful to Amber. I'm sad that Amber has to move on, but I know it will be fun for her to go to first grade.

Way to go, Amber. We love you and think you are a beautiful little smarty-pants. Now, bring on summer!

This is Why I Love Motherhood

2011-05-22T14:25:00.001-07:00

I feel like I have some pretty darn cute children. It's moments like these that make me love being their mama!

Playing at the playground.

Playing "Kinzie's Orchestra Concert".

Playing in the cabinets.

Adorable!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Super Rex is Three Years Old

2011-05-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

Rex turned three on May 2 and I was, frankly, really excited for his birthday. Every time we'd go to a store, he'd ask, "Hey mom, can I have that for my birthday?" about everything he saw. He wanted a superhero birthday cake, and with my new found love of homemade fondant, my mind was racing with ideas for a cool cake. At long last, we took Rex shopping and all he wanted was a $5 DVD, Spiderman 2, and some Spiderman sunglasses. Total cost of his birthday gifts: $9.98. Sweet. We weren't about to remind him that he wanted Legos, Thor gear, the Batmobile, and a slew of other obnoxious, noise-making toys. There'll be plenty of time for that, right?

We celebrated his birthday at home by making these cute minion "cupcakes" and monster faces for dinner (taco salad arranged in silly faces).

Since the minions were made from Twinkies, frosting, and smarties, I decided we'd better sit them atop something sort of healthy, so we made bran muffins for the bases. The kids helped me decorate them and they were a big hit!

Mette helped me with this cake. The innards are fresh banana cake with cream cheese frosting. Fab-u-lous! Everyone loved it.

We had a cute little superhero birthday party for Rex and the cousins a few days later. I cut capes from two plastic tablecloths and the kids decorated them with stickers. Easy! Fun! Cheap! Perfect for toddlers! I cut some masks from felt and attached elastic cord at the edges. It was a perfect way to turn a bunch of motley little ones into adorable superheroes.

The kids went wild for the glittery foam stickers.

Super Parker!

Whitney looks like she'll have a bright future in crime fighting.

Karli is just adorable.

Hannah flew all the way from Denmark to attend. He he. We were so happy to have her there!

Aren't they darling?

Too bad you can't hear Case yelling "Du-per Man!" It's precious.

I love these pictures of Rex in his mask. He's so cute!

Rex is such a funny, sweet, smart little kid. He loves candy, climbing, cars and trucks, and everything else boy. I love the way he describes things and how he always says "HI!" to everyone. I even think it's adorable when he steals my phone, heads to the couch, and hides under his blanket so I won't know he has it. He makes our family fun and we love little Rexy to pieces. Happy birthday, Rex. You are super!

Fabric, Glue, Sparkles, Flour, Sugar, Mess!

2011-05-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

We've been (okay, fine, I've been) on a creative spree lately. Here are just a few of the projects I've finished in the last month or two. Sadly, by the time I'm finished making them, I have no energy to blog about them, so it's a grand notion that a picture is worth a thousand words!

Rex's superhero birthday cake, complete with homemade fondant. The inside was fresh banana cake with cream cheese frosting. Delish!

Strawberry and cream cupcakes from Our Best Bites (my new favorite baking info blog). They are divine. Try them out!

Lavender-scented bath fizzies for our moms (here's the recipe). They were so fun and easy to make and the kids helped me. You can also hide waterproof surprises inside!

8 styles of bows for the Lehi Rec Cheer teams to choose from. Now I get to make 160 more. Yay!

What started out as a cute, fairly simple variegated tutu then turned into three ensembles for the Tulip Princess Pageant in which Amber, Karli, and my niece Whitney competed. So cute!

These outfits ended up being a lot of work, but only cost me $7.20 for the whole shebang. I love the light green corset tops and lining (they lace up the back...so cute!); the girls looked like little flower fairies. I'm also in love with the ombre effect of layering three colors of tulle inside each petal.

I found these darling leopard flip-flops at the dollar store and knew they'd be a perfect birthday gift for Amber and Karli's friend Gracie. Since they were only a buck, though, they needed some jazzing up. I added the liquid sequin fabric strips and made a cute little messenger bag to match. Since I needed coordinating fabric, I painted spots on plain white cotton. We filled the bag with goodies and it turned out to be adorable!

I was commissioned to make this robe (ha! That sounds so much cooler than "asked") for a friend of my sisters' who is undergoing chemotherapy. I hope this fabulous, luxuriously silky (and sooo annoying to sew on) fabric makes her feel glamorous. What a sad disease cancer is!

My niece Whitney's "horsey cake" with rainbow layers inside. Love!

This is my first attempt at fondant. It is a mess at the bottom but it tasted great and looked darling. Whitney was crazy about it!

This one was easy. I cut a strip off the bottom of a white t-shirt, drew on the motif with a Sharpie, and tied it around Rex's head. He's obsessed with "The Karate Kid" and he calls it his Daniel San headband. He sleeps in it. Hilarious.

Two adorable Easter ensembles for my two adorable girls. I found tutorials for the skirt and top at Made, one of my very favorite blogs to read. The girls loved these, which made me so happy! Most of the time, I spend hours making them things about which they feel lukewarm, so seeing their excitement upon finishing these get ups was priceless.

Here's to another busy month of crafting, baking, and sewing. I really love it!

Blogger Malfunction!

2011-04-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

GRRR! I just spent an hour writing a great post about Amber's sixth birthday, and this is what I ended up with. Just know that I'm working on fixing it and I'm about to throw my computer across the room. :) More to come later...

Amber's Sixth Birthday Bash

2011-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

My little girl is six! What?! Where has the time gone? I still vividly remember the month leading up to her birth, the torture of those last three weeks of pregnancy, the vain attempts at throwing myself into labor (like running two miles and jumping on the trampoline every day with that enormous belly of mine), and finally, the excitement of being induced and knowing that all those months of waiting would produce a sweet little girl and change our lives in every way. Sheesh. What a great six years!

Amber was so excited to have a big birthday party this year, and of course, her idea of the perfect party was a "Pink Stilettos Party". If you don't know about Pink Stilettos, they are a pop group who recently released their first album. They're gorgeous, talented, and even cooler, they are my sisters. Amber begged them to perform at her party and they sweetly obliged, so all the girls (and boys, and family members including grandpas and uncles)were treated to a private concert. It was awesome.

Ever the opinionated fashionista, Amber just HAD to have her own pair of pink stilettos. Fortunately, I found a sweet pair of pink, sparkly, ruffly high heels at Walmart, shoved in the very back of the dress-up section, that were screaming her name. Even better still was that they were only $4. The shoes fit her demands, and then she explained to me in great detail that she wanted a tall cake with two round tiers, not covered in frosting but in whipped cream, with a black bow and ribbon. Since fondant work scares me to death, we compromised on marshmallow flowers. The snack table included purple chocolate in the fountain, gooey popcorn, tons of cookies and other junk food, and Capri Suns tied up with a little bling for each girl (a huge, fake diamond ring--a big hit!). We even found a sassy black and pink high-heel pinata. After a frantic, last-minute set up, we were ready to rock in the studio at my parents' house.

My sisters are the best! First, they fixed Amber's hair with extensions and did her makeup. She was smokin' hot and ultra fierce.

Then, all the party guests had a shoe fashion show (Amber's idea, of course...she's obsessed), complete with a runway and an MC (my cute niece, Alyssa). Kinzie, Brooke, and Tayler were the judges, and everyone earned a cute ribbon with their superlative on it (Amber was convinced she needed the "Highest Heels" medal). We decorated little paper purses and had snacks. Then, the moment of truth: Pink Stilettos emerged and then it was a party.

They invited most of the girls up to sing with them. "Dreamgirl" seems to be the favorite of most young divas, but PS included "Crazy About You", "Runaway", "Always in Love", and "Thank You" in their set. They finished it off with a dazzling rendition of "Happy Birthday" and everyone loved it. My sisters rock!

Amber had a grand time, her friends were so adorable, sweet, and generous, and I think everyone who attended really enjoyed the show. I know for sure that these big birthday parties are going to be a seldom thing--like maybe at ages six, twelve, and eighteen. :) I don't have the stamina or financial wherewithal to produce them every year.

The Pink Stilettos plus Amber.

This is my cousin Savanna, whose birthday was the same day as Amber's party. She is so sweet and darling!

My cake started to slump halfway through the party, but it tasted great. I never look nice in pictures of my kids' birthdays because I spend all day on those darn cakes. I don't know if they're worth the trouble.

Happy birthday, sweet Amber! We love you and think you are fabulous!

My Thrifty, Crafty Projects of Late

2011-02-14T01:01:00.001-08:00

I always shun decorating my own house because we have been entirely transient for the duration of our married life and I can't stand hauling superfluity around with us wherever we go. Granted, I do have a few decor items that hold remarkable sentimental value, but they all fit into one diaper box. Our walls are mostly bare, but I've grown to greatly appreciate the minimalistic sense of calm they lend to the inevitably cluttered floor (thank you, children).

At long last, I broke down and decided to make some Valentine's Day decorations. I started with a small vinyl quote for my front door, and then made a heart to hang on the wall in our family room. The heart turned out so well that I figured I could make a matching bunting. Then, I discovered yards of hot pink tulle at the bottom of my fabric bin and...voila! I had a darling little lovey-dovey-yet-funky-pseudovintage vignette that I'm crazy about. The best part: I made the heart and bunting from diaper boxes, some old WSJ pages, and paint I already had lying around the house. FREE! Those are my favorite kind of projects.

Now I'm hooked and I can't wait to get going on my St. Patrick's Day creations. Nine years later, I guess it's high time I add a little holiday cheer to the family, right? My kids love it and so do I, once I get the decorations up and forget about the hassle of storing them later. Cheers, everyone!

Caped Crusader Conquers the Commode

2011-02-14T00:49:00.001-08:00

After months of my lamest attempt ever at trying to talk Rex into using the potty and forsaking diapers for good, he woke up last Sunday and said "I need to go potty!" Upon completion of this fabulous task, he wanted to wear undies. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. From that moment on, he never went back to diapers (except at night, but even those are staying dry...yay!). It is grand to only have one child in diapers.

For an awesome reward, Adam indulged Rex's superhero obsession and bought him these rockin' Batman jammies. Of course, though, Rex wears them all day, every day and gets mad at anyone who calls them p.j.s. "They not jammies! They Batman clothes!" Excuse me.

I am proud of Rex, Adam is proud of Rex, the other kids are proud of Rex, and Rex is proud of Rex. Everyone wins!...

...and Batman flies off into the night.

Amber's Admirer

2011-02-14T00:45:00.000-08:00

Today when Amber came home from school, I found this in her backpack:

Her teacher lets the students send "mail" to each other and a cute litte boy named Jacobi sent her this "how sweet you are beautiful" message. Cute! A few days later, he sent her a candy-gram at school. I think it's darling to see their crushes, especially near Valentine's Day.

Copycat Strut

2011-02-14T00:21:00.000-08:00

My name is Case Clark and I'm learning new things every day. Mom and Dad think it's a blast to see me put my fountain of knowledge to use. I walk, talk a little, get into everything, wrestle my siblings and parents, head-butt people, pick my nose on cue and laugh my head off, and basically melt Mom's heart every day. I've developed quite a feisty little temper, too, which nobody loves, but when you're the youngest, what choice do you have? I have to assert myself somehow, I suppose. Here's a rundown of my best new discoveries:

Kitchen cabinets: pots and pans make the best noise in the house aside from whining children, especially when clanged on the floor while Mom is trying to make dinner. She loves it!

Amber's and Karli's closet is a treasure trove of soft, furry items with which I like to suck my thumb (just like my three older siblings do!).

First, I crawl...

Then I stand...

Then I make a run for the camera. Maybe one of these days Mom will let me snag it.

Yes, it is possible to have a wedgie when wearing a diaper. It happens when you suddenly outgrow your footed jammies.

Now that I'm such a big boy, I should start acting like one and guzzle milk straight from the jug. I will, after I've finished my giant gulp of milk, exclaim "disgusting!", "yummy", "Da Da", "Mommy", "shake", "play!" and I'll copy any other word anyone tells me. Yes, I'm brilliant and hilarious and everyone loves me!

Pink Polka Dot Party

2011-01-26T10:19:00.000-08:00

Grandma Shelley is, like most grandmas, a master at making things fun for the grandchildren. She told the girls about a "pink polka dot party" that she wanted to have with Amber, Karli, and Gracie. Finally, the glorious day arrived and my daughters were so excited to be able to have the party with their cousins Libby, Kya, and Addie who were visiting from out of town. We missed Whitney, Olivia, Evelyn, and Elle. A sequel is in order for sure!

My Baby is One Year Old!

2010-12-27T11:25:00.000-08:00

Where does the time go? I vividly remember all the end-of-pregnancy drama I experienced last year like it was yesterday. It's been a wonderful year and I love having Case in our family. He's delightfully sweet, cuddly, and adorable. His brown eyes and olive skin are so handsome and different from anyone else's in our family (thank you, Clark genes, for finally appearing). Everyone loves Case and we are all thrilled to have him around.

