The Clark Family

Happy Birthday Grant!

2010-03-26T17:06:00.001-06:00

Grant Turns 6...Star Wars Birthday Bash

Grant turned the big 6 today with the help of 5 of his 'Star War Jedi-Master' friends. We played the Star Wars version of pin the tale on the donkey, made galactic goup, had space blaster and light-saber wars on the trampoline, busted open Darth Vadars head to reveal loads of candy, and ate cupcakes...what more could a kid want? So now its off to Red Robin to get the free kids meal comin to us. Birthdays are exhausting. It's no wonder when its time for a parents birthday, the lackluster celebration is because we are simply recouping from the last birthday party of the kids. We're spent!

We're Back! After a year of hiatus - Clark's are bloggin again...

2010-03-26T16:41:00.000-06:00

What a year. And oh how we have gone through withdrawals without blogging. It seems there are so many online social sites that we just were overwhelmed and sidetracked...and didn't do any of them. I wonder if there will come a day that instead of Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, etc...the human race will start to go backwards and keep all details about their lives between them and paper. Until then, here is our update from Grant's 6th birthday party. Hopefully, we will post something else between now and when he turns 7. No promises.

Spring Break at the Oregon Coast

2009-03-28T13:45:00.004-06:00

Here are some photos of our little jaunt to the coast with Emily's family. We stayed at Seaside (compliments of Aunt Megan!) and enjoyed excellent kite flying weather. We also had a few days at Nana and Papa's house.

Grant flying his dragon kite on the beach in Seaside, Oregon.

Havin a nap...

2009-02-21T13:41:00.003-07:00

James will bounce in this thing for hours...until he falls asleep. Then he bounces in his sleep.

Hand over those coupons and no one gets hurt!

2009-02-16T11:06:00.003-07:00

Yes my friends, after months of lurking on blogs with titles like "The Obsessive Shopper," "Thrifty Mama," and "The Krazy Coupon Lady," I too have boldly joined the ranks of the extreme coupon mamas. The economy/housing market being in the state that it is, we have nary an extra penny to rub together around here, and I am committed to making every cent count to feed my little family. Plus, it's like, totally addicting y'all!

I mean, I've always been a gal who loves to feel she's gotten a great deal ("You like them? They were 70% off!), but this extreme couponing thing is a whole 'nother level of deal-getting. Extreme couponing is like visiting another country where everyone gets things for free or almost free and the locals throw around mysterious and exotic-sounding terms like "catalinas" and "BOGOF". It's like a game--outsmarting the overpriced local grocery stores (yea!), building up my food storage twice as fast (double yea!), and feeling the tremendous satisfaction of a well-fed family.

Let me warn you though, once you go this route, you will be changed forever. There are consequences to extreme couponing. Paying full price for that can of corn Niblets? No longer an option. Guilt will inevitably follow if you do. Be patient, my friends. Soon those Niblets will be on sale, and along with your coupons, you can enjoy their golden deliciousness for pennys instead of dollars. You will start to see other shoppers will carts full of food and no coupons and shake your head at the poor fools. "Should I just go over there and tell him that if he buys one more box of those crackers he will get another free and get a coupon for $10 back on his next purchase?" you will think. And as you assert your coupon rights with an inexperienced checker you may feel your husband slowly inching away from you like he doesn't know you--but no matter! The triumph you will feel at getting $100 worth of groceries for $20 will more than make up for that. It feels almost criminal to get such great deals, but yes--it's totally legal!

So who's with me? Who with stand with me and boldly shop like no one has shopped before? And if you're not quite ready to take the plunge, can I have your coupons?

2009-02-08T22:41:00.003-07:00

Effective this month I am now a Boise State Bronco. I have enrolled in the MBA program at BSU. With any luck, I should graduate in Spring 2011. Because the economy is the way it is, I figure this is the best shelter given the circumstances. Let's hope things improve dramatically by the time I graduate.

2009-02-08T22:30:00.001-07:00

Our Annual Halloween Party

The competition for the best carving was intense...The Christensen family went home with the coveted 'Golden Sparkle Pumpkin' trophy.

And of course, the food was plentiful and heavenly.

Photos from the recent past...

2009-02-08T22:21:00.002-07:00

Playing NickJr.com in dad's office.

Catching up with Grandma Bliss...and no she doesn't have purple hair. Bad lighting I suppose.

The chief showing off his creation from pre-school.

Driving home from Utah and Grant needed mom's sunglasses to see the movie. So hip!

The last couple months...

2009-01-18T21:58:00.008-07:00

Preschool Activity at the Corn Maze

Midnight snack in the nude (She get's this nasty habit from her mother.)

First snow! They loved it...almost as much as I loved putting all this snow gear on them and having to take it off their crying selves 3.5 minutes after going outside.

If you thought she had too many bows, you're wrong. She doesn't have enough hair!

Brinley (Tanner) and Ella escaped into the garage for a drive.

House for sale!

Ella's Red Lace Room

Grant's 'Circus' Room

Kids playroom

Holiday House Boutique Girls

The Housing Market has hit the BOTTOM!

2009-01-06T15:17:00.002-07:00

Everyone keeps asking me if we've hit bottom. In Boise, we are seeing homes with multiple cash offers. There are buyers out there. Who are they? Smart! And they don't want everyone to know it. I found this website that my company endorses that give unbiased information on the housing market in the Boise area. I think everyone should use this as a resource for housing and other indicators of the economy in the area.

http://www.newconstructionconsulting.com/

Our Little Monkey...James

2009-01-02T12:27:00.002-07:00

He may have a big head, but it sure is a cute one. Here he is in his 'bumbo' chair watching all the action in the kitchen. This activity keeps him tame for hours. James will be 6 months old in a week.

Look what I just made in 5 minutes!

2008-12-17T13:59:00.002-07:00

This is not a picture of the one I made. . .my camera battery seems to be dead. . .but aren't these pretty? And cheap! And easy! This is a great project for all you recessionistas out there, and fun to make with your kids. Get the instructions here, and enjoy!

Rufflicious

2008-12-15T22:17:00.002-07:00

Hey y'all--my mom has four new listings of her Ella Bella dress currently up on ebay, all one-of-a-kind, all in different sizes. These outfits include 8 different pieces, so your little one can wear the design in multiple ways. They also are virtually "season-less," meaning that depending on which pieces you pair them with, you can wear the design year round. Total bargain in my (unbiased) opinion. ;) Check out this eye-candy:

Brown/White with Hot Pink Accents Size 5T

(the picture of Ella is included to show one of the many ways the design can be worn, but the auction is for the dress set on the left)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Boutique-Handmade-5T-OOAK-Girls-Dress-Set_W0QQitemZ190274276010QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item190274276010&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Rose/Green/Brown Size 4T

http://cgi.ebay.com/Boutique-Handmade-4T-OOAK-Girls-Dress-Set_W0QQitemZ190274029518QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item190274029518&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Green/Turquoise/Brown Size 4T

http://cgi.ebay.com/Boutique-Handmade-4T-OOAK-Girls-Dress-Set_W0QQitemZ190274283267QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item190274283267&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Pink/Brown Size 3T

http://cgi.ebay.com/Boutique-Handmade-3T-OOAK-Girls-Dress-Set_W0QQitemZ190274006896QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item190274006896&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1308

Way to go Mom!

