Clark Family

German is 6 Years Old - I Can't Believe it!

2012-01-16T21:44:00.004-07:00

German had a 'Sports' Party on Saturday with about 20 kids! It was a great day to be outside and play games. We played baseball and sharks & minnows. The kids really liked playing with the football flags. Thanks to all of German's friends for coming and playing and spoiling him with fun gifts.
I never could get a birthday photo of just German, Scotty kept wanting to be with him - such good brothers!

I love how serious they all are about this present- especially Scotland!

January Hikes

2012-01-16T21:24:00.004-07:00

We've been enjoying the nice weather and going on some hikes around the valley. We first went to Papago Park and climbed all over those "mountains". The next weekend we went with our friends and hiked Camelback Mountain. Word of advice: if you start hiking a mountain and realize that you are the only one on the mountain with children, especially the only one with a baby in a pouch, you're probably in over your head! It was fun and if that darn sun hadn't started setting we would have gotten to the top!

Camelback Mountain

Papago Park

This guy kills me! There we are on this rock, enjoying the view, when Eli pulls out his goggles and puts them on. German asked him why he brought them and he told us it was to protect his eyes from the sun. Needless to say, the boys packed their own bags. On the Camelback hike Eli brought a motorcycle toy. We find the most random things in his pockets - I'm pretty sure he'll be the one to bring home a frog or something!

Our Christmas Holidays...

2011-12-26T20:12:00.003-07:00

This was our first year not traveling for the holidays. We have missed our family of course, but it has been really nice not to have to pack everything up and live out of a suitcase - the nicest part has been that we didn't have to go out and buy winter gear! We started the holiday out with a new camera. This picture of Marshall would never have been so crisp and timed so right with our old camera!

Some really nice people in our ward came upon some snow in Northern AZ on Friday night and decided to pull over and load up their truck with it. They came by Christmas Eve and built us a snowman. The boys were in heaven! They had their first snowball fight and taste of white snow. Eli checked on the snowman about 10 times, just making sure he was still there. (If you haven't read "Snowmen at Night," you really should) I loved that all day long people were driving by very
slowly and taking pictures or doing double takes! We made a lot of new friends in our neighborhood.

Getting ready to open our Christmas Eve pjs. Poor Marshall was blocked in the photo, but doesn't the fire and stockings make it feel like maybe we were in Vermont or somewhere very cold?!

I love these ties!!! My boys wore them every Sunday since Thanksgiving, and I waited until Christmas morning to finally take a picture - not my brightest idea, all they wanted was candy and more presents, not some lame picture! But they sure were cute all matching. By the way, the key to cute Christmas ties is to either make them yourself or buy them at Children's Place in October when you first see them, because they go quick!

Cute Marshall playing in his Christmas present.

The boys received a lot of Legos (and Duplos) for Christmas.

More Legos!

My 12-layer jell-o. Probably the most culinary thing I've done in a long time! Go Me!

Merry Christmas from AZ

2011-12-24T10:29:00.002-07:00

Updates to follow, one of these days!

The Scotland Jones: Hot Dogs & Indians & Pancakes

2011-11-20T17:08:00.004-07:00

This is us in front of an old steam engine that came through Gilbert last week.

Scottie is definitely an individual with his own agenda in life! We love this two year old! One of the best things about a two year old is their sweet speech. This kid comes up with some of the best lines.

We were all taking turns discussing our favorite Thanksgiving foods when Scotland piped up with, "My turn, my turn. Hot Dogs!" I don't recall ever having had hot dogs for the best feast of the year, but whatever!

While reading a Thanksgiving book about pilgrims and Indians, Scotland pointed to "dat neked boy." He continued to point out each 'naked boy' in the book.

There's a picture at church of Jesus breaking a round piece of bread. Scotland looked at it and said, "Jesus eat pancakes!"

Marshall Boy

2011-11-06T14:14:00.003-07:00

He's two months old already! I can't believe it. As I mentioned in a previous post (Scroll down for lots of updates), Marshall is a perfect baby! He's now 9 weeks old and about two weeks ago he started sleeping through the night - that right there is awesome, but he's also super flexible with our schedule, loves to be held, but also loves to just be by himself in the swing. He even graciously puts up with all of the many hands and faces that frequently get up in his business! And my favorite part about him is his laugh! I love it!

Eli's First Day of Preschool

2011-11-06T13:59:00.002-07:00

I love this guy! I tried to convince him not to go and leave me, but he would not be convinced. Eli is a bundle of personality. His teacher asked what were his hobbies and all I could think of was: PLAY. He loves to play. Animals, trains, cars, good/bad guys, kitchen, legos, sports, pretty much anything. I have often found him sitting at the table pretending his fingers were different action heroes. It doesn't take much to get his imagination going. He loves his brothers, but has a special attachment to this little Marshall. Eli is the first one on the scene whenever M cries or needs his pacifier. He often lets me know what M's needs are: food, diaper change, etc. Eli gives this baby more kisses than anyone in the family, which is a lot! He's a very creative person and tells good jokes, I know I will miss him while he's gone, just like I do G-man. Why do they grow up way too fast?!

Halloween!

2011-11-06T13:38:00.004-07:00

Did Halloween last forever to anyone else?! We went to a birthday dress-up party, a Halloween street carnival, carved our pumpkins (which we did way too early!), attended Joshua's office's trick or treat event, and our ward's trunk or treat party the week before Halloween, so when Monday came around I was tired of all the sugar and dressing up kids! Oh well - what's important is that they all had fun and enjoyed the partying. Marshall just enjoyed the good naps! (He's such a perfect baby)

Two Spontaneous Trips...

2011-11-06T13:21:00.005-07:00

The First...

San Diego! -See post below-

The Second...

Spontaneous Pneumothorax!

About a week before our trip Joshua was playing basketball and after a lay-up felt a huge shortness of breath and a lot of pain on his left side. I finally convinced him to take a motrin the next day, which seemed to help, so he just dealt with the pain assuming that it would heal eventually. After our trip (after he walked all over San Diego) he had a doctor's appointment where the x-ray revealed that he had a collapsed lung!

So he spent 4+ days in the hospital with a tube in his chest. It was a crazy 4 days and many thanks to everyone who helped with the boys so I could spend a couple of hours each day with Joshua. Joshua is doing just fine and even played basketball last week - proof that nothing, not even a collapsed lung, can keep this man from playing ball!

Our Spontaneous Trip

2011-11-05T16:45:00.005-07:00

We decided to take advantage of German's Fall Break and make a long weekend trip to San Diego. The boys are still playing 'navy guys' after our tour of the USS Midway, which I highly recommend to anyone visiting San Diego, although a pedicab driver tried to convince us that our kids would be bored to tears! We loved SeaWorld! Our boys are really into animals, so it was fun to see so many that you can only read about. I think "Shamu" (of course) and the sharks were the most impressive, but the penguins, otter, and dolphins were a close second. We also enjoyed a pleasant afternoon collecting seashells at the beach.

The boys enjoying dinner on the hotel floor while watching football.

Waiting for the dolphin show. Side note: probably not a great idea to sit in the 'wet zone' with a 5 week old baby!

