Dan and Jan Clan

Covina of performing arts

2010-04-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

http://www.vimeo.com/10153934
Please check out this site under Edith Shain to experience. a part of our concert

Surprise! Hawaii?

2010-04-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Due to crazy circumstances, Charlotte found herself with an empty Hawaii timeshare at Ko Olina....and called for some people to share some spontaneity and arrive in four days to enjoy it. :) So my mom and I arrived and had a wonderfully relaxing trip. We visitied PCC and had a tastey Luau, enjoyed the beach, shopped the swap meets, and loved the food. I recommend Hawaii in the spring....Paradise. :)

Park City Family Vacation!

2010-03-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

Every year for the past 17 years, we have gone on a family ski/snowboard vacation. Well the family is getting bigger with an additional four spouses and five grandchildren. Wendy, Alyssa, Rachelle and Clarissa were unable to grace the slopes this year due to new baby or pregnancy. This year will add a toal of four new grandchildren, three girls and one TBA. However it was great to be together and enjoy family togetherness. Of course, there were the nightly xbox competitions. On Sunday, Steve and Wendy had their baby Naomi blessed. These occasions are what life is all about.

Sentimental Sisters perform at the Covina Center of Performing Arts!

2010-02-18T21:09:00.000-08:00

Some people would say it was a dream come true, but seriously I have NEVER ever had a such a dream. It truly seems weird, like it must be someone else. But truth is, it was so much fun. The first night was a little stressful, but the next two nights were pure fun. The Covina Center of Performing Arts had many comments....but the one that meant the most was that they had "never had a group perform that connected with the audience" like we did. They said the audience was laughing one minute and crying the next. This is a hobby I truly love. It's worth just singing to womens clubs or senior centers with Renee, Marilyn and with Jay on the keyboard. But this night was another experience. We are now being pursued by "the candlelight pavillion" in Claremont, and a place in St. George, Utah. We will see where that all goes. Renee, Marilyn and I are taking the money we made from our show and going to Branson in May. Anyway, I hope my family can come someday to one of our two hour shows. Even Tom said it was AWESOME! :-D

A Ball in Branson!

2009-10-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! I had no idea That Branson was so fun. Here is my Mom, Sue, and I at Landry's Seafood Restaurant. Delicioso! Charlotte was in Branson a few days before me and left the day after I arrived. We all went to shows, shows, and more shows. They have everything from music, instruments, dance, magicians, ventriloquists, acrobats, and comedians, etc., etc. The "word" is that you can't go wrong with either the shows or the restaurants. I believe them. They also have watersports, fishing, and golfing. We stayed at the Marriott. It was rainy season but we didn't let it slow us down. Overall, it was a wholesome entertainment city for very reasonable prices. I'm definitely going again someday. Anyone interested?

Twelve Irish Tenors

2009-10-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

The Duttons (A Mormon Family)

2009-10-10T17:23:00.000-07:00

So this family was amazingly talented. They played the strings of any kind. I missed getting a picture of the whole famiy but Mom and Dad and grandchildren were involved also. The wizard of oz scene was the grandchidren and the father and daughter were singing "A Child's Prayer". They traded instruments throughout the show and had a great comedian son. Loved it!

Covina Center of Performing Arts

2009-09-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

So this picture is not very clear but I decided to post it until we have another one. Our group had the opportunity to perform for a talent scout group at the CCPA. It's downtown Covina and the center has been renovated over the last few years. It is a beautiful center with state of the art equipment. They teach classes to children in singing, dancing, staging, lighting, etc. They heard about us through "word of mouth" and after that night, we have a contract to sing for a few Wednesday night cabarets and a three day run of two hour shows the first week of February 2010. They are paying us well. We are quite excited. We love to perform for senior citizen groups normally and it's not for the money. This is a whole different experience. They also feed us a great dinner. We are sitting in the cabaret room, overlooking the theater.

Fall Fun!

