The Toenail Fairy

Yes, you read that right. That's what I did. What did you say?

So Kiley and I were at the Dentist the other day, and she is strangely excited. Well maybe strangely isn't the best word. Ever since her first dental experience in which she screamed like a Banchee the entire time the Dentist looked in her mouth (so loudly the put a "note" in her chart to warn the others of this behavior) she has been quite taken to the whole experience. She gets excited about brushing her teeth, getting a new tooth brush and especially about getting a toy from the Treasure Chest.

She has her exam and our new dentist tells her how beautiful her teeth are, etc. and she has no cavities! Yeah! While we are waiting to get our green light to leave she leans over and whispers, "Mom the Toenail Fairly didn't come last night!"

Ummm, what did you say?

"Last night my Dad was cutting my toenails and he cut a REALLY big nail! So I took it and put it under my pillow for the Toenail Fairy!"

So I was about speechless, but I thought this was just about the cutest thing to come out of her mouth in quite a while. So I had to share it with one of my friends, which Kiley overheard.

"MOM! You aren't supposed to TELL anyone!"

Right, because we really don't want this one getting popular and catching on..... could you imagine?

Bubbles!!

The girls have been having so much taking baths with lots and lots of bubbles!!

Britni's Wedding....

Talk about a fun weekend! All the Clouses got to go to my cousin's wedding in Anchorage. It was a very fun family affair full of dancing and visiting! My parents were there from Washington as was my brother and sister plus other countless cousins, aunts and uncles. We had a great time but are glad to be home. Looks like our camera is working again, most of the time. It even got dropped again and somehow we fixed it. So here are some fun pictures from the wedding and the girls just having some fun.

Camera is Broken!

What is a blog without pictures? Our camera has been broken since Jon dropped it in the skiff on a fishing excursion :( in June. It works every once in a while... but here are some pictures from Jon's birthday bbq and live band adventure (thanks to Rhiannon). What a fun night!

Happy Birthday Jon!!!!!!!!!

He still looks smokin' hot!

The big 3-4. Happy Birthday to a wonderful husband and a one of a kind Dad. Kiley, Kalin, Matthew, Oscar as well as Kami and I are SO lucky to have you in our lives. I don't know what we would do without you!

I'll see you tonight, have a great day!

Missing my babies

Kalin 15 months

Kalin about 14 months (oatmeal face)

Kiley about 14 months

Kiley at about 17 months (blueberry face)

I'm going home today but I am missing my baby girls. I've been looking at some old pictures of Kiley and new ones of Kalin. Miss Kiley sure has gotten big fast!

In comparing the two of them at about the same age I notice Kiley had more hair than Kalin, and as you can see it sure is a lot darker! Oh but they are both so cute at this age.

I can't wait to go home.

Dress Up

Mom is gone and Dad is having fun with his girls. It doesn't sound like they are getting much sleep since Kalin has decided to get up around 5-ish every morning (ugh). Dad has been taking the girls on long walks with Kiley on her scooter (she has been very daring going down long hills and has asked me to pick her up a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads while I am here in Anchorage) and playing dress up.

This is the longest trip I have taken away from my girls and right now it is harder on them than me... although I miss them very much! Just a few more sleeps and I'll be home. I'll be taking a class from Monday through Friday, then I'm home!

Here are a pictures of the girls- Kiley in her mermaid outfit (and new haircut) and Kalin in a ballerina outfit (with her blonde hair).

The Texans leave the Alamo and head to the Nushagak

The first week has passed. We were afraid that the weather would work against us since it was raining, foggy and 40 some degrees when they arrived, we were so wrong! The Texans have been busy seeing the sights, the sole Colorado man has been busy with projects around the House of Clouse.

Here are some highlights:.

Stephanie- Incredible weather (she takes full credit for), lots of wildlife on the Nushagak (she's really enjoying the camping), Damon swimming in 40 degree water, Seeing, but not catching lots of fish....

Damon- 19 Moose, climbing the hill on the river, exploring at the local beach (the same beach that Sarah Palin was interviewed at with the Today Show last week), eating lots and lots of salmon, lots and lots of daylight (light out until around 2:00 a.m.)

Paul- Getting waited on by Willow Palin (daughter of Sarah and Todd Palin) at the local hardware store here in Dillingham. Sleeping.

More Pictures from Colorado

Our Internet is soooooooo slow at home. I don't know why but it has been a painful process to blog anything these days. I can blog, but I like to add pictures and that just takes for ev er!! So I am at work. Here are some new ones.
Me and my gurlz

Papa Paul, Kalin and Kiley

Miss Bella and Kalin

Dillon, Soren, Devin, Damon, Kiley and Kalin

We waited for almost two hours to get her face painted!

Home!!

That King is as big as Kalin!

Kiley got to go with her Dad to get the big Kings!

After a busy last week in Colorado we finally made it home. We filled every last day in Colorado with swimming lessons, sunshine, friends and family. Even with all that we were so happy to be home to Jon (aka Daddy).

We came home and have been so busy! Gardens, fish, flowers, weddings, bbq's, softball..... how are people ever bored? We are excited when we get to sit down and watch a movie and relax a little! Geesh.

