Summer Fun On the Mountain

A week on the mountain is just what these two ordered for summer vacation. After spending a week at our house for "choir camp", Grandma and Papa loaded up the bigs and took them back to Arkansas for the week. 

They had a lot of fun playing in the backyard pool, swimming at the community pool in Poteau (after lunch at the hospital cafeteria) and playing various games at the house. Despite its political incorrectness, Matching Faces is usually one of the first picks for game time. 

And what would visiting Grandparents be without treats that turn your tongue green? I was assured that vegetables were consumed during the week but I am positive that this tongue was not the result of spinach or broccoli. 

Thanksgiving 2013

Marshuka, bowling and card games  - what a fun long weekend with the Leitner clan. 

Lyla got a backstage pass to Eleanor's weekend performances. She got to watch the girls put on make up and do their hair. Then we all watched the performance and it was really good. Of all the costume changes my favorite was a forest green costume that flowed so beautifully when the girls danced.

Closing Day 2014

In Classic Clark fashion we ended the Royals home season with a bang!

Tommy started the weekend with a guys night out in the Diamond Club with a co-worker - it sure is nice when you work at a place that has the same name as the team's stadium. The boys in blue played terrible that night. 

Saturday Tommy and Lyla went to the afternoon game. It was a frustrating game due to a challenged call on Salvador Perez's missed tag up at Third and Ned Yost's poor decision in putting Raul Ibanez in to pinch hit at the bottom of the ninth.

But closing day, closing day was fun for all! We tailgated with friends and watched a winning game, finally. Chloe was even a great sport and took Asa around the bases for the Fun Run!

Steven is Seven

My oldest is Seven and I am not lamenting him growing older ... It always seems like moms get sappy around their children's birthdays because they don't want them to grow older. I feel the opposite. I love the person Steven is growing up to be and I can't wait to see what he does this year!

For his birthday we went to the Royals game. We stayed out much too late but he was having too much fun to make him leave. Then on Saturday he got to have two friends over to go to Power Play and sleepover. Despite not going to school together anymore, Steven and Kaden don't skip a beat when they get together. And Rhys fit in pretty good, too!

We "tailgated" in the parking lot with Minsky's Pizza and cupcakes!

Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast rather than a birthday cake!

Why couldn't I have invented Pokemon? For almost 20 years these silly cards have captured the attention of young boys. I'd be rich!

Royals Closing Weekend

This year's baseball season has been a good one, for both the Kansas City Royals and the Clark family.  Steven and Lyla have enjoyed their trips to Kauffman Stadium, so much so that they have been upset when the Royals are out of town over the weekend.  The last homestand was a particularly busy time with back to back games Saturday night and Sunday morning.  

The Saturday night game was a typical Royals game, good pitching with a snoozing offense.  Unlike the Royals hitters Steven had a very exciting night when he pulled out a front tooth during the middle of an inning.  Bloody mouth and all Steven set through the rest of the game with a smile on his face and a tooth in his hand.  The Royals lost 3-1.

Sunday's game was a bit more exciting for both the Royals and the Clarks.  Steven's friend Fletcher and his family attended the game; the two were quite the pair and watched the game like old pros.

Asa also enjoyed himself at the game.  Although he did not find the action on the field particularly interesting, the floor of the upper deck concourse and access ramps were very entertaining.

Our daughter is a force of nature and sometimes all you can do is shake your head at what she says.  Earlier this summer she announced that when she has a baby girl her name will be Cutie Cat and that her baby boy's name will be Eric Hosmer.  That's right, the Royals first baseman.  What makes it a bit troubling is that Eric Hosmer is both the baby and the daddy according to Lyla.  To top the season off on the next to last game of the season she found an Eric Hosmer doll at the team store, so now Eric Hosmer (both names must always be used) can be with her at all times.

Game note, the Royals won Sunday's game on a 2-out grand slam in the 10th inning; nothing too exciting.

Labor Day Camping

Camping has become a big event for our family, even if we haven't been able to go as much as we'd like this summer.  Our Labor Day excursion to Longview Lake with the Van Doren's was a big time for kids with goggle napping, campfires, and piling onto Mom's side of the camper.  Hopefully we'll be able to go again before it get's too cold, maybe minus the goggles.

Working Man

Between school, camp, and time at the Homestead, Steven has had a busy summer, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had time for work.  Over the last couple of weeks Steven has spent quite a bit of time at each or our offices and he's become very comfortable.  

During a staff meeting at Tommy's office he even felt comfortable enough to let Tommy's boss know that it was time to go to lunch when she asked if everyone wanted to adjourn for lunch or stay for an additional 30 minutes to finish the meeting.  No one spoke up, Steven decided it was time for lunch, and lunch it was.  Good work buddy.  

We'll do anything for fireworks

Our 4th of July fireworks this year took place on dreary July 3rd at the Royals game.  We were worried that the game might be delayed or fireworks canceled, but all sounded well on the pregame broadcast so we headed to the stadium.  Things did not go to plan.  We arrived at the stadium in time to hear over the radio that the game would be delayed, possibly an hour. After an hour of family time in the car, we headed in to find . . . 

 the tarp still on the field.  An hour after that, the game finally started shortly after 9 PM

 Needless to say we thought we'd be waking the kids up when it was time for the fireworks, but Lyla had other plans.  Although Asa and Steven each got in a nap, Lyla Jean watched the game in its entirety.  At 1230 when the fireworks started she was ready to go; glad to see her staying power put to good use.    