2009-09-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

So I guess I have a weakness for pretty dishes. I learned that when I was living in Europe with all their special plates. I often decorate my home with dishes on the walls. Well, one of my favorite hangouts is a store named "home goods". They have remnants of beautiful dishes. You can rarely find a whole set and therefore they are really inexpensive. So I had a few hours and decided to treat myself to a stroll through the store. However, I had a wonderful idea as I looked at all the beautiful dishes. I decided I would buy 14 plates and bowls for the adults in my family that coordinated but didn't match. This would mean that I would have choices of which plate to use everyday. It would add a little extra excitement to my life. And THAT it has. Dan and Tom don't quite get as excited as I do but I think they secretly enjoy it. Here are a few pictures of the new additions. Notice the square plates on the wall. They are scenes of London, Rome, Paris and New York. The one colorful plate on top of the plate holder is a sceneof a European open market. :D :D :D Such a small thing to bring happiness to my life:D

2009-09-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry if you missed the beach picture of Dan. I quite liked it myself....but he didn't.

We're back!

2009-09-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

So, I know. It's been waaaay too long since I updated my blog. Now I have to start over learning how to do it. But the good news is that I'm excited! (I don't blame you if you just look at pictures and skip this part). My life just changed for the better today with more time. That's right. Last night the stake choir recorded the Christmas music for the choir to learn their parts. Therefore, as their pianist/organist, my music is learned and I can relax as we practise until Dec. 20th . Basically since last summer, we didn't have the internet in our trailer while camping in Idaho, so I just relaxed. I put all my hobbies on hold and waited patiently for our barn/apartment construction to be finished. Afterall, we were going to be living in it for the summer and boating in the evenings. Well, the barn/apartment is almost finished and Dan will be going up in a week to arrange the furniture and winterize the fishing boat and ATVs. The ski boat....well, we'll just say that we had fun as long as it was working which was two times on the lake. Once we were towed back into shore, and the other, a storm was coming and we rushed to dock the boat. Oh yes, there was the time when we went out with Tom, Jace and Ella. It was wonderful. Tom learned to wakeboard and then we went into shore. To make this long story short, we bought a new engine and it was ready at the end of our trip. Dan left it in Utah for an extra month so our kids had a blast for several weeks. Now it is in California. It was Dan's idea one night that we pick up and go to Oahu. Why Oahu? Because we love the PCC. So he used points to make the trip happen. We had fun touring the island. We chose a new beach everyday. We even had the excitment of Hurricane Felicia. It was downgraded to a tropical depression by the time it hit. We enjoyed the bigger waves, a little rain but it was extremely humid. One day the "portuguese man of war" were so plentiful that they shut down some of the beaches. However, Jenesee's ankle found one and Tom caught one on his boogey board. Only Jenesee got stung but not too badly. We played board games in the evenings and ate delicious food. It was very nice to arrive home after the 8 week summer but I hit the ground running. We had Stake Conference in two weeks with the choir singing two pieces. They were difficult pieces on the organ so I practised every day for several hours. I also had the recording coming up so I was practising Christmas pieces at the same time. I love it with a passion but it takes so much time. To make matters even busier, Dan was called into the Stake Presidency at Stake Conference. I can only say that with his busy traveling schedule and stressful job, Heavenly Father prepared us both over the summer as we relaxed and found firm footing again. He truly can perform miracles. We are seeing the hand of the Lord in our lives as Dan is preparing for retirement. We love staying in touch with all of our families and friends by visiting their blogs. I plan to be more diligent on ours. There is so much to be grateful for with another grand daughter on the way (Steve and Wendy) and the events that are happening in each of our childrens lives. Grandparenthood is truly the BEST! Visit our childrens blogs for updates. Tom is in high school and early morning seminary and loving it. As usual, he really likes his teachers and they adore him. At fourteen, he has grown several inches over the last 6 months and has finally passed my height. He is a different person from a year ago. After attending EFY, his testimony took new meaning and he just seems so much older. Last week the best part of his day (as I ask everyday) was taking his geometry test which would put his grade above 100%. I almost threw him out and demanded my real son back, but as he explains to me daily, "Mom, I told you I would take school seriously when I got into high school". I still feel like I'm living with a stranger. There's so much more to say but it will have to wait for another day. :~D

Just for fun...

