Has it REALLY been a year???? cont. again!

Then came Jonathan's LOOOOOOOOOONG awaited and LAST Graduation!!! The day started off bright and early in Harvard Yard like it does every year. We called Jonathan on his mobile so we could find him in the sea of black and crimson. The boys were really excited when we saw his arm in the air waving at us. The graduate speaker Jimmy Tingle was hilarious. His speech made it worth all of the trouble of getting to Harvard Square at 8:00 am. Meryl Streep was among those honored with an Honorary Doctorate. Dean Light was very gracious to have all of us for lunch at the Deans house. The highlight for me was eating one of Francis' (HBS pastry chef) fruit tarts.

No one makes a fruit tart like Francis. Oh, so yummy. Jonathan's degree was a joint degree, so he got to pick which school he received his diploma from. Since most of his advisors were at HBS and he spent most of his time there, and given the family history there, he chose to receive his degree at the business school. It was nice to be back on Baker lawn enjoying the beauty of the campus. I don't know if it felt more beautiful since I knew that this was the last graduation that I would be sitting through or if it was just the day. Either way, it was a grand day to be there. The boys got to go up on stage with Jonathan to receive his diploma from his dad. Owen was quite nervous to go up in front of all of the people, he kept adjusting his belt to make sure that he looked just right. It was pretty funny and everyone around us got a good chuckle out of it. It was so much fun to have so much family come out to help us celebrate.

The fun filled week didn't stop there the next BIG event was Isaac's baptism. What a special experience it was to be a part of. We had so many family members and friends that came from near and far to help celebrate Isaac's decision to

be baptized. Isaac is a sweet and sensitive boy. He did a lot of preparation to make sure that he was making the choice that Heavenly Father wanted for him. He and Jonathan were both rewarded with a special spiritual experience during his baptism. I will let him be the

one to share it if he wants. Isaac is a wonderful older brother to Owen and really tries to make good choices. He was sensitive to everyones needs that came to his baptism. He even gave up his favorite cookie (Peanut Butter) so that his cousin Sam could join in the fun afterwards. We are so happy that he chose to be baptized and that he is a part of our family. Also, a big thanks to everyone that participated in the program as well as getting everything ready. It truly made his day so special. We love you all.

We spent out last month in Boston attending Isaac's baseball games, Owen's t-ball games, Owen's graduation

from Christ Lutheran Nursery School, closing the 2nd grade chapter for Isaac and packing up. We always enjoy going to Isaac's baseball games. It has been fun to watch all of the kids progress in their skills. He has a lot of potential the question is how to get him to practice,

practice, practice. Owen's t-ball games are always a hoot. You can never leave a game with out laughing hysterically at all of the pile-ups. The ball is hit off of the stand and before you know it there is this huge ball of light blue with arms and legs sticking out all over the place. Then one huge smile triumphantly appears as a 5 year old comes up with the ball tightly clutched in his or her hand. Way too cute! Owen had quite the year at pre-school, at first he wasn't too sure if he was going to enjoy it, but once he met Owen and Henry Thomas his days were magically transformed. If you looked up "silly" in the dictionary

you would find this picture of them as the definition. They are the funniest tittle tykes and completely love being together. Graduation was a good time. It was fun to hear all of the kids sing their graduation song and be so excited about the fact that they remembered almost all of the words. The diploma ceremony was cute. They

were all so proud to receive their rolled-up piece of paper. The cake was yummy and it was nice to catch up with everyone. Congrats! Owie, it is now off to "BIG BOY" school. It was hard to say good bye to Butler Elementary School and all of the wonderful friends that we have made there. Butler will always have a piece of our hearts. We didn't have much time to be sad because it was on to packing and finalizing the last few steps of selling our home. Then it was off to PA!!

Has it REALLY been a year???? cont.