We toured an old merchant/passenger ship where the boys dressed up like immigrants - I love Eli's face!

Clark soup! (We probably weren't supposed to let them in the huge pots!)

Can you imagine living in such tight quarters? I think I would like to have been the admiral - his quarters were cush!

Fun Fishing

2011-10-09T21:19:00.005-07:00

Our town offered a morning of family fishing in which they provided all of the poles, tackle, and bait and no licenses were needed. Joshua's been trying to find a way to take the boys fishing, but it just hasn't worked out yet and this was the perfect opportunity. By the time we got there the 'lake' was pretty much out of stock of fish. The boys were bummed, but all the more excited for their next adventure.

You might wonder where Scotland was. Just after I took the first pictures of Marshall we decided it would be best for me and Scotie to go exploring away from the water and wait another year for his fishing explorations to begin. Apparently, the thought of eating a soggy Cheez-it after dipping it into the nasty water wasn't disgusting to him (Joshua stopped him just in time) and he kept insisting upon taking his shoes off! We love this guy, he sure keeps us on our toes!

The Crane

2011-10-09T20:51:00.005-07:00

Our neighbor came over really early a couple of weeks ago and asked if the boys wanted to see the crane that was putting a new A/C unit on their roof. Of course they all ran outside! As we were standing there watching, the crane driver asked German if he wanted to guide the crane. G-man jumped up there and the man told him which levers and pedals to push. At first the man helped him a bit, but then he got out of the seat and German maneuvered the crane by himself! It was awesome - he was helping the guy for like 20 minutes! We felt this was a good excuse for him to be late for school. Eli also wanted to try, so he took a stab at it. Scotland wasn't as excited to be so high up!

Some Awesome Saturdays

2011-09-24T15:39:00.004-07:00

We've been enjoying our easy-going Saturdays of late: we start out with one of German's football games, then we do any necessary jobs, and then we top it off with family fun like swimming, bike riding, fort building, and of course college football.

Just to Clarify...

2011-09-06T22:34:00.004-07:00

I've received multiple questions/guesses as to the name of our newest boy. I thought I'd explain.

Marshall - Marshall Islands - We wanted to name this guy after his uncles Joel, Chad, and James - our brothers that we've grown up with and watched become men who we admire. But we were at a total loss for some kind of letter combination representing their names or LDS missions. This was quite stressful for me and occupied many of my thoughts during those restless nights. The day before I went into labor a genius idea struck: Go to a map and find the midpoint (or thereabouts) of their three different missions. With a little stretch, you'll land on the Marshall Islands. (Adam- after you go on a mission, we'll change his name if the midpoint moves!)

Erich - This is after a man we both knew in Germany who was always true to what he believed in and stood up for his faith, even though it went against popular thought and despite a lack of family support. He also had a great sense of humor!

He's Here... Marshall Erich

2011-09-05T21:39:00.006-07:00

September 02, 2011

2:08 a.m.

8 lbs. 4 oz.

20 in.

Everyone is doing well.

Just in Case You Were Wondering...

2011-08-14T22:29:00.002-07:00

Little man #4 is still not here and I have at least 2 weeks to go - that is, unless he decides to do things differently than his brothers did and come early! I wouldn't be opposed to that, but not until next Saturday night when Joshua's basketball coaching debut comes to an end. (He was asked to coach the young men at church and he really enjoys their camaraderie.)

German's First Day of Kindergarten

2011-07-21T20:58:00.004-07:00

I know it's early, but German started school today!

(Once it gets hot, there's nothing else to do, but go to school! Plus, he gets extra long fall, winter, and spring breaks - when it's not 117 degrees outside.)

Some of the first day highlights:

The Fish Tank - contains cat sharks, zebra eels, and a puffer fish

Playing on the playground

A mouse game and sitting on the rug

Happy Birthday Scotie-Boy!

2011-07-10T14:44:00.005-07:00

Scotland, Scotland, Scotland! What can I say except that we love this little boy! He is definitely different than his brothers and adds a whole new dimension to our family, which I wouldn't change for anything. Thanks for coming to our family! Scotland is good at:

Asking, "Are you okay?" after any incident, like sneezing

Knowing that exact point when one should say something darling to escape a negative consequence

Throwing a ball with his left hand and always making sure it's his turn

Making silly faces with squinty eyes

Jumping in the swimming pool

Making friends with adults, especially any who have candy

Playing with his brothers and dad - he loves to be one of the fellas!

Friends at his Zoo Birthday Party. We played animal games and had homemade pizza. (N's and W's - we missed you!)

Yes, I know I should go into cake decorating - it's one of my hidden talents - NOT! But the boys sure had fun putting on all of the animals.

Scotland opening his 'big' birthday present from his family. We kept telling him all day that it was his birthday and that he was now 2 and every time he gave a us a resolute "NO." He's definitely determined and learning how to express himself. He brings so much joy to my life!

The Idaho Portion of our UT/ID Trip

2011-07-10T14:04:00.009-07:00

We were stopped for a little while on our drive by a police escorted cattle drive - probably the coolest thing we've ever seen on that wonderful drive to Utah/Idaho.

We spent a fun day at Eagle Island State Park with all of the Hallbergs. The boys really enjoyed their cousins and constantly having lots of friends to play with.

Uncle Adam!

S'mores and a backyard movie at Grandma & Grandpa Hallberg's.

We spent one last morning at the MK Nature Center with everyone before they all had to hit the road home.

These cousins are all 5 years old (or almost) and will be going to Kindergarten this year.

These cousins are all 3 years old!

Funny Owls!

Scotland loves his Aunt Melanie!

We were able to stay a few extra days in Idaho and have some one-on-one time with Dennis & Annie and Grandpa & Grandma Hallberg. We visited the Boise Zoo.

The boys played their first real game of bowling at the SUB of BSU. (It was kind of a shock to them how difficult real bowling was compared to Wii bowling!)

We got a tour of BSU campus from grandpa - this is a picture of the boys sitting in the desks where grandpa sat in one of his classes.

We also got to spend an evening with many of my aunts/uncles and cousins. It was fun to catch up with them and share good memories. Scotland found his replacement for Aunt Melanie: Cousin Keri. He led her all around that night!

The Utah Portion of our UT/ID Trip

2011-07-10T13:09:00.006-07:00

We had a jam-packed agenda while in Utah! The boys did great being always 'on the go' and only had a difficult time once we were home and there was no one left to play with and nothing on the itinerary.

A trip to Hogle Zoo with Uncle James, Aunt Marilyn, and Aunt Melissa.

Camping with all of the Clark Family. German really wanted to help grandpa set up his tent.

We saved on car-space by not packing a tent, which made for some really tight sleeping!

The boys loved this creek, which was really high and fast! Of course, Scotland was the most interested- he is all boy!

While hiking, Joshua discovered a cave with an entrance just big enough for him to fit.

Provo's annual balloon launch with the Joel Hallbergs. Probably not Joel's favorite morning:)

The nostalgic tour of BYU. (They're redoing the bathrooms next to the LRC, my former place of employment. These are the couches in the bathroom/lounge area where I took many good naps. It was sad to see them on their way out!) We also enjoyed a nice visit and lunch with Joshua's great-aunt, Eleanor.

