{Happy Birthday Neil}

Sunday was Neil's 31st Birthday. We were lucky enough to be the speakers in sacrament that day (mean huh who agrees to speak on your birthday) so we had a little party after with the parents and siblings who came to sacrament. We had a fun day, although, I had a little accident. I was pouring the hot water off the potatoes, and didn't realize my belly was sticking over the sink. Oh well. I will have a little war wound to show this kid someday.

I never know what these two are going to put on. Their new thing is to pull all of the bedding off of my bed and go swimming. So if you come to our house be prepared. You never know when there is a shark hiding around the corner.

{clock}

My blue living room. I get serious mixed reactions from this room. Some people love it others hate it. I think its fabulous.

My friend Teresa got this clock for her birthday, but has not been able to see it yet since it is back ordered until the end of February. So here is a picture of mine so she has some sort of idea what she is getting. :) Happy Birthday T. Love You

I thought this picture was funny. We had our friends Bree and James over last week and Big Avery and little Avree found my old clogging costumes. They looked extra beautiful. ( Man, Che and Megan does this make you think Slink or what :)

I have serious issues

I have decided that I either have some serious issues, or I am nesting eight weeks too soon. We have only lived in our house for two months, and already I am itching to repaint and redecorate the rooms. I don't think this is normal, and Neil is dreading coming home, because I am waiting for him with a new can of paint, and fresh brushes. (because of course I wouldn't want to do it at eight months pregnant :) Poor guy.

{Last year in a nutshell}

I saw this on a blog and thought that it would be good to do for journal purposes. Since I can't remember anything from one year to the next.

What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Bought a cute little bike, and carted my kids everywhere! Went to a Neil Diamond Concert!
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Nope and double Nope. I never make New Year's resolutions. I think they are stupid. I just try to set goals throughout the year. For those that know me well you will know that I am a procrastinator. So I have to set small little goals, and get them done. Then I move onto the next.
What places did you visit?
We took the kids to Disneyland.
What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Well I don't know things are looking pretty good. We finally got a home. I guess we will have a new little member in our family. So that is a pretty big change for 2009.
What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The first one that comes to mind is February 17th. The one year day of Nic passing away. It was a milestone for me. I had survived a year. Also the day I told Neil I was expecting our first baby together. He was a little shocked (we weren't really expecting it). But he was so excited. He had waited a long time for this little one.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
A little sad, but I can't really think of anything. I guess I was pretty good at attending the temple regularly, and I tried really hard to do fun things with my kids everyday last summer.
What was the best thing you bought?
No question A HOUSE! Although we technically didn't close until 2009.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Taking Avery to see the princesses, kicking my mom and dad's rear ends at spades, our Thursday night Office parties with Bree and James, of course NEIL DIAMOND, Having a baby, and moving into our first house. (which is weird since I have lived here most of my life.
What song will always remind you of 2008?
Sweet Caroline and the Mamma Mia soundtrack
Compared to this time last year, you are:
Definitely a lot rounder
What was your favorite TV program?
Oh everything. I am a TV addict. I loved Grey's anatomy, American Idol, the Bachelor, Ugly Betty, The Office and about anything else that was on at the time.
What was the best book you read?
I loved the Twilight Series, and Goose Girl.
What did you want and got?
A house
What did you do on your birthday?
Went to Lunch with my fam, attended Mason's first soccer game, and then went to supper with Neil.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If I lived next door to Teresa still, and if we could have gone on our anniversary trip we had planned. We had to cancel it because Neil was right in the middle of a big job.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Pretty casual. I have decided that once you have kids your fashion goes down hill a little. But, I do own a couple pairs of leggins, a few scarves, and a few lingerie looking shirts (which I love, and everyone teases me) But for the most part it is jeans and a cute shirt. No frills anymore.
What kept you sane?
Neil and the Gospel. I still have some pretty sad days, and Neil is so supportive. And I am so glad that I always have the gospel to lean on. Also my sweet sisters, mom, and friends who let me call and complain to them.
Where did you live in 2008?
Our town house in Rexburg, and our New House in St. Anthony.
What political issue stirred you the most?
Definitely the Presidential election
Who did you miss?
Nic. I would give anything some moments just to see his smile, hear his laugh, or get a big Nic hug from him. I especially miss him when our kids do something cute or monumental. I always wish that I could see his reaction to it. I also miss all of my friends that I have left behind with every move. Luckily I have stayed fairly close to all of them. But, I miss being able to see them everyday. It's just not the same when you live in different states.
Who have you met this year?
All of my new friends from the Rexburg 12th and 13th ward. We also met Bree and James. They have been such good friends to us. And, introduced us to our new life love. The Office! I also met Neil's entire Koyle Family. They are huge, loud, and an absolute blast.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Research your mortgage company thoroughly before you use them!

