A great reminder!

I stole this from my friend, Kira's blog. What a great reminder!

This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again.Pres. Howard W. Hunter, Dec. 1994

Oh, Baby, I am COLD!!!!!

Well, we made it. It was one of the longest car rides ever- 18 1/2 hours actually, but we are here. Flagstaff had a lot of snow, Knab, UT had even more, but the rodes were ok which was a big blessing. We did have consistent fog from Paige to Knab, but it wasn't horrible. We made excellent time until we got to Provo where we got stuck behind our first wreck. A truck and trailer had jack-knifed up onto the median wall. Then we moved well through the Valley until we came upon what we later found out was multiple wrecks that stretched on for about 6 miles. After spending an hour on the freeway stuck in the traffic, we were diverted off the freeway about 3 miles East for another 2 hours of going 5 miles an hour or less. (Mostly we just sat not moving at all.) No fun- not at all!! However, I do have to say that our children were AWESOME! No, whining, fighting, or crying- the entire ride! We did make an extra "pit stop" in Tremonton, UT once we got moving on the freeway after the big wreck because the kids hadn't been to the bathroom in over 6 hours, but we didn't mind. I think we all needed a break from the car for a few minutes. Anyways, instead of pulling into my parent's house at 5:30. we got here at 8:30.

The coldest we've seen so far is 3 degrees- near Flagstaff. It's a toasty 23 outside right now, and guess what- we woke up to TONS of snow! School has been cancelled in all local areas, and many people are staying inside today. My dad said there was at least 12 inches in the roads- only about 8 inches on top of things. Cauley pulled into my dad's parking spot in the driveway while my dad's at work so when the snow plow comes by we don't get buried.I am so happy to have a white Christmas! It is really beautiful outside. I am even happier that we don't have to stay here forever- I only love to look at the snow! Cauley and my boys went sledding at 8:00 this morning and had a great time. We learned yesterday that Tyli doesn't care for the snow so much so she stayed here with me in the nice, warm, dry house. We have to beg Dallin to come in- he could play in the freezing white stuff for forever. I wonder how much more we'll get before we head home- the forecast is for snow showers through next Sunday!

I will try and post pictures this wee- my parents don't have dial-up internet like us so it will be a lot easier!

Are You Smarter Than a Kindergartener?

My son is a genious! He really is smart. Just like me, he is very interested in Sudoku puzzles. Dallin loves to watch over my shoulder as I work on them, telling me what number he thinks I should put in the next box. He's come a long ways from about a year ago when he would tell me to write a 17 or another number I knew didn't fit. Anyways, I was just about done with another puzzle book the other day and was going through it, making sure I hadn't left any puzzles unsolved when I came across one that Dallin had filled out the top three boxes to. At first glance, I was mad. That was my puzzle book and he had no right to ruin it. After looking at it for a few moments, however, I was intregued. It looked as if he had really answered it correctly- no numbers repeating in each row. Wow, I thought, and quickly set to figuring out the rest of the puzzle. To my utter astonishment, he had indeed filled out the entire top three boxes correctly. Talk about one proud mamma! I called him over as I wanted to see just how his mind went about solving those boxes by himself. "It was easy!" was his reply as he ran off to play before answering my question. I really couldn't believe it! No wonder he is in the gifted program at school! I had to know more so I made him come back and show me how he did it. "Look, Mom. You always do it the hard way. Let me show you a faster way. Do you see this number right here at the top? If you turn to the back of the book, just find that same number. Then, be careful to match each number in the right spot, and you win!" Yep! I have one smart 5 year old!

I'm still here, just taking another break

I am so sorry for those of you who keep asking if everything is ok. I am doing well- just busy. Life seems to get busy really quickly and once I start getting a hand on it, life gets even busier! We have all been well, for the most part. I think my whole family is trying to catch a cold, but so far we've beat it. I thought Dallin had pink eye again when he got home from school yesterday, but either we got the drops in fast enough, or it was just a cold in his eyes because he's got no symptom of it today. Everyone keeps sneezing and coughing sporadically, but you can never tell with my family because we all get allergies really bad about this time of year.

We've had a lot of fun lately as a family. Cauley is done hanging Christmas lights (YAY!!!) and so supposedly he could be getting home before 2:00 p.m., but we haven't seen him till at least 4:00. (which is still a few hours earlier than when he coached football, and about 5-7 hours earlier than when he was hanging lights!) We've been riding bikes, doing crafts, shopping (always nice to have him to help with the kids), playing, and watching Christmas Movies. He even took me out on a date last Saturday for my birthday! (thanks, Steph and Brad for watching our Bambinos!) I have been really busy when he isn't here with laundry, preschool (planning and prepping), dishes, scout stuff, laundry, primary stuff, dishes, trying to get Christmas bought, laundry, getting us ready to go to Idaho, and dishes. I still have TONS to do and probably won't get it all done before I go, but that's ok.

