First Day of school

I have never been so excited for school to start . This was a crazy summer. The mosquitos were so bad we didn't go outside much, so I am pretty much nutso. The kids were way excited...well except chase because he is 11 and he dosen't get excited about anything.

Alora is in 2nd grade this year, She is pretty excited to be back in school, bu none of her friends were in her class, so she is a little sad about that.

Brooklyn is in 4th Grade this year, and she is so excited. She loves school, and she is the most excited about having access to the school library everyday.

Chase is in 6th grade. He is way to old to be having his picture taken, and I could only get him to smile when I told him I wouldn't come to the middle school next year and take pictures of him on the first day,

We had breakfast together as a family at the school, and then said our Goodbyes. Boston was pretty mad that he dosent get to go to preschool until next month. Poor Talli she is going to have no one to play with.

I have been busy being a mom, and I am trying very hard to lose weight and get my body healthy again. I stil love my sunday school calling, and I love the kids I teach. We have been blessed with a great ward.

It is starting to get cooler here at nights, which means less(ish) mosquitos, but it also means winter is coming. This winter is supposed to be worse than lastan I can't even imagine that.

We sure are thankful for a job and the great town we live in. North Dakota doesn't have much to offer, but the people here make up for a lot of that.

Hope you are all doing well. We Love you.

I am amazing because I can kick my own butt.

Boston was laying by Phil yesterday, and he said, "Dad I am amazing" when Phil asked him why he thought he was amazing he said, " Because I can kick my own butt!" We laughed about that for a while, and then I realize my son had given me a great life lesson.

So my theme of the month is: I am amazing because I can kick my own butt.

No one can change my life for me. I have the power inside of me to change things, so I will. Little actions can result in big changes. In my religion we believe that part of the purpose of life is to learn to overcome the carnal side of your nature or the natural man. I have been overcome more than been the one doing the overcoming more often than I would care to admit.

When you get one of those ahah moments and everything clicks into place, and it seems so simple you wonder why you never put it all together before. So today when I went outside and it had rained all night ( I hate the cold and wet) I could only glory in the smell, the chorus of birds, and the fact that my struggling lawn got a good drenching.

Little actions:

A good attitude full of gratitude
Simplify my life life - I did a lot of that when I cut down the internet and the television time.
Fill my life with little joys

I realized that while I may never be amazing at something, I have the same amount of time as everyone else and how I spend it is my choice. So all the time I was wasting surfing and watching live stream video, I am teaching myself to play the Irish tin whistle, I am keeping a journal, I am getting my house organized again, I am spending time outside everyday, and I go fly my power kite once a week. I am also taking the time to read stories with my babies and play more with my kids.

So I am trying not to beat myself up about letting myself be overcome by the world, and losing that precious time, Plus I am counting the kicking my butt as my exercise for the day. :)

I hate hard decisions, they're hard.

We all have things that we need to change in our lives. Most of us are aware of them, but choose not to make the changes for one reason or another. Other times we realize that we have to take immediate action no matter how painful or difficult it is going to be. I am at such a crossroads.

I realized that I am spending an enormous and unhealthy amount of time watching movies and television show. I knew I was watching too much, but when I realized how many hours in my week I was giving up I was devastated. I love TV so this is a painful discovery for me because I know for now I have to quit watching it completely. Cold turkey for my addiction.

I know all the reason to stop watching TV are great ones, more time with my kids, and my house will definitely benefit from it. Also cutting out the media garbage I have been feeding myself a daily dose of, along with more time for spiritual growth.

I used TV to euthanize myself from all the drama and trials of the last 2 years, and now I am in a place I can recognize it for what it is. A huge waste of my life. So this next month is going to be hard. I have to start thinking again. I remember the me that loves to be actively engaged in an activity, but finding her inside this lazy mind and body is the trick.

When I told my kids no more computer (we have no actual television) I expected howls of rage and dismay, they surprised me. First they made sure I was included in this scenario, and Second they started filling my day up for me with outings and books they wanted to read together.

The part of me that doubted I could do this was instantly eradicated. My kids have been needing me, we have all been suffering. I am still worried.

Does this mean I will never watch TV again? Of course not. What it means is that until my life is in order, and full of actual life, I will just say no.

Notice that I didn't mention how much TV I was watching. That would be the shame and denial part of it all. I refuse to calculate exactly how much time I was devoting to my TV God. I feel guilty enough without knowing the exact number. So wish me luck. I am now going to shut down my computer to avoid backsliding. Love you all. Hope you don't think less of me.

