Oh I wish I had a Nothing Box!!!!!

Halloween Fun!

Halloween was a success in the Baird home. I love this holiday. I love dressing up! I love looking at people's decorated homes! Such fun! We decided to have a little B-day party for Lydia with trick-or-treating as the activity!!! It was great fun to be in a big group with all the cousins and we had such a splendid time. Now our treat bowl is full to overflowing. And since we knew the kids would have PLENTY of sugar, we skipped on a birthday cake and made a "Nightmare Before Christmas" delight with doughnut holes! I'm not in any of the following pics, so I'll tell you that I was a witch this year (again!). Enjoy!!!!

These are the kid's masterpieces!!!! The "cheek" holes on Spencer's are actually ears! OOoooooo Scarrrrrrry!


Ryan, Nikki, Katie, Chris, Paul, Bethany!!!!


The wee ones!


What a cake!

The Hero of Ages--I'm Finished

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. And WOW!!!!! I loved it!!!!! WOW!

The Hero of Ages

I am currently reading The Hero of Ages and just had to say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. As I get closer to the end I feel sad that this is it in the series and soon it will be over for me. I don't know what I'll read after this. Brandon Sanderson is truly a genius. What a fun, exciting, amazing, incredible read!!!!

Jack in all his cuteness!!!!!

Here's some fun footage of Jack. He's in such a fun stage right now! Enjoy!

Summer 2008

What a wonderful, busy summer the Baird Clan had! Between 3 sessions of swimming lessons, a trip to Zermatt, a trip to the Tetons, many trips up AF canyon for hot dog roasts and smores, slip n' sliding at Parklane Park, birthday parties, playing with friends, family reunion, the Olympics (which were INSANE this year), visits from family, a few OWLZ baseball games, many a house project, watching fireworks from all the city days, Breaking Dawn (I had to add that one!), and all the normal summer life happenings in between, it must be concluded that our summer was a success. Now that school has started, perhaps I can start to get my house in order a little bit more! I do love summer!

Breaking Dawn

So this little post is to simply express how excited I am for Breaking Dawn! I'm going to be at girl's camp on Friday night, so unfortunately I will not be able to attend the Barnes and Noble party at midnight (so sad)! But as soon as I get home I can't wait to start reading! I really love this saga for many reasons. One...it's such a fun, creative fantasy. I think I love fantasy so much because it's exciting to read about a different world than the one we live in. I also marvel at people's creativity in creating these new worlds. SO FUN! It's also such a fantastic love story. Sigh. And with these books especially, it's just great to be reading something that so many people love and enjoy! I love that I can talk to people about Twilight in the beauty salon, at church, waiting for my tire to be repaired, at the park, at swimming lessons, etc., etc. The fact that other people are excited about these books, makes the adventure of reading them all the more enjoyable. I simply LOVE talking to others about what I read, and there's so many "others" with this series. Below is a visual example of what I'm talking about. This slide show is from a Twilight Party that a lady in our old ward put together. Talk about a FUN night. We played Twilight Jepordy, ate Twilight goodies, gave predictions on the meaning of the BD cover and the synopsis, and laughed our heads off. We also went home with a BD countdown chain, which I'm happy to say only has only 4 more chains left!!! It was great! Now some of you may say this seems a little obsessive, but to that I ask, what's life without the small pleasures that make us happy and get us excited? Alas, it would be dull and boring indeed! Enjoy the pics!

Rock Band meets the Clarks

The Minson's where gracious enough to host FHE at their house! The activity...ROCK BAND. As you can see we all came dressed and ready to rock out. After an AMAZING meal of sishkabobs cooked over an open flame (yumbola!!!) we headed in to try our hand at singing, guitar, drums, and bass. What a fun night. We laughed sooo hard. Mom on the drums was the ultimate! Thanks Darren and Nat for such a great evening!!!

