A Long, Loooong Trip

The kids and I just got back last night from our trip to Utah to visit with family and celebrate Kaitlyn's final release from the hospital and Alexa's graduation ceremony from the U. It was supposed to be a 2 week thing, then got turned into a 3 week thing then into a 3 1/2 week thing. Yikes. But it was worth it to spend time with the family! We only wish Mike could have gone with us.

Pardon the poor quality--I left the good camera here with Mike so these are all just iPhone shots.

Madie holds Mr. Finn on the airplane. And a few minutes later...

He's out.

Sweet Miss Madeleine.

Sleeping arrangements changed around a few times while we were there, but we started out with this: 

Me on that futon, Madie on a cushion on the floor, and Finn on a mat on the floor.

It didn't last long. Within a day or two of our being there, Finn really got good at getting around. This picture above is a few minutes after I put them to bed--in their OWN beds. I went back in because I heard them laughing and found Finn had decided to sleep with Big Sis. Hmmmm...luckily we visited Nana and Grandma Clark that weekend and Grandma hooked us up with a nice play pen--roomy, but decidedly contained.

The day before we arrived, Kaitlyn, who had just been allowed to have visitors under the age of 14 (the restriction was because of the flu season) came down with shingles and was banned from visits by people who hadn't had the chicken pox. Poor girl--of course that excluded her niece and nephews. Finally, about a week and a half later, she was not contagious anymore and the ban was lifted, so we went for a visit!

Squishy cheeks.

Sleeping on Aunt Alexa's lap.

When we got back from visiting one day, we found no one home and we didn't have a house key. So Finn and I snapped some shots outside while Madie slept in the car.

Dang, my kids are adorable.

Grammy has a cat named Marley. He's nice enough, but he needs to wizen up on living with young kids before I kill him. I like cats, really I do, but the first day we were there, Madie was napping and I went in to get her up and saw the cat curled up on the bed. When I pointed it out she said, "The cat scratched me." I laughed it off at first 'cause if a cat scratched me in my sleep, I'd have woken up and cried (at her age--now I'd just slap it across the head), but she hadn't made a peep the whole time she was in there and I had to actually wake her up. But sure enough, on her cheek near the back was a single, long red claw mark. WHAT THE? Needless to say, Marley had to really work to gain grace in my eyes.

Still though, Madie loved him.

Grammy also has a nice big porch. With a swing. And a baby swing in the back. Finn loved it.

Swinging with Aunt Kaitlyn.

There's a nice park right down the street, so we hit that up a few times. 

Smiles! We love to be outside!

Walking to the park and eating a GrossGurt. She loved those things.

Uncle Ezra and Finnegan at the park.

Madie really wanted to visit the temple. Really bad. So Grammy promised to take her there. We did that as a family on Sunday after Kait got out. It was such a nice night.

The Salt Lake temple from the south. Not bad for a phone.

The Christus in the North Visitor's Center. Madie really liked all the statues in the building.

Balancing.

By some flower beds. They smelled so good!

 We also got the unique opportunity to visit The Wishing Place with Kaitlyn. What a cool place! And what an awesome foundation. It makes me so joyful knowing there are people out there who just live to grant the wishes of others--pay for them, plan them, and carry them out. I can't wait for Kait's wish to be carried out!

In the tower. What's this called again, Mum? In Grammy's arms is Finnegan, in Grampy's is Killian. Sweet little cousins. 

A pretty lit window leading to the tower. The whole place is very cool.

Each star represents a child's wish that's been fulfilled.

There are some wishes more popular than others--they say the most popular wish for teenagers is a shopping spree. And the granters go all out--fly them to a big city, give them a credit card, put them in a limo, and give them the run--totally alone--of upscale stores. The younger kids overwhelmingly choose Disneyworld. Others, like Kaitlyn, want family trips. (She knows where it's at!) Some of these kids get really creative though--one boy asked for a one-on-one with Michael Jordan! The first 6 wishes granted by Make A Wish, Utah are displayed on a wall (the others are as well, but in simple frames, these are a display). One girl wished for a secret garden. In a will she wrote herself, which is also on display, she told her parents, in BIG letters, to "give the house to [either of her siblings] so the garden will stay in the family." Then she promised that if they ever needed her or sought her out, she would come to the garden and see them there.

Whew! Now that the tears have dried up I can see to type again.

A couple days before we left, we finally got our girls' night! But first! A preface:

Kaitlyn has a light-up pillow pet nightlight a dear friend gave her. It's a colorful unicorn. Madie fell deeply in love with it, and Kait said, "Well, if she really wants it she can have it. It's not like I use it. The only thing is, it's from Lakell." Well, Grammy wasn't about to force Kait to give up a gift from Lakell, so she went out and got one for Madie. Then when we were getting ready for our girls' night, I told Madie we'd be going on a carriage ride and explained what that was. Right before we left, she asked, "Can my unicorn come on the carriage ride too?" Sooooooo here we are...

