Change is good...right?

Yesterday while visiting at Robbie and Cari's, I was "peer pressured" (in a nice way!) into making a change in my hair color. Shannon has always wanted me to color my hair red, and the opportunity arose, so I took it. My hair has been blond (well, except for the gray) for 37 years, so this was quite a drastic change for me. The kids had various reactions. Bryce said he didn't know I was his mom. Jack says he loves it and wants me to keep it this way. Colton says it makes me look old. Katie told me before church this morning that people might laugh at me. Chase doesn't care what I do, but he would really like to dye his hair now, too. Naomi just looks at me, points, and says, "Black!". Shannon likes it, but would love me no matter what color my hair is. Alex is working at camp this week, so he hasn't gotten to voice an opinion. Everyone at church this morning seemed to like it, and as far as I can tell, no one laughed at me. They all just thought Shannon traded me in for a new model. I've got my back-up box of color in the bathroom closet, so let me know what you think. Should we keep it this way, or go back to blond?

"The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 16:31

Blog it, Mommy!

We have spent a bit of time today catching up on pictures and news on our blog. It's now 10:50 pm, and the girls are still going strong. They took late naps again, and now can't seem to get settled down at a decent bedtime.

They LOVE having their pictures taken. We're so thankful for digital cameras. We wouldn't be able to indulge their vanity quite so much with old fashioned film cameras.

After snapping this picture a few minutes ago, Katie exclaimed, "Blog it, Mommy!". Time to get these sleeping beauties in bed!

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep--" Proverbs 6:10

Hudson is 6 months old

Hudson turned 6 months old this week. He has begun getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth, but hasn't "officially" crawled yet. He can certainly move about the room by lunging forward, and has even gone from the family room, through the kitchen, and into the living room.

He enjoys playing with toys, and likes to stand in his bouncy chair. He's generally a pretty happy guy, and sleeps well at night. He really likes eating Mommy's homemade applesauce, but hasn't acquired a taste for much else yet.

His first tooth popped through this week, although I haven't been able to get a picture of it yet. We'll try again in a couple days.

"The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old." Proverbs 8:22

You know you have five big brother when...

...they convince you to pose for a picture with pretzels stuck up your nose. I predict someday this picture will come back to haunt my little Katie Belle! We'll save a few embarrassing ones of the big boys along the way, too, just to keep things even.

"The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps." Proverbs 14:15

Corn Carnival 2007

On Friday, July 6th we attended the annual Corn Carnival Parade in Gladbrook. We collected our allotment of candy for the year. We had a really good seat, scouted out by Julie, Eric and their family. We enjoyed watching the parade together and then spent some time visiting over brownies and lemonade afterwards.

Saturday morning the Corn Carnival committee sponsors games and activities for the children. This year Katie and Naomi signed up for the cozy coupe races. Naomi chickened out and didn't race. Katie completed the race, but didn't place because she was too concerned with honking the horn, turning the key, and if there were a review mirror, I'm sure she would have been applying her lip gloss, too. That's a typical woman driver, according to Shannon.

Jackson and Chase participated in the basketball shoot. Jack placed Third in his age group, and Chase tied for Third, but lost the tie breaker, so got the Fourth place prize.

Jack, Chase, Bryce, Colton, Katie and Naomi all participated in the Corn Throw. Jackson placed Second in his age group, and Katie was crowned the Corn Throwing Champion in her age bracket.


"Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor." Proverbs 3:16

Crossing the Jordan

Colton's best friend in the whole wide world, Hunter, came to visit us in June for several days while his parents were on a mission trip. We had a fun and exciting week, including one episode of painting our poor dog Sadie purple. We were able to have a campfire one evening, and roasted marshmallows to make S'mores.
Saturday morning came and it was time to meet Hunter's grandma to return him. In order to get to our destination, we needed to cross the Iowa River along Highway 20. This is a relatively long bridge, so as we got close I said to the boys in the back seat, "Here comes the big bridge". Colton then turned to Hunter, and in his best travel guide voice, said, "Hunter, now we're going to be crossing the Jordan River!". It's good to know those Sunday school lessons are sinking in. Now we just have to work on our geography...

