Christmastime is here!

I have needed to update my blog and I finally have taken the time in my busy life to do this. We have been enjoying the feeling of Christmas around the house. Spokane received a huge dumping of snow around Thanksgiving and brought back some very bad memories of 2 years ago when we were buried in snow until June. The snow is very pretty to look at but not so fun to drive in. Just ask Zach. He was driving home and hit a patch of ice and slid into a very innocent tree. The tree was a little stronger than the subaru which is now smashed on the front driver's side. We are glad Zach wasn't hurt and now he has a project to work on during the boring winter months!
We are excited to head to Boise for Christmas. It will be nice to be with family. We are looking forward to being there to see Tamra be married. (The first niece on my side)
As this Christmas time is here it always gives me time to reflect on the blessings and the love I feel from my Savior. I am grateful for his birth and his life. I am grateful for a wonderful husband and amazing kids who constantly shower me with love. I am truly blessed!

Football Season 2010

Jacob and football....He is so fun to watch play this game! Jacob has been playing football since the 3rd grade and actually has been playing with the same team the past five years. Jacob is a great team player and is always cheering his teammates on. He is almost always in on every tackle and never fails to be there to help pick the tackled boy off the ground. Yet goes and tackles him again the very next play! We are so proud of his dedication and grace on and off the field. Today will be his last game playing with the Mead Panthers. After this year, all the players will split up into their Middle School teams and then on to High School. It has been so fun to watch these boys grow and become SO much better and stronger and united. They have worked hard this year and have made it to the Championship game. Let's WIN!!

Cross Country 2010

Cross country is a sport that not everyone can handle. My boys are amazing and I am always amazed when they come home and tell me the workouts they have. I am trying to be more diligent in keeping track of their times and personal records this year. I believe that Zach's PR for the 3 mile is 17:30. Caleb earned his PR at the meet in Missoula this year: 18:04. They are headed to Richland this weekend and they both LOVE this course and are expecting to kill their personal bests. Good Luck Boys!!

School and Silence at Home

The first day of the school year 2010-2011, I find myself a little sad,tired (it was early!) excited and nostalgic. Alarms, breakfast, packing lunches. Everyone running up and down the stairs, getting everything put in their backbacks. All four of my kids leave together in the same car off to school. Then, silence. Today was harder than I thought it would be.
Dave gives the kids Father's blessings before the first day of school and after each child received their blessings, all the kids had a "group hug" that did me in....I was in tears and it was a picture that I will forever have in my mind. I love my kids and realize that this is the last year that we will have this type of dynamic in our home. Zach being a senior in high school will be gone next year and then the rest will leave in a whirlwind after that. I am determined to relish in every moment of this year with my kids. *Notice I do NOT have a picture of thekids leaving for school. My old camera had no batteries and I still have to buy a lens for my new camera. I just might have to have them reinact the first day of school picture.

Barnes Reunion

This summer Grandpa Barnes turned 80 years old. We all gathered together in Boise to honor him and to have an excuse to get together. It was so fun to reunite with those we haven't seen in years! We had lots of food and played games and then had a birthday bash for grandpa. We love him so much and are thankful for the great example he sets for all his posterity.

Youth Conference

The Theme was "Strong and Courageous" so we are trying to look strong.

This is what the line for lunch looked like!

This has been a year full of activities for the youth. Girl's camp, high adventures, scout camp, pioneer trek and youth conference! All in one summer!! I guess that is the excitment when you have all four kids so close in age! Being involved in the Young Women's program I get to participate in quite a bit; much to the dismay of my kids! This Youth Conference included 11 stakes around the Inland Northwest Area. There were about 1,200 youth and 150 adult leaders in attendance. It started Friday where the kids played all sorts of team building games and ended Friday with a huge dance. Saturday started with great speakers from the military followed by a service project where we all made Thanksgiving and Christmas cards for the men and women serving our country. Later in the afternoon we had many great speakers and a music presentation. It was a good experience and I was grateful to be a part of it all.

Pioneer Trek 2010

Our stake has a pioneer trek every four years and this year Zach, Kelsie, and Caleb were all old enough to attend. (Jacob will get to go next time) They woke up early in the morning of July 22nd and went to the church to meet their "ma and pa's" and their family for the next two days. It is always such a neat sight to see everyone dressed in pioneer outfits and looking "the part". They drove off in buses to their trekking sight. (Fruitland,WA) Dave was helping behind the scenes toting water around for them so he was able to keep an eye on them but I didn't see them until they came back on the 24th. All the families of the kids were there to greet them. They looked so good! Dirty but good. Each one of my kids had a different experience. They all had a great time! Caleb has already figured out that he could be a trail boss on next trek!


