best "pic" ever

and so just to make your holiday a little brighter...here is the winner of best "pic" of the year. yesterday the mulhearns came over for a little christmas festivities. we decided we should get a picture of the day cousins....i told su to wait, i needed to wipe bauer's nose....well, i guess vivian thought she could help....and the rest is holiday history!! :) here is hoping your holiday will bring memories that make you giggle! :)

christmas morning!!

last night, after carefully placing cookies, and milk (vivian said santa wanted chocolate not vanilla) out for santa....and a quick call to mrs. claus, informing us santa was on his way...it was off to bed.

early this morning vivian awoke and let us know santa had come to visit. we went to get baby bauer who was very excited to see big sister (who wouldn't want to wake up to a face like that?)

and WOW, what a spread santa had left!!!

vivian LOVED her SEVEN new pair of dress up "designer" shoes.

and even helped bauer open his stocking. "see bauer it's a candy cane!"

bauer, as usual, was enamored with his sister...

who quickly showed him how to eat the candy cane...

and cast a magic spell, wearing all her new princess attire...

"piff puff poof" she said. ;)

and of course it wouldn't be christmas without the cheesiest of grins!

but, i am afraid folks, for now at least....that's all she wrote (it's off to play for this crew)!! we hope you have a very, very, merry christmas!!

mmmm...movin' on up!

so FINALLY we can announce our big news...(no we aren't pregnant again) clif has a new job!! he is the regional director for quiznos inc., his territory is arkansas, louisiana, and part of texas... and we are SUPER, SUPER, SUPER EXCITED!!! :) this is something we have been praying for, and it is a HUGE promotion for clif (he has over forty stores underneath him!). he will have the opportunity to implement a lot of his great ideas, and meet lots of new people. headquarters are in denver, but he will only be expected to be at the home office once a month. and here is the MOST amazing part: the job is basically 9to5 with weekends and holidays off!!!! woooooohooooooo!!!!!! anyone who knows us, knows this is NOT our normal schedule.... so a big fat CONGRATS TO CLIFFIE!!! we are so proud of you!!

the day girls night out

everyone knows i am big on tradition...and susan has come up with a great one!! every year for my birthday she treats me to murry's dinner theatre. last night was our night to go...we decided we would rather see love, sex, and the irs, instead of arsenic and old lace which is playing in january (my actual birthday).

i also thought since we are normally in our "mommy attire" that it might be nice to dress up like grown-ups. we had a great time chatting, and the play was goofy, but funny. thanks, su! can't wait to do it again!! :)

photo preview

recently we took the kids to have their picture "professionally" made. addie's sweetie craig took the shots at the lewis home overlooking the arkansas river. it was a crisp fall day, and the finished products are truly amazing (even if i am a little biased)! here are just a few samples...look for the family shot on your christmas card! thanks again craig (and his fab assistant aunt addie!!)

bauer couldn't handle all the excitement...but who could when big sister's hugs are so intense?! ;)

happy, happy, HAPPY 28TH!!

my baby sister, shannon, turned 28 on the the 28th! isn't she gorgeous? you haven't changed a bit, kid!! hope you have a great day!! we love you! :)

the OTHER grinch story

so everyone has heard of the grinch that stole christmas...but here is a little known alternate plot line. christmas vivian loves her toys and her baby bauer. so much she decides to share them...

much to baby bauer's surprise (sister willingly sharing can sometimes be a shocker!)

but alas, the sweet christmas vivian really is vivian the grinch!! and she steals the toys back for herself.....mwwahhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhaaaahah!

hmph...says baby bauer, that looks like fun...i will be the grinch, too!

growing babies...

so because the computer has been down a few days, i am behind in my baby updates. bauer is getting to be a big boy...he has begun sitting in his bumbo (although he is SOOOO skinny i think i should put a blanket in there with him!) as you can tell he really likes it...

vivian is embracing her two's. here she is wearing.....HER BROTHER'S OUTFIT!!! yes, it is actually a three to six month sweatsuit (if you look closely you can see the pants are knickers)!! the yellow is her princess gown, and of course, no outfit is complete without her size 11 pink boots (she wears a size 5). she really thinks she is a fashionista!! ;) she is growing more independent everyday...asking questions, and letting us know, "no, I can do it!"

bauer continues to develop a little personality of his own...and look at that sweet face! :)

vivian, on the other hand is using her sweet face to her advantage...when i asked her is she had been "eating" the blue playdoh, her big doe-eyed response was "no mommy, no eat playdoh." uuuuhhhhhh, i think you might be busted vivian...you've got a little something on your chin!!

and of course the real job, besides corralling this brood...is catching it all on camera! ok, so maybe the crew sometimes isn't very cooperative, or even happy about it (you think he is saying, "mom, puhhhleeeease" ...but they'll thank me someday!! :)

thanksgiving recap

we had a great day, that started with lunch at dad and dottie's. granny b and the crows, along with some of dottie's family were in attendance, and the food was YUMMY! then it was back to our house for dinner with the day side. we played games (my favorite tradition), chased children, ate, and made a lot of good memories...unfortunately i was too busy to take many pictures....however, i think this one of jackson is a good summary...happy and ready to eat!!

