2007 has come and gone

We are happy to welcome in the New Year! This past one was too wild and crazy for our own good. We did, however, learn from our experiences. I was inspired from Tristie’s creative Christmas card to write down our own words of advice.

Here are a few lessons we learned in 2007…….

♦ Never move in January, especially if the move is more than 1000 miles. It doesn’t make for a “fun” winter break.

♦ If you do happen to move, make sure it’s to a warmer location. We did NOT miss the snow this winter!

♦ Swimming pools are the greatest invention EVER!

♦ The Batman Slip-and-Slide on top of the trampoline takes a close second…

♦ Learning to walk (and TALK) is exhilarating (Zack)

♦ Graduating from law school is not as easy as you would expect. (Aaron)

♦ Never take your three kids camping without your husband. (Janet)

♦ A penis doesn’t have any bones.. only muscles. (Ben)

♦ Chicken nuggets are sometimes in the shape of South Carolina. (Luke)

♦ You can say “NO” instead of “YES” and still get everything you want. (Zack)

♦ You’re never too old to:
have a rainbow cake for your birthday (Aaron)
dress up for Halloween (Janet)

♦ Changing a flat tire dressed as a nun and a priest is hilarious. You should try it sometime.

♦ You can watch Jumangi, Zathura and Transformers a zillion times without ever getting bored. (Ben and Luke)

♦ A year without hospital visits or doctor appointments proves that your family is very blessed.

♦ Spending a week on a tropical island without your kids is mighty romantic.

♦ Passing the bar is more exciting than it sounds!

♦ Taking a dip in the pool is a great thing to do in November.

♦ Spending your Sunday afternoon with 15+ snotty-nosed kids can be a LOT of fun.

♦ A week without any media is good for the soul.

♦ Christmas in your own home is worth a 6 hour drive on Christmas Eve.

♦ Keeping in touch with family and friends is SO much easier with a blog!

miserably sick.

It's the end of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. And I am blogging about it so others know that my life isn't hunky-dorey all the time.

Little Zack has been sick with the flu since Christmas Eve. It's really not fun having a child who can't tell you when he's about to throw up all over the carpet.. But I thought it was getting better and I was grateful that the rest of us hadn't caught his bug. We had a good day yesterday and I went to bed feeling okay. But around 3:30 am, I woke up from a nightmare. In my dream, I was roaming a busy street, frantically searching for a bathroom. I was desperate and no matter where I turned or who I asked, I couldn't seen to find one. My bladder wasn't full in my dream, but I was terribly sick and was afraid I was going to vomit on someone in the crowded street. I woke up sweating... grateful that it was just a dream, until I realized that I needed to get to the bathroom before I threw up in my bed. I ran to the toilet and puked my guts out. Sorry for being so vulgar, but that's exactly what happened. It was so bad that I couldn't even breathe. I was literally afraid I was going to die on my bathroom floor because I couldn't take in any air. It was scary. I finally finished and got myself a drink of cold water. After my first swallow, I thought someone had put a cup of sugar in my water bottle. It was so sweet (without any flavor) that I couldn't keep it down. I went through another round of v0mitting. I was so thirsty afterward and decided to get a fresh glass of ice water, but it tasted the same.. disgustingly sweet. I gave up and decided to brush my teeth, throw my toothbrush in the garbage and head back to bed. It was now 4:30 am and I spent the next few hours tossing and turning. Thankfully it was Saturday and Aaron was able to be with the kids while I slept in. I didn't get out of bed until 3 pm. And that was only because Aaron brought Zack in my room so we could feel miserable together. Zack laid next to me and rubbed my cheek and said, "Mommy sick. Mommy sick." It was so sweet! We read a few books together and went back down for a nap.. what a day! It's now 10 pm and I haven't been able to keep anything down... not even a piece of toast. And I am totally bummed because tomorrow will most likely be our LAST day serving in the nursery and I won't be able to say goodbye to all my little chillins.. that is, unless their parents would like me to spread my germs.

Anyway, I AM glad I didn't feel this way on A's birthday and even more grateful it's a LONG weekend.. Being sick really makes you feel grateful for the days when you are healthy! Can't wait to get back to feeling like myself again... it's been a long time. But I will take a scratchy/sexy voice cold over the flu ANYDAY. Hopefully it's just a 24 hour bug and I will be able to welcome in the New Year properly.. that is, with a big pAR-TAy! We shall see...

birthday festivities

All in all, it was a good day.

I took the boys to Aaron's office for a birthday celebration. It was nice to be there. I think everyone at his firm is surprised that he has three boys at home. He's the new "young" associate. But to us, he's an OLD man! Ben woke up this morning and the first thing he said was, "I bet Dad is a little bit taller now that he's older." Maybe so. After the chocolate cake and ice cream at the office (just our appetizer) we headed to Chili's for lunch.

Proof that I can tie a knot in a cherry stem in my mouth.. but this doesn't show how fast it can be done. I gotz skills.
And isn't Ziggy such a cute boy? He's been a total trooper... still isn't feeling well, poor little guy!

