Family Awards

My kids like to ask me questions like...
Who is the best at...
And, who was the worst at...

So here they are the best and worst of awards July 2010.

The best sleeper as a Baby goes to SAVANNA closely followed by Ethan, then a tie with Emily and Tim and by far the worst Sierra.

The best puker goes to SIERRA. She lives on the top bunk but you can still count on her to make it to the bathroom. The worst--Tim...he knows why and so do the stairs.

The best eater goes to SAVANNA, I mean really when you have to say, 'No more broccoli until you eat your hot dog' it's a dead give away. The worst would definitely have gone to Emily as a toddler--the only food groups acceptable at that age was yogurt, milk, cheese and peaches. Thankfully, she's grown out of that.

The most creative come-backs goes to SIERRA. She regularly pulls a one-liner to put her older teasing brother or sister back in line. She can definitely hold her own.

The most dependable would go to EMILY. She only has to be told ONCE for jobs (usually) and creates the best times for her brothers and sisters. She would say that's boring. But I think it's cool in a fun happy way.

The most dramatic would also go to EMILY as well. I don't think it necessarily has to do with her short life in theater as an orphan in Annie or the Snake in Jungle Book, but it might be.

The kid that learned the most and got the worst grade would be TIM. Though his grade was barely registered (2 on a scale of 0-10) the comments by his teacher said. Tim is brilliant. (Now just hand in your homework!)

The award for the funniest sayings could definitely go to any one of the kids when they were 3 and 4. But, since these awards are for 2010 I'll have to go with ETHAN. I mean really, when you describe your self as a Cool, Awesome, Medium-Biggish Boy what else can you do.

Consequently ETHAN also wins the award for the best use of adjectives.

TIM earns the award for knowing the most digits of pi. Unfortunately since the rest of us only know it to 3.14159265 we really don't know if he is just making up numbers or not.

The award for the most excited to go back to math class...well that might be a draw, but considering SIERRA stalked the mailbox for 3 weeks straight to find out her grade, I think she has the edge and will receive the honor this time.

The award for having the most books on hold at the library at any one time would go to EMILY. Though, Sierra, Tim and Savanna are nipping at her heels for how many books read already this summer. (It's a lot!)

ETHAN wins the award for best helper around the house. Overheard, "Hey Dad, I have my hat, now how can I help you?"

TIM wins the award for having the cleanest room. Yeah, I don't know how it happened either.

SAVANNA wins the award for being most brave. Enough said.

The END

The First Ever New Year's Clark Family Pop Quiz *Answer Key*

The first EVER Clark Family New Year’s Pop Quiz Answer Key

1.We did enjoy a GRAND trip to the GRAND Canyon over Spring break, however, as luck would have it, both times we had opportunity to view a spectacular sunset we arrived 10 minutes late. Such is the life with kids.

2. Emily explored many a land by visiting our local library. She does hope to visit each of those OTHER exotic places some day.

3. YES we painted our kitchen. Can you believe it? The queen of indecisiveness (Me—Kathryn) finally chose a color and painted while Mike was at scout camp, Emily was at YW camp and the rest of the kids were farmed out to cousins.

4. Trick question…Tim did learn to play the piano BETTER, but his new instrument is the Tenor Saxophone.

5. Sierra both learned to ski and on the 5th of January was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We are very proud of her.

6. The thought of Savanna sluffing school at this point is laughable. Around the dinner table we often ask what was the best and worst part of each person’s day. Her answer is almost always, the best: going to school and the worst: having to come home. She is doing great despite her diagnosis of needing bifocals! (We are still working on getting the right prescription)

7. When discussing things with other adults (say at the grocery store or library), they often comment on what a good ‘little’ boy Ethan is. He is apt to remind them that ‘actually…I’m a medium boy’. I’m so glad that despite turning 4 this week that he is still a ‘medium’ boy. He also helped our budget by quitting diapers! (Yeah, they’ve been apart of our lives for 13 years!) and he loves to quote from the movie UP! If you haven’t seen it yet, may I suggest it.

