The saga ends (maybe???)

So we think the Daisy "pregnancy" saga has come to an end. After being on edge for 64 days (the dog gestation) plus an additional 2 weeks, just to be safe, our beloved dog has been diagnosed with pseudocyesis aka Canine false pregnancy! Who would have guessed that a dog can actually make their body think they are carrying pups, when the uterus remains empty? We are not just talking about a mental/emotional condition, she full on had lactation, morning sickness, decrease of energy, vomiting, weight gain, boobs, and loss of hair on the belly, all of which are symptoms of pregnancy! It was clear that pseudocyesis is rare, as everytime I called the vet, they had no answers as to why Daisy had not delivered on days 65 and beyond. We should should have assumed that our first dog breeding experience would include the most freakish, weird and rare issue.

So where do we go from here? I guess we get a professional involved next time. We realize the Clarks just aren't cut out for dog breeding.

Sambo the Rambo

This Fall we've had the absolute pleasure of going to Sambo's (flag) football games! This is the first season he has played football and I have to say it was a nice change from soccer!
It has also been nice watching his dad get just as giddy about it. He, along with 3 other dads helped coach the team and I could see his excitement and love for football really show. I don't know if the kids realize what a football star their dad was in high school (what? he did other stuff beside ride his bike)? It appears that Sambo may just be a chip off the old block.
He started off the year a little nervous with happy feet, but caught on half-way through and played awesome. He even "tackled" a huge Samoan kid twice his size!

We'll miss cheering him on in the warm weather visiting with friends on the sidelines but look forward to more next Fall if he chooses. Thanks Grandma Judy and Aunt Jenny for supporting him at his last game!

Deer Hunt

This past weekend was the annual deer hunt. It's a tradition in the Clark family that goes back forever. Each year all the Clark menfolk (dads, sons, uncles, cousins) hike up to the same place and have one big glorified camping trip.




Last year Sambo got to go, even though he was only 6 (under the old rules you had to be 8). He had such a great time that he talked about it for weeks. So much, that Will has been asking us when he can go hunting ever since. He even asked for a pocket knife last Christmas, a sling shot, a bow and arrow, a BB gun. A thought that can be disturbing to a mother but after some reassurance from older and wiser moms that this is totally normal 5 year old requests, I realized just how bad he wanted to go.


Things turned out in his favor...the weather forecast called for warm temps and his awesome dad was more than happy to take him for his first hunt. They returned home yesterday and as Will put it on the drive home, "Dad, that was A, A, A, plus!" He wanted to stay another night or two in the mountains.






Dad and Grandpa Jim gave Sambo and Wilbur big props saying that they were real "champs." Sam was in his glory and is very proud of his boys and how far they hiked without one complaint.




























They didn't get a deer tag so they didn't bring home a deer (which is perfectly fine with me) but the boys got to pretend with someone else's deer.












They also got to practice target shooting with a BB gun. Here are all the little hunters in training, lined-up to practice hitting the target.

Sambo went from this...

To this...

Of course, as much as I missed the guys, me and my girls enjoyed girl time together with Grandma, Aunt Heidi, and cousins. It all works out perfect.

Snug

This is what happens when Sam is out of town and it's stormy outside:
First it was Millie at midnight, "The rain is so loud I can't sleep"
I say, "Okay, climb in bed with me"
Then down comes Will at 1:30, "I had a really bad dream"
I say, "Okay climb in bed with me"
Next I hear Quincy whimpering from the top of the stairs at 3:00, "I need to go potty"
Then she sees the other 2 kids in my bed and says, "I wanna lay in mama's bed"
I say, (with a big sigh) "Okay, climb in bed with me"
At some point between then and 6:30 Sambo came down and SILENTLY
crawled into my bed because this is what I woke up to.
We don't call him a ninja for nothing.

5 of us in 1 bed, snug as a bug.
I love it

Tooth tough

Look who's missing 2 teeth:
He lost both his 1st and 2nd teeth within a few days of each other. Sam and I were talking and we can't believe the difference between Will losing his first tooth and the older 2 kids. With Millie, her 1st tooth was hanging on by a thread forever. She literally had a snaggle tooth for months because she was so scared that it would hurt when it came out. She wouldn't let us even touch it because she was so scared we would pull it out. When she finally did let Sam touch it, he attempted to pull it out fast...and completely failed. He yanked hard but not hard enough and that darn tooth was still there. Now there was no trust! We had to wait patiently until one day she bit into a Subway sandwich and out it popped! The next 3 or 4 teeth were every bit as dramatic coming out, but now it's finally not a big deal. In fact, she lost her 9th tooth last week and came down the stairs saying, "I lost another tooth" calmly. She is a super late tooth loser (as in, late in losing teeth). She didn't lose her first tooth until 2nd grade, she was the last in her class.
Sambo lost his first tooth in 1st grade. It was dramatic as well, just not quite as much. He was too nervous to have someone pull it out, so he also had a snaggle tooth for quite some time. When it did fall out, he cried. But then he laughed.
However, Will, being in kindergarten, was chill about it all. In fact, we didn't even really know his tooth was that loose. We were eating at Chik-Fil-A after Sambo's football game last Wednesday (free kids meal night). Will was working on his ice cream cone when he excitedly exclaimed, "Is that my tooth?" and took something out of his mouth, wiped the ice cream off, and placed it on the table. Indeed, it was his very 1st tooth! So cute and perfect.
3 days later, he walked up to his dad in the kitchen and said, "Dad, will you pull out my tooth?" Sam wiggled his tooth a little, and told him to count to 3. 1, 2...pull! Out it came. Will calmly looked at it, and then "thanks dad" smiling. And then went on with what he was doing, sticking his tongue between the now big gap in his mouth.
It was so uneventful that the tooth fairy almost forgot that he even lost a tooth!
We love you, great man.

SS

SS...I had to abbreviate it because I can't say it anymore. But it's what I've been doing A LOT of lately.

Searching, creating, making, crafting, painting, sanding, staining, vinyl-ing, cutting, ordering, displaying, advertising, explaining, collecting (money), counting, re-counting, delegating, shopping, driving, planning, organizing, stressing, cooking, ignoring (the house), anticipating, and Loving (my calling, mostly).

It's Super Saturday, and it's in 3 days. Providing and teaching 12 different crafts/activites/2 cooking demos/a humanitarian project. 91 women. Breathe Holly.

Wish me luck that everything goes smoothly and that I don't forget anything and that the food will be yummy.

At least I am now called the Relief Society "meeting coordinator" instead of "Home, Family, and Enrichment Leader" :)

p.s.- None of this would be possible if I didn't have the most supportive and helpful husband who loves me lots. Thanks. Love you.