Madie and Mustang Sally coming down the stairs of the parking garage.

Aunts Eden and Kaitlyn help Madie into the carriage. They were all decked out for spring!

Madie and me with Burt.

The night before we left we had a family barbeque. It was fun to get together with everyone for a little while. I wish I could have seen a couple of my brothers more, but it was great to see them for at least a little bit. And of course, seeing my sisters and Levi and Ezra and Raquel was fun. And we got to meet Mr. Killian, who has the most awesome poker face you'll ever see.

Grampy and Grammy with Killian and Finnegan.

We got home last night around 10 pm. There was some concern by Mike and my parents that Finn wouldn't remember Daddy. Those were shot down the second Finnegan saw Dad standing in the lobby. Madie of course, ran right to him.

Oh Daddy! We missed you!

Joy of Parenthood

Finding things in places you'd never imagined.

For example, pulling the table from the wall and finding Cheerios stuck to an electrical outlet.

Peace Be Unto Boston

Monday April 15th, Patriot Day in Massachusetts. Also the day of the Boston Marathon. Tragedy struck when two bombs went off near the finish line. The rest of the week left Boston on lockdown and the manhunt began. Fast forward to Friday April 19th, I turned on the live news after work and one of the suspects was surrounded in someone's backyard in a Boston suburb. They finally got him around 9:00 pm. My trip was hinging on this suspect being apprehended. The temple was actually closed on Friday due to the lockdown. Capturing the suspect meant that the temple would be open on Saturday!

Right after I snapped this photo, an Indian man approached me to chat for a bit. He was a neighbor that had a view of the temple. He said he contemplated moving to another suburb of Boston, but did not want to leave the temple view. So he decided to add a second story to his home for an even better view! He often comes to walk the temple grounds and considers it very sacred. He expressed how much peace he felt there. When he goes to D.C. on business, he makes sure he books a room at the Marriot Hotel in Bethesda with a temple view to feel at home. It was great to hear, because all I had ever heard about the neighbors of the Boston Temple were mostly negative. 

Tree of life quilt in the Distribution Center. 

After the temple, I ran to Trader Joe's, and Chipotle. I then made my way to Boston Common to catch some spring. I found a strong police presence as well. 

I love the old churches in Boston. 

I wasn't looking for it, but I did happen upon the street the bombings occurred on. 

On the way back up to Maine, I took highway 1 up the coast through Kennebunk and up toward Portland. Of course, I had to stop by Cape Elizabeth to see the Portland Headlight!

L'arte di Madeleine

We are not hoarders, but there are things worth remembering and keeping. How does one find a middle ground to keep a balance? Well, since this blog is our family history, future scrapbooks, baby books, etc in the making...what better place to put it than here? As for the originals, they have been ceremoniously burned as of tonight.

As for Madeleine's art, she has such a creative mind, I love to see what she comes up with in her different art projects. She stays in the lines much better than 6 months ago, and exercises a lot of artistic freedom in her work. I'm looking forward to many more creative projects.

Swinging

This Finn man loves being outside. Especially if it involves chewing on a stick or sitting in a swing! Now that things are "warming up" to the 40s, he's experiencing some more outdoor fun. I have a sneaking suspicion he is going to be a dirt eater. Yesterday I looked over at him while he was sitting on a slab of granite in our backyard and he seemed to enjoy sampling the sticks and leaves. He is going to love summer.

Easter and Spring!

First, I just wanted to say, the weather has been lovely lately. We've had some rain, we've had some sun--it got into the 50s three times in the last week! And to celebrate the coming of spring, we all went to Ben and Bill's. Madie ordered her usual: mint chocolate chip.

Classic Madie shot.

Finnegan did not want to be left out. But he was.

Okay, now on to the important day. Easter was great! We went to sacrament meeting then headed north to enjoy Easter dinner with Gram and Seth and his family. 

Finn and I. Aaaaand Gram's new addition! It's a nice little porch, just waiting for the Clan to come fill it up.

We spent plenty of time outside. Mike took Finn on a walk, then Madie and I joined Ashley, Guenie, and Wilder on a stroll around town. Seth's kids were playing lacrosse in the streets between cars. And Madie and Wilder played a few games of chase. It was nice to spend some time with just us and Seth's family. I've never had the chance to really chat with Ashley and Madie and Wilder really got to play around some.

 

As I was uploading pics, I saw Mike had taken another shot of this house. I'm pretty sure we know what his dream house looks like. Maybe next time we'll ask if we can get a tour of the inside.

A pause in "tag" to giggle about something or another. 

Enjoy the beauty of spring and of the knowledge of a risen Savior!