Last night was Braden's very first ever soccer game. It was really fun, he absolutely loved it! He was practicing at the beginning of the game and kept running up to me saying "Daddy, I love coming to soccer!" I kept having to tell him to go get back into line to practice. A few times the ball would go one way while he went the other. It was really funny to watch. Here are a couple of videos of the whole thing. You'll hear Lauren cheering him on in one of them.
There's nothing like the wind-blown look!
Left to right - Ben(my cousin), Natalie(my cousin), Braden, Aunt Janet, and Lauren.
This is where we belong.
Poor Uncle Phil shows us the proper way to wakeboard but nearly freezes in the process!
This is my cousin Caylen, his dada did just about all he could to beat him up on this run. I won't lie, Uncle Phil did a great job in doing so!
So we went boating again on Labor day with Aunt Janet and Uncle Phil. We're sure going to miss this season! The kids played all day on the beach and I actually managed to stand up on the wakeboard(though stand up vs. stay up are two very different things). We had a ton of fun!
-Gary
I start nursing school this week and it is official that life will be crazy over the next few years! I am not sure how I am going to balance everything, but I will just somehow do it. I am excited, something new for me to direct my thoughts and energy toward.
My Brother Jason Many people who know my family have read this article- (Please read my comments after) Standoff suspect surrenders By KatharhynnHeidelberg Daily Press Senior Writer Published/Last Modified onSaturday, July 11, 2009 7:39 PM MDT MONTROSE — A tense few hours early Saturday morning ended with police talking a Montrose man out of his residence. Police say Jason Henshaw, age not given, barricaded himself in his home on Oxford Street at around 5:30 a.m. Saturday after shooting himself in the arm with a small-caliber rifle. Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn said Henshaw was arguing with a woman outside of the Oxford Street home. His reports indicated the two had just gotten out of a truck in front of the residence and that Henshaw punched out one of its windows before shooting himself in the bicep area. Police were summoned to the area a short time later, and had to block off the street. They also called in the SWAT team, but the incident wound down before the unit was mobilized. Officers determined Henshaw had pushed a couch or other items in front of the inside door to keep them at bay, and Chinn said he made threatening statements indicating he might harm himself. Montrose Police Cmdr. Gene Lillardand Sgt. JakeSuppes knewHenshaw and were able to establish a rapport with him,Chinn said. The officers talkedHenshaw out of the residence, which he exited shortly after 7 a.m., asking if he could take a bag of chips and bottle of water with him. "Time is usually on the side of the negotiator, especially when you don't have hostages or anything else barricaded with the subject," Chinnsaid. "Time was on our side. After an hour and a half, and the fact that he was bleeding and needed medical attention — and I think he knew that as well — he gave himself up."Henshaw's condition was not known Saturday afternoon. Hospital contacts could not be reached for an update. Chinn saidHenshaw was being investigated for possible charges related to prohibited use of a weapon. Daily Press photographer William Woody contributed to this report. What many of you do not know is that Jason suffers from severe OCD (to read more about OCD http://www.ocfoundation.org/). He has cried out for help for many years and we have all suffered with him, but nothing like he has. Since he does not have insurance we can not get him into a treatment facility because they are anywhere from $30,000 +. What I want everyone to know is that is not who Jason is. Yes he has an illness that controls his life in ways most will never understand, it is not who he is. Who he is is one of the most caring, giving, and funny people I know. Through this and years of helping him deal with this we have drawn together as a family and are all trying our best to do our part. Mental illness is a physical illness of the mind just as cancer or other illnesses are more visual. To correct the story, the reason he did not come out and there was a standoff had to do with his OCD and numbers. Because of the time it was. The numbers involved he had to wait until a specific time, and he did not have to have a bag of chips mentioned was actually wipes because that has good numbers on it. If anyone has questions please feel free to contact me.
You have to join the Favorite Things Swap!!!!! It is like pen pals for grown-ups. What you do is get a swap partner and you send them a package of at least three of your favorite things (Ex-your favorite book, apron, things you have made, lip gloss, etc. and they do the same! Check it out here http://www.according-to-kelly.com/2009/06/drumroll-please.html it will give you all the details to join. You have until Friday July 3rd, so hurry!
Braden went on his first fishing trip. It was just Braden and his Papa, they left at 6am. Braden was so excited! Then they got out there and then he said he wanted to go home, but he caught his first fish and had a great time. We are so proud of our little fisherman!
Lauren went to get her hair trimmed today and it looks so cute! She had it styled as well of course!
And she knows just how cute she is!
I am taking a floral design class at BYU for my art credit, and this is what I made in class today.
I made this apron and dish gloves for my sister Megan for part of her bridal shower gift. You can find the tutorial for the gloves at http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2008/11/not-your-mamas-rubber-gloves.html. I had a great time making this apron it made me run out and buy more fabric to make Lauren a dress and a scrap caddy for sewing. More pictures to come.
Handsome little man.
Our little princess!
The kids both got new church outfits for Easter and they looked so nice! They were both very excited this morning to see that the Easter Bunny had come.
