Park City

With so much of the Brown Family in Utah, we took the opportunity to go to Park City and play! We rode the zip line, climbed the rock wall, jumped on the trampoline, rode the Alpine Slide, but by unanimous vote the favorite activity was the roller-coaster. Even the self-described "wimps" (Grandma, Alison, Heidi, Clark), loved this ride! I especially liked the fact that I could control the brake and slow way down at each and every turn. Did I ride with Curt? Absolutely not! It was great for the marriage!

The Agony and the Ecstasy

My kids tease me that every vacation we go on I always want to rent bikes. I never ride a bike at home, but for some reason if you get me out of my element, it sounds like a fun idea! Instead of renting, we were able to borrow bikes from the Snows and Esteses. We tied them onto the bike rack and off we were for some great family bonding. We tightened our helmets, adjusted the seats, grabbed the water bottles and we headed up Provo Canyon. No problem Haley thought until we were 5 minutes into the ride. Her booty was already sore! I knew then it was going to be a long ride! Two miles into it, Tia was done! So much for the Triathalon Sprint she was going to start training for! Even I began to wonder what I had gotten us in to when my head started spinning and hues of gray and black begin flashing before my eyes. It must be the altitude! Under duress from the men, we pedaled forward. After 3 1/2 miles, the trail was blocked off. "No riders beyond this point!" It was an answer to prayer. Due to a fire on the mountain we were stopped. The men were so disappointed, the girls relieved. At least we didn't quit, we were forced to quit. The ride back down was a breeze! The pictures show the true emotion of the outing!

Clark Cousins

Does it get any better than hanging out with cousins? Bowling, eating, playing, shopping, visiting, ping-pong, and the creamery were our favorite Utah activities. We loved being together, swapping stories and seeing all the different personalities emerge. We love our cousins!

In Memory of Ezra T. Clark December 3, 1914-July 19, 2008

I was so grateful that we were able to all attend Grandpa Clark's funeral in Salt Lake City. (Unfortunately, Cassidy missed being with us due to Cheer Camp). The family met prior to the public viewing to pay our last respects to Grandpa. Uncle Jim gave a beautiful family prayer and the casket was closed. The public viewing prior to the funeral was well-attended and it was fun to visit with relatives as well as meet new ones. It was a funeral different from any other. Held in the mortuary, there were no religious hymns or music. No scriptures or testimonies. Jane and ET gave the prayers. Dad conducted and then each of Grandpa's six children gave some remarks and memories of Grandpa. After the funeral, we drove to Bountiful for the dedication of the grave, which was performed by Uncle Mark. We took pictures, tried to stay cool, and then returned to Salt Lake for a light luncheon. It was amazing that all of our family was in attendance except for Cassidy, Katie, Samantha, Max, Natalie and Cash. What a blessing for my children to have known their Great Grandpa Ezra T. Clark.

Funeral Pictures

Making Waves at the City Swim Championships

Clark and Bennett had an awesome swim season. They swam this year at Mesa Jr. and had a lot of great one-on-one coaching due to the small group at that pool. They were able to advance to the Championship Meet held at Shepherd Jr. High. The top 8 swimmers from all the schools qualified to swim. The final results for Clark: 3rd in backstroke, 4th in freestyle and 4th in butterfly. Some of the other swimmers were at least a foot taller, but he did a great job hanging with them. Bennett was 1st in freestyle, 1st in the IM and 2nd in the butterfly. He tied with another boy for "High-Point" (1st place overall for the 9/10 boys division). It was a long, hot night and we appreciate the awesome cheering section that supported the boys.

Ezra T. Clark "A Fortunate Fellow"

"How are my little sweethearts?" That was how my sisters and I were greeted each time we saw Grandpa. On July 19, 2008, my grandfather, Ezra T. Clark, passed away peacefully at his home at the age of 93. I loved my Grandpa Clark and always felt it an honor and privilege to bear his name and to be counted as part of his posterity. I held on to the hope of passing this Clark name on to my first born son, which I did in 1995. As I have tenderly thought about his life, his example, his struggles and his triumphs, I am struck once again with the realization of how important our families are, and the ripple effect that is felt through the generations. What do I remember of my Grandpa? Visiting his home almost every summer, his big roll top desk, the intrigue of his workshop and tools, the baby pictures of his six children hung in his bedroom (the inspiration for my own children's pictures), the blue and white decor of his Bountiful home, faint recollections of visiting him at the bank in Farmington, his personal home library with plush purple velvet chairs, the yearly birthday checks, walking down the path to visit Grandma Howard, peacocks, and peanut brittle, playing "Stump Grandpa" with my own children and recent Thanksgiving dinners. What did I learn from my Grandpa? The value of money, the joy of reading, his respect and care for the elderly, especially his own mother and Grandma Howard, the importance of hard work. Unflortunately, Grandpa was not active in the church, but he raised a son with a sensitivity to the whisperings of the Spirit and a desire to know and gain for himself a testimony of the gosepl...that is my Dad. The ripple effect continues and I ask myself the question...How am I living my life? How will I be remembered?