"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

Fireworks at the lake

On June 30th, my parents invited our family to the lake house for their 4th of July celebration. They kids spent quite a bit of time swimming in the lake and filling up water balloons in anticipation of the boat parade. We took a couple boat rides throughout the afternoon. During one of those rides, we were going against the wake and it was getting a little choppy. Colton was sitting in the front of Papa Ken's boat, holding on tightly. He turned to me an yelled over the motor, "I think now would be a good time to pray!".

The boat parade consisted of many decorated boats cruising around the lake throwing candy to those watching from their docks. They also threw water balloons on occasion, and our boys were ready to retaliate with their own arsenal of balloons. By about 10:00 the fireworks were ready to start, so we loaded up in the boat and anchored in the middle of the lake with many other boaters. As we were waiting for the show to begin, a lighted red ball floated past our boat. We speculated on what it might have been from. Colton boldly declared, "I know what it is. It's a catfish hairball". Where do they come up with these things?



"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise" Proverbs 11:30

God wouldn't like that

The weather here has cooled off significantly, so we have again turned off the air conditioning and opened up the windows to let some fresh air in. The kids have been in and out of the house playing all day, and hence we have a house full of flies. I have armed the kids with fly swatters and instructed them to take no prisoners. Katie swatted one fly on the windowsill, and as she inspected it, she came to me with great big eyes saying, "The fly is bleeding, Mommy!". I assured her that that is the goal. Eventually, it will die and not bother us anymore. She then looked at me with a very serious expression on her face, and said, "We shouldn't do that. God wouldn't like that". How do you explain to a three year old that it's okay to kill some of God's creation, but not others?

"Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart," Proverbs 3:3

Father's Day

This year the kids wrote letters and illustrated pictures to Shannon for Father's Day. Following are the letters they wrote to him. We printed them all into a booklet for him to keep.

Dear Daddy,
I'm not old enough to write this yet so Mommy is going to do it for me.
Thank you for being such a great dad. You make me smile every time you come into the room! I get so excited to see you because you are so much fun to be around. You're goofy and crazy, and I know that you would do anything for me.
Thank you for praying for me, and thank you for taking me to church. You're a good example of what a godly man looks like. Thank you for loving my mom. You guys are great together!
Thanks for going to work every day and providing for our family. You're a great guy, and I hope I can be just like you someday!
Love,
Hudson

Dear Daddy,
I love Daddy. You tickle me. You kiss me. You play with me. You give me showers. You put me to bed and tell me stories. You feed me. You give me kitties. You play doggies with me. You play babies with me.
Daddy hugs me and snuggles me.
Love,
Naomi

Dear Daddy,
I want to get you a pop.
I love you cuz Colton says you're so handsome.
I love you cuz you take pictures.
I love you cuz you kiss Naomi and me.
I love you cuz Colton loves you and I love Colton.
I love you cuz you climb on the roof.
I love you cuz you take care of Hudson.
Love,
Katie Belle

Dear Dad,
I love you because you help me do things. I like it when you cook me food. I love you. You play fun games with me. You do lots of stuff with me. You teach me how to do things. I like to play four square with you. I like to play bocce ball and soccer and kickball with you. You are the best.
Love,
Colton

Dear Dad,
Thank you for taking care of me and my brothers and sisters and mom. Thank you for going to work and giving me food.
Thank you for going to all of my football, basketball and soccer games. Thank you for having fun with me.
Thank you for reading the bible to me and doing devotions with me. I love you.
Love,
Bryce

Dear Dad,
Thank you for being my dad. You mean a lot to me because you like to play with me and watch me do sports. You're the coolest dad ever.
Thanks for being a good cooker. I hope that I can be just like you someday.
Love,
Chase

Dear Cap'n Crunch,
Thank you, Dad, for everything you do. You're the best dad there is, and I love you for that.
Thank you for the love, kindness, goodness and GOOD LOOKS you give me. Thanks for encouraging me in sports. Thank you for helping build our go-karts and four-wheelers.
Love,
Jackson

Dear Dad,
Thanks for being the best dad ever! Thanks for helping me with my friends, playing with me, taking us on vacation, and for working your hardest to make our family happy.
Love,
Alex


Unfortunately, Hudson was sleeping during family photo time, so he is not pictured above.

