Little Kicker!

Today was a big day for Rylee! She had her first karate test to advance up a belt. She was totally nervous because she was told that the testing guy would "attack" her and she would have to use the self-defense skills they had learned. She was scared, but wanted to tough-it-out! She did so great and remembered everything she had learned...in fact, if you ask her to count to 10 in Korean...she can do it!! I am so proud of her for sticking it out and really getting into this...she is one tough cookie! Oh, and yes, she advanced to her white belt with an orange stripe! Work it, Rys!

High School Musical 3

The girls got really lucky and had no school on Friday...which just happend to be the opening day for High School Musical 3!! We couldn't resist...my friend, Amber, and I just had to take the kids to see it together! They have been so excited and counting down the days to see it! Karlee got sick the day before and was terrified she would have to miss the movie...but she felt well enough and we went!

It was a really fun movie if you like music and dancing...the kids had a blast and ate all the snacks before the movie even began...no big surprise there! What was really funny is that it turned out to be like a ward activity there. We knew almost everyone in the theater...even the whole Bishopric was there with their daughters and 2 of our favorite babysitters!

Then I had a big surprise for the girls when I returned from my "witchy weekend"...we stopped at East High in Salt Lake and took pictures! Brooke thought it was the best part of the weekend (she's a big Zac Efrom fan!). So here I am ... a big East High Wildcats fan!!

Witchy Weekend!

This weekend was a Girl's Weekend Out for me, my sister Brooke and my Mom! We had been planning this little getaway for several months! There were actually 9 of us...aunts, cousins and ourselves. We went to Gardner Village for "Witchapalooza!" and definately dressed for the occassion. Jake said my costume was more "pirate" than "witch"...but I think it turned out alright!

We did lots of shopping, stayed at a really nice hotel, had dinner and a show, and that was just the first night! There is a LONG story of my slightly crazy Aunt Laura and her daughter Kortney who somehow ended up dressed as a man (with glued on hair from her hair brush!!??) and a white trash woman (red heels and a cheetah print robe). Long story short...they roamed the halls of the hotel yelling out random things and causing trouble. The next morning we discovered that the 3 men in the hall all night (that we thought wanted to party with us) were body guards to none other than...Hillary Clinton! Yep, she stayed 1 door down from us and will probably regret it for the rest of her life!! ha ha!

The next morning was more shopping in Park City, sushi for lunch, dinner at a fabulous Italian restaurant. We had such a blast! Thanks to Mom for providing all the fabulous accomodations and to everyone for lots of laughs (I am talking pee-your-pants/tears streaming down the face- type of laughs)! Sometimes it's good to remember that even though you are an old lady with 4 kids...you can pretend to be young again!!

Home from the Hunt!

This weekend was the big deer hunt for the Clark Boys! Spencer can hardly wait until he can go up and have some "man time" with the big boys! This year the weather was very cooperative and the guys had a great time!
The ladies and the kids decided to go and pick the guys up at their trailhead on Sunday afternoon. The kids really just wanted to ride on the horses! They really enjoyed feeding the horses grass and apples...which warmed them up to idea of climbing aboard!

Yee haw!! They all loved the horses and made their daddy so proud! Spencer is definately a cowboy at heart! It must be something about growing up in Utah! He's such a "man's man".

Even Rylee...who is usually terrified of such things...loved being on the horse! Uncle Sam was a trooper and made sure everyone had a safe ride! We are glad that all the men made it home from one more hunting trip...they all missed Sean and will be so excited when he comes back!

Pumpkin Day!!

Today was all about the pumpkins! We went with Audree's preschool group to "PumpkinLand" in Orem. We went through a corn maze, played on some toys, saw farm animals (Audree's favortite was the "doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" aka rooster!) and walked through a spooky halloween lights barn. It was a great way to enjoy the fall weather!

Oh, and yes...as a photographer it completely drives me crazy that my kids will NOT look at the camera for pictures!! I mean really...what are they looking at??

Audree loved this ghost because she is a big fan of Casper the Friendly Ghost! We looked for him in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and who knew we would find him at PumpkinLand??

Then this evening we took the kids to the local pumpkin patch to pick out their pumpkins for Halloween decorating. Our kids do NOT like to get all gross and dirty cleaning out pumpkins...so they just wanted some to paint. I don't understand...Jake and I still like to cut ours open and cut a jack-o-lantern...but the kids just watch and think it's disgusting. Oh well...at least they don't mind getting a little dirty while we pick them out at the patch.


Notice Audree...she is totally famous for this looking into the wild blue yonder face in pictures! What is a mother to do??

Hee Haw Farms!!

For Family Home Evening we went to Hee Haw Farms in Pleasant Grove with Jake's family. The kids had such a blast!! Even Spencer just LOVED running around...he especially loved this red tractor he found and was the smallest kid riding by himself on the farm animal train!!
The girls loved the farm slides (built on hay) and the haunted farm house. Audree loved the hay maze too! We went on a hay ride where people in costumes threw candy at us...that was a whole family favorite!! Mostly they just loved being with their cousins! It was really fun because Sarah and Kade came with us...we are so glad they could come to visit from Arizona!

I have been SOOO busy with photography lately (I recently did an advertisment and it was VERY successful...which has been great, but I am just trying to squeeze a whole lot into the regular old 24 hours!). I really appreciate any time that I have to just hang out with the family! This night at the farm was really great and gave us a chance to be together without homework, cooking, cleaning or any of the other things we are always doing! HOORAY FOR FAMILY!

His Daddy's Boy!!

I don't know why I found this so funny...maybe because this is a total Jake!! This afternoon Spencer has been begging me to open the fridge for him. I kept saying "no" because I made some caramel apples and I just knew that's what he wanted in there. I was making him wait until Karlee came home to break them out. After awhile I gave in...the screaming, flailing and tears were draining me. I opened the fridge and to my surprise he said, "hot dog" and pointed at a package of hot dogs!

Sure enough, the tears stopped and he has been happy ever since! Jake is the only other person I know who thinks a hot dog is a good afternoon snack instead of a meal. This little boy is so hilarious to me...although the new onset of tantrums doesn't stay cute for very long. I can't believe that he is going to be 2 in December!!