The Clarks

The Clarks

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Happy Halloween

M and Q in Hotch Potch Halloween hoodies
HaPPY HaLLoWeeN!
Tomorrow is the big day.  Today we ate bloody intestines {spaghetti and sauce} and rotten bones {cheesy breadsticks}.  Tonight we carved pumpkins.  We also made spider web treats, Jack O Lantern oranges, and pumpkin cupcakes for the class parties tomorrow.
We took pictures of the kids in their costumes on Friday so we wouldn't have to worry about it among all of the chaos tomorrow.  We also snuck in one last visit to Lagoon for Frightmares!
Yesterday, we went to 2 play-off football games and Millie's last lacrosse game.  The Fall weather was perfect!  Unfortunately the 4th graders lost, but Millie and Will's team won, sending them to the semi-finals next week.  Thanks G&G Guffey for joining us!
Last night BS and I went to a friend's house for another Halloween party - costumes were required so I wondered how I was going to manage finding a costume for us when I hardly had time to breathe for the past couple of weeks.  I saw this picture online a couple of days ago and knew that it was the answer...easy and cheap...and pretty funny!
The best part about this costume was that BS and I tended to stand really close to each other for a good chunk of the party.  Usually the guys group together while the ladies stand together and chat.  We really enjoyed each other's company and laughing at lots of things :)


And just for fun - here's the kids being silly different costumes.  They raided the dress-up trunk today:


Well, here's to a fun and safe holiday tomorrow!  Pictures of the big day and costumes to come.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Sports, and more sports





I don't know if it is possible to have more sports going on than what's happening at our place.  Besides the NFL games, college football games, and major league baseball games that are always on our TV, all 4 children are involved in a sport which includes AT LEAST 2 practices a week, each.  BS has managed to get 3 out of the 4 kids into watching the sports games on TV.  Millie likes to watch the college games, especially if it is BYU.  Both Sambo and Will watch any of them and get really into them.  Of course they cheer for whoever BS is cheering for.  Quincy has 0 interest :)

I myself like to watch games as well, but sheesh, enough is enough!  But wait, that's not enough because we also get to watch the "Sportz Filmz" of the boys' football games each week.  Yep, a professional filming company comes to each of their games and videos the entire game.  The boys really like watching themselves and learning what they can do better.
Millie has been playing Lacrosse, her first go at this sport, and the only sport she has played since soccer in 2007.  Who knew she was athletic?  She has always been a dancer {not that dancing isn't athletic} but she has some Bulldog in her and can be quite competitive...just needs more aggression.  She scored in her very first game and has scored a couple of time since.  She has fun friends on her team and is having a blast.  They run a lot at practice and that is good too.  She practices twice/week with games on Saturdays.  Playing lacrosse really came in handy this past weekend when we were at my parent's place and she was outside with her lax stick - a cute 11 year old boy from the cabin next door walked out with a lacrosse stick and they spent literally the next 4 hours in the field passing the ball and hanging out :)

Millie's team has won every game with the exception of 1 tie.  They will start play-offs soon.  

It was cold and snowy this day, the rest have been beautiful


#39
As mentioned in a previous post, Sam is playing on 4th grade team and Will is on 1st/2nd grade team.  Since school started both have been practicing 3-4 days/week with Saturday games.  So, we have had 3 games every Saturday for the past 2 months.  Though very busy and crazy, it has been so fun watching and cheering on these kids!  BS is helping coach Will's team so he takes Will to and from every practice which is a big help.  And we have carpool with 2 other boys for Sam's.  And carpool with 4 other girls for Millie's.  So getting to and from practice is not too bad.  It's just difficult to find a time we can all sit down and eat dinner together.  But since that is a priority for me, there are many days we are eating dinner at 4:30.  Whatever it takes.   
Looking forward, the boys have play-off games this Saturday.  So far Sam's team is 4 and 3 with 1 play-off win, and Will's team is 8-0 with first play-off game this week.  They just keep winning so we just keep going.  Quincy mostly likes going to all of these games because it means being outside and playing on a playground with other kids.  She also spends the time playing games on BS's Ipad and one time she even fell asleep:

My Saturday attire: Will's # on front...

