August - New School Year & Clarks Bought a HOUSE!

It’s a new school year and a season of big changes for our family.

Back in June, Pres and I started having some heartfelt conversations about our future. When we first moved to California, we saw it as a stepping stone, a temporary stop that would lead us somewhere else within a few years. But six years later, we were still in Manteca, feeling the tug to either finally plant roots or see what else the Lord had in store.

When Preston was hired by Kaiser just six months earlier, it started to feel clear that the Lord wanted us here — specifically in Northern California. With that reassurance came a big realization: it was time to stop renting and start building something of our own.

We began to pray about where we should go — stay in Manteca, head west toward the Bay, or look north toward Sacramento. After a lot of prayer, research, and long conversations, we decided to start with the Bay Area. I reached out to a realtor to help us understand what to expect and which neighborhoods to explore. We spent a weekend touring open houses in Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin. But after seeing the prices and how little space you get in return, we left feeling pretty discouraged.

That night, I went back to the Lord and prayed, “Okay, we tried the Bay (the place we thought we wanted to be), but it’s not practical. Where would You have us go? Where will our family feel peace and belonging?” Schools were also a huge factor. We wanted a place that would help our kids grow and nurture the awesomeness they already have.

After talking with our realtor, Tonya, I felt impressed to look into the Sacramento area more seriously. Tonya connected us with another realtor, Brian, who right from the start, felt like the right fit (and not just because his name is Brian, which made us smile). He quickly became a friend and someone we trusted completely. He told us about the best schools and neighborhoods, recommending Granite Bay and Rocklin as areas to focus on.

When we visited, it just felt different. The moment we stepped out of the car at the first house, we could literally breathe deeper. There were trees everywhere, green grass, and even a lake nearby. It felt peaceful. It felt right.

Soon after that trip, we left for the Clark Family Reunion to Nauvoo, all the while staying in touch with Brian as he kept an eye out for listings. Once we got home, a window opened to tour a few more homes. Pres had meetings and couldn’t come, so I went on behalf of both of us.

It was at the fourth house that everything fell into place. Brian and I walked through it, and I just knew. We decided to put in an offer, not expecting much — maybe a counter, maybe nothing at all. Buying a house usually takes time, right? But as we were driving to Utah, I got a text from Brian: our offer had been accepted!

Pres and I looked at each other like, “Wait—what?!” We were beyond excited (and a little nervous, too). This was a huge step for our family, and need I say a huge purchase. No pun intended! The funny part? Pres hadn’t even seen the house in person yet, haha. He just trusted my judgment and the photos he saw online. Everything suddenly became very real.

We went from exploring the idea of moving to owning a home in just four weeks! It’s hard not to see the Lord’s hand in every detail. Our lease was set to renew on September 1st (hoping we could get it all done in time so we didn't have to go month to month), and our offer went in on July 23rd. By July 24th, the sellers had accepted, and we officially closed on August 22nd! Even our lender and title company were amazed by how fast it all came together, especially since we weren’t paying in cash.

Through it all, Pres and I have felt deep gratitude and peace. Every door opened exactly when it needed to. The timing, the people, the place, it all just aligned. We truly feel like the Lord guided us here, to Northern California, to this next chapter for our family of five. Here's a look at saying goodbye to Manteca to saying hello to Rocklin!

Pres and I decided to have the kids start school in Manteca while we waited to close on the new home. We wanted the kids to have time with friends before we left, plus, it gave me a kid free zone for packing up the house :) Rocklin Elementary didn't start until August13th while Manteca was starting on the 4th. Since school was starting soon it was time for haircuts ;)    

       

       

Some before and afters for Beckham and Jack. They both asked to have haircuts like their Dad. How cute is that?!

       

First Day of School for Walter Woodward in Manteca.

Quinn is in 4th grade! She has Miss Green :) Same as Jack did. Beckham is in 5th! He was lucky to get  Mr. Meahan a brand new 5th grade teacher until the move. Beckham really liked having him. 

Jack was entering 6th grade! He was with Mrs. Chavez.

The kids really enjoyed their first day back at school. It was a bitter sweet day because they were stoked to see friends, but knew they only had a few weeks with them. 

Quinn, Beckham, and I trying to beat the system, haha.

We were so excited to receive a package from Aunt Nad! The kids LOVED getting their box of gifts. Minecraft, book light, and diamond art bookmarks! The Minecraft and book light were made by Aunt Nad for each of the kids. They were so impressed by it all and loved that she thought of them. So grateful for amazing Great Aunts and Uncles! 

Taking a break from packing to watch Transylvania as a family :)

For cooking class this week I taught Quinn how to make chocolate chip cookies. She loved this lesson because she gets to "test" the dough, haha. 

Girls night out with some of my favorite girls! I loved being able to sit down with Cindy, Erika, and Giselle to catch up and eat yummy food. These girls have been a beacon of light for me over the past several years. They were with me in the Young Women's program and our bond has been tight ever since. Grateful for them, their love, and support over the years. 

A quick trip to Rocklin!

We found out that Rocklin was hosting its Back-to-School Night on August 11th, and Pres and I thought it would be the perfect chance for the kids to meet their teachers and explore their new campus. We hit some traffic on the way up and worried the doors might close before we got there, but thankfully, we made it just in time!

Each of the kids had a chance to meet their teachers, tour their classrooms, and check out the school grounds. Jack will be in 6th grade with Mr. Van Der Kamp, Beckham in 5th with Mrs. Watt, and Quinn starting 4th with Mrs. O’Haire and Mr. Miller. All three of them loved their teachers right away. Each teacher took the time to chat with them individually, welcomed them to Rocklin, and shared how excited they were to have them in class.

