Christmas 2007

Another great Christmas has come and almost gone. Everything from attending the Tabernacle Choir Sunday morning Christmas concert; being in charge of the ward Christmas breakfast; hosting the dessert end of Carl's Verizon HR progressive luncheon; the appetizer part of the ward Relief Society progressive dinner; Christmas Eve festivities; an incredible Christmas buffet created by Shandy and her mom; and Christmas breakfast with the Sweets. We LOVe this time of year and the feeling of gratitude and joy it brings (amidst the stress, but that's OK).

P.S. Carl wants you to know all the Christmas decoration are down and put away!

Variations of this table setup were used several times this season

Carl finally got has often-requested chef's jacket!

This is probably about the 39th year Pat has made crepes for Christmas Eve

Carl has also become a master crepe baker

Carl has convinced Sam it's fun to use a snow thrower

(hmmm, nice way to get someone else to do your work, Carl!)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the silver-haired West Jordan Clarks!

Snow, Kitchen Update

This has been quite the couple of weeks! Fun part was visiting with Sharon and Nalani after Sharon had been there for a few days and helped unload boxes and put things away. We haven't dared ask about the couch outcome, but are looking forward to a good story! Here are the two little mommas.

Then the mess started, Since our stove had died and the dishwasher was close behind, we decided to replace all the appliances. We donated the fridge and microwave to some friends of Carrie and Sam's, so they went to a good home. That meant the old appliances had to be removed. Here's Carl supervising Jake as he dismantles the dishwasher.
Of course, the whole thing had to be done in the middle of what ended up being a major snowstorm. Again, Carl supervised while the Sam and two friends hauled the fridge down the icy stairs.

Next morning Carl was out blowing snow are 7:30 a.m. so the appliance guys could get to the house. Having a snow thrower is not luxury in Utah--it's a necessity!

After working Sam nearly to death installing the microwave and, bless his heart, figuring out a way to plug in the stove since this stove is both electric/convectionand gas, and struggling with the dishwasher, things are getting back to normal, Carl gets to enjoy the "mean" stove. Here he's making a batch of his famous nougat. He is lovin' life! Having two ovens is going to be a treat when we have all those big dinners.

Thanksgiving Craziness

Crazy and wonderful--that's how it always is when this family gathers. This Thanksgiving we only had Curtis and Shandy for Thanksgiving dinner since Carrie and Darren were scheduled at their "other" family for this year, so we invited Lybberts, Morris, and Amelia to join us. Craig (Shandy's dad) made his famous sauerkraut, and we had so much food it lasted all through the weekend (as planned!). Only one major crisis--our oven died!! Thanks goodness we had the turkey in the electric roaster, so we ran the rest of the dinner over to Carrie and Sam's...timing is everything.

Here are the two family chefs

Ethan having his macaroni and cheese--to heck with all that other stuff...
This is as calm as it ever gets when these six are together! Parker, Ethan, Carson, Kevin, Jacob, and Dexter (top of his head...)
Here's trouble!!!

Sharon came down so Jed and Nalani stopped in on their home from picking her up at the airport. We had homemade hot fudge sauce (in their honor), and these two bypassed the ice cream and went right for the good stuff!

The Project Continues

We now have a "real electrician" in the family!! Bless Cody's heart, he came and moved the disposal switch from a far corner where Pat couldn't reach it without a wooden spoon or long butcher knife, to just under the sink. He also did some magic with one of our lights! So Cody was under the sink, Carl was painting, and Pat was being the gopher!

The paint is a darker rust color than in this photo, and it looks wonderful!
Kind of tricky painting above the cabinets, but the resident expert got 'er done.

Sunday, Family, Food

Shandy, Curtis, and Dexter spent Saturday night and Sunday with us--such a treat! Dexter is a hoot, and really was happier than he looks in these first two photos! After attending Sacrament Meeting in Carrie and Sam's ward so we could see Carson do his part on the Primary program (all parts perfectly memorized, by the way!) we came home for the monthly cousins dinner. Theme this month was BBQ and man what a feast! Dessert was a birthday ice cream cake for Curtis.

We could hardly get Dexter out of this rocker
We caught Curtis after the candles were blown out--such enthusiasm

The Kitchen Project BEGINS

Finally, all the yard work is done, lawn mowed and mower put away, and the flowers beds all cleaned out. Since there is nothing to do outside anymore, we decided to do the kitchen. It has been one heck of a struggle trying to decide on a paint color. Last night, we said "let's go pick out a color, and just do it". That is what we did. We picked a color called "Rusty Nail". Of course, the biggest part of the project is the prep work and the mess. Here are a few pictures of our beginning. Carl filling holes and cracks. This is a very important job which requires lots of talent...(You will understand why I say this later).

Like I said, it creates quite a mess.

Here is the paint color. It is the middle one, and is called "Rusty Nail". If anyone is freaking out over the color, you better speak up now, or forever hold your peace!!

And here is Pat, doing her part to help. As I was doing my "very important job of filling cracks and holes", Pat was washing windows, etc. She said she couldn't reach the high part of the window and asked me to reach it for her. I said something like, "I am doing important work here, and can't be bothered with window washing". Wrong thing to say! ...I humbly assisted with the window washing.

Crawfordsville Trip 2007 - What a Trip

We had a very wonderful trip to see Mike, Kim, the girls and ALL the rest of the family. We had an awesome halloween party, went to the Covered Bridge Festival which had millions of people it seemed like. We took a boat ride on the lake in the evening. We even got to eat Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Ray's house. YUMMMMIE. There was even toronado warnings when we got there. We got to watch the Colts win a football game (with the whole clan) in Mike and Kim's new addition to their house. To sum it up, It was awesome!!!