Since he's the youngest (rip off) and since he only turned one this year (rip off again), we didn't do much to celebrate. Amber and I actually went to San Diego on Case's birthday, so I made a penguin cake and we had a tiny party with my parents, Jen and her family, Adam's parents, and us after Christmas. The cake didn't turn out quite as well as I wanted it to, but Case loved it and it tasted good. He loved being the birthday boy and would smile bashfully when anyone wished him a happy day.

I've tried to enjoy every aspect of Case's babyhood since he's my last and it's been a fantastic 12 months of snugly, squishy kisses, miserable ear infections, and the cutest giggle. I love my little Queso!

Girls' Trip: Poinsettia Bowl 2010

2010-12-26T11:33:00.000-08:00

My mom and sisters choreograph the halftime show for the Poinsettia Bowl every year, but since it's right before Christmas, we haven't been able to work out a family trip to San Diego to participate. I really wanted to go this year because the halftime show involved honoring members of the Armed Services, and Adam's brother Dave would represent the Marines, Adam's Grandpa Smith would represent the Army, my cousin Fletcher would represent the Navy, and my Grandpa Rydalch would represent the Air Force. I was secretly really bummed that we couldn't make the trip.

Enter my wonderful husband, Adam. At the last minute, he arranged for Amber and I to fly to San Diego on a private jet (amazing!) on Wednesday morning, attend the game on Thursday night, and fly home on Friday (Christmas Eve) morning. Despite several mishaps, the trip was a blast! It was great fun to be able to have a "girls' trip" with Amber, and we felt like major celebrities when we drove right onto the runway, had our bags loaded and car parked by the valet service, snuggled into the huge leather seats, and were in the air only five minutes later. The ride was fantastic! I can never fly commercial again...he he.

San Diego was completely flooded when we arrived, so we couldn't go anywhere (no shopping, boo!). Everyone and everything was soggy as could be, but we made the most of it and hung out in the hotel room watching football with Grandpa and Lorna, Greg and Leslie, Rob and Amy, Dave and Maren, Ryan and Steph, and eleven kids. It was a party! After a soggy night, several hours of rehersals, and a few episodes of Amber vomiting, it was time for us to get our glittery poinsettias painted on our faces and head to Qualcomm Stadium for the game. Wahoo!

We had second-row seats, right behind SDSU's team on the sidelines, and it was thrilling to be that close to all of the action. We could clearly hear the coaches calling plays, etc. and the best part of those seats was being able to watch the hundreds of Navy Midshipmen march onto the field in perfect squads for the National Anthem, during which Navy performed a sweet fly-over. What a sight and what a sound! The game was so-so, and soon it was time for us to head to the tunnel to prepare for our big entrance.

The halftime production turned out to be an almost total disaster. Mr. Sound Guy screwed up the music (even after three sound checks earlier in the day, duh!) so badly that the timing of every subsequent event was ruined. The dancers didn't have their cues so they didn't dance, the fireworks started too early...it was an utter mess. The only thing that went perfectly was the honoring of the Veterans--thank heavens. Despite the sobbing performers, the totally-miffed parents, and the ridiculous Poinsettia Bowl staff who did nothing to make it up to us, I had a great time being involved in something of that magnitude. Since I was a coach, I got to be on the field for the whole second half of the game. It was surreal and loud and fun and amazing. I was proud of Amber for performing her little heart out even though she didn't have music, and I'm excited to try it again next year.

Rivalry Revelry

2010-11-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

If there's a reason to convene and consume, the Clark family finds it and has a party. We were all stoked to bring the noise and the trash talk at Greg and Leslie's house on Saturday when U of U played BYU in the annual Deseret Duel. Of course, we knew the Utes would win, and I think we were evenly matched in the Utes:Cougars ratio. Thankfully, after a painfully uneventful and in-offensive game, the Utes squeaked out a win at the last second with an awesome blocked field goal attempt. Days later, the family is still arguing over the calls by the refs, the methods of coaching, where the most LDS prophets went to school, which team really has the Spirit, etc. I love this rivalry!

Rex and Kinzi sported crimson. Kinzi is a waffler, though. The next day, she wore a BYU sweatshirt. Traitor!

Amber decided on Saturday morning that she HAD to have a BYU shirt, so I quickly made her this one out of a man's t-shirt I got on clearance at Walmart this summer. I used a freezer paper stencil and acrylic paint to make the "Y". For about an hour of time and some white-trash methods, I think it turned out pretty well. She loved it.

Amber was really representing the Y. Where did she come from?

Karli was all for BYU as well. I made her a cute shirt, too, out of some blue and white gingham fabric she fell in love with. Of course, though, when I was finished, she found a number of problems with it and refused to wear it. Kinz let her borrow the wig, so that was good enough for Karli.

Case is a Ute fan by default; he has all the gear thanks to Grandpa Brad.

Since Adam and I have brainwashed Rex into being a Ute fan (get 'em while they're fresh!), Amber said he had to cheer for MSU as well. She provided the green M tattoo on his forehead for some Spartan love.

Whitney was just happy to be there; I don't think she could have cared less about the game. She's adorable!

This poor little boy is so confused! Can you tell he's related to Kinzi? BYU hat and Utah shirt. Nice.

Things were pretty tense during the game. We even had an adult throw a fit and stomp upstairs because the little kids were in his way. Tee hee. It's just a game, people!

The best part of the Ute's victory was Adam's computer speakers blasting the Utah fight song at the end of the game. It was adorable to see the little kids dance, and I loved seeing Greg, Leslie, Amber, Karli, and even Kinzi cringe.

So until next year, we have the bragging rights. A Utah fam are we.....GO UTES!

Happy Thanksgiving to All

2010-11-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving this year was marvelous; we spent it at Greg and Leslie's house with them, Kristi, Jake, Kinzi, Whitney, and Parker, Adam's cousin Dean, and Grandpa Smith and Grandma Lorna. While a huge family gathering with everyone present is always a party, it was nice to have a small group. Since there were only six little kids present, the chaos was notably reduced which made a nice, relaxing afternoon.

The food was spectacular as usual: Leslie's excellent turkey breast AND cinnamon-glazed ham, sweet potato casserole complete with broiled marshmallows, potatoes and gravy, green been casserole, corn casserole with tons of cheese on top, fresh cranberry sauce, stuffing, cran-grape salad, 12-layer jello, Lorna's rolls with three different varieties of homemade jam. For dessert, we had pumpkin pie and lemon-cheese pie--two of my very favorites. I ate and ate and ate, and definitely had a food hangover afterward. Aah...I love Thanksgiving!

My favorite part of the holiday was the cute shirts I made for my kids. I used some recycled men's V-necks for Amber and Karli's (she insisted on a tank top, the crazy kid) and two hand-me-down ready made shirts for the boys. The letters are all scraps of old t-shirts appliqued with brown thread, and "adorable" on both girls' shirts was spelled out in rhinestones. They were darling!

Rex and Whitney had a blast together.

Karli did lots of puzzles while waiting for dinner.

Parker taught Case how to be even more trouble than he already is.

Case was thrilled by every bite of food; he'd squeal and laugh every time the fork approached his mouth.

Thankful to be adorable.

I also made Karli's headband out of old t-shirt scraps; those roses are my new favorite item to craft.

Thankful to be awesome.

Little turkey.

I'm thankful for these cuties!

A Crazy, Wonderful Life

2010-11-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

Everyone who reads my blog will know exactly when the batteries in my camera die; they're dead. Hence, the shortage of posts lately. That's not the only reason, though. Life is speeding up for me and our little family. I can't believe how quickly the days fly by, the laundry just keeps piling up, and the dishes move from the cabinets to the table to the sink seemingly on their own. Between my job, Amber's school, and the hundreds of trips to the doctor's office, I feel like I live in a blur. It's a good blur, but it's insane!

I always love November and the heightened sense of gratitude that I feel. This year has been great mixed with not-so-great, and I'm feeling right now like we're stuck in a rut. While things definitely could be (and have been) worse, I'm ready to move on to the settled-down-and-established phase of life. Then again, I wonder if there ever will be a phase like that for my family. It seems like the world has changed significantly in the past ten years. Will there ever be such a thing as job security? Does my lifetime view of "middle class" even exist anymore? Call me a real pessimist, but I am starting to think that we may be scraping by in one way or another for the rest of our lives.

I gave a talk in church last week about President Monson's conference address entitled "The Divine Gift of Gratitude". It helped me remember that the important things in life are the things I already have: my husband, our kids, the gospel, a testimony. I am glad I had to speak on that talk, because I really need that reminder now. This is an awful thing to say, but I feel like we've suffered through the starving student era, had babies, paid our tithing faithfully, and we've paid our dues. I'm ready to be over that!

Here's to a bright future, enduring hope, and a wonderful holiday season filled with love and happiness. I'm blessed to know what I know, and to have a Heavenly Father who loves me. I know that I have a Savior who makes it possible for me to repent of my sins and I feel divinely blessed to have Adam, Amber, Karli, Rex and Case in my life. We have wonderful parents and family members who bless us daily. I appreciate all of their help and kindness. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T23:25:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays; I get to make costumes for my kids, they always look adorable, we eat waaay too many treats, and we carve pumpkins. This year, I was a witch...my usual look because I don't have to try very hard at all. Rex and Case sported the Sons of Anarchy getups that Rex and Colton wore last year, Karli was Tiana from "Princess and the Frog" and Amber was Claudia, the vampire princess from "Interview with a Vampire." We had a hootin', hollerin', howl of a time!

My tough little biker who still sucks his thumb.

Just because she's dressed like a princess doesn't mean she eats like one.

The boys' mohawks were my favorite part of their costumes.

Too cute to be hardcore.

They were so excited to trick or treat that they didn't want to pose for a decent picture.

Hip Halloween Digs

2010-10-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

From the time I was ten years old, I've been a fan of Hannah Andersson. They always have darling clothes that look oh, so comfy and perfectly matched to every holiday. Before Halloween, they featured an adorable black tutu and orange Halloween-themed top complete with witchy-striped tights. Being the tightwad that I am, I set out to procure outfits like those for my girls without spending the $126 I would have had I ordered from H.A.

Here's the rundown: I found the purple-and-green-striped tights at Walmart for $2 per pair. I made their black lace skirts out of one of mine from days of yore, so that was free. I found a men's XXL orange t-shirt on the clearance rack at Walmart for $0.50, which I cut into two small shirts and to which I added some purple felt and silver sequin fabric that I found lying around in my scrap bag. I finished off the tops with some rhinestones (of course) and voila!...an adorable Halloween outfit for each of my girls for only $2.25 apiece. Since the picture is kind of bad, the shirt says BOO! (appliqued in silver liquid sequin) and has a purple felt star stitched with silver thread and sprinkled with rhinestones.

I thought it was delightful for my girls to have something fun to wear to church since Halloween fell on Sunday this year, and they seemed to love the ensembles, too. Yay for thrift!

Las Vegas Ragnar Relay

2010-10-26T23:47:00.000-07:00

For four years, I've been aching to run in a Ragnar Relay race. My family started running the Wasatch Back in 2005, then the Del Sol the next year, and then the Vegas race. Adam ran in it last year, and each time I'd get invited to run, I'd find out I was pregnant. At long last, all of the stars aligned and I signed up to run with Stephanie, Amy, my mom, and some great gals whose kids cheer at our gym. I met the race with a teeny bit opposition in my corner, but it was more than I wanted. So, after a few weeks of training, I was ready to run. I had two things to prove: that I could run my legs quickly and respectably, and that two vans full of women could navigate the course without getting lost.

By the end of the race, I had five really great(er) friends, I'd learned a bunch of excellent running strategies and techniques, I overcame running on an injured knee and pushing myself to finish the race despite the intense pain I felt with every step, and I felt like I could conquer the world. I can't describe the feeling of accomplishment and power that I experienced, not to mention the great fun I had every minute of my trip. It was definitely something I want to do again!

Leslie, Steph and I set out on Thursday at noon for Vegas. We stopped in St. George to meet up with four of our other team members for pasta at Brick Oven. Then we hit Target and Rebel Sports to get some last minute gear, snacks, matching socks, and water. Two hours later, we met up with the Arizona members of our team, decorated our vans, and climbed into bed to enjoy two hours of sleep.

Waking up that morning was almost as easy as waking up early on my wedding day; I couldn't wait to get going and I couldn't stop thinking about what was ahead of me. I had no idea what a race would be like and I was excited to go for it.

For pre-race and pre-dawn, we look pretty good, no? We woke up at 2:45 a.m. to be ready to rock at Valley of Fire State Park by 5:00 a.m.

Stephanie started us off bright and early. She did an awesome job on the first run of the day.

The first hand off didn't go very smoothly, but that's what you get when you're running 8 miles an hour and slapping a bracelet onto someone who's standing still. Eventually, the bracelet was on and Amy set out on her first leg.

Amy killed all of her runs, especially this brutal 9-miler that was ALL uphill. Phew. I'm tired just looking at this photo!

Leslie, Kaye, Sarah and me chillin' by our van during Amy's first run.

Stephanie and I spent 3 and half hours cutting vinyl for our vans. They turned out so well and we voted us the best-decorated team in the race. We got lots of compliments, too, so that was fun.

We dotted the "i"s in our names with tiny hearts and skulls and crossbones. They were adorable!

