SIL'S

 I just need to say how much I love my sister-in-law's.

I am as big a fan as can be when it comes to Clark men. 

Really, I am. 

But Clark women? I don't know how all those Clark men landed the girls they did.

Beautiful, intelligent, strong, talented.

 It also bears mentioning the female counterpart to Clark men.

Nat.

no words.

While we were in Boise we all spent the evening with Jannie talking.

It was my favorite evening there. 

My sister-in-laws are the best and most beautiful.

And I'm off to spend a weekend at the lake with two of them.

cheers!

fourth of july '11

One of the good things about a death in a family is that it brings families together.

For us it brought us together for the best Nate and Paige fourth of july to date.

Our day started with a small town parade, as any good Fourth of July should.

Melba's small town parade to be exact. 

It was fantastic.

 Loads of candy, one truck even threw out hot dogs?

I don't know... but the kids were into it.

we hung out on grass while the older kids braved the streets for candy catching.

we got great seats on a church lawn and kinda just hung around after the parade while everyone cleared out.

This happens to be the closest town to the original Zeyer (who brig's named after) homestead.

There was a Zeyer family float and loads of Coleen's family around. 

This is her sitting with her 'kissing cousin' .

She really has this Grammie thing down...

smarties? Brig will sit with you for ages.

After the parade we head over to the little fair that was going on. 

There were loads of fair-food vendors, little dinky shops, rides, and games. 

Coleen knows how to give her kids a good time.  She gave all the couples $40 and each kid $10 and said "go get some tacos" we all blew through that cash happily.

until...

Grandpa had to rescue Brig

because his mom thought it would be loads of fun and an incredible photo-op to have Brig sitting in front of his cousins in the green can?

well I was wrong.

but Grammie knew how to make it all better.

 yup. 

She just handed over her fully loaded coke.

needless to say he took it for a joy ride.

After the fair we tried to drive by the Zeyer homstead... with no luck

then Brig napped the whole drive home.

........

then the fireworks :)

we all headed to Mike and Sis's for dinner and fireworks.

It was perfect. 

Ordered-in food, fenced in backyard, upper 80's, 20 some odd kids, and

a firework show :)

It's very nice having 10ish year olds to direct the fireworks.

Leave it to me to get John Philip Sousa orchestrating the show and the kids marching.

what? I'm my fathers daugher :)

the kids were in heaven with popsicles aplenty.

And we walked away with only poor Cleo burning her hand on a sparkler.

We all thought it was pretty good odds considering.

But the poor little tuna :( she and her blistered fingers had to go home early.

please... 

Savanna banana was a perfect host to the Nate Clark family btw.

This is brig's headshot for Huggie's new diaper collection.

whew

THAT

Was our Fourth of July.

AND

God Bless America.

7/6/87

Well it was my birthday last week.

You know they really don't have that excitement anymore but they do still have a bit of a glow.

24

Doesn't seem like a monumental year for me. 25 will be more so.

It does feel good to get some years on my bones. I feel like I've been running ahead of my age for a long time now and my body is finally catching up. I've thought I was so mature and grown for the longest time. Why? It's so boring and so not the case. I like that I am a baby still. 

My favorite game to play now that I'm a grown up? 

"What I learned this year"

My biggest lesson learned this year is how to be alone. 

and to be happy alone.

Yes of course I have a beautiful family and I really haven't experienced the real "aloneness" but I've learned the "independent" aloneness. 

It has been a process but I suppose I've always been pre-purposed for it.

My brother aptly assigned me "Rupunzel" as my Disney princess because I could keep myself occupied alone in a tower all day.

I laughed really hard when I heard that.

but 

I'm happy with it :)

 This will always be my best birthday present.

Carie's friend took this shot and it just made me laugh.

I guess you could call that look plastered on both our faces "the williams sneer"

We are only who we are 

 we pass down only who we are.

Happy Birthday to me 

:)

Maree Rose Clark

 We had a tragedy in our family.

My sister-in-law Jannie had a baby girl born with Anencephaly.

They knew the condition of their baby girl early on and chose to carry their angel as long as they could.

Her arrival was difficult with plenty of curve balls.

She wound up passing in her mother's womb.

The most peaceful and comforting place for her I can imagine.

