My Mom......by Travis Barton

Travis drew this picture of "me" on his new chalk board/magnet board....He told me this is my happy face when he cleans his room...and yes, we had just done the impossible and had jsut cleaned his room.....I was pleased that he didn't draw my frowny face when his room isn't clean.....I love Travis.....and I love my children's art work.

Pink Flamingos

This is Megan and one of her BEST friends, ASHLEY... they both play soccer this season, even though they aren't on the same team, they get to see each other and sometimes even play against each other on Saturdays....

Megan is on the front left, trying to steal the ball away...

Megan posing with her team on the first game day- the Pink Flamingos....one of her classmates, Zoe is on her team and she really likes that...

Blue Panthers

This is the Blue Panther's Team......Mr Travis is on the left end with his friends in the Under 6 boys division.....I have really enjoyed coaching Travis' team and Travis has gotten over the fact that mom is his coach....Now, our community is very die hard, wether it be football or soccer or even baseball.....I myself am not an athletically competitive person- in fact I wouldn't even call my self an athlete, but some how we have won all our games (but one) -not bad since I don't know ANYTHING about soccer....

Life imitating Art or Art imitating Life

I was walking by Chloe who had her arms full of Barbies/babies and happened to notice that she was "up to something" as I watched her I noticed that she was laying her barbies/doll and then copying their position...it made me think of the phrase " life imitating art or art imitating life".....Luckily my camera was close by and was able to take a few quick snaps.....She was actually content playing this " game " and did so for quite some time...Chloe is a cutie.....

Happy Birthday Chloe

Now, I realize that her party was way back in Sept...but better late than never :) This is a picture of the pinata line......

Chloe loves loves loves Miss Dora.....so we had a bit of Dora for the birthday girl.....

This is a group picture of most of the kids in attendance- I think every one is in the picture....

Here is my BIG 3 year old blowing out her candles with her first friends/family birthday party!!

THE FROG......By Jacob Barton

THE FROG
One Summer Day A Frog Plays with his friends.
And the frog broke his leg and his friends help him
go to his mom. And They took him to the doctor.
He says he has to wear crutches. Him and his friends
like his crutches.
The End

We have baby bunnies

It is official...we have baby bunnies....they were just spotted today.... the count is 5 so far...3 solid white bunnies and two solid tan bunnies....they are the cutest :) Our bunnies don't live in cages, just our yard- they never leave, we have a shed that they burrow under, so that is where the cute bunnies have been living- until now...If you look out back, you will see the cute bunnies hoppin and jumping w/ their proud mom and dad close by.....The plan is to sell the baby bunnies....so if any one wants a cute bunny......

Fun on a Friday Night

A 100 years ago, Jared and I would have probably spent a Friday night going out...doing something fun or at least exciting.....Tonight....I spent the evening in the ER with Chloe Megan and Jacob....Chloe had stuck one of those tiny rubber-band like pony tails up her nose....she had messed with it sooo much evntually that it was out of sight....lucky for her I had examined her (she came to me upset that she had a pony tail up her nose)....and had actually seen it...b/c eventually it was completely out of sight....so, the ER we went...the only way they could find it was to use those special nose telescopes....after they tried and tried w/special EXTRA small and long tweezers....they then flushed out the side with out the pony tail and the water came out the other side, pushing out the pony tail...I told the DR my children would have thought that was a cool TRICK......so that is how the La Coste Bartons spend a Friday night...

Megan's Photo Shoot

Megan's BIG Day is fast approaching....She and I went to one of my favorite places to take pictures...the San Jose Mission...it has a beautiful back ground...and alot of versatility too!...
The mission was a little busy...while we were there, they were just finishing up with a funeral (it still has an operating cathedral) and getting ready for a wedding judging by the wedding party....so she was a little embarassed to say the least.....

Did a Double-Take

I did a total double-take...then I had to rub my eyes to see if I was day dreaming or if it was some type of mirage....gas at the local Wal-Mart was $2.91!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I never thougt we would ever see gas below the $3.00 mark again....that was unleaded...but even diesel was $3.42......which is small change compared to the $4.09 a few months ago.....thanks to continuous price hikes in gas for the past several years- I am a synic( did I spell that right?)....I am sure there is some ties to the upcoming presidential elections.....oil companies want americans to be in a better mood about the economy so we can vote for the president who is in THEIR best interest...I am sure as soon as the elections are over...the price per gallon will go back up....or maybe, they realize that much of America can't pay thir bills if they spend their entire paycheck at the pump.....gone are the days when people used to talk about the weather....now we talk about the recent changes of gas prices......oh, and now which bank where has collapsed and the crashing stock market.....

National Night Out

I LOVE small towns....last night was the 2nd Annual... National Night Out.....Megan invited a friend and we walked over where the City of La Coste had LOTS of free hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage...tons of drinks- they even had door prizes.....They also had one of those large jumpy-bouncy things....a dunking booth where the kids got to dunk the local police officers.....My kids hung out with friends from their school and said hi to alot of their teachers who live in the nieghborhood.....It was sooooo much fun....I LOVE small towns...

ONE CRAZY DAY

This year, was the first year with a CRAZY schedule...but when I committed us to these activities, it would only be crazy for a few weeks and then...things would settle down, well, Saturday was a collossal of a day as far as glitches in our scheduling....Saturday:
Jared had to work until 10:30AM
11 AM Megan's soccer game
12pm Travis soccer game ( I had to pass out shirts/socks prior to the game)
1PM Jacob had to be in San Antonio for a football game (Grandma was nice enough to take him)
1:30PM Jared's first golfing tournament started

I also had the Relief Society broadcast/dinner but Jared's tournament didn't end until 6PM and to be honest- I was dead tired!!! I think this crazy schedule is supposed to go downhill from there....
Just think, with every child...I spent my morning looking for soccer shoes, washing Megan's soccer shorts, making sure everyone ate their breakfast, had their uniforms, an extra pair of shoes to change out of, and got into the car...it was insane!!

2009 Mother-Daughter Campout

Every September, our stake holds a Mother-Daughter Campout (Father-Son is in the spring)this is Megan with a friend and some of her cousins (two tents down)...Now, I am not much of a camper and neither is my mom- yes, we ALL went camping (my mom, me, and Megan & Chloe) my girls love it though, so, we go camping....This year, though, it was in a new location, and I must say....I LOVED IT, it was a nice spot, even though we didn't get our own fire pit (smores isn't the same when you have to run back N forth from other campfires) I hope it stays at this location (Paradise Canyon) for futre campouts...
This is Chloe, posing w/ cousin Mc Kenzie at the river bank....
Megan with some