New Addition to the Clark Family

Keith is a grandpa again! Corey had a little boy they named Eric on Dec 21st. Here is a great picture of all 4 grandkids.

Isn't She Beautiful!!!

Kimberly has grown up right before our very eyes. I swear, just the other day she was a tiny little girl and now she is an incredibly beautiful young lady. She will turn 16 in April....we are building a fortress out back to keep her in until she turns 30! lol Here are a few of her sophomore year photos.

So Many Myths

There are a lot of myths out there about my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I would love all who read this to take a look at a short 10 minute video that will help you know fact from fiction about such things as plural marriage, service to others, belief in Jesus Christ, etc. Thank you!

Just Click Here

Snow?

Although not a lot, Sanford did receive a bit of snow this winter. Of course, there is always the chance that we will get more, but I'm not holding my breath! The kids took advantage of what little we had. They pulled together the snow on the roof of a small shed and created their own version of a snowman!

As Christmas Winds Down

The paper and bows are all off the packages. The gifts are in the hands of their new owners. The Christmas dinner has been eaten. Christmas is winding down. Shortly, the decorations of the holiday will be taken down and stored for next Christmas. And all will be as it was way back in November.

Yet, we don't need everything about Christmas to be put away in a box and stored until next year. Think about the times we wished a cashier a Merry Christmas with a big smile. That feeling of love can be saved. Let's wish them, and all others we meet, a great day with a smile from January through next Christmas.

Think about the acts of service given during Christmas this year. Perhaps gifts were given to someone in need, or cookies and carols were offered, or food was given to a food drive, or any number of things. Service to others is something that can always be offered. Let's look for acts of service and kindness throughout the year.

Think about the number of times we remembered our Savior, Jesus Christ, this month. Every time we said "Christmas" we brought up His name. We talked of His birth. We pondered on that wonderous night. We celebrated the coming of our Lord. Our thoughts should always include Jesus Christ, not just in December. Let's keep Him in our thoughts every single day.

Yes, Christmas tinsel and glitz may be headed out the door as the new year is ushered in. But I, for one, will work on ushering in the meaning of Christmas all year long.

Teri Learns to Knit

Well, sort of! Kimberly is teaching me to knit. The first try was not very fruitful but Kimberly faithfully caught all my efforts on film so that I might never forget how difficult it was to "cast on", knit, and the pearl my first 2 rows. In the end, I got frustrated and tore them out and began again the next day. I eventually tore that one out, too, and am now working on my third practice piece. I've managed to make a button hole! By mistake....but it is still there! lol

Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning

Everyone was excited for Christmas. The girls loved having Matthew home and couldn't wait to see the expressions on people's faces when the gifts they bought/made were opened. Katherine put out enough cookies for Santa Claus that it is amazing he was able to fit down anyone else's chimney! lol And of course, there were apples for the reindeer. Christmas was a real joy. Over too fast, it seems, but it gets faster and faster each year. Age perhaps?

A Very Nice Visit From Kyle, Faith, and the Kids

Kyle, Faith, Gena, and Jaxson made a stop by our house for Christmas on Dec 22. It was great to see them and to enjoy watching the children open their gifts. Gena loved her ornament and Junie B Jones books and Jaxson loved his tractor ornament and his dinosaur music tape. Kyle and Faith got an ornament that looked like Kyle's dog as a child - Charlie. Keith was very happy with a framed picture of his children and I was excited to get the right kind of cords to make setting up my village easier! Beyond the gifts, however, was the wonderful time spent together. Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Christmas is the Time for Baking

We did a lot of baking this year making chocolate chip, mint chip, butterscotch chip, white chocolate chip, peanut butter, gingerbread, and sugar cookies. We love making cookies and sharing them with friends and neighbors!

Katherine Still Loves Scouting

Katherine has moved to a different troop this year that is closer to home and does more things that she finds enjoyable. She has made some friends and really likes it. She has already earned 4 badges, some patches, and an award for learning the promise and law. And it's only December!

We Took the Grandkids to the Parade

We had Gena and Jaxson for the first week of December while their parents were in Boston. It was such a joy to have them with us and to get to know them better! We had a wonderful time getting started on Christmas. We made snowflakes, went to a parade, baked cookies, put up the Christmas village, looked at lights, and so many other things! Jaxson loved Rebekah and Kimberly and his new friend Dino. Gena and Katherine got along super well and enjoyed playing for hours on end.

Christmas Tree Hunt

We go to Doby's Christmas Tree Farm every year to cut down our perfect tree. This is our family on the "hunt."

We Had Fun Window Shopping

I took Rebekah and Katherine window shopping in downtown Sanford. We had so much fun looking in the windows at the beautiful Christmas displays. I took lots of photos, but these are the two artsy ones I took of the girls. There is a big lit diamond on a jewelry store sign and I had Rebekah stand on the other side of the road with her hand in the air to put the diamond on her finger! For Katherine, I had her sit on the bench outside the jewelry store that had pearls and gems painted on it. All the benches in downtown Sanford have designs that match the stores! So, I have one girl dripping in diamonds and one dripping in pearls!

Beautiful Fall Colors

It is beautiful in NC during the fall. Let's just let these pictures speak for themselves!

Young Women's Personal Progress Night

Kimberly and Rebekah participate in Young Women's at our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Part of the program is called Personal Progress and they have areas such as knowledge, service, faith, etc to work on. Each year, they have a program to show some of their progress. This year, both Kimberly and Rebekah chose to display items based on "Individual Worth."

Annie at Temple Theater

Rebekah and Kimberly both participated in the Temple Theater production of "Annie" this year. Temple Theater is a professional theater here in town. Although they occasionally have some people from the area participate, they mostly hire professionals for their performances. Rebekah was chosen to play an orphan. Kimberly helped build sets and then was given the opportunity to run the main spotlight. Practices/work days went on for 3 weeks and performances ran for 4 weeks with 20 performances in all. They had a great time!