Skiing

Took all 5 kids.

Anxiety.

Friend to the rescue.

Thankfully.

Anxiety.

By more than one participant.

Lessons.

For all.

Skiing fast.

Lunch.

Anxiety by different participants.

Confidence.

Gained.

Super Awesome Ninja Skiing skills displayed by Super Awesome Recycling Boy.

Beware if you ever ski near him.

He can't turn.

Very well.

Well actually, his last turn was a perfect parallel.

Sweet.

Skills increased.

Fun had.

Snow.

Falling.

Patches of blue sky.

Was o.k.

Glad we did it.

Tired.

Skiing.

Expressions

Focus on Expression.
Christmas Expressions 2010

It's all about LOVE...

Some 50+ years married loveLast weekend I traveled with my aunt and uncle, Ray and Joy. It was a long trip 9-10 hours each way leaves a lot of talking time. I've always had a soft spot for my favorite Aunt and uncle, but this trip reminded me why. They have been married for over a half century. My aunt Joy has needed supplemental oxygen for the last 3 years. Ray teared up remembering how he almost lost her, he was quick and dedicated to make sure her needs were always taken care of. They like to joke together. He says, "If you don't wear your oxygen don't come running to me for help. But he was quick to add, DO send someone else." They know life is precious and fleeting, they are making the most of it. Joy still laughs at Ray's corny jokes. I do too. She matter of factly explains that she is a fast eater and he is slow. In their early days she might have cleared the table before he was done eating, they recognize their differences and embrace them. As we talked Joy mentioned they had never been a walk close together, hold hands kind of couple, but the rear view mirror seemed to sum it up. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. They for sure are.

Grandma Love

Nothing quite like holding your granddaughter for the first time. I know Joy has waited a long time for this opportunity and frankly I teared up watching them.

Granddaughter Love

This picture says it all though. Baby Amelia loves her grandmother too.

Grandpa Love

Ray was not shy to hold the little one. I'm not sure, but he may have been singing one of his famous songs. One that probably made Amelia's mother roll her eyes. It made me smile.

Little Boy Love

A good friend Carol and her son Andrew came along as well. Carol helped me drive and Andrew entertained us. Their love touched me as well. Carol, is a mother to emulate. She is kind, patient, full of listening, inventive, firm, supportive, and many more things. I really loved watching them interact. Here they are counting up how many red cars we passed on the way down. Tip to the wise...Unless you want to go broke, go with yellow cars!

First Time Mommy Love

It was a real treat to see my cousin Sharon in action as a Mom for the first time. She has embraced all the ins and outs of motherhood and does an excellent job. This picture evokes the emotion of motherhood for me.

First Time Daddy Love

Sometimes Dad's are unsure as how to jump into the parenting process. Not so with Ken. He is a champion Dad, has the rocking and shushing routine down pat. He will be an excellent guide for Amelia.

Happy Family Love

What more could a baby ask for but two attentive, loving, dedicated parents. Yep, she's one lucky girl and you know what? I think she knows it.

I'm one lucky girl too. Left home to their own devices, my family managed to not only survive but thrive. Emily had the kids up and ready for school on time, Mike took off work to have a Dad day with Ethan, food, clothing, baths were executed. The house was cleaned up for my arrival home and I was greeted with these timeless Mother's day cards.

Seriously Eggsellent

Apparently when we dye eggs...we are SERIOUS about it.

Random Round Up

* I met Mitt Romney last night. The experience was ALMOST as magical as when I met Harrison Ford.

*Tim was ordained a deacon today. I asked him if he felt different and he said yes.

*I love Emily's laugh.

*As soon as Tim's ordination was done and he did the round of handshakes and hugs Ethan piped up, 'My turn!'

*I got to teach Sunday School on the week my family was visiting for my nephew's farewell. I liked it. It was fun. And I appreciated the insights they added.

*My nephew is going to speak Dutch!

*Mike is headed back to work tomorrow. He's had 3 days of work in the last 3 weeks. Ugh...for him. It will be a long day.

*I think Savanna looks cute in braids.

*Sierra asked me if she was a peacemaker. Yes, she is very much a peacemaker. :)

*I'm slacking on my daily picture taking. And I'm ok with that. Seasons...right?

*I hope I can find my green shirt in time for Wednesday. (in my profile) I just have a bad feeling that it might get lost in the laundry for one day. That would be my luck.

*Wait I SHOULD have good luck if I have a green shirt...right?

*Mitt has a good handshake. AND I got to eat hors devoures.

*How do you spell check hors devoures?

*Amy and Brenda I'm putting you on that.

*I also got a free book at the Mitt Romney thing and got to sit in the Gold section.

*It rocks to have friends that win things on the radio then invite you along.

*Today is pi day. (no that is not a misspelling.) 3.1415 That's all I can remember.