Here I am, waiting not-so-patiently to begin my first run. I was so anxious and nervous and excited. I wanted to run fast so my van members wouldn't get annoyed, and I kept wondering if I had eaten the right things, if I'd have to pull over and throw up, etc. I had only run 7.5 miles once before, so I hoped I'd be able to make it through.

Amy made it up that last hill in no time, and I wasn't quite situated when she passed the bracelet on to me. I fumbled with my iPod and watch for about 100 yards while I tried to have a good takeoff.

Eventually I got into a good rhythm and really enjoyed myself. The view was so incredible on my first run. I love looking at (not running up) those desert mountains!

Finally, a downhill stretch! I hate how I look when I'm running--I always picture myself prancing along gracefully like a gazelle, but in reality, I have the weird neck/chin compression and drool flying out of the corner of my mouth. Oh well. I felt good and that's all that matters, right?

This darling redhead is Kaye the Magnificent. She was kind of like the mother hen of our van, but waaay cooler than any other mother hen I know. She is inspiring, hilarious, and wise, not to mention very talented in the running department. She had great advice for all of our worries, she let me borrow her cool GPS watch, and she jumped out of the van to support every single runner on our legs. She makes me want to run a half-marathon!

It was fun to be able to hand off to Leslie, even on that massive stretch of really steep hills. I was thrilled that Leslie could step in at the last minute and run with our team. She's one of my best friends and she made the van ride even more fun.

There was a team called TuTu Phat--all the girls wore these green tutus. We started with them, and at some point early in the race, we all decided that they were the team for us to beat (along with the White Tigers). There is Kaye, catching up to the innocent, adorable, and unsuspecting "Green Tutu" while we were scheming, snickering and yelling "Great job!" to the poor gal.

Kaye was awesome, and the look on her face was even better as she approached Green Tutu to overtake her. In Ragnar speak, a pass is called a kill, and that was one sweet kill. Kaye rocks!

A great part of the race was being able to spend time with Amy and Steph, my two awesome sisters-in-law. Hopefully someday all the Clark girls can run a race together. That'd be a party! I'd also love to run a race with my sisters.

Something in my knee malfunctioned in a major way toward the end of leg number 2, and when I woke up for my third run, I couldn't even walk. I was in tears most of the morning, but not wanting to be a wuss, I swallowed the lump in my throat and said a prayer and set out to run my last 5.5 miles. Amy and Kaye, the resident experts, fixed me up with some awesome tape and topical medicine, and my makeshift leg warmers helped to keep my knee flexible, I guess. Halfway through the run, though, I wanted to quit because I couldn't bear the pain. Then I thought about how hard I had worked to prepare for the race and how mad I'd be at myself if I didn't finish, and I figured that walking to the finish line was better than hopping back in the van.
Cue the cheesey music and slo-mo recap: I was listening to my sisters' C.D. (Crazy About You) and there's a line in a song that says "when the bad gets worse and each step hurts, just keep on movin'" and I figured I could run a little bit more. My sisters inspired me, and I started running. Aaawww...but anyway, I made it across the line, just in time to heave a few really hideous, dramatic, and embarrassing sobs as I collapsed onto the nearest chair. My awesome teammates were there to help me, and they didn't seem to be too humiliated by my antics (thank heavens, because I was!). After sitting in the car for another 4 hours, I couldn't even walk up the stairs to our hotel room and I was worried that I had done some serious damage. Fortunately, my knee feels better today and I'm only having minor problems now. Phhew. Looks like the Del Sol Ragnar is still a go!

Terra was the last runner, so she had to get dressed in her matching team gear while she ran. That's talent!

Leslie, Steph and I represented Van 1 at the finish line since Amy, Kaye and Sarah had to fly home shortly after we finished our legs. Check out our shiny medals and our cute shirts (Leslie helped me make them and she saved my life). I really loved our socks and legwarmers, too.

Utah Hold 'Em...Amy, Sarah, Kaye (all not pictured), Sabrina, Stephanie, Shelley (my mom), Terra, Joy, Leslie, Natalie, Sheri, and Rena. Nice legs, nice shirts, nice van, and nice abs (some of us). This was more fun than I've had in a really long time, and I can't wait to do it again!

Case's First Word

2010-10-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Case has officially learned his first word: Woody. Whenever he sees the Toy Story cowboy, he squeals "Uuh-dee!" He's done it on demand about seven times, so I think it's more than a coincident. He is getting so big and his personality is sweet and adorable. We love him lots!

A Little Fashionista

2010-10-03T19:47:00.001-07:00

Amber dressed herself for school the other day. For one second, I thought "there is no way she's wearing that crazy getup to school!" but immediately after that, I realized how cool it was that she got herself dressed with such a funky flair and added that great bracelet to pull her look together. Even better, though, was the confidence she had as she stepped out of the car and rocked that outfit all day long. I love my little Project Runway buddy!

Big and Little

2010-10-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

Case and his cousin, Colton, love to cruise the floor together and climb on each other and steal toys from everyone and sample crumbs on the floor. Case has three more cousins who are the same age as well, so I'm excited to get a picture of the 2009 babies next time we're all together. What cuties!

Bathtime for the Boys

2010-10-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

I adore bathtub pictures, and it's nice to have boys because I don't have to strategically place bubbles to cover the upper-region private parts. These two boys LOVE the tub and I'm crazy about these two boys!

A tea party in the tub? How manly.

Cute Utes

2010-10-03T19:36:00.001-07:00

While Amber insists that she's a BYU fan, I love that Karli, Rex, and Case will sport their red and white with me every Saturday. It's fun to cheer for a winning team!

Pageant Perfection

2010-10-03T19:25:00.001-07:00

I've always been horrified by the T.V. shows I see about little girls in pageants, so I made a commitment to myself that even if my girls ask, I wouldn't let them be in pageants until they're teenagers. I still feel that way, but Amber had a chance to be an escort for a contestant in the Miss Utah Outstanding Teen pageant this weekend, and we couldn't pass it up.

My friend Tiffany asked us to fill in for Celina Wang's escort who couldn't attend at the last minute, and it turned out to be really fun. Amber couldn't wait to get on stage with her darling tiara and she stole the show (of course she did...I'm a proud mama watching her daughter just like those crazy ladies on the pageant shows!). She walked, waved, smiled, curtsied, and twirled adorably. I see pageants in her future!

Amber was thrilled to be able to wear eyeliner and blush along with the usual mascara and red lipstick that she wears to cheer performances.

I love Amber's tiara, but not as much as she does. She's worn it every minute since the pageant ended.

It was Tiffany's idea for me to sport the crown and I really love this picture. Thanks, Tiff!

The Only Reason to Love New Jersey

2010-09-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Adam came across a killer deal the other day: $5 tickets for The Gaslight Anthem concert at The Depot downtown. We, of course, couldn't pass up a bargain like that, so we pawned our kids off on Ryan and Stephanie (the saints!) and cruised north to listen to a talented and little-known band. The show was fabulous, but the whole evening was to die for. It was great to get fixed up in some rockin' jeans and my hot black six-inch stilettos (walking in those things is really an accomplishment for me), grab some food from JCW's to eat on the way, and to spend a fantastic evening with Adam and without our kids.

This concert ended up being among my favorites. The music was wicked and the band members are great performers. They offered very little vulgarity, lots of passion, and some sweet improv (Lou Reid, even!) that made the show really great. I even bought a t-shirt because I loved it so much. I think I'll be a fan for life. Hooray for date night and hooray for, finally, something cool coming from New Jersey.

I Love These Photos

2010-09-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to know that Trina Harris would be photographing my sister's wedding. She is the awesome photographer who took our family pictures last year (the long tutu pictures of my girls). She did a magnificent job, of course, and Allison ended up with over a thousand thoughtful photos of her special day. Check out her blog to see more of her awesome work and to book an appointment. You'll love her!

Since I can only see Dusty and Allison kiss so many times, I'm not posting any photos of them. He he. But, here are a few of my family that I thought were darling:

Running for Recovery and Remembering Hayden

2010-09-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day: I ran in my first race! It was fun and I did better than I thought I would. I'm not much of a runner, but since I started P90X, running has become more enjoyable for me because I'm stronger in the cardiovascular department. I ended up coming in 43rd overall, with a time of 34 minutes. I was happy with those results!

As part of the Utah Substance and Alcohol Recovery Awareness Day in Salt Lake City, a bunch of my family members ran the 5K race in honor of my cousin, Hayden, who died a year ago today of a drug overdose. I was glad to be able to support people in recovery because, since Hayden died, I've gained a better understanding how important it is to overcome the harmful habit of using drugs. We all miss him dearly, and because his death was personal to me, I'm even more vocal now about saying no to drugs and alcohol. I felt like the activities of the morning were a great way to remember Hayden's life and the importance of staying healthy and drug-free.

Sean and Vanessa (Hayden's dad and stepmom), Mary Ann (Hayden's mom), Preston, Bella, Hunter (Hayden's siblings), Karen (Hayden's grandma), Jane and her husband, me, my mom, Skyler and Casey, and Tanner (cousins and aunties) all ran along with about 600 other runners. The course was beautiful; we started at Gallivan Center and ran up State Street to North Temple. Then, we ran a block east and up the hill through Memory Grove. The weather was brisk, the sun was shining, and the trees were just beginning to show some yellow. It was perfect! Then, we turned around at the top of the hill and ran back down the route. It was a nice run.

At the finish line, we enjoyed some of Mary Ann's gourmet granola in delicious yogurt parfaits. Then, we rocked out to a show by Pink Stilettos. The crowd was groovin' and everyone had a great time. When the girls sang "Beautiful Heart", a song that my sister Angela wrote about Hayden, there wasn't a dry eye in the audience. It was really touching and I think the song had special meaning to the attendees who are in recovery and who have lost loved ones to drug addiction and alcoholism. It's really a beautiful tune; click here if you want to listen to it.

I am thankful to have a healthy body, to be able to run in a gorgeous setting while reflecting on all the good things Hayden did in his life, to spend a special morning with some dear family members and friends, and to support people who are trying to make their lives better and recover from bad decisions they've made. I'm thankful to know that Christ atoned for the bad decsions we all make in our lives and that He made it possible for us to be together after we die. Families are forever!

I loved Mary Ann's Sharpie tattoo: HH for Hayden Housel.

Bella and Skyler before the race. We'll see if they're smiling at the end. He he.

Skyler, Jolyn, Hunter, Bella, Sean, and Vanessa waiting for the race to begin.

Preston, Hunter, Skyler, and Mary Ann before the race.

Shelley, Sean, and Nat during a warm-up chat.

Here's Bella at the finish line. Yep...still smiling! She's adorable.

Mary Ann and Hunter finishing the race.

Finishing my first race in my humongous t-shirt. Yay!

Hunter, Sean, and Grandma Karen cross the finish line.

This food was the prize at the finish line. Mary Ann is a magnificent cook and her granola was to die for!

Someday I'll run as well as my mom. She's an awesome runner!

Kindergarten!

2010-09-01T18:53:00.001-07:00

Amber ventured off into the world today on her first day of kindergarten. She was so excited and so were we; her fits of boredom at home told us loudly and clearly that it was time for her to spread her wings and have an academic adventure. She completed her first homework assignment this morning before school and loaded up her leopard-print backpack and was ready to rock!

Adam called her right before school to wish her good luck.

Here she is modeling her cute little outfit that she picked out.

Five girls in her class have this backpack, but only Amber's is blinged out. It looks so cute in person, but as usual, the photo doesn't do it justice. In case you can't see it, it says "Amber" in rhinestone script. The Bedazzler makes everything better!

When her teacher came outside and blew the whistle, Amber dashed to her line and was all set. She happily marched right into her classroom and yelled out, "Bye Mom!" and never looked back. It was funny to see how tall she is; there is only one girl taller than her and she's the same height as the tallest boy in her class. She was so cute and confident. She made me proud! I'm glad she likes it.

Mrs. Allison Hunt

2010-08-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

Doesn't that have a nice ring to it? My little sister, Allison married Dusty Hunt on Saturday and it was a grand occasion. I was hoping all through her mission that she'd marry him; they dated for ten months before she left and I thought she was nuts to dump him and go on a mission. Fortunately, Dusty waited for her and now they are hitched! He's a marvelous guy and I'm glad to have him for a brother-in-law. Moreover, he makes Allison so happy. I'm glad I got to be a part of their special day.
It was fun to have all of my siblings together for the occasion. Can you tell we're related? I just love the humongous drool spot on my shoulder thanks to a teething Case. That's my new trademark!
Amber counted down the hours to Allison's wedding. Every day, she'd ask if "today was the day". I don't know why she was so excited because she has a major crush on Dusty, and we kept telling her that after the wedding, he'd be off the market. We couldn't dash her hopes, though. I guess she was thrilled to be able to wear her cute little tutu and she got lots of mileage out of it on the dance floor.

Here are most of the nieces and nephews with Al and Dusty. They all looked adorable! Too bad their painstakingly-selected clothes were soiled with melted chocolate only moments after the festivities began. We couldn't keep them away from the chocolate fountains long enough to get a clean picture. Oh well...what are parties for, right?

