1987 Northbrook

January

Jennifer and Sharilyn with Indian Princess girls, Milwaukee WI

 February 6 Happy Birthday Jennifer

Jennifer was up at 4:45 due to excitement for her birthday. 

She excitedly opened family gifts at 7:30am so Chris could be there before leaving for his business trip to Germany.  

Just as we were leaving for the train Mom Clarke called.  We said quick hellos and then I ran Chris to the train.  As soon as I got home the phone was ringing.  It was Chris.  He left his passport in my purse.  I rushed it to him but he missed the train and had to wait for the next one.  I got home again and the phone was again ringing.  It was my Mom this time.  We chatted for a little bit and then I had to rush to get the girls off to school.  I told them I'd deliver their lunches because I hadn't had time to make them.  Emily was crying through all this confusion. - As soon as I got the girls off I sat down with a "phew!" Cute Emily... after a minute of quiet Emily asked "mommy where's Jennifer and Sharilyn?"  "They're going to school."  "Oh. -----Good morning Mom." "Good morning Emily."  ....."Did you have a nice sleep Mom?"  "Yes, thank you Emily, did you?" "Uh huh. ---Can I watch Care Bears mommy?"  She was so sweet.  She succeeded in calming us both.

Jen had a nice party with 6 friends over for her birthday & slumber party. (Shar had a friend too). 

                                       Happy 9th Birthday Jennifer!

Susan, Sarah, Jen, Yayoi, JeeHay
Emily, Laura, Sean Young, Sharilyn

                                Family excursion Morraine Hills State Park, IL

Our children:

Jennifer is in the top of her orchestra group.  The teacher had her come up and direct the other day. She performed beautifully in her recital and she practices faithfully.  (25min per day and they get a pizza party!  Anything for pizza ha ha!)

Sharilyn got her hair cut and she looks so cute. She's cheerful and steadfast. Shar is excited to be in Brownies and Indian Princess.

Emily in her prayers the other day: "Bess Present Benson and misshies all the world and Bess Jack and the Beanstalk." Another time she prayed for President Benson and his great "antlers".  ha ha (councilors) 

I guess throwing coins in a fountain would come naturally to Emily because we found her tossing dimes in the fish bowl.

In the car as we were on our way to the store Emily said "Mommy, we say prayers." "What do you mean Emily?" "To Heavenly Father." "Oh.  Okay, would you like to say a prayer?"  "Bless us while we go shopping and bless Jennifer and Sharilyn and Pres. Benson."  I can only wonder if a prayer was needed that day and she was in tune to pray.  Thank you dear Emily for a prayer that blessed us that day.

Aaron loves to go outside.  He bangs on the back door wanting to go out. He still loves to pull plugs out of the sockets and chase the vacuum cleaner to feel the warm air blow in his face. He loves to watch the cord whip out of the wall and race back into the vacuum at one single tug.  He laughs and laughs!

March

Sharilyn had 7 friends over for her bday party.  (Also I was babysitting the Sweetwood kids) and Chris was in LA on business.  So we had a house full of kids!

Sharilyn, Melissa Sweetwood, Samantha, Jennifer, Nickolas, Kelly Peterson, Colin, Sara, Lisa, Melissa, Sharilyn's 7th birthday

Jennifer at her locker, Greenbriar Elementary School
production of "Grapevine Connection"
 Northbrook, IL

April

Happy Birthday!!!

Emily is 3 and I am 37

Emily's 3rd Birthday!
Happy Birthday Emily!!

Emily has a sense of humor.  She is hilarious and brings much laughter to our home.  She is a little Tigger!  (bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!)  She bubbles over with enthusiasm and cheerfulness that is contagious and the best word I can think of for her is adoration.  Even though I am often telling her "Emily, talk softer" and even though I sometimes get exhausted from her abundant energy, we just adore the overflowing happiness that comes from her.

Easter Egg Hunt

May

David came to stay for a week.  He got permission to do that on his way home from his mission.  It was really fun to have him.  We went to Nauvoo.

  

I got called to be Primary Chorister.  Fun calling.

