Happy Halloween!!!!!

I know I'm a few days late on this but Happy Halloween!!!! We started the night out by going to Doug and Sue's (Dan's parents) and decorating cookies, cupcakes, and eating chili. We then met up with Mike and Angy (Dan's sister) and kids, all of the kids had so much fun trick or treating with their cousins! We ended up with so much candy!!! Mike took us to this guys house who gives out about 10 items to each kid, things like fun dip (my fav), cracker jacks, huge licorice sticks, large candy bars, the things that you would find at a convenient store. It was a 10 minute wait to get to his front door, someone in line said he spends about $7,000 on candy every year!!!! When he was done passing it out to the group he would say "Willy Wonka loves you kids" he was almost as giddy as the kids were! All of the kids took their candy back to Doug and Sue's and sorted out what they liked and did not like. Everyone had tummy aches by the end of the night, that was when we got our clue it was time to go home! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

A friendly neighbor!

Bryan and Cole sorting Candy

Cody and Logan trying to decide what to eat next!

Left to right, top to bottom- Bryan, Robyn, Rachel, Cody, Cole, Brandon, Logan

Pumpkin Patch

Cole and Robyn
Cody and his favorite cousin Brandon
Everyone with all their pumpkinsLook how far we have to walk!!!!!
Walking to the restaurantEating our dinner after our long walk!!

Every year since Dan was a kid the Clarks have had the same tradition. The Dad's drop the kids and Mom's off at the pumpkin patch and drive down the block to Su Casa (great mex food) and then walk back to the pumpkin patch. The rule is that you can chose any pumpkin you want, you just have to be able to carry it to the restaurant! It was really fun and the kids thought the adults were crazy!

Must be doing something right!

Yesterday was Stake Conference, for those of you who don't know that's when all of the wards in your area come together for church. This happens I believe once per year. Being in Utah I guess we do it even bigger, we had 74 stakes at this conference! These 74 Stakes were just from Ogden, Logan and surrounding areas! We were at the Dee Event Center (Weber University) here in Ogden. Of course we could not all fit so the church broadcast the conference to all of the stake centers in the area. We were honored to hear from President Henry B. Eyring, the 2nd counselor in the first presidency, the second counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency (her name slips my mind) and Elder Dallen H. Oaks.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks told a story that reminded me of Cody. It was about the faith and fervent prayer of a young child. A while back, first week of school, Cody was still getting used to where everything was at his new school. This included the bathroom. He got lost on his way to the bathroom and by the time he got there he had wet pants. He was to embarrassed to come out so he sat in the bathroom for what he says was a long time. He decided to pray, he knelt down on his knees and prayed that Heavenly Father would send his mommy to find him. When he was done praying a teacher walked in to the bathroom (the teachers have a separate bathroom from the kids so there was no other reason for her to walk into a boys bathroom) and found him. I told him that because I was somewhere I could not get to him Heavenly Father sent someone else to help him. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father took time out of a very busy schedule to answer the prayer of a 6 year old little boy. After Cody told me this story I turned to Dan and said "Well, we must be doing something right!!"

Break the rules day at school!

Today was break the rules day at school. It is a fundraiser the school does twice every year. They send home a list of 6 rules that the kids can beak, they have to pay $1 for each one or $5 for all 6. Of course the kids jumped right on this. They changed their hair color, are chewing gum, sitting at the teachers desk, staying in at recess, and Cody wanted to wear P.J.'s! Nobody wanted to wear a hat, understandably it would mess up their hair! How FUN!!

Snowy day

We had snow on Saturday- it was freezing! The great thing about Utah is that there are hundreds of indoor activities for kids. One of those things is the Tree House. This building is amazing! It is huge. In the center of this place is a very life like tree. On the ground floor there is a theater, mini play houses from different parts of the world, and right now a Japanesse exhibit. You can then go up the stairs that go up the middle of the huge tree. There are to many things to count on the second floor! One of the kids favorite things- you get to make and take home a craft every time you go! Bryan was asked to participate in the play! The story teller tells the story and the "actors" act it out! It was so funny and Bryan, as embarassed as he was, did great! (he's the knight) Dan loves helping the kids make things! At every station they had a fairy tale and craft to go along with the different cultutre you were learning about, the fairy tales were usually one's you were not familiar with.I was helping the kids with a craft and then they all disapeared, I ended up finishing them by myself! Snots!

Bryan

Cole

Cody

This was a kid size replica of the oval office. So do you think they would let all three run the country?