Entertainment Weekly

I just finished The Host today!!! I really enjoyed this book. I'll admit that it took me awhile to get into, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It really makes you think about human nature, and how wonderfully complex we are. It's also a really fun love story. I must thank Stephenie Meyers for yet another FANTASTIC read. Here's looking forward to Breaking Dawn on August 2nd (71 days, 7 hours, 54 minutes!), and Mistborn 3 (The Hero of Ages) on October 14th. And I have to give a YIPEEEEEEE for tonight's first episode of So You Think You Can Dance...Paul and I's FAVORITE reality show!!!! We are also seeing the new Indiana Jones movie on Saturday which I'm quite excited for. And I haven't seen Prince Caspian yet, but I've heard it's amazing. Can't Wait!!! Oh the little pleasures in life.

The Emperor's New Hair

Spencer's first grade class put on the Emperor's New Hair last week. As you can see, Spencer was the emperor.

"With a snap of my finger, my wishes are granted!"

I must say I was quite impressed with this little production. Sorry that the camera is a little shaky. Jack kept pulling down on the camera strap while I was recording.


Spencer's little hand dance in this last clip is quite funny. I have no idea what was going on in his noggin'!! These are truly the precious moments of motherhood, and I love my little Buddy!

Shake Rattle and Roll

Here's yet another clip of our little guy. I've wanted to capture this little quark of his for awhile, so I'm glad I got it on video. Pretty cute.



Here's also a pic. of his teeth. REALLY cute to look at but NOT AT ALL CUTE when used during feedings. I repeat, NOT AT ALL CUTE when used during feedings.

Jackuare

Here's a sweet little clip of our Jackie growling. Doesn't he look fabulous in the pink bib! We sure love our little guy!


Jack is now 9 months old, has 4 teeth, still doesn't crawl (yeah for me!!!), and still won't take a bottle (not so yeah for me!). That's why this pirate shirt is so fitting for him. It's what he expresses to me in some form or another 5 times a day!


"Arghhhh Matey. I be one-eyed Capin' Jack"

You're Gonna Miss This

So Celebrity Apprentice ROCKED this year. Talk about good reality TV. Can't wait for the next season. Anyway, Trace Adkins performed his new song, You're Gonna Miss This, on the finale and I really liked it. It's on my playlist with all the other country music. Give it a listen to! It's a great reminder to live in the moment and enjoy it for what it's worth. As much as we may wish to be in a different stage, we'll never get this moment back. So now I'm going to go stop Spencer and Lydia from arguing and then I'll change a stinky poopy diaper, take the clothes out of the dryer, clean up the dishes in the sink, and get dinner going. And you know what...I'm going to enjoy it (at least for today :o)). It's hard to believe, but I'm sure I really will miss this someday!

Who Am I?

My long-awaited for "Speaker for the Dead" FINALLY came in at the library. I've been excited for this read since finishing Ender's Game. I was so fascinated with the Introduction of this book. It's always fun to "see" into the mind of the author. I wanted to share a part of this introduction.

"Characters, as most writers understand, are truly developed through their relationships with others. If there are only two significant characters, then there is only one relationship to be explored. If there are three characters, however, there are four relationships: Between A and B, between B and C, between C and A, and finally the relationship when all three are together. Even this does not begin to explain the complexity--for in real life, at least, most people change, at least subtly, when they are with different people. I have seen this time and time again with my friends, with other family members. Our whole demeanor changes, our mannerisms, our figures of speech, when we move from one context to another. Listen to someone you know when they pick up the telephone. We have special voices for different people; our attitudes, our moods change depending on whom we are with. So when a storyteller has to create three characters, each different relationship requires that each character in it must be transformed, however subtly, depending on how the relationship is shaping his or her present identity. Thus, in a three-character story, a storyteller who wishes to convince us of the reality of these characters really has to come up with a dozen different personas, four for each of them."

So my fascination and intrigue of these insights ran much deeper than I will even try to attempt to explain in words. But isn't it an interesting concept that our personalities are so complex and varied. We are not, and never could be, one way or the other--black or white. Who I am and how I act around one person, is not who I am and how I act around another. And yet, it's those differences that make us who we are. Isn't is amazing that we are capable of such complexity as human beings?

And so for the souls that are trying to figure out who they really are, this post is unfortunately dedicated to bring about even more questions and more levels on which to explore your definition of self. In truth, I don't think we can define our personalities so easily. I don't think we can label ourselves as a "red" person, or a "white" person. For sure, certain traits and characteristics will seem dominate over others around most people and in most circumstances, but it cannot be how we Always are in All circumstances. And if there even existed a "true us" or a "real me" (as we sometimes hear), who's the relationship that is privileged to know it? Can we even know it?