 Maree Rose Clark touched many lives.

But all are still heartbroken she is not here with us now.

The entire family made it to the funeral service.

We would not have missed it for the world.

It was only family at the service.

It was beautiful, intimate, and somehow uplifting.

Maree's brothers and sisters made her this beautiful quilt with personal notes addressed to her.

Jannie held her little angel for the duration of the service.

Her family sang to her 

her little cousins were there

and her bigger cousins couldn't keep away from her.

One of the most beautiful things about this experience was seeing the cousins.

For almost all of them it was their first experience with tragedy and death.

Seeing how affected each of them was; the curiosity in the younger ones, the hurt in the older ones, each one having this new experience. But through it all, they were right there next to her casket, not wanting to leave her side. 

I can think of no better farewell than this.

The older girl cousins were quite emotional.

But they stood together. 

The last part of the service was perfect.

Misty had gotten a balloon for each of the kids to send off with baby Maree.

It was an angelic sight to see.

Maree Rose Clark

June 23, 2011

We will remember you forever 

and can not wait till we are all together forever again.

15 month check-up

At 15 months....
weight: 24.12 lbs (50%)
height: 30.5 in (25%)
head: 50 cm (100%+)

it was a hilarious appointment. new doctor... I think the nurse was extra new. She measured Brig's head 3 times would go enter the number in the computer then look really confused. She politely excused herself saying she thought she was ding something wrong and went in search of another nurse. Queue nurse number 2. She comes in and expertly measures Brig's head only to have gotten the same number nurse 1 measured. They then both turn to me and ask if his head is usually large for his age.  I see the lovely arcs of the growth chart and Brig's head-dot in far left out field. I am laughing hysterically inside, and respond with a resounding yes.
Oh I love my big headed boy.

You're a walking, climbing fool, and when those feet get going to what I guess you would consider a "run" I melt. You are terrified of your squeak shoes. You took two good falls off our front steps (the bruised head on father's day)You do the feet stomp when you get excited. 

You are a man of few words. Well, two words "Daddey" and "Hiy". 

Both of which are used to greet Daddy when he walks in the door. 

However, you sing along to "clean-up" pretty darn good. You quite enjoy hanging out in your crib babbling and trying to take down your wall decor. You're a sucker for fruit snacks. Since you've started walking you've become more your won person and are now afraid of strangers and do not tolerate them touching you. Swimming lessons were a bit difficult with this development. You also won't let me feed you. It's a "I feed my self or nothing" kind of attitude and I am a little concerned about your nutrition but also am sticking to my guns with the you eat what's on the table philosophy. Plus, when your hungry I'm sure you will eat.  Curse vegetables though... I'm yet to find one you like. 

Tricks? still not your strong suit. But you drive your cars around like a champ and are getting pretty good at throwing your balls and other items....

your cute though and 15 months suits you well :)

xoxo 

momma

McKay turns 4

Well this little man had a 4th birthday!
Not only do you not want to miss his parties cause he's adorable and the sweetest
but his mother throws beyond fantastic birthday parties.

I couldn't stop taking pictures of just the decor because it was so dang cute.

There was a petting zoo, pony rides, cookie decorating, a pinata, and enough delicious food to feed an army.

Unfortunately, this was Brig the whole party

:(

Who doesn't sleep on a two hour car drive? He just sat there staring at us with the most ornery face.

He did try to feed the goat though

and pat the pig.

Like I said, Carie's party are not to be missed.
A real live Pony.
Named Patches

We tried to coax our ornery cuss to go for a ride... we puled out all the stops. 

Binkie, momma, daddy, and of course Thomas. 

It didn't work :(

He was introduced quite happily to juice boxes though.

Thank you birthday boy McKay for being such a lovely host and offering a "pineapple juice" to Brig.

The birthday party ended with Brig and Cleo fishing for a few cold ones.

Then throwing back a few.

Our California Clark Family. Even though Carie throws a mean party, I wouldn't have missed it cause I just love them all so much. Our visits may be long over due but we fall into place real easy. We spent the rest of the day enjoying one another's company then heading over to Greg and Carie's friends who are so sweet and maybe live on a dream property. 

Bottom line?

So glad McKay was born so I could have such a cute nephew. 

We love you Mckay-kay!