June

I think Aaron is going to talk early.  He says so many words for only 17 months old.  When he wakes up in the morning he calls out "Mama! Are you?"  He points to things and asks "What's at?"  ha ha...here's some mischief all in a day: He decided to make himself a peanut butter sandwich because he saw the jar left out and lid off. He did a really nice job actually.  He spread the peanut butter all over the bread and then chopped and chopped it. ha ha.  I got him down off the counter top and while cleaning it up he carried a loaf of bread into the entry hall and dropped it off, then emptied a bookshelf; scooted a chair up to the desk and climbed on top of it.  He found the address stamp and stamped it all over the top of the desk.  Next he got into the pantry and dumped two drink mixes all over the family room carpet.  While I was cleaning that up he got busy pulling ribbon out of cassette tapes in the tv room.  When he saw me come in he pointed a finger at me and said "No No".  Ah, what do you do with toddlers?

July

Chris went on a business trip to Wisconsin and got home on the same day that he had to leave for another business trip to Germany! Chris was excited to get to see the Pail family that he baptized while on his mission.  He made it home just in time to meet us at the 4th of July parade and he made it through the rest of the day even though exhausted.  

Jennifer, Jamie, Laura Patelle, Megan, and Mrs Patelle,
4th of July Parade, Northbrook IL

Chris also had a business trip to Boston and got to see Murphy's.  He flew from there to CA and got home 10pm in time to pack for scout camp the next day which we are all going to. 

This is out of focus but it's a fun picture.
Aaron loved this rocker on the porch.

Toddler Toons:

Aaron came to me with a look of concern in his big brown eyes and a glob of glue on his nose, as he handed me a mushed up glue stick.  "Ah Oh" he said. "Ah Oh is right" I said back as I grabbed the glob off his nose and tried to shove it all back into the stick.  Aaron is a little sweetie pie though.  Seems ever since he broke the bonds of babyhood and emerged into a state where he could pursue his innocent curiosities, he has become even more good natured.  Seems one minute his curious toddlerhood is beaconing to pull spices out of the spice rack and the next he's sweetly patting Emily who has fallen asleep on the sofa and kissing her forehead.  He goes to bed at night and naps in the day with no crying or complaining!  He snuggles his little blanket with a little giggle and nestles in.

Helpful big sister :)

Richard and Hillary Kniss,
Sharilyn, Aaron, Emily

Three adorable little girls
in matching sundresses

                                A family outing to Glencoe Beach

Grandma & Pa Clarke

August

Aaron is adorable and squealing with delight!
He just loves mowing with Dad!

Had such heavy rains that leaked through the roof and soaked Jennifer's carpet in the new bedroom and got her clothes wet in her closet and filled her shoes full of water! It smells because it's so humid and it's having trouble drying even though fans are blowing on it.

Got to have a brief visit from Dad.  It was so fun to have him. (He was in Chicago on business)  Also got a visit from Br. Knighton (Weston Ward in MA) who also was on a business trip.

Feeding the geese in Glenview

Jennifer 4th Grade Greenbriar School

Sharilyn 2nd Grade Greenbriar School

Sept

Emily started pre-school.  She just loves it & feels grown up.  It's so cute how now and then she'll put her hand on top of her head and say "Mommy look how big I am". 

As I was tucking Emily into bed, she asked me if I would read her one more story.  I told her I couldn't because I needed to go work on my talk for Sunday.  I told her that daddy and I were giving talks. Little 3 year old Emily asked "Oh! Can I give a talk too?"  I replied "What would you want to say, Emily?"  She thought and thought really hard and then replied "I would say Thank you."  I loved that SO much!  I began my talk in church with this sweet story.

Em at her Glenbrook North nursery school

I went to the meeting to register Jennifer up for GSA and Sharilyn for Brownies. In GSA I'll be helping girls earn a music badge and I'll help with the spring cookie sales and in Brownies I'll help with  the cookie bake, bike progressive dinner and Christmas ornaments. Girls are also enjoying Indian Princesses with Chris and the neighbor girls and dads. I'm also on the PTA board.

