SF Hot Pots and Feeding the Ducks

We've had fun taking advantage of the weather recently. We tried to hike to the Spanish Fork hot pots but the gate on the road was closed 4 miles from the trailhead. Bummer!

So instead we just hung out and threw rocks in the river while Uncle Greg, Grandma and Grandpa went on a little run.

This is a HUGE LOVE sign in the snow.

Nina Cary came up with her two girls and we went to Sugarhouse Park to feed the ducks. They were pretty agressive, but we had fun.

St. Patty's

St. Patrick's day was fun. It's so fun with Parker because it's all so new to him and he doesn't have any expectations but is just so excited about all the new discoveries holiday's bring.

We had a little Leprechan named Larry come and turn our milk green and all of our meals- green milkshakes, fishies, chicken, mashed potatoes, salad for dinner etc. He also hid a pot of gold for after dinner. Parker had to follow the clues and at the end of the treasure hunt there was a big pot of yummy cookies. It was so fun. I think Larry the Leprechan will return next year. :) Here is Ben in his bumbo on our kitchen counter while I cooked green dinner. My mom thinks I'm way too scary putting him up there but he's in so tight he's not going anywhere but maybe I should be more careful. :)

Sporadic

So I am a sporadic blogger. What can I say...oh well here's a recap of the past couple months..The boys, Parker and Ben. Already becoming buds. I love it.

No one can make Ben laugh like Parker can.

Ben's "snowboard" We're getting this off in two weeks! Then Ben will just have to wear it at night for 2 years. Ben's feet look very good. They are totally normal now (besides being a little swollen and sqooshy). We feel very blessed. I'm sure there will be more on this to come.

Buds.

This is Parker getting Ben to smile. - no one does it better.

We took my Jewish neighbors to see the Draper temple open house. We met up with Haylee and my mom and it was really nice. Ben slept and Parker ran all over, he was actually very good. Our neighbors, Ruth and Bob, enjoyed it and we were glad they came with us.

A couple of weekends ago we went to Spencer's parents place and met Tasha and Josh and family and went cross country skiing. It was a great weekend. Asher and Parker always wreak havoc together and it's awesome. They just get these mischevious looks on their faces and go crazy. It's fun. :)

We attempted to pull the kids behind us in sleds but Parker wasn't so into that so we mostly just stopped and played in the snow. Good times.

Spencer and I with our LOVE sign on Valentines Day. Spencer planned an awesome (and unique) Valentines date. We couldn't find a babysitter so I thought we'd just be home but Spencer surprised me with a beautiful candlelight dinner in the empty apartment above us (perks of being managers). Monitors were on for both boys but we were out of our apartment and it was perfect. Spencer always plans the best dates.

Ben and Mommy

Our Big Brother Parker, smiling for the camera

Parker as Bob the Builder (with crooked goggles).

Our big, huge, giant Ikea shelf that we got for Christmas from my mom and I LOVE it. It's a little more organized now than this but
it sure helps Parker's tiny room become a little bigger (toys off the floor). It's great.

Parker's train we made from a great big box. And loving being inside in the box. Choo Choo.

This is Parker falling asleep in his "big boy" lightning McQueen bed, the ONE time he did. And then the next picture is him in his crib tent, where he is safe from the monsters. He asks for his crib after being in his room about 15 minutes. Poor Ben, he's going to always be in his bassinet! :)

Ben in January-when he still had his hair. Learning to smile, loves to suck his thumb and has a great laugh, especially at Parker.

Awhile ago we went to the Coldplay concert with my family and Perry-we get spoiled from my dad! It was amazing. I love those guys. Their music has narated much of my life. It was great.

Graduated, Employed and 30

Spencer's been busy. He graduated at the end of December (will walk and we'll celebrate in the Spring) in biomedical engineering. It's been tough finding a job in this market but we just got an offer last week. He will be working for Numira biosciences doing medical imaging. The company is literally a mile from our house and it's the perfect job for us right now. We'll stay in our little apartment for awhile to save some money and then see where life takes us. We feel very lucky. And he turns the big 3-0 on Monday (the 26th)! So he's just barely making his goals (to graduate and get a job before he turned 30). Good job dad!

Brothers

It's so fun for me to see these two little boys of ours start to interact. Ben smiles and smiles at Parker and Parker is so cute with Ben. I can only hope that they will be to each other what my sister is to me.

so they aren't ALWAYS happy with each other.

And Parker doesn't always know how to hold Ben.

But aren't they cute?

Someday they'll be really embarrassed by these pictures. But classic aren't they?

Firemen and Ben

This week daddy took Parker to the local firestation. They let him ride in the truck and gave him his own hat. He LOVED it. A dream come true for this kid.

Ben and I hung out at home. He tried out his bumbo.

Just in Case

Just in case you didn't get a Christmas card from us...this is it.

Since our last Christmas card two years ago, Parker has become an energetic toddler and we’ve added another little boy to our family - Benjamin Mark Clegg - born Oct. 14th, at 6lbs 6 oz and 17 inches. He surprised us 3 weeks early while we were in Idaho celebrating our anniversary. We drove a fast 2 ½ hours to the hospital in Salt Lake just in time! Ben was born with club feet and we’ve spent some time over the past few weeks at Shriner’s Hospital (an awesome Children’s hospital run entirely on donations). He’ll wear casts for the first two months of his life followed by braces for awhile. We’re grateful he’ll be able run someday! Parker has spent the past two years learning all sorts of things - from walking, to talking, to learning to be a big brother. He has traveled all over the place, thanks to Grandma A’s travel bug, and has already been on 7 airplane trips - Florida 3 times to see Aunt Angie and Uncle Ajay, Mexico for Christmas last year, California twice, and Nauvoo to see the Atkinson’s in the Nauvoo pageant. Spencer and I had fun following Parker on these trips and taking a couple ourselves. We hiked to Havasupai Falls last summer (which was awesome) and I was able to go to France this spring for a Clegg sister’s trip of a lifetime. Our favorite, though, was this summer’s trip to the farm Grandpa Clegg grew up on in Grace, Idaho. Parker was in heaven with tractors and farm animals galore. Mostly though we just love staying local - hiking, and snowboarding in Cottonwood canyon, playing at playgrounds, going on runs in the stroller, and outings to the zoo. Spencer is graduating this month with his degree in Biomedical Engineering. He is interviewing for jobs from Salt Lake to Flagstaff and by the time you get this card we’ll hopefully know where we’ll be! He also just got his braces off. Erin turned the big 3-0 in September and Spencer will follow in January. We’re both busy managing the apartments we live in and working in our church assignments - Erin as Relief Society Enrichment Counselor and Spencer as Stake Scout Leader. Spencer ran his first triathlon in August and Erin plans to train for some runs now that pregnancy is over. It’s been a wonderful two years we’ve had together as a family of three. Now as a family of FOUR we’re excited to see what life will bring us. We’re so thankful this Christmas season for the Savior and His sacrifice and for the joy and peace His gospel brings us. Merry Christmas! Please keep in touch! erinclegg@gmail.com, spencer@spencerclegg.com, or check out our blog: erinclegg.blogspot.com. Love, Spencer, Erin, Parker, and Ben Clegg