Easter and More

We are truly enjoying the warmer weather!  Our neighborhood park is being renovated so we found another park that looked similar to try out the new climbing equipment.  Jackson was pretty pumped about it but he also stopped a lot to ask me to take his picture. We were happy to have Mimi with us for Easter and we did our usual tradition.  Our Good Friday service is always really moving so we went to that and then enjoyed the night with some friends while Mimi kept the kids.  Saturday morning we had a big egg hunt and I took ZERO pictures. Bryan was at a CrossFit competetion so I was trying to keep the egg hunt running smoothly while managing the three kids so photos didn't even cross my mind!  Easter morning we went to church and then had some friends over for dinner and a trip to the park.  We couldn't have asked for better weather.  Baby Jo is the little guy we are fostering and he thoroughly enjoyed his first swing experience.  He fell fast asleep and enjoyed the breezes. The next day was a Monday so we all got ready for school and I went to drop off Jackson and realized he had the day off.  It was so beautiful so we decided to hit up the zoo! We said goodbye to Mimi on Thursday after a fun visit and another busy week.  The highlight of this weekend for the kids was our (me and the kids') first visit to Top Golf!  It's kind of like bowling and a driving range combined.  Charley enjoyed watching, Jackso had a great time after each good swing and a terrible time after each not-so-great swing, and I enjoyed the sweet family time.  Now we're all gearing up for the week ahead!  We ended our night with a shocker fromJackson when he asked to try on real pants instead of just sweat pants.  And then he took a shower by himself. Our first baby is growing up....just in time to start all over with some new babes. 

It's been a year!

A whole year went by with no updates on the blog.  Things are pretty crazy at the Clark house so I'll be starting the updates again. 

The Biggest news is that our family is growing!!  We are currently fostering a little guy that we've had since he was two weeks old.  He's three months old now and he's amazing!  It's looking like he'll be with us for quite a while.

Shortly after we started fostering him we found out that I am pregnant.  So our sweet boy is 14 weeks  old and I am 15 weeks pregnant.  It's crazy, for sure!!   

Other than that we are keeping ourselves plenty busy with Jackson and Charley and spending time together.

Last week was Spring Break for both kids so we took a day to go to the zoo.  We are so lucky to have a great babysitter who will tag along for the fun.  An extra set of hands is always great!!  This was at the dolphin show.

 

The Dairy Hut is a summer favorite and itjust opened for the season.  It took a long time to get out order but the wait was so worth it!

 

Charley just lost her second tooth last night.  This was a couple days ago and she was pretty miserable.  We were all trying to get that tooth out but just made it bleed and hurt.  You can see that tiny baby tooth in front and her big tooth way behind it.  Braces here we come!!!

 

This weekend we had a full house with six kids ages seven and under.  Whaaat???  We were watching some friends' kids and fully plan to reciprocate.  We had a blast though!!

 

The kids are finally getting trustworthy enough to be turned loose with eggs and cups with dye.  They could have dyed hundreds of eggs if I'd have let them.

 

The kids are getting just old enough that we can do so much more.  So of course another baby is on the way to start the process all over. 😁

Nana and Papa

This post was written a month ago but I just realized it never published!

Nana and Papa are here for the long weekend and the kids have been thrilled! We just carried on with our normal weekend activities but it was fun to have them along for the ride. 

Nana and I were able to sneak away Saturday morning for an amazing pedicure.  I had a gift card for a spa from a student last year and it was enough to cover nearly two 45 minute pedicures.  It was perfect and fun to do with my momma!

Before we left for Charley's doctor appointment I put her hair up in this heart.  It lasted about an hour and then she started ripping it all out.

Her appointment was with her pulmonologist and he recommended blood work to check her immunoglobulins. Or something like that. Charley had no idea what we were doing but she had a blast with Jackson's blanket in the waiting room.  

Once it was our turn I held her while two nurses did the blood draw.  We were all expecting tears but she didn't make a peep.  She watched the whole thing! She's a trooper and so brave.

We had a lazy Sunday morning and Charley loved having some company for her breathing treatment. We should be able to switch her meds up in April when she's closer to four and kick these daily nebs to the curb!

"Stay at home days" are Jackson's favorite.  He is so happy to be home with all his little trinkets and spreading them throughout the house.  We made some Valentines Day cookies and he loved every minute of it.  Charley took a three hour nap so he even got to do it alone!