After a delicious steak with our former mission president, we headed to the West Jordan Rodeo. Our boys have really been into cowboys and rodeos lately, so we thought they'd really enjoy it.

Fourth of July parade, games, and fireworks with the Joel Hallbergs. Plus some yummy food and homemade ice cream and root beer with all of the Clark Family.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Hallberg!

2011-05-29T14:24:00.001-07:00

In honor of your birthday -

I updated my blog!!!

We hope you have a great day!

Pre-School Graduation & the Last T-ball Game

2011-05-29T14:03:00.003-07:00

German with his teachers - this is probably the only picture I've ever been able to take of G-man with a real smile on his face! He loved pre-school - I'm sure glad that Ms. Christina only lives two doors down so we can see her all the time.

As t-ball team-mom I've learned that the most important day of the season is definitely 'Trophy Day!' These kids kept asking me, "Did you remember the trophies?" "Where are the trophies?" I love kids and their excitement for the little things!

Aren't these the cutest brothers?! They sure love each other. They learn so much from each other, but especially from their older brother(s). This new little #4 has got 3 great examples.

Fathers and Sons Campout

2011-05-15T15:51:00.004-07:00

We told G & E last Sunday that they would be going camping with dad this weekend. I think German tried to convince us three times that Sunday the wisdom in packing the car that day, so that they would be ready for the next Friday! As far as I can tell, they had a blast and had a lot to talk about when they got home: forest golf, tug-of-war, Connect 4, and their early morning hike. These boys sure love their dad.

I think Joshua had a really hard time saying good-bye to Scotland. Scotie could tell something was going on and he went and got his shoes, kept trying to wear Eli's backpack, and then wouldn't go to me, but just wanted to stay in dad's arms. Poor boy! At the last minute Joshua was going to take him, but I reminded him that it would be no fun chasing Scotland around the forest and next year (I hope) he'll be able to follow directions a lot better!

So Scotie and I went to girl's night and he played with another left behind brother! S & Joshua got to hang out a lot Saturday afternoon at our friends' pool - Scotie loves to be with his dad! Scotland has taken a liking to the harmonica and walks around the house blowing his merry tune - he is quite the personality. I'm so glad he came to our family!

May

2011-05-15T15:29:00.003-07:00

May is already flying by, which is making this pregnancy also fly by. I can't wait to have that little bundle join our family - I know he's just right for us and these boys are excited to have him here, but man am I not ready for those first few weeks - aah, don't think about that Julie!

A cute Eli-ism: He was patting my belly the other day and then asked me if he was making the baby cry. I love that Eli!

We don't think he's quite ready to play on an 'organized' team, but boy he sure wants to! Eli loves to help at practice and he knows all the names of the kids on the team, so the games just kill him when he can't be out playing with German or helping dad at third base. We keep telling him that his time will come, but I don't think that's much comfort to a 3 year old!

German is loving t-ball! Each game his confidence grows and he's able to perform up to the level we know he's capable of. His reserved nature makes it hard for him to go out in a crowd and perform, but when we play at home it is evident that he has a real talent and love for baseball.

These boys love them some corn on the cob! This was the last piece, so they were sharing!

This is me on Mother's Day. I don't normally post pictures of myself, but I want you to take special note of the STEAK there on my plate! As many pregnant women do, I wanted steak and I wanted it badly. Instead of hinting around to my husband, I went out and bought it - now, we probably haven't purchased steak in two years, because I try to be frugal, so I have no idea what is good steak and what isn't. But I knew if this wasn't good, I would be bummed, so I followed around a man in the meat department who looked like he had had a few steaks before and then chose what he chose. It was a great idea - I highly suggest this method for any first time purchases! Also, my husband is the great experimenter and this time he scored on the marinade! It was delicious!!! I made sure to eat sparingly, so that I could make this steak last for multiple lunches and I didn't even share on Tuesday at lunch when German asked for more of that 'beef stuff.' Is that bad parenting? I hope not, and I do justify my behavior with the fact that I was sharing it with one of my sons. YUM

April

2011-05-15T15:19:00.005-07:00

Let's see...
April came and is now gone. I know we were busy and did lots of fun family things, but aside from celebrating Easter, I have no idea what else we did - so sad!

We give the kids a list of things to hunt for: a ring pop, a bag of cookies, one money egg, a capri sun, etc. It's fun because then it's not just candy and it spices things up a bit. I found these cheap video games at Target and they seem to have been the hit, at least with my kids.

Scotland finally got a minute in the bounce house alone! He's tough, but he's smart enough to stay away from the other 6 little boys who were pretty physical.

We have a three-year tradition now of celebrating Easter on Friday or Saturday with our 'AZ family', where we eat, play, and best of all - the egg hunt. We have church at 8:30am, so our Sunday basket fun was over very quickly and the only picture was blurry - oh well.

A Proud Moment for Joshua

2011-04-03T20:20:00.000-07:00

Scotland now says "ice cream" - his dad couldn't be prouder!

German's First T-Ball Game

2011-04-02T22:04:00.003-07:00

German started t-ball this month and today was their first game. No score keeping, no outs, everyone bats, everyone runs after the ball, and everyone gets cheered on like they're a pro! I could use a boost like that to my confidence:)

Eli also started a community sports class this month, but parents are only allowed to watch through the window, so no photos. He sure enjoys it and always asks if it's Tuesday yet.

We're Proud to Announce that we are Expecting A...

2011-03-31T22:23:00.002-07:00

That's right folks - Boy #4 is on his way! The only downer to his gender is that we have the hardest time coming up with boy names. If any of you are having girls and want suggestions - I've got tons, but nothing for fun little guys. We're really excited for this boy to come and join our team!

February in Recap

2011-03-01T21:22:00.004-07:00

Sorry to cut out Eli's face, but this was the only picture of all the boys that showed how Scotie fell asleep while enjoying one of their forts. Building forts has become a Sunday tradition. German even convinced us to let he and Eli sleep in this fort, which was fun initially, until 3am, and 4am, and 6am.

The Niederhauser's are always good for a fun adventure, and Chuck Wagon World, or whatever it was called was no different! They must have advertised their free weekend to more people than us, because the place was packed! The hour long line for the 4 minute train ride was definitely long, but Scotie sure liked the "choo-choo". We did decide to pass the two hour line for the burro rides, which was the coolest event there. But hey, the kids all got hats and bandannas out of it!

We also took advantage of the Children's Museum's Free Friday night. I'm learning that free events are not always worth it - I'd rather have tons of money and pay, than get all excited when I here some event is free. That way we wouldn't have to deal with every other person in the world who also likes a good deal.

We made this homemade play-dough (thanks for the idea Melia) one afternoon and it was the hit for an entire week. They still pull it out once in a while and entertain themselves so well. I'm not sure what magical power it has that regular play-doh doesn't have, but I'll take it!

Our BIG News!