*Tim knows pi to the 29th digit.

*Everyone needs a 4 year old.

*Am I the only mean mom that does not give her kids band-aids unless she sees blood?

*Ethan is a hug-aholic.

*I'm also addicted to Ethan's hugs.

*Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60s. Did you hear me??? THE 60s!!!!!!

*How come I'm tired like I had MORE hours in the day tonight rather than less?

*I used Sierra's camera to take pictures of when I met Mitt.

*I don't know how to use Sierra's camera.

*I have no pictures of me meeting Mitt.

* I don't like sitting on the 3rd row in church. It feels just a little too personal for me. 7th row is much better.

*I finished both the Hunger Games and Catching Fire.

*I dreamed about both....they are very strange books...but addicting just the same.

*I don't really like confetti.

*I love popcorn.

*I hope I can talk Mike into making it this time rather than me.

*Good night.

Details

Details...It's why I haven't blogged about Disneyland. Details are overwhelming. I want details. I want lots of good, gooey, meaty details. Disney is really good at details. Fresh flowers on the lamp posts. Fast Passes. Themed Gift Shops. They have 20,000 employees in the park itself (I just looked it up) to make sure I'm happy. INSANE...yet wonderful. The ride workers have theme costume uniforms. Those that clean the bathrooms are dressed all in white...to not stand out I am assuming. The street sweepers blend in with the crowd to make it a mess free stay. Really is it bad that I spent a considerable time just marveling at how they managed to make it all work so seamlessly together. They really have it down. Me...not so much there is some definite Disney let down going on over here. Real life...sometimes just sucks. Disney...rocks!

To sum up our trip...it was like the commercials. Skipping down mainstreet to Zippidee Do Dah and all that. A bit sickening huh?

Ok so I 'might' have forgotten, the little 'standing too close to the guy in front of you episode' in the line for Woody's 3-D interactive ride. Or few elbows in my space comments on the trip to and from. Or maybe the 300 are we there yet questions. But really...how much better can a relaxing vacation get then wearing your feet out nearly to the bone in the pursuit of thrills and smiles. It was good.

Some favorite moments:

*Ethan with his hands up for the camera going down splash mountain.
*Getting to ride through splash mountain 3 times in a row with out having to get out of the log!
*Savanna's response to Mike's question after the California Screamin' roller coaster. How was it? SCARY, I hated it....Let's go AGAIN! And she did.
*Emily's conquering of her wild ride fears.
*Tim's pure enjoyment of making funny faces for every ride camera.
*Sierra's pure...Just try to tell me I don't want to go on that ride because you'd be wrong attitude.
*The motion sickness pills that my friend Paula gave that REALLY work.
*Dragging Savanna's Kindergarten class Bear around the park so we could journal about his adventures over the weekend...then sending him back UPS for the next kid.
*Not having to ride the teacups!
*Having awesome friends that made the trip THAT much more fun.
*The lady at the entrance gate bundled up in a coat during the mid-60 weather asking us if we had checked the weather forecast and are we not cold as we walked in with shorts and t-shirts.
*Actually getting Beach silhouettes!
* The happiness we had being together as a family.

What do you do...

when everyone in the family is suffering to some degree of seasonal affective disorder, you've just thrown your Christmas tree out and Spring is SOOO far away?

You make homemade ice cream of course {my hubby is a genius for the idea}...Rootbeer Floats to be exact.

PERFECTION!

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!

A Real Rosie the Riveter

Last night was the annual Christmas party for Mike's extended family. A big shabang for all the descendants of Grandma Peterson. She has 4 kids, 28 grand kids (if I remember right--I once made a picture with individual mat spaces for each grand child's high school picture. It about killed me) and something like 80+ great grand kids? Really I don't know how many the count goes up regularly. But it was well over 65 a couple of years ago. She is amazing because she can remember every name and sends a birthday wish to each one including spouses. Wow... is all I can say.
She is a real trail blazer. She played tennis in high school and was very good at it. She once went on a double date where the boys asked the girls to go play tennis after one serve from her they decided they should do something else. Her name is Joye...but when she was born her parents spelled it Joey. Because of that she snuck into some opportunities that women just didn't get in her era. She was a sheet metal worker at Hill Air Force Base during WWII and for a some years after that. She had to deal with constant discrimination from being kept out of an Algebra class taught in high school to being passed over for promotions and jobs. She is a master gardener, crocheter, and cook. Not to mention a dedicated nurse and wife as she cared for her husband whom was bedridden for more than a decade.

She reminds me a lot of my Grandma Thornley and even keeps the same kind of cookies in her kitchen for when the great grand kids visit. She doesn't ask for much, but has given a lot. Most notably a legacy. A legacy of love, faith and dedication. What a blessing for my kids to know her. I'm so grateful that I can call her MY grandma too. We love Grandma Peterson.