We took full advantage of our baby sitters and left for a fun dinner at The Melting Pot.  It's so nice not feeling rushed and knowing the kids are happy at home.  Thanks Nana and Papa.

The best part of the weekend is we still have another day!  It'll just be laundry and grocery store and work week prep but after a fun weekend, it's a perfect caboose!

Saturdays are the Best!!

We are all well and thankful for another beautiful weekend!  Apparently a kid had my phone and snapped a few photos of Lily.  She's doing well.  We think she's probably about 14 now and we've kinda let her do what she wants.  Apparently that's eating.  A lot.  She's always been one to binge eat so we have to portion her food.  She begs for more each morning and sprints to her bowl when she thinks we're heading that way. She likes to knock the bag of food off the shelf and make her own buffet.  She deserves it for living in our chaos.  She's got a bit more "fluff" now because of it, but don't we all!

Another dramatic and grumpy female in the house is Charley.  She is a sleeper, still!  She would sleep 15 hours a day if she could!  Mornings aren't her favorite so every morning we're greeted with a grumpy face and crazy hair.

And Jackson is still amazed by everything academic.  He loved taking his class Panda on an adventure and comes home every day with new facts he's learned about the phases of the moon, the fires that happen in the chaparrals ("his favorite biome" he told me the other day) of Africa, and the syllables in every word he can think of.  He's so fun and drives me crazy each day.

We are headed out to Baby Lucy's Winter Onederland party to celebrate a beautiful baby and her parents. 

A Sick Little Buddy

It's a beautiful, sunny weekend and we are homebound with a pukey boy.  

We were out late with our Small Group and he was up early so when he was acting a little off, I just thought he was tired.  But then he sat down during My Gym and started crying.  And then he threw up in the car.  He's so sad to miss a birthday party. At least we can enjoy the beauty of the outside while we hangout inside.

And this one is feeling great!  Finally!!

We had another good week and enjoyed a nice night out to The Melting Pot while Nana and Papa watched the kids. 

Yesterday after school and before I picked up the kids, I stopped to get a tattoo.  It's my grandma's signature and I'm in love!!

Sorry, Dad!

We're Back!

It's the first day of Lent so all social media apps are off my phone until Easter.  That should leave me plenty of time to keep everyone updated and flooded with photos here.  How did we all get so attached to our phones. I just didn't like hoe much I reached for my phone out of habit for mindless Facebook scrolling. 

Especially when the kids are watching!of course they are soaking everything in as they watch us.  The good and the bad!

Things have been the same kind of busy and fun and chaotic around here. We're still waking Charley earlier than anyone would like for breathing treatments and we are thankful for Daniel Tiger who helps us get through them without much drama.  And this girl is ALL drama.

Jackson oscillates between so kind, mature and helpful and a stubborn, hateful devil-child.  And it can switch in a second.  This was a helpful moment.  He was so happy to be running around with Claire. Until she pulled to hard and he fell and then he ran after her screaming while Charley was faking tears in the swing because "I'm just not swinging at all.  Can't you see that, mom?"

We are keeping entertained indoors with lots of books, Legos, playdoh, markers, and tape. So. Much. Tape.  Jackson is obsessed with all kinds and our house is a museum of random papers taped to the wall. 

We are all very anxiously awaiting the arrival of SPRING!

Fall Y'all

I guess the good thing about sick days with Charley is that I can update the blog while snuggling.  Our has been just like every other fall.  Same activities but a year older.  It's fun to watch us grow:)

The first weekend we went camping with friends and had a blast trick-or-treating there!

We went to the apple orchard again for the fifth time!  So fun to have these photos.

Fall seems to be the worst for our sweet Bear.  We are already on round two of sickness with asthma flare ups.

But then there's this.  I LOVE this photo of her at Sonny Acres sporting the shirt Nana made her!

And the traditional How Talll This Fall.  The answers is TOO BIG!  My babies!  Where did they go?

I took a personal day to go to Johansens Farm with friends. JJ loved getting this pumpkin that was grossly overpriced.  Whatever.

We have some wonderful friends here in Chicago.  The Davises hosted a pumpkin party for the adults to watch baseball, the kids paint pumpkins and all of us eat!

Speaking of eating, I got the Halloween Villages for the kids to decorate.  They did that for about ten minutes and then this happened.  Oh well.

And that's a pretty good wrap up of our fall!