25 Random Things About Me!

One of my friends did this on her blog, and I loved reading little things about her that gave me an insite to who she is now. So to those of you who read this, if you do the same, let me know so I can read it too. So here we go.

1. I love to cook, but I am a very messy cook and dirty a ridiculous amount of dishes, well every dish right now since I am living with the bare minimum until my stuff gets here.

2. I lose and break stuff frequently. I had to replace my cell phone 3 time last year, and have just lost another so if you are trying to get ahold of me...sorry.

3. I love living where it is freezing cold because I can use it as an excuse not to shave my legs or go anywhere i don't want to go.

4. I am a terrible driver, but when I go home to St George I always feel much better about my driving skills.

5. I love to sing and listen to christmas music all year long.

6. I buy gladware so I can throw it away when I clean out my fridge instead of washing them.

7. I can't wait to go back to school, I want to take all the classes that interest me and non of the stuff that dosen't. Though I can't think of anything I wouldn't want to learn. I get dumber every year.

8. I love Williston because the garbage cans and trucks have their own little streets so I don't have push take the can out to road in the snow on garbage day.

9. I love heights and the feeling of falling.

10. I used to be terrified of the dark, but I started watching paranoral investigation shows a few years ago and it went away. Weird

11. I suffer from claustrophobia but only if I can't move my legs or arms.

12. I love the smell of bleach

13. Sometimes I wear air freshener for perfume.

14. I love to lift weights, but I hate cardio....running is for when people are chasing you.

15. I wear stilleto knee high boots instead of snow boots. I never slip on ice and shoveling snow is easier.

16. I have a terrible terrible memory. Seriously it's terrible.

17. I love to laugh, and I think I am hilarious. I try to surround myself with people who have the same sense of humor...that is to say people who find me hilarious.

18. I love teenagers. They still know how to enjoy life, and they don't have to plan their fun 2 weeks in advance.

19. I only wear cheap jewlery I find at dollar stores or on deep discount. ( see #2)

20. I love music. I love the power it has to make me laugh, sing, cry, and the way it can bring back a memory, or a taste, or a feeling. It feeds my soul.

21. My favorite color is Black. Always has been, even when I was a little girl.

22. I love to do sudoku, kakuro, griddlers,and logic puzzles.

23. I never played pretend, it made me uncomfortable, still does. I would rather be doing something real like climbing or building somthing.

24. I have been married to the love of my life for over 11 years. He taught me how to enjoy life and embrace change. Plus he let me pretend to be the boss, it makes me happy,and it makes his life easier.

25. I try to have nothing on my schedule. That way I can get everything done and still have time to be spontaneous. Life is too short for stress.

Love you all!

On Cloud Nine!

We have lived in North Dakota for over a month now, and I have been anxiously awaiting a calling in church. I have been terrified that they would put me in the Primary. I love children, but I live in a primary and I look forward to going to church each week for some spiritual growth. That said I would of course willingly accept a primary calling if it was given to me.

So back to the anxious part. I asked the bishop 2 weeks ago if I could please have a calling. He said he had a calling in mind for me but other things had to happen first. Then he asked me and Phil to speak in church the next week. Phil of course ended up being called into work and I had to fill the time myself. I think I must be the only person that gets excited when they have to speak for a longer period of time. It was the Kami Clark hour. I got to talk and no one interupted me, a dream come true for a Mother. Everyone told me what a great talk I gave, this is why I love Williston, people are so easily impressed. Apparently I am a genius and never knew it. Haa haa.

Most of you know how much I loved my calling as a sunday school teacher for the youth, and how much I love and miss the kids I left behind. Sundays are hard for me beause I feel like I have a huge hole in my heart and it aches more on Sundays. So I have been scouting out the current sunday school teachers, and letting it be known how much I miss my last calling and how much I love the youth.

Last week there was a Preisthood meeting in Minot ( about an 1 1/2 hours away) and Phil was supposed to go down for a interview with the Stake President ( who lives 4 hours away) Brother Romaro asked me if he was going to be able to make it to the interview ( remember Phil got called into work) so I gathered he also had an interview. Now Brother Romaro is one of the current Sunday school teacher of whom I have been scouting out. I was giddy with excitement,the Elders Quorum President just got called as the Ward Clerk ( Enter a nervous Phil) So I figure there are now 3 Stake callings opening up, and Brother Romaro's job is up for grabs. I think back to the comment by the Bishop that they have a calling in mind for me but other things had to happen first. Can you come right out and say, I would like this calling please and thank you? I have just been keeping a little prayer in my heart.