2008-12-02T11:25:00.002-07:00

Hey friends and fam,

My mom has started listing her dress designs on ebay, with this one being the first--check out the link below to see her amazing handiwork:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Boutique-Handmade-5T-OOAK-Girls-Dress-Pant-Outfit_W0QQitemZ190270457457QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item190270457457&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A16%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

This is the reason I haven't been posting lately. . .

2008-11-06T12:33:00.003-07:00

Come join us for some great shopping--handcrafted items from local artisans, gourmet treats, and great gift ideas! There will also be some great door prizes, including Jim Brickman Concert tickets and Pottery Barn decor items. Holiday House Boutique only takes place once a year and you don't want to miss it--so grab your girlfriends and spend your weekend with us!

Click on above image to see a larger version. . .

My Day (so far)

2008-10-21T11:12:00.003-06:00

Dear mom,

The baby is crying.
The kids are fighting.
The laundry is growing.
The dishes are molding.

It is barely 11am--and. . .

There. Is. Poo. In. A. Drawer.

You never said there'd be days like this. . .

Love,
Emily

What happened to Grant?

2008-10-10T09:30:00.002-06:00

Did the neighbor's cat finally get his revenge for being squished into our fridge? No, Grant just went to work with his Daddy, and in what was clearly an unsupervised moment, decided to stamp himself all over with red ink--and I do mean all over! He must have had over a hundred stamps on his skin! And that ink doesn't come off all that easy, as he now knows after being scrubbed within an inch of his life. So maybe he won't do that again. But then again, he's 4. . .

Dan's Community...

2008-10-05T18:37:00.003-06:00

This community is in West Boise and is called Chatham Towne. They are 2 & 3 bedroom townhomes equipped with built-in entertainment centers with LCD TV's, banquettes (built-in dining benches and table), 2nd floor balconies overlooking the river and park, and all of this comes with a price tag of under $180K!

We have the GRAND OPENING event November 14 & 15. We have partnered with Pottery Barn to make each home just like you're looking through one of their catalogs. We will have 2 models that can be purchased with all the furniture! SWEET! During the Grand Opening, we will have a HUGE boutique going on in the other 3 homes along with Dutch Brothers Coffee onsite. Come take a look at the black doors!

Dan's Homes

2008-10-05T18:12:00.006-06:00

Here are a few of the homes and communities I've been working on.

These tuscan looking homes are in a SW Boise community called Sonata. I worked with Katie Christensen on the designs and they 'flew off the shelves'. We had them sold within the first couple weeks of their completion. They are a great patio home facing a huge private park with water fountain and playground. Location Location Location!

This home is our model for the Fall Collection of Homes that is going on right now. They even used our home for the front cover of the magazine that they publish for the show. Good job Katie!

Here's a little tip. . .

2008-10-04T12:58:00.002-06:00

When your son greets you at the door, covered in dirt, with a handful of flowers he's just yanked out of your garden, and says, "these are for you mom, I love you!", it is your job to kiss him on his grubby cheek, give him a big squeeze, and tell him how much you love him back. Soak up every bit of that sweetness, because I suspect moments like these will happen less and less as he gets bigger. So what if there's a hole in your orderly flower border--I'd take tender mercies like these over landscaping any day! :)

Everyone sing along now. . .

2008-09-27T18:14:00.002-06:00

"The cat came back the very next day,

The cat came back, we thought he was a goner

But the cat came back; it just couldn't stay away. . ."

Sigh.

Oh Dear. . .

2008-09-25T20:50:00.001-06:00

The next-door neighbor's cat had a kitten not too long ago. This has been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because the kids play with it all the time (letting us off the hook about getting our own pet) and a curse because it keeps sneaking into our house or garage every time the door opens, leaving me to run around screaming and trying to block him from entering--usually when I'm trying to go somewhere, and I'm late, and now I have to spend 5 extra minutes chasing the thing back out. Annoying, to say the least.

Yesterday, Dan was out mowing the lawn, and as a result, the garage was left open for some time. Grant followed him outside to observe all the manly lawn maintenance. When he tired of watching, he went to help himself to a chocolate milk from the outside fridge. I think that was when his little brain was hit with inspiration. . .

Dan finished up not too long after Grant left, and came inside the garage looking for Grant. As he shut the garage door, he turned to Grant:

"Did the cat get in here?"

Grant, sucking down the chocolate milk he knew he should have asked for before consuming, nonchalantly replies, "Nope."

Garage door down and cat safely (according to our four-year-old) not inside, Dan prepares to enter the house.

He stops in his tracks as he hears a small, muffled, "mew!"

"Grant, is the cat in here?! Dan asks again, slightly more concerned.

Grant takes another casual drag from his chocolate milk box before calmly replying, "He's not in the fridge. . ."

Cut to Dan racing to open the fridge to find that, not only is the neighbor's cat in our refrigerator (!), he is shoved into one of the vegetable bins (!!!).

I can only imagine what my reaction would have been if Dan hadn't happened upon this whole scene when he did, and I had been left to find the cat, days later, when I went out to get a new gallon of milk or something. I mean, are we raising a serial killer here, or do other four-year-old's do things like this?!

Too bad we didn't get a picture--that would have been totally inappropriate, I know--but I mean, if the cat wasn't in such obvious distress, it would have been a pretty funny sight to see. I admit, Dan and I did chuckle over the retelling of it (albeit not in front of Grant). And on the bright side, this experience has solved one unpleasant situation--I don't think I'll ever find that cat in my garage again.

Sore hands, soggy feet

2008-09-25T16:07:00.002-06:00

Last Saturday, Ted Mason Signature Homes (Dan's partner) sponsored the St. Luke's Women's Celebration, and as a result, Dan got to high five all these women as they came through the finish line. I would have loved (snicker) to have been one of them, but darn it, I had to watch the kids. Notice the umbrellas--it was pouring all morning and Dan got to stand in it in. . . .
. . .a tux. And I say he still looks pretty debonair

even if it is only half a tux and he's sopping wet

(in case you can't tell, he's the one in the middle with the sunglasses--

Really Dan? Sunglasses?

--on his head).

Dan the Man

2008-09-24T16:51:00.006-06:00

Today my husband went and hired me a maid. Now, some women might take offense at this--"am I not doing a good enough job? Am I inadequate as a wife?" they might ask. Not me. Can I clean a toilet? Sure. I've been known to wield a pumice stone, stick half my body inside that thing, and scrub so hard that the glazing almost comes right off. But not today. Right now there is a team of ladies cleaning my house. That's right--once a month someone else gets to do all of the unpleasant chores I loath doing. Toilets, stove, floors--these ladies are cleaning super heroes! And you know who else is a super hero today? That guy, that handsome devil right up there, my very own partner in crime for the eternities. The man that knows that the way to a gal's heart is not with flowers and chocolates, but with sparkling clean showers. Man, the smell of someone else using the cleaning products turns me on! Come home early hon, I wanna smooch ya!