Here's the newly-wedded Hunts. The same sealer performed their ceremony as mine and Adam's and my sister Jennifer and her husband's, so that was cool.

Get a room. Geez. He he. I loved Allison's retro-inspired wedding dress and veil.

Check out all these babes! I made the headbands that the bridesmaids wore and they turned out to be oh, so sassy if I do say so myself. They were complete with a tulle flower, rhinestones, retro netting, and a peacock feather. Yowza! Their teal shoes were darling, too. Too bad they got cut out of the photo!

I think, though, that my Grandma Rydalch was the cutest gal there. Here's her grand exit from the temple along with my Auntie Julie:

My assignment was to decorate the entrance to the garden room. I collected frames from Goodwill and D.I. and spray painted them (my wonder-fix for any decor problem!) so I could add the amazing photos that Dusty's sister took. It was fun to have my own little area to fix up. Leslie saved the day, too, by offering her help and lots of her adorable items.

The reception was at Highland Gardens and it looked fabulous! I had never been there before and I was dazzled when I walked in. The photos just don't do it justice.

Here's me, pre-drool. I made the "HUNT" sign for them to put in their house and thought it was a nice touch at the entrance.

We all worked like crazy for four months to make the reception fabulous...and it worked! Everyone had a great time, the food was marvelous, the entertainment was good, and the decor looked amazing. Allison and Dusty were such a cute, cheesey, lovey-dovey couple, and I'm glad they have each other forever. Yay for marriage!

Privatization is Good for the Economy

2010-07-25T08:10:00.001-07:00

Hello folks. I'm sorry to say that after two years of blogging without trouble, I have decided to make my blog private. I have a few creepers who have been leaving comments in some kind of kanji-looking symbols, and the fact that I can't read them or that I don't know the readers just gives me the willies. So, at long last and with great disappointment, I feel like I must privatize.

Please leave a comment with your email addresses so I can add you to the list; I'd love to have everyone with good intentions be able to view my blog and post comments. I hope none of you friends will be put off by my privatization because I think accessability is a key feature for a blog. I'll be happy to send you invitations and I plan to make the switch on August 1.

Summer Blog Drought, The Sequel

2010-07-10T23:04:00.000-07:00

Summer equals craziness! It's good craziness, though, so I won't complain about my serious lack of documentation of all our events. Since I last posted, we moved to Lehi, Karli turned 4, Adam turned 31, and Case started sitting and scooting. We've had out-of-town family here for a month and a half (YAY!) so we've been spending lots of time in Alpine to take advantage of every moment of playing with cousins (the kids), hanging out with siblings (Adam), and doing projects with relatives (me). It's hotter than hot and I'm starting to feel like an old lady who only prefers 75-degree weather all the time. Here's to a hootin', hollerin' rest of the summer!

Happy Fourth Birthday, Karli!

2010-06-29T23:25:00.000-07:00

Karli is now a big girl, no longer considered a toddler in the medical world. She was so excited to have her birthday and was convinced that Tinkerbell flew into her room at night to turn her into a four-year-old. We had a Little Einsteins birthday party for her and all of her grandparents, aunties, uncles, and cousins made it a wonderful day for our sweet, darling Kar-Kar.

Karlos wanted a rocket cake, so I asked if she wanted vanilla or chocolate inside. She emphatically told me she wanted red velvet, so I had to experiment and struggle with making a red velvet cake that was tender yet sturdy. It turned out to be pretty good and Karli was thrilled.

Karli was excited to get so many fantastic gifts. Thank you, everyone!

The big girls helped the little kids put together the puzzle to see where the treasure was hidden.

The kids had a "mission" like those on Little Einsteins; they had to use photo clues to find puzzle pieces around the yard. Then, they had to assemble the puzzle to see the picture of where the treasure was hidden. I think they had fun, but toward the end, we lost a few.

My super-adorable, loving Karli in her birthday dress.

Happy birthday, Karli! We love you so much and appreciate your sense of humor, your sweetness, your strength, and your talents. We are thrilled to have you in our family!

Our New Place

2010-06-10T23:21:00.000-07:00

Now that we are in our thirties, we're thrilled to be able to say we no longer live with our parents. We moved to Lehi this week and it's so handy to live only a block from the gym where I coach. It's a farily nice neighborhood with TONS of kids (our ward has three nurseries and four Sunbeam classes), and we know we'll only be here for a bit.

I'm having fun decorating our little abode on a shoestring budget (gotta love temporary digs) and my kids really like being able to choose their decor. This is the first time since we've had children that they have closets and dressers separate from mine and Adam's, so we all love that. All in all, we like it here and we're glad to be moving toward a more permanent housing situation.

Our Marine Returns from Afghanistan

2010-06-06T23:38:00.000-07:00

Uncle Dave flew to Las Vegas after his tour in Afghanistan and we got to meet him at the airport. We were all excited to see him and thankful that he made it home safely. He is in the Marine Corps but does intelligence business (scary stuff), so we were glad he didn't get hurt or taken. He is our hero and we appreciate his and Maren's and Libby's and Kya's sacrifices so Uncle Dave can serve America.

Waiting and waiting for Dave to walk down the hallway.

Attack! The kids couldn't wait to see Uncle Dave.

Cooper and Rex wore their Marine Corps shirts, and Amber and Gracie sported some yellow-ribbon tank tops I threw together at the last minute. Karli, always the individualist, passed on hers, and Case had a darling onesie on that I made that says, "USMC. Your best friend. Your worst enemy." They looked adorable if I do say so myself.

For a bunch of Clarks, we put on quite the spectacle. Leslie had this sign made and everyone who walked by noticed!

Cooper, Gracie, Rex, Amber, Karli, and Dave.

Angels and Airwaves Concert

2010-05-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

Adam and I hit the town last night for a fun date. We decided that if Adam passed the Bar exam, we'd buy tickets to see Angels and Airwaves at the Venue downtown. We met Derrick and Leslie at Settebello for some awesome caprese and Napolese pizza (Adam didn't like it at all, but I loved it). Then, we booked it past the homeless shelter to the old, dumpy building that used to be Bricks dance club. The concert was great!

The lead singer of AVA is the ex-lead-singer of Blink 182.

He's a great entertainer.

We escaped with only minor annoyances, like the drunken idiot who spilled his drink all over Adam's legs and new shoes, and while the music was pleasantly loud, I didn't have the metal stupor that I contracted after Metallica, meaning I could actually hear Adam speak on the way home. It was a fabulous evening. Rock on!

Snow in May

2010-05-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

No. I am not joking. I went to buy a shaved ice the other day, and this is what I saw. A quilt. Several coats. My nose was running because I was so cold. Then, it snowed yesterday. Yep...three inches of snow on my car when I went outside. Boo.

I'm Succeeding

2010-05-25T23:32:00.000-07:00

Tony Horton is my new fitness guru! I really love P90X and recommend it to anyone who is thinking about trying it. The workouts fly by; I can't believe how quickly the time passes and before I know it, I've been sweating and challenging my body for an hour. I always feel wiped out, but in a good way, when I finish a workout and I LOVE IT!
This is the beginning of my third week and I'm starting to get compliments on my figure. Yay! I also noticed that after four days of working out and eating properly, I could fit into my jeans much easier than before. I think I'm almost on the verge of establishing a work-out habit, too, because I actually crave the exercise every day. Hooray for finding something to get me off my lazy duff and make me feel good. Yeah, baby!

A Proud and Glorious Day, Indeed

2010-05-18T23:47:00.000-07:00

Adam G. Clark is officially an attorney. Wahoo! We all met at the Salt Palace today to watch Adam take the oath and be sworn into the Utah courts. We are so proud of him! It was a long and sometimes rocky road, but all his hard work and dedication paid off. Adam's determination inspires me every day and I'm glad I get to be married to such a dashing, smart man. Way to go, Mr. Clark, Esq. We love you!

I'm Committing

2010-05-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well, after secretly bashing it in my head for months, I finally decided to give P90X a try. Leslie bought the DVDs on KSL.com (my new favorite website) and we set out on a mission to get us some hot bodies. Today is my first day and the chest and back workout was brutal. I loved it, though, because I really felt exhausted afterward. I'm excited to see how this body project will turn out. Hopefully, I'll be smokin' hot and back into my pre-pregnancy jeans soon!

Never, Ever Again!

2010-05-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about renting a booth at a local craft boutique for quite some time, and after encouragement from Leslie and Stephanie, I finally bit the bullet. I had a half-sized booth at the Mother's Day Holy Cow Boutique at the Pleasant Grove Rec Center. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE! I'm glad I did it to see how my stuff measures up, but I don't think I"ll ever do it again. Between not wanting to spend a bundle of money and time on making products I wouldn't sell and visiting the rec center three times a day to check on my stock and pulling three all-nighters and not cooking for my family for a week, it was so not worth it.

It was great fun, however, to be able to enjoy some serious crafting time while Adam babysat endlessly (thanks, Superdad!), to let my creativity run wild with a can of spray paint, a Cricut Expression, the major power tools in the garage, and to hear the positive reactions my wares garnered from my adoring fans (Leslie, Stephanie, Shelley, and Lauren...thanks, ladies!). Here are a few of the goods in case you're interested:

Rex's Birthday 2.0

2010-05-03T23:07:00.000-07:00

Rex's actual birthday was kind of a regular day, but filled with lots of treats, movies, playing outside, and...oh yeah...nursery. Rex HATES it! I had to stay in with him clinging to my leg the entire time. Aside from the trauma caused by seven other two-year-olds trying to eat each other's fruit snacks and simultaneously playing with the same toy, I'd say Rex's second round of celebrations was good.

Rex is such a cute little guy who is definitely spunky and hilarious. He loves to tell me "Hi, Daddy!" just to see me react and emphatically state "I'm mama!" He speaks very well and is using sentences now. He can sing "I am a Child of God" and the "Think Song" from "My Friends Tigger and Pooh". He's really big on motorcycles, fire trucks, cars, and airplanes, which I love. Yes, he still has a major obsession with golf, and we adore our Rexy-Roo-Roo. Happy birthday, little buddy!

The blue clogs were a gift from my mom. At first, Rex wouldn't get near them. When I told him they were Superman shoes, though, he put them on his feet and hasn't taken them off since!

My handsome little birthday dude.

Rex's Birthday Celebration, Version 1

2010-04-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

You know us Clarks...we can't celebrate a birthday on just one day. We love to string out the parties and special treatment as long as we can. Hence, Rex got to blow out the candles on his Lightning McQueen birthday cake yesterday when everyone was here. He loved it! He learned how to sing "Happy Birthday to You" a few weeks ago, so he was extra-excited to sing to himself.

Originally, I planned to make a BOR-ring white layer cake with a McQueen toy car on top, but late on Saturday night, Adam convinced me that it "wouldn't be that hard to make a red rectangle car" for Rex's cake. Eventually, I agreed and decided on Sunday morning to pull out the stops and go for the cool cake. Since I didn't have all the supplies I needed (like black food coloring, etc.), I had to improvise, but I think it turned out pretty well. The thing I loved most about it is that Rex recognized Lighting, even when the cake was in the crumb coat phase. He was so excited and screamed out "Kachow! Lightning!". That made the panic and 4-hour baking/decorating spree worth it.

If I make this cake again, I'll definitely cut away the bottom of the front of the car. He ended up looking a bit more like Mater than Lightning, but oh well.

The kids all got a kick out of the cake, so it was fab.

Here's the cute birthday boy!

He loved it!

Thanks to Angela, Rex enjoyed every bite.

Rex is having a great birthday week, so there will definitely be more to come as far as birthday blogging goes. Let the party begin!

Blessing Day

2010-04-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

Today, Adam blessed Case at our house. It was special to have Grandpa Smith here to stand in the circle, since Case is named after him. Ryan's family, Kristi's family, the Larsen family, Allison and Dusty, my parents, my sisters, and Grandpa and Lorna joined us for dinner and the blessing, and it was a great way to spend the evening. We are happy that everyone made the effort to be here. Thanks everyone!

Case was a good boy during his blessing.

Case, Adam, and Grandpa Smith...three great guys!

Four generations: Case, Adam, Leslie, Grandpa Smith

Eight is Great!

2010-04-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today is Adam's and my eighth anniversary. It is crazy to think that when we got married, our oldest niece was only four years old, my youngest sister was ten, and we were both skinny...he he. What a great life I've had since I married Adam. It is grand to be married to my best friend, to have a partner through all of life's ups and downs, and to have a counterpoint that brings out the best in me. I love Adam dearly and am thrilled to be able to spend eternity with him. Happy Anniversary, Adam. You are the best!

A Hard Day's Night

2010-04-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

Rex LOVES playing outside. It's been great to let him run around, climb, throw things, explore, and jump. Best of all, it wears him out. He couldn't even make it to bed the other day; he just came inside and colapsed on the couch. Yay for awesome yards and little boys!

Big Boy

2010-04-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

Case is growing fast and learning all sorts of new things. He can hold his toes, take off his socks, roll from his back to his stomach, and babble up a storm. My favorites, though, are

smiling...

playing in his exersaucer...

and eating rice cereal.

He didn't love it at first,

but now he gulps it down!

Case is a joy! He's been a delightful baby and has adorable, kissable, chubby cheeks. His roly-poly arms and legs make me smile and we all love this little guy!

