My Method to the Madness

Here's a day in the life of Christa Clark. ! I start by getting the kiddos up and dressed. Bailey is wearing a new outfit from Grandma Clark! :) She's also talking on her cell phone at the table, where did she get these manners?! I just have so much to teach her! Next, she has some play time with Dad. Jason and Chuck fixed a whole in the garage ceiling today (Chuck fell through the ceiling a couple weeks ago...). Jason took a break to play with Bailey and let her know what it's like being as tall as Chuck. Then I stare at Bailey for awhile and wonder how I was lucky enough to be chosen to be her mom... Then I do the same thing to Caden for awhile... so much cuteness in one family! What are the chances? Then it's nap time and they both go down. Bailey in her bed, Caden on the couch with me. He falls asleep pretty quickly after I feed him, then I lie there and go through my to-do list until I fall asleep, or until the dryer buzzes and I go to fold clothes. Then Bai...

Well, here is the long waited update about the Castle and Clark Christmases. First is Christmas with the Castles, which was so much fun. It was so great to see Danae and Doug and watching them play with the kids was such a treat. We really are lucky to have such amazing people in our family. Bailey got a BEAUTIFUL dress from mom. It's sparkly! She will wear it tomorrow to Dana's birthday party. I can't wait! Danae and Caden had a grand old time. Caden had about 1.3 billion pictures taken of him and he totally loved it, I'm sure. Danae is introducing Caden to his new moose toy from Grammy and Poppa Keena. Jason is showing off the really cool plates Bailey and Caden got from mom and dad. They are so pretty and Bailey obviously loves them! Bailey and Caden both got beautiful mug and plate sets from Danae and Doug. Bailey loved hers! Notice Danae's face as her 1 year old niece tosses around her very breakable present! We got our brilliant brother-in-law school stu...

Oh my, what a day. I don't think I've had such a wonderfully perfect day in quite some time. It started out with a steaming hot shower while the kids were in bed, singing carols quietly as not to wake my husband. Then getting the kids up and in their Christmas jammies, then starting to make breakfast (eggs, bacon and biscuits), then the family came. Chuck, Dana, Grandma, Grandpa, Justin, Jessica and Hunter all bustled in from the cold and into my living warm, all toasty from the fireplace and smelling of cinnamon candles and freshly brewed java. We ate breakfast and then sat down to divy up the mountain of presents under the tree. It was such a great time, the focus wasn't the presents, it was the people. There was never a dull moment, it never got quiet, laughter was common and smiles were constant. It was beautiful. There were no harsh words, no sarcastic jabs, nothing. Just a family celebrating the birth of their Savior. What could be more beautiful? Here are some pictur...

So, we're on the final stretch, things are coming together for our 3 Christmases this year. We have Christmas with the Castles today at 12. (SO excited!) We were working on stuff for them last night and getting final preperations done. We have Christmas with Chuck's side of the family on Christmas Eve and Dana's side of the family on Christmas day. It's completely different this year, though, because for the past 46 years they've had Christmas Eve at Nanny's house. But not this year, it's going to be at Jessica's. And instead of having Christmas day at Chuck and Dana's which is the tradition, we're having it at our house! It's so exciting! We had a mad cleaning session on Saturday, but I still have to do the nursery and office today. (yes, I'm sitting in said office, blogging instead of cleaning... thanks Danae!) So, for some reason a childhood song has been stuck in my head for the past week. It goes like this: And the gift goes on (the ...

So, my new job title is mother/ oral foreign object remover. Bailey just keeps sticking things in her mouth! I try to keep everything small out of her reach, but it's a lot harder then I thought! I set a pen down for a second, look up and she's drooled all over it! She chewed on the Cheez-Its box, DVD cases, cable cords, receipts, Caden's shoes, Caden's pacifier and well... Caden's feet too. Today was girl's day. Chuck and Jason watched the kids while Dana, Jessica and I went out to spend Nanny's Christmas money. It was so much fun. I bought jeans (non-maternity! Woot!) and a $1.50 shirt from JC Pennys, plus a cami, a shirt, a necklace and earrings from New York and Company. It was so much fun, and I must say I have a real talent for spending other people's money. Well, gotta run. Bailey just stuck something in her mouth.

