Clark Girls

I didn't get a chance to post on Sunday my 10 Favorite Things about Abby Dabby! So Here I go:
1. She ALWAYS tells the truth, even if it hurts
2. She is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS!! And always has been that little stinker
3. a natural at mothering and taking care of others
4. sweet to the bone
5. Athletic just like her Momma
6. it's like she can read what you are thinking/feeling
7. Smart
8. Has the best taste in music, loves the greats
9. Always wins the award for best Halloween costume/idea!
10. 100% totally ours to love one!! Love you Abby!!

had a great dinner party at moms house. john and i went over about 4:00 cooked meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans while mom directed my every move. (go figure) Celia, Howy, Pickles, me, John and Mom had cocktails and had a little birthday party for Celia. It was so much fun. Conner and Mikey stopped in to take care of her trash. A delicioud evening.

I looove Ellen. Anyway, I watched her show from Wednesday and her comedy skit in the beginning is hilarious, enlightening and it brings good news! Starbucks is making an even larger size! Like we need it. But it inspires ellen to talk about consumerism and how one day we will be able to block out the sun with our stomachs. Anyway she talks about Taco Bell's fourthmeal and whatnot, but you should watch it it is funny. And then she found an amazing way for us to do jigsaw puzzles and drive. Anyway, just thought you might enjoy this little diddy.

http://www.bonafidefarmfood.com/

Hey everybody! Tom has added video to his wbsite you have to check it out because it's super cool. Also, send his link to everyone you know and ask them to share it with their friends. Pioneer Woman might want to say hello to the farmer from Indiana.

Fellow Clark Girls!

i feel like i have been neglecting you all! .( so i am blogging! but to tell the truth i have been very very busy and have not been on the computer in like a week. so it is kind of a good feeling knowing i do not rely on this silly thing so much anymore. I am very excited about my trip to see Logann and i think i might even put some of my pics on my flash drive (because it is lil and dosen't take up too much room) and bring it for her to see, but now that i am thinking about it she would be to nice to be like uhh these are bad. haha. but that is okay i will still bring it if i remember. I really hope the weather is Nice Nice Nice. i Could use some sun sun sun!

Today Jamie and Erika wanted to go tanning so i was like okay tori has an account right? so i was being her and it was working out fine! but then, they called me back and asked me my birthday, and i have no clue what year tori was born! except i realize now that 1989 was 20 yrs ago so tori was born 86? anyway, now i am completely over my wanting to go tanning stage, so my skin might be happy with that decision. ya no?

So the epitome of my existence right now is prom as you all may have realized. haha. i just like to keep everyone updated. but anyway. It all seems to be going smoothly. We think we might get a turban to crown the king with haha because the theme is Arabian Nights i thought it was funny... ummm Still no stupid date, but i think Jamie officially decided she isn't going. So now i have no clue what to do! ahhh. Lets see... Oh less then a Month away, and we have no clue about decorations becuase we are hooking up with another school, and they havn't been very good at keeping in contact with us.

Oh i really love my Job. (like the man at Walmart hehe.)

and you have no idea what you are going to say? That's me right now. And that is usually a recipe for complete and utter wierdness. Or sometimes complete and utter nonsense or boringness or emptiness. Emptiness is the worst. nothing, nothing, blah,blah blah. I will tell you a story, a true story, how will that be? Gather round my wonderlings, gather round.

On Saturday there was a memorial service for a beautiful young woman who passed away after a year and a half of living with cancer. Her name was Michelle. She attended my church but I didn't know her very well. She was pretty, tall, thin, around fifty years old. She loved riding horses and she loved being outside. Se had a beautiful smile and a gentle nature. She and her husband who is a sweet, quiet spoken man named Tom had just built a beautiful home in the country. They moved in on a Monday and then on that Thursday she was diagnosed with cancer. There is a creek that runs through their property and they have a potbellied pig named Daisy. I know I said I didn't know her very well, but it's a small church and I've heard about the creek and the pig. I know that the pig will gently eat watermelon rinds from your hand and that Michelle has a little place down by the creek where she would go to meditate.

Tom asked Mike to play a couple of songs at the memorial and Mike was of coarse, honored and said yes. He sang In the Garden and Little Country Church. So, that is why I was there and because, eventhough  I didn't really know Michelle I wanted to be there that day because, somehow I felt like I knew her. Or maybe wished that I did. I am always in the classroom with the Children during Sunday worship so I never got to know her. But I knew who she was. And I prayed for her.

