Christmas Card 2022

 

Christmas Card 2021

 

Last year's Christmas card. Its not my favorite but I got it done even though I was busy with my art class.
 

Christmas Card 2020

 

 

A little late on the blog here, but here is our Christmas card I painted last year.

Christmas Card 2019

Our Christmas card this year. The scene is serine, but taking the photo reference of my kids was quite the opposite ha ha.

Christmas card 2018

Christmas Card 2017

A very, very late Christmas Newsletter!

We are a little late here, I'm usually one who is on top of things like this but this year was a little crazy to say the least.

This year has been an expensive year for us, it started on January 1st when a crazy wind storm took down our fence, siding, and roof. Then later in the year our computer died, along with our car door, our AC unit and our washing machine. So hopefully all will be well this next year with our brand new items.

There were also some awesome times this year for the Clark's; we welcomed our first girl in the family! Elizabeth Clair was born on April 7, Jessica appreciates having another female in the house. Elizabeth is perfect for our little family and all of her brothers adore her. We call her our "squishy" since she has the perfect baby rolls that are hard to resist.

 

Another exciting thing that has happened this year, Dustin started his master's degree on Creative Writing and has been doing well. The teacher's have loved all of his stories thus far. He's excited to learn more about story telling to help him with his illustration career. Even though he has to work and has a lot of homework he still finds time to spend time with his family.

Jessica has been pretty busy this year with adding another kid to the family while she continues her two side businesses, even though she is fine just being a stay-at-home mom. She has had photo shoots every month and has done all kinds of artwork for clients from fabric textile to some fine art pieces.

Thomas started first grade this year and is a great reader. He loves to learn and is really into American history, especially the American presidents and he wants to be one some day. He also loves to draw and usually is animating little movies, that's something else he wants to do, make movies of his favorite stories.

Oliver is the big brother while Thomas is at school and he takes that job very seriously. He loves his baby sister and he's her protector. He too loves to draw and animate movies, and he wants to be everything when he grows up. He loves baking with Jessica and he wants to do every step, we are hoping this means in the future he will do all the cooking. And he can't wait to start kindergarten this year.

Peter is the cutest boy there is and he knows it, the girls at all ages just flock to him. He loves to draw as well. He is really into super heroes, especially batman that for a while there he always had a batman cape everywhere he went. He loves jumping on the trampoline and following his two older brothers.

This year has had it's ups and downs but we have been greatly blessed.

And we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The Clark's

Christmas Card 2016

I know most of you already have seen this, just wanted it on here for the blog.

Christmas Card 2015

It's a little late.... but we made it before Christmas!

This year has been a full and crazy year for the Clark family.

Our little Peter joined us this past January and was in the NICU for the first week but he is a strong healthy boy now. This makes Jessica greatly outnumbered but she still manages to add some feminine charm in the home.

Also this year we purchased our first house! It's been awesome not having neighbors below us, and having a backyard has made a world of a difference with three energetic boys.

This year is Dustin's first year teaching in high school and is enjoying the new age group and is excited to get his students ready for college.

Jessica continues growing her photography and illustration clientele while managing the boys and the house.

Thomas has grown so much this year. He loves to draw and is quite impressive, he's already trying to animate his characters and talks about drawing for movies when he's all grown up.

Oliver too has grown a lot this year. He also loves to draw, but painting is his thing. He is also Jessica's little helper, he volunteers to clean and cook every day, and has become a pro at making beds in the morning.

Peter is our Peter Pumpkin eater, Pete-pete, Baba, Peter-cotton-tail, and anything else we call him. He fits perfect in our little family that we can't remember what it was like without him.

It's been a good year for us, we are greatly blessed.

Christmas Card 2014

It's that time of the year again when we summarize the whole year, for those who don't follow the blog;)

This year went fast and is a blur but we have had a great time.  

Dustin: This is Dustin's second year of teaching and he is already a pro. The students love him and he pushes his kids and they have done some amazing artwork. Dustin continues to study art and draws everyday. He and Jessica took an online art class from Stephen Silver along with other classes and he has learned a lot. Dustin's first children's book is now available on Amazon, it's called, "Harry Hates Hair Cuts" if you were wanting one. Also Dustin has joined a soccer team and enjoys playing every week. He's a busy guy but he always has time for family, the boys love him and are always waiting for daddy to come home. 

Jessica: Jessica is an amazing stay at home mom, and enjoys it most of the time. She still continues to do art and photography jobs on the side, and even had one of her paintings on a 10 ft poster at the Valley Youth Theater in Phoenix, Az!  She loves that she is able to work a little but she mainly wants to focus on the family at this time. She loves to learn and develop new hobbies(she has become very domestic), this year she has been focusing on learning more about sewing, and cooking, which hasn't helped Dustin's waist line. Next year her plan is to learn how to build furniture, but not until baby boy #3 comes next month when she is more mobile.

Thomas: Thomas is now four! And is a typical four year-old boy. He loves super heroes, especially Hulk. He had a Hulk Birthday this year. He loves to go to the park, play with friends, watch movies, play with Oliver, and wrestle with daddy. He's at the stage where he likes to win in everything and do everything by himself, it been a fun little struggle in our family. His drawing and sculpting skills have improved and will one day be better than Dustin and Jessica. He can be a good little helper for Jessica, and likes to watch over Oliver. He also likes to fight Oliver, but for the most part, they get along pretty well. 

