The Clark Connection

I'll See You When I See You

2010-01-24T09:20:00.000-08:00

I know. I'm a terrible blogger. The truth is, I've just lost interest right now. And we are moving (just up the hill - to a bigger and better place). So, I'm taking an official break for a while.

Phew. I've said it.

2009-10-30T20:35:00.001-07:00

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Emily-ism #6

2009-10-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Em: "For Natalie's birthday, I want to go coconut picking."

Daddy: "But, we'd have to go to Hawaii for that."

Em: "Yeah, I know."

Feeling My Age

2009-10-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a difficult day for me; a day I have been dreading all year. Yesterday, I turned 30. Sigh....

But, I suppose if one must turn 30, there's no better day to do it than on a birthday. I do love my birthdays, and even this otherwise odious occasion was made enjoyable with a family trip to the Calico Ranch apple orchards in Julian.

It was a beautiful day and a lovely drive (gratefully, given that we were stuck behind 2 different cars going, ironically enough, 30 mph the whole way up the 79 - sheesh).

This late in the season, the orchard was pretty well picked over, though we managed to find a few trees with apples on the lower branches. The tops of the trees, on the other hand, had a nice selection, and when even Aaron couldn't reach, we had to enlist a little help.

Obviously, some were more willing to oblige us than others.

In the evening, we celebrated with sticky toffee pudding.* I just hope it doesn't end up on my hips, since I'm sure my metabolism has already slowed dramtically given my old age. Oh, well. I can always diet tomorrow...apples anyone?

*I've never been one for traditional birthday cake, at least not since I was a kid. Recent years have included such celebratory confections as brownies, cheesecake, molten chocolate cake, apple crisp and sticky buns, among others. Mmmm...

Natalie Turns 1!

2009-10-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Already! That went fast.

Cake: Approved. Happy Birthday Nats! We love you!

First Day of School

2009-09-08T16:56:00.001-07:00

Did I blink? Wasn't this kid just in diapers?

Today was Jared's first day of Kindergarten. He was practically bouncing off the walls this morning as we were getting ready. I haven't seen him this excited since the morning we went in to have Natalie. Or, maybe the time that Aaron bought Lego Batman for the Wii....Anyway, here are the photos:

And to cap off an exciting day, a little school bus cake for dessert (or, rather, "school jeep" cake....it's the thought that counts right?).

We're so proud of you, Jared!

Snap, Crackle, Puke

2009-07-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've had the flu this week. I've tried a number of things to alleviate the symptoms: medications, herbal remedies, rest, plenty of fluids, etc. I see now, however, that I have been going about things all wrong. I should have been eating this:

After all, it has been "improved to include antioxidants and nutrients that [my] family needs to help [us] stay healthy."

And it's true! I read the ingredient list. They're in there all right. Right after the rice, sugar, cocoa, semisweet chocolate, partially hydrogenated veg. oil, salt, malt flavoring, calcium carbonate, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavoring.

Next time, I'm going straight for the Cocoa Krispies.

Buggy Eyed

2009-07-12T20:14:00.000-07:00

Our camera is back from the shop. Hooray!

So. Yesterday, we took the kids up to Encinitas to visit the Insect and Garden Festival held at the Quail Botanical Gardens. For a family of wildlife lovers - including the creepy-crawlies - it was a fabulous day! Check it out:

Actually, before I get to the pictures I need to preface this by saying 1) I realized putting this together that I kind of dominate most of the photos - sorry (unless you can't get enough of me, in which case it's your lucky day) and 2) I realize that a number of my readers may find these images somewhat disturbing, so view at your own risk. Entomophobes: you have been warned.

OK. Now check it out:

The kids each got to plant their own little desert shrub to take home. Cute. They also enjoyed a variety of bug-themed crafts:

And of course, lots and lots of little critters:

Yes, that is a roach crawling on my hand - a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach to be exact. Living in an aquarium tank, on a strict diet of fruits and veggies, I have no problem with them. Running across my kitchen floors: ew, ew, EW!!

Don't you love how Jared's expression is exactly alike in these two photos? For a split second I thought I'd uploaded the same photo twice.

Spiders and scorpions are Jared's favorites. Emily likes lollipops.

The walking stick:

And giant millipede. I heard someone describe it as a hairbrush walking on your arm. Very accurate observation. Also, check out the Barn Owl and Red Tailed Hawk perched in the background.

Don't let her fool you. She was having the time of her life.