Quaker memorial services are kind of like one of our worship services. Anyone can stand up and speak. On Saturday, I lost count of all the people that stood up and spoke that day, but that part of the memorial lasted for probably an hour. Her brother in law, a surgeon from Pennsylvania spoke first and he was very well spoken. Many people from many walks of life stood and said the most beautiful things about her. Then, a young, petite, hispanic woman began to speak. She said she was Michelle's housekeeper. She said her english wasn't very good and people say she sounds funny but she thinks that we sound funny when we try to speak english so felt that we were all even. She said how nice Tom and Michelle are to work for. And she said that Mr. Tom always tells her that she does a good job and she doesn't know why he says that because she doesn't think she really does that good of a job. She was full of energy and she smiled the entire time. Then she said that when she first met Michelle she knew that she didn't know God and would pray for her while she cleaned her house. And when she found out that she was sick she got out a Bible and showed her in the Bible where it tells her how much God loves her. And then she told her she should not be afraid because as beautiful as her country home was it could never compare to the mansion God has prepared for her in heaven.  It was the most amazing thing. And so unexpected that this young woman from Mexico would be the one that day to really speak her heart so openly and honestly. It was so beautiful.

And so, Michelle did come to our church and talked to our Pastor and started coming to church every Sunday. One Sunday her older sister from Pennsylvania was in town and stood up and told everyone in the church that she really wanted us to take care of her sister for her because she lived so far away. It was really sweet. And then one other Sunday Michelle stood up and told everyone about what a blessing her illness had been in her life. She said it changed her life for the better and she knew things about living and loving, a richness and a truth that she otherwise would have never known.

Michelle's story and life has impacted our little church in a big way. And now that I know that her housekeeper was praying for her the whole time too, I'm even more inspired.

So, that's what I wanted to tell you about. Also, at church that Sunday, the next morning I was downstairs and I could hear everyone singing upstairs and usually you can hardly hear them singing but for some reason everyone was singing their hearts out. When they sang How Great Thou Art our classrom came to a standstill because it was so loud. And that is not an easy song to sing, it's very long. I remember Grandpa Jim Sweney's Pastor told us that was his favoritse song and how he would sing it with all his heart and in his own way. That's what it reminded me of. Conner loves that song and always requests it. James Jobe loved In the Garden. I love all the old timey Hymns. The Gaither's wrote a song called Something Beautiful that I like very much. Abby came to church with us on Sunday and I was so excited to have her there. That's all, I'm done showing you stories for now. (That's what Conner used to say.) Conner and Abby sure do get along well. They make mighty fine cousins. 
I'll talk to ya'll later~
Quaker Woman 

Abby is at my house right now and she is going to spend the night. We just ate dinner and she just made all of us laugh she is so sweet and funny and such a good girl. I think we might be playing the wii soon so we will see what kind of laughs we get out of that.

Hey, all you bloggers, here's some inspiration for you:Deadline.com says Columbia Pictures is developing The Pioneer Woman, a romantic comedy being shaped to star Reese Witherspoon. It's based on ThePioneerWoman.com, a blog by Ree Drummond that details how, on a trip from L.A. to Chicago, she wound up in Oklahoma with the cowboy of her dreams. But what's the blog about? In Ree's words:

I post photos of cows, horses, and my four weird children, and frequently include shots of cowboys wearing chaps.

Brings tears to my eyes!!

Happy Birthday Hick! I know you are living it up on the cruise and probs won't get a chance to read this (unless you pay the like milly-on dollars they ask you to pay to get wifi on a cruise ship) until after the fact, but none-the-less, here are my 10 most favorite Hick things:
1. She can still do the splits!! (impressive)
2. She's always with her man
3. Her amaaaaazing caramel popcorn
4. She's been everywhere and seen everything
5. Always runs into celebs, and to her it's no big deal
6. She luckier than a pot o' gold on St. Patty's day
7. Totally unselfish, always giving of herself and her things
8. Can sing Broadway tunes, like she wrote them herself
9. Has the best skin tone
10. The world's best boss (which she also passed on to tiffani, who earns the title as well)

Love you Hick! Enjoy your cruise!

So I am a big fan of gwyneth paltrow and she has a pretty cool blog that I think I have posted on here before. Well this week on Goop she talked about NASHVILLE!! Made me so happy that she loves it just as much as I do.