So Proud

2010-04-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

Adam is my hero! His tenacity and dedication inspire me all the time. I'm thrilled to be married to such a wonderful guy who works hard to accomplish his dreams. I love him mucho!

Shenanigans

2010-04-09T01:36:00.001-07:00

Lately we've tried to make the most of being cooped up inside while snow continues to fall outside. We've spent lots of time with my cute sister Angela...

...and Allison...
...and Rex discovered a new game: he runs around the house with his new "hat!" which is actually a box from Build-a-Bear Workshop. He peeks out the door, and when he doesn't want anyone to see him, he shuts it.

I know he shuts the door so he can do this behind it...

Yuck! Regardless of the nasty habits occuring inside, though, he looks absolutely hilarious running around the kitchen and family room--like a little robot or creature--and he becomes hysterical if anyone removes his "hat". Hopefully it'll warm up soon so we don't all go crazy like Rexy has!

Case is a Thumb Sucker

2010-04-09T01:32:00.001-07:00

This is a first among our children! The three older kids suck fingers, and at first we even thought that Case might be a pacifier baby. Much to my chagrin, though, he flouts the paci and found his thumb, which he loves. The thing I love about it is that he wraps his index finger around his nose most of the time. It's darling! I also love that Case has a method to self-soothe now, which makes my life much easier. He gets cuter every day, and I'm enjoying having an adorable, cuddly, squishy, little sweetheart who doesn't give me attitude!

Kissy, Kissy, Kissy!

2010-04-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

The picture is terrible thanks to some baby drool on my camera lens, but the news is wonderful: Allison and Dusty are engaged! Dusty propsed yesterday and they were both beaming from ear to ear (okay, fine, they still are). We are super excited for these two; they are a perfect pair and Dusty is so sweet to my little sis. August 27, 2010 is the big day. Wahoo! My kids can't wait to have a new uncle and they already beg Dusty to chase them around the house and play all sorts of rowdy games that the parents are too tired to play. Of course, Dusty plays them and the kids love it! Congratulations to the future Mrs. Hunt and her soon-to-be hubby!

Hippity Hoppity Happy Easter

2010-04-05T01:16:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter weekend at Grandpa Smith's condo in St. George and it was wonderful to be out of the snow for a few days. The Easter bunny found the kids, even though they weren't at home, and I enjoyed listening to General Conference and spending time with our families. We were able to play with Merrick, McKay, and Olivia (my sister Jennifer's kids) as well as lots of Harris and Withroder cousins at Steve and Laurie's house. Easter is my favorite holiday; I love the simple act of reflecting on Christ's life and the sacrifice he made for me. It was a fantastic weekend!

Rex scored lots of his favorite things...STICKS! He got a sword and a set of toy golf clubs, but they are all sticks to him. He's crazy about sticks.

Karli enjoyed her Lunchables that came in her Easter stash. Doesn't she make a darling daisy face?

Here is Amber modeling her Easter dress. I usually get very excited about making Easter dresses for my girls, but I wasn't this year. I was thrilled to find out General Conference fell on Easter this year and didn't feel one bit guilty about buying these cute frocks for $5 each at Ross.

The bunny skipped baskets, but still left some fun surprises for the kids. Happy Easter!

Take This Weather and Shove It

2010-03-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

I AM SICK OF WINTER! I don't know why, but when I woke up this morning and saw snowflakes falling from the sky, I wanted to jump off a cliff. Okay, not really, but I was so mad! I am tired of cold! I am sick of having to keep my kids inside all day long! I dread having to run errands and be out and about with soaking wet feet, pant-leg bottoms, and hair that looks like I didn't even try to fix it. I love this weather in December, but in March? No thank you. I'm ready for it to be 60 or 70 degrees so Karli can ride her bike, Rex can play basketball, Case can swing outside, Amber can climb on non-furniture items, and I can get a boost of Vitamin D. Hurry up and get warm!

A Magical Week, Indeed

2010-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hooray for Disney! We had a fabulous week in Orlando staying at the Disney All Star Sports resort and spending every waking hour basking in the glow and chaos of everything magical. Despite the major effort of hauling four small children around from plane to bus to stroller to bus to hotel and trying to keep track of one particular wandering four-year-old, things went remarkably well and we had the times of our lives!

Flight 1: SLC to Phoenix. We were late (of course) and after two trips to the ticketing counter and the security gate, we finally made it to our terminal and onto the jet way. Case was screaming, Rex was screaming, and since we're too cheap to pay to check baggage, both Adam and I were toting several bags and rolling suitcases, for which there was NO room. After bumping into every aisle passenger in 20 rows, we were finally in our seats and ready to rock. Thanks to constant feeding of Case and an incessant stream of candy for Rex, our kids were very well behaved and we made it to Phoenix with only a few enemies. Of course, though, we had to rush off the plane and run to our connecting flight, for which we were also late, and went through the whole process again.

Flight 2: Phoenix to Orlando. Is it a bad sign when all three people in front, two to the side, and all three people behind us are drinking? I think so! For the most part, the kids were fine, but for about 30 minutes when we began the descent, Rex and Case both cried and whined with no stopping, thanks to their ear infections. Eventually, though, we made it to Florida and boarded the "magical, sparkly bus!" to the hotel. Hooray! The girls loved watching the movie about Disney World as we rode from the airport to the hotel and it was delightful to hear them laughing and squealing with excitement.

Once we settled in to our cool basketball hotel (everything at Disney World is magical and completely over-the-top), the kids went wild jumping from bed to bed, Rex kept peeking out the window and shrieking "baskuh bawl!" and we finally drifted off to sleep. The next day was great; we sat by the pool, took naps, and I did a bunch of administrative stuff for the cheer competition. Thursday and Friday were plagued by the worst rainstorms I've ever seen, and after spending Thursday at Magic Kingdom trying to brave the weather, I was amazed to see how much water human feet can actually absorb. Disgusting! Thanks to the 96% humidity, my clothes from Thursday didn't dry until we were safe and sound in Utah, but we took advantage of Friday's crummy weather to practice with our teams and have a makeshift birthday party for Amber.

Case loved being nudie by the pool and all the ladies loved him.

Amer and Karli were thrilled to meet Belle, but even more thrilled that, according to Amber, "Case got his first true love's kiss on the forehead from Belle! And she left lipstick on him!" It was adorable.
Aurora told the girls that Prince Phillip loves to ride roller coasters, which eased Amber's aggravation that Adam took her on one prior to meeting the princesses.

The teacups were Karli's favorite ride, so we all took several spins.

Adam and Amber spinning madly.

"It's a Small World" is still a great ride. The kids loved it.

Ariel was so sweet to the girls. They couldn't believe they got to meet "the real Ariel".

All that rain worked wonders on our hair, and Ariel politely told my mom "you have lovely hair. Do you use a dinglehopper?"

It was the first time I've ever bought a cake from the grocery store for my kids' birthdays (it was nasty!), so I kind of felt like Amber got the shaft, but hey, she was at Disney World, so how bad could it be, right? She was so excited and loved the little Cinderella and Fairy God Mother characters atop the shortening-laden confection. Hannah, Mette, Allison, Angela, Marianne, and my mom all came over to sing and have cake, and the kids all loved the party horns so I think the party was a success. We tried our hardest to get everyone settled down for the night at a decent hour since my girls had to be awake, fed, and ready for their competition at 7:00 a.m. (which really felt like 5:00 a.m. to us mountain-time-zoners), but that plan failed miserably and the last one was sound asleep by 11:30 p.m.

Morning came too soon and before we knew it, my team of darling little gals and I were on the bus to the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. The girls did great considering the circumstances, and aside from Karli's major meltdown and refusal to perform, I was proud of their efforts. They got to compete twice, which was fabulous because the initial performance (sans Karli) was pretty much a disaster. They got to watch the routine on a replay screen afterward and I didn't have to say anything--two of them pointed out "we look terrible!" and they knew what they had to do. Performance numero dos was 100% better and totally adorable. Adam saved the day and talked (and fed) Karli into participating during the second half of the competition and that helped us remarkably. Unfortunately, I don't have video or photos since I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but I was completely proud of my sweet little team and very grateful to Stephanie, Allison, and Micah who all helped me out beyond measure. Of course, though, Adam was the best. He's so wonderful to help and put up with all the craziness. I was relieved and thrilled all at the same time. Go Flash Twinkles!

This is the only competition photo I have; Amber and Karli looked so adorable!

The rest of the week was awesome and we had so much fun meeting princesses, tasting food from all over the world, watching parades and fireworks, and being what seemed like the spectacle of Florida with our brood of little kids. We truly had the vacation of a lifetime and I'm beyond happy that we were able to take our whole family to have such a fun week. Adam and I were really exhausted by the time we made it home at 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday. We have a whole new appreciation for our our parents who took us on family vacations when we were young. Hopefully we'll be able to take our family to Disney World again sometime, because it was amazing!

Stitch and Stitch

Karli meeting Leo from Little Einstiens was one of my favorite moments. She was so excited to show Leo that she wears glasses, too.

Rex really liked the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" playground.

The Clarks on the bus go waaah, waaah, waaah!

The cozy front pack is where Case spent 95% of the vacation. He hates it now!

Adorable.

Also adorable.

Please tell me this is the creepiest thing you've ever seen. Why don't you just write "Hey, sex offenders: stop here first!"

My daughters love princesses.

New, darling, and waaay over-priced sunglasses, but worth it. It was a grand experience!

Happy Fifth Birthday, Amber!

2010-03-17T21:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, how time flies! Amber turned five today, and just like every parent with every child, I can't believe she's already so old. I still remember the nail polish I wore to the hospital on the day she was born! The past five years have been marvelous with Amber in our lives and we are all crazy about her. Since she's five now, here are a few of Amber's top-fives:

Favorite Things

Shopping at Justice

Eating taco salad

Traveling with Dad

Choreographing and performing routines

Watching Project Runway

Least Favorite Things

Cleaning her room

Having her hair brushed

Going to bed

Sharing clothes

Getting shots at the doctor's office

Accomplishments This Year

Learning how to write her name

Spelling short words

Competing at the NASCC in Orlando

Singing karaoke at Alpine Days

Being a wonderful big sister

We all love Amber to pieces and think she is so funny, smart, and beautiful. I am very proud to have her as my oldest daughter and appreciate all she does to help me. I hope this year of Amber's life is the best thus far!

I Have the Cutest Little Baby Case

2010-02-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Case is two months old! Where has the time gone? I can't believe how quickly he's growing and becoming so adorable. He has a sweet little smile and is starting to coo and giggle just a bit. We are all in love!

Rex still loves to sneak into Case's crib and snuggle with him.

The girls love to help me with Case; Amber has even changed a few of his stinky diapers all by herself (without asking me first). Perhaps trial by fire is the best kind of teacher for some skills.

Those lips are my favorite! I'm glad that most of our kids got Adam's genes in the lip department; I have no lips at all!

I think he's adorable!

I'm Over It

2010-02-23T19:17:00.000-08:00

Who is tired of winter? I AM! I either like snow and gloom and cold when I can snuggle up by the fireplace and eat some yummy comfort food, or sunshine and warmth. Not sunshine and cold together along with dead, brown grass and leafless trees like we have every year during this pre-spring winter phase. Don't get me wrong, it's fabulous to be able to run a load of garbage outside without having to bundle up, but I'm ready for 60's and 70's! I have a major case of cabin fever. Blah. Hey, Spring: hurry up and arrive already!

Hilarity

2010-02-11T19:52:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I have a serious case of cabin fever, but lately I've noticed a few things around here that make me laugh every time I hear/see/experience them:

Rex loves the movie "Cars". I love it when the Sherrif asks Mater "What did I tell you about talking to the accused?" and Mater says, "To not to." I love it! Larry the Cable Guy is a hoot in that movie.

While bathing the other day, Amber told me we can only talk about our private parts when we're using the bathroom or taking a bath. Any other time, she explained, we can just call them "bots, boods, and nips" meaning bottoms (the front part), booties (the back part), and nipples. Yay.

Karli gets herself dressed every day, and usually ends up with four or five outfits layerd on top of each other, complete with four or five pairs of socks. They all coordinate and it's quite the sight.

Have any of you seen "Red Eye" on Fox News Channel? Thaddeus McCotter is hilarious! I'm glad that someone from the Michigan legistlature has a sense of humor and wears a three-piece suit.

Here's to a good laugh today!

A Fun Day With Good Friends

2010-02-05T23:34:00.000-08:00

Today we had the privilege of seeing Leslie and cute, little Oscar (who is not so little anymore), our dear friends. We spent all three years of law school with their family and let me tell you...nothing bonds people more than sharing the miseries of grad school, pregnancy, grad school with children, being the only two white families living in the 'hood, and weekly criminal events. They now live in Utah as well, but about an hour from us, so we don't see each other very often. It was grand to catch up and see how much Oskie has grown.

Every day this week the girls asked me when "their cousin Oscar" would be here. Finally, the glorious day arrived and starting at 7:00 a.m. Amber asked me every 15 minutes, "What's taking them so long?" All of the kids seemed to get along really well, Rex didn't even try to bite Oscar (only me), and my favorite part of the day was hearing Rex say, "Oscar, 'mere!" (which means "come here" in Rex's lingo). Leslie and I could talk for hours, which we always do, and it's fun to be able to chat with someone who can totally relate to my situation. I'm so glad they made the long journey to hang out with us for a while today. It was great fun!