Shannon truly is an exceptional father. I'm proud of him for working hard for our family, for being a godly example for our children, and for sacrificially giving of his time to be the best dad he can be. He makes my life easy in so many ways. He's definitely the glue that holds this family together.

"My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5

Hudson's First Swim

Wednesday we spent the morning cleaning up the garage a little and picking toys and balls up out of the yard. Shannon worked his magic with electricity and now our water fountain has an outlet right next to it and can be turned on and off with a switch in the garage. I'm thinking that it will also be an awesome place to plug in a homemade ice cream freezer! Anyone interested in coming over for a visit?


Naomi, ever the little tool time helper, was right there next to her daddy helping the whole time. One must keep an eye on her around the ladder, though. This little one is definitely not afraid of heights, whether on the ladder or climbing up to the slide.

We took the kids to the pool in Reinbeck in the afternoon. It was Hudson's first time to get in the pool and play. He generally isn't wild about taking baths, and prefers showers to soaking in the tub, so I was a little nervous about how he would respond. He loved it! We sat in the shallow area and he splashed and played with the water. The girls and Colton kept him entertained. We stayed for about an hour, then had to leave for Jackson's dental appointment.

"The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him." Proverbs 23:24

Water Babies

Monday morning I drove Chase, Bryce, and another boy from Grundy Center up to Iowa Regular Baptist Camp for Jr. Boys Camp. All of the little kiddos came along for the ride. I dropped the littles off at the Kamberger's house on the way to camp so they could play with Sarabeth, Julianna and Nathan. Alex and Jackson were still there, so they helped babysit.

After registering the boys at camp, we unloaded at their dorm, and the next thing you know, they disappeared. No hugs for Mom, no "I'll miss you's", nothing. I guess that is a good thing. I did get a chance to catch up with them and say good-bye before I left the campgrounds.

We had lunch at Mary's, and then the kids decided they wanted to go swimming. Mary worked wonders and came up with enough bathing suits for all of our kids, so we loaded up and went to the lake. All of the kids enjoyed themselves, except maybe Hudson. He didn't get to join in the fun, but did get to sit in the shade under the umbrella.

We didn't get home until around 6:00pm. It was a long day, but we enjoyed spending time with our friends. Pray for Chase & Bryce that they will have a fun week and grow spiritually!


"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

Saturday

Today Shannon, Chase, Bryce and Colton headed down to Des Moines to help some friends move. That left Katie, Naomi, Hudson and I at home. Alex and Jackson are still up in Clear Lake spending the weekend with Kambergers after finishing up at Water and Work Week at camp. I'll pick them up when I drop Chase and Bryce off at Jr. Boys camp on Monday.

The weather is beautiful again today. The girls have gone outside to play every once in awhile. After cleaning up the lunch dishes, I went outside to check on them. I found them going down the big twisty slide with the baby kittens. The kittens really didn't seem to mind too much, but the mama kitty was a little nervous!


Those girls are definitely partners in crime! They are really missing their big brothers, and keep asking when Ali & Jack-Jack are coming home.

"But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18

Springtime

What does springtime bring in Iowa? Lots of sunny day--and lots of rainy days. I snapped this picture through the kitchen window last week. It shows the fresh green corn growing in the distance, and the beautiful green grass in our pasture. I'm anxious for the wildflowers to begin blooming.