2009-02-13T20:18:00.000-08:00

So some of you know I keep very busy even though I stay at home. I love being the Young Women's President and you will often hear me talk about "My girls". We are going to the Deseret Industries assignment tomorrow morning. I think they enjoy me also. However it has been almost three years now and before that I was called as the stake pianist and organist. For me that was a very busy calling with preparing for the Christmas concert and 5 church choir concert in May. Sometimes I practised 2-3 hours a day. No joke. However beginning last September I was asked to help out with the concerts and also I am playing two difficult organ pieces this Sunday for Stake Conference. I have already been given the music to help with concert in May. I actually enjoy it but I am getting tooooo busy since I hav e to practise everyday as well as hold my other calling. I wonder if they will be calling me to be the stake organist again....
So I have decided to make a few comments about my kids...funny things they did growing up. I will start with Alyssa but actually I could write a book. Alyssa was quite sneaky when she felt like it. She could enter a classroom after the bell and never let the teacher know she was tardy, or leave and come back without the teacher knowing; She would hide her earrings in a potted plant when she didn't want to put them away; hide a video ("problem child") when she felt it was not "appropriate" for her brother and friends to see; and walk out the balcony of her room in Holland and scale the house on a skinny ledge just to geet around the traps Dan set on Christmas Eve.
Moving on to Rachelle: She was not so sneaky but when she did something wrong and get her hand slapped, she would always hold out the other hand and say "other one" and wait for that slap. (Obviously the slap was not too painful). She is my only child who ever bit someone. She would bite Alyssa when she would get frustrated on numerous times. After trying everything I could think of, I told her that if she did it again I would have to show her how it felt...yes, by biting her back. It only took one time and she never did it again.
Steve: He thinks I never knew about the naughty things he did but I just chose to close my eyes at times. He was very good at heart. He and Jeff got along quite well but sometimes they would really have it out. When the girls would run to tell me they were fighting...I would tell them to just shut the door. Steve grew up with two older sisters. Around the age of 5-6 I noticed him playing with barbies and decided it was time to get some GIJoes. I hope it didn't cause too much damage. Steve stayed out of trouble for the most part except the day before he received his eagle scout. But that's all I will say about that one.
Jeff: What can I say about Jeff. He was my sneakiest. He planned a secret capture of Sinter Klaus (the dutch santa claus) at age 5, we found a pelt from a skinned rat in his room (eeewwww...), he was trying to hatch an egg from a bird in his room, he took a video recording of himself searching and finding all the Christmas presents, and would scare me to death when he payed with fire. He also came into our bedroom (he calls it the courtroom) when he turned eighteen with a long list of freedoms he felt he now deserved and we talked for hours about them. He finally took school seriously in his junior year and has been the perfect son ever since.
Jenesee: Pretty much the perfect little girl un til Rachelle went to collage. That day she felt her life was over because she was going to be bored to death. She and I had to sit down and make lists of what she could do with her life. Unfortunately, shopping was at the top of her list even when she was 11. Shocking us all, she actually survived her sisters leaving. When Jenny was little and would misbehave, we would send her into her room until she could smile. That would take about one minute and she couldn't help smiling and came out. She was always soooo happy that she annoyed her brothers terribly. I would ask them how I could discipline her for being happy. Losing her first tooth at 5 was a traumatic experience for us all. It had a little red tag left after the tooth came out. She was on her way to Paris with a very good friend to go to Paris Disney. She wouldn't swallow because she thought that red tag was gross and wouldn't touch it. Therefore she wouldn't eat or drink and by the middle of the night was dry heaving. The mother freaked out, called me and I was on the first plane out that morning to Paris to pick her up. We took the train home and on the way I offerred her a box drink with a tiny straw. It fit perfectly in the lost tooth area and she drank it right up. After that we made a rule she had to put her tonge forward every fifteen minutes until she go used to it.
Tom: was the perfect little boy until about two and a half when he threw his first major tantrum. He wasn't getting enough attention with company in the house. That pretty much describes Tom. He likes attention. When the kids would go to school and he and I were left home alone, he always said "just the way I like it". I was Tom's playmate since he was 7 years younger than Jenny. Tom's alot of fun and keeps me laughing every day. He's well liked but doesn't like doing homework. He gets bored easily and really challenges my "knowledge in parenting. He will be going to EFY alone this summer at BYU and is really looking forward to it. We will be spending the summer in Idaho building and living in a barn. We will also be getting our first boat. Life is more fun with Tom and his favorite part of life is his neices and nephews. They adore him more than any of the rest of us. Just isn't fair since I'm the grandma.