8. Mike has kept busy at work by spending lots of money! He has over 6 million dollars on contract for different projects that help keep our military planes flying. The more amazing number though is the MILLIONS of dollars he is saving the government by implementing some of the test programs and procedures he has helped develop. Too bad there are so many thick heads in the government as not everyone is on board. (Have to get their piece you know.) He also joined Kathryn on a bike race and some mountain biking. (OUCH—that is tough!) And the herding cats comment could pertain to his position as scout leader, father or all the civil service yahoos he works with daily.

9. Kathryn really got into biking this year. It was a lot of fun to ride in the Red Riding Hood bike race for breast cancer awareness and the Legacy Parkway Fun Ride. She also is finally learning ins and outs of her camera so some day she’ll really be able to rock the images…I hope. Also she has embraced the blogging world after some encouragement from friends and family and has made more blog entries then she EVER did trying to keep a journal.

10.We really do hope you had a GREAT Christmas and that your New Year holds many great things. And figgy pudding and rootbeer couldn’t hurt at all could it? Thanks for your love and friendship.

Love, The Clarks Mike, Kathryn, Emily, Tim, Sierra, Savanna, Ethan

The First Ever New Year's Clark Family Pop Quiz

The first EVER Clark Family New Year’s Pop Quiz.

(In lieu of the traditional Christmas Letter)

1. True or False: During our Spring Break trip to the largest hole on Earth otherwise known as the GRAND CANYON, we were overwhelmed by the magnificent sunsets.
2. This year Emily was a worldwide traveler, did she visit:
1. Italy
2. France
3. Washington State
4. The Library
3. What is the new color of our old Kitchen?
1. Navy Blue
2. Brick Oven
3. Periwinkle
4. You painted your kitchen?
4. Which new instrument did Tim learn to play this year?
1. The Double Belled Euphonium
2. Piccolo
3. Tenor Sax
4. Piano
5. This year was a monumental year for Sierra did she:
1. Go Skydiving
2. Get Baptized
3. Go Scuba Diving
4. Go Skiing
5. Wait a minute there is more than one right answer!
6. As usual, Savanna had a GREAT year. Did she:
1. Start Kindergarten
2. Learn how to sluff class
3. Learn to ride a bike backwards
4. Learn to juggle chainsaws
7. Ethan kept us all busy this year. Did he:
1. Become a ‘medium’ boy.
2. Break the 13 year straight diaper wearing streak in our family.
3. Consider changing his name to Russell and joining the Wilderness Explorers (Tribe 54, Sweatlodge 12)
4. All of the Above
8. This year Mike kept busy at home and work did he:
1. Spend 6 Million Dollars
2. Go mountain biking (and survived)
3. Herd Cats
4. (Predictably) All of the above.
9. Kathryn had a fun yet busy year as well, did she:
1. All of the below
2. Bike over 50 miles in two different bike races
3. Torture her children by practicing her photography skills
4. Start blogging at www.thekatstopshere.blogspot.com
10. As the New Year begins, the Clark Family wishes you:
1. A Very Merry Christmas (in the past tense)
2. A Happy New Year (in the present tense)
3. Some Figgy pudding
4. A can of rootbeer!

