Happy 2013!

Happy New Years from the Clark's!  We partied like fools until 9:30 and then all passed out - awe, life with kids.  Wishing you all the best in 2013.

Halloween Extravaganza!

Oh how we stretched Halloween out this year!  There was the Little Gym Party Friday the 19th.  Lots of games and friends.

The next Friday evening I raced home from work and we hit the Admiral Scavenger Hunt - it was a little rainy but it didn't stop us!

Saturday was Sam's (across the street) 5th birthday dress up party.

The Rockin' Circle C's annual pumpkin carving and chili party - yes, as you can tell by the pictures it was a very wet evening but still tons of pumpkin carving fun.  Dylan was so proud of the pumpkin she and her dad carved!

Sunday was the Harvest Festival up at the junction.  This year they closed the street and there were tons of fun booths, lots of candy, and quite the melody of costumes.  Sorry no pictures from that day - but it was a hoot.

Then there was Halloween night!  Dylan's friend Sam showed up just as Dylan and her dad were about to leave - bonus!  So the gang all headed out together for some trick or treat fun.  Of course Pappa Matt taught Dylan to say "trick or treat smell my feet give me something good to eat" which was fun but since I figure some might not think so much I made her add please to the end.

Counting the loot at the end of the night.  It was save to say Tinkerbell had a lot of fun!

End of Summer Family Camping Trip To Winthrop

We did it! We were actually able to squeeze in a 10 day family camping trip to Winthrop.  Of course as we began to plan it work started coming in for Matt - I actually didn't believe that it was going to happen but we pulled it off!  Figured if we didn't go now we wouldn't be able to get out of town until next June!  So Matt pushed his clients off a week, we packed up the Silver Streak and set off for good Winthrop!  It was great fun!  As you can see someone spent her days swimming ("look at me, I'm a mermaid!"), biking, fishing, meeting new friends, hiking, eating, climbing trees, roasting marshmallows, eating ice cream, and just running around being crazy.  It's a good feeling at the end of the night when your child falls asleep in your arms by the campfire each night - you feel like you've done your job in wearing them out!  And believe me with Dylan it takes a lot to wear her out!

A beautiful smiling girl!

Loving her Momma!

And her new baby!

Climbing a tree and eating pizza.

Campfires and cookies.

Stories and more cookies.

We met some new friends and decided to have them over for a little party.  Here is Dylan very proud of her "watermelon cake" she made and styled.

During the trip, Dylan met a lot of new friends - shocking huh!.  Two of which were a very sweet couple, Chris and Cathy.  We met them on the dock one evening while Chris was fishing.  He was very patience and VERY sweet with Dylan who wanted to learn all about fishing.  He let her pretty much take over is pole and help reel in a few fish.  I was soooo bummed as I didn't have my camera (or photographer) while catching her first fish!  It pretty much went like this.... "Dylan I think you caught a fish, wanna reel it in?" says Chris, "of course." says Dylan.  Chris then brings the fish on the dock to unhook it and then Dylan asks "may I please hold him?"  Which she does, and then hugs him and says "oh fishy, I love you so much." AND then proceeds on kissing him right on the lips - which of course got a good laugh from all fishing on the dock.  We then have to convince Dylan to release it back into the water as it was just a little guy.  We watched it swim away as we cheered him on.  It was one of those moments you kick yourself forgetting the camera!

Here's another shot of yet another fish she caught with Chris.

Here's Dylan (looking like pig-pen in all her dirty glory) showing her new friend, Mitchell, Chris's tackle box - which of course she had gone complete through and knew what everything was.

After a few times of fishing with Chris and Cathy they asked if Dylan could come by their campsite.  So the next day we all took a stroll over to say hello.  Chris and Cathy had a brand new big girl fishing pole waiting for her - not just a little kids play pole but a really nice big girl pole with a beautiful lure all ready to go.  Oh you should have seen the smile on Dylan's face - oh wait you can!  She was sooooo excited, as so were they - couldn't tell who was smiling more.  I was blown away as we had only just met these people a day or two before for such a lovely gift.  What wonderful people, Dylan just adored them - and they did her as well.  Very, Very sweet!  And now we have a couple of new great friends as well.  Thank you again Chris and Cathy!!

Dylan instantly asked to go back to our campsite to get her suit on and go fishing to try out her new pole.

And off we go down to the beach proudly carrying her new pole.

After some fishing time it was back to being a mermaid!

That afternoon we rented a paddle boat, packed a picnic, and took a stroll out on the lake.

At one point Dylan climbed into the water, grabbed a hold of a rope and says "look at me, I'm water skiing!"  Very hilarious.  She hung on for quite a while as we paddled our way down the lake.

We found a nice little beach to pull up onto in which Dylan decided to put her dress on and pose for her dad - she was 'working the camera'.

On the way back we found a rope swing - Dylan was quite bummed that she was too small to go on but agreed to let her dad give it a go.

Another day another beach.

Sleepy morning with Maggie.  Then a little breakfast.

Awe Maggie!

Sweet corn on the cob and a little goofy family fun time.

Matt set up the camera for a family portrait.  Someone was taking a little time to warm up to get her picture taking.  While dad was hunting her down momma took a few moments to get warmed up herself.

Great trip, fun times, new friends, and lots of laughs, yeah!