Okay, enough! I'm sure I've either bored you, or given you something to think about. I'll let it be at that. Here's to sunnier days and warmer weather. And since this is Paul and I's Anniversary, here's to my Sweetheart! Thanks for 8 glorious, fabulous, fun-filled, exhilarating, wonderful, fantastic, special, marvelous years!!!! I love you so very, very much.

A Great And Terrible Flu

It must never be said of me when I die, that I was patient and graceful in sickness…that I never complained and bore my infirmities with dignity. In truth, I’m NO picnic when I’m ill. In fact I’m down-right, pathetically difficult. Sickness is, and has always been, a terribly hard thing for me to go through. This is not something I’m proud of, but it is the truth nonetheless. So needless to say, the past 5 days of dealing with the flu has been anything but pleasant. And not only was I sick, but Lydia and Jack were as well. I swear, every time Jack coughed, I wanted to cry. And his fever broke my heart. As much as I HATE being sick, I HATE HATE watching my kiddies be sick. So I’ve spent many hours in bed. Most of this time has been spent rocking back and forth (my coping mechanism), and just giving into the misery that is the flu. But there were moments when I actually started to think about how lucky I was. So this little post is dedicated to blessings that come to light during sickness.

1. I’m soooo happy that I can be sick in a comfortable home and a comfortable bed with a comfortable down comforter.
2. I’m grateful, beyond words, that Paul is such an amazing man. He totally took over as Mister Mom, which with 2 sick kids is not an easy feat. When I woke up Sunday morning, I woke up to a sparkling clean living room and kitchen. WOW!!! He is my hero on so many levels!
3. I’m grateful for my sweet parents and their constant concern. I’m grateful for the amazing meal they brought in on Saturday night. By the way, the mangos from Costco are like biting into the Caribbean itself. Yummmy! It’s amazing how the simple acts of service mean so very much when you’re not feeling well.
4. I’m grateful for potpourri. Paul made a batch of it and boiled it on the stove. It was very nice!
5. I’m grateful for the morning (this morning) that you wake up and realize you’re on the mend. I’m grateful that I can breath through my nose. I’m grateful that every joint in my body is not aching! I’m grateful that I’m not freezing cold and goosebumpy, or sweating buckets, just waiting for the cycle to repeat itself. I’m grateful that I can walk up the stairs and not feel winded! I’m grateful that my head doesn’t feel like a bowling ball. Aghhhhhhhhhh, the beauty of health. How much more I appreciate it right after sickness!
6. And in the end, even though there were times I wanted to die, and was afraid that I just might live (tee hee)…I’m grateful that I’m alive and have such an amazing, complicated body.

Happy Valentine's Day

Feeling the Love on V-Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day one and all!

I absolutely love this holiday! I think it’s lovely that one day a year is dedicated completely to Love. On this day, we are a little more sweet and tender in our thoughts and actions. We reflect on what it means to love and to be loved. And we appreciate all of our cherished relationships, and the roles we are blessed to play. Today I’m sooooo grateful for the many ways that I get to love those around me, and also for the love I feel in return.

My love as a wife is the ULTIMATE. I have found my eternal companion in Paul. I love the way our love has evolved over the years, and I look forward to growing old with him. He’s the one I can’t wait to lay eyes on in the morning, and the best to kiss goodnight in the evening. He completes me in every way!

My love as a mother is fulfilling and so rewarding. I love my wee ones. I’m so involved mentally and emotionally in all they do. They are the true teachers of patience, innocence, forgiveness, and charity. It is a privilege to be their mom and to watch them grow and learn. It is an amazing love indeed!

My love as a daughter is sweet and meaningful. The love I feel for my parents continues to change and grow as I journey on the path of parenthood myself. I appreciate the sacrifices my parents made for me…sacrifices I didn’t understand or even realize were being made until I became a mommy. I appreciate the friendship that has grown over the years. My parents are such wise, fun, generous, people. How I love and admire them.