2011-02-19T12:54:00.003-07:00

As one would expect by the title of this post, yes, we have some big news. Now, if you haven't heard from us personally and you feel that you ought to have, please don't be offended - we just aren't very good communicators, but more than that it always feels kind of dumb to call someone and say, "Hi, how are you? We're pregnant!"

That's right, baby #4 is on it's way! Now for the answers to all of the FAQ:
1) No, I don't care if it's another boy! (It would actually solve a lot of problems - like how to put 3 boys in a tiny bedroom)
2) August 29th
3) I feel good, just really tired.

The Moment You've all Been Waiting For...

2011-01-30T15:50:00.004-07:00

I like to blog like I have some huge following, even though I know the truth!

I'm not even going to try and catch up on such large events as: Thanksgiving, Eli's B-day, Christmas, New Year's, or German's B-day. We'll just move on...

You might recall my ramblings about our house being a lemon, well the main reason was that we had some water damage and would have to replace our entire flooring! That was July - now in January we have completed, well nearly, our project.

This is our new wood and tile, we also put carpet in the bedrooms - soooo much better!

This is what our hall bath looked like for a few days.

My laundry room.

The boys sure enjoyed the living room sleep-overs. We also were housed at a hotel for a week (no pictures), which would have been fun with the heated pool and all, except that my kids were sick the entire week - bummer!

Patience is a Virtue...

2011-01-24T22:34:00.003-07:00

A virtue that if you're dying for new stuff from us, you must keep practicing. Our home is in reconstruction stage and is covered in dust! We should be done this week and then maybe life can go back to normal - though I'm not holding my breath!

Happy Gilbert Days!

2010-11-23T21:15:00.003-07:00

When we found out there was going to be a parade in AZ we planned to definitely be there! Due to the excessive heat warnings we rarely get a down-home parade! This had the potential for a great parade - If only it had a few more than 2 junior high marching bands and a lot fewer "train your daughter early how to sell herself" dance groups.

Here are some of our favs:
Eli's choice - because he continues to dream about one day receiving a light saber!

This is a random photo of German taken that same day, showing his first painting of an actual something.

Joshua's choice - no explanation needed.

Scotland informed us of every animal in or around the parade and went nuts over these little goats.

You'll see that there is no photo of my fav, so please try to visualize 40 elderly ladies in cheer leading uniforms marching and dancing with their pom-poms to popular show tunes - WOW!

More Bats, Because they are so Cute!

2010-11-02T22:17:00.002-07:00

Cheeseball Attempt

2010-11-02T22:13:00.001-07:00

What can I say? I tried. I will never be Martha Stewart.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-02T21:59:00.006-07:00

Who saves pumpkin carving for Halloween morning? Apparently, we do! The carving was actually a nice family, pre-church activity. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Clark for growing the three smaller pumpkins for us - they were the perfect sizes! The sad part was when we got home from our friends' house we found our lovely pumpkins in pieces all over our yard. Why do teenagers still do that?

German loves bats and was pretty set on being a bat for Halloween this year, so Eli was also pretty set on being a bat. And if you have two, why not three?!

These are all the kids at our annual Halloween dinner. We enjoyed yummy soups and bread bowls and pumpkin custard. Thanks again everyone, especially Tiff and Dylan.

A Moment of Reflection...

2010-11-01T20:46:00.002-07:00

Please feel free to skip if you don't want to read my thoughts! A former mission companion reminded me that it was 10 years ago today that we entered the MTC (Mission Training Center). I'm feeling a bit old all of a sudden. I guess a lot has happened in those ten years: I served in Germany for 18 months, finished college, taught 3 years of school, was married to my Man, and have had 3 children. Okay, so I guess the ten years haven't been wasted. Sometimes I'd like to go back and fix my mistakes or just relive a few of those golden moments in my past. Thanks to everyone for being a part of my life - it's a good one.

A Crafty Post...

2010-10-17T21:15:00.004-07:00

My sister-in-law recently held a "pay it forward" on her blog and I responded and was thus given this beautiful pillow! I saw it in her house and said a silent hope that it would one day be on my bed and then what do you know, it was given to me that very afternoon and now resides on my bed. Thanks Ang!

Now it is my turn to "pay it forward" and so I am offering something homemade for the first 3 people to respond to this email, who will then in turn make a similar offer on their blog. (Disclaimer: I do not profess to be a great crafter/sewer, but I do enjoy it and I don't promise anything before the new year, but I am good for it!) Since our blog is such a hot one, I would act fast - mostly, acting fast will boost my self-esteem, so thanks in advance.

Last week my friend Jen and I (and her mom and our boys) got together and did some spooky Halloween projects. The ghosts are the old classic cheesecloth ghosts and the Frankensteins are made out of wide-mouth mason jars and have tea lights inside. The ghosts were more of a mom project, but the boys loved painting their monsters. German even painted the face on his all by himself (far right).

Random Photos From our Utah Trip

2010-10-10T10:04:00.004-07:00

We had a great trip to Utah. We got to go to Will and Amanda's wedding, go to a BYU football game with the Hallberg's, take my first trip to Tai Pan, and spend time reading with Grandma Clark. We also celebrated Joshua and my's birthdays, got to see lots of Joshua's extended family, and see almost all of our immediate families. Chad and fam - German asked us if we would pray so that Payton would know that we were missing you all! Sorry to the Hallbergs, I never think about taking pictures until it's too late, hence the one photo of G and Sydney!

Uncle Will and Aunt Amanda' Wedding

2010-10-10T09:51:00.005-07:00

Will and Amanda were married on Sept. 24th in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple - it was a beautiful day for a beautiful wedding. We're very happy for them both and look forward to getting to know Will better.

Unfortunately, I only got one photo of the bride and groom and it wasn't a great shot, so I won't embarrass them by posting it here. I did manage to get a bunch of shots of my handsome young men - aren't they adorable?!

You'd think with five shots, one would have worked, but instead I have all five beautiful photos full of personality to choose from! What funny guys!

A Bunch of Random Photos from the last Month

2010-10-10T09:31:00.004-07:00

A quick replay of the last few weeks (our trip to Utah will be in the next post!):

Joshua's second basketball accident in the last month - I think it might be time to sit out a bit - yeah, right!

Scotland is the messiest eater, but WOW does he like all kinds of food. By the way, he's still making slow progress on his walking.

This one is for Aunt Melissa (or anyone else) - isn't that a fun idea, a dorito covered cheeseball with olives?! AZ friends, sorry to blow the surprise of what I'll be bringing this year!

We went to a Diamondback game where they actually won (a first for us)! Don't you love the expression on Eli's face? He spends more than half of his life as a dog, so it's rare to get a boy smile out of him!

German is loving preschool! He is starting to sound out words all on his own and do some good problem solving with reading. The other day he spelled 'ciend' (kind) and 'hrt' (heart) - I think he's doing a great job!

A Clark Night of Firsts

2010-09-15T20:32:00.004-07:00

1) My husband was home from work before 5pm for no reason other than to be with us.

2) For the first time in 4 1/2 years one of our boys climbed into a filled bathtub fully clothed (the water had drained by the time we found the camera).