Oliver: Oliver will be two next month, and can be a little trouble maker. He is too smart for his own good and is quite independent and wants to do everything Thomas is doing. He's a good little talker and can be quite entertaining. He is still a huge momma's boy and still likes his cuddle time so when the baby comes his world is going to change. We think he finally likes going to nursery at church, but there were a lot of tears that were shed in the process. He likes running, going outside, playing in the park, and is also into the Hulk. Hulk is pretty big in our house. He loves hanging out with Thomas and daddy and being in the center of the attention, but is horrible at sitting for pictures. 

It's been a great year, we are excited for next year since we will be adding another little boy next month.

We hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Card 2013

 The Clark's year in a small review: 

Dustin: Dustin accomplished a lot this past year, he finished his teaching certification the beginning of the year and continued to substitute teach until summer then decided to take the whole family to San Antonio and drew caricatures for the SeaWorld park down there. In the summer he also set up a few job interviews and got an art teaching position with his first interview back in the Dallas area! It was a great blessing to get a job so quick. Now he's teaching art at middle and intermediate school and making a difference to many kids there. He also has been doing caricature gigs on the side along with other art projects.

Jessica: Jessica's work load has doubled this past year. From having one boy to two little boys, while having her illustration and photography career pick up a little more. She was able to take an online art class this year from a PIXAR artist, Louis Gonzales, and learned a lot and continues to draw during her free time. She loves being a mother and having exciting adventures with Thomas and Oliver. She loved San Antonio and being close to SeaWorld but is glad to be back in the Dallas area near family and friends.

Thomas: Thomas is becoming a little artist himself. He loves to draw and paint, and he's pretty good at it. He can draw anything from self portraits to book covers. He loves his little brother, most of the time, and likes to wrestle with him and is his protector so you better not mess with Oliver. He loves super heroes especially Batman and Iron man and likes to pretend to be them. He also loves movies, playing outside, and going to the park. He's a good little helper for Jessica and a great big brother. And he will be a sunbeam next year!

Oliver: Oliver joined our family this past January and has been a great addition. He is one smart cookie and keeps Jessica pretty busy. He gets into everything and will be walking in the next few months or less. He loves waving good-bye and saying "baa baa". He is a little dare-devil and nothing seems to scare him. He's a huge momma's boy but loves to interact with anyone. He loves playing with Thomas but also likes to mess with him, being the smaller one doesn't phase him. It's been fun having him in our family.

We have been greatly blessed this year, and we are excited for new adventures next year.

And we want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Card

For those who we don't have your email:

(one day I will actually print cards, but till now we are doing digital)

This has been one exciting year for the Clark's, between having a baby #2 on the way, moving to a different state, traveling all over the U.S., and just life in general.

So here's the year in a summary.

Dustin: Dustin has increased his art skills a lot this last year between working at caricature stands at SeaWorld, taking an amazing online class from Stephen Silver, and going to the caricature convention last month. He's been working hard on his teacher certificate since we have moved to Texas and has been working as substitute teacher and at Walgreens at night but still has time for art and spending time with his family. He is a wonderful husband and father that we are so lucky to have him.

Jessica: Jessica has just been about everywhere in the U.S. this year. She's also been working on her art and photography skills and has earned some little money on the side while raising their son, Thomas and going through morning sickness. She misses Orlando, mainly SeaWorld and their friends, but is loving Texas and thinks Texas would be perfect if it had more of a winter, but she is loving having family near by again.  She is looking forward to not being pregnant anymore and can't wait to meet the little guy next month.

Thomas: Thomas just gets cuter and cuter and is growing up so fast. He started out this year barely walking and saying maybe 3 words to running and climbing, and saying phrases and is learning the alphabet. He is a boy through and through, he loves outside, dirt, bugs, cars, planes,  and especially  trains, that everything is a train to him. He loves to color, but likes to watch Dustin and Jessica draw, he always wants them to draw trains and lets them know if they are missing anything on it. He loves going to Dustin's grandparents house and playing with his cousins. He will be a great big brother.

It's been a great year and we are excited for the next year.

We want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

*The card was illustrated by Dustin

Christmas Card

For those I don't have their emails:

This was a big year for the Clark family, a lot of changes, moves, growing, and a lot of firsts.

Dustin and I started this year as recent college graduates, newly parents, having new and unknown adventures ahead of us. 

So here is our year in a summary:

Dustin: This year Dustin has been able to have a lot of great art opportunities, when we lived in PA he got his first Children's book job, he's had many caricature gigs, and gets to draw people all day at his work at SeaWorld. He also got an art piece in an art gallery in New York and won an award, and had the opportunity to go to a caricature convention for a week and learn more from the pros. He's also a good father, and husband who always tries his best. He's had many callings in the church, anywhere from Sunday school teacher to Elder's quorum secretary. 

Jessica: Has grown and learned a lot this year, learning to balance art with motherhood,  housecleaning, and homemaking. Jessica loves traveling and seeing new things, that she has enjoyed living in PA and Fl this year. She has learned to drive stick, finally after all this time, but still freaks out on hills (so good thing Florida is pretty flat). She's also learning to live with big bugs such as cockroaches... YUCK!

Jessica has been enjoying photography, art, reading, crafts, cooking, and hanging out with friends. She also loves roller-coasters so she is been having a blast being so close to all the theme parks. 

Thomas: Thomas is cuter than ever and he knows it. He has grown and changed so much this year. He started as a dark brunette to a little blondie. He is always on the move, and getting into anything that he can reach. He loves going on walks, he loves going to SeaWorld and loves looking at all the bright colored fish. He has flown across the country three times this year and has been to 13 states. He loves being in the center of attention. Thomas loves wrestling with his daddy and cuddling with his mommy. He is a joy, blessing, and great contribute to the Clark family. 

We hope you had a great year like we did. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!