First Smiles

2008-09-16T15:27:00.002-06:00

Doesn't he look the tiniest little bit like one of the Who's from Dr. Suess? I just want to eat that little button nose right off his face. I love love LOVE this sweet boy!

My Girl

2008-09-12T16:07:00.008-06:00

Our Ella Bella. What a little character. She is sweet and cuddly and fiesty and stubborn and curious and opinionated and girly. Sometimes I think she's bipolar--she switches emotions so fast! It has been fun to have a little alone time now that Grant has started preschool again. She is almost a different person when she's out of Grant's shadow. She likes to joke and tease and ask a million questions. She loves to help mom, especially if Becks is pooey and mom needs help with the wipes--she LOVES wipes! She will do just about anything for wipes. And speaking about what Ella loves, we had this conversation this week after I got her up from her nap:

"Hi sweets--good sleep?"

"mmyeah," (sniff).

"You wanna snuggle for a while?"

"mmyeah," (sniff)

"I love snuggles!"

Pause. Ella thinks this over. She replies:

"I love fruitsnacks. And gummy bears. And kisses. And chocolate. I LOVE chocolate!"

That's my girl!

Ella shows off her pretties

Some of Ella's favorite expressions:

"Can I have a treat?" "Look, a kitty, mom!"

"That's one tough nut!" "Who, me?"

Clearly the most comfortable way to watch Micky Mouse Club House is in the buff. Try it out sometime, you'll agree!

1st Day of School

2008-09-03T15:04:00.001-06:00

Grant has been waiting all summer for preschool to start again. I opted out of the ward co-op preschool in favor of sending him to a professional preschool I had heard great things about. Grant's teacher is Miss Janice (Atwood). He now goes three times a week for 2 1/2 hours. He totally loves it and loves coming home to show off all the things he learned and made with Miss Janice. Grant is a social butterfly and has already made friends--maybe even a girlfriend! We are hearing a lot about a little girl named Hailey lately. . .

Grant--a real lady killer!

We're so proud of our big boy!

Going Home

2008-09-02T14:44:00.001-06:00

We took the scenic route home from our reunion, driving through Yellowstone park and staying in a condo overnight in West Yellow stone. We thought the kids were a little young for Old Faithful this time around, so we took it easy at the condo, swimming in the pool and watching TV. Tuesday we drove home and made a quick stop at "Craters of the Moon" national park. When we told Grant we were at the moon, he was a little apprehensive about getting out of the car to investigate, thinking it highly possible that a little alien might just pop up from behind a rock and zap him with his laser beams ("that's what happens on the Buzz Lightyear ride at Disney Land!" he said). We assured his that this wasn't really the moon, but a lava flow. He happily got out of the car and found himself a good specimen of moon rock to take home for preschool sharing time.

Grant tries again at the brotherly-love and this time Ella happily relents

We were all happy to stretch our legs just for a moment

We had a great family trip and the kids did amazingly well, considering all the driving we had to do on this trip. But we are thinking that we will enjoy just staying home for a while now that all this traveling is over.

Crazy Canuck Reunion Day 3: "Mom, why do we keep seeing the same people at all these parties?"

2008-08-31T13:52:00.001-06:00

Sunday began as a real day of rest--and we needed it after Saturday's parties! We slept in and lazed around the house until lunchtime when we all headed over to Aunt Marcie's for another big spread (as if we hadn't had enough big meals already!). We attended G&G Fooks ward Sacrament meeting and headed back to the homestead for a family fireside of sorts. The great-grand kids (I think there are around 21 now) started us off by singing "I am a Child of God," and then we went around the circle and updated each other on our families, jobs, and major life events. There sure are a lot of smarties in this family!

The great-grand kids favor us with a song

After the updates were through, Grandma and Grandpa bore their testimonies to us. It was a sweet experience and a fitting end to the reunion. I sure wish we were able to see each other more often!

Grandma ends the fireside with more give-aways--this time a bear for each grandchild. No fighting please!

With the spiritual part of the evening all wrapped up, it was time to play and enjoy each other's company just a little longer.

Papa tries out a new curly hairstyle a la Ella

"Up high, down low, too slow!" This may be Ella's new favorite game (and note the aforementioned gold-velvet couch!)

Georgia has accumulated a lot of things over the years, and especially books. I can't remember how many titles she said she had, but I do know there are enough that they require a kind of Dewey Decimal System to keep track of them all. Ella took full advantage of this treasure-trove of knowledge (notice the book is upside down)!

The reunion just wouldn't be complete without killer hearts and 7 up and down. No having fun people--this is serious!
Ella and Grant made fast friends with all of the great-grand kids. We found these cute girls (Daisy, McKenzie, and Ella) playing dollies and house atop the green shag.

It was truly a great trip with some great folks. We hope it won't take another 10 years for us all to get together again. We love you crazy Canadians!

Crazy Canuck Reunion Day 2: Milestones

2008-08-30T10:40:00.001-06:00

Saturday was spent preparing a feast of dainty sandwiches and desserts for the party celebrating Georgia and Norm's 60th wedding anniversary, Georgia's 80th birthday, and Norm's 85th birthday. Many milestones indeed. We are thankful for Grandma and Grandma's committment to each other and for the legacy of love they have passed on to us.

After the big party we had dinner as a family and enjoyed the vocal stylings of uncle Scott--a rare treat. The kids jumped in the bouncy castle and enjoyed their treats from the fishing pond. And I enjoyed the introduction to a little confection called the Nanaimo bar--this little bit of brownie, frosting, and chocolate heaven is named after the city where it was invented (Nanaimo, BC) and available at the local Canadain Costco (why, Mr. Costco, don't we have them here?!). I thank you, and my hips thank you.

Nanaimo Bars

We also enjoyed some vocal stylings from Ella and Grant as well, and if I can ever figure out how to get those off my camera, you might be able to view them.

Ella fearlessly leaps into the arms of Uncle Ryan

All in all it was a great day to celebrate two great people, and we were pooped!

Crazy Canuck Reunion, Day 1: "Hey Mama, Welcome to the 60's!"

2008-08-29T14:04:00.002-06:00

If you have ever heard the song from the musical Hairspray entitled "Hey Mama, Welcome to the 60's!" then you will understand what it is like to visit Grandma and Grandpa Fooks' house. Picture sinking your feet into the 2 inch deep avacado green shag carpet and perching on the extra-long gold-velvet couch in front of the amber-plastic wall of room-dividers. It doesn't get more retro than this.

Friday began with the "tour of Lethbridge", Lethbridge being the hometown and current residing place of G&G Fooks. We spent the morning touring the two homes that the Fooks family (my mother being one of them) grew up in and Normie (architect extraordinaire) designed. They were still in excellent condition, and may I say, still ahead of their time, design-wise. You got skills Normie!

That evening we all headed over to the beautiful neighborhood park for a family BBQ and games. We presented Georgia and Norm with a special memory scrapbook that we all contributed to (thanks Nicole for all the hard work). I think this was the best gift we could have given them. After they perused the family memories, we all signed it, yearbook-style.