The "Before" picture

Seeing the wagons come into the "valley"

They were SO dirty but I was so proud of each of them! The bishop and his wife are pictured with my family.

Girls Camp 2010

Girls Camp is always the highlight of being able to serve in Young Women's. It is alot of work to put together, but always so fun!! This year we went to Camp Delany. It is near the Grand Coulee Dam so our scenery was a little different from the pine trees and forest we are used to when we camp. This year was rocks and rattlesnakes! But also air-conditioned cabins and a full kitchen! I know...roughing it! We had skits and hiked and lake day(no pics for some reason) and as always testimony meeting. It was a great time and I just think the girls in our ward are the best!!!

The Oregon Coast

I have so many great pictures of our time spent on the coast but here are just a few. We had such a great time!! It was great weather for the first part of the trip and ended with the rain you expect to have in Oregon. We met up with Valerie and Justin and mom in Hood River. It was so great to have them there! This was Kelsie and Jacob's first experience seeing the ocean. We started at Seaside and Cannon Beach. Here is where we had great weather!! We just spent all day playing in the water, flying kites and building sand castles and even burying Dave in the sand!! We saw a great tidepool at Cannon Beach and roasted marshmallows at sunset. We drove down to Newport and spent a few days there. Here is where the rain cmae. but We still had fun! The house was great and there were some good pool wars had. The aquarium was great and Dave even got the kids to try some oyster shots!! I love the ocean!

Three month catch-up

I have been quite the slacker with this blog and although I don't think anyone else reads my blog, I really wanted this to be a journal-like idea to keep things documented. So this is the last couple of months in a nut shell.

MARCH I have no pictures but this month was a very hard month. Dave had his back go out and was down for most of the month. Actually we decided it was most of February and March. What a nightmare! He had cortizone shots and many trips to the chiropractor. Luckily no surgery!! After we thought his back was on the mend, his knee swelled up so big and he could hardly walk. We could not figure out what the cause was. He finally went a had his knee drained and yet another cortizone shot and hasn't had a problem since. As Dave and I look back on these few months, we knew that the forces of the universe were against us trying to beat us down but...We are fighters! We have learned that together we can get through anything!

April
The older kids started spring sports. Zach and Caleb ran track and Kelsie tried tennis this year. I was a fabulous mom and got NO pictures of Kelsie playing tennis but she liked it so much she is going to play next year. Zach and Caleb both ran the distance races in track. It still is amazing to me the strength of the boys to run so much! I am so proud of them! They were continually beating their personal records each track meet. The end of April Was "Time Out For Women" here is Spokane and I had all my sisters, sis-in-laws and my mom come to visit. It was such a great weekend! We laughed and cried and laughed some more! I realized how strong the women of my family are and especailly what a wonderful bond we have when we are together!





MAY
May was a very busy month! I had my Spring piano recital.I am at 17 students at this recital. I love teaching and I felt all my students did amazing! I was so proud!


Zach went to his first prom. He was so handsome in his tuxedo and actually looked too grown up for me!





Last but not least I actually have a few pictures of the boys at the district track meet. They both did an amazing job. Caleb and Zach both ran the 1600 and the 3200. Caleb's times 5:14 (1600) 11:03 (3200) Zach's times 4:58 (1600) 10:52 (3200)

Be Strong

Joshua 1:9
"Be strong and of a good courage, Be not afraid; neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest."

This is not only the yearly theme for the Young Men and Women this year, it has been the scripture that has helped me. I cannot deny that I have felt my Savior with me, even though I want to be mad and sad and every other emotion that you can imagine, I know that I am not alone! What an amazing blessing!

Yes, I am just now writing about Christmas

Wow how time flies! I can't believe that it is almost the end of January. I just wanted to share some things about our Christmas. It was our year to stay in Spokane and this year we had my mom come and spend Christmas with us. What a treat! Christmas eve was amazing. Dave made our traditional prime rib dinner and with gramdma Madge's homemade rolls the dinner was a huge success!! We went and looked at Christmas lights around Spokane and found one house that had amazing lights and was set to music. We then came home and read about the birth of Christ and then watched the annual Christmas slide show. It was a great night. Then Christmas morning, Zach decided it was a good idea to wake everyone up at 8 am. That was early for us!! We were able to make breakfast for Grandma and then opened presents. It was a smaller Christmas this year but the joy of being together made it special. We went and played volleyball with some friends from the ward and then had our good friends (the Jarvis's) over for homemade soup and played games the rest of the night. Christmas is always such a magical time and is always a great time to reflect on the important things in life. I am so grateful to have a wonderful family and friends in my life. I am most grateful for the knowledge of my Savior...for His birth , His life, and His love.