So I will have to blog about our last week or so in Colorado because I have some great pictures to share, but until then I wanted to share a few of the pictures I've taken since we have been home.

Swimming with Toads!

By complete accident by children decided that swimming with toads was a very cool activity. Kiley has been collecting toads and putting them in a box... to just let them go again and as she was running by the wading pool she tripped and out they fell into the pool. Both girls were mesmerized by the toads swimming and got the biggest kick out them swimming around!

Dress Up

When the sun goes down we get a little craaaazy in these parts......

Colorado 2009- Having Fun but we Miss you Dad!

Mmmmmm... watermelon!

Swinging in the Park

Swimming Lessons

Playing in the "pool"

We made it into Denver with hardly a hitch... or sleep on my part. We had a great day in Anchorage with Uncle Max and Auntie Jeanette and the Johnson's. The girls and I caught the Red Eye from Anchorage to Denver just barely- with an untimely "accident" just getting us to our gate as the plane was boarding. I didn't sleep a wink but the girls did (thankfully) and we made it into Denver happy to see Papa Paul and GB. Nancy was nice enough to make us breakfast and let the girls run around a bit- I was a total zombie and not the best company, I'm glad we will get to see her and the rest of the family again on our way back.

So far we have enjoyed amazingly warm weather, which includes lots of sunshine and water for the girls. Both girls have eaten their weight in watermelon, strawberries and grapes, and any other fresh fruit they can get their hands on! Kiley has started her swimming lessons and is loving every last second (she is turning into a fish!)

We have gotten our fill of "Old MacDonalds" (as Kiley refers to it), Sonic, Subway.... all the fast food we don't get in Dillingham. We even got a trip in to Pueblo to see our newest cousin/ niece Bella and to see Uncle Ben and Aunt Jenny. Mom even got some shopping in (yeah for Mom!). My old college roommate Erin drove to see us with her little boy for a few hours and we got to catch up a bit, there is never enough time to catch up like you want to for sure!

This weekend we hope to head back to Mommy and Daddy's old stomping grounds to have some fun with the Alamosa Clouses. Yeah!

Classes of 2009 and 2023.....

We started with a Head Start Graduation~ for Kiley of course. She doesn't get to go to Kindergarten next year because she misses the deadline by about a month, so it was a ceremony for her. It was quite the experience- we'll be prepared next year! Kiley got some nice presents and pictures from BBNA and her teachers, but I don't think it quite made up for the fact that she doesn't get to go to the "big school" next year. The returning kids wore the tie die shirts and the "off to Kindergarten" graduates got to wear the cute cap and gowns.


So last night was MATTHEW'S Graduation from HIGH SCHOOL!!!!!!!! Whoo hooo, what an event that was! It started off like any other Dillingham graduation I have ever been to, and then the fire alarm went off. I thought to myself, "Who is the jerk tat pulled the fire alarm? Geesh?" Then as we all ran outside I saw the smoke! Yes, smoke as in there really WAS a fire. Someone had put a box on the stove in the student store and started a fire in the process, I know who but I won't mention any names to save her from further emabarassement (no it wasn't me). Anyway Matthew had a great ceremony- he even had his own little bit in which he got to do a welcome speech. It was very nice.

Ready for Summer!

I am not above bribery! This is kind of how it went "down":

Mom: Kiley I think you should get your hair cut.
Kiley: NOOOOOOOO! I like my hair long!
Mom: It would look so cute if you cut it, and then it will grow fast.
Kiley: NOOOOOO! I like it long!
Mom: But you never want me to fix it and you cry when I brush it.
Kiley: But I like it long! (sniff, sniff and a few tears)
Mom: Kiley if I buy you a DS will you cut your hair?
Kiley: YES! (absolutely no hesitation!)

Ok, so Kiley had no idea we already had a DS for her, from Matthew, and were saving it for our trip to Colorado. What? It worked didn't it! And look at the results. Isn't she adorable with her new haircut?

Prom 2009

"I'm not going to Prom..." that statement became a challenge. Jon told Matthew he should wear a tux like on "Dumb and Dumber"..... and then Matthew said he would go to Prom if Jon found him one. Ten seconds later (thank you Google!) a tux was found and Matthew was going to Prom!!

Matthew and Blake dressed up as Loyd and Harry from the 1994 classic "Dumb and Dumber" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109686/. They were the hit of Prom, they said everyone wanted a picture (of course... only the coolest kids dress up like Loyd and Harry! LOL.)

Kiley decided that they must be the "coolest kids in ALL of Dillingham!"

No Kalin... you don't eat rocks!

What do you mean Mom? There is all this new hard dirty stuff everywhere and I can't put it in my mouth? You must be joking! I'm waiting for her to poop out a rock.... she has already pooped an entire can of mandarin oranges as well as the pit and stem of a cherry ($12 for a small bag, FYI).
Yes I think spring has finally hit Dillingham. We have had unbeatable, gorgeous weather for about 2 weeks now. I am not kidding. Jon is calling this our "summer", I so, so hope he is wrong.