{HOLIDAY RECAP 2008}

We had a fun holiday season this year. Of course when you add together three sets of parents it equals lots of running. We were trading off between the three families for a week strait, and loved it. It left us with lots of pictures and fun memories. I just realized these pictures are chronologically backwards. OH Well!

We went sledding with the Parkinsons on New Years Day. Neil's brother Scott was here from Colorado, and the kids had a ton of fun playing with all of their new cousins. It was really cold, and windy, so I thought my kids wouldn't last very long. I was wrong! They sledded for most of the day, and were mad when we told them it was time to leave.

Breanna, Whitney, Jessica, and Mason

We had a New Year's Eve party at our house with the Parkinsons.

Brooke. She had found our trunk of endless costumes

Kristy, Gladys, and Lori

Curtis, Neil, and Lindsey in the back

Braide, Taylor, Scott, and Amy

Mike turned 51 this year so we had a grand old time celebrating at Green Canyon followed by a little pizza.

Parkinson Christmas Party

All the grand kids

We went to a few Christmas parties this year where people had made slippers out of maxi pads for gag gifts. Neil decided to take this to the next level. Who wouldn't want a bomber hat made out of feminine hygiene products. I am sure Polaris would be really proud. (No one would even wear it but Neil)

Sledding at our house

Ryen, Mason, and Avery being pulled behind the snow machine

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Daniels'

Avery and Ryen showing off their hula costumes

Chris opening up his sweater we got him

Baby hallie opening her gift

Christmas Morning

Shocker! Mason asked for more costumes for Christmas

Christmas Eve

We had a really fun Christmas Eve this year. Nic's Grandma Donna had a party and invited my parents, Neil's parents, Nic's parents, and his grandparents. It was so nice. We were able to spend it with everyone, and not feel like we had to run. I am so grateful that all three families get along so well, and for the effort that they have all made to make us one family. After the party we went and delivered gifts to our secret families, followed by jammies at Suey's.

The new jammies

Crapo Christmas Party where a very special visitor showed up.

We hope you all had a very merry Christmas, and happy New Year. I am so grateful for all of the blessings that we have been blessed with this last year. I am especially grateful for the Parkinson, Steinmanns, and my own family. We love you very much and had a blast with you over the holidays.

BABY TONIGHT

Two weeks ago I attended the NEIL DIAMOND CONCERT! Can I hear a So good, So good, So good, (you have to attend a concert to know that he adds that to one of his songs!) Anyway, the Neil Diamond fetish started years ago when our moms use to rock out to Neil Baby. We used to all pretend that we hated him, and tease that he was so old he was dying of cancer. Really though we were becoming huge Neil fans ourselves. About three years ago (when I was living in SLC) I saw a Neil commercial come on for his concert. So the clark granddaughters bought my mom and her sisters tickets. They had a ball and even made it on the news.


(Sorry Linda I couldn't resist putting this on)

Now three years later Neil baby returned to Zion, and we were all able to attend.It was fabulous. Che' made us t shirts with nicknames on the back, and we marched in there as Neil's number one fan-ily.





The shirt! Half way into the concert Che' got all upset because she wished she would have put an arrow on mine that said "This is Neil's baby" the extra funny part is that it is Neil's baby.


The whole fam after the concert. We definitly look like we had been dancing and singing up a storm for two hours.



The concert was so fun. Who knew that old Neil baby could still move those hips like a twenty year old. He even took his jacket off and slung it across the stage at one point. It was so much fun and I can't wait to go again. Because "Neil's got the way to move me Sherry."

What's Cookin

I have had nothing to post about FOREVER so I thought I would put this cute Pic up. Nicole Nelson took it for me. She needed models for her photography class, and I was thrilled when she asked my kids. I absolutely loved the finished result.
Other than that nothing much has been going on here. We are finally in the house, but I am having a seriously hard time decorating. My mom and I have a lot of the same tastes, so I feel like everything I do looks just like she had it. I think it is time for new decorations. Expecially since a lot of mine are hand me downs from her, and are finding themselves back in thier original place which is just WIERD. Both of the kids have the croupe so it looks like we are going to be staying home for a few days. Anyway, sorry for the boring post. Hopefully soon I will be able to put pics up of the house.