the great thanksgiving debate

so as i was checking blogs this morning, i came across su's friend kat's great potato debate. and i couldn't help but wonder...who else has these great thanksgiving debates with their family members? the day-clark debate is the following: canned vs. fresh cranberries. su likes canned, i like fresh (we always have both). but is it like this everywhere? are there three different potato dishes on some thanksgiving tables? so place your vote folks...or tell about your family beef (literally or figuratively)...and have a happy happy thanksgiving!

oh, and on the food front...last night the doorbell rang as i was cutting vivian's apple...so she took matters into her own hands! who knew she could do that? ;)

the baptism

after much planning, clif and i decided to have the kids baptised this sunday at first methodist of north little rock. this is a very special church for us, since not only were we married in this church, but this is also where we first met. we were in the same confirmand class (along with vivian and bauer's godmother, celeste aka aunt sissy) and my mom was our sunday school teacher for two years. it is a very important moment in our family's life when we ask god to bless our children and help us raise them in a loving christian home...it means even more to do it where we have shared so many years of happy memories...ok, ok, enough mush here are the kiddos!

the day's: vivian, clif, somer and bauer

the littlest day in his christening gown. he is so stinkin' cute!!

popa and dotdot holding bauer at the church. don't they clean up nice? ;)

miss vivian wearing her new necklace from popa and dotdot, and on the run at the house. (don't worry cathy it was 75 degrees...it is ok to be barefoot.)

pawpaw and gege trying to handle all of their grandkids...setler six months, bauer 2 1/2 months, and vivian 2...aren't they brave?!

and just immediate family, this is SO hard to believe!! look how much we have grown over the past TWO YEARS!! thanks to everyone for coming to support our family on their big day. rex, steph, ruby, and trip; jon, celeste, harrison, and thomas; harriett and dale; and of course, aunt shannon, uncle john, and jackson; uncle seth, aunt su and setler; gege and pawpaw; popa and dotdot; and mike the manny and granny b. we hope you enjoyed your quiche ;) we love you all!!

jackson's party

this saturday we drove to texarkana for jackson's first birthday party. shannon did a beautiful job setting everything up...she even designed the cake! i LOVE it!!

apparently jackson did too! this might be my all-time favorite picture...

as you can see, mom and dad are pretty proud of their big guy, but who wouldn't be? after a quick bath, jackson began opening his presents and then gave everyone a quick surprise when he took his FIRST STEPS!! about five in a row, before he realized a room full of people had caught him in the act. ;) what a great treat for all of us! congrats cousin jackson on your big day, we enjoyed being a part of it!!

some real genetic proof...

i couldn't help but notice when i was looking for pictures of jackson how much the baby boy cousins resemble each other. i have always said that jackson favors shannon's baby pictures, but i find myself seeing my own son in shannon's baby pictures as well. here is a side by side for comparison...jackson is about four months and bauer is about two. they could be brothers! woooohoooo....at least the smith-clark genetics are being kept alive via the boys! :)

birthday bonanza weekend!!

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! can you believe little baby jackson is turning ONE?! look at this big boy drinking his REAL milk out of a sippy cup. it just seems like yesterday, that shannon gave birth to this beautiful little boy...

and i HAD to post this picture. it might be my all-time favorite (although the skunk is a close second). check out shannon's post for lots more great pics (including a cute prego shot).

and also a very, very, VERY happy birthday to miss parker grace, who is turning two. parker is one of vivian's best friends...cill and i worked nights at children's together when we were newlyweds and then were pregnant together with the girls.

this picture is the epitome of miss parker...she loves her jewelry, just like her mommy! :) and here are the girls playing last year...look how much they have grown...

we hope you each have a great birthday....we love ya!

bauer power

this week i realized that poor, poor, baby bauer truly is a second child. at this point vivian had hundreds of pictures taken, and bauer is lucky if he even manages to get IN the shot with big sister around! so this week i made it my mission to take his picture, and have some one-on-one time with him. i also thought an update might be in order, so here goes: he has been smiling for a couple of weeks, but has just started to laugh...he is great at holding his head up and following his big sister all around the room...he isn't too keen on baths (but that is ok, because most of the time i can't find the time or energy to give him one)...he sleeps a good seven hours straight at night...and might be a little bit more like vivian than i originally thought.

for instance, this is clif's favorite picture (see what a showboat he can be...just like vivian!). he is definitely "pumped up" don't you think?

these are my favorites....mr. serious.....oh wait....he couldn't help himself...heheheee

the pout. enough said!


the super cheese (it's genetic) and of course his signature smirk. i must admit we get a LOT of the smirk. it might be HIS favorite!