3) Scotland took his first steps without holding on to anything! We were all on the floor talking about a cricket we had captured in German's trap (an old parmesan cheese container with a Ritz cracker in it) when Scotland wanted to touch it. He stood on his own for about 10 seconds and then took 3 or 4 steps toward the trap. We are so proud of him!

Our Labor Day Hike

2010-09-14T22:36:00.004-07:00

We ventured with some friends on Labor Day to find some cool weather and ended up in Payson, AZ. We hiked, played at their town park, and went to 'linner' at Chili's (the finest dining in Payson)! Enjoy the pictures. And by the way, I fully intend on dressing them in matching shirts for as long as they'll let me!

It's Fall...

2010-09-14T22:34:00.004-07:00

My neighbors put a scarecrow up in their yard, so I'm officially declaring it 'autumn!'

What we've Been up to This Week...

2010-08-22T17:59:00.003-07:00

German's first day of preschool. I think he was a little nervous because he refused to pose for the traditional first day of school photo and insisted that Eli be in the photo with him. Eli was strong and didn't cry that first day that German parted from us, but he did ask me about 10 times when German would be home!

Our New Patio Furniture and it's box. We scored a great deal at Target a while back on patio furniture. It's been way too hot to actually enjoy the set, although we have eaten dinner outside once. We have great dreams of meals together outside in a couple of months. The box that the chairs were in has proved to have been a great investment. If I can't find Scot and the bathroom doors are closed, I know he's in the 'dog house'. Our friend Madison made us a window on the front door, so now I can look over and see this beautiful face smiling back at me. (Too bad he moved just as I shot the photo and then wouldn't pose again!)

Mickey Mouse Pancakes. We took the boys to breakfast on Saturday and as all normal children do, both older boys ordered the Mickey Mouse pancake. Of course it was huge and so they wanted to box it up and take it home for later. As we were doing so Joshua noticed that neither boy had eaten the blueberry eyes. When Joshua inquired as to why, German responded with, "I didn't eat the blueberries because I want my pancake to see where I'm putting it." What an imagination!

Navajo Lake 2010, part 1

2010-08-15T20:46:00.005-07:00

We just returned from a fun-filled three day camping trip with the Clark family. We almost enjoyed being cold, but we definately enjoyed the good company, good food, and good scenery. We were able to meet the newest addition to the family, Amanda's fiance Will. We're excited for their wedding in September. We're also glad that Melissa was able to take some time off and fly out for the trip. Thanks everyone for good times.

Navajo Lake 2010, part 2

2010-08-15T20:38:00.005-07:00

Our Three Camping Boys!

Funny Guys

2010-07-11T22:12:00.004-07:00

We're proud of German for learning so young that true beauty is found on the inside. While watching a Youtube clip on penguins the other night German started laughing when the baby penguins came on. He then said over and over "I love the fat chicks!"

We got Eli new floaties at Target the other day and he insisted on blowing them up and wearing them throughout the store. Then he fell asleep on the way home. What a funny guy. If anyone is worried about the sharks getting him, don't worry- "these are nice sharks!"

Happy 1st Birthday Scoty Jones!

2010-07-11T21:56:00.002-07:00

Our Scotland celebrated his first b-day on Thursday (and Friday). His birthday meal consisted of one of my favs, since he's too young to have an opinion and eats pretty much anything- Honey-lime chicken enchiladas. Both the older boys have their own special animal that they play with so we wanted to get one for Scoty also. The brothers picked out a giraffe and Scotland loved it! He kept hugging it and smiling. It was really cute.

Scot is allergic to eggs, so making his birthday cake was somewhat of a challenge. Someone said that sour cream would make the cake just as moist and yummy as eggs, but they were wrong! Poor guy- he just threw his cake on the floor, but he did enjoy the blueberries. We just had to keep Eli away because he kept sneaking up and snatching the berries.

Good Times and Nasty Pizza

2010-06-20T10:12:00.004-07:00

This was all German's own idea: the parking lot at the airport (get it? all the levels of parking.) He aborted the plan after Scotland caused an earthquake and none of the cars would hold still!

We treated the boys to some fun at Peter Piper Pizza (luckily we had a coupon for free pizza, because it was far less than desirable to eat!) They had a blast! Doesn't Scot's face look great? I think he really enjoyed being one of the guys.

What we've been up to...

2010-06-13T16:43:00.005-07:00

Here you go dad- a couple pictures of our house and a few of our boys:

We started packing our stuff and children about mid-May and finally closed the last week of May. Since then our time has been spent unpacking and mostly repairing a less than functional sprinkler system.

Our house has three of these niches (in varying sizes), which I think are way cool, but I have nothing interesting to put in them, except children, so time will tell what happens there.

Also, this 'yard' looked beautiful when we walked the house in May, but the June heat and lack of sprinklers make it look like a weed mess- it kind of depresses me. So, if you have any ideas please submit them. There will be no prize given, but entries are greatly appreciated. (This message goes out specifically to Stephanie W. - I hope you still check my blog!)

We're New Home Owners!

2010-05-30T22:41:00.003-07:00

We signed and sealed the deal this last week and the move began. I won't lie and say it has been an easy move, but I will say that I should have shelled out for a nanny! Oh well. Now we're trying to unpack and figure out what in the world is up with our sprinkler system and freezer that won't freeze. We kind of think the previous owners wanted the home that they loved and cared for for 25 years to go to pot fast, so they sabotaged it right before leaving - or maybe that home warranty might actually come in handy! Anyways, we love the house. Maybe my favorite part is that the boys' rooms stay dark in the morning and they all sleep until at least 7am! These pictures were taken by the previous owners with all of their stuff in it. I'd post pictures with our stuff in it, but all you'd see would be boxes and toys on the floor and dying grass in the yard. Don't worry neighbors, we're working on the grass situation.

We're Proud Parents Again!

2010-05-10T20:30:00.003-07:00

What a wonderful Mother's Day surprise! As we were eating our breakfast Joshua noticed some movement in the jar and we were able to watch as our darling Gravy came out of his (or her) chrysalis and was in fact a beautiful butterfly. However, not all creatures are born with perfect bodies and neither was our Gravy. He (or she) has one wing that did not develop fully, which inhibits his (or her) flight. Should we still send it out into the wild? We don't know.

The Annual Camping Trip

2010-05-10T20:15:00.005-07:00

Fun times were had by all! This was Scotland's first campout and I would not say he loved sleeping, but he did love to eat the dirt and play with the kids. He spent much of his time in his high chair. Next time will be much better because he should be able to walk by then. Madison led the boys in all sorts of animal games and joined Joshua and German on a hike up a steep mountain. Thankfully, Treasure did not go into labor!

Our First Family Pet... Gravy

2010-05-02T13:31:00.004-07:00

Week 1

Week 2

Last week we were given the opportunity of raising one very fine caterpillar. Since his adoption into our family he has grown tremendously and has officially begun the process of growing his chrysalis (formerly known as a cocoon). We'll post more pictures as he (or she) continues to transforms and eventually, in about 10-13 days, becomes a beautiful butterfly.