Happy Rockidays

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

IT'S A ????????????

WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA! I know this is a shocker for most of you because I hate surprises, and I can't keep a good secret! Most of you even doubted that I would have the willpower to not be told what the baby is. BUT WE DID IT!

Now Suey on the other hand is a totally different story. She tagged along to the ultrasound (just kidding I wanted her to go with me). But after it was all over she looked at me and said "I have to go out to the bathroom." As I leave the room a few minutes later (after talking to the doctor) What do I find? Suey chatting with the ultra-sound tech. So basically she knows what the baby is and Neil and I don't. She of course thinks this is extremely funny. As I was getting out of her car she yelled " Your having .... long drawn out pause..... a baby! Followed by her famous cackle. Don't go trying to get it out of her though. I will be furious if I have this baby and I am the only one in the fam that doesn't know its sex.

Anyway, everything looked really good. I am excited to find out what it is in FOUR months!

{A little update}

I have been terrible at blogging lately. This is mostly because I have been spending everyday at the house trying to get it ready for the big move. Here is what we have done so far. The dining room and kitchen are now brown, the living room is blue, my room is a horrendous color of green and brown (which is getting repainted today), and Avery's room is pink striped. We have replaced the chandelier in the dining room, all of the cupboard hardware, and the doorknobs. Carpet was supposed to be lay ed today until my little brother-in-law texted a picture of snow to my carpet layer, and he was out of there to go snowmachinig with him. (don't worry I will make Robbie pay for it when it comes time to build furniture, he is my new little handyman) Neil is ripping out all of the old paneling in the upstairs and installing bead board, and I am painting all of the upstairs cupboards. It has been a lot of work! It is starting to look really good though, and is feeling more like our house instead of my mom's. Thank you so much to all of you that have helped me paint. I will post pictures as soon as we are in. Hopefully next weekend!

{Sometimes you just need your nails painted}

She looks a little rough. She had been crying for an hour.


The other night Mason spent the night at Grandma Kim's and Avery came home. She was so distraught. When we got home she ran upstairs, and was crying to Neil. I was down cooking dinner, and I heard her yelling down the stairs. She came running down screaming "Neil painted my nails and drew polka dots on them." I guess sometimes you just need your nails painted to cheer you up.

{Tags and Tags Galore}

That heading is totally for you Che.:) I have been seeing my names on a lot of tags lately and have been just to lazy to do them so here it goes. There is a lot so don't feel like you have to read them, but I thought in twenty years my kids might be interested in them. So here it goes.

TAGGED

10 years ago I...

1- I was 14 yrs old!

2- I was a Freshman in high school and my favorite thing was a fleece vest from Old Navy with a button up shirt under it (they were popular that year you know)

3- I was totally boy crazy just to name a few, for those of you that lived those years with me, Kegans cousing Jeremy, Travis Quayle, Chase Brown and Dahl Bauer (that was a busy year)

4- I couldn't wait to drive, loved hanging with my friends, and swimming in the canals.

5 things on today's "to do" list...

1- Take my car to get fixed (it has some serious issues so Mason thinks we should buy a minivan)

2- Pick up Mason from Grandma Kim's

3- Do laundry

4- Help my mom pack

5 snacks I enjoy...

1- Lisa's tapioca pudding

2- Diet anything Coke, Pepsi, Mt. Dew

3- Fruit

4- Jolly Ranchers

5- Maplenut icecream or a creamie

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire...

1- Travel

2- Put lots of money away so I could retire really well, and help the kids. (Although, I do want them to struggle a little bit through college, it was the best thing for me)

3- Buy a nice house and decorate it all with pottery barn and anthropoligie

4- Buy a boat and hang out in Lake Powell for the summer.

5- Give money to the church.

5 places I have lived...

1- St. Anthony

2- Ashton

3- Houston

4- Salt lake City

5- Ogden

5 jobs that I have had...

1- CNA at Ashton memoiral

2- Rexburg Vision Center

3- Spud truck driver for Big Judd

4- Clogging teacher

5- MOM

Tag #2 Fourth Picture from Fourth File

This is a pic of my Grandpa Crapo standing on top of his pickup to show how tall the snow banks are.