I love being a seestor to the most amazing siblings I could ever have asked for. Being a “Clark” is simply FUN. Our conversations are full of laughter, and we are deeply fierce in our relationships with each other. When one is hurting, the others hurt as well. And we couldn’t be more supportive. Ahhh Geeee!

My love as an in-law is diverse and wonderful. I love the whole extension in family thing!!! It’s so great that the family unit continues to grow and grow and grow. You get a chance to really become involved with people that are so different from you. And despite the differences, the family bond creates such strong feelings of affection and genuine concern. It’s so unique and fabulous!

My love as a friend is precious. I have been blessed with true, deep friendships throughout my life. I know many friends were sent my way in times of need, to fulfill things that only they could. I’ll always cherish my friendship with Laura Wood, even though she is no longer with me. I miss her. I thank Stacy Chan for being such a true and loyal friend, my best friend, as well as the biggest goofball I know. I’m grateful for my years of friendship with Amy Chariton. She made highschool and Ricks what they were! Thank you Jill Ottley for being such a great example of motherhood. You are such a sanity saver in more ways then you’ll know and I’m grateful for our frindship!

Thank you all for your influence in my life. It’s lovely to love you on this love-filled day!

2007 Highlights

Joining the Blog Zone!!!!

We've (or rather I've, since I don't know how much Paul will contribute to this site!) joined the world of BLAWWWWWWWG!!!! Welcome! Hopefully I can figure out all the cool things one can do with a blog site, and in so doing keep you updated on our simple life through words, pictures, music, and hopefully video! To begin I'll highlight 2007! What a FABULOUS year. We had a super fun vacation to the Bay Area, a trip to Disneyland with Grandma and Grandpa Clark, Paul opened up shop in Lehi right across the street from where we live and his new office is beautiful, Spencer entered the exciting world of 1st grade at Renaissance Academy, Lydia started preschool, and the best highlight of all--our sweet little Jackson joined our clan! We are looking forward to all the adventures that await us in 2008! It's going to be a super year.

Here's a few of my "right now" enjoyments!
BOOK: Right now I'm re-reading the Twilight series and LOVING it all over again. 12.08.08!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Stacy Chan. I hope you're happy that I've been neglecting my kiddies all week! I also enjoy the CCCC Newsletters and am anticipating next month's installment.
SONG: On the subject of Twilight, I'm a little obsessed over the first track on my playlist, "Somewhere". It could easily be the theme song of New Moon. Oh Edward....
MOMENT: I had a special moment with Lydia on our last night at Disneyland. Just me and her walking through the castle at night. She was sooooooo excited about the crown we had just bought her. It was a priceless moment.
MOVIE: Paul and I went and saw the new National Treasure last night. It was simply fun! I recommend seeing it if you haven't! I also loved Enchanted!
TV SHOW: Overall I LOVE So You Think You Can Dance. But right now Celebrity Apprentice ROCKS!!!!!
TIME OF DAY: I love my night-time nursings. It's such a sweet time with my Jack, when all is quiet and peaceful.
QUOTE: Life is an occasion--Rise to it!
RESTAURANT: Bangkok Grill of course! We ate there just last night!
FOOD: Anything served on a cruise ship.
THINGS TO DO: Be with my family hands down!
SOUND: Jack's growl. It's hilarious.
PURCHASE: I bought my first China place setting for my collection! What's better is that it's the setting that started my whole fetish for China.
WINTER ACTIVITY: A good book in one hand with a tea-cup of hot cocoa in the other, snuggled under a blanket by the glow of our portable heat dish.
PERSON: My amazing sweetie, my prince in rusted chain-mail, my everything--Paul! And no, I was never going to say Edward. He's not really a person. He is my favorite vampire though! And along that line, Legolas would be my favorite elf, my favorite wizard is a toss up between Gandalf and Dumbledore, my favorite witch is Elphaba, my favorite mouse is Mickey, and my favorite Mistborn is Vin with Kelsier being a close second. Yes...I enjoy fantasy!

So there's my introductory post! I'll leave the deep and shallow thoughts for later days. Mostly I'll probably just post a lot of pictures. Since they're worth a thousand words, they'll be more telling then what my little fingers can type. Good Night!