A sleeping beauty

Is there a more beautiful picture than a sleeping baby?? 

No.

Especially when it is your baby and he has been sleeping the WHOLE night! 

So that means that you have slept uninterrupted for the last 7 hours...

Heavenly.

Let's hope this is the start of a new life!

don't just go through life, GROW through life

5 years later and...... i'm baaaaaaack!

 i don't know why it took me this long. i have been thinking about writing again and i kept waiting for the perfect moment and so many have already passed. i wanted my "come back" to be something especial, but everyday is especial, there is always something to remember and good to share.... so now, here i am again. 

 as i read my last post i realized that life looks so different now, and yet similar in many ways.

we ended up moving to Edmonton, AB for law school. we spent 3 years there. i must admit i love that city. even with the snow and the cold, super cold days. we had two more babies there. i found a new love in gardening, met amazing people and made unforgettable memories. 

 since Mr. Clarke has finished school and he has now joined the professional world, we have moved to Spruce Grove.... and if i loved Edmonton, i love Spruce Grove even more! you might think we love everywhere we have lived in. and that is true (except for nanaimo, i wasn't too sad to leave nanaimo), but so far this is my favorite. 

i don't really like our house that much, but love the neighborhood, love the schools, the teachers, the kids, and love love love our ward. so many good people, and lots of families our age, with lots of kids like us and their kids are the same age as ours too. we fit! it feels really good.

 there has been a lot of growing up in the last 5 years. too much to summarize in a post. but i also struggle with the same insecurities, and i am still trying to get over bad habits and learning to love life no matter the circumstances. things that haven't changed and are still a work in progress. 

Thomas S. Monson said this and i believe it. because only by faith and because of faith something great can be made of us. 

i have a long road to what i can be, who i can become, but i keep trying.

 one day at a time.

OcToBrRrrrrrrr

  i already miss summer.

and we even had a very decent september.

we've also had a few sunny days in october so far.... but the chill is here!

also... since i was called to teach early morning seminary, i get out of the house at 6'30 and it's pretty depressing; cold and dark.... booo!

but i am LOVING IT!!!

i'm loving my class. the kids are ALL amazing! so sweet and such good spirits.

i am so lucky.

i am so excited for them. for this year. we're studying the Book of Mormon and I love it with a passion! so i'm loving it!!

the kids have been in school for a month and now i'm starting to settle into a routine.

i get home and the kids are ready so we just read and pray together and i get their snacks and lunch ready and i drive them to school.

i get back and i still have some time with evan before he goes to school. he normally is studying but i get to snuggle with him for a little :)

if i'm too tired i have a little nap....oooooohhhh i love naps!!

i get my lesson ready for the next day.

i clean the house, do exercise, do errands,.get dinner ready.... and it's time to get the kids from school.

i had in mind i would be playing the piano more... but so far i've only played a couple of days. i know. boooo.

but i must admit, that i'm feeling really good.

i enjoy my house is clean, i'm feeling more organized. i  am enjoying prepraring better meals... i even started baking!! 

i prepare treats for seminary every sunday. i'm trying new recipes and i'm loving the experience!! who would have known that i would enjoy baking so much :)

so.... so far i'm not too bad.

i even tried job hunting for a bit.

i did my first resume in 10 years. i had my first job interview in 10 years.... and i enjoyed it. i didn't get anything, but i like it like this.

me, taking care of my house and my kids and my husband.... oh, and Dave! hahaha

he was the best man in my wedding. he moved in with us. he'll be staying for a while until he finds somewhere to live.

so far we're loving having him here. especially the kids....they're obsessed with him!!!

the kids are doing great in school.

isabel is the big surprise.

she's learning so fast.

i love to see her get interested in things.

like writing....she wants to write letter everywhere.

the alphabet. she sings the song over and over and over. and writes the alphabet over and over and over :)

she is making lots of friends... which is the biggest surprise. she is so outgoing....she's still shy, but she's opened up a lot. i'm happy!

she is so independent now. she doesn't even let us walk her to her classroom. cuz she knows where it is!! doh!!

evan got the teacher he wanted in his class. he is in a split class grade 2 and 3. he is soo good!! so responsible, so bright, so helpful, so active... it's great!

and carmen!! she's so sweet. her teacher only had GREAT things to say about her.

how she's so kind, how she makes the class a better place. how she's so helpful and loving, such an example for the whole class....and o incredibly smart.

yep. that's her in a nutshell.

my precious carmen.

and evan is super busy, super concentrated in his school. trying to balance everything.... and doing such a great job.

he just wrote the LSAT and he's a bit worried.

worst case scenario he won't be admitted into UBC so we'll have to move. boooooo.

i don't want to move. but... i'm not afraid to move. only it will suck!

so we'll see where life takes us.

but one thing i know. life is great.

we're really blessed.

all i am missing is about $6,000 so i can go to Spain!!!!!

i need to go back. 

4 years is 4 years too long.

my kids need it too.

two things:

the kids were playing harry potter. casting spells, etc. and evan said; do you know what is the happy memory i was thinking about?? when i was in spain with abuela. i want to see her again... when are we going to see her again??

my heart almost dropped. literally. it feels like it breaks a little.

and carmen has to use the word hope in a phrase, and she wrote: i have a hope i will see my abuela again.

i wish i wish i wish i could take my kids to spain again. i wish i wish i could have my parents here....

i wish.
 i also have that hope.

someday.