Springtime also brings baby kittens. We have three little ones that are about 5 weeks old. Anyone interested in one? The other two are gray and very cute as well.


We adopted another dog through freecycle last week. Riley is a 4yo Australian Shepherd. He's great with the kids, and although he left us for a couple days last week, he found his way back home yesterday. We're hoping he decides to stay for good this time!

"She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her." Proverbs 3:18

Cedar Valley Cup

The culmination of the Spring soccer season is the Cedar Valley Cup, a three day tournament in Cedar Falls. The weather Friday evening was beautiful, and Jackson & Chase's team won their game. We started the day on Saturday by leaving home at 7:00am. Bryce's team lost their first game of the tournament, but went on to win the next two, earning a shot at the Bronze medal. They played in nice, sunny weather, and also had some games in cold rainy weather. They rallied at the end and were able to bring home the Bronze.


Jackson & Chase's team also lost one game of the tournament, earning them each a Bronze medal. They have a very competitive team, with a lot of good athletes. Each of them scored several goals per game. We enjoy watching them play.


Alex's team went into the last game undefeated. They were facing a team that they had lost to 5-1 in the regular season. They played following a huge downpour and thunderstorm, which made for very sloppy and wet playing conditions. They were not able to pull it off, and ended up losing 3-1, earning a Silver medal.


The little kids did a great job holding up throughout the weekend. We spent a lot of hours at the soccer complex, and they behaved very well. They've made a lot of friends throughout the season, and had fun playing play-doh and coloring with them during the games.


We're proud of the boys' accomplishments this season, and we're also thankful to be done for a few months!

"The glory of young men is their strength..." Proverbs 20:29a

Birthday Weekend

Memorial Day weekend we celebrated Papa Joe's 82nd birthday and Colton's 6th birthday.



We took Papa Joe to the buffet at the Meskwaki Casino in Toledo, his favorite place. Carrie, Jason & the boys, as well as Barry, joined us. We appreciate Papa Joe's VIP status that allows us to get immediate seating rather than waiting in line.




We celebrated Colton's birthday in Clear Lake with the Kambergers. We were able to attend church with them on Sunday evening, spend the night, and fellowship with their church family at IRBC on Monday. What better way is there for a 6 year old to spend his birthday than at camp? The weather was beautiful and the company entertaining. We had the privilege of hearing Jason Nightengale minister both Sunday and Monday. He does an amazing job of reciting God's word and making it come to life. You can check out his website at wordsower.org.


"Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him." Proverbs 30:5

Nursery Pictures

At our church, they do not provide nursery workers for the Sunday evening service, so Shannon or I invariably take turns in the nursery with the girls. It was my turn this week, so I took the opportunity to snap some pictures of the kids. Chase helped keep me company.
























"For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6

What exactly IS Patience?

While we were all at the dentist's office on Wednesday, the receptionist touched my arm and told me she just wanted to let me know she is SO impressed with our family and how well behaved the children are. She thought I must have SO much patience to be able to manage all of them in such an efficient manner. We've got her fooled, huh? It reminded me of something I had recently read from a fellow homeschool mom, who had a great explanation for what Patience is. I had never heard this before, but it is GOOD. Makes me want to wake up and practice patience a whole new way tomorrow. Hope it is a blessing to you too.

Patience is correcting (giving a consequence for) wrong behavior without becoming angry or resentful, every time it is necessary, no matter how inconvenient it is or how much you don’t feel like doing it.

I used to think that being patient was putting up with my children’s lack of obedience. I was thinking wrongly that they were just children, and couldn’t help themselves. I thought I was being patient if I asked them to do something over and over again without getting angry.

I would say, “Walk in the house, please.” Ten minutes later I’d say, “Walk in the house please.” Five minutes later, “Walk in the house please.” I would feel myself getting angrier and angrier as the days went on and still every day my children ran through the house. I would tell myself to “be patient.” I would think, “They’re just children.” “They’re just 2 yrs. Old” or “They are just 4 yrs. old,” etc. I would tell them in a sweet voice and remind them once again…”Walk in the house please.”