Ella and her best-friend Nanna, a.k.a. my mom Lori

Grady already has Aunt Mallory wrapped around his cute little finger

Grant is in heaven with so many cousins to play with.

Here he is playing badminton with Daisy

No matter how hard I tried, and how much candy I bribed her with, I just couldn't keep Ella out of this puddle. Admitting my defeat, I decided I better at least snap a picture of her glee. Doesn't that smile just say, "Come on, mom, did you really think you could beat me in a test of wills? Aw, you did, didn't you? That's sweet."

The men and (and a few boys) played an extreme game of football, losing not just one, but two balls to the trees. Thank goodness Stephen is part monkey.

Watch Grant chug a whole 2-litre bottle of "fizzy"! Seriously, where is that kid's mother?!

Ella never met a cookie she didn't like

Nanna and Grady

This kid belongs on the cover of a magazine! And how about that photography?

Day 2 of the reunion wrapped up with the great fabric give away. Georgia has accumulated quite a stash over the years (think fabric-store quantities), and we all benefited from her, ahem, lack of self-control. It was a frantic race to see who could get the the good stuff before anyone else. In the end, after we all carted away bins and bins of the stuff, it still didn't look like we had made a dent in the collection. The church humanitarian fund is going to be very happy very soon.

Cousin Kaitlyn striking a pose amid the aftermath of the great fabric give-away

Thus endeth day 1.

We give thanks for DVD players

2008-08-28T10:02:00.002-06:00

I was a bit aprehensive about making the 12+ hour-long-trip to "Oh Canada," but thanks to the miracle that is the in-car DVD system, the trip went surpirsingly well. And thanks to the headphones, I didn't go crazy from all the chirpy children's programs. Our system worked pretty well--Dan at the wheel (taking these pictures while driving, bless his little dare-devil heart), kids watching some inane, uh, I mean, intellectually engaging cartoon, and me in the back, nursing Becks when necessary and reading trashy magazines and eating chocolate, also when necessary.

Grant may need to see a chiropracter for that neck kink

Can't you just see her mind turning to mush?

We stopped to take a picture of the view of the city of Lewiston, ID, which Dan tells me used to be the capital. Here Grant tries to put his arm around Ella in a brotherly gesture of love, and Ella, being Ella, resists wholeheartedly. "I will put my arm around you!" "You won't!" "I WILL!" "YOOUUU WOOON'T!"

Alberta is an absolutely beautiful place--as evidenced by these next few pics

Whtat's this barren rock pile doing in here amongst all these beautiful landscapes, you ask? This is a picture of a place called Frank's Slide. Apparantly, at some point a large portion of the mountain broke off, slid down, and covered the whole town of Frank. Thus, Frank's Slide. It was a pretty amazing sight to behold.

We passed about a million windmills on our way to grandma's house, and though I applaud the eco-friendly method of gathering electricty, I find them just the tiniest bit creepy.

When we finally drove into town, Georgia and Norm greeted us with open arms, and we sunk in to their gold-velvet couch for a good long rest and chat before heading up the twirly stairs to bed. Tomorrow promised to be filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course, lots of eating, and we were going to need our sharpest intellect about us if we were to survive the onslaught of Canuck relatives and their many wittisisms.

Ellas ends the day with a little Dora

Forts

2008-08-25T18:36:00.000-06:00

Come one, come all to the Clarks' house to see the mystifying new

architectural wonders of Grant the fort-builder-extraordinaire!

But bring your own chair--the cushions are already in use.

Sweet baby James

2008-08-22T13:52:00.005-06:00

After many requests, here are some more photos of our little James, or baby Becks, as he is known around here. He is such a sweet baby. He has been a good sleeper right from the beginning, and after much effort on my part, is finally gaining weight again. He is up to 7lbs. 13oz. What a whopper, eh? Baby Becks has been much more alert the last few days, just taking everything in. He rarely cries, and when he does he just lets out these polite little squaks to let us know he needs something. He smiles in his sleep a lot, and even belly chuckles, but yesterday after a feeding he rewarded me with an honest-to-goodness, eyes-wide-open, toothless grin. It just melted my heart and I laughed out loud for joy! I am so in love with this little sweet boy!

1st day at home--2 days old

9 days old

At the ward Pioneer Day BBQ--15 days old

I call this pose "one meeellion dollars. . wa ha ha" 4 weeks old

Becks loves his swing--5 weeks old

There. I posted new pics--now stop pestering me people!

It's Fair Time!

2008-08-22T12:38:00.011-06:00

On Monday night we made our annual trip to the fair to pet the animals and stuff our faces with cholesterol and sugar-laden food. MMMMmmm!

Here is Grant last year (2007)

And here he is this year

Ella last year. . .

. . . and this year

Grant was finally brave enough to milk the cow

Ella gave it a try as well

Grant loved feeding the goats. . .

. . . and the goats loved feeding on Ella!

We had a great time, and we'll be back again next year--this time we won't forget the Tums!

We love McCall

2008-08-22T11:59:00.005-06:00

We've made a few trips up to McCall lately to enjoy the more moderate temperatures and beautiful scenery. I almost feel like I'm back in Maine (sniff) when I'm up here. Life is just slower and more peaceful--and did I mention that the "cabin" is nicer than our house?! Hello--Viking appliances anyone? I could really get used to this. . .

One of the many deer we spotted

Throwing rocks in Payette lake

Sandcastles are a team effort

Roasting marshmallows with our best buds

fun on the beach

I think you can guess the temperature of the water by the arch in Grant's back!

Sweet Ella

Showing off their new coloring books they got here at the McCall fish hatchery

The fruits (and vegetables) of our labors

2008-08-22T11:48:00.003-06:00

Well, the hard work is finally paying off--big time! Corn, potatoes, green beans, summer squash, tomatoes, beets (ew), carrots, green peppers--and since we find ourselves with more produce than we know what to do with, Grant and Ella have become our official delivery kids, towing our wagon of surplus veg to all our Saguaro Canyon neighbors. So if you see this radio flyer making it's way past your doorstep, be sure to flag them down for a cob or two (and possibly a few earwigs. . .).

um, yeah--she likes to dress herself lately . . . quite the fashionista!

He gets cuter by the hour...

2008-07-11T09:09:00.001-06:00

James is Here!

2008-07-09T19:14:00.007-06:00

Baby James

It's a good thing we had her wash her hands before holding the baby.

Everything went swimmingly and Emily and baby are doing great. Baby James (name to be ratified tomorrow on a popular vote) weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long. Labor actually started around 2pm and he was born around 4:15 pm with one big push. Good job Mom, he's a keeper!

Baby Time

2008-07-08T12:53:00.003-06:00

Yes, folks--it's time. This is the last day of the Clark family of 4. Tomorrow at 7:30am we go to the hospital to bring baby #3 into the world. I sure wish the kid had a name. Thanks for all the voting pals, and pray that we receive some sort of inspiration when we see this little guy! Stay tuned for pics and stats--and of course the moment of truth when we finally reveal what name we have begrudgingly agreed upon!

And now it's off to the pool for one final swim before the big day!

Dan the Breadmaker!

