April Conference 2012

Earlier this month, we had the opprotunity to enjoy Confrence at home.....When you have young children at home, conference season has mixed emotions.....On the one hand, I look forward to the many uplifting messages which are given....the down side, 5 wiggly children who need MY help to make it through two 2-hour blocks!! Needless to say, confrence comes and goes with out much of a clue as to who spoke or any super-amazing messages. My hopes to catching conference turns to the next month's Ensign which turns into a different conversation on it's own....This month's conference was the begining of ALL beginings....like everyear we go into conference with a lesson about conference-I love it b/c it retells the story of King Benjamin's address! Instead of setting up my children to be entertained, I set them upto be engaged in confrence. We played a game that will be the new norm for the Bartons. I posted 4 buzz words on the wall near the t.v (illustrations included) they were:temple, scriptures, missionary and family the first person to recognize that a speaker had used one of the buzz words the received a mini candy bar! My four older children and even my oldest-Jared were attentive to the ENTIRE confrece! Noone complained about being stuck watching confrence, noone even asked to leave to go do something else, noone took naps or began to be disruptive-TOTAL success. Needless to say, my children are actually looking forward to watching the October conference!!

2012 Regional Champions

Megan and Jacob are part of a robotics (engineering-like) team- sponsored by LEGO....It's their first year actually.....This past Saturday, their team won the Championship which now sends them to the NATIONALS held in St Louis next month. Not bad for a team which comes from the country- sourrounded by farmers' fields....Their team beat out 60 other teams with an overall high score!! The victory is still setting in, but poor Jacob who was looking forward to an end in after school practices, will have plenty more practices ahead of him with the Nationals in one month. We are all excited about the plans being made which now has us going to Missouri in April!! We couldn't be more proud/excited for them!!

Spongebob lovin Chloe

On the way home from dance class, Chloe was telling me about a sponge bob squarepants valentine she had received and asked me when she could watch sponge bob square pants.....I just gave her the look which meant pretty much NEVER (hate sponge bob), of which she replied very defiantly that when she turned 18 she was going to watch sponge bob......

Disneyworld 2011

Happy Birthday Travis!!

This kid celebrated his eighth birthdaymore than a month ago (yes, Im a terrible mom!) and has grown leaps and bounds. It has been wonderful to watch how he has grown into the cute boy he is now. Travis has always had a big spirit, with a drive to live in the biggest way since the begining. In fact, I often tease him that he would have had a grand time in the 19th century. Travis is a tree climbing, barefoot running, ball throwing, high jumping, outside the box thinker kind of boy. I have been pleasantly surprised by his interest in school, really trying to do well and reaching his academic goals. He is my most competative child, taking competitions to a whole new level at the Barton home. The quality I admire most about this guy is that he lives in such a big way,which has made for some memorable memories!