Jennifer is loving orchestra.  We traded in her small viola for a larger one.  Sharilyn is loving piano lessons from Beverly Mark in our ward. 

I babysit for Mom's morning out for two local churches but I was given a heads up that even though they don't have someone to replace me, the Presbyterians might fire me because someone complained that a Mormon shouldn't be allowed with their children. 

Chris has been given a job opportunity in Sun Valley ID.  We are trying to make a decision.  There are so many good reasons to go but we need to know it is a correct decision and will fast and pray.  We are so involved and attached here and have lived here longer than anywhere in our married life. I love being close to the temple and going to institute.  Lee Donaldson is such an exceptional teacher and I've truly hunger and thirst for this early morning feast.

Our primary program went really well.  We had many neighbors come.  Debbie Coulter and Mary Gibbons, who have been taking missionary discussions, Andersons next door, Walshes and Jennifer's friend Laura. 

Oct

Jennifer got 2nd place in Long Jump in a track meet.

We went on a neighborhood bike ride.  Met at 8am and rode 2.7 miles with the kids to the park for breakfast.  Aaron rode on the back of my bike and Em rode on the back of Chris's.  Kids had fun playing on the playground and Emily caught a big frog near the lake.  

Chris went to Sun Valley ID to look into the job offer there.  We've had mixed feelings about moving because we've made close friends with Mary Gibbons and Coulters behind us and Anderson's next door etc.  We've almost felt like we were on a mission here and have shared the gospel with others. Chris called me from SV and was filled with emotion and said he is ready to go.  It is closer to our families and will be better work because not as much travel.  The girls love their schools and Brownies, Girl Scouts, Indian Princess etc. Yet we feel strongly that it is right that we move.  We never dreamed we would be living close to home this soon.  I feel it is a very    special blessing from the Lord.  I have felt it burn within me and fill me with  emotion and gratitude and a feeling that we don't deserve.  I hope there is a good music program for Jennifer and her viola.  Sharilyn will miss her piano lessons with Sis. Mark & Emily loves her pre-school.  I'll miss the temple so close. I'll miss my friends Andrea Hutchins and Kathy Millet.

Sharilyn playing the owl in induction ceremony

Playing dress-ups

(Jennifer wanted to be a California Raisin
which was a very popular ad at this time)

November

Two weeks after Chris was in Sun Valley and accepted the job, we flew out to look for a place to live and we have bought this home in Hulen Meadows!  

I feel so good about it and so grateful for the spirit that clearly helped us. We've been working really hard on our home so we can sell it.  We painted inside and out, new rain gutters, new drive-way, new carpet.  It looks so beautiful in here now!  Lot's of people have come to see it.  We are going to move in December and we haven't told any of our family.  They know nothing except that we're coming home for Christmas.  We can't wait to surprise them!  It's so hard to leave here.  I feel like I'm leaving home and going home all at the same time.  It must be like dying... leave home and go home.  One day, we'll all be in one home and never have to say good-bye to anyone.  I'll miss this place and these people - our home.

December

No Shore 2nd Ward Christmas Party

Journal: We're excited to go home for the holidays and tell our parents about our move.  I will then return home with the kids and to sell the house and Chris will begin working for Sawtooth Software this month.

Chris & I got to sing in the Stake Musical Pageant and I played my flute in Donkey Carol.  Chicago Symphony accompanied. Sunday was our ward Christmas program that we sang in and I directed our Primary Choir.  We had bells, violins, Jennifer on viola and Marcus Hutchins and I on flutes.  Jennifer also had an orchestra concert.  It's been a very busy month.

 IDAHO for Christmas

We got to go to Idaho again this year for Christmas!

A very dear Santa Klingler (my dad) at Clarkes with Jennifer;
(middle), Katie Birch, Sharilyn, Dannah, Daniel Dalling;
(front) Aaron, Emily King, Dayle Dalling, David Birch, Derrick Dalling,

Christmas at Klingler's
 

Swinging in winter in Clarkes backyard 

Happy 2nd Birthday Aaron!