Cub Scouts has kept me really busy lately. I have been planning, planning, and more planning. I helped plan this month's Pack Meeting because our Cub master has been out of town. Then I had to start planning next pack meeting for other reasons. Oh yah, I am also planning the Blue and Gold (banquet) which is in February. Can I just admit in the open that I don't really know what I am doing still! (Help, Susan!) On top of all this we have a bunch of trainings in January that I am trying to get all of the leaders from my ward to get done. I think maybe after February I might be able to breathe again. By the way, didn't I tell you I got released from this calling?:)
Primary has kept me busy too, but not like scouts. I am the counselor over scouts, so that is why I am still doing a lot with the cub scouts. My new calling is just doing little things here and there, which I find is a nice change from being so consumed with scouts!

I never knew that being a mom of older children (ok, mine are still young, but hear me out!) gets more and more tiring! Dallin has me running every which direction right now. I take him to school (for L.E.A.P) at 8 on Wednesdays and Thursdays, pick him up at 9:25, and then he's back at school for afternoon K. until normal time. I feel like I run around all day just for him. That's just for school! I can't even imagine adding an extra curricular activity to that! And, he's just one of my children- what is 4 years going to bring? Lucky for me I was able to get him switched into the morning class next semester so I don't have to go to the school so many times a day.

Tyli is a handful. She's adventurous and has a keen sense of knowing when I haven't had any adventures in a day. She likes to make BIG messes for me to clean up- especially ones that she can eat while making like dumping an entire large package of uncooked spaghetti on my living room floor and jumping on them because they make "crunch" sounds, dumping out a newly opened box of baking soda from Costco (which she LOVES to eat!) all over my kitchen floor and rolling around in it, or climbing onto the bathroom counter so she can get into the medicine cabinet and get the "hidden" toothpaste out to eat. Lucky for me it's beginner toothpaste, but still! Never a dull moment with her around!

McKade is still just as adorable as ever. He has been very bored lately, which leads to whining which I can't stand. He did find exactly what he wants Santa to bring him though- a silver truck with a black trailer carrying a light blue tractor. Why? I think he is a little obsessive about trucks that can pull trailers and he happened to find something with the exact qualifications(colors). He also hasn't stopped talking about this particular truck since he found it. Everytime we go to Walmart, or any store for that matter, he has to go check and make sure they have "his" truck. Today he sat and held onto it for almost 20 minutes- just staring at it! (Like I said- obsessive!)

Well, I hope you understand why I haven't written in forever. I didn't even tell you my schedule for this week alone, how I was gone every night at either a group FHE, presidency meeting, Enrichment, or other, and that my days were even more filled with a dentist appointment, preschool, getting my oil changed in my van, and many more "adventures" that also included the every day stuff like trying to be a good mom and wife. Hopefully when I get to Idaho I can upload some pictures because my parents don't have dial-up like we do and I won't have to wait an hour to publish this post. Maybe... But if you don't hear from me until then, don't worry, we're good.

What a fun birthday!

I have always kinda resented having to share everything my whole life with my identical twin- especially my birthday. It was never sung to just me and for some reason, everyone always had to say Jeni's name first. (probably because she's older? smarter? prettier? WHAT?) Don't get me wrong- I totally love, love, LOVE my sister, but can't a person have a special day for herself? Well, since I moved here almost 5 years ago (In January!), I have always had my birthday as MY day. I must admit, everytime someone sings "Happy Birthday" to me, I still sing Jeni's name in my mind.

Well, yesterday it was my special day again. yay for me! I woke up to the outside of my garage decorated with a sign and balloons (RS people?), ran Dallin to his L.E.A.P. program at school, came home and showered, and went and picked him up. Then I took all the kids to the Q.T. and bought us all a big fountain slushy drink. (an Icee basically) My kids think that they are the best treats ever and that is why we call them Drink Treats. We only get them on real special occasions, so my kids were really loving this! After the Q.T., we ran to the post office (I can't wait until QC gets a new, bigger post office!) and then ran Dallin to Kindergarten. The 2 younger ones and I had fun going shopping at Walmart and they both found presants that they want for Christmas, and then we made some thank-you's we took over to some good friends' houses. Then, for dinner, I took them to Sonic and we got Wacky packs for dinner. (Did you know that every Wednesday night @ Sonic you can get your choice of kids meal which also includes fries or tots, a drink, and a toy for $1.50?) My kids wouldn't stop hugging and kissing me and saying "I love you so much, Mom. Happy Birthday. I am so glad it's your birthday." Cauley even made it home before 8:00 last night which was an added bonus! (He's hanging Christmas lights for people right now- you can read about it on his blog, I think. crazyclarkclan.blogspot.com) Anywyas, I had lots of phone calls from awesome friends, and of course most of the Clark's called and sang to me (Jeff, did you forget? j/k) and that is always fun, and my visiting teachers stopped by with a gift as well as the Relief Society presidency with my birthday sucker. It really was a wonderful day! Saturday we are celebrating more by Cauley hanging more lights on our house and then Steph is watching the kids while we go see Twilight and go out to dinner. I can't wait!