2008-07-07T23:40:00.002-06:00

That's right...Dan made these loaves of bread. And boy are they manna to the taste! A little background: Emily just has to have the most EXPENSIVE bread they make. So I did the math and found out that each slice of this bread costs 20 Cents! Thus it pains me when Ella makes her slices of this exquisite bread into a bouncy ball that ends up disintegrating in my couch cushions. NO MORE! I vowed to start making bread and this was my first shot. It's called Amish White Bread and it is fantastic! And SO easy to make. No surprise, the family is sold on the idea of Dad's Bakery!

Grant the Gardener

2008-07-07T23:35:00.003-06:00

Every Saturday morning I convince the kids that they love the garden and want to come with me to work. Amazingly, Grant comes every week! And every week, he lasts about 45 minutes which is amazing. He asks me if he can do the weeding and pick the peas. He has really picked up the knack for picking peas. It is always a competition to see who gets the biggest pea pod. (For sustained attendance, he always wins of course.) Already this season we have had spinach, radishes, zuchini, peas, potatoes, and romaine lettuce. With all the bad produce around lately, we are glad we have this as a back up.

And finally, more 4th of July 2008

2008-07-07T23:30:00.002-06:00

Bounce House & Water Slide all in one...Priceless!
Pyro in the making!

More 4th of July 2008

2008-07-07T23:25:00.003-06:00

Grant and Ella with Jake on our way to the neighborhood 4th of July Celebration!

Ella attempting to combine eating a cookie and face painting.

Look at those bellies! Now that's what I call stars and stripes!

4th of July 2008

2008-07-07T23:19:00.003-06:00

The first half of the day we had Holli and Chelsea come over to our house and help us get things ready for the arrival of Baby X. They were troopers! Cleaned the couches, mopped the floors, organized the kids toy room...WONDERFUL! Grant and Ella just loved having them at the house...giving critiques on their work when necessary of course. Thanks Holli and Chelse!

Then we all met at our neighborhood pool and had a picnic and swam. It was great fun!

The 3 tiered Chicken Fight
Meg giving us her 'Charity Smile'
Ella making 'soup'

It's HOT in Boise!

2008-07-07T23:17:00.002-06:00

Nothing that says summer like the ol 'Slip 'n Slide'

Sunday Best

2008-07-07T23:11:00.002-06:00

Cherry Picking

2008-06-25T16:00:00.001-06:00

This year the Tanners invited us to drive out to Emmett for some gool ol' cherry picking. We had a blast climbing all over each other in an attempt to get the very best cherries--which of course happened to be located in the tippy tops of the trees! Dan even got on Ben's shoulders (shouldn't it have been the other way around?) and we nearly peed our pants laughing at the spectacle.

Here we are in front of the cherry orchard

Cherry picking is not for those with a fear of heights!

Oooo that was one tart cherry!

Caught you snitching buddy! That cherry juice is a tell-tale sign!

Grant and Jake couldn't stop eating cherries even long enough for us to take a picture!

funny boys

And what cherry-picking excursion would be complete without a pit-spitting contest? If only my belly wasn't so big, I coulda' really blasted those babies!

Eagle Fun Days

2008-06-25T15:43:00.001-06:00

We have a blast every year at the Eagle Fun Days Wet n' Wild parade. The first part of the parade is your typical floats and candy but then--the fire trucks come in and everyone breaks out the hoses and squirt guns for an all-out water drenching. And I do mean drenching! Those fire fighters hold nothing back!

Here we are at the start of the parade--still dry.

Grant can hardly wait to put his squirt gun to good use!

Ella with a mouthful of parade treats

Soak'em buddy!

Grant and his best buddy Jake ready for combat

Monkeys at the Rodeo?

2008-06-12T21:00:00.000-06:00

So who knew it's possible to get thrown out of a FREE small-town rodeo? Well I certainly didn't. And I guess we weren't technically thrown out, but we did have to be reprimanded several times because we couldn't keep our little monkeys from climbing the fence. Who needs barrel racing and cattle roping when there's a fence to climb and rocks to throw?

On the plus side, we did see a great variety of sparkley big belt buckles and cowboy/girl hats at the Eagle Fun Days Rodeo. And wranglers as far as the eye could see.

Grant and Ella in a rare moment of truce

Monkeys on the fence and a monkey on my back--I forgot to tell Dan the rule about only taking pictures from the shoulders-up. . .

Don't ask me why his hand is on his hip--this was his own manly idea of a pose

Grant and Jake

The Ward Garden

2008-06-07T13:27:00.006-06:00

Once again, Dan has "volunteered" to participate (translation: was suckered into participating) in the Ward garden this year. He has high hopes of a summer full of ripe tomatoes, fresh corn on the cob, and just about any other kind of produce you can imagine. We all trek over there just about every Saturday morning to watch Dan at it. I, in my pregnant state, make a great documenter/cheerleader, and the kids, when they're not huddled up against me from the cold, like to throw rocks into the irrigation ditch or play in the manure. What priceless childhood memories we are helping them make!

Just think of the food storage potential!

No, Grant is not picking weeds--just pushing his bulldozer around in the manure

Farmer Dan and his apprentice

Ella's Favorite Thing

2008-06-07T13:21:00.003-06:00

Well, Grant is passionate about badminton . . . Ella is passionate about . . .

Chapstick.

Look at that focus!

We are considering buying stock in Chapstick since she blows through like five of these per week. But on the plus side, her little lips are always perfectly kissable!

Grant's New Favorite Thing

2008-06-07T12:51:00.004-06:00

Who knew a four-yr.-old could be so passionate about Badminton? But our Grant definately is. The first thing he asks me after waking up and eating breakfast is, "wanna play badminton with me mom?" And he's pretty good too--especially since I am not bending over too well these days with my big ol' belly, which requires him to hit it right to me if he wants any sort of volley action. Is badminton an Olympic sport? We could be raising a champion here! Thanks again to the Target dollar bins--worth every penny!

Ready for action

Keep your eye on the birdie!

Nice stance Dan!

Grant is a frequent diver--he doesn't want to let a single point past him

This is what happens when mom tries to take a shower

2008-06-07T12:44:00.003-06:00

Yes, that is my $40/a bottle face moisturizer slathered all over Ella . . . and the couch . . . and the ottoman . . . and look how proud she is of herself! Arghhh!

Stumped again

2008-06-07T09:17:00.003-06:00

Here's another installment of "conversations with Grant," this time featuring Dan as the stumped parent.

Grant: "Mom, what's the biggest number EVER?"
Mom: "Infinity is the biggest number--it goes on forever and ever."
Grant: "No, infinity is NOT the biggest number, 1,000 is."
Mom: That's a big number, but not as big as a million, or a billion, or a trillion. And definitely not as big as infinity."
Grant: "No it's not."
Mom: "Yes it is."
Grant: "No it's not."

(Stage note--this verbal joust continues for sometime until. . .)

Mom: "Yes it is--ask Dad."
Grant: "Dad, what's the biggest number ever?"
Dan (walking right into Grant's trap): "Infinity, buddy."
Grant: "No it's not."
Dan: "Then what's the biggest number, do you think?"
Grant (rolling his eyes at how easily he's won this match): "and beyond."