Note to mothers: this is really the ideal pet. It is self contained in this little plastic cup - no feeding, no poop to clean up, and you don't even have to change it's water. Plus, in two weeks we say our good-byes and he flies away to go and find more of his kind. I love an easy commitment! Oh yeah, can you guess what I was preparing as we named this little darling?

Eli Takes the Next Big Step...

2010-04-18T15:25:00.005-07:00

Last weekend Scotland and I flew to SLC with one of my old companions, Summer, and her baby. We attended the funeral of our mission president's wife, Sister Harker. Although the occasion was not a party, it was really nice to see some old friends and catch up them. I also got to spend some good time with my brother and sister and their families and Josh's parents. But the best part about the whole trip was coming home to a toilet trained Eli! I have the greatest husband ever! (Sorry, no pictures of Eli on the toilet.)

Here's the Update...

2010-04-04T16:16:00.001-07:00

Easter Morning

2010-04-04T16:09:00.005-07:00

We decided to send the boys on a little hunt for their Easter baskets this year. Scot was just excited to find eggs with jelly beans inside to shake, Eli was the fastest to discover the chocolate, and German was his usual responsible self in spacing out the amount of candy consumed! I love these characters.

Easter Hunt and Pageant

2010-04-04T15:50:00.006-07:00

We held our 2nd annual Easter Goodie Hunt and this year added an outing to the Easter Pageant held at the Temple here in Mesa. We enjoyed seeing our friends- it had been way too long!

This last photo is us with Elder Kunz- We searched for Kira's brother and found him! We were so excited to call and surprise Kira.

Decorating Easter Eggs

2010-04-04T15:46:00.002-07:00

We found an egg kit that had a lot of fun things to decorate with and we really took a long time decorating them. By the way, regular old food coloring works just as well as any kit!

Family Vacation - California

2010-04-04T15:14:00.005-07:00

We started off our trip visiting Oak Glen, an old Hallberg family tradition, and then going to Disneyland with Aunt Terra. We had so much fun at Disneyland! Eli has told me about five times that he really misses Mickey Mouse- Funny guy!

We headed to Bakersfield to spend time with my mom's side of the family to honor my Granny in a memorial service after her recent death. We enjoyed spending time with Uncle Don and Aunt Shirley.

The last leg of our trip was spent in Arcadia with the Lees and the Mosses. It was so good to see Jennifer and her boys- it had been a really long time.

Is He Color Blind?

2010-03-09T23:01:00.002-07:00

Eli is determined not to learn his colors. When I hold up two objects that are identical, except for color, he always guesses that the color is yellow- unless one of the objects really is yellow, then he usually throws out orange as his guess. It's almost like he won't learn them on purpose, because we are always mentioning and pointing out things of like colors. He likes to keep us on our toes.

I Love to Hear What They'll Say Next

2010-03-09T22:54:00.003-07:00

German has the greatest ideas! He frequently suggests smart ways of doing things (like teaching Joshua how to get the refried beans out of the can "the way my mom does it") or asks us fabulous questions. Tonight he asked, "Dad, when I turn to be 7 will you get me a man's toolbox?"

Such a Happy Boy...

2010-03-09T22:50:00.002-07:00

Scotland loves to smile and laugh. He gives some of the greatest hugs. We all love having this boy in our family. This picture is of him feeding himself his oatmeal cereal, since he rarely lets me feed him anymore.

Sick Little Eli

2010-02-22T21:15:00.005-07:00

Poor guy! I won't go into too many details, but the poor guy started vomiting in the car and was stuck in his car seat and couldn't lean forward to get out of the mess- so sad. Then I got him all cleaned up and he had another incident, followed by a few more as the evening progressed. I only mention all that to explain these photos of the boy. He kept telling us that he "didn't want to burp anymore." Like we had some control over the matter! He spent much of the evening sitting in the kitchen sink with his hands over his mouth, to keep in whatever might need to come out. Such a sweet boy!

What to do When Mom Steps Out of the House

2010-02-22T21:10:00.003-07:00

I went out the other night for a little 'mom-time' and came back to find all three boys in bed and the house picked up - what a nice husband I have. I was shown this picture and an accompanying video of the boys and their slide. It reminded me of The Cat in the Hat. (Remember? Thing 1 and Thing 2 come in and make the mess, but they miraculously have it all cleaned up before mom steps in the door!)

A Few Thoughts...

2010-02-16T22:51:00.003-07:00

1. Sorry, still no post-worthy footage of Scot crawling, but don't worry mom, I'm working on it.

2. We had our first discussion at the dinner table about chicken being made from an actual chicken and how it used to be alive doing chicken things. German asked what we thought was a great question, "Why does the chicken not say 'ouch' when we eat it?"

3. A suggestion: Find yourself 3-4 friends who have similar family sizes and food preferences as you and form a dinner swap/group. Three friends and I spent an afternoon together doing our usual thing- talking, visiting, disciplining children, etc, except that we each brought 4x the amount of ingredients for a recipe and then we prepared those meals and divided them out. I went home having spent the afternoon with friends and carrying four meals ready to be placed in my freezer- that was very fulfilling.

Scotland is a Crawler!

2010-02-10T19:40:00.003-07:00

Our boy has been on his knees for about a month now, but has only been able to move by turning and rolling - until tonight! Scot totally skipped the army crawl and just started moving tonight. He turned 7 months yesterday and has proved to be our earliest crawler!

German Listens to EVERYTHING!

2010-01-31T20:01:00.005-07:00

This is our family dog, Tool Box. I posted this picture, because it's rare to get a photo of German and his real smile!
Apparently, Joshua told the boys the story of Adam and Eve one night as they were going to bed. Then the other day German was working on one of his Duplo creations and this is what he made:

Please note: Adam- the repairman, Eve- with her baby, the bushes, and the "apple tree" all contained in the Garden of Eden. Funny boy.

Children's Museum of Phoenix

2010-01-31T19:42:00.003-07:00

I'm not sure that they realized that the construction work was not an exhibit, but boy did we spend a lot of time watching the men work!

Finally, now they can do the shopping.

German driving Eli through a "trikewash".

Painting the castle.

So, I thought the Mesa youth museum was great (and it is), but this far surpassed my expectations. I would buy a membership, but I'm cheap and will instead hope for a free culture pass from the library.

I had to drag my children from each station, all the while convincing them that the next room would be just as cool. I thought we'd stay a couple of hours, but we ended up staying until almost closing time. These boys have some great imaginations. Scot loved the little baby areas and was a great baby the entire day.

Sadly, I was lonely. I watched as all these other mothers were there with their pals, and I mingled with the grandmas that were coerced into bringing their grandchildren. Friends, you were missed!

A Sunday Afternoon and a Bag of Pretzels

2010-01-31T19:36:00.002-07:00

All I have to say is that I have one determined husband! This project was accomplished using only his teeth - seriously, no knives were used in the creation of this work of art. Impressive.

German turns 4!