We couldn't leave State College without a tour of Daddy's new campus. We took the boys over to Jonathan's building,

and he let them pick out his new office. They

thought it was the best thing since sliced bread! Penn State is a beautiful campus. It isn't as meticulously groomed as Harvard, but it has some pretty amazing buildings and cool monuments, not to mention one of the BIGGEST football stadiums in the country. They aren't kidding when they say "We Are, Penn State". And in my opinion they have the best Creamery EVER!! Most of you know the famous ice cream moguls "Ben and

Jerry", well they are a product of the wisdom and luscious goodness of the Penn State Creamery. And, if that wasn't enough to make us overly happy, the Easter Bunny found us in our hotel room. The boys were completely amazed at that fact, but we told them that we had an in with the furry fellow and had mentioned to him that we would be in State College for the Holiday. Good times! I love being a parent! We left State College with tummies full of creamy goodness, a contract on our new home, a new office to set up for Jonathan, sad thoughts of leaving our friends and family in Boston, but excitement for our new adventure in PA.

Once we made it back home, it was back to the grind stone for all of us, but

mostly for Jonathan as he finished and prepared to defend his Dissertation entitled (deep breath) "Everything for Everybody?" An Examination of Organizational Scope in the Health Care Industry. He finished up and then it was off to the printing press to be printed, stitched and bound. It turned out beautifully, there wasn't a dry eye in the house! :) On April 28th, 2010

Jonathan defended his dissertation. We were surprised at the amount of people that turned out for it. A typical defense will get about 10 t0 15 people, but we had double that. We attribute the extra bodies to the fact that Phil showed up in his fashionable Tweed jacket and everyone was there to get a sneak peek at the new "Spring Fashion Line". (Thanks for all of your support Phil! we are so happy you came.) Despite the

extra stress of the added bodies Jonathan defended exceptionally well! I was so proud of him, I even "flipped" the whole hour and a half! It will forever be recorded for posterities sake. A dissertation is like a child in many ways. When Jonathan defended it, it was like sending our child out into the world to fend for its self. A huge thank you to Rob Huckman, Nancy Kane and Clay Christensen for all of there support and advice over the years and for voting a thumbs up on Jonathan's Dissertation and signing their John Hancock's to make him a true Dr. We won't let you down!

May was just as busy as April. I finished up our kitchen and the rest of the renovations. (I know, I need to post

pictures, I am going to create a separate post for the Belmont house and the Bellefonte house). We celebrated Isaac's 8th Birthday, "Isaac Style". He loves the game of baseball, which is not surprising since it is one of Jonathan's favorite sports. We were able to score afternoon tickets to the Red Sox on a day that Isaac had early release from school. The baseball gods were smiling down on us that day! There really is nothing like watching a game in Fenway. I love that stadium. The smell of the freshly cut grass, the aroma of Fenway franks wafting through the stench of beer, the organ pounding out "Take me out to the ball

game, take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks, I don't care if I ever get back; so lets root, root, root for the home team, if they don't win its a shame. For its 1, 2, 3 strikes your out at the old ball game", eating peanuts and cracker jacks, Fenway franks and sticky cotton candy, watching the crazy inebriated fans try to walk down the cement stairs without falling flat on their faces. There really is nothing like it. Happy Birthday Buddy! We love you!

Has it REALLY been a year????

Ok, I have been sufficiently chastised for my lack of blog-age this year. To be completely honest I haven't had a minute to breath let a lone gather my thoughts and put them down. I was busy being a "MOM and Wife" which has entailed being a life coach, dietary specialist, personal chef, chauffeur, event organizer, cheerleader, emotional counselor, nurse, etc. etc., the PTA President for Butler Elementary School as well as the After School Enrichment Coordinator, Jonathan's "Encouragement Committee Chair" while he finished up his Dissertation, a primary teacher at church, a contractor to get our home in Belmont ready to sell, a coordinator for Jonathan's graduation and Isaac's baptism celebrations and that was just the first 6 months of the year. I hope that gets me a bit of good graces for the neglect of our blog.