TRADITION--LIGHTS aka A Perfect Day

Another day of tradition. You see we are creatures of habit. We do something once, we usually do it again, and once you've done that well...TRADITION.

Mike and I started going to see the Christmas lights in Salt Lake City the year we met. It was actually the time I first knew I would marry him even though I didn't know his last name yet. But that's another story.

We have gone to visit the lights as a family ever since. Last year we added a train ride to the equation and now Frnt Rnner as Ethan called it is a tradition. Yesterday we had our perfect day.

Train ride, dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory, A serendipitous meeting with Santa and of course lights. Here are some of my favorite images of the evening.
CONFIDENTIAL TO BROOKE & HER MOM: I can't wait for our next night at the lights and another tradition. And to Brooke's Mom...dress warm! :)

CONFIDENTIAL TO ANYONE WONDERING WHY I WOULD PUT A PICTURE OF SAVANNA LIKE THAT IN A PERFECT DAY POST: Isn't she cute? She was mad at me for putting 2 ponytails in her hair instead of one...or was it she was mad because she couldn't drink my entire bottle of water in one sitting. Who knows...but it was a good photographic moment none the less.

TRADITION--The Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

For me Christmas and traditions go hand in hand. As a child we would cut down our tree from out backyard. Get it near the house and realize we would need to cut a whole through the floor to the basement if we were to make the tree fit. I remember some years decorating the tree with hand made cookie ornaments, once it was fabric covered styrofoam balls. One thing was for sure it was good, happy memories. (As a parent I'm guessing I didn't notice the ensuing chaos that occurs when kids and Christmas trees get together.) I remember one year as a senior in high school, it was just me and my Dad at home. We were both busy and waited till nearly Christmas until we got the tree even in the house. I decorated the tree mostly on my own. As I was decorating one afternoon, I got a call from a friend. He was the second oldest in his large family and was going through the 'I wish I was an only child' syndrome. I think he called for some sympathy. He didn't get any. In fact, I gave him a lecture about 'Some day...you'll have to decorate your Christmas tree on your OWN. I can tell you, you won't like it." The one thing I learned that year was that Christmas is for families. If you have one treasure them. If you don't, find one to substitute. But definitely don't take what you have for granted. I think that is when it became rooted in me how important family traditions were. After my Mom died it was the previous family traditions that we did that reminded me of her. Santa showed up for a year or two after, then one year he forgot to come. While I knew the truth, the magic of that particular tradition helped keep my memories of a time before alive and well. The next year I took over. And I've never looked back. For some, traditions can be burdensome and unnecessary, but for me it is a connection that transcends the time it takes to do them a place long before and will stretch for years ahead. For me...traditions matter. In this light, it was very apropos that a friend of Mike's would share a tradition of their family and became OUR family's 1st tradition.

The TREE. Our tree will never win awards for beauty or matching ornaments, but it will last in the hearts of my children forever.

The tradition is simple really. We choose an ornament each year to represent something important that has happened to our family. When we decorate, no one puts any ornaments on the tree until the story of our family through ornaments is told. Each person gets an opportunity to place their symbol, their representation of what is important to us on the tree. That seems normal enough, but we haven't confined ourselves to typical ornaments...well, see for your self.

Some of my favorites:

The ornament that started it all. A small crystal glass temple given to us by Mike's friend for a wedding present. The pink ribbon was from a paper ribbon from another present.

The next year...Mike and I graduated from Utah State University. Those tassels represent much study and growth, but most importantly the emphasis we as a family put on education.

The year Emily was born. These first tennis shoes of Emily's were a gift from a neighbor. I think she DID wear them once before them came part of our Christmas tree lore.

The year we built our house. This hammer head is conspicuously missing it's handle. We replaced the handle 3 times in the 10 month long house building journey. It represents hard work, dedication, determination and getting things accomplished.

Tim has shoes too, he wore them with his blessing outfit.

Sierra's ornament is a binky. She never actually used the binky, we used it to announce her pending arrival by hiding it in an Easter egg for her Grandma and Grandpa Thornley to find. Funny thing was a few years later Easter fell on April 1st so we once again hid a binky as an April Fool's joke.

Savanna's ornament is her bonnet from her blessing outfit. It was supposed to be the little orange Pumpkin hat we got for her to come home from the hospital in a day before Halloween but when it came time to decorating the tree we couldn't find it. We have more than one accidental ornament...and now they are beloved.

Ethan's ornament is once again a binky. This time it is one he used. The boy was picky and had to have the special binkies or there was heck to pay.

We have had key chains, toy airplanes, a cast iron fry pan(mini size for the year the Olympics came) and science fair awards for different years. This year we chose to commemorate the opportunity to visit the biggest hole in the ground we have ever seen.

The GRAND CANYON.

What are YOUR traditions?