2009-01-04T22:41:00.000-08:00

Grandparenthood is the best. We can only hope for four more next year.

2009-01-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

This is Jace and a rare moment. he wasn't sure about all these materials he had to wear and about performing in a "nativity".

2009-01-04T22:27:00.000-08:00

Jace was a great Joseph but he did need...a little convincing.

2009-01-04T22:20:00.000-08:00

Ok. Nick claims he doesn't sing or play an instrument...but somehow our family would certainly not be complete without his influence. He keeps all of us on our toes, plans our meals and states he is going to write a book of all the "misunderstood and innocent" comments some of us seem to make.

2009-01-04T22:13:00.000-08:00

A favorite pastime. This year all the adults shared a solo. Wendy is a master on the violin and she and I played a duet of "Dance of the Flowers". Steve and Jeff played the guitar. Afterward we got out all our various instruments and tried to inspire them all to practice for next year. We will see. (Alyssa- Base guitar, Rachelle-saxophone, Steve-drums, Jenesee-flute, Tom-trumpet, and Dan-harmonica).

2009-01-04T22:12:00.000-08:00

Ella and her new Christmas dress. What a little princess.

2009-01-04T22:08:00.000-08:00

Benjamin is very social and was happy to play whatever part we needed. He's about as happy as they come.

2009-01-04T22:05:00.000-08:00

Angel Avery... I mean Gabriel.

2009-01-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

Our small nativity consisted of Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and th Angel Gabriel.

thirtieth Anniversary

2008-10-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

So Dad and I went to the dodger game the week of our thirtieth anniversary. Unbeknownst to me, Dad ordered the dodger stadium to flash an anniversary message on the Dodger score board. Unfortunately we both missed it but they sent a picture of it to prove they did it. So we now have a professional picture of it which is great. So, happy anniversary to us. :D :) :D :)

Look..it's a bird...it's plane...Wait. Tom, is that you??? ( or Michael jackson)

2008-10-30T08:51:00.001-07:00

Tom, that's freaky.

nice.

2008-10-30T06:45:00.001-07:00

seriously.

2008-10-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

So I am still learning how to do this. Hopefully I will learn how to size my pictures. Right now I am at the mercy of the blogs choosing. Last night was our wards Halloween party. Tom looked pretty freaky as Micheal Jackson. I think the hair drove him crazy so he didn't even eat the treats. I'm sure I scared most people including myself. Today I am going to an opthamologist to get his opinion on doing lasix on my eyes. The thoughts frightens me bt I wold be the perfect candidate since I already see far-sighted in one eye and near-sighted n the other eye. I'll probably come home with new glasses instead. Wish me luck!

EST. 1978-Dan and Jan Clan

2008-10-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

OK. I think it is time our family get a family blog started. This month, Dan and I have been married 30 years and our family has truly celebrated together over the last few months. Steve and Jeff both chose August to marry two wonderful women. Steve was married to Wendy in the St Paul Minnesota Temple and Jeff was married to Clarissa in the San Diego Temple. All Fourteen of us attended the weddings and partied like we never have before. It was the most wonderful gift that Dan and I could have received at the time. Of all our accomplishments, our children are, by far, the most important. Jenesee is still at BYU, in her third year, and Tom is a teenager, at home and keeping our lives full. Life is good.

Dan and I have a dream.