Witchapalooooooza 2013

Ah, another favorite Clark family event! It just gets better and better every year. I look forward to Witchapalooza at Gardner Village every year. If you have not been, GO!! We always have a great time dressing up and then walking around the cute shops before the dinner show. The show is hilarious and gets funnier every year. The actors are all super talented, hilarious, and amazing singers. Time with family+ dressing up + an amazing show? YES please!!

This year, I almost didn't get to go because we had sick kids and I wasn't about to leave them with a babysitter. Devin was nice enough to stay home from work though so that I could go. What a husband. We had one extra ticket, so I took Hallie along last minute since she was feeling fine. I was a little worried about how she would do, but she just loved it. She laughed and laughed and thought it was great. It was so nice to just spend time one-on-one with Hals too. I know she needs more of that. At four years old, she has a lot of responsibility to take care of her two "younger" siblings, keep the toys clean, etc. I think I require a lot of her and sometimes I need to remember how young she really is. So little outings and individual treats for her are a great thing. I am always amazed at what I learn about Hals when I spend alone time with her too. That girl has a memory like a steel-trap. As we were driving up to the event, after she quizzed me on how to spell words along with addition and subtraction (how she would ever know if I got things wrong, I don't know!) she asked about last year's Witchapalooza event and remembered that we had been in Logan and that she was babysat by my aunt Angela and kids while we cleaned Brad's house. She then remembered driving back to Salt Lake and that I was dressed up with cobwebs in my hair. Crazy girl.

Anyway, it was a fantastic and much needed evening. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Long live the Witchapalooza tradition! 6 years now-- I was pregnant with Hallie and delivered her about a week after we went the first year and now here she is able to go with me. Crazy.

The whole crew. Hailie, Sue, Ony (Colby's girlfriend), Jen, me (I make some terrible faces), Grandma, Carlie, Hals, Che', and Mari (in Linda's sweater so that she can "be" with us every year too).

Oh, you wanted to see that face again, did you? What IS that? We were supposed to be making a scary face. I think I succeeded in producing the scariest looking thing ever.

My cute girl and me

Che' looking fantastic. It's the hair.

I really wanted to wear an ugly halloween sweater this year (no offense to those out there who really wear these things!) so I searched high and low at the thrift stores locally and scored big time with not only an ugly sweater but an ugly vest too! Yippee!! I went as a "teacher" witch. :) 

Cute Jovi got to come along too! Hailie's makeup is pretty great, eh? 

Dinnnnner

Hals is one gorgeous girl. She got her makeup done too for the event!

Spider web tattoo (that we still can't get off....okay this was only yesterday :))

Mari the librarian witch and me the teacher witch. 

Hals was afraid of all the witches placed around Gardner Village, thus the very unhappy face that I am making her take this picture with me. 

A terrible picture of the play, but it is all I have of the actual play. So much fun!!

Until next year....

October Randoms

A few random pictures from October:

Being a monkey at the park

Jace found this cowboy hat in our halloween bin and didn't take it off all day. Pajamas and all!

We went to the BYU homecoming parade this year, which is always a fun little parade. The kids come away with mounds of candy, so what could be better?! We had Sadie with us this year while her parents were having a weekend get-away for Jen's birthday.

The three amigos

fall decor!! We love this time of year. It's my favorite. Doesn't my sister make cute wreaths? I have no creative talent in life WHATSOEVER-- so I am so glad she does these things for me!

A trip to McDonalds and Costco? Two year olds' dreams! These two are so funny together. 

Breakfast with my mom and Dave and Dave's kids while they were here for a weekend. Jace thought it was fantastic that Grandma gave him a whole container of whipped cream to just eat. Clogged arteries here we come!

Just driving around town and Hals and Jace were holding hands the whole time. They are becoming fantastic friends and I love it.

This cute girl is about to turn 5 and requested a princess birthday party. She even insisted upon delivering her invitations in her princess get-up. Wish us luck next week for the big party!

And, that's all for random October happenings!

Devin's 28th Birthday!

Just a tad bit behind on this! Devin turned 28 on the 4th of October, so he can no longer tease me about being older than him. :)

This last six months has been sheer craziness since I went back to school and it seems like we have less time than ever together. Devin does a lot for our family- everything at home these days from cleaning the house to taking care of the kids to making bread and grocery shopping. I mean, he is really doing it all, plus still working 40 hours per week. I could not be going to school without his support. It means a lot to me that my pursuits and desires are important to him too and that he is willing to really pick up the slack for me so that I can get it done. So, when his birthday rolled around, I thought it would be just what we needed to go out of town overnight without kids. It took a lot of strategic planning and I accidentally told him about it a few days beforehand (whoops!!) even though it was supposed to be a surprise,  but we had a good time anyway.

I coordinated with my cousin Che' to take Hallie and Jace and Devin's parents took Flor for us. I would have just had Che' take them all because she really wanted to, but she just had a baby and I thought that would be a bit much. Flor is pretty easy on her own and the other two are pretty easy together, it's just the combination of all three that can sometimes be a bit tough. It seemed to work out okay. A big fat thanks to Devin's parents and to Che' for taking the kids. It was SO NICE to spend some time with just the two of us.

We first had cake and ice cream at Devin's parent's house while we were dropping Flor off because Devin wanted to do it with the kids, so we did things a bit backwards. Dessert first, then dinner. No problem for me! We then headed to Salt Lake and dropped the other two off before heading to a fancy restaurant in Salt Lake called Faustina for dinner. It was one of those places where we felt totally out of place, but it was delicious food and a fun once-a-year type dinner.

After dinner, we went to Park City where we spent the night. We didn't do much other than sit in the hot tub and visit a few local stores, but it was really just nice to spend some time together. We ordered room service for breakfast the next day and then headed back down the mountain to pick up the kids. We took a little drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon on the way home to look at the gorgeous fall colors. This is definitely my favorite time of the year!

Anyway, Happy Birthday to my most amazing husband. Love you babe!!!!!!!

And now, a picture tour:

Devin's cake request every year: his mom's spice cake recipe. 

Cute girls with their grandma Perry

Devin's one present he got to open :) A much needed new jacket

Our fancy schmancy (and delicious) dinner. I could use some of that right now!

This may appear to be fancy hot dogs, but it is actually a pork loin. :) I am no food photographer, okay?!

Selfie cause no one was around to take our picture. Gotta love it!

And another-- this is how we feel to be spending time kid-free. 

Breakfast in bed that we didn't even have to make! Nothing better.

And...some nature shots. Interesting that I am becoming my mother and enjoy taking pictures of nature in my old age.

Family Pictures 2013

Yeah, Yeah, I know. I have a lot to post about for the rest of October. But, today I am posting family pictures because well, A) it's easy and B) it's fun. :)

My friend Jaime takes our pictures whenever she happens to live nearby and this was one of our lucky years! We had pictures taken last week amongst the beautiful fall colors of Provo Canyon. It may have been super duper freezing, but I think we did pretty great! Here are some of my favorites:

Oh boy, get ready for some amazing Florinda faces! That girl, she sure knows how to let us know that she is freezing!

Seriously? What is this girl!? Her best smile. Right there. hahahha. I can't stop laughing!

Totally a Jace face right there. :)

Till next year!!