This morning, we went to Siloam to see my BFF Sarah! It was so great to see her and Hiba too. Oh yeah, and Jason was there. :) It was so funny seeing Hiba because I've seen so many pictures of her that it was like meeting a celebrity! Sarah is doing great and seems to really enjoy being a mom. Bailey and Hiba were SO cute together. They talked and grabbed at each other's faces. It was precious. We also saw Abbi and her son, Micah. So there were 4 children all born within a year crawling around the Piston home. It was a busy place to say the least! We stayed for a couple hours then had to return home because Bailey decided to throw the fit of the century. She was just tired, but still! When we got home the job search continued. I sent Jason's resume to Kentucky, Arkansas, Kansas and Montana! We also sent some to people in Tulsa, so who knows where we'll end up. (Well, Someone knows where we'll end up but He's not saying much at the moment. Trust is tough) I need ...

Here are some more pictures from my life. This is the Clark family Thanksgiving. It was a lot of fun and we had a TON of food. That little bundle in Jason's arm is Caden! Can you believe it? He's already so much bigger! Here are Bailey and I in our Christmas outfits. We wore them this Sunday. Bailey has another dress for next Sunday, so we started dressing for the Holidays a little early. I couldn't believe she left that hat on all day! She was such a trooper. Here are the girls from my small group in our "Tackiest Christamas Sweater" competition. I was proud that I didn't know anyone who had any really bad Christmas sweaters so one of the other girls brought one for me. It was so much fun! We're on a break for the Holidays, but we'll be back at the beginning of January. Joining this group was such a blessing to Jason and I this semester. Here's one of Dad and the kiddos. Caden is crying and Bailey is laughing, that's pretty much typical aroun...

Yesterday was quite a day. A rough one, to say the least. Jason got laid off from Community Spirit, which was quite a shock. No one saw it coming. We also got in a fender bender in the Walmart parking lot. So, it was overwhelming and just frustrating, but God is in control. We have a couple job leads so far. We're not sure where God wants us at this point. I really want to move to Montana and Jason is up for it, we just need to find a job there. We're also looking in Siloam Springs, so I could finish up my degree at John Brown. Plus Dana and Chuck are scouring Tulsa for jobs, so I know we'll find something, I'm just not sure where. It's kind of exciting I must say, even though from the financial standpoint it's soo scary! God is Faithful.

So, this morning we woke up and got ready for church. Put Bailey in a short sleeved dress and I wore short sleeves too. It was 70 degrees when we left church! Then we went to lunch and went home to take a nap. At 5 we went back up to the church to help with Toys for Tots. We realized it had gotten a bit colder, it was around 50, then during the 5 hours we were there working, the temperature dropped below freezing and it started icing! From 70 degrees to an ice storm all in one day! Welcome to Oklahoma! Toys for Tots was great, it was draining, but fun. I was a personal shopper, so I helped the parents pick out toys for their kids. It was nice to see them think so hard on what their kids would like the best. Jason ended up working outside in the bitter cold, so he was a little icicle. We didn't realize we would be working until 10, so poor Bailey was so tired! When we got home, I unbuckled her from her seat and she just slumped over, it was so pitiful. She went to bed without a fuss...

Here's mom and Caden when she was here to visit. It was sooo great having them here! Caden's perfect smile! Bailey and I at Three Rivers Community College Basketball game in Poplar Bluff. Bonding with Caden at Grandma's house. Andrew, Bailey and Bethany in Poplar Bluff for Thanksgiving.

Hello all! For some reason, I could not figure out how to work my old blog, so I just started another one. Spread the news, my account is now christaandjason instead of jasonandchrista. My name should be first anyways! :) So, here's an update... Caden is WONDERFUL. He was 7 weeks yesterday and is growing like a weed. He still has a full head of red hair and that wonderful dimple in his left cheek. He's holding his head up more everyday and has the cutest expressions. Sometimes I think he totally knows what I'm saying, because he gives me these "Oh come on Mom, you have got to be kidding me" looks. They just make me laugh! Bailey is so fun! She's 13 months and is such a hoot. She's learned peek-a-boo and how to clap when others clap. She's really starting to pick up on the stuff we do and trying to do it herself. If Caden is in his carseat and crying, she'll crawl over and try to rock him. It's the cutest thing ever! She's not quite walking ...