Sam's # on back
BS's Saturday attire: Coaching shirt


Wilbur in action

Coach in action
After a big win

Family has been so great to come and support them.  Here is Uncle Shad and Uncle Nate participating in the post-game tunnel ritual:



And G & G Guffey in the tunnel


Getting some advice from Dad
All 3 play for Lone Peak
Go Knights!
  But we can't forget little Quinny.  She has been tumbling for the past couple of months and doing awesome!  She goes twice/week which seems a bit much for a 4 year old, but that's just how they do it. It's pretty cheap so I don't mind.  Her gym is right across from 7 Eleven so we always go there after to get a Slurpie.  I love watching her do cartwheels and backbends in her little leotard with a perma-wedgie.  She has such a solid body with thunder thighs and big bootie.  Love it!

 

Monday, October 17, 2011

Fieldtrip x 2


Last week I was able to go with Sam and Quincy on their school field trips.  It's fun to join them and watch them interact with the other kids.  The 4th graders went to "This is the Place Park" and the Pre-Schoolers went to a Pumpkinland at Vineyard Farms.  Both were really fun!

This is The Place:
I am a bit ashamed to admit that we haven't taken the kids to this park.  I had no idea about this place.  It was fun learning about the Pioneers in their original buildings - homes, school, hospital, and blacksmith shop.  We went on a train ride tour, watched a blacksmith make cool stuff, learned how to square dance, sat at real school desks, and pushed hand carts among other stuff.

On the bus with Mason, Max, Jared
And me...I'm glad he is still willing to let me sit by him and his friends. Some of the other parents were booted to sit by themselves or with a teacher.


Famous statue of Brigham Young


Acting like Ralphy


He was lucky to be grouped with 2 of his crushes.  In the background is his teacher Mr. Sessions

In the schoolhouse - black slates and all
I promised him I wouldn't post the video of him square dancing!

Pumpkinland:
This is a gem of a place in Lindon {I think}.  We went through a corn maze, through a dark building with colorful lights inside, played on the playground, played on a giant pumpkin slide, saw and pet lots of animals, and picked out a pumpkin.  Really cute place!  Every time the kids saw a picture of a black cat they sang the "Halloween Cat" song.  Quin really got into that!  Boy does she love to sing.


She was not a fan of the chicken and bunny stink!
Corn Maze








Thursday, October 13, 2011

It's What Fun Is!

Sky Ride at Lagoon
Rather than posting about each time we went to Lagoon this Summer and Fall, I am grouping them all together.  We went with friends, we went with cousins, we went with just our family.  We love Lagoon, and we keep finding outselves buying season passes year after year.  You only have to go twice in 5 months for it to pay off!  During the Summer, we especially love going at about 6:00 pm, right after dinner, until close.  It's not as hot, the lights come on, and the crowds aren't bad.  In the Fall we love going to Frightmares!  It's spooky and they do a great job on the decorations, haunted houses, and shows. And who doesn't love being outside in the colorful, crisp Fall weather in hoodies with pumpkins all around?
Here are photos from 2011 Lagoon visits.  I admit I didn't do a good job at taking pictures this year.  I didn't want to haul my camera around, and what pics I did take were with my cell phone.  And most of them seem to be of Quincy for some reason :)

Jenny, Sambo, Will, BS ride the Rocket!
Wicked!  Cambree, Will, Nate, Sambo in 2nd ros
Will rode Colossus for the first time...loved it!

Mmmm Churro





Of course Q picked the kitty!

Karlee & Millie on the Dinosaur Drop

Spencer & Quin
Dragonfly Swings





Q, Spencer, Kade

Riding Puff
Kade & Q on Bumper Cars
Brady & Sarah on the stinky Choo Choo Train
Audree, Rylee, Spencer
Big Bumper Cars
Kars, Rys
Silly Boys waiting to get on Jet Star 2
I love these guys!
Alix, Bode, Q on the swings again
Will & Cole
Morann & Millie @ Frightmares
Creepy Guy behind Sambo (Werewolf), Will, Tristan,
Jack, Millie, & Skye
Sambo, Cantor, Taylon, Will outside the Clown Haunted House
Never too old for Bumper Cars
Q, Tristan, Kalob, M, Skye, W, Jack, S