Pres and I left feeling so relieved! Honestly, the event couldn’t have gone any better. Seeing the kids’ smiles and hearing their excitement made all the miles, prayers, and planning worth it. We celebrated with dinner at a cozy Mediterranean restaurant before heading south for the 90-minute drive home, tired but full of gratitude for the fresh start ahead.

The kids will now be Bulldogs.

Beckham's classroom is in the building on the left. Quinn's is directly behind them in the photo with the open door on the left. Jack's classroom is on the right with that first door open. I loved that they were all in this little square together. They can walk with each other to class everyday, and find each other easily after school. Woohoo! Another win!

Dinner at MF Gyros & Burgers for dinner after the school tour.  It was so tasty.

This sweet kid makes ramen noodles every single Sunday for himself and his siblings. These cooking classes are really paying off 😉 The kids are getting more and more comfortable using the stove, following recipes, and tackling meals on their own. Watching their confidence grow in the kitchen has been so fun to witness. These are the life skills they’ll definitely be grateful to have in their back pocket in years to come.

Before we knew it we were saying goodbye to some of our favorite people!

Giselle and I have kids almost the exact same ages! Dexter and Jack are both 11, Rowan and Beckham are 10, and Quinn is 8 with Micah at 6. Everyone gets along super well. They’re truly besties. It’s kind of wild, but their personalities line up almost perfectly, too.

Jack and Dex are our artsy, music-loving, science-driven guys, while Beckham and Row are totally into sports and gaming. It’s crazy how alike they all are — like they were meant to be friends. We honestly couldn’t ask for a better crew for our kiddos to grow up alongside.

And lucky for Pres and me, Giselle and Michael are awesome too, haha. This friendship has been such a gift over the years... full of laughter and easy connection. We’ve had so much fun together already, and I have no doubt that the fun (and chaos) will keep on going for years to co

Quinn was doing her homework and randomly said, "Look what I made!" Haha. A little Ritz snowman 😁

Here we go!

Pres went and got the truck on Friday morning. We loaded it up with as much as we could fit for our first load. While the kids were in school Pres and I packed the truck. Once they were home from school we had them help load a few more things, and headed north to Rocklin. We got up to the new house right around dinner. Beckham and I snuck out to grab some much needed pizza while Pres, Jack, and Q started to unload the truck. After stuffing our faces full we finished unpacking everything from the truck into the house. We camped out that first night on mattresses on the floor. The kids thought this was so fun. All of us in one big empty room, haha. 

The next morning Pres grabbed some donuts and egg sandwiches for breakfast. We geared up for on more trip south for our final truck load at 2156.

Once we got to the house we put everyone to work. We were hoping to be out and back by dinner again. We grabbed all of the final items from our house, yard, and garage. It was so weird seeing this house empty after all of these years of life. Quinn was 2 years old when we moved to Manteca and Jack was just starting Kindergarten. I couldn't help but reminisce before closing the door one last time. This house has been good to us over the years. It served us well and we have so many fond memories from here. We are grateful that we are only a 90 minute drive from several people we have come to love and admire over the years. It wasn't saying goodbye necessarily, but see you again.  

                                           

Jack, Quinn, and Pres in the truck ready to go!

Beckham boy and I in the car ready to ride out. 

Once we got to the new house, it was dinner time all over again. We grabbed some food, rolled up our sleeves, and started unloading the truck. With the kids’ help, everything went so fast! We had the whole thing emptied in no time and even managed to return the truck that same night.

We were all so grateful to be done moving boxes, haha. I think it’s safe to say that next time, Pres and I will happily hire movers, but we’re definitely thankful for the money we saved this time around. Still, here’s hoping we get to stay put for a good long while. No more moving in our near future for this crew, haha.

That night we all slept together on mattresses again. We were too tired to care about anything but sleeping. After the long drives and unloading, we crashed hard. By morning, all three kiddos had somehow made their way into our bed, haha. Let’s just say a full-blown tickle fight broke out, complete with morning breath, giggles, and a lot of laughter.

Once we finally wrangled everyone up and got dressed, we headed to Cracker Barrel for a warm, hearty breakfast. It felt like the perfect way to start our first full day in the new house — tired but happy, together, and ready for whatever comes next.

The place we now call home! 

That following Monday we dropped the kids off for their second first day of school. They were feeling all of the feels - nervous, excited, anxious, and ready for new beginnings. All three of the kids loved their first day. They really enjoyed getting to know their teachers and classmates. Rocklin is definitely on another level as far as education and the organization of the school. I have never seen anything like it. It has been an absolute blessing to say the least.

Tired kiddos after a long week of school. I loved how Quinn still falls asleep with a book in her hand, while Beckham looks like he's posing :)

One full week of school in the books! We celebrated with ice cream at Handle's! I tried their dairy free, almond milk ice cream. It's not great, haha, but the kids and Pres loved theirs.

This August was not what we expected for our family, if you would have asked us just a few months ago what the new school year would look like. What started as simple conversations about the future turned into one of the most life-changing seasons we’ve ever had. We were so grateful to see the Lord’s hand in every decision we made from June through August — from exploring new areas to finding the right home, right community, and perfect timing for it all.

We feel incredibly blessed to now call Rocklin home, but equally blessed for the memories, friendships, and great years we had in Manteca. That chapter shaped us in so many ways, and leaving it behind reminded us just how much goodness we’ve experienced along the way. As we look ahead, we know we’re exactly where we’re meant to be — ready to grow, to settle in, and to make new memories in this next chapter of our lives.