Dang, this kid is good.

Kids say the darndest things. . .

2008-06-06T09:05:00.003-06:00

Grant is obsessed these days with who or what is the biggest, fastest, tallest, oldest--you get the idea. The other day we were driving in the car having this conversation for the hundredth time and he asked me who was the best at everything in the whole world. I thought about this a bit, and answered that I guess God is the only one who is the best at everything. That seemed to stump him for a while at least, as I heard nothing else about it for the rest of the day.

Then yesterday we are laying on my bed talking and he asks to play "Cece ol' playmate," you know, the clapping game, "come down and play with me, and bring you're dollies three, climb up my apple tree. . ." He likes to start out slow and then do it faster and faster. So we are going along at a pretty good clip, about as fast as I can go without missing his little hands and slapping him in the face, and when we finish that round he says, "OK mom, that was pretty fast, but this time let's do it faster than God!"

And I'm like, "what did you say buddy?"

And he says nonchalantly, "you know, faster than God."

So I say, "where did you hear that buddy? Do your friends say that?"

And he says, "God is the best at everything, so I want to go faster than God."

Well, now guess which one of us was stumped. Pretty logical thinking for a for year old.

Alaska 2008 Video

2008-05-31T22:18:00.000-06:00

Alaska 2008 Video:

Preschool Graduation

2008-05-30T09:56:00.004-06:00

This year, Grant and I have been involved in a co-op preschool with seven other ladies and their kids from our ward. We met twice a week at a different home every week. Grant learned his letters, practiced writing his name, learned about the weather, calendar, and counting, among other things. I'm really impressed with how much he's learned since we started. He can count to 100 by ones and tens, count backwards from 20, and has started to recognize simple two and three letter words. Last night we had a little "graduation" ceremony for the kids and parents to celebrate completing their first year of preschool.

Grant had to answer some questions about his favorites:

Favortite color: Pink

Favorite food: Hamburgers

Favorite thing to do at preschool: Write his name

High Fives to Miss Casey

Grant getting his certificate from Miss Mabry

Giving a thank you card and flower to mom

Way to go little buddy!

Memorial Day/1st Day at the Pool

2008-05-29T10:00:00.005-06:00

We kept it pretty low-key this holiday weekend, hanging out at home and in the neighborhood. Dan, the kids, and I took a walk down to the park to play, and to dip our toes in the pool--that was the idea anyway. The toe-dip turned into an all-out swim, white-trash style. Check out our skinny little Ella in all her shirt-less glory!

Here's proof that they did actually start out fully-clothed. . .

. . .and then not-so-clothed

At least she still has her accessories. That's my girl!

No, Grant is not drowning--just swimming like a fish.

While the cat's away, the mice must. . .decorate

2008-05-29T09:21:00.003-06:00

While Dan was away in Alaska last weekend, I decided it was a good time to redecorate his office as a birthday present for him. With the help of my very talented interior decorator and friend, Katie Christensen (http://www.interiorsredefined.blogspot.com/), the office was painted, furnished, and staged. I chose an airplane/travel theme because Dan is such a fanatic about those things--and I absolutely LOVE how it has turned out (I wish I had "before" pics, but Dan had the camera with him in Alaska). It is Brown and light blue and very masculine. Now I just sit in here all the time and wish the rest of my house could be so put together. Thanks Katie! You're a genius! And Happy 29th Birthday Dan! I think this one may count as your gift for the next 10 birthdays. . .

Just imagine how many high-powered business deals may someday take place at this very desk!

Family pics for inspiriation

Now Dan can look up and know what time it is in major cities around the world--if he doesn't go crazy from hearing four clocks ticking at the same time!

Hey--who let that kid in the CEO's office?

We already had these curtains, but I added the light blue fabric to make them longer and to match the new color scheme

Clarification

2008-05-22T08:50:00.003-06:00

Ok folks, apparently Dan's sarcasm didn't transfer well into the blogging world, because I've now been asked by many of you if we really intend to name our baby Cletus Clark. Cletus, folks? Would I really and honestly do that to a child? Because if you think I would, I sure hope you would also turn me in to social services--because a name like that certainly would qualify as child abuse in my book. Just wanted to set the record strait.

Alaska Fishing Trip

2008-05-21T22:12:00.007-06:00

This was our first ever "Father and All Sons" outing. Thus, we made it the most memorable by going on a fishing adventure to Alaska. The weather was beautiful and the fishing was great...for the most part. The season was just beginning for Salmon, so we didn't eek out any of them. But what we lost in salmon, we made up for in halibut. We fished the Kenai River for salmon and the Cook Inlet for halibut. THANKS DAD! (See the video photo montage here:

Mountains everywhere

Fortunately, this was our only sighting of a bear.

Deep Sea Fishing in Cook's Inlet...caught 250 lbs of Halibut!

Shamu...or a distant relative anyway.

Dad reeled in the first fish.

Mike caught the grand daddy of us all...45 lbs!

Our catch.

The bald eagles were everywhere.

Fishing with our guide on the Kenai River

Molly the moose at our lodge

In flight

The 'Brotha's'

Disneyland!

2008-05-09T16:49:00.006-06:00

We felt pressured to take the kids to Disneyland because of all the "For a Family of 4" marketing from Disney. 2 more months and we wouldn't qualify. The power of advertising! That, and we scored sweet deals on Priceline. 4 days in Anaheim resort next to Disneyland (kids eat free), tickets to both parks, non-stop air from Boise, rental car (sweet car!)...CHEAP! ($250pp) Thanks Priceline!

Non-Stop Flight to LA

At Mickey's House

Ella's Mickey Dress...made by Emily (Order yours today!)

Ella and Dad

101 DEGREES!!!

The Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile at our Resort!

Buzz Lightyear Ride...shoot the target and WIN!

The Castle

Goofys Kitchen...Fun but very expensive!

Ella gives Goofy a kiss.

Pool at our resort.

Beach at Marina Del Ray

All Tuckered Out!

What a fun trip!

Story-time with the Young Women

2008-04-07T10:09:00.002-06:00

This week some of the Young Women came over to read stories to the kids. Ella and Grant just basked in all the attention. They love to hear stories, especially from someone new!

Hungry Hungry Hippos

2008-04-07T10:07:00.000-06:00

Mouse in the House?

2008-04-07T09:58:00.003-06:00

The other day we had cornbread muffins for dinner, and there were some left-over, so I put them in a baggie for later. The next morning I went to check my email while the kids were watching cartoons. When I came out to check on them, this is what I found. Through what looks like very scientific experimentation, Ella has discovered that the very center of the top of the muffin is the tastiest part, and everything else is worthless. I figured her ground-breaking discovery deserved a place on our blog, but once this information gets out, don't be surprised if it starts popping up in various scientific journals across the country.

Grant's Party Pals

2008-03-28T14:07:00.003-06:00

Ella

Grant and Sydney--loosen that choke-hold buddy!

Grant and Alayna

Grant and Jake--still best buds!

Grant turns 4!