Catching up on Christmas

C--omfortable pajamas. Like usual we spent the day decked in our jammies, eating good food, playing games and not worrying about anything.
H--appy. The memorable faces we saw during our delivering of neighborhood Christmas gifts. I love doing this, it is one of the only times we make contact with some neighbors in the year, but over the years it has created friendships. The neighbors next door invited us in and offered us tea. The neighbors on the end are now used to us doing that and last summer they even walked the two houses away to sit and chat for 20 minutes! One neighbor down the street invited us in and told us about all her family traditions. My kids sang for her and listened politely. The comment after by Tim was, I'm really glad we did that and Sierra gave her a great big hug. I think it was more than our night that was enriched. And one last one, the primary teacher. None of my kids had her this year, but she is well into her 80s and has taught Emily, Tim and Sierra. Savanna is next on the docket. She sometimes gets forgotten in the rush not only by the ward, but by her family. I think she is the most thankful of anyone that I have ever given a gift to. I've received thank you calls (multiple times) in the middle of the summer for Christmas gifts. She is a unique individual, and my kids love her. Her smile and tears are what makes Christmas Christmas for me.
R--eunions. Christmas is a time to be with family and there was no shortage of that this year. We had a great time With Mike's family & Brooke's family on Christmas Eve. Word to the wise, Andy is probably lying about being a Werewolf and Brooke's Mom definitely is! Reuninoning on my side of the family was a treat too. So nice to see my niece Heather after 18+ a little months in Argentina on a LDS mission. I love my nieces and nephews. Everyone of them is a great friend and example to my kids.
I--ce cream. Mike's family had a tradition of ice cream sundaes on Christmas Eve so I meant to keep that alive with them on Christmas day...but we forgot. They were yummy for Ethan's birthday though.
S--anta...ours is a bit slow in the head giving Tim his Christmas wrapping paper and all. But, he's still a hero and I'm glad my kids are appreciative of his efforts.
T--raditions. We have a ton of them and they really make the season for me. I can't even share all of them as some are secret.
M--erry & bright. The lights...that will still be on for some weeks. I call it therapy.
A--ngels...they many friends that have made our Christmases bright this year and in years past. This year was a year of not many worries but there have been plenty that were not and I can't tell you how many angels have helped us a long the way. I only hope that we have been angels for someone else.
S--atisfied. Says it all.

This post has been a week in coming...

Not because I didn't want to write it, but I wanted to do it right. So the dilemma has been write or right...so far right has won, but no longer...right or not it is write's time.

You see 15 years and 1 week ago marked the biggest decision in my life.

15 years and 1 week ago.... I had new make up...

15 years and 1 week ago... I started an adventure with my best friend.

And what has happened in that last 15 years?

A LOT...

Graduated from college (on the same day no less)...

Built a house...

Welcomed 5 beautiful children to the world...

And well lived.

Living includes downs as well as ups. Losing jobs, starting businesses, battling depression, losing loved ones, learning to be patient, appreciating each other's strengths, understanding each other's weaknesses.

Sometimes 15 years seems long, very very long. But other times, it's short, in fact just a beginning.

Looking back its been quite the ride...I'm just glad to have had my best friend by my side.

Love you Mike.

P.S. I have a total LOVE/HATE relationship with your weird talent of making electronic things work merely by walking in the room even though I have done the same EXACT thing numerous times before you arrived. ARRRGGHHHH.

No...really...Love you Mike. :) To Eternity and beyond!

13 Years and 1 Day ago...

I was sitting in the park by Mueller Jr High, (I think that's the name of the school) trying to not be 'too' uncomfortable with the ever increasing quantity of abdomen tightening otherwise known as contractions, when...the sprinklers and the fireworks started at the same moment. I along with the rest of the firework watchers leaped up grabbed our chairs and raced to the parking lot. From there it was only down hill. After a very long night and an even longer day--Miss Emily Annette graced this world at 6:50 pm on Pioneer Day--with her presence. Yep...I have a 13 year old. Yikes!

Happy Birthday Emily!

And word to the wise. When you are given pickles as a gift...look for the catch. ;)

Utah Rocks

I feel sorry for all those outside of Utah. Why? July 24th. Sure they have the day, but they don't get to celebrate it like here. How sad would July be with only one holiday in the month?



Go Pioneers, Go Fireworks, Go Utah!

Hope your Independence Day was such...

“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

~John Adams~

*Note: John Adams wrote this in a letter to his wife Abigail after the vote in the continental congress for independence on July 2. The date, that was formalized and recognized early on in the country, as Independence day was July 4th.