Among the highlights: Karli "shared" her V8 juice with Oscar by shoving the sippy cup into his mouth and pouring it down his throat. When we heard gagging noises, we looked over and wondered if Oscar was vomiting blood. Karli then yelled out gleefully, "Oh, he loves my V8!" and was so excited.
Leslie made Case two of the cutest onesies I've ever seen. One is appliqued with a darling blue and green rocket ship, the other with a very chic necktie.
Amber, Karli and Rex performed "All the Single Ladies" for Leslie, complete with sparkly uniforms for the girls and a big dose of shame for Rex...he he.
I had wonderful conversation! That was actually my favorite part of the day, but I guess I can separate the kid stuff from the grown-up stuff and claim two faves, right? Since Adam has been gone a lot lately, it was even more great to speak to an adult. Leslie and I have a lot in common and it's fun to hear her perspective on life.

Thanks for the visit, you two. It made my day. Let's do it again real soon!

The Body Blues

2010-02-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well...here I am lamenting just like every other woman on the planet about how hard it is to get back into shape after having a baby, and all the while, I'm blogging instead of exercising. What's worse? That it's 11:15 p.m. and I'm starving! I've tried all my tricks to avoid eating this late, but I don't know if I'll withstand the temptation. Nachos on yellow Santitas with cotija, tomato and avocado sound really, really great right now. I should just shut my mouth, both literally and figuratively, but I won't. I'm going to rant.

Is it bad that whenever I see my reflection, I don't recognize myself? I think so. I have to do a double take, and pause to see if I can even begin to suck in my stomach to make myself kind of look like I did pre-fourth-pregnancy. I feel like I have some kind of mental disease or something, like I imagine myself one way that is completely the opposite of how I really appear. It's discouraging, that's for sure. I know that losing baby weight just takes time and becomes harder with each gestational effort, but when I think back to my previous experiences to gauge my progress (or, in this case, regress), I just get depressed. Boo for being fat!

One thing that makes dealing with having another child harder for me (aside from the added workload, demand on my attention, etc.) is that when I get dressed every morning, I try on six or seven shirts and have to peel them off my abundant upper body because even my maternity pants (yes, I'm STILL wearing them) give me a bounteous muffin top under shirts that used to skim my midsection nicely. I only feel comfortable in my sweats, and I fear that the next step for me may be mom jeans. Oh, the horror! It's not that I want to wear them, you see, it's that it seems like my body has totally morphed. Let me explain: when I was in college, I was hefty (I weighed as much then as I did when I was 9 months pregnant with all of my kids), but I still had a cute shape. Broad shoulders, hips that were equally broad, a significantly smaller waist, etc. Now, though, I have bulk in all the wrong places and a decidedly different, not-cute shape.

I'm wondering now if there's even hope for me in the body department, since the fundamental structure of my payload seems to have shifted irreparably. I'm telling myself "give it time", but I really just don't have the patience. I want to be skinny again! NOW!

They Must Be Geniuses

2010-01-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

Today I ventured out of the house with three kids--the first time by myself since Case was born--and it was actually fun to be able to run some errands. I know, I can't believe I just said that either. The only thing that put a damper on our little outing: seven different people telling me the thing I'm soooo tired of hearing (as it's all I've heard for the past four years). "Wow, you've really got your hands full!"

Thank you, Captain Obvious. Do I honestly need a reminder every ten minutes? I KNOW I have my hands full. I have to try so hard to resist saying back, "Well, I have one more who is four years old and I'm strongly considering in vitro to conceive triplets this month." Every mom I know has her hands full at one point or another. I understand that these people are just trying to be nice, but come on. Does everyone have to say that to me all the time? Especially when I'm actually having what I consider a successful outing with children, meaning no one is crying, no one has pooped through their clothing, no one has a dirty face, and I'm not swearing under my breath or at the top of my lungs.

I can't wait to see what it's like when I have all four kids with me and we go anywhere. Sheesh!

Something to Melt My Heart

2010-01-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

Lately, the girls have been saying something to Adam and to me that just makes me want to cry, partly because it's so darn adorable and partly because it makes me feel guilty for disciplining them when they're naughty. Upon committing an infraction and being punished, they say, sobbing, "but even though you're mad at me you still love me, right?" Can you believe that!?

Immediately, we hug them and say "Of course, we will always love you!" and it makes them feel better. But I always feel like such a schmuck! It's a good reminder to me not to fly off the handle and to remember that no matter how many times I have to confiscate nail polish or lip gloss or other contraband that they are just little and curious and adorable. I never knew parenting would require so much emotional fortitude. We love you for sure, Amber and Karli!

Boys....Blech!

2010-01-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

I tried and tried to find the picture from "The Little Rascals" of the girls at the slumber party when they say, "Boys...blech!" and point down their throats like they're gagging, but this will have to do. You all know what I'm talking about, though, right? That's how I feel now that I have TWO stinky, dirty and adorable sons.

I don't recall any of my other babies going through as many diapers in a day as Case does. He is constantly tooting, pooping, and complaining about his soiled drawers. I can't even keep up with him, as he relieves himself mid-diaper-change, shortly after diaper changes, during feedings, during baths, you name it. It's crazy!

Rex has discovered his ability to remove his clothing and with that, all hopes of keeping his bodily byproducts safely contained in a diaper have gone out the window. On Thursday, he kindly sneaked into the front room (strictly off-limits to toddlers!), removed his pants and clean, dry diaper, and as Grandpa Clark tactfully told me, left "a deposit" on the floor. Much to my horror, though, it was not just one deposit. It was five. In little piles all around the room. On the IVORY carpet! I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, since it is not MY carpet that my son soiled, and because I was simultaneously trying to cook lunch, wrangle Amber and Karli, and hold a starving, screaming baby while trying to keep them all quiet so Grandpa could work. Sheesh.

Since the "use your Princess manners" command is clearly not going to work with these two, I'm asking for any kind of wisdom in dealing with boys who think it's down right hilarious to belch, toot, farmer blow and "deposit" for all to see. Eeew...I hope I survive.

An Idol in the Making

2010-01-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

Adam, the kids, and I all love to watch American Idol, and last night during the show, Amber asked me the cutest question out of the blue:

"Hey Mom, when I make it to Hollywood, will you ride with me in the elevator so I won't be scared?"

I almost welled up with tears because I was so proud of her for even assuming she could try an audition and "make it to Hollywood" and because it was so darn adorable (and, of course, because my hormones are beyond out-of-control). Live your dreams, little Amber, and YES...I will always be there to ride with you in the elevator!

Blue Monday is Real?

2010-01-18T14:42:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I've been living under a rock, but I didn't know that "Blue Monday" is actually an official day until an hour ago; I always thought it was just the name of a band. Well, since the third Monday in January is apparently the gloomiest day of the year, I want to share a few things I love right now:

1. When I'm next to Adam, I'm actually next to Adam. I no longer have a ginormous belly to separate us. It's fabulous.

2. Case is smiling! For the past few days, he's been giving us darling little smiles along with the one-eye-open awakening process. I love it.

3. Frozen raspberries. I discovered today that adding a huge handful of frozen raspberries to one small scoop of vanilla ice cream does wonders for my junk food cravings and makes me feel like I ate a whole bowl of frozen goodness without getting cheated.

4. Accomplishing something every day. Since this has recently become something of a miracle, I feel especially good when I get something...anything...done, even if it is only bathing the kids and grabbing a quick shower myself.

5. Karli is wearing her patch AND glasses without much of a fight. Lately, she's been rather obedient in this department and getting a patch stuck over her eye seems to be less traumatic now. YAY!

6. My cache of divinely-scented bath products left over from Christmas. I love yummy-smelling lotion and shower gel, and I'm reveling in luscious lather thanks to my cheer students, sisters, etc. who generously gifted me said items last month. I should have enough to make it to spring.

7. Rex's handshakes. Adam taught Rex how to shake hands a few days ago, and it is so darn cute to see how excited Rex gets when someone asks him for one. Who knows...perhaps he'll be the next Mitt Romney. He's a born politician!

8. 24 is on again. It was great to have a t.v. show start up to which I can look forward each week. Adam and I watch it together every Monday, and since "The Sopranos" ended its run on A&E, 24 is one of our trusty standbys. Yay for Jack Bauer!

9. My students are progressing nicely. As a teacher of several skills, I'm always thrilled when my students take significant steps toward improvement. It makes work a joy.

10. Blogging. I feel like I haven't been as immersed in the blogosphere as I usually am and now I love to have a small window of time to post something. I'm such a nerd.

Happy Blue Monday everyone. Take time to do something to make you happy on this wonderfully gloomy day.

Ready to Ride

2010-01-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

I know this is really past due, but I made a cute carseat tent for Case out of cowboy flannel with bandana-print trim and just have to show it off. Karli helped me pick out the fabric and she also chose some antique brass buttons with an eagle motif; she has great taste. Giddyup!

Brotherly Love

2010-01-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

Rex loves his little brother! He has been so sweet with Case, which is a huge relief to me. At the hospital right after Case's birth, Rex seemed so miffed that I was really worried to bring a tiny, helpless infant home to a monster of a big brother. I was wrong, however, because Adam notified me that night that Rex had been begging to go see "broder" all day. From then on, Rex has been a loving, snuggling, gentle, and adoring protector of Case and it's beyond darling.

Whenever we are upstairs and Case is in his crib, Rex disappears to go lie down next to him. I always find Rex (who looks HUGE compared to Case) snuggled up in the pack and play next to Case with his arms around him. Leslie told me Adam was the same way with his brother, Ryan. I think it's so cute! Rex always asks for Case as soon as he wakes up in the morning and from naps. Hooray! I think they'll be friends.

My two handsome sons.

The More the Merrier...Madness, I Mean

2010-01-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Wow! Life with four kids is out of control so far. Don't get me wrong...it's fun and great to have four cute, spunky, little ones, but I can tell it's going to take me even longer than ever to regain a sense of normalcy. I can't decide if I liked having a Christmas baby; I was so busy doing Christmas stuff that giving birth was kind of like one more thing on my list of to-do's, and I feel slightly bad about that like I offended the primal tradition of birthing or something. On the other hand, it was exciting and grand to have a baby during the Christmas season because lots of our family were here to experience it and help us out and such. Hmmm. It's a toss-up.
Now that we are back on our schedule (HA!), I mean as much as we can be with a two-week-old, I feel like I can start getting back into real life and figuring out how to add one more set of needs to the pot. Case has been a great baby thus far, and aside from two nights of crying due to reflux, sleeps well and keeps the noise to a minimum.
Karli is still wearing her patch, and after a doctor appointment today that turned out to be a major waste of time because we can't get her to wear a patch and her glasses, we are recommitted to being ultra-strict with her about wearing both. All the time. Yay. The doctor told Adam it was useless for her to wear the patch without the glasses, so basically the last three weeks of fighting her several times each day to don a patch have been a complete waste. Hopefully, though, she will get back into the bespectacled swing of things and won't give us too much more grief. Today's episodes were out of control and her fits were more than we could handle!
I will forever be astounded by the infant/laundry phenomenon. It seems the pile of dirty laundry grows from a hill to a mountain in a matter of minutes, and I now have a humongous heap of clean laundry spilling from my chair into two baskets and onto the floor, right next to the extra-large, overflowing hamper full of soiled goods. I can't believe how much dirty laundry a tiny human being can produce. Sheesh!
Here's a challenge for the next batch of medical students and/or researchers: please find a way for women to recover completely from pregnancy and the birthing process in one week. I'm fed up with the whole mess already, and it's really driving me crazy to have to deal with my insides rearranging again, trying unsuccessfully to get even my lower legs into my old jeans, and the rest of all the gory, horrid aftermath of childbearing along with taking care of an infant and the rest of my family. I'd pay big bucks to be rid of all of the aforementioned hassles!
For now, though, I'm trying to hold Case as much as I can and enjoy the "baby" smell, the tiny feet, the yawn/sigh combo, and everything else I love about newborns. I'm thankful to have four beautiful and healthy kids, and a wonderful husband who could rival any Mr. Mom at this point. So, yeah...bring on the insanity!

My Cute Little Kiddos

2009-12-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

My friend, Mette, graciously took a few photos of my darling little ones so we could give them to Adam for Christmas. She is very talented and gets some great shots. Here they are!

Namesake

2009-12-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

Case and Grandpa John E. Smith, for whom he is named. Since I forgot to mention them in the first post, here are the stats:

Case John Clark

8 pounds, 1 ounce

20 inches long

born at 2:40 p.m.

Grandpa Smith is a wonderful, generous, and wise man who has been a great support to Adam throughout his life and to both of us since our marriage. He's a surgeon, but also an electrical engineer who fought in World War 2. He is selfless and kind and has a great sense of humor. I'm glad we can honor Grandpa and know that Case will live up to the potential he has to be like his Great Grandpa Smith.