Anyway, since I left off in January, that is where I will pick up. For Christmas

Jen and Phil gave the boys entrance passes to "Battle Ship Cove". It was the best gift they could have given. The boys were in heaven while they pretended that they were at war with all of the forces of evil. We all had a great time exploring the ships and submarine. I even got to experience an emotional break down while in the submarine due to my claustrophobia. That was quite the experience to have. After

my break down we got to have lunch on the battle ship, which was a lot of fun. The boys thought that it was cool that they were eating where the officers would have eaten. On our tour though the battle ship we ran into some vets, they were really nice and gave us a brief history of the ship and what it was like to be on it during war time. So, here is a shout out to all of the men and women that put there lives on the line to keep us all safe and free. I have a true love and respect for them. Thanks Jen and Phil for such an awesome gift. We miss you MA.

We helped the rest of the Winter months pass by a bit more quickly by having the Butler Elementary Art Show and Talent Show as well as the Belmont 2nd Ward Primary

Talent Show. Isaac entered an art piece in the Art Show and as you can see from the photo was very proud of it. Both of the boys love to draw and paint and had a great time creating their "Masterpieces". For the Talent Show Isaac teamed up with a few of his buddies to form a band. They lip synced to the song "We Will Rock You". Noha, Helen and I (the moms) had a good time watching them practice. The day of the event they all had the jitters, but the minute they took the stage and the music began to play they became the cutest little rock starts you have ever seen. All of the little girls swooned to the front of the stage and

started dancing and jumping up and down. It was awesome. The boys were living the "Rock Star Dream". They even got a standing ovation. For the Belmont 2nd Ward Talent Show, Isaac and Owen teamed up to play the "ABC's" on their "Nose-a-phones". It was the funniest act ever. They couldn't stop laughing while playing their noses. You will have to have them give you a demonstration next time you see them. The "Nose-a-phone" has become one of their most beloved instruments along with the "Fart Machine" and the "Burp-a-phone". :)

Once April hit the flood gates opened and we were running full speed. We decided to take the job offer from Penn State, so we had to find a house to live in. We packed up a few bags and hit the road for State College, PA. While we

were looking for a place, we decided to "Celebrate Owen's 5th Birthday at Hershey Park". It was a much needed break from all of the stress that we were going through. The boys had the time of their lives running from one ride to the

next. They associate the child's height with different candy bars that they make so Isaac was a Hershey Bar and Owen was a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. It made it so easy for the boys to know what rides they could go on. We even got to see the biggest "Hershey's Chocolate Bar Ever!!" The boys wanted to get it, but Jonathan and I were selfish and thought

of how our sanity would be effected if we were to give them that much sugar, the compromise was that they were able to purchase a MUCH smaller version. I really liked the tour of the "Chocolate Factory". They put you in these cute little cars that take you on a ride and show you how chocolate is made. We also go to see how they wrap the candy bars. They even have digital counters so you can see how many candy bars they have made that day. At the end of the ride we got a little candy bar, but at the end of the ramp was the "Real Treat"; shelves upon shelves of chocolate and more chocolate. It was the most chocolate we had ever seen in our entire lives. We left the park completely exhausted and happy. I totally recommend it! So much fun. We had one satisfied "Birthday Boy" and one "Grateful Boy" for having a brother that had a birthday.

Almost There!

Finally, I have a minute to take a deep breath and finish up the year.

August was a fun month. We finished up summer with a relaxing bang. I had heard of this cute little flower farm from one of my sweet friends, she had taken her kiddos there and they had such a good time I wanted to take the boys. My cousin Scott and his wife Kim had just moved out from Denver, so Kim and I loaded up the boys and her adorable little Gwen and headed out to Small Farms for some amazing color! I wasn't sure what to expect, but the lady that ran the farm was so sweet and helpful. We outfitted ourselves with our plastic containers, water and scissors. The boys were pretty excited, I had to stop them from cutting every flower they saw. They weren't very happy about that, because Owen "wanted to build a beautiful bouquet" and Isaac "had never seen so many beautiful colors in one place before". Kim and Gwen walked around with us and put up with all the craziness of Isaac and Owen when they are put together. "Thanks Kim, I salute you"!! In the end everyone was happy and it turned out to be a fun outing. I love New England!

