Superman

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

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.

A Utah Gal Am I

My dad invited me to go to the University of Utah vs. Air Force Academy football game yesterday. Since I'm a huge fan of fly-overs by big military jets, I was thrilled. I was even more thrilled, however, to be reminded yet again of how amazing Adam is. He passed up a ticket to the game to stay home and babysit so I could go. I was so excited to get to have some time away from the kids and to hang out with my dad at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Thanks, Adam! It was wonderful!

We found a great parking spot just one block from the stadium (and it was FREE!) and hurried to buy some tickets from a scalper near the box office. As we walked up the stairs, we looked up just in time to see the F-16s zoom directly over our heads. It was awesome! I love the noise and the gust of wind that accompany a fly-over. We had great seats on the 10th row at about the 12 yard line--chair seats, which are great for a pregnant woman--and amid a crowd of some fairly unusual characters. For some reason, T.V. and cameras simply don't do the crimson justice; the field looked like it was freshly painted and almost everyone was wearing red. The sight was wondrous to behold.

This sounds really dorky, but as a color aficionado, I love the contrast of all the red against the green turf. It looks amazing in real life.

I can't believe these kids are now ten years younger than I am. I still feel like I should be in college. Geez, I'm old!

I'm always excited to see what the students in the MUSS come up with. They do the "3rd Down Jump" and it really causes a ruckus.

Fortunately, Utah eeked out a victory in over time, and it all unfolded right in front of us. I love the entire spectacle of a college football game, from the tailgaters to the band to the smell of greasy stadium food. The weather was perfect and it was a delightful way to spend a fall day. Thanks for the great time, Dad!

One Howl of a Party

My parents and sisters hosted a super fun, amazing Halloween party for the Liljenquist and Clark grandkids on Friday night. I couldn't believe the extent of planning and preparation that went into the festivities; it was a riot! Thanks for all of your hard work, Mom, Dad, Angela, and Jennifer. The kids loved it and so did the grown ups. First, the kids had a costume parade so we parents could have a few photo ops.

Here's Rex as a "Sons of Anarchy" motorcycle club member. He had lots of wicked tatts and a killer hot pink mohawk.

Next, we have Amber as Cinderella and Karli as Taylor Swift. I made Karli's dress as a copy from Taylor Swift's performance on the MTV Music Awards (Karli's favorite thing to watch on T.V.). Neither girl could stop checking herself out in the mirrors...hilarious!

Here are Amber, Libby, Karli, Gracie, Cooper, Colton, and Rex before the party. They all looked so darling in their costumes!

After the costume parade, the kids played all sorts of fun games like "Skeleton Scavenger Hunt", "Ghost Catcher", and "Monster Freeze Dance". It was a hoot to see the drama and character that all the kids brought to the event, and they seemed to have a blast. We finished things off by eating my mom's yummy taco soup with Fritos, drinking "Dragon Blood Punch", and eating eyeball crackers. We had a grand time!

Fun With the Cousins

In addition to bonding due to similar sicknesses, Amber and Karli had a lot of fun with their Clark cousins last week. First, they dressed up Roofus with a cute, ric-rac leash and a big, rhinestone flower for her collar.

They also gave her a new "blanket", meaning a blue and white gingham napkin.

They all loved snuggling with their new quilts courtesy of Grandma Clark. Jaxon, Karli, Libby, and Rex seemed to get along particularly well. It was great to see my kids having so much fun with their cute cousins!

The Few, The Proud, The Adorable

Amber's cheer team is doing a competition routine with a military theme. I invited my brother-in-law Dave, who is a Marine recently home from deployment in Iraq, to come to Amber's class and teach the girls a few military moves. He kindly obliged and the girls were so excited! They kept asking me questions like, "Is he a real soldier?" "Does he have a real uniform?!" "Has he been in a real battle?" Dave was great with the girls and taught them some key skills for their routine.

About face.

Marching.

Standing at attention.

The girls were all thrilled and amazed to have a real Marine teach their class. Thanks, Dave, for making the day so special for all these cute little gals. We are proud of you and appreciate the sacrifices you, Maren, and Libby make for our country and for the freedom of people everywhere. Hoo-rah!