All The Single Ladies

2009-12-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

...definitely need one of these:

Karli was so excited to see her "Beyonce leotard" on Christmas morning. I was flattered because she immediately doffed her jammies in favor of the sparkly uniform and wore it all day long. She even received some purple, sparkly high heels from Grandma and Grandpa, so her ensemble was complete.

I didn't think it would turn out to be so adorable on her, but it fit perfectly and I'm pleased by my first attempt at costuming.

A Wonderful Christmas

2009-12-28T07:10:00.000-08:00

This Christmas was great and a bit different from the usual. Santa decided not to wrap the kids' gifts this year because he and Mrs. Claus were so worn out from taking care of the new little elf. Regardless, the kids loved all of their gifts and had a magical morning.

Rex was thrilled to get some "boy toys" like Army guys, a football, some trucks and a race track.

Karli was thrilled to see her Beyonce outfit (worthy of a post unto itself), her hula skirt, and all of her cute toys.

Amber's favorite gift was her new kitty, and a close second was her Fur Real Hamster.

I love to see how excited the kids get at Christmastime. Their reactions were worth the sleepless night before, and we were all thankful for awesome grandparents who added to the magic with their generous gifts as well. Merry Christmas, everyone!

He's Here!

2009-12-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to have our newest family member here safely. Case John Clark arrived right on schedule on December 22, 2009 at American Fork Hospital. Everything went well with the delivery and it was fabulous to feel my stomach collapse! He looks like a mix of Karli and Rex and has the Clark Scowl down perfectly. We all love him to pieces!

Here's Case right after birth. He came so quickly that he was nice and pink with a very round head.

Case wanted to suck his fingers from the very beginning...a sure sign he's a Clark baby. I love his tiny bum and his dark, wild hair.

Don't let that sweet, innocent face fool you. This kid has some pipes! I was worried that he was bound to be my ornery baby, because he cried all the time in the hospital. Once we brought him home, though, he calmed right down and has been a dream so far.

This delivery was definitely my craziest. Since I was positive with Group B Strep, I had to have 4 hours of antibiotics before I could deliver. My contraction monitor wasn't picking up any contraction, so when they finally broke my water, I didn't think anything was happening (aahhh...epidurals!). Ten minutes later, I felt a horrible pressure in my spine and thought for sure there was something wrong with my injection or that I was one of the .4% of people who have major complications with the epidural. Adam, Greg, Leslie, and the kids had all just headed downstairs for a treat and my phone was clear across the room, so I pressed my call button for the nurse. No one responded, so I started to panic as the pressure grew worse and worse. I was in tears, and finally yelled out, "Help!", hoping someone was in the hall.

Thankfully, a nurse poked her head in to ask if I was o.k. I immediately broke down into sobs, saying I didn't know what was happening to me. She calmly told me she would first check my cervix and then go from there. I was dilated to 4 centimeters when the doctor broke my water, and the nurse said, "You're complete and I see the baby's head." I couldn't believe how quickly the labor progressed, and five minutes later, I was holding little Case. It was madness! I had a wonderful staff of nurses who took fabulous care of Case and me and I'm thankful to have a beautiful, healthy baby. And, of course...to not be pregnant!

Such Girls

2009-12-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Grandma Shelley surprised Amber and Karli with early Christmas gifts: adorable dresses, new tights, and ruby slippers to wear to church on the Sunday before Christmas. Both of the girls were thrilled! They wouldn't take their dresses off all day, despite endless nagging by both Adam and me, and when we finally convinced Amber to change into a nightgown at bedtime, this is what we came across in the middle of the night.

Amber had removed both her and Karli's dresses from the closet and snuggled up by them in bed. Cuter still is that when Karli woke up, she actually had her red, sparkly dress shoes on her feet; she had been wearing them all night as she slept. They asked me all week long when it would be time to wear their new dresses to church, and today was the glorious day. They looked darling and were so excited. Thanks, Grandma Shelley, for giving my girls a reason to want to go to their classes!

Too Cute to Give Away

2009-12-20T13:57:00.000-08:00

I set out making these purses for my girls to give as Christmas gifts, but once they were finished, I decided to keep them so I could give them to my girls for Christmas gifts. Isn't that terrible? I just think they are so sassy and cute that I can't bear to part with them.

They were SO easy to make (felt, glue gun, Heat n' Bond, ribbon, and embelishments) and it only took about an hour to make both.
I guess I'll just have to make two more, because the intended recipients would also love little purses like these. I'm really excited to see what my girls think of their new handbags; both of them are obsessed with purses and should be thrilled. We'll see!

Whoever You Are...Thank You Santa!

2009-12-19T13:14:00.001-08:00

We had a knock on our front door the other night. When Adam opened it, he found a generous gift from "Santa". We don't know who Santa and his elves are, but we are very grateful. Thank you, Santa, for making this Christmas extra special for us!

I am excited for the day that Adam and I can do some large-scale "Santa-ing" of our own, you know, for families who need it. I've always loved being able to give secretly to others, and Christmas time is my favorite time to do it. I'm thankful that I have fantastic examples of charity, kindness, and generosity in my life, and also thankful that wonderful people are thinking of us. Merry Christmas, everyone!

If It Walks Like a Duck...

2009-12-16T01:03:00.000-08:00

...it must be big, humongous Natalie waddling around the house. I have one week left until induction and I can't remember ever being this uncomfortable with my other pregnancies. I was running every day until I gave birth when I had Amber, and with Karli and Rex I could push the double stroller and walk four miles each morning. This baby has rendered me nearly useless, as I can barely walk from the kitchen to the front door without suffering. I guess my body is just worn out from being pregnant for 40 out of the past 60 months. Yay for no more pregnancies!

I am starting to get really excited to meet our new little boy. I am also super nervous to see how he changes the family dynamic. I hope that Rex will be nice to him and that my girls can be good helpers. I am gearing up to give lots of extra attention to the three older kids, but still I worry that it won't be enough or that we'll suddenly have a family of bed-wetting children or worse. Hopefully, things will work out well and everyone will adjust by having the expected and tolerable side-effects of adding a new one to the brood.

We're still debating on names; we have a few that we all like. Some of us like one name more than others, so I'm curious to see who the baby looks like and the kind of vibe he gives off. Call me crazy, but I just can't name a baby before I've met him or her. It never works out (Karli was going to be Kandice...but, no). I think we're all ready as far as laundry, sewing, organizing, etc. goes, so now I'm just waiting around to HAVE THIS BABY! Let's hope it's sooner rather than later.

Magic or Tragic? Either Way, It's a Trip to Disney World

2009-12-16T00:49:00.001-08:00

Amber and Karli had their first cheer competition of the season on Saturday. They looked adorable and did a great job! Both of them competed in the Tiny division (age 5 and under) with their cousin Gracie. Amber also competed in the Mini division (under 8) and did a grand job considering she had two minutes to run off the mat after Tiny, change her uniform, and line up to go on with the older girls.

The Dazzles (Mini division) are the class that my brother-in-law taught in October. Their routine has a military theme and they were darling! They ended up in third place, which is downright respectable and impressive to me as their coach. They worked really hard and it was so fun for me to watch Amber in a "big girl" routine.

The Twinkles (Tiny division) were so darling, mostly because a few of them including Karli were off in their own world for a majority of the routine. There were a few girls who really rocked out, improvising and dancing their little hineys off for the judges. Eventually, most of them came together and did the routine like they were supposed to. I was really proud of them for being as composed as they were and for remembering most of the steps.

Once both of my teams competed, we raced out the door. As much as I love cheerleading, I just can't stand to be at one of those events for more than 20 minutes. It's loud, crowded, craziness that I simply can't tolerate. We didn't stick around for the awards, since (bad coach!) I didn't think my girls would place. They were great, but comparatively, I didn't think we had a chance.

You can imagine my surprise when Angela called to tell me the Twinkles took third place. I was thrilled and so excited to tell them what a great job they did. Little did I know, she actually said "first place" but I couldn't hear because she was still in the gym. I nearly wet my pants when I found out they earned a winning score. Additionally, they won a trophy that is the same size as some of them AND a bid to the national competition at Disney World in March (the weekend before Amber's birthday). Since most of the Twinkles have older sisters on teams that also qualified, we are trying to work it out for their team, too! I think it will be a blast and am really excited and proud of my little girls.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures because I was running around like a crazy person and answering all sorts of (I thought) dumb questions from parents, students, etc. and trying to get my teams where they needed to be. I'll round some up from my dad and Leslie and post them later. Rah rah rah! Gooooooo Flash!

A Visit with Santa and His Reindeer

2009-12-16T00:34:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Point is one of my favorite places in Utah County, so I was thrilled to find out about their Christmas activities this year. I took the kids to visit Santa and see his reindeer, and I was surprised by their reactions.

All three of them loved the reindeer. There was a mommy and a baby reindeer who had more than enough food to eat, thanks to the handy quarter-dispenser and lots of eager children.

Rex was thrilled to see live animals...as usual. He couldn't take his eyes off of them.

Karli was really excited to meet Santa (that surprised me; usually she's more timid). She wore her glasses so she could show him what a good girl she's been. When asked what she wanted for Christmas, she immediately yelled out, "A CAR!". I don't know if she meant a car for her Polly Pockets or something like that, or a real, bona fide car like a...oh, it pains me to say this...mini van or something for our family (which we will need in a week!). She was fascinated by Santa and was very brave.

Amber took one look at St. Nick and immediately changed her mind. She wanted nothing to do with him! She told me in a very grown-up way, "I'm not interested anymore so I'll just wait here by the stroller". It was so funny to me to see the look of horror on her face when it was our turn to talk to Santa. She won't even talk to him on Leslie's iPhone. I thought for sure she'd be excited, but when I think about it now, she's never liked to sit on his lap, even in infancy. Let's hope she changes her mind about Santa once he brings her a few Christmas gifts.

False Alarm Numero Uno

2009-12-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

Today as I rushed to the church to make copies of today's program, I thought my water may have broken. Since I've never had a spontaneous labor (Pitocin is a grand invention!), I have no idea what it feels like, the "real" signs (I'm having plenty of false indications), etc. I went about my merry way to see if my conditions improved or worsened, and finally, after a few hours, I called my doctor to see if I should head to Labor and Delivery.

As you may recall, when I was pregnant with Rex, we went through the same thing three or four times before I actually had a baby. It is a big hassle, a pain, takes a long time just to hear "Go home", and kind of puts a dent in the day. I figured it would be nothing this time, too, but since I have Strep B, I figured I should follow doc's orders and go get checked.

One thing that was remarkably nicer than when I was pregnant with Rex is that my parents live just down the street from me, so they babysat the kids instead of Adam and I having to drag them along and keep them quiet in the hospital. Thanks, mom and dad, for watching Amber, Karli, and Rex, and for making us a yummy lunch. Thanks, baby, for the jolt of panic and the boring episode in triage.

Oh My Gosh

2009-12-04T21:41:00.001-08:00

Where do I even begin? Today was one of those days, you know, where you just can't imagine one more thing could happen to make you loose your temper, but sure enough, there it is, and those events just keep happening all day long. The problem with today was that when I was awakened early by a constant and annoying tapping on my face by one of my cute kids (of course, on my day to sleep in), I consciously decided that today would be my day this week to keep my cool, be extra patient with my kids, and try to have fun decorating the house for Christmas. I even thought we could do a few fun projects, like make cookies or something.
WRONG! As soon as the kids were out of the tub, the naughtiness flared up and continued all day. By all three kids. Who didn't take naps. Even when they were banished to their rooms for the majority of the afternoon. Here are just a few of the highlights:

-Throwing chair cushions over the stair railing several times (a major no-no in our house)
-Spitting milk repeatedly on siblings
-Pulling hair all day long
-Hitting mom in the face
-Locking one's self into mom and dad's room, removing every item of clothing from the hangers, shelves, and baskets, and wadding them into a huge pile on the floor (breaking several hangers in the process)
-Tipping over new baby's drawers, emptying them, and scattering the freshly-washed clothes throughout the house
-Sobbing all day long
-Tattling all day long
-Not eating dinner
-Sneaking out of bed

Thankfully, my wonderful husband came to my rescue and took the kids out of my earshot for the last two hours of the evening. He put them to bed (over and over again) so I could have a much-needed break. I'm SO glad to have such a wonderful man to clean up the bathroom after Rex dumps the entire contents of the trash can into the toilet and to rescue me from motherhood-induced insanity (yep, that happened today, too).

Yet Another Wonderful Role Model

2009-12-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

Karli now has an idol that rivals Amber's "Cinnamon" obsession: Beyonce. She saw a brief snippet of her performance of "All the Single Ladies" on the MTV Awards and immediately said, "Mom, can you make me a sparkly leotard like Beyonce's and get me some high heels like hers?" I laughed out loud and Karli said, "Pleeeeease? I really love it!" Since then, she dons any pair of high heels she can find and struts around the kitchen doing Beyonce's moves. My favorite is the one where she turns to the side, clenches her hands in fists, pops one knee at a time, and does the pumping action with her hands like they do on the music video.

I heard that Santa asked Mrs. Claus to make Karli a gold, sparkly, and MODEST version of Beyonce's leotard, complete with little, ruffle-y booty shorts to go with it. I hope Karli will get the translation and be thrilled that she'll have the entire ensemble (minus the robo-glove). Now, put your hands up!