Later that month we made our way out to Tougas Family Farm for some of their most awesome Blueberries. Our outing was pretty much routine. Isaac works really hard to pick as many blueberries that he can so he can say that he has beaten everyone and that he is the Master Blueberry Picker, Owen eats pretty much every blueberry that he picks and then ends up with a tummy ache. Then Isaac tries to tell Owen that if he didn't eat so many then his stomach wouldn't get so sad. Owen then gets mad at Isaac for trying to tell him what to do and they start hitting each other until Mom or Dad pull them apart and tell them that if they don't stop they won't get any Blueberry Donuts and Apple Cider!! They soon become the best buddies that they started out as and all is well in the Clark Clan. I am positive that obedience for boys only comes through the offering of sweet treats!! :)

September brought with it the FIRST DAY of SCHOOL. Isaac started 2nd grade with Mrs. Filippi as his teacher. I love it when I pick him up from school, he always has some kind of exciting news of what he learned or the latest news on the play ground. He loves to learn and invent things. Owen began his first day of Pre-School with Mrs. Stupaukious as his teacher. He was pretty shy when I dropped him off and wasn't sure if he wanted to stay, which is shocking because he has spent the last three years of his life wanting to go to "Isaac's School". He soon got over his ordeal when he met Henry and Owen Thomas. Isaac is good friends with their older brother Will. When I picked Owen up from school, I asked him how his day was, he said; "It was good mom, I met two good pals." and that was that.

We also had our Annual Church Clam Bake. This year we brought our Aussie friends the Stanwix's. They were here for three years from Perth, Australia, Paul was doing a fellowship through Harvard. Kath and I are like two peas in a pod. Jonathan and Paul get nervous when we start talking about crafting because who knows what will end up happening and how much $$ it will end up costing. The food was yummy as usual. Paul and Jonathan had Lobster, which was fun to watch, the kids had a good time watching them take the pincers off. The weather was nice except for the wind, it was crazy blowing all over the place. I thought I was going to have to anchor the boys so they wouldn't blow away. The kids had a fun time playing in the water and sand and we had a good time relaxing and chatting away.

This year I was determined to have our family pictures taken before December, so with that determination we made our way over to HBS Campus to take our pictures. The boys were really good of course because we bribed them with treats. I tried to make it as painless as possible for them, after only 20 minutes of smiling they were "free" as they would put it. It was fun to just hang out and run around and have fun. We took them into Baker Library because they wanted to see Papa's painting that is hanging in the entrance. While we were there, Jonathan took them into see one of the class rooms where he will defend his dissertation when it is finished. Isaac and Owen were pretty impressed with the electronics that he gets to play with. I will be impressed when I get to sit in that class room to hear Jonathan defend his dissertation!!

Who can forget about Halloween!! The only day that it is ok for our children to go around begging strangers for ridiculous amounts of sugar. Every year we have taken the boys up to Beacon Hill to do our begging of legal stimulants. Last year you might recall that we got to see Senator John Kerry, mostly due to the fact that it was an election year. I am happy to say that we were not disappointed this year either because we got to see his wife Teresa Heinz-Kerry. We have her family to thank for the wonderful goodness of Heinz Ketchup. I don't know that I would like french fries or tater-tots quite as much if I didn't have the yummy goodness of ketchup to compliment them. After taking in all of the fun decorations we made our way down to Upper Crust Pizza where it took over 90 minutes to get our pizzas. I don't believe that we have ever had to wait quite so long for a pizza. It ended up tasting even better because we were pretty much starving when we got it, but the real bummer was that because it took so long, we got home too late to have Spud nuts at the Anderson's home. We left vowing that next year we will have dinner first and then take in the sites.