Luke and Ben decorated the cake almost all by themselves. Luke got himself into some trouble while frosting.. I heard him say, "Um, mom, I've got a problem here. I didn't mean to shed the cake's skin!" Apparently, the frosting wasn't staying put-And no, he wasn't born with those Angelina lips. Luke is super silly and is always pulling crazy faces. I happened to catch him in the moment. Ben wrote a big "31" on the cake and was so serious about making it perfect.. He's in deep concentration here.

The boys hung homemade birthday banners around the house and we blew up 31 balloons.. don't ask how many times they were counted! They were SO excited and wanted to surprise him when he came home from work. Somehow, all the lights got turned off, and I found myself crouched behind the couch with the kids at least 10 minutes before Aaron walked through the door. It was one of those priceless moments that I'm not sure I will ever get back. All three boys huddled next to me, giggling and squealing with excitement. I highly doubt they will remember it, but I won't forget it. I know Aaron could feel their enthusiasm when he walked in the room. In fact, our entire street probably heard their exhilarated "surprise!"

31 flavors

THIRTY ONE reasons why I love Aaron...

1. He's tall, dark and handsome.

2. He dresses nice and always matches.

3. He has a wonderful smile.

4. He adapts well to change.

5. He dances like a maniac.

6. He loved his mission and keeps in touch with most of his companions. Now some of their wives are my close friends.

7. His voice is calming. When I hear him talk, I feel safe inside.

8. He is excellent at picking out presents for me.. he puts a lot of thought into each gift and I am always pleasantly surprised.

9. He's the BEST dad to our little boys.

10. He's very easy to talk to.

11. He always puts the toilet seat down.

12. He's level-headed and logical. He doesn't make decisions based on his emotions. This is why he will make a superb judge someday.

13. He looks SO nice in a suit and tie... when he was a little boy, he always pictured himself wearing one to work everyday.. Isn’t that interesting?

14. He's the best person to take a road trip with... and believe me, we have had our fair share. He insists on driving the whole time (which I love) and we always have the best 4-5 hour conversations (which I love even more.)

15. He really cares about others. People are very important to him, especially his family. He is a great brother and son.

16. He loves his in-laws even though there are MANY of us and sometimes we get crazy.

17. He's a worthy Priesthood holder and always wears a white shirt on Sunday.

18. He is a faithful hometeacher and takes his callings seriously.

19. He is a champion ping-pong player.

20. He ALWAYS knows exactly how I am feeling. He can read me like a book.

21. He stands up for what he believes in.

22. He tells entertaining, captivating bedtime stories. They begin with 3 brave, loyal and courageous princes out to save the world… they also include many real (or made up) animals—and he does incredible sound effects!

23. He takes very good care of his personal possessions… (for example, he cleans his shoes with a toothbrush!)

24. He NEVER yells.. ever. Not at me or our kids.

25. He rarely gets mad (or frustrated) about anything.

26. He makes pretend pancakes and scrambled eggs with the little girls in nursery. (All the kids prefer him to me and some of them even cry when he leaves the room.)

27. He irons his own clothes.

28. He makes me laugh out loud everyday.. (refer to #5)

29. He’s the most humble person I know.

30. He always puts his family first… no matter what.

31. He picked ME to be his wife!

Happy 31st Birthday, Aaron! I love you.

Our Utah Excursion

The boys and I left a few days before Aaron so we could be there for
The Grandkids Photoshoot

My parents have 23 grandkids with two more on the way! And get this--the oldest just turned TEN. Yes, in a few months, it will be 25 kids ten and under.. This picture may look like it was somewhat under control, but it was totally and completely INSANE. All of the parents were behind the camera hysterically laughing (and some felt like crying!) because our kids were out of control. The poor photographer will probably not allow the Clawson Clan back into her studio. But the picture turned out-- and the photo really is timeless. These kids are all growing so fast and it's important to get an official photo every once in a while.

Ben was pulling this toothless grin for an hour or so. He didn't move-- and I love Zack's face in this shot because he was in shock.. just kept looking at me like, "What is going on and why do I have to stand here with all these screaming kids?" I LOVE all my nieces and nephews so much and wish my kids were able to live closer to ALL their cousins. For those of you who don't know.. my parents have ten children and ALL of their children live within a 20 mile radius of their home.. except for yours truly. They are excellent grandparents and are able to handle all the chaos very well. It's such a blessing to have all these people in our lives! On one of our road trips, I challenged Aaron to name all the cousins in order-- not only did he do it, but he knew almost all of their middle names! We love these kids and my boys are very lucky to have so many cousins!

After the photo shoot, we headed to Kristy's home to exchange presents, act out the Nativity, and have a delicious soup dinner!

The next day, I went with two of my sisters and their kids to the Gateway children's museum. It was a lot of fun-- but I couldn't help but feel jealous that they get to hang out everyday! How fun that they live down the street from each other and can play all the time. But we enjoyed the day we had together. We hung out, ate lunch at the mall and let the kids go wild!