2010-01-19T21:54:00.007-07:00

We had a rip-roarin' good time at German's Fourth Birthday Cowboy Bash. Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Hallberg's Christmas gifts for the boys we had the party pretty well planned. We made paper bag vests with sheriff badges, then we had some tough horse races, lassoed a calf, went to the shooting range, and had a bean eating contest. We finished the party off with some chili and ice cream sandwiches. My favorite game was the shooting range- we had set up some cans with strings attached and placed them at a distance on a box, then when the kids would make their bullet firing sound a dad would pull the string on one of the cans to make it fall. The kids were amazed at how their gun could do that, until Emily figured it out!

I was pretty excited when G said he wanted a cowboy party because I had purchased these ice cream sandwich molds at Williams-Sonoma years ago on clearance and I finally had reason to use them. Joshua mostly made them- he got excited each time one would come out perfectly. (Sorry N's that you didn't make it into any of the photos.)

My Ideal Winter...

2010-01-10T14:05:00.003-07:00

I used to hate January.

This blog background is the perfect page for my ideal winter: everything looks wintery and gives you the feeling that you need a blanket and hot chocolate, but then you go outside and you're in AZ! I can appreciate feeling cold and snuggly, but let me tell you it sure was fun at the park yesterday feeding the ducks and walking around in shorts. A few weeks in UT/ID every Christmas is a good fill and reminds me why I now love January.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-27T18:19:00.005-07:00

We're currently half way through our vacation and have had a packed few days already. We were able to spend a day with our good friends the Louds and meet their new daughter, Aubrey. Our Josh's sure enjoyed hanging out and playing with the boys in the snow.

Santa came to visit at Grandpa and Grandma Hallberg's house on Christmas Eve. Scotland sat on his lap and just stared up at him in awe and wonder. All the other little ones screamed and cried!

The boys sure loved playing with their cousins, probably more than all their new toys. In fact on Christmas Eve I tucked in the boys and told them to think about Christmas presents and stockings and German's response was, "But will Payton be here in the morning?"

Scot had his first "meal" and loved it! He eats the stuff up.

The kids had fun, but the adults also had a good time, mostly after the children were all asleep! We stayed up way too late playing cards and eating crab!

Happy 5 Year Anniversary To Us

2009-12-27T18:10:00.004-07:00

My husband is awesome! I got home Thursday night (the 17th) from a church activity and Joshua asked, "Do you think you could find someone to watch the boys over night and all day Saturday?" He had booked us flights to San Diego, set up a cool hotel room at a hotel that was formerly a bank, and reserved us a table at a fancy restaurant.

Thanks to Tiffany and Treasure for their help with the boys - start planning your weekend get-a-ways now! These were some of the most needed and appreciated 26 hours of relief ever!!!

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-27T18:05:00.004-07:00

Glue-gunning the gingerbread house ahead of time was a great idea!

Eli lasted about 7 minutes.

German lasted about 20 minutes.

I think I could really get into gingerbread house decorating.

Crazy Boyz

2009-12-27T18:00:00.004-07:00

These boys never cease to amaze me. German and Eli love to play together. Their current mischief involves a lot of dirt, water, and bath toys. But hey, boys will be boys!

Scot is learning to sit up and can almost support himself completely. He loves to play with toys, by mostly putting them into his mouth. He can also get up on his hands and knees and practices rocking back and forth. He is such a joy!

Eli - Our Big 2 Year Old

2009-12-27T17:53:00.003-07:00

We had a fun birthday celebration for Eli with some of our Arizona friends. Eli insisted upon a "backetball cake" for his "burtday."

Has it Really Been Over a Month?

2009-12-01T21:09:00.004-07:00

So I missed Halloween... The boys (and their parents) were pretty cute pirates, but those photos have been removed from the memory card and are now safely digitally preserved on our non-internet computer- sorry folks.

Thanksgiving was great. My parents, sister Annie and her husband Dennis, and little brother Adam drove down south and we spent 5 days together in the beautiful weather that Arizona is famous for. We feasted, Black-Friday shopped, walked downtown Scottsdale, walked a mall (just because it's a Hallberg thing to do), did some crafts, and of course - watched a lot of football.

I would never claim to be a master chef or even a great cook, but I will take some credit for making an awesome looking Apple Pie - it even tasted pretty good, if I do say so myself!

Scot

2009-10-30T22:34:00.004-07:00

Scotland is doing great! He's really a perfect baby. He's been sleeping through the night now for quite some time, he never spits up, and he's generally very happy. He has his spouts of fussy time, but I can't complain. This week he's started playing with toys and using his hands more - he tried to grab my taco last night! His brothers continue to love him and shower him with a lot of attention.

For the record, he's not always in a seat, these just seem to be the moments when the camera's out!

German's Soccer Class

2009-10-30T22:24:00.003-07:00

The last day of German's soccer class was this week and they got to wear their costumes to class. German was really excited because another friend was also a pirate. German had a lot of fun with these friends during their 10 week class, but I think his highlights will be playing dodgeball (actually throwing balls at Coach Adam) and getting a sticker at the end of each class, or maybe standing on coach's foot in order to reach the drinking fountain.

Pumpkin Carving Time

2009-10-30T22:13:00.002-07:00

Well it's now tradition to carve pumpkins with Clint and Marianne and Baby Jack (since this was the second year in a row!). Marianne's haunted house and Joshua's skull and bones tied for the coolest pumpkin and my moonlit night won for best use of a moldy pumpkin.

Eli spent the entire evening saying, "me do it" and so we finally gave him one of the little knives and let him do it, with adult supervision of course. German did a fantastic job cleaning out the pumpkins. And sadly, Scot went to bed about ten minutes after we got started.

Life is Full of Changes

2009-10-25T21:17:00.003-07:00

Why we haven't been posting...

A day or two before my birthday Joshua came home and told me that he'd officially been transferred to work in West Phoenix (Tolleson) and that he would be starting the next Monday. We're pretty sure that things were meant to be because our apartment lease was coming to a close and we were unsure about what to do next. After much searching and many sketchy neighborhoods we found a house to rent that cut Joshua's commute from an hour to 4 1/2 minutes! We've only been in the new house for one week, but we already see the benefits. Joshua comes home every day for lunch and then he's home by 5:15pm. I LOVE IT!!! (Can I tell you how great it is to be making dinner and not have the boys standing at my heals yelling at me for one thing or another?!)

These are the only two pictures we took of our entire move (I'm sorely disappointed with myself on that one):

Ten points to anyone who correctly guesses what's inside this box!

Our Trip to Utah

2009-10-25T20:56:00.005-07:00

Two weeks ago we made the long drive to Utah to spend a couple days with both the Clark and Hallberg Families. We made it to Provo in time for dinner at Brick Oven Pizza - a college classic - and a tour around BYU. Saturday we were able to be at Cousin Haddon's baptism and then go to a pumpkin patch with the Clark family. Saturday night our families joined for Scotland's baby blessing. It was such a short trip, but wonderful to see everyone (We missed you Aunt Melissa).

Thirty

2009-09-20T20:17:00.002-07:00

I turn the big 3 - 0 this week. This post isn't meant to solicit birthday greetings, but rather to express my awe at this new journey in my life. I'm not afraid or embarrassed to be thirty, I just never really thought I'd be thirty years old, so the idea is mind boggling. Weird.

