Truth, Love, Courage - The Clark Family

The Swiss Experience

2010-07-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

In June 2010 Chris and I spent a month in Switzerland with a student group from Utah State University. We had a fantastic experience and spent a lot of time looking at each other with dropped jaws and wide eyes uttering the only word that came to mind - WOW! Switzerland is loaded with magnificent vistas at every turn. The pictures show a view of the Eiger, the Monk and the Jungfrau, the Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva, the Castle at Oberhoffen and the view from the balcony of the bed and breakfast where we stayed.

MORE HAWAII PICS

2009-12-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

Some random pictures from the trip to Kauai include (in the order shown) a sea turtle, which were numerous around Poipu Beach where we stayed, a parrot fish, Becca swimming in the pool at Kipu Falls just after she made the jump from the cliff above, the Napalli coast where a group of us took a great hike, Ben Johnson, the hiking group (Dave, Rich, Reina, Em, Joe and Ben), Rich, Reina and Ben on the hike, Fred (Dave's dad) relaxing in the condo and Emily and Joe at Wailea Falls.

Some 2009 Family Highlights

2009-12-26T19:43:00.000-08:00

This has been an eventful year for the Dave and Chris Clark family. Following the Valentine's Day trip to New York City (see previous post) with the Butlers Chris decided to end her membership in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in order to enroll as a full-time MBA student at Utah State University. She completed an intensive business core experience to prepare non-business majors for the MBA degree and then she started regular classwork in September. She is on-track to graduate in May 2010.

Rich and Reina are living in Salt Lake City. The addition of Reina to our family has been a great joy.

In May Dave left for a five week tour of Asia with 32 USU students. The trip included a week in South Korea, three weeks in China and one week in Vietnam. It was a great experience with wonderful Asian food, amazing sights to see, new friends and a whole new appreciation for home.

In June our newest grandchild was born to Steve and Laura - Jackson. It was a nice to celebrate with Steve and Laura and our daughters, Emily, Becca and Kristin.

The summer was incredible in Logan. The Cache Valley is absolutely beautiful and offers great golf and hiking among a host of other outdoor activities. One of the hikes we enjoyed with the Butler family was on a trail called Temple Fork in Logan Canyon.

Dave was able to do two things in the fall that were great fun. The first was a fishing trip in Idaho with Karl Kern. The second was a cattle drive in Idaho with his cousin, Roger Clark.

For Christmas we took a fantastic trip to Kauai with all of the adult children and their spouses (except, sadly, for Steve and Laura who were not able to come). The weather was spectacular, the island is beautiful and everyone had a great time.

After returning from Hawaii we spent Christmas day at home, which included a visit from Jen and Ben and their children, Daxton and Jacy.

We look back on 2009 with gratitude and we look forward to 2010 as the best year ever for our family.

Happy Valentine's Day from the Big Apple

2009-02-18T05:08:00.000-08:00

On Valentine's Day weekend we took a bite out of the Big Apple with Emily and Joseph. It started with some real New York deli food at the Carnegie Deli on Thursday night (February 12, 2009), followed by the lights on Times Square and a performance of "Wicked" for Em and Joe. The next day we got to see the sites around Manhattan and we celebrated the Butler's 11th wedding anniversary! Joseph was in such a good mood that day that he purchased a Rolex watch. We thought it was a little extravagant, but I guess that $25 for a genuine Rolex from the guy on Canal Street with watches in his coat pocket wasn't too bad. On Saturday we went to the Top of the Rock (top of Rockefeller Center and to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Sunday we attended church at the Manhattan 1st Ward and then we had to come home. It was a great weekend!

JANICE HALES CLARK

2008-12-22T06:21:00.001-08:00

Jan Clark, our mother and grandmother passed away on December 18, 2008.

Jan was an amazing person, well defined by our family motto of Truth, Love and Courage. She loved and taught her sons to be men of honor. She loved and was proud of her daughters-in-law, her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.

She was a great presence in her family and in social settings. She radiated beauty, intelligence, grace and genuine interest in people. In the tradition of the powerful women she descended from she was also strong and a little feisty - you always knew where Jan stood.

She was courageous in the face of incredible, prolonged physical difficulties. In no circumstance did she focus on herself. She was a great partner to Fred and he was devoted to her.

There can be no greater blessing than to have been raised by parents of strength and honor. Thank you Jan and Fred for who you are and all you mean to us. Your family loves you dearly.