2008-03-28T13:50:00.005-06:00

Well, I finally got up the courage to host Grant's first friend-party. Our theme was bugs and butterflies, and the kids had fun hunting around the room for hidden bugs, catching butterflies in their nets, and busting open a ladybug pinata. For lunch we had dirt, snails, and bug juice. The kids were a bit skeptical at first, but joined in when we explained that the dirt was really pudding, the snails were pizza, and the bug juice really grape juice.

Here's Grant and his pals putting stickers on their bug-catchers. I just love Target's $1 section!

I made cupcakes in little flower pots and Grant and I adorned them with cookie flowers and worms.

Easter Cuties

2008-03-25T09:39:00.001-06:00

Here are the kids all dolled up for Easter Sunday. Thanks Nana for Ella's cute dress--she and Grant matched perfectly!

Round Two. . .

2008-03-25T09:24:00.002-06:00

As if the kids didn't already have more than enough candy, we headed off to Grandma and Grandpa Clark's home in Eagle for egg hunt #2. There were candy eggs to find, as well as money eggs, and one BIG money egg. Dan spotted the big money egg early on in the hunt, but we had to find all of Grant's other eggs before we could claim the prize. Unfortunately, he let it slip that he knew where the egg was, and was restrained while all the cousins made a mad dash for the egg. Better keep your mouth shut next time Dan!
Ella and mom hunting for eggs
Ella
Grant
Another special event this week was seeing baby Meg sealed to the McCauley family. She is such a sweetie, and we feel so blessed to have her in our family.

Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch

2008-03-25T09:15:00.003-06:00

On Saturday, we hosted an Easter egg hunt and brunch for our friends, the Tanner's and Hom's, and Pam's kids. The kids each had 19 eggs to find--way too much candy!
Here they are opening their eggs and sorting their treats. . .

We found these cute girls (L-R Brinley, Ella, and Sydney) under the tramp stuffing their cheeks with treats.

Boys in the house

2008-03-25T09:11:00.002-06:00

This weekend Pam and the boys came to stay. Grant was beside himself with happiness at having so many brothers to boss around. They brought him a hotwheels race track for his birthday, and they all had fun (including Dan) building it and racing the cars.

The New Family Trampoline

2008-03-20T15:29:00.003-06:00

Well, we finally gave in and got a tramp for the kids. Dan and I wrestled this thing together last night, and the task just about put me into early labor. I swear I felt my hips separating a couple of times as we each tugged those darn springs into place! But we finally succeeded, and Grant is loving it. Ella, however, is a bit more aprehensive. She refuses to even set foot on the thing--she must be in someone's arms at all times. I am looking forward to sunny days ahead when I can send the kids outside to jump their little brains out and then come inside for a nice long nap.
Testing the waters. . .
5. . . 4. . . 3. . . 2. . . 1. . .
Blast off!
Just look at those happy faces!

Dying Eggs with the Hom's

2008-03-20T15:22:00.003-06:00

On Monday night we had Brad, Lacey, Sydney, and Brooklyn Hom over to Dye easter eggs with us. We managed to get through the whole night without tipping over any of the dye cups, so we consider this event a success! The finished eggs are now sitting on our kitchen table, and the kids love to gaze in pride at their artistic creations.

Cousins

2008-03-20T15:14:00.003-06:00

Grant and Ella loved having baby Grady come to stay during our trip to Cancun. If they give our new baby half as many kisses as thay gave Grady, then we'll know we've successfully integrated #3 into the family!

Cancun or bust!

2008-03-16T20:28:00.008-06:00

On March 29th, The Clarks, Tanners, and Homs left on an adventure to Cancun, Mexico...without kids!!! It was awesome. The ladies all coordinating for our flight.

Upon check-in, we were served with fresh juice...we think. The first couple days we went down south to Playa del Carmen which is about 30 minutes south of Cancun. We stayed in an all-inclusive resort called Bluebay Esmeraldo. It was given 5 stars, but we weren't too impressed. I think 90% of people that stay here are going for the unlimited alcohol. When we asked for a 'virgin' drink, they looked at us like we were downright mad! After a few swigs of what tasted like cough medicine, we decided to ask for 'no alcoholamos'. Again, they thought we must have been kidding. Little did they know, we were in hog heaven with our unlimited sprites and pina coladas! We've arrived! Now what?

This little wonder was a gelatinous side dish we think the locals wanted to see what crazy American actually would eat this. We wouldn't be fooled. I'd take carrots in jello over this anyday.
Our first night was a treat with a show of native dancing and costumes.
We just missed the closing gate at Tulum. All the way from Boise and no sympathy. Isn't it a cultural thing to jump border fences? When in Rome!!!

Night Swimming in Cancun

Real Mexican food or just indigestion...the jurys still out.
Downtown Cancun. 2,000 miles from Boise, and as I'm walking in the center of Cancun, the guy next to me was a companion on my mission in England. Apparently, he now lives in SE Boise. What are the odds?
Chocolate City Restaurant...Ben had a chocolate pizza for dinner. (Hold the onions!)
The Westin 'Heavenly' Robe wasn't as heavenly as our night swim and card game. Easy on the starch Mr. Westin!
Cancun beach at night!

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville in Cozumel island. Great guac made right at your table. Inflated climbing hill in the ocean in Cozumel.
Mopeds in Cozumel. Love the spandex board shirt Dan! That's hot.
Our all-inclusive resort in Playa Del Carmen. Let's be honest, all inclusive only means "All Drunks". Actually, it was nice to have a lot of food available even though it wasn't your Black Angus steak.
Teaching Ben the ways of body boarding. Score: Ben - 0, Ocean - 5.

Dolphins jumping at Xcaret (pronounced Ish-cur-et) in Playa. This Disneyland style theme park in Playa is an eco-marine park with snorkeling, swimming, and cultural learning. We even swam in an underground river.
Friendly game of shake the native off the rope into the platapus invested water.
Xcaret ruins
Our 'private' snorkel cruise. Includes a glass bottom boat! Watch out for the jellyfish...ouch! We dove at a shipwreck site and many coral sites.
The guys.

It's a boy!!!

2008-01-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

At only 16 weeks, our doctor pulled out the ultrasound machine. She verified there was only one baby and wanted to check its measurements. I've figured out how to con my way into a quicker ultrasound than 20 weeks by consolidating the first and second appointments. It worked! Sure enough, the little guy was full spreadage and we got a glimpse. So say hello to Cletus Clark!

2007-12-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

Decorating gingerbread houses for FHE.

2007-12-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving at the Dunn's. Here is the kids table.

2007-12-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Emily hosted the annual Saguaro Canyon Boutique in November. It was a great success and we are all glad it is over once again. Her custom made aprons (as seen in the photo) were a hit. So much so that she sold out in the first day and had tons of custom orders. (She is now reluctantly fulfilling those orders.)

2007-12-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

This is the final family photo for Christmas 2007. Finally...only 200 trys!

2007-12-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here are the kids in their favorite outfits...nakies! It's kind of nice because our clothes budget is next to nothing!