Panic Mode!

2009-11-25T22:13:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed the ticker over there? That's right, the blue one that says, "Baby Boy Clark. Only 26 days to go."? I am freaking out!

I had a check-up yesterday and realized that I have less than a month left before our baby will be born. I nearly fell off the table when my doctor told me to come in every week from here on out. Not only that, but I'm dilated to 1.5 centimeters and having bouts of mega-contractions. Yikes (good) and yikes (bad)! This pregnancy has flown by--thank goodness--and I am finally realizing that our family will have another member in a few short weeks.

I'm starting to get a little crazy thinking about everything I have to do in 26 days, like sewing a bunch of Christmas gifts, washing all the baby clothes, making new blankets (Rex WILL NOT relinquish his rights to even his receiving blankets...you'd think seven blankies would be enough, but no...he knows every blanket in this house that has ever belonged to him), coaching my two cheer teams through a major competition, making props for the Poinsettia Bowl halftime, and putting up the Christmas decorations to name a few. Let's hope I can get it all done so all I'll have to do when Baby Boy Clark arrives is enjoy the heavenly lustre of Christmastime and little one.

So Thankful for the Important Things

2009-11-25T22:06:00.000-08:00

I know it's cliche to write a post about how thankful I am on the eve of Thanksgiving, but this year I have an all-new perspective on gratitude. While I have a few things happening in my life right now for which I am not thankful, I have been able to reflect on what really matters and how much joy I feel every day because of people and things with which I've been blessed. Here are just a few:

Adam
My three adorable children
The blessing of being able to have children
The miracle of life and birth
Health
Wonderful examples of charity, generosity, and kindness in my life
Laughter
Music

I have been blessed abundantly and feel lucky to be in the position I am in. May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day filled with love, joy, peace, and happiness!

Patchy Progress

2009-11-20T14:47:00.000-08:00

Today, Adam and I took Karli back to the pediatric ophthalmologist to have her eye checked. It's been 12 weeks of hell since she started wearing her patch and glasses and I was really ready to tell the doctor we can't do it anymore. Poor Karli throws a massive fit anytime we have to put a patch over her eye, and then she mopes around all day and whines about it until the patch gets wet from her tears and falls off. Yes, it's great fun.

I was worried when Karli still couldn't see the graphics on the wall (you know, the E's that point different directions, etc.). When we finally saw Dr. Abrams after 50 minutes of waiting, he did some exercises with her and was impressed by the improvements she had made. Her vision in the eye with straubismus/ambliopia is now 20/60, where before she had almost no sight in that eye. I was thrilled to hear the good news, and it gave me a renewed sense of duty to have the patch fight all the time. He said that after months and months of patching, some kids can even achieve 20/20 vision in eyes like hers. Adam and I were excited to know that all of our efforts (and the efforts of our great siblings, parents, nieces and nephews, and friends) are paying off, even if ever so slightly.

I'm ready to start the process again, and feel like now that I know the patches are helping, I can tolerate the whining and annoyance of Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde for a few more months. Hooray for cute little Karli; progress is a wonderful thing!

This Is Me...Screaming!

2009-11-16T20:21:00.000-08:00

I have had one of those days. Actually, it's been one of those weeks, but the culmination of all my frustration occured today. I just can't stand to listen to any more whining or crying from my kids. Or pick up one more blanket that has been left on the floor again. Or have to deal with putting a patch on Karli's eye for one more day. Or change another stinky diaper. Or...anything!

I need some advice. One of my kids is a whiner. All day. Every day. About everything. If this kid wakes up and the sky is light blue instead of dark blue, they whine about it. They whine about things that cannot be changed, and they whine about things that can be but won't be changed. Even if there's no pressing issue at the moment, this kid sits around with a finger in the mouth and makes whining noises, like moans and grunts, and kicks their feet on the floor or the wall or the table. How do I stop this insanity?

I've tried banishing said kid to its room, taking away everything precious, etc. but nothing seems to work. I feel awful because today I actually told this kid I didn't want to be around with all the blubbering and noise. Do any of you have tips?

This is me...on vacation in Tahiti.

Disney Princesses, Ice Skating...What Could Be Better?

2009-11-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my mom came over to our house to tell Amber and Karli that Cinderella just called her to tell her she had tickets for all "the girls" to go see Disney on Ice Princess Classics that night. I'm sure you can all imagine the excitement that immediately erupted as they raced up the stairs to put on all of their princess garb. I was excited just because I witnessed my girls' faces light up and them running around and screaming like wild women. After careful consideration, Amber decided to be Ariel, complete with a dollar-store wig/headband with bright red, polyester hair and purple, sparkly streamers. Karli decided to forgo the princess gown and instead wore a pink sweater, denim skirt, pink leggings, and her pink, Ugg-style princess boots. They told me I could be Jasmine, but that Grandma Shelley would have to make me an outfit that had "enough fabric to cover your big, fat tummy". Then they told me I could be Jasmine who wears regular clothes, and that my khakis and pink shirt were fine. I love their honesty...sometimes. But, I digress. Both girls looked adorable and soon we were off!

Upon arriving at the Energy Solutions Arena, I saw little Disney princesses everywhere! It was beyond adorable to see all the girls who were dressed to the nines in their princess outfits complete with light-up high heels, tiaras, sceptres, and the like. As we took our (amazing) seats on the fourth row, I couldn't help but laugh to see how excited all those little princesses were. Cute doesn't even begin to describe it.

Amber and Karli were no exception. They sat there, totally mesmerized by the scenery (a huge, beautiful castle was the centerpiece), the "real, live princesses", the ice skating (one of their favorite sports to watch), and the music. Every time a skater would pass by our seats, Amber and/or Karli would scream out, "Hi Belle!" or "Hi Gus!" They were thrilled to be that close to their favorite characters. Disney really can put on a grand show, and I ended up liking it waaaay more than I thought I would. The costumes and rink design were spectacular, and the skaters were just cheesy enough to produce a wonderfully cartoon-like aura that captured the feel of each Disney princess movie perfectly.

Angela, Marianne, Mette, Hannah, Grandma Shelley, Amber, Karli, and I all had a great time. I'll definitely take my girls next year. Thanks, Grandma, for getting in touch with Cinderella to find such wonderful tickets. We had a smashing time!

Cat Scratch Fever

2009-11-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

As if we ever enjoyed it in the first place, the harmony of sibling love has officially evolved into a constant, cacophonous battle between Amber and Karli, Karli and Rex, Amber and Rex, and parents and children. With Amber deep in the tattling phase, Karli still being forced to wear an eye patch every day, and Rex entering the Terrible Twos, I'm sure you can imagine the wonderful and euphoric aura in our home. I have to admit that it's driving me crazy and I'm wondering how we are ever going to survive with another child in this mix of madness. I know that newborns have a special way of calming everyone down, so I'm hoping that our new baby boy will be the peacemaker among siblings so Adam and I don't have to spend every moment of our lives referee-ing our squabbling, whining older kids. Serenity now!

Eight Great Years Ago...

2009-11-05T13:38:00.001-08:00

...I met Adam for the first time at church. I never believed in love at first sight, but when I met him I changed my mind. I was so thrilled and amazed that someone as hot as Adam would introduce himself to me (I was wearing red lipstick and red shoes, after all...a bit intimidating for a Clark, maybe?), let alone want to hang out with me after meeting me. I'll always have the fondest memories of Fall 2001 when we met and started dating. Adam was the best boyfriend and is now the best husband. I really lucked out. Happy 8th acquaintance anniversary, Adam. You are wonderful and I love you!

Just so my boys know in the future, here are a few things Adam did for me while we dated which I loved:

Drove past my house on the way to school and scraped off my windows numerous times so my car was ready to go when I left for work in the winter. He also left a few sweet notes on my windshield.

Sent me two dozen red roses after we had known each other for only a short while.

Cooked me dinner (steak, steamed new potatoes, etc.), served it by candle light with Jim Brickman piano music playing in the background.

Wrote a poem for me.

On Valentine's Day, he had his mom and sister decorate my room with hundreds of helium balloons, an adorable teddy bear, and a huge basket full of yummy treats and surprises while Adam and I were on a date.

Boys, take note: your dad knew how to woo a woman.

Random Things That Make Me Happy

2009-11-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

I know I post a lot of this same stuff, but I always like to count my blessings and document it. Just think, if my kids ever have interest in reading my journal (which is my blog, of course), they'll read these posts and say to themselves, "Wow. I guess mom really wasn't a screaming ninny who complained and fussed all the time about everything!" So, for posterity's sake, here are some things I'm loving right now:

1. Adam. He has been so helpful and even more wonderful that he normally is lately. It's been fun to be able to hang out with him while our kids take naps and I love that he's so willing to watch the kids so I can have some alone time.

2. Amber's cheer class. This class is so fun to teach! It's filled with 16 adorable little gals, and they work very hard. It's fun for me to see Amber excel in a class of girls who are older than she is, and I also love to see how proud of herself Amber is when she accomplishes a new skill.

3. Karli's dancing. She loves to watch "All The Single Ladies" by Beyonce and has almost all of the moves down perfectly. While I do admit it's not the best thing for a three-year-old to watch, it is just so darn cute that I can't resist! She told me today that she wants a "gold, sparkly leotard and gold high heels like Beyonce's" for Christmas. Hooray!

4. Rex's sudden burst of linguistic ability. The other day, Rex stood up in his high chair and signed AND said "MORE!" Then he started laughing hysterically. It was so adorable and I hurriedly gave him more food. When he saw the results, he did it over and over, both signing and speaking, and getting a huge kick out of himself. He's also started to say "ghost", "doggy", "kitty", "Hannah", "hat", "shoes", "moon", "thank you", and my favorite, "ROCK ON!" (complete with devil horns on each hand). I love it when toddlers begin talking.

5. The weather. Right now, it's 72 degrees outside. The sun has been shining for three days straight and it's fabulous to have some glorious fall sunlight. I was even motivated enough by the blissful conditions that I cleaned off the front porch and put away the exterior Halloween decorations yesterday...only three days late!

6. Baby clothes. I've been sorting through Rex's baby stuff to find out what we need to buy for the new baby. I always love to see how tiny the onesies and socks and bibs are for newborns. I'm getting excited to meet our new little boy and I only have six weeks left!

7. Teaching violin and piano. I have three darling students who are progressing magnificently. I get a kick out of all three of them; they're completely different but all so adorable. One of my students is getting baptized on Saturday and will play "I Feel My Savior's Love" for the opening song. I got all choked up yesterday at her lesson as she played it; it was so sweet! I know I said I'd never admit this, but I am very thankful that my mom and dad payed so much money and dedicated their time and patience to my musical endeavors, even though I wanted nothing to do with them at the time. I have some valuable talents now and I really enjoy being able to spread the love of violin and piano playing.

8. Frozen raspberries. Lately I've been craving sour foods, so I bought myself a big bag of frozen raspberries and have been munching away. They are yummy, fairly low-cal, and the color is marvelous at this time of year. Yum!

9. Planning for Christmas. Since baby will arrive just before Christmas, I'm trying to get all of my gifts made during November. I'm excited to make things for the people I love, and if all goes well, I'll end up with some darling items for my kids.

10. Knowing that my prayers get answered. I've noticed lately that it's not always the way I think they should be answered, but something strangely works out every time I'm in a bind and I ask for help from my Heavenly Father. I know that prayer works! What a great thing to know in life...it's definitely helped me get through some crazy situations.

Here's wishing all of you a happy day!

Superman

2009-10-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Adam has helped me out so much lately and I just have to sing some praises. It's been wonderful to be able to spend a little more "me" time, to wake up (late) to a spotless kitchen and family room, to not have to do yard work (like I ever did much before, but still...), and to be able to finish tasks I start while Adam feeds the kids lunch. Get this: Adam and I got the stomach flu on the same night. As we were both running to the bathroom to throw up, our kids woke up, and he put them all back to bed after resolving their issues. I got to sleep through all of it! Now that is awesome.

All his help has made the last while of my pregnancy much more bearable. I really don't want to give him a sissified reputation, but he's been quite the household helper and I love it! He is an amazing guy and I'm thrilled to have him for my husband.

Pregnancy Quirks

2009-10-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

I only have seven weeks and two days left of this pregnancy, and I'm starting to feel the "I-can't-go-on-any-longer" symptoms. It seems like suddenly, I'm so huge I can't move and that overnight, even my maternity clothes became too tight. Isn't gestation a wonderful thing? I'm getting very excited to not have a baby inside me, to feel a little less-invaded all the time, to be able to make progress on weight loss and actually have a goal to reach as far as returning to my pre-baby shape, and to be rid of all the strange, random things that have happened to my body:

1. ultra-sensitive tops of feet
2. quickened temper
3. bizarre dreams
4. eczema on my neck and arms
5. facial acne
6. fingernails that grow so quickly they must be trimmed every four days
7. greasy hair
8. heartburn, heartburn, and more heartburn
9. terrible posture
10. insatiable sweet tooth

I know that I'll have a whole new set of issues with which to deal once the baby is born, but for now, those seem like a walk in the park because I'll actually be able to breathe and move in the ways requisite of caring for a family and performing household tasks.