Today I got called out of Relief Society and I was asked to teach course 14 and 15. I started bawling and laughing and sort of jumping up and down. I was so excited. Poor Brother Lamar, he probably thinks I am nuts. I am on cloud nine. He said they are kind of a rowdy, struggling bunch and they may be a little difficult, I just smiled. Those are my favorite kind.

So out of everything thing I have been through these last two years, this is another one of those assurances that the Lord knows me and loves me. I don't know if the youth need me or not but I sure do need them. So yeah I am on cloud nine! I love this place. The Lord is preparing Zion all over the world. I always thought it would be in one place but I find he moves us from one gathering to another. This is an amazing place.

Phil has blossomed. He is keeping the missionaries busy, he is loving people into the gospel as only Phil can. The only thing missing here is our loved ones. North Dakota would be perfect if you were with us. Need a job? People are desperate for employees here. We love you all so much.

For those of you who are from St. George: Remember when Spring Break would fall in March and all these people would come down and go swimming when it was 70 degrees outside? I thought that were nuts. Now I get it. It was in the high 30's to low 40's last week and we were running around in jeans and t-shirts. It felt like spring. That is a 70-90 degree diffrence from the weather we had been experiencing. My sister Tylia said "One good thing about it being so cold that your nose hairs freeze, is you just have to stick your finger up your nose to trim your nose hairs. I am still laughing. We have found a home here. We miss you all, but we are home, and thats a great feeling.

Christmas 2008!

The day we arrived in Williston it was -50 degrees with the windchill. Phil called me to tell me that a plane had caught fire in Denver on the runway and he wan't going to make it home that day> The only plane accident on a us airline in 2008, and of course it happened on the runway of the airport Phil was in while I was trying to move myself and 5 kids by myself. The roads were so bad we didn't arrive at our new house until 8 p.m.

I got the car unloaded and the kids back in the car by 8:45 pm at headed to Mcdonalds, we grabbed a hamburger at the drive through and headed to Walmart. I had forgotten the time change so of course it is really 9:45. So with 5 kids, and two shopping carts we bought, all the food, air matresses, and cheapo kitchen ware we would have to have to survive. Since the next Day was the Sabbath it had to be done then. Brooklyn crawled under one of the carts and fell asleep the other kids and myself were almost in tears by the time we got done. I left my wallet in the car sat with the kids on a bench by the cashier while she rang my stuff up and I ran out to get my wallet and move the car by the front door. People just leave their cars running while they go shopping, weird but when my car barley started and was freezing cold I figured out why.

We were finally done and when I pushed the carts outside, my younger kids started screaming because the snow was blowing around and it felt like little pices of glass when it hit you in the face, the carts were getting stuck in the snow in the parking lot and we couldn't get them to move. I scooped up my babies and got them in the protection of the car....meanwhile Brooklyn is still conked out at the bottom of the cart oblivious. I had literally draged her from the cart and into the car, she never budged. I then had to load the two overflowing carts into my car alone because no way was I letting those kids out in that again. With that ordeal out of the way we headed home.

Everyone got into the house as fast as possible, we had managed to rouse brooklyn enough for her to walk inside, everyone got there jammies on and there teeth brushed while I blew up air mattresses and found the sheets to make the beds. Finally everyone was in bed, and I got to go back outside and bring everything in. Happy Happy Joy Joy! I put away everything perishable, blew up and made my bed, and stumbled into bed at 2:30 a.m. A blessed unconciousness!!

The next morning I woke up at 8:40 am and it was pitch dark outside...apparently since we are so far north the sun doesn't come out until 9:00 a.m. WEIRD! Church starts in an hour and 20 minutes, everyone is dead asleep and our clothes are buried in a pile of chaos on the front room floor. So at 10:00 am we piled in the car leaving behind clothes strung from one end of the house to another breakfast on the kitchen floor ( no table) and all of us trying to look we had showered, the night before. ( you can't go outside with wet hair here because your hair will freeze and it can break off...seriously break off!)

We got there 15 minutes late, and with less than 100 people in the room they noticed us arrive. Just in case they didn't notice us, Talli turned off the lights during the Christmas Program. Seriously! The people opened their arms to us, and were thrilled to have us there...so I am glad we went though everything we did to get there.

Phil arrived late that night, and had the time off for Christmas so we just spent time together as a family. By Monday someone one in the ward had brought us a Christmas tree and lights, a table and a couple chairs, and a arm chair for the front room. Someone else had left us money, which we used to outfit the kids with snow pants and such for this weather, and a microwave. It was such a blessing.