Clark Family Reunion 2011

This year at the Clark Family Reunion we..........

Waited patiently for our turn to ride the horses.

The minute we put Benson on the horse he started bouncing up and down. He loved it!!

We gathered around the fire. We talked and of course ate many, many marshmallows.

Played with finger mustaches.

Although some didn't make it on our fingers.....

The kids all played in the creeks.....
These two were inseparable!!
And we found a king......
on his throne.
We practiced our bow and arrow skills...
And we made our family crests.

We had a really good time at the family reunion. We wish we could make it every year, but our vacation time doesn't always let us. I've been waiting to get some group pictures from my mom and dad, but so far it's been 7 months and I still haven't gotten them. I may just have to make the 12 hour drive to get them.

An Update on Our Benny Boy

Benson is growing too fast!!! I'm sad yet happy at the same time. He's constantly on the go. The only time he sits for a period of time is if he's tired or sick. He thinks he's as big as the older kids, and runs after them, when they are trying to run from him. His vocabulary is growing more and more everyday.
Some of the words he says are
*Mom
*Dad
*Doggy
*Hot
*Kay(for Kaden)
*Kennen(Kennedy)
*Co(Cole)
*Ja(Jocelyn)
*mik(milk)
*ball

*wa(water)

*lunch
*din(drink)
*stuck
*wh u(where are you)
*ci(paci)
*go go(when he wants to go outside)
*cracker
*co co(cookie)
He has also figured out how to open the back and front doors. If we don't keep them locked he's out the door running. We've found him in the front yard several time. He is a climber too!! He's always on the table in the kitchen, or on the kids craft/drawing table getting into anything he can get his hands on. He is really good at giving hugs and kisses. The best thing to wake up to is when Kaden gets him out of bed in the mornings and brings him to our room. He climbs on our bed gives the biggest smile, and just lays down on us and gives us hugs and kisses over and over. I love his curls, and big blue eyes!!!

Birthdays.....

Kennedy, Kaden, and Cole all celebrated birthdays this summer. We kept them low key this year. I made a cupcake ice cream cone cake for Kennedy and Kaden.

I still can't believe that Kennedy is 11, and Kaden is 10!!! They grow way to fast!!!
KENNEDY, is such a great helper. She is always willing to babysit for us or anyone else who calls. She loves to make cookies, or help cook anything else I might be making. We also call her our Valley Girl. She always has something to say that would be straight from Clueless or Legally Blonde. We LOVE it!!
KADEN, is the kindest 10 year old you'd ever meet. He's always nice to everyone. He's a Call of Duty addict. He's a great reader, and read about 10 books this past summer. We laugh at his comments daily. Just the other day Kennedy asked what a pharmacy was and Kaden replied by saying "That's where they do drugs" He's also a great helper around the house and with Benson.

Cole wanted to go swimming with his cousins for his birthday, so we went to the outdoor pool for a few house and finished it off with a Cars cake.
COLE, cannot wait for Kindergarten to start. He has the funnest personality and is such a joker. I don't know how many times a day he'll tell me something, and then say right away, "I'm just kidding" He's full of spunk, and is the biggest sweetheart. We can't believe that he's 5.

All Stars

Kennedy was chosen to be on the 9-10 year old All Stars team this year. She was really excited to play with all girls that were her age. She did so good, and we were really proud of her. It was really fun to see her play, and improve throughout the season. Her team took 3rd in our region. We hope that she will get to play again on the team next year.

The team.......
She wanted to decorate the car with window paint.

Her regular season team called her Pee-Wee power. She was the smallest girl on her team, and would hit the ball most of the time, she hardly ever struck out.
Our second baseman.....

Hitting the ball.....

Slacker

I've been a slacker in the blog front for a while now. So from now on I am going to try and post at least once a week. Whether it be blog worthy or not, or just be a picture here or there, or just plan bragging of my children, or the great(or not so great) things we've done.

So here's to getting caught up, and never getting behind again........starting tomorrow, of course.

Girls Night

When the boys went to the Father's and Sons camp out the girls wanted to do something fun. So we decided to do a spa/craft night. So we invited Crystal and her girls, and Susie and her girls and she also brought her nieces.
First we had to let everyone know that the spa was open for business.

We started off with the craft. I sewed some "sleep masks" with some felt, quilt batting, and ribbon. The girls then decorated them with puffy paint, buttons, and jewels. I also made them each a name tag, and place mat. The place mat was so they wouldn't get nail polish or crafty stuff on my table.
Here they all are getting their craft on.

After the craft came the girly stuff. Nail painting and make up. I wish I would have gotten the face mask stuff made, but I just didn't have time.

I think they all had a good time, and put on way too much make up. They are already talking about what they want to do next year.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game...................

For the past 2 months we have lived at the ball park. By lived, I mean we would eat, sleep, and play baseball!! If we weren't at games we were taking the kids to practice. Tale-gating was one of our favorites. Nothing like a good ol' hot dog while watching your kids play ball. (or pizza, subs, and junk food)

My girls are such posers.

Kennedy moved up to the Majors this year, and was really nervous about it. After about 3 practices we were about to pull her out. We decided to make her play because she had made the commitment to her team when she signed up, and boy are we glad she stuck it out this year. She did AWESOME!!!!!! Her team called her Pee Wee Power. Don't let her size fool you. One game the other teams coach told his team to move up, and she sure showed them by hitting a fly ball into right field, and got a double!!
Kennedy made the 10 year old All Stars Team. This is a great accomplishment!!!! Only 10 girls were chosen to plan on this team. All the coaches get together to vote and chose the players. We couldn't be more proud!!!! When they announced the teams, I think I was more nervous than she was.
She can't wait to play other teams in the state starting the first week of July.

This was Kadens last year in the Minors. He had a really good time, and not only did he improve a lot but his team grew leaps and bounds!!!! He was the biggest and oldest on his team. I believe that his team had the smallest kids on it in the league. They only won about 6 games out of the 20 they played but by the end of the season every boy on his team hit every time they came up to bat.
Kaden hit 3 home runs this year, and a few triples, and several doubles.

Jocelyn did her second year of t-ball this year. I love the fact that all the kids look like little bobble head with the big helmets on. Poor Jocelyn has to hold on to it every time she runs to keep it on her head. I love to watch the kids fight over the ball when it's hit, and I love to watch the kids run to 3rd base instead of 1st. I think that t-ball is one of my favorites to watch.

Easter 2011

Ahhh, Easter, the Sunday that the kids are all hyped up on candy, and goodies before 9am church. It's great!! I didn't get many pictures of the great egg hunt in the front yard, but here are a few.............

It looks as though Staisha, Cole, and Benny were my only victims.

Benson loved the fact that he figured out how to open the egg and find something yummy, sugary, sweet, and maybe a bit sour inside. The kids really had to watch their baskets. He would grab a egg as fast as he could and take off running as fast as his cute little legs could carry him. I wonder if I could get away with not getting him a basket, and candy next year too????