The boys loved making the pumpkin necklaces!

Cole and Cody had fun going fishing as we read the fairy tale about the ocean!

After we were done at the tree house we went and got the kids all of the snow gear they will need for the year. When we got home they couldn't wait, they went straight outside and had a snow ball fight! Sorry I didn't get any picks, I'll work on it next snow fall!

Update!!!

Well a lot has happened since the last time I blogged! It has been a very busy few weeks. So here is the update.

Bryan has played a season of flag football and LOVED it. He played quarter back and I think he's found a sport he likes and is really good at! He is now trying to talk me into "real" football next year, I told him he has a year of talking to do! He will start basket ball in January, he's really looking forward to it! He's doing great in school, I think a bit of maturity has set in. He's pulling straight A's and his classroom behavior is perfect, a big relief compared to last year!

Cole's big news is his baptism! He had his grandparents from Ca and aunt's and cousins come out for it, we all had a great time. He thinks he is the man now, not only did he get baptised, he also gets to go to scouts! He's been having fun with that. He has also been taking piano lessons from Angy's studio, we are told he is a natural with music! He's doing really well in school except for the spelling which I am afraid he got from me! He's considering basketball, Cole just does not love the whole competition thing!

Cole's baptism

Everyone who attended

This is how we kept Cody behaving at the baptism!!

Cody is growing right before my eyes! He is eating me out of house and home- I think he will be the biggest kid of them all! When his family from Ca came to visit we went bowling for his 6th b-day, yes I said 6th! He thought that was the best thing ever, he felt awfully spoiled that day. He is loving his all boy tumbling class at Angy's studio, his favorite part is that is favorite cousin Brandon is in it with him! His teacher says he is the best behaved kid in his class and she cannot believe that in first grade he is already reading chapter books! Cody has decided to start basketball in January he thinks he's really good, so he tells me every time I turn around!

Cody's birthday bowling party

Logan and Robyn would much rather play with the video games
All of the kids on Dan's side of the family

Dan and I are doing well. It has been so nice to have him home!!! Dan LOVES working with his dad and brother. He will start Real Estate School soon. My business is doing really well up here in Utah. I'm working a lot and really enjoying it. We just got back from a family vacation to Lake Powell. We had so much fun! We hiked to some Indian Ruins, took drives in the boat, and of course skied, wake boarded, and tubed. All of the kids got up on skis and Cody, the little dare devil, almost made it out of the wake! The weather got pretty bad so we packed up and went to Goblin Valley. I have never seen anything like it! Do you remember making drip castles at the beach as kids? Well it looked like those only as big as houses! We hiked all over them and the kids had a ball! We stayed overnight and delt with FREEZING cold wind all night. We came home to two inches of snow on the ground! It's been between 39 and 75 degrees since we got home! Weird weather. Our new joint calling at church is the nursery leader! Of course I'm excited, Dan is getting the hang of it!

Bryan, Cole, Cody, and our nephew Brandon- all the boys
I have no idea who's on the tubes, the whole lake has cliffs like this, beautiful huh?!
The kids call Uncle Jeff Superman because he can fly!

Dan, Jeff, and Mike arguing who's going first

Dan lost!

A cliff more Bryan's size

Trying to talk Cody into going

He finally decided to jump

Waiting out the storm in the boat

hiking to the Indian ruins

at the Indian house

jumping from a dirt cliff on the way back from the Indian ruins
look closely, you will see a scorpion- we found him under our tent at goblin valley!
Goblin Valley
All of the kids Dan and Doug

Business Rally in California

The President of lia sophia, Tory Kiam!!!!My man on the stage! He's so hot!

Me and my girls (Micheal jumped in the middle)

Me and Dan :)

Dan and Micheal as the lolly pop kids!!! We laughed so hard our sides hurt!

I went out to California this past weekend and attended Lisa's business Rally! It was so powerful! Lisa asked Dan and I to do some training, we were so honored to be a part of this amazing day! (Dan forgot to get a picture of me doing it!). After the rally a few of us stayed and visited. Micheal (who is Lisa's 16 yr. old son and has a show on the Disney channel- we are so proud of him!) and Dan decided to suck the helium out of the balloons and sing songs and act silly, everyone was so entertained! We have plenty of blackmail photos of Micheal for the future!! Who are you taking to Paris with you now Micheal!!!??? Dan also came home with me after the weekend and is home now for good! I finally feel like I can breath. I am not so overwhelmed any more, it's a good thing to be married.