NASHVILLE

I just spent a few months living and working in Nashville, Tennessee which was an incredible experience. As I’m apt to do, I researched, ate, drank, tried, and asked my way around the city ‘til I found the best spots it has to offer. Never have I met such warm people, heard such good music, eaten so much fried chicken...I could go on and on. This week’s letter will cover the music/food and next week's will cover the rest. It's pretty easy to get to if you live in the good ol’ US of A as it’s kind of smack dab in the middle (well, not really, but almost) and is so worth a trip. It's pretty damn great.

Oh my goodness everyone I am anxious and excited all at the same time. I know I have been talking about track a lot lately, but it is a great sport and I love it and I just like to keep you guys updated. Anyway next Thursday is our first track me at home and we are hosting Lawrence and Fishers. Im nervous because High School track is a lot harder then I thought it was going to be and I just have a feeling in High School, track gets competitive because it is a very competitive sport but oh well I usually do get the track meet jitters haha. Anyway moving on today is St. Patricks Day and also my mom and dads anniversary im am sure you guys will hear about that really soon so I won't mention anything, but Bebe took me, Conner, and Steph to Ocharly's it was delish Conner got a steak with fries and a chocolate milkshake and a water and he had 2 rolls man that kid can sure eat but whatever soots him. Stephanie had this amazing looking pasta with steak in it i think and she also had Strawberry lemonda yummm. Bebe had fish with fries and a roll and I had Ocharly's gliders which is 4 little cheeseburgers with a special dressing and fries and a chocolate shake and of course a roll. It was fun hanging wtih Bebe because she is just amazing. I hope you all had a great St. Patrick's Day I know I did and it sounds like Tori did to.

Well I am 20 years old and still understand why children throw a fit when mom and dad say it is time to leave Disney!! It is suchh a fun place!! However, before I tell you about Disney I will start with our trip to Disney. I am not sure how far of a drive it is from Jacksonville to Orlando because we stopped every 20 minutes because Roman (Matt's 4 year old son) had to pee every time we got back on the interstate from the last potty break!! At one point he starts to cry and goes "Daddy my penis is straight", Matt laughs and tells him to give it some time and it will go down. Possibly the funniest thing I have ever heard a little boy cry about! I have a new respect for all parents and how much patients it takes to raise a child. Not to say that I do not love Matts kiddos, they are adorable but man it takes a lot out of you.

Top O the morning to ye lads! It's saint patty's day! Which is also Kelly and Mike's anniversary. What a love those two have. I hope you guys celebrate it right. I sure did. I made Jake and I green eggs and turkey bacon (not ham). I am at work and trying to dress my babies in green. Although I only have one that can wear clothes right now. Anyway my green eggs were delish. We also have green cookies at work. Yummy. It's going to be a lovely day outside but since I am at work it is hard to enjoy it. But my friend Jamie and I are going to to walk to When Eddy Met Salad for lunch. So then we can at least get a little vitamin D. Happy st patty's day!

So today I got up at 6:00 and it was still dark, but I guess I will just have to get used to that. I had some cake for breakfast which I made last night it looked a little deformed because I didn't wait long enough to put the icing on woops!! Then I had school and it was a pretty good day I can't wait to go to the main campus though, even though it looks really big and scary but I am sure I will be just fine. Practice today was kind of exciting it was sunny and warm and the distance runners work out which is the team im on had to run 40 minutes and then meet up at the track by 3:45. When we got there everyone was there boys and girls sprinters and us but the distance boys weren't there but oh well haha. Anyway we ran 200 intervals and then we took off our shoes and we ran 100's across the football field that was fun because we got to take off our shoes and we only had to do it for 8 minutes and then we got our track stuff that we ordered. I got sweatpants and on the left leg at the top they say NHS track and field and then I got the team shirt that has block letters NHS and inside the letters is tie-dye it is pretty cool and we have a quote on the back that say "The Pride you gain is worth the pain" which I think is very true. I then came home and ate some cake haha and I had an apple im not sure what im going to have for dinner but I will figure out soon. Anyways I hope you all have a great week love you all!!!

I want to hear about Disney world! And maybe some pics?

JUST CHECKING IN. WE ARE IN FLORIDA THIS WEEK TAKING A 3 DAY CRUISE FOR MY BIRTHDAY. HOW FANTASTIC DOES THAT SOUND. I CAN'T WAIT, I FEEL LIKE LOG FEELS ABOUT DISNEY WEEEEEE!!!! WILL BE HOME THE 25TH AHOY MATEE'S