Tag #3 Sixth Picture from Sixth File

Mason's fourth Birthday

Tag #4
Eight Favorite T.V. shows
1. The Office
2.Grey's Anatomy
3. Ugly Betty
4. Private Practice
5. Project Runway
6. Little People Big World
7. American Idol
8. America's Next top model

8 things that happened yesterday
1. Drove the preschool carpool
2. Went grocery shopping in Idaho Falls
3. Picked up parts for Nei
4. Went to a primary presidency meeting
5. Took the parts up to Robbie in Ashton and let the kids play at the farm for a minute
6. Took the kids to the cemtary to see thier pumpkin (they had painted Nic a pumpkin and Mikiele put it on the headstone earlier. So they needed to see it, and place it where they wanted it. )
7. Went to Kim's, and dropped off Mason for a sleepover.
8. Came home, made homemade pizza, and fell asleep with Avery in our bed.

8 favorite places to eat
1. Mill hollow
2. Plum Loco
3. Cafe Rio
4. Wing Wah's (it was a little chinese place in Ogden)
5. Olive Garden
6. The Macaroni Grill
7. Wendy's ( I have been craving Wendy's this entire pregnancy)
8. Texas Roadhouse

8 things I am looking forward to
1. Moving
2. Decorating my first house ( I just hope it doesn't always feel like my moms)
3. The Neil Diamond Concert
4. Seeing this baby for the first time
5. The Holidays and hanging out with all of our families
6. Seeing Teresa over Christmas
7. Hopefully going on a little vacation before the baby is born
8. Our Office Parties every Thursday Night!

8 things on my wish list
1. A trip to Hawaii (after I can get back into a swimsuit of course)
2. New furniture for the house, and decorations for the house
3. To travel all over Europe.
4. A new car that will fit all of my kids.
5. I would love it if my kids would act like human beings while out in public
6. To have all of our kids have testimonies in the gospel, serve missions, marry in the temple, and have us all lives our lives so that we can all be reunited again. I just want my whole family together again.
7. Serve a mission someday
8. A new wardrobe. ( I am getting really sick of mine, maybe it is because I can't really fit in any of it.)

Tag #4

Tell 7 quirks about yourself.

1. I am a stress case. I can not make a decision, because I will sit and stress about it for day. I once ordered a shirt from layers, and then layed awake in bed all night wondering if I had ordered the right color. I also worry about offending people. I will lay in bed at night, and think "oh crap I shouldn't have said that." When usually it was nothing. So if I call you and appologize for something stupid. Just endulge me!

2. I hate hair. The only time I ever threw up when I was pregnant with Avy was when I saw hair on the floor. I HATE it!

3. I love movies! I have a pretty good collection of them. I love to watch them, quote them, and act them out. Unfortunatly, the more stupid the movie the happier I am.

4. I am a huge procrastinator. For example right now. I should be feeding and bathing my kids, folding laundry, and getting ready. Instead I am sitting on the couch watching the view and blogging. HORRIBLE

5. I love to make people laugh, and to laugh at myself.

6. I am having the hardest time here thinking of number six! Hmmm I love to read in the tub. I will take a bath morning and night. I love to play playdough with my kids, and I hate mopping my floor. Like Mandi my mom never used a mop (because it did not get it clean enough) so thanks to my mom, I have to do it on my hands and knees.

7. I love to make things. (that hardly ever turn out) Nic and I were always going into craft stores together to get new ideas. I miss my craft partner. If I see something cute, I always think "Oh i could make that." Unfortunatly, most of the time it would have been better to just buy it. But, I sure have fun in the process.

{Carrian, Cade, and Peyton}

Last week one of my best friends from college (Carrian) came to visit. It was so good to see her. After Nic and I got married we went on a double date with her and one of Nic's friends, and unfortunately their relationship didn't last, but mine and Carrian's sure did! I don't get to see her very often now so it was so fun to catch up, and she got to meet Neil for the first time. The kids had a lot of fun playing together also. No surprise they were all dressed up in costumes before the end of the night. Thanks for coming guys it was so good to see you!



Me and Carrian


Avery, Peyton, and Mason


Mason and Peyton dressed as dinosaurs

{Little Farmers}

Because of the snow, and the kids having to go back to school. My kids and I found ourselves in a truck a few days last week. The kids loved it (for about a couple hours, then they were ready to go to Sueys). Mason was cracking me up. He was dressed just like my dad, and he would follow him everywhere.

They started calling them Big J and Little J.