A MOVING EXPERIENCE

2008-11-02T13:35:00.000-08:00

Well, we knew the time would come but when it actually happens the process of moving is tough. It's emotionally difficult. Seeing the moving van in front of our home on Silverstone Circle with boxes piled on the driveway as 15 years of living is packed and prepared for transport was not easy.

And, it's physically difficult. Coping with unpacking 15 years of living into a new home is overwhelming. However, it's an important chance to reset, renew and reorganize. We're making great progress. By Thanksgiving we should be close to being settled.

In the meantime, Kristi is adjusting very well as a freshman at Utah State. It's fun to see her occasionally at the new house. Rich and Reina and Becca are taking care of the house on Silverstone and helping to show it to potential buyers (which are, unfortunately, few and far between). And Jenny and her kids are preparing to move in to the Silverstone house while Ben gets settled in with Mesaba Airlines in Minneapolis. Still lot's of changes to come as we prepare to conclude 2008 and move on to 2009.

New Directions

2008-09-09T04:52:00.000-07:00

Big changes are coming for the Clark family. Starting on October 1 Dave will be the director of entrepreneurial programs at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Chris will be the managing director of a newly formed community choir in Logan. And we'll be moving to - take a wild guess - Logan! We've already started the process of purchasing a home there and our wonderful home in Sandy is for sale. Transitions are hard but new challenges and opportunities are exciting. We'll have more details and photos of the new surroundings after we're settled.

Visit to Orlando

2008-05-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

We spent a fun week in Orlando from May 4 - 11 and saw Jen, Ben, Dax and Jacy. Highlights included an evening in Disney World (actually Disney Hollywood Studios) and a day at Sea World, where this picture was taken. We also got to see Steve and Laura, who happened to be in Orlando at the same time. They hosted us for dinner at a sea food buffet. Jacy will be as cute as her older brother!

Heli-skiing in Canada

2008-02-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from Dave's heli-skiing adventure in British Columbia. Over the course of three days we skied 70,000 vertical feet of untouched, fluffy powder. The group was great, the food superb, and the pow pow was gnarly dude!

Jacy Noel Johnson

2008-01-21T13:30:00.001-08:00

One of fun things that's happened as we've begun the new year is the visit of Ben and Jen and Dax and Jacy in connection with Jacy's blessing. Jen stayed with us for a week and then Ben came, but not without some challenge. Due to storms in Atlanta that resulted in massive flight delays and cancellations he flew to Las Vegas and then drove from there to Salt Lake, arriving Sunday morning just in time to take a quick nap and make it to church. We had a nice family brunch before church and were joined by Fred and Jan who came all the way up from Las Vegas, by Em and Joe and their kids from Layton, by Steve and Laura from Provo, and by Ben's parents, Kent and Celeste. The Clarks left that afternoon to return to Vegas, and it's a good thing they did because when we woke up the next morning there was more than a foot of new snow outside. The pictures are of Ben and Jen and Jacy in her blessing dress, and of Dax the next day by the snow mound created by the snow blower.

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We had a wonderful time on New Year's Eve with the Butlers, Rich, Steve and Laura, Becca and Kristin and Laura's family. Dave and Connie Pixton and their children Aubrey, Jacob and Joseph joined us for an evening of food and fun. On New Year's day there was racket ball in the morning, sledding in the afternoon, and Cafe Rio and football in the evening.

2007-12-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick update on the Hawaii trip and on Christmas. We had a great time in Hawaii with perfect weather and fantastic food. Got back on the 23rd in time to prepare for Christmas with ginger bread houses on Christmas Eve and the Butler grandkids at our house to open presents on Christmas morning. Attached, reverse chronological order, are some pictures of Hawaii and Christmas. The first one is some of the Christmas morning crew. Next is Thomas demonstrating the joy of "unbridled avarice" (name the movie that come from). We then go to ginger bread houses on Christmas Eve with Jenny Butler and Kristin and Elise and Alex Jeppsen. The Hawaii pictures are of the fam on Kaanapalii Beach after a great evening meal at the Hula Grill, then one of dad and mom at Moma's Fish House, and finally a picture of the view from our 10th floor condo at the Marriott Ocean Club.

Starting Out

2007-12-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned for news and pictures from the parental units (oops...Becca doesn't want us to use the word unit!)

Watch for our next hilarious posting! :)