Asa at 7 Months

You are starting to change ... and I don't like it. You are looking much older. I can tell that you are more aware of what your siblings are doing, you watch them intently. You voice your displeasure and excitement so much more readily now. I just know that you'll be on the move soon!

This month we brought the Command Center back up from the basement storage. Most families call these bouncers or activity centers. Ours, however, is where the baby is in Command! I think Steven and Lyla liked it more at first than you did but you are figuring out the toys and are getting good at spinning yourself around. 

Asa's Protector

Kira is a good dog. She has dropped several rungs down on the ladder over the last few years but she is still our puppy girl. And she had definitely taken on the role of Asa's protector. I think she is much happier to have a little one around her than the older hoodlums that she has to deal with running at her and bouncing balls around her. Surprisingly, Asa's hair pulling seems much more tolerable to her.

Tommy recently had to make a Pecha Kucha presentation for work and he decided to make Kira the focal point of his presentation. He made a slideshow of photos of her over time and set it to the J.B. Jovi song/poem "I'll be there for you." I just rolled my eyes at Tommy when he told me he was doing it, I didn't really think too hard about it. Tommy thought it was funny. 

The women he worked with had visible tears rolling down their cheeks at the end of his recitation. They all thought it was a tribute to Tommy's dead dog. 

Kira is very much alive and kickin', loving on her newest puppy!

Art by Steven and Lyla

And only a few short days later ... snow on the ground!

Our Tree, one year later

April 14, 2013

April 14, 2012

Birthday Gymnastics

A new gymnastics club opened in our 'hood a few months ago. What a fun party for Lyla! She was the star of the show and loved all of the activities that they did during the party. They balanced on the beam, swung on the bar, hopped on Roddy, ate cake and opened presents. It was such a fun afternoon and so fun to see her with all her friends. 

Friends we celebrated with included: Aria Kahm, Rachel Abadie, Jane Bunck, Grace Sellars, Maria Carson and Isabel.

Lyla is Four!

She's four. Four. Four!

This little girl is one of a kind. She is strong-willed, emotional and downright silly! And I can't imagine her any other way! For as dramatic as she is, there are moments where she can still be very shy and want to give all the attention to someone else. I am constantly amazed at how articulate she is and she reports that she is doing "big" work at school, I know she is excelling beyond her age.  

We had our family birthday celebration in the morning. She got to make breakfast with me - pancakes! and then we got dressed and opened presents. She was thrilled with her scooter and wanted to ride it right then and there in the house. She also got a gymnastics leotard to wear to her party later that day. She wanted it on IMMEDIATELY and didn't take it off the rest of the day. Let me tell you, leotards these days ... I am starting to become a prudish, old woman!

 

Home Opener

One of Daddy's favorite days of the year: The Royals Home Opener. Asa celebrated with Tommy in his Royals gear. He is excited to make it to his first game of the season in a few weeks!

Asa at 6 Months

Solid Food! You got to try some smashed peas this month! Slowly but surely you started to like them. Your daycare teachers are total food pushers. They can't wait to know the next kind of food that you are allowed to eat. I keep telling them that we are going to do this slowly, I guess they don't believe me yet!

You also have learned how to sit. You still throw yourself backwards on occasion but we try to protect you with a pillow or sleep toy (that is what your bro and sis call stuffed animals). 

Smashed Peas!

I am really committed to breastfeeding my kids until we mutually decide that we don't want to do it anymore. It has been one of the best ways for me to feel like I am still "with" my babies during the day, even though they are at daycare. It has always been a little bittersweet for me when we first give the kids solid foods. Even though they are still breastfeeding it is a sign that sooner or later they are going to need me less and less. 

But it sure is fun watching their facial expressions and seeing their messy chins after trying their first foods. Asa's first was peas, by the look on his face I am not sure there was much enjoyment on his end either!

Asa at 5 Months

You've moved to your new daycare and had a rough start there. You did NOT want to nap and it made for a cranky boy some nights!

The weather this month has been so strange. You've got to go to play outside on a wonderfully sunny day and then days later feel the cold snow on your nose. This spring has been so unpredictable.

Just a few days before you turned five months old you started to roll over. It took you a little longer to figure it out than your brother and sister but we blame that on the fact that we never put you down! We miss you so much during the day that we carry you and hold you any time we can!

Burn this House Down - He's 34!

Asa at 4 Months

This past month you stayed home with daddy for his paternity leave. So much was going on, though, that you didn't really get to truly enjoy your time with him. It's going to be tough being the third kid!

You also started daycare at the end of the month. It was a rough start but we are in the groove. However, now we are considering moving to a new daycare. Ugh. 

You've also caught your first snotty nose virus but we got a NoseFrida to suck all those yuckies out! No fever or other symptoms, so hopefully we've avoided the worse.

You are still just so happy on your diaper changing table. Why do you love it so much?

Crying is hardly heard from your lips (at home at least, your daycare teachers say that you can belt it out if you're friends get too much attention).