The problem was that I was confused about what “patience” was when it came to discipline. In truth, deciding ahead of time, with my husband, what the rules of our house were going to be (no running in the house for example), determining an appropriate consequence for the breaking of these rules, and then purposing to enforce the rule EACH and EVERY time was what was needed.

What is the godly principle for the rule “no running in the house?” you might ask? It is in loving others and in considering them more highly than ourselves. It is also honoring and obeying your parents in the Lord. It is in being wise. Running through the house is unwise. It is not the place for running, as children can get hurt as well as belongings getting broken. We need to be good stewards of what the Lord has blessed us with.

Where does patience come in? If I have to correct them 20 times a day for 20 days – that’s where patience and perseverance come in! When I have to walk away from making dinner for the third time to issue a correction (a training swat), when I have to get up from my conversation with my husband, when I have to get off the phone to correct my child, or put down a book I’m reading to correct my child (giving them a trainer swat)…this is where patience comes in! Instead of becoming angry that I have told them and corrected them 3 or 5 or 20 times already, it’s correcting them with love and understanding and PATIENCE.

Patience is not “putting up with” wrong behavior. Patience is correcting (giving a consequence for) wrong behavior without becoming angry or resentful, every time it is necessary, no matter how inconvenient it is or how much you don’t feel like doing it.

Long suffering is another way of saying “patience” and it is a good description of what patience is. It is being willing to suffer (be inconvenienced) for the benefit of your child, however…long…it is necessary, hence the word long suffering. When we suffer long to teach our children the importance of obedience, we are making an amazing investment into their lives. We are teaching them the true nature of God. That no matter how far we stray, no matter what we do, or how many times we do it…God will correct us also…because He loves us and He wants good for us. He will not allow us to prosper and continue in something that is to our detriment. He desires for his children to be mature and wise, just as we hope for our children to become adults that are mature and wise. I hope this helps other parents.

"My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you." Proverbs 3:1-2

A new addition to our family

Gotcha! You all thought we were having another baby, didn't you?

Yesterday Shannon took all of the kids to PetSmart while I did some grocery shopping next door. When I met them there, Colton emphatically stated that all he wanted for his birthday was a RAT! He had picked out which cage he wanted and everything. We settled on a gerbil, against my better judgment. It has always been my inclination that rodents were to be kept OUT of the house, not invited IN.

I was outnumbered, so Peaches became the newest member of the Clark household. They also got her a ball so she can roll around the floor. She really enjoys this, except when Naomi decides to give her a boost and shoves her across the kitchen floor end over end. Naomi just giggles.

Colton has big plans to expand her cage. This morning he was plotting how many extensions it would take to keep one cage on the kitchen table (ick!), and one upstairs in his bedroom, with tubes connecting them.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so." Proverbs 3:27

Applesauce!

Hudson got his first "real" food last week. The big kids were eating some applesauce, so I decided to give him some, too. He loved it. It took a while for him to get his tongue working in the right fashion, but he got the hang of it eventually.

"...and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21b

You know your dog is fed well...

...when she will sit by a fully cooked 5 lb. roast and not eat it. Last week we discovered that someone had unplugged our freezer in the garage. This is the freezer we keep all of our meat in. We lost 5 roasts, 4 t-bone steaks (did you hear Shannon crying?), a turkey, and a bag of chicken breasts. There were a few other things in it that we were able to salvage. The other freezer was full of applesauce which thawed also, but we were able to re-freeze all of that.

Sadie got to eat all of our beef. It was so tempting to eat it ourselves. It didn't smell bad, but we decided it just wasn't worth the risk. So, we cooked all of the roasts and t-bones in the crock pot and doled them out to her throughout the week. Right before I snapped this picture, she was lying next to the plate, guarding it from the cats, but apparently just wasn't hungry enough to eat it at the time.

What a life!

"A man's stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled." Proverbs 18:20