OK. I really love snakes. I'm a strange girl. I know. Didn't I warn you about this though? This is a Brazilian Rainbow Python, by the way. So cool.

And what would a festival be without food? In this case: meal worms, seasoned, or plain. I went with the Polish, though I was the only one of us brave enough to try. I think Natalie would have joined me had I given her the chance.

Instead, she (and the others) opted for fresh peaches in the picnic area.

Fun, fun day!

Stay Tuned, Folks

2009-07-05T21:32:00.001-07:00

I'm alive and I will blog again someday. I promise. In my defense, our camera has been broken for weeks, and won't return from the shop until this week (hopefully). Sigh.

In the mean time, you may be interested to know that Jared has recently ranked the members of our family in order of intelligence:

Most intelligent: Jared

2nd: Daddy, because he can draw better than Mommy.

3rd: Mommy

4th: Definitely Emily

5th: Nats, because she is a baby.

Alas, I have not fared as well as I had hoped. Back to the drawing board, I guess (ha...ha...).

Dialogue

2009-04-20T21:28:00.000-07:00

[Enter Jared and Emily. Emily is pushing her dolly in a stroller.]

J: Emmy, are you taking your baby to the tide pools?

E: No, to the hospital.

J: Is she going to get a TV test, or a shot?

E: No, she has a cavity.

J: Emmy, you don't take a baby to the hospital for a cavity, you go to the dentist. [Suddenly turning.] Mom, why do we call the place the dentist and the man the dentist?

E: [Handing the doll to Mommy]. Here Mom, the baby needs you.

The End

There's One In Every Family

2009-03-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

It seems every family has at least one child prone to frequent injury. Emily is ours. Today she took the skin off her nose when she tripped and slid face first on the carpet. Ouch!

Here it is a couple days later:

Jaredism #9

2009-03-22T14:37:00.001-07:00

Today Jared told me that when he grows up he wants to be a mean biologist. You know. Someone that studies sea life.

Emilyism #5

2009-03-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Emily has become more conscious of her water sources lately. Yesterday, as we were about to take the sacrament water, she paused to ask, "Mom, is this purified?"

Jaredism #8

2009-03-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Aaron's journal yesterday: Last night we went to a game night at the church for the ward. They had lots of treats, including some St. Patrick's Day cupcakes that we brought home. I had saved two of them for Jared and Emily to enjoy after dinner tonight. Early this afternoon, however, all of the family took a nap except for Jared. Now Jared knew that he wasn't supposed to touch his cupcake, much less Emily's. And yet, when we awoke an hour or two later, we found the cupcakes had been tampered with. In a subsequent interrogation, he admitted he hoped putting the plastic shamrock back on the cupcakes would fool us into thinking they had not been touched.

Five Months Old

2009-03-01T20:56:00.001-08:00

One of These Things is Not Like the Other

2009-02-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

Don't you wish everyone's thoughts were as easy to read as a child opening birthday presents?

Better Late Than Never

2009-01-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

OK. I sat down today with the lofty goal of updating my blog with pictures from all major holidays/events for the past 3 1/2 months and realized.......it's not happening. You'll just have to trust that we have done some really fun stuff, that Natalie has been an utter joy, and that the adjustment to 3 kids, and accompanying new mini van hasn't been all THAT bad, even if does leave one without time/energy/hands free to blog. . . or write Christmas cards.

Don't worry though; it isn't a total loss. Instead of the full update, I give you our holiday highlights. So, however late, Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and with a little luck, I'll be back to blogging with more regularity soon!

Also, Happy Birthday to Jared, who turned 5 on Christmas Day! I love this little man!

One more of the cake, because I'm so darn happy with how it turned out. To clarify for any non-gamers, it is Sonic the Hedgehog, Jared's favorite video game character.

Happy Holidays 2008!

Love,

The Clarks

Emily-ism #4

2008-10-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

"I'm all done with the new baby. You can take her back to the hospital."

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2008-10-07T18:30:00.000-07:00

Say hello to the newest member of the Clark family:

Natalie Elizabeth

Born Tuesday, September 30th, 5:33 p.m.

7 pounds, 12 ounces

20.5 inches

Welcome little Natalie! We adore you!

For more details, check out Aaron's blog.

Big Girl, Little Hair

2008-09-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy can drive people to do desperate things. Some women eat dirt. Others feel the need to wash every wall in their home. Me? I chop my hair off.