2007-12-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the USA team at the Davis Cup Finals 2007 at Portland, Oregon versus Russia. Pictured is Andy Roddick, James Blake, and the Bryan twins. They won 3-0 in a 2 day event. Dan flew down and had a great weekend watching nothing but great tennis!

Air show with dad and Grandpa Clark

2007-10-29T08:44:00.001-06:00

The Nampa airport had an air show with all sorts of planes to see on the ground and in the sky. Dad, Grant, Ella, and Grandpa Clark took in the sights and sounds of mini planes, helicopters, and planes racing corvettes. Anything plane-oriented is always a highlight for Dad. One pilot even asked if Grant wanted to sit in the cockpit. He was a little hesitant, but finally caved. He loved it.

The Soccer Season 2007

2007-10-29T08:38:00.000-06:00

Grant loved soccer...for about the first 5 minutes of the season. Then it was pumping the kid full of assorted treats to get him to cooperate. There were only 4 other kids on the team, 3 of which have to be on the field to play. It was a struggle but he says he liked it.

Annual Halloween Party 2007

2007-10-29T08:25:00.001-06:00

We had our annual Halloween Party at the house this year. It was started by a starry night sky just above our house...how fitting.

We had about 5 families come over for homemade caramel apples, pumpkin carving, and appetizers and goodies. It was a jolly old time for all. There were some great pumpkins carved and lots of caramel apples with all the toppings you could fit.

Our little reader

2007-10-29T08:20:00.000-06:00

Just had to add this cute photo of Grant reading one evening fireside. He loves his monthly subscription to "The Friend".

Jaunt to the Coast

2007-10-29T08:09:00.000-06:00

Here are a few photos of our trip to the Oregon Coast this past month. We left Boise on Wednesday and stayed at Emily’s parent’s house that night. Then on Thursday we left in the morning for our first stop; the famous land of cheese…Tillamook!

From a sour past experience where they ran out of cheese curd (the ONLY reason I go to Tillamook) I entered the facility and made a bee-line to the curd isle. Success! I stocked up! Who knew you could freeze curd? We toured the factory and ate Tillamook lunch, ice cream, and plenty of cheese. It was heavenly. In one of the photos you’ll notice Grant all gooped up in orange sorbet. He couldn’t have gotten more of the stuff on him if it was poured over his head. Instead, the sorbet fell on the ground and he slipped and rolled in it. It was everywhere!

Then it was off to try the local seafood and fruit stands. They were a let down. All out of crab and their peaches stunk! Lori really fell for the peach sales pitch and bought a bag full. Then it was off to Lincoln City and Gleneden Beach. Of course along the way, we stopped in at the local stand for fresh homemade apple dumplings in Hemlock. We ordered 4 to go to enjoy at our condo that night. Lori tried the peach thing again, yet another downer, but she said it was getting better. We advised her that peaches are not in season and we should refrain from trying a peach at each stand we pass en route. She concurred. We made it to Gleneden Beach which is about 5 miles south of Lincoln City. We were a bit early for our check in at the Worldmark resort so we opted to check out the place and see the beach. It was kind of drizzly outside thus our beach tour lasted about 15 minutes before we headed back to the lodge for shelter. After we checked in to our massive 3 bedroom condo (thanks mom and dad), we all went swimming in the heated pools. Grant hadn’t been swimming since our neighborhood pool shut down for the season and really enjoyed getting back into the pool to show nana and papa that he could swim all by himself. We cleaned up and went out for a nice seafood feast at the local hot spot Mo’s. Their clam chowder is the best. There was a mix of orders ranging from chowder, clams, scallops, fish and chips, and….beef ribs. Who knew the Oregon Coast was famous for their ribs? (Their not.) It’s sacrilege, that’s what it is. Anyway, we headed home and picked up some Haagen-Dazs ice cream to top our dumplings. Ymmm! Friday, we went to the outlet mall in Lincoln City. Not very exciting, but a must do when on the coast apparently. They have these malls all along the coast. I wouldn’t call them outlets, as they are nothing different than the regular stores. From there we left Lincoln City and went further south to Newport. Our next lodging was in Depoe Bay, about 5 miles north of Newport. We found the famous bayside street of Newport. We saw the sea lions sleeping on the docks of the harbor and ate lunch overlooking them. We walked through the shops along the drive and got some salt water taffy and other unhealthy treats. By then, we were famished. We headed back to the condo, yet again a 3 bedroom unit facing the ocean. It was amazing how close the waves came to the rocks below our unit. That night the waves were very intense and if you had the patio doors open, it was quite loud and dramatic. At night, the resort has a spotlight so you can see the waves hitting the rocks. We decided to have dinner at the condo that night. On the way to Newport, we stopped at a roadside shack about 1 mile north of Taft which is basically the little area inside Silitz Bay where Mo’s is. A guy sells fresh seafood for a few hours a day and I picked up 2 huge Dungeness crabs, much to the dismay of the woman-folk. Apparently, this seafood stuff is for the birds. So we cooked up the crabs, BBQ’d some huge New York steaks and had baked potatoes. It was a great feast. Then on Saturday we ate a breakfast at the clubhouse and headed for home via Salem, Oregon. It started to rain that morning, so we picked the weather perfectly.

It was a lot of car time and we are glad to be done with that for a while. Enjoy the photos!

Welcome to Our Family Blog!

2007-09-05T15:14:00.000-06:00

This is kind of an experiment for me--I've heard from many friends that having a blog has made it easier to keep up with friends and family and so I'm giving it a try myself. I haven't had much success with journals in the past, but I figured I'd at least give this a try.

So--on to my first post: We just got back from Utah for a Labor-Day weekend trip to Provo. Skippy (our now ex-chihuahua) has gone to live with Karin and her family. My feelings about this change? Yippy Skippy! (he he) As far as Grant is concerned, Skippy is on an extended sleep-over.

We spent time with the Clark family at Pam's house and Grant and Ella had a blast with their cousins. And Dan and I had a blast because Grant and Ella were out having a blast with their cousins. We also made a quick trip to BYU campus just to look around the new Alumni Center as well as other new buildings and changes on campus. People kept asking us for directions, I'm hoping because I still look like a student (?), and I'm ashamed to admit I really had to struggle to recall where specific buildings were. Sheesh--senior moments already? It's only been three years for cryin' out loud! It was a good trip and amazingly enough there were no major breakdowns--for the car, the kids, or myself.

This week Grant started preschool. He's growing so fast! Sniff. We are participating in a co-op preschool where each of the mothers rotate teaching responsibilities. We meet twice a week for 2 hours each. My goals for this year include teaching Grant to be nice, not hit, share, stand when asked, and leave without screaming. So far so good. He was very excited as we packed his new backpack with crayons, gluesticks, and safety scissors.

Ella is growing fast too. She becomes more communicative every day--especially when she does not get what she wants. She can have quite a little temper! She is also very sweet lately too, snuggling with me every so often (Definition: laying her head on my shoulder for .5 seconds). I am soaking this new phenomenon up because my kids generally move too fast to snuggle mom. She is also starting to sing to herself and she is quite a boogier when she hears music.

We have had a fun summer, but I'm ready to get back into the routine of things. Most of all, we are happy and healthy and doing well here in Boise.