We're Still Here...

2009-09-20T20:10:00.003-07:00

... but our computer won't read our memory card.

Update: Scot is growing, Eli is talking a ton (we call him our parrot), German loves to play, I'm learning to can more and getting excited for Halloween costumes, and Joshua continues to work hard and play basketball every Tuesday night. That's about our life! Pictures to follow soon.

What's the Dealio, Mighty Cougars?!

2009-09-20T20:01:00.006-07:00

We couldn't be more disappointed!

Go Mighty Cougars!

2009-09-06T18:09:00.002-07:00

We couldn't be prouder!

AZ Museum for Youth

2009-09-06T15:13:00.002-07:00

For anyone in the Mesa area... Some friends and I took our boys to the AZ Museum for Youth last week and I can't rave enough about it. We were there for over three hours and the boys probably could have gone a few more. They weren't scared at all by the monster exhibit and if anything it may have solved some of German's looming questions about monsters. I'm seriously debating on the purchase of a year pass!

The Latest Update...

2009-09-06T14:38:00.004-07:00

I can see why third and subsequent children have fewer photos of them. They aren't loved any less than the first two, it's just with so many more things to remember now, the camera isn't always on the priority list! I guess I have plenty of room for improvement.
Now that I have my own car during the week my need to get out of the apartment on weekends has dwindled, so we spend most Saturdays relaxing at home, building gas stations (or whatever) out of duplos.

My boys love their new toy... err brother. German looks forward to when Scotland will talk and hold toys. Eli will be glad when Scot can take bites of the food Eli is always offering. And of course, both boys will be ecstatic when Scot can growl back at them!

My first attempt at Mickey Mouse pancakes!

We love this little boy! He is so full of smiles and sweet little giggles. He's already so different than his brothers were and I'm loving getting to know his personality.

Bunk Beds!

2009-08-15T20:06:00.004-07:00

Wish us luck- thanks to a co-worker of Joshua's the boys received a set of bunk beds, complete with drawers, desk, and a book shelf (now we're definitely too big for this apartment). The luck is needed because German's up on top and Eli is out of a crib! I'm not sure I'll sleep tonight for fear that someone will get hurt. I guess it's time we let them grow up a little!

And yes siblings, that is the Benji blanket! German has claimed it and requested it be on his bed. Jealous?

Art 101 - Ooey Gooey Mixture

2009-08-09T14:12:00.004-07:00

I've been inspired by my artistic friend Jessica to implement more art into our repertoire of activities. I hope she'll keep blogging her ideas - hint, hint! [I tried to find that book at our library and there were no results:( ]

We mixed 2 parts corn starch with 1 part water. Then added lots of food coloring! German really liked exploring how the different colors mixed to make new colors. Both the boys enjoyed having oddly colored hands for the remainder of the day! [And the clean up wasn't that bad either!]

Four Weeks Old...

2009-08-06T21:54:00.004-07:00

Our little Scot is such a sweet baby. I'm really enjoying his kind countenance and his searching eyes. Each time I look down at him (and he's awake) I can tell he's exploring some of the sights of this outside world. I love it! I'm so glad that babies come out helpless because by the third boy there isn't lots of extra time to just sit and hold him. German and Eli sure love their brother. I can't leave Scot on the ground or anywhere within their reach unattended because he'll get attacked with kisses and hugs or nose honks and Eli trying to help Scot clap. I love being their mother - I wouldn't trade this time for anything!

California Fun Photos

2009-08-06T21:18:00.006-07:00

These are just some of the highlights. Sorry to other family members who were not highlighted on this blog - it's nothing personal!

Five points to anyone who can correctly guess what I'm doing while walking the Hearst Castle Tour!

Fun in the California Sun (and fog)

2009-08-04T20:59:00.003-07:00

We just spent an entire week at a great beach house in CA with all of my siblings and parents - it was a blast! I loved having my husband with me for 8 solid days (except for the couple of hours he and our brothers played a little basketball!). It was a colder beach, so we didn't swim a lot, or at all. But we did enjoy building sand castles, collecting shells, taking long romantic walks along the beach, etc. I'd list all that we did, but you'd get bored reading it. More pictures to come!

Scotland Jones Clark has Arrived!

2009-07-09T17:46:00.004-07:00

Scotland (or Scot) arrived Wednesday morning at 1:32 a.m. He has one of the coolest birthdays ever - 07/08/09. We're all doing well and just adjusting to life with 3 boys. Thanks to Grandma Hallberg for taking care of us and especially of German and Eli.

Speaking of German and Eli: German's biggest concern is that Scot won't play with the toys they got for him and that he can't eat all of the food German has to offer. Eli just wants to hold Scot on his 'bap' (lap) and asks frequently about his hat.

He has dark brown hair and looks like a good combo of both his brothers. At birth, Scotland weighed in at 7 lbs. 12 oz. and was 18 1/2 inches long. We already totally love this baby!

Nap Time

2009-07-03T20:37:00.005-07:00

Aren't these the sweetest brothers you've ever seen? I hope they always love to be with each other (and with their new little brother - if he'd just join us already!).

A Bicycle Built for Three

2009-07-03T20:32:00.002-07:00

Joshua's Contraption...

One neighbor commented that if we had had a tandem bike, I could have also joined in the fun!

This Week's Update

2009-06-28T21:08:00.003-07:00

First of all, No. There is NO baby yet. He should be here any time, but I'm not actually due until the 5th of July - so, who knows! And sorry Kira - some women take cute belly shots (Melia H and Tammy), but some just don't. I happen to fall in the latter category. But you will be excited to know that my ankles are just as swollen as they were with German, if not worse!

OUR HAPPENINGS AND PROOF THAT I'M LOSING MY BRAIN:

Grandpa Hallberg and Uncle Adam made a spontaneous trip this week and we had lots of fun. Thanks for spoiling us Grandpa! We had lots of fun relaxing, swimming, and hanging out. Sadly, I took no photos.

We also went to the Chandler Splash Pad with some friends. Again, no pictures; unless you count the ones that Treasure took on my camera of all the other kids (none of mine because we were in the bathroom).

Saturday we went to Canyon Lake to enjoy second-hand smoke and loud music, I mean nature. Again, I took no photos, but the largest piece of evidence for my recent brain loss is that I didn't even pack our swimsuits. As our friend Chris asked, "What's the logic behind going to a lake and not bringing your swimsuits?" I have no response. But the boys had fun playing in the sand and walking along the shore with Dad. By the way, it is officially VERY HOT IN ARIZONA!

Fun Times

2009-06-28T20:52:00.005-07:00

These are my two favorite photos of last week:

German and his friends, Maggie and Heath, having lunch on the porch in the kiddie pool. These kids played outside forever with some plastic frogs and their imaginations. It was great - and not one argument to break up! Thanks Nikki for helping me get motivated and get the baby clothes all organized.

Apparently we've reached the stage when if silence has gone on too long, you should really find out what Eli is doing. I found him wedged between the wall and our bed playing with his trains among all the technology in the apartment (we're not that techno-savvy, but this might account for the internet charges on our cell phones).