Here is a picture of Camilla. What a beautiful witch. Later she was even doing back flips in her witche's costume!

Here is Courtney. She looks good no matter how she is dressed.

Here are two lovely folks. Pat the snake charmer and Carl the Sumo Guy

Here is Patrick and Kinsey as Dr Phil and Oprah

Another picture of the mad snake charmer.

My dream retirement house on the lake. The house is owned by this elderly lady. I am just waiting in the wings. Won't this be a fun place for everyone to come and visit us?

Camilla never sits still. If she is not doing backflips, she is "climbing the walls"

A couple of "Studs"

Mike and his Momma

Sunday Dinner at Grandma's. The "Boys" are having to do the dishes (Mike, Carl & Greg)

Mike and Kim and girls at the Covered Bridge Festival

Purdue fans at the Mansfield covered bridge

Well, looks like you get to see us again. Lucky you

Here is a picture of the millions of people attending the covered bridge. This is just one small section.

and finally, the view across the lake from Priebe's Lake House. The Priebe's are always so kind to us and let us stay at the Lake House. It truly a real vacation.

Cousins Dinner/Carson's Birthday

Today after the second session of General Conference we started a new round of "Cousins Dinners" at Curtis and Shandy's. Our theme this time was Mexican, plus we celebrated Carson's 7th birthday a couple of days early. True to form, the dinner was delicious and plentiful. Carson had picked out a "Pirates of the Caribbean" pinata; thank goodness the day was beautiful, so we scattered candy all over the carport.

These two stick together--Nalani's due around March 5, and Carrie March 15...

(Above) Carson and Dexter are "buds."

(Above) A bit lower, Cody!

(Above) Carson can now read his own cards

Happy siblings! (You won't be laying like that for long, Nalani...)

In Answer to Shandy's Tag

MY HUSBAND

What is his name? Carl Rulon Clark

How long have you been together? Married 39 years

How old is he? 63

Who eats more? I think he does.

Who said I love you first? Carl did (I think--geez, that was forever ago!)

Who is taller? Carl by about 8 inches.

Who sings better? Carl would say I do, but his voice is much better than he thinks it is!

Who is smarter? We are both smart, but in different ways

Whose temper is worse? Temper--what's temper? More the silent treatment on my part.

Who does the laundry? I do most of it--especially since last time Carl did the laundry we now have pretty pink underwear!! As for who puts the laundry away, I do.

Who does the dishes? Usually me, I actually enjoy doing dishes--I tell Carl if he will cook I'll do dishes. We both like it that way.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do (and that doesn't mean we are old!)

Who pays the bills? I do. I really must teach Carl how to pay bills on-line.

Who mows the lawn? Carl mows, I trim, although I love to mow.

Who cooks dinner? Usually whoever gets home first, but Carl enjoys cooking the most .

Who drives when you are together? Carl, unless we are just going for a drive, then I do so Carl can "rubber neck."

Who is more stubborn? I am, unless you are talking paint colors--Carl usually wins.

Who is the first to admit when they're wrong? Well, since I'm never wrong...

Whose parents do you see the most? When our parents were alive, we saw Carl's the most because they lived closest.

Who kissed who first? Carl kissed me. We were in the back seat of a car at a drive-in movie--"Song of the South," a Disney movie.

Who asked who out? Kind of like Shandy, we were friends for a long time before we really dated. Of course, Carl knew things might be getting serious when he asked to borrow my 1961 Impala (I had a car, he didn't) to take out another girl and I got angry and said "No!"

Who proposed? Carl (no comments, Nalani).

Who is more sensitive? Me

Who has more friends? Our friends are mostly family, and there are several couples we have gotten together with for years, but Carl has more friends at work.

Who has more siblings? Me-5 brothers, 2 sisters.

Who wears the pants in the family? I think we are truly a team, so I couldn't say.

I am tagging: Barbara, Sharon, Karen, and Jana.

St. George Getaway

We finally made it to Tuacahn amphitheatre this past weekend with the Rashes and Petersons. We have known these two couples from when we were first married, and the friendship has endured through all these years. We get together about once every two months for dinner, and then Lynn, our "social director," planned this outing. We all piled into Lynn and Cindy's Honda Pilot that just barely held six--lucky for us we are the oldest of the three couples, with the most aches and pains, so we got to sit in the middle instead of crawling into the back.

The weather was gorgeous--it never got above 90, even though it did rain on Saturday, but it didn't slow us down. The play at Tuacahn "My Fair Lady" was wonderful. The setting is incredible! Of course we had to visit several shops in the St. George and Santa Clara areas that carried things with our names written all over them. And, of course, we ate some marvelous food (except Carl had to have salad with fat-free dressing until the final meal. He said...well, we won't say what he said...but in essence it was something like "it will be worth eating fattening food," (he just had gall bladder removed) and we had some wonderful desserts. The St. George area is incredible! Here are some photos of the weekend.

At the theatre--we actually sat in the 2nd row from the front.
Ron and Kathy (the young ones) getting into the back.

Theatre entrance (notice waterfall in background from all the rain)

Saturday night desserts at the "Painted Pony" restaurant

The group (minus Carl) We refer to Ron as "Elder Eyring"--he looks so much like Henry B. Eyring!

Sitting in the big rocking chair at a gas station in Beaver.