That night, I had dinner with my high school friends @ Karlin's beautiful home. It was so much fun to catch up, exchange gifts and just be together! We've had a Christmas dinner party every year... going on 8 + years..

I think our husbands are mad that we never include them in the gift exchange, but that's tough luck. This year, Francine gave me Brilliance Plump gloss that is supposed to enhance your lips. I will let you know how that goes! Hillary snapped this shot just after I put it on..

Aaron flew in that night around midnight and we stayed up with Karlin talking until 3 am or so... the next day was busy wedding preparation. Jade received her endowment in the morning and we were so glad we could be there, even though I was coughing throughout the entire session. That night, a big snow storm hit Salt Lake and it was terrible timing. Our family was flying in and Brett and Kate and to be rerouted to Boise.. We were all supposed to be at a dinner party done by Jade's in-laws, and sadly, we were all terribly late. It took Aaron and I about 2 hours to drive 15 miles. It sucked. The whole time we were in the car, I kept saying, "I'm so glad we live in Vegas! We were so smart to move there!" The dinner was a lot of fun when we arrived and the food was excellent. Jade married into a family of 11 children, so I really felt at home with them, and so did our kids! It was so great to have Bronmin and Kirk come! But we missed Cody and Jake far away on Korean plains. That night we stayed in a basement condo next to the Mt Timp temple.. it was a little ghetto, but it was fun to all be in one place. We stayed up late laughing with Brett, Kate and the Chicagoans. The next morning, the people living upstairs brought us down a big tray of hot breakfast. French toast, sausage, little flower-cut cheeses, fruits, etc. It was so nice of them, but kind of creepy at the same time. We didn't even know them, but obviously they think they were running a bed and breakfast.. Every time we came back to the place to change our clothes, or whatever, there would be a new tray of Christmas goodies or treats. Nice, yet really weird.

The next day was the WEDDING! and it was FREEZING! I wish I had more pictures of outside the temple, but my kids were so cold and I was worried that my fingers were going to freeze and fall off. Jade was absolutely stunning (and John didn't look so bad either.)

I was so grateful to Bronmin and Kirk for watching the boys during the ceremony.
Even though Zack went a little crazy with the markers (see his hands)

Zack LOVED the skittles on the tables!! and thanks to KT for keeping him busy with the chalk!

The next day was the Annual Clawson Adult family party. And boy was it entertaining! Our white elephant gift exchange got a little crazy when my dad opened a humongous brazier and panties. I took a shot of him with the underwear on his head, but it must have been with someone else's camera. And these are my aunts Nancy and Julie..

The dinner was delicious and the company was fabulous! My family is the best!

Christmas Card 2007

Christmas Highlights

Christmas 2007 will go down in the book (or the blog) as a GREAT one.
Ben and Luke played all day, but poor little Z was super sick and slept Christmas away.

Zack threw up several times during the present opening process, but that didn't damper our party!
We had a nice relaxing time and Aaron and I were able to take a 3 hour nap. Boo-ya.
Here are our favorite things about Christmas:

Our kids singing Christmas songs in the morning to wake us up.
Aaron just kept saying, "That wasn't loud enough, I am still sleeping!" And then would YELL another song.
I think we got a bit of Jingle Bells on video as well as a few short clips of the kids opening presents..
(if you want to watch, check out our homevideo page..)
Gooey warm cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate after we woke up--
and cheesy, veggie omelets later for a late breakfast (around noon)
YUM!
Ben was SO excited about Transformer EVERYTHING.. toothbrushes, blankets, movie, pj's and of course, toys.
Luke's fav present was his remote control car. It's wheels are neon and when they get stuck and spin in the air, Luke squeals, "It's a DISCO party!" How does he even know what that is? Those days are in my past..
Zack got a little tykes power four wheeler. After his 5 hour nap, he cruised around our house saying, "Beep Beep, I coming!"
I surprised Aaron with a Guitar! We are going to have fun with it--
He's wanted one for a while, but even more after seeing Dan in Real Life. If you haven't seen that movie already, go!
And as usual, Aaron bought me many thoughtful presents.
It amazes me how he always seems to buy me exactly what I want/need.
One of my favorite gifts is the Anne of Green Gables movies...Can't wait to watch them later this week!
Gilbert reminds me of Aaron.. and I always like to think that I have as much spunk and enthusiasm as Anne.
Is there anyone out there who hasn't seen these movies?
I usually check them out from the library every 6 months or so, and I am so glad I own them now!

Christmas morning

It was a "Transformer Christmas" according to Ben and Luke.

They squealed after opening every present!

Aaron bought this life sized (almost) animal book for the kids..
We will have some good homeschooling lessons with this sucker.
After opening all the presents, Zack spent his morning putting the M&M's back in their container. very exciting.
Just cuddling with new blankets, watching the kids run wild with their new toys.
This was some of the destruction.. (in fact, it's AFTER two bags full of garbage went out.)
I have no idea WHERE we are going to put all this stuff! But if you ask our kids, it was
"The BEST Christmas EVER!"