So I got a brand new scooter to get to and from work and the kids are thrilled! Stacy tried it out and she loves it not so much. It was kind of funny to watch her ride it last night. I took the kids out in the parking lot and both of them had a great time riding with Daddy. Braden loves everything his daddy does so he of course is very excited about all of it. Here are a couple of videos and pictures.
Life has happened to us again at the Clark household. We are now relocating to the Provo area where I will be attending BYU and working on a nursing degree, and Gary will be working and doing some night classes for the time being. As many of you know we must like to move or something because here we go again for the 7Th time in the last 5 years!
Braden's new thing is getting the camera when we are not looking and taking pictures. Here are a few of his photos!
So Stacy decided to take a whack at following a sewing pattern this weekend and came out with this awesome apron! I was so impressed when I saw it finished. She really has a talent for this sort of thing!
For Christmas this year Stacy, the kids, and I went to Stacy's Parents' house. We had a really fun time and the kids made out great with stuff from Santa. Stacy made Lauren the blanket that is pictured here and Braden loves to cook so we thought it would only be appropriate to get him a chef's hat! Unfortunatley you won't find any pictures of Stacy here; she just had surgery on her ear and the doctors put on a headband that she didn't want too many pictures of and she would kill me if I put one on here! We hope that everyone who reads this had a great Christmas and have a happy new year!
So we were at Braden's performance for his preschool tonight and we were waiting for them to come out so I took this video. She's got some personality!
At the begining of the month we went to Montrose, CO to visit the family and do family pictures. The weekend went so fast, but here is a little of what we did-
Braden had surgery on his right eye this morning to make it go to a normal position from its somewhat crossed position. He was such a trooper. Though you could see that he was nervous, when we got there he sat and waited while the doctors checked his blood pressure and temperature. He did everything they needed and was so good for them. He was so excited. When it came time to say goodbye to the operating room, he went without a fuss and they gave him the anesthesia with no problems. On our way to the hospital he said, "I'm a tough man!" After the surgery he was very uncomfortable and didn't want anyone but his Papa (pictured). He then slept for about and hour and a half on his Papa's lap before we took him home. The video is of him first eating after everything. He wanted the IV out of his foot so we said they would take it out once he drank and ate some of his jello. We are so proud of our little man for being so good and so brave in all of this.
Braden and Lauren received this for their birthdays, it is so much fun!!!!
Originally submitted at One Step Ahead
What a "royally" exciting way to have fun, while releasing pent-up energy! Our inflatable bouncer has a thick, air-cushioned jumping surface, gently thrilling slide, and soft-yet-strong mesh safety enclosure. Secured back panels open when needed for easy in and out. And WOW — it inf...
Best Gift Ever!!!
By Crazy mom of 2 little ones from Evanston, WY on 10/15/2008Gift: Yes
Pros: Attractive Design, Sturdy, Easy Assembly, Weather Resistant, Durable, Hours of Fun
Best Uses: Physical Activity, Group Play, Individual Play, Small Children
Describe Yourself: Parent Of Two Or More Children, Working Parent
This was the best gift ever given to us for our two kids (3&1) they both love it. The younger kids play so well on it. The older kids were a lot more rough, but it is not a problem for the bouncer as it is the little kids. It is so easy to set up and take down. Since it has been cold here we just set it up in our basement. We love this and recommend it to all!
(legalese)
So Grandpa White and I took the kids to Bear Lake this morning while Stacy worked. We had a great time. They call this the "Carribean of the Rockies." I've never seen water so blue and clear. The kids and I went wading and they loved Grandpa's company.
Braden is having surgery to correct his lazy eye at the end of Oct. We have been patching his good eye to see if that would help, it helped his eyes to both see equally. It just did not straighten it out enough. He is being such a big boy about all of this.
For those of you that may not know Gary finally has moved home with us. I had been here in WY since May, and we went Fri. to get Gary to bring him back for good! It is soooooo nice having him home!
We went this past Sun. to Pleasant Grove, Ut to have a mini reunion with the Chandler side of the family (which is Gary's mom's side) I finally got to meet the rest of his family. It was so great they are all wonderful people. Gary was so excited as well because he had not see that side of the family for about 12 years. It is great a lot of them are in Ut and we are not to far away.
Well, Braden finally has his new glasses! It's hard to tell how much better it makes his vision but with how strong the prescription is, there is no doubt that he is now seeing things he's never seen. We're are so proud of him, for a two-year old he even keeps them on pretty well! I hate to leave Stacy this week with the extra chore of keeping them on him, but over all he does pretty well!
We just received Lauren's 9 month pictures so here they are- Chad Mahlum at http://www.thelifestylephotographystudio.com/
This last week I was in a craft mode so I finally finished the quilt I made for Braden. And I made a couple of tutus for Lauren the 1st one was pink and black and it did not fit, so I gave it to our friends daughter, than I made the green one.
This is my very 1st quilt. I used all Michael Miller Fabric primarily Dick and Jane fabric.
