Megan

Megan has always been VERY reasonable and level-headed...even at a young age....I often forget that she isn't just a bit older, but the other day I had one of those conversations which reminded me that she is still very much only NINE years old....she was telling me about a friend of hers who has a jacket that cost $1000.00- she swears- $1000.00!! Not only was it $1000.00, but the hooks on the front were actually taken off of real dinosaur teeth (to prevent any one from getting hurt when handling dinosaurs)...she told me all of this with a sense of amazement that only a nine year old could have....I just smiled and enjoyed the moment which reminded me how special it was that Megan was still very much still nine....

Soccer 2009

Chloe the first 4 years

Chloe turns 4!!!

I know it's chliche to say time flies....but I still remember when Chloe was my baby...now she's a big girl and does big girl things, like: ride a bike with training wheels, makes a ketchup sandwhich all by herself, is a great secretary,likes when things are done right and reports naughty brothers and sister,is kind and loving, has a sparkly smile, the list goes on and on and on- we love her and thank our lucky stars for her.....

old journal entry

I was going through some old journal entries....and came across some notes of random things which had being going on in our crazy household...I discovered what a miracle it was that I didn't need any strong medication to keep my sanity...this entry was about spring 2006

"Travis has untwisted the knobs off my dresser
I now have Jacob’s belt tying my two fridge doors shut
I caught Travis snacking on dinner (spaghetti sauce) with a screw driver
The microwave is unplugged at all times
He was the last one I pulled out of the car, when I came back he had found my lipstick and smeared it all over the passenger side door
Megan learned how to ride a bike w/ a two wheeler on the 26th of March (2006)
She has also informed me that she no longer needs to use kid plates, she can use real plates
She can now do the monkey-bars
Jacob helped me feed chloe rice cereal, when I stepped out to help Megan’s blister’s(from practicing the monkey bars) when I came back, he had added Gatorade and said she loved the Gatorade cereal."

a ketchup sandwhich

Since Feb., the world at the Barton home has been dysfunctional...my morning sickness was so bad, I couldn't get out of bed until April almost May, and even then I wasn't even close to par given all the things on my to-do list (like stay on top of 4 children and everything that goes with it), then b/c of my blood pressure, I started slowing down at the end of July/first of August....to make a long story short.....my kids often times had to fend for themselves until a grandma could come or dad came home from work....and fend for themselves included get them something to eat....Now I can look back and be proud of how independent my children can be.....but my dear Chloe has aquired a taste for her favorite self-made sandwhich....a ketchup sandwhich.....while I was bed ridden, she would make herself a ketchup sandwhich, which she LOVES....it is embarasing to go to friends houses and when she is asked if she wants a PBJ sandwhich like all the OTHER children, she requests very politely, a KETCHUP sandwhich which causes a lot of looks to come my way...as a mother, a ketchup sandwhich goes against everything I represent....or used to represent...I (used to ) take pride in my children eating very nutrionaly balanced meals....but now a mother of 5, I have convinced myself that nutrion can be found in the most trivial and un-noticable places, like ketchup....which comes from tomatoes which must have some vitamin c or something in it somewhere??

School starts 2009

This was Travis' first year in school, and it couldn't have come soon enough...I have never seen a little boy more excited to be at school than Travis....In fact, he still LOVES going to school and it is Novemeber!! Travis' teacher is Mrs. Martinez, the same kinder teacher Megan had...Jacob felt pretty good starting 2nd grade, he has Mrs. Casiano who Megan had as well....but my dear Megan had a serious case of nerves about strting 3rd grade....she had heard that it was very hard and the teachers very mean....but after much pursuasion and comforting, she has discovered that the work isn't that hard and she enjoys her teacher Mrs Kindred... The kids meet their teacher the week before school starts and the last pics are of them on the first day of school....

School Starts 2009

Pioneer Day Favorites 2009

I love Pioneer Day....even though the one in Texas isn't nearly as fun as the real deal in Utah, it is still a fun tradition for our family....As my kids get older, they want to wear their pioneer clothes less and less....in fact, Travis would have nothing to do with his, and Megan no longer wants to wear her bonnet....plus, my kids love to do stake activities b/c they love to bump into their cousins at the same activity....

Pioneer Day 2009

4th of July

It is tradition for us to spend the morning of the 4th at the Castroville parade...in fact, this was the first year we weren't in it....we love this parade and all of it's charm....

Cousins

....Summer wouldn't be complete without cousins....

Summertime favorite

I'll be the first to admit, that this past summer was probably the most boring summer I can remeber, and I will admit that it was mostly my fault...but the one thing I was able to do was hang out with the kids, my mom, and if we were lucky Jared, at the Castroville pool....these two pics were my favorites from the summer....

FYI....This past summer Travis learned how to swim...like really swim, and he loved when my mom would show up and help hime with his strokes....Jacob became really brave by doing all sorts of cool flips off the diving board...Miss Megan was occassionaly banned from the diving board from the lifeguards for doing cartwheels off the diving board which is forbidden for obvious reasons...our little Chloe spent most of her time on the steps at the shallow end inviting other little 2, 3, and 4 year old girls to her house for a "slumber party"!!....

summer time favorite

megan's dance recital

Every June her dance class does a great big recital which is lots of fun (although it is torture for Jacob and Travis, and even Chloe), so I should say that is lots of fun for Megan and I. She takes Ballet, Jazz and Tap....she hates ballet, and would rather take a hip hop class, so we compromise with a Jazz class...this was her 5th year and when you are with the studio for 5 or more years you receive a trophy....which, when you are little, it is all about the trophy...

Megan's dance recital

Tea Party with friends

For Miss Chloe's 4th birthday, she celebrated with some primary friends by having a tea party...now keep in mind, Chloe is a little girly girl, so the tea party and friends was just over the top for her......Her little spirit was about to burst with joy!!

Jacob's photo shoot

These are some of my favorites from Jacob's baptism pictures....