Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas to All!

I absolutely love Christmas Cards!


2008

2007

2006

2005


2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1990

1989

We are so blessed with such wonderful family and friends and are grateful to so many for your love, example and friendship throughout the years.

All our love as you celebrate this special day!  

May we all remember "the reason for the season" as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!

Merry Christmas to All!

Brown Family Party

We had a great time at the family Christmas Party with all the Browns.

Staking out our spots on the couch in preparation of the big gift exchange...


There is a baby for everyone to munch on...
Chuck and Charlie...


Brandee and Charlie...


Stacia and Graham...
(Stacia announced that Great Grandbaby #9 will arrive the end of July)



Tia and Austin...


Grandma Charlene and Great-Grandpa Breinholt...


Cassidy, Haley, Clark, Caleb and Nick...


The gift exchange turned into "Family Feud" as Carson stole the only gift Grandma wanted...
a beautifully framed picture of Joseph and the Baby Jesus...
(my camera battery died just as the feuding began!)



Jen and Chuck...


Curt and Clint critiquing the food...


part of the gang eating the yummy mexican food...

Just in case you were wondering...Carson and Grandma are back on speaking terms,
 just in time for the big day!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Christmas Carols

We enjoyed a very casual Christmas piano recital yesterday afternoon.





Later that night, we attended "A Christmas Carol" put on by the elementary school kids.

Bennett played Mr. Cratchit...
and did an OUTSTANDING job!
Brooke played Mrs. Cratchit...(a nice match-up I think!)

with Tiny Tim...

and oh, so excited, that Scrooge gave him a pay raise!  
Not only does Bennett have Paul Newman's blue eyes, but we think he may have his acting skills as well!


Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Happy Birthday Mom!

Hi, this is Tia! I snuck onto my mom's blog so that I could finish off the "Birthday Bonanza Week" with a bang, celebrating my mom's birthday! I know it is being posted a tad early, but I just couldn't help it!
Here are just a few pictures of her:
3 months old

2 years old

16 years old

courtship

marriage

now
Sorry about the "current" picture of mom handling meat...it's hard finding a picture of my mom alone, since she usually is the one taking the pictures.
Just a few reasons I love my mom:
-she is one of my best friends
-she knows how to keep a clean house
-she is witty (even tactfully throwing in an occasional swear word!)
-she is supportive of all her children, in everything they do
-she loves chocolate
-she is a great pianist
-she gives great advice (although, I sometimes hate to admit it!)
-she has a strong testimony
And there are so many more reasons why she is the best mom! Love you, and hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Concert Time

Tonight was Bennett's orchestra concert at school.


Bennett had a smile on his face the entire concert.  Every time a camera would flash, he would look at me in the audience and smile.  





We were lucky that Grandma and Grandpa were able to attend.


Aniston and Janet, two cute cousins that played in the 6th grade orchestra...
and just happen to be in our ward!


The four cutest boys in the orchestra...Vance, Tanner, Bennett and Trent.
After the concert, it was off to basketball practice.
I just love a well-rounded boy!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Life after 40!

My brother David celebrated his 40th birthday today. 
 

So nice to have another one of the Clark siblings joining the ranks of "OLD"!

Hope you had a great birthday, Dave!  Thanks for always making us laugh!

We love you!



Friday, December 12, 2008

Happy Birthday, Tia!

The baby that graced me with the title "Mother", my first-born, 
is 19 YEARS OLD!


2 years...

For the longest time, Tia had a deep, raspy little voice.  
It was very distinctive.  
She used to love to bear her testimony, and although the congregation could rarely see her face above the pulpit, her voice and her bow, made quite the impression.  Even now, many years later, people remember us from our previous ward as "Tia's Mom and Dad".  
(Not a bad title, either!)


8 years old...
In her baptism dress 
(don't be mad, Tia...I know how you despise this picture, but I love it!)
And yes, we are so grateful for good orthodontists!


16 years old...
Tia loves playing tennis and it was a highlight for us to watch her play in junior high and highschool.

And now today...one of my best friends and my beautiful daughter!
We have loved watching Tia grow up, make good choices and develop into an amazing person.
We look forward to watching her life continue to unfold!
Excerpts from a letter to Tia, December 1989...

(at the time, we lived in California, away from all our family.  
Tia was born 10 days early, thus the grandmas were not yet in town, and the mother just a bit surprised at her early arrival)

This month, more than any other up to this point in my life, is most memorable.  After 3 1/2 years of marriage and two long years of longing for a baby, you were our answer to many prayers and much patience.

For as long as your daddy and I have been dating and married, we always talked about our "Baby Tia".  

On Tuesday, December 12, 1989, at 3:37pm, our dream came true!  We finally had our long awaited baby--"Baby Tia".

There wasn't a prouder father in the hospital that day.  Your dad asked every nurse on duty if you weren't the cutest baby in the nursery.  He also became acquainted with many of the other new fathers and took every opportunity to show you off.

We came home from the hospital on the night of December 13th, just 24 hours after your birth.  Driving home from the hospital was one of the scariest and most overwhelming 30 minutes of my life.  To know and realize that we were responsible for your well-being, both spiritually and physically, gave me butterflies.  

We arrived home to all the Christmas decorations and lights.  You were our biggest, best and only Christmas present that year, but you made that Christmas most memorable.  

We love you, Tia...    Happy 19th birthday!