I started growing my hair out over a year ago when I couldn't decide how I wanted to cut it. My goal was to let it go until it was long enough to donate to Locks of Love, with enough left over to reach at, or just above shoulder level.

I don't know if it was the summer heat, the need for something on my body to start shrinking, or

some other unknown factor, but about 3 weeks ago, I couldn't take it anymore. Locks of Love requires at least a 10 inch donation, and I didn't want my year-plus to go to waste, so in a moment of hormonal insanity I decided I didn't care how short it would end up. I was done with it. Here are the results:

Before.

(Sorry, I couldn't find a better picture - I try to avoid the camera these days.)

After.

(I made the kids pose with me for moral support. And to hide my belly.)

It has been......OK. The day I had it cut, I came home feeling free, but I wasn't really thrilled with it. I like my hair a little longer. And I'd rather not feel like I resemble a mushroom from the neck up. Even still, I have no regrets.

Luckily, this week has been much better. The cut is starting to grow on me, enough that when I look in the mirror I don't really mind it anymore. See? Look how happy I am....and big.....happy and big*:

By the way, my due date is tomorrow (another reason I am smiling).

*As Emily likes to point out frequently, "Mommy has a big tummy. I have a little one."

Emily-ism #3

2008-09-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

This week, during a tantrum, Emily informed me, "Mommy, I will bite your belly button." You've gotta love the terrible two's.

Emily-ism #2

2008-09-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Emily has been learning a new Primary song lately. Her version begins, "When Jesus Christ was baptized, down in the river Georgia..."

Jaredism #7

2008-08-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Jared came to me the other day like this and asked, "Mom, do I look like a lamb?"

Jaredism #6

2008-08-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

"Mom, someday I want to hunt chickens."

Summer Fun

2008-07-20T19:47:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this post is to entice you to come and visit us in sunny San Diego. Then you can have as much fun as we do hanging out at all of our favorite summer-time spots:

The Children's Beach in La Jolla is great. We love watching the seals that have taken over this part of the beach, but further down the beautiful coastal walkway is a also nice park, perfect for picnics, and several spots leading down to the water, including one place where we've spotted sea lions too.

We also enjoy exploring the tide pools at Cabrillo National Park:

Jared, fleeing in terror from a rather menacing crab:

Family camp-outs are always a good time:

And, of course, the beach:

Or, if nothing else, you should come for some free dental work, compliments of Emily. No doubt Aaron's brother Peter was glad he did:

Happy Summer Everyone!

Guess Who Had A Birthday...

2008-06-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, our little Emily turned 2 this week. We celebrated twice - once at the beginning of the month when my family was in town visiting and again on the 24th, which was her actual DOB. Both times though we made sure to have plenty of orange cupcakes on hand, per her request.

Quick story: Emily has coveted Aaron's laptop for months. If we leave it unattended for even a moment, Emily will drop whatever she is doing to rush over and furiously begin "typing," while at the same time casting nervous glances over her shoulder, lest one of her parents return and chase her away. Then, about a month ago she informed me, "I need a laptop for my birthday" and a few days later, "I want my own orange laptop." (I say, what kind of world is this? My two-year-old demanding a laptop.....) Anyway, Tuesday she got her wish. We found her a nice, kid-sized Elmo laptop and she hasn't been far from it since.

Happy Birthday Emily! You're beautiful....like corn.

Emily-ism #1

2008-05-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Emily likes salsa. Last night, she ate some and remarked, "It tastes beautiful. Like corn."

Massive Photo Post

2008-05-25T20:35:00.001-07:00

This post is for those of you who have told me I haven't posted enough pictures in recent months. Yes, I know it's long and random, but just keep in mind you brought this upon yourselves.

Jared celebrated his 4th birthday with with a jungle-themed party just before we moved. Highlights included a jungle obstacle course and decorating the snake cake (thanks again Erica for the idea). I think more candy probably ended up stuffed into the mouths of Jared and his little friends then there was actually applied to the cake, but what's a birthday without a little indulgence, right?

I posted this picture for a couple of reasons: First, though we did very little during the weeks of unpacking and evil morning sickness, we did manage to take a trip to Legoland using some freebie tickets one of Aaron's colleagues gave us, and here's proof - the backside of a Lego giraffe. Second, (and mainly), I wanted to point out Emily's "smile." A few months ago she starting making this face every time we pulled out the camera, which makes getting a normal shot of her very difficult. You'll being seeing it again....

Jared fighting Lego Darth.

Lego "Thinker"

One of my favorite attractions at Legoland was a part of the park they called "Miniland USA," which included Lego replicas on a 1/100th scale of places such as Las Vegas, D.C, Manhattan, and a few other major cities. It was really cool, but I liked it even more when we passed by a 2nd time to find Birdzilla perched atop one of the buildings in the Manhattan section.

A few random Easter pictures:

The smile again....I warned you....

We attempted making two-toned Easter eggs, which turned out pretty well. Emily kept calling them deviled eggs.

A few completely random shots:

Yes, smile Emily....

Pooh Bear costume, Cinderella shoes, Sleeping Beauty earrings....

We're saving this one for bribery purposes in a few years:

I gave Jared a snack one afternoon and came back a couple minutes later to find this. He told me his animals had been curious about what he was eating:

And finally, a few pictures from the new Sesame Street Bay of Play, which just opened this weekend at Sea World. As pass holders, we got to go in a day early to check it out (plus they had cookies):

Jared had been hoping to meet Big Bird, and as luck would have it, he was available when we happened to be passing by. Nice backdrop, huh? You have to buy their photo to get the cute Sesame Street scene behind him. Sigh. At least the cookies were free.

No, Emily doesn't look that way because she isn't enjoying the ride. She just saved the best "smile" for last.

There, I did it. Now you can all leave me alone. =)

It's a Girl!

2008-05-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, an ultrasound this week revealed that Jared and Emily will be joined by a baby sister come October. We are thrilled!

Jared had originally wanted a baby brother quite desperately. When I told him the news though, he started jumping up and down and cheering, with a look of slight confusion, but certainly not disappointment. Later in the day he told me he "had made a mistake." He thought he had wanted a "boy baby," but really he wanted a girl.

Hooray for pink!

"I Dot A Big Owie!"

2008-05-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

That is how Emily describes the result her trying to squeeze her head in the gap behind our entertainment center yesterday. She would have been fine too, if she had just backed her head out the way she squeezed it in, but instead she panicked, turned her face into the corner of the unit and started thrashing wildly, creating the worst cut either of my children has ever received. Poor little Emily!

Or perhaps this picture better conveys her feelings about the whole ordeal:

A Bit of Poetry

2008-04-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

I heard this poem at a Relief Society activity. It is long, but gave me a laugh...

The Girl in a Whirl

by ‘Dr. Sue’

(a.k.a. Vickie Gunther)

Look at me, look at me, look at me now!

You could do what I doIf you only knew how. I study the scriptures one hour each day;

I bake,

I upholster,

I scrub,

and I pray. I always keep all the commandments completely;

I speak to my little ones gently and sweetly. I help in their classrooms!

I sew all they wear!

I drive them to practice!

I cut all their hair! I memorize names of the General Authorities;

I focus on things to be done by priorities. I play the piano!

I bless with my talents!

My toilets all sparkle!

My checkbooks all balance! Each week every child gets a one-on-one date;

I attend all my meetings (on time! Never late!) I’m taking a class on the teachings of Paul,

But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all … I track my bad habits ‘til each is abolished;

Our t-shirts are ironed!

My toenails are polished! Our family home evenings are always delightful;

The lessons I give are both fun and insightful. I do genealogy faithfully, too.

It’s easy to do all the things that I do! I rise each day early, refreshed and awake;

I know all the names of each youth in my stake!

I read to my children!

I help all my neighbors!

I bless the community, too, with my labors. I exercise and I cook menus gourmet;

My visiting teaching is done the first day! (I also go do it for someone who missed hers.

It’s the least I can do for my cherished ward sisters.) I chart resolutions and check off each goal;

I seek each “lost lamb” on my Primary roll. I can home-grown produce each summer and fall.

But that is not all! Oh, no. That is not all … I write in my journal!

I sing in the choir!

Each day, I write “thank you’s” to those I admire. My sons were all Eagles when they were fourteen!

My kids get straight A’s!

And their bedrooms are clean! I have a home business to help make some money;

I always look beautifully groomed for my honey. I go to the temple at least once a week;

I change the car’s tires!

I fix the sink’s leak! I grind my own wheat and I bake all our bread;

I have all our meals planned out six months ahead. I make sure I rotate our two-years’ supply;

My shopping for Christmas is done by July! These things are not hard;

It’s good if you do them;

You can if you try!

Just set goals and pursue them! It’s easy to do all the things that I do!

If you plan and work smart, you can do them all, too! It’s easy!” she said …

… and then she dropped dead.

Happy Birthday Aaron!

2008-04-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

A very happy birthday to my favorite person in the world, who happened to turn 30 this past Monday! This week I've started to come back to life, feeling considerably less nauseous and the timing couldn't have been better, as it allowed me to provide Aaron with a little birthday cheer in the form of dinner and cake:

FYI: 30 lighted candles is not good for frosting. Ours was pretty much melted by the time Aaron blew out the candles. Thirty candles also create a lot of smoke.

Most of you will probably not be surprised that Aaron was able to blow out all the candles in one breath. What I wish I had a picture of though, was all the melted wax that was splattered across the cake and table as a result. I think we may have finally reached the point in Aaron's life when birthday candles will no longer be required.

Happy Birthday Aaron! I love you!

Jaredism #5

2008-04-04T20:46:00.001-07:00

Jared said to me the other day out of the blue, "Mom, you're getting older."

On My Way Back

2008-03-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Finally, I can tell the truth! No, I haven't given up on my blog. Yes, we are settled into our apartment and have been since the beginning of February. And no, I'm really not just that lazy. Feast your eyes on the real reason I have been absent these long weeks*:

Yes, meet Clark #3 and as thriling as the news is, he/she has been making me dreadfully SICK (which, in my case is constant, awful nausea - that's 24 hours a day, every day......every....long....day...ugh). I've also been unable to stay awake beyond 8 or 8:30 every night, so there you have it. The good news is that my official due date is October 1st, which means the morning sickness could be over in the next couple of weeks (I'm keeping my fingers crossed). The bad news is that since it hasn't happened yet, I'm afraid my focus will continue to be on sleeping and trying not the throw up. Hang in there loyal fans!

*And I promise this will be the only intro uterine shot you will be forced to endure viewing this pregnancy.

On Hold

2008-01-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

We will be moving closer to downtown San Diego in the next couple of weeks, so I think I'm going to put blogging on hold until we get settled in. Check back in February!

One Year Older and Wiser Too!

2007-12-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

Squinting and blinking, Jared staggered out of his bedroom at 5:30 a.m. Christmas morning and exclaimed, "Today is my birthday!" Here are just a few shots of the birthday festivities held that evening and the next afternoon. Larry Boy cake, for those of you wondering what on earth that thing is supposed to be. Larry Boy is a Veggies Tales character - his favorite!

And a special thanks to Uncle Matt and Aunt Leslie for the coveted "danja turtle."

Happy Birthday Jared!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas.....

2007-12-23T21:42:00.000-08:00

Don't you love December? We do and here are a few reasons why: Gingerbread houses. Unfortunately this year I tried to make it all from scratch and the pieces ended up being way too soft. Consequently, we never could get Jared's heavily decorated piece of roof to stay up. Not that it would have lasted very long in our house anyway....

An excuse to make and share large quantities of delicious desserts. The sharing is particularly important because it helps keep it off my hips. This year I tried my hand at a cream puff tower for our Christmas party at church: Family movie parties. My favorites include It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story and A Muppet Christmas Carol. Jared is a big Grinch fan (the old one). Emily is just in it for the popcorn and hot chocolate. Holiday decorations, in this case at the Zoo. No Festivus miracle this year, kids. Here you see the aftermath of the Feats of Strength:

Christmas cookies. Need I say more? OK, so this one doesn't actually have anything to do with December, but somebody's got to make sure we're practicing good oral hygiene. Jared is using his own tooth brush, by the way. Pretty clothes. Thanks for the dress Mom!

Merry Christmas!

Soft Pie: A Recipe by Jared Clark

2007-12-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

At our house, Christmas is largely about food. Jared, even as young as he is, has caught this vision and is pleased to offer a recipe of his own for your.....er.....enjoyment. Bon appetite! For soft pie: Mix sugar, flour, eggs, salt, apple cider, pumpkin cider and juice. Stir it. Put it in a bowl (a strong circle thing). Put it in the oven and it makes pumpkin pie for Halloween (with ghosts, witches, etc.). It makes chicken for Thanksgiving and snowmen for Christmas.

Dear Santa,

2007-12-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

I want a jungle toy and a Mario Party toy and a pirate toy, and a danja turtle* toy instead of a pirate toy. I have been a good boy. I can have some presents. I have a Santa hat - all the Santa things. Dear Reindeers, I want to live with you reindeers with a sleigh, a gingerbread cookie, and a snowman. Love, Jared *Translation: ninja turtle. We can't seem to convince him of the correct pronunciation.

I'm Back!

2007-12-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

No doubt many of you have been wondering why I've neglected my blog for the past few weeks. My only excuse (and not much of an excuse at that) is that it is the holidays and we've been busy. Here's some of what we've been doing the past couple of months: In October we took a trip to Arizona for my 10-year high school reunion. Apart from reconnecting with friends, we enjoyed some quality time with my family, including a fun-filled afternoon skipping rocks at the river with Grandpa Arnett (a favorite past time of Jared's). We also enjoyed hosting one of Aaron's brothers and his family. Among other things they helped us celebrate Halloween: And for November Aaron and I passed around the flu for 3 weeks (this after getting flu shots): As if the flu weren't fun enough, I ended up with pink eye. Aaron couldn't get off work, so I ended up having to take the kids with me to the doctor for an exam so I could get a prescription. When we walked into the exam room, Jared could hardly contain his excitement. Mounted to the wall beside the sink was a box of purple exam gloves! (his favorite color and incidentally, something he'd been wanting since we saw a similar style of plastic gloves at Walmart). The nurse was kind enough to give Jared a pair to take home, which was probably the highlight of his week. In fact, he loved them so much I'm not sure he took them off much those first few days. This is how we found him after he'd gone to bed the evening he brought them home: Gratefully, we were all back to normal in time to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with friends: Since then, we've been gearing up for Christmas and enjoying the season. Jared and Emily have been poring over toy catalogs, preparing lists for Santa and otherwise waiting for the big man in red: A few more random shots: I love that my kids enjoy watching cooking shows as much as I do: Jared's latest form of entertainment. He calls it "throwing a party."

Emily loves to be in time out. Yes, you read that right. Here she is enjoying a little thinking time in the corner after hitting her brother. The funniest thing is that she actually stays there until we call her.

Helping Daddy with the dishes:

Jaredism #4

2007-11-04T09:21:00.000-08:00

Today, I was talking to Jared about when he was a baby and asked him if he knew that once he lived in my tummy. He wondered, "Did you eat me?"

Evacuation

2007-10-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

I'm tired and nervous this evening. Fires are raging, uncontrolled throughout San Diego county and though we are currently several miles from any of the major blazes, we still had a scare of our own this afternoon. We were just contemplating going for a swim, when a fire (source unknown)ignited the trees along a wall bordering our apartment building. We had less than 5 minutes gather our children and belongings, pile into the car, and get out.* Gratefully, it was quickly contained and tonight we are feeling tremedously blessed to be safely back home. *For a more detailed report, I'll refer you to Aaron's blog.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2007-10-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

Am I the only person in the world that would rather make her own birthday dinner and dessert instead of having someone else do it for her?

I've Been Tagged

2007-09-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

4 Jobs I've Had Boys summer camp cook MTC Bookstore stocker/checker BYU diploma person MIT grad admissions 4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over Again Emma Anne of Green Gables Christmas Movies (e.g. A Muppet Christmas Carol, It's A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story) It's a tie between Life Is Beautiful and Waiting For Guffman (edited, please) 4 Places I Have Lived Austin, TX Provo, UT Cambridge, Mass. San Diego, CA (La Mesa if we're being technical) 4 Favorite Places to Visit NYC Disneyland San Francisco Hawaii 4 Favorite Desserts Dark chocolate anything Cheesecake Cinnamon rolls (does this count? a dessert you can eat for breakfast - what is better than that?) Apple crisp with quality ice cream 4 Favorite Dinners Good, authentic Mexican anything Shellfish of all kinds and preparations Creamy/cheesy Italian anything - or can just plain cheese count as dinner? Pizza the way they do it back East 4 Websites I Visit Daily Food Network (my homepage - yes, I know I'm obsessed) Google Various sites with free coloring pages for Jared Blogs 4 of My Hobbies Cooking Food (no, this is not the same thing as cooking) Planning stuff - family events, holidays, trips, etc. Outings/activities/travel with my family 4 People I Tag Erica Burgess Shelly Astle Aaron Clark Michelle Jones What are some of your favorites?

Paradise Found

2007-09-11T20:20:00.001-07:00

What's better than a week-long vacation to Hawaii? A week long vacation to Hawaii without your children! Yes folks, Aaron and I just returned from a lovely trip to Oahu, which I would classify as perhaps the best vacation of my life. Sigh.....a full week in paradise with no diapers, no chores, and nobody waking us up at night. Aloha!

Here are the highlights:

Day 1:

After a 2 1/2 hour delay in LA, and a 5-hour flight across the Pacific, we finally arrived in Honolulu, picked up the rental car and headed across the mountains to our B&B in the town of Kailua on the eastern shore.

Later that evening we were driving through the back roads of a small town called Lanakai in search of a nice bit of beach when we happened upon actress Elizabeth Mitchell of Lost fame, while she was out for an evening jog. She looked just like she does on TV, only sweatier.

Day 2:

Still on CA time, we were up at 5 a.m., so we packed up and headed to Kailua Beach to watch the sunrise:

Later in the morning we drove an hour up the coast to the Laie Temple, followed by lunch at the famed North Shore shrimp trucks......mmmmmm! I'm still dreaming about these garlic shrimp:

After lunch we headed over to the Polynesian Cultural Center for a bit of....well....Polynesian culture, including hula lessons, a lei greeting, and of course, a luau. I tried a bit of everything, including poi, poke (raw tuna marinated in seaweed, chilies and other fun stuff), taro rolls, and of course, the whole roast pig, cooked in an underground pit. Yummy!

That orange drink that Thing is pouring in the bottom corner of the picture was pretty good too.

Day 3:

One of my old high school friends just happens to live on Oahu, so Wednesday morning we met up with him and his family and drove up to the North Shore again for a day of hiking at beautiful Wimea falls:

Check out some of the crazy jungle plants. So pretty!

After our hike we grabbed a quick shave ice at the famed Matsumotos in Haleiwa before heading south for some shopping and dinner. You can get shave ice here with these sweet beans packed into the middle of the cone. They look like black beans, and tasted....um......like sweet black beans. In the future I think when it comes to snow cones, I'm a purist.

Day 4:

Thursday we got up with the sunrise again and headed for Haunama Bay for my favorite part of the trip: snorkeling in the reef.

It was my first time snorkeling and it was fabulous! Aside from all the coral, crabs, and dozens of colorful fish we encountered, we also ran into a green sea turtle feeding in the shallows on two separate occasions. We watched him for a while, often close enough to reach out and touch him (which we didn't, because they are endangered and it is illegal). Amazing! Alas, we didn't have an underwater camera, but this is just what he looked like:

A very close 2nd to watching the marine life was dinner at one of Honolulu's most renowned restaurants, Alan Wong's........MMMMMMMMMMM!!! I will forgo giving you the full menu (though I'm highly tempted to do so - it was astoundingly good), and instead will simply mention dessert. They call it, "The Coconut:"

Here's a better look:

Indeed, it does look like a coconut, but it is not! It is heaven on a plate. Actually, it's a coconut pudding sorbet in a dark chocolate shell covered in toasted coconut and served with perfectly ripe fruit and a passion fruit sauce. And yes, it tasted every bit as wonderful as it sounds.

Day 5:

Another morning of snorkeling, where I discovered if you listen closely enough, you can actually hear some of the fish crunching on the rock as they nibble at the plants.

Later in the day we hiked into jungle in the mountains to see Manoa Falls.

Day 6:

A quiet day of relaxing on the beach and taking in some more of the amazing scenery:

I also made a new friend. Isn't he cute? Jared tells me he is grumpy and that he was telling me, "Go away Mommy, or I will pinch you!"

Day 7:

In the morning we headed over to Pearl Harbor and despite the insanely long line (even at 7:30 in the morning!), we were fortunate enough to make it through in time to view the moving 75 minute presentation and boat ride to the memorial just in time to race back to Kailua to check out of our B&B.

Interesting facts I did not previously know about Pearl Harbor:

- More than 1100 men died on the USS Arizona, including several sets of brothers. The memorial is a registered military graveyard.

- The ship was carrying over 1 million gallons of oil and burned for over 2 days.

- The ship continues to leak oil today at a rate of about 1-2 quarts per day, which you can see floating on the surface of the water.

After checking out of our B&B, we went to church at the nearest building we could find and were more warmly welcomed than I think I have ever been in my life. They even gave us shell leis, which Emily claimed for her collections of "pretty pretties" the moment we got home.

After church we spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the scenery before heading back to the airport for the long flight home. Sigh.

And that's it. Farewell Oahu and "mahalo" for the perfect vacation!

Jaredism #3

2007-08-29T12:57:00.001-07:00

Overheard as the kids were playing this morning: "You'll never get away with this Emily!"

Jaredism #2

2007-08-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

Jared likes to say prayers on the food.....really long prayers. Here's just a portion of what we endured last night while dinner got cold: "....bless Mommy, bless Daddy, bless me, bless Ems, bless the food, bless the drink, bless the fork, bless the napkin, bless the cucmbers, bless my toys, bless Larryboy,* bless the house, bless the stuff in our house, bless the ipod....." *Larryboy is a character from Jared's favorite TV show

Jaredisms #1

2007-08-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

"I went reverently on the potty, so now I get to have a treat!"

Harried Existence

2007-07-24T02:32:00.000-07:00

Allow me to begin this post by apologizing for neglecting my blog in the weeks since its debut. I've been planning on adding something for a good two weeks now, but I haven't had a moment to spare. Now, before you feel slighted, let me assure you I have a valid excuse. It is no secret that we Clarks are big Harry Potter fans. Consequently, I've spent the last 2 months - and particularly the last two weeks - completely engrossed in rereading the entire Harry Potter series in preparation for the big release of the final installment this past Friday. In fact, I finished book 6 only hours before Book 7 hit the shelves. Then my copy arrived in the mail Saturday afternoon, and naturally it has required my complete attention ever since. (Hey, a girl's got to keep her priorities straight!) Aside from neglecting my blog, I thought my obession had little effect on anyone else, other than our family having peanut butter sandwiches for dinner several nights in a row, and the housekeeping falling a bit by the wayside. Apparently however, I have been mistaken. It seems my mania has been rubbing off on my children. Over the last couple weeks, Jared has expressed on more then one occasion excitement about being able to read about "Harry Potter and the dragon when [he] gets bigger," and I have strong suspicions that Emily - bright, little creature that she is - has been sneaking out to the bookshelf by night to study up on all things Harry Potter. In fact, we expect she'll be receiving an owl from Hogwarts any day. Either that, or howler from the Ministry of Magic,* threatening imprisonment for her recent, well-cast Cruciatus curse: Gratefully though, I finished Book 7 late last night, and with a little luck things will be back to normal by the end of the week. Out of respect for those who are still plugging along, I will simply say that Rowling did not dissappoint! And with Harry Potter out of my life now, all that remains is for me to do is catch up on little sleep and a few chores, and resume life as usual. And it would hurt for me to wrestle that wand away from Emily. *Though I suppose being a US citizen they wouldn't actually have jurisdiction over her.

Happy Birthday Emily!

2007-07-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, we celebrated Emily's 1st birthday. Here are a few photos of the festivities:

The birthday girl, checking out her presents. We got her new shoes and a cell phone, since we figured she'd be asking for them eventually anyway:

She was excited about the shoes, until we actually put them on her feet. Then she started walking around like a kitten with tape stuck on it's paws. Eventually, she did warm up to them though:

The cell phone was a big hit, with both Emily and Jared:

She also got a pair of stylish, new sunglasses from some friends:

Here she is blowing out the candle (with a little help from Jared and a friend):

And finally, sampling her first cake:

June Photos

2007-07-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer everyone! Here's what we've been doing during the month of June:

Ah, a day at the San Diego Zoo, one of our favorite places to visit. Jared has recently developed a fascination with spiders and scorpions, and despite his disappointment that the Zoo only provides a caterpillar and butterfly cutout, he humored us with a picture.

Jared, preparing to debut his beach body. With summer officially under way, we decided to take a Saturday and enjoy the sunshine at Pacific Beach. The Easter Bunny brought Jared a Spiderman kite, which we brought with us to fly for the first time. Despite being beside himself with the anticipation of finally getting to try it out, the sand and waves proved to be far more alluring, and poor Spidey hardly got the chance to stretch his wings. Emily always gets so excited to go to the beach! Regression First spaghetti...... .... followed promptly by bath time. When the Cubs were in town, Aaron took Jared to Petco Park to cheer them on. Here's Jared on the subway, sporting his beloved "Cubbies hat."

Our little Ems

Welcome to the blog!

2007-07-01T12:43:00.001-07:00

In response to numerous requests for pictures of the kids and due of my flakiness in responding to those requests (not to mention the fact that when I send pictures the files are always ridiculously HUGE), allow me to present my blog. My plan is to use this site mainly to post pictures, though perhaps one day I'll get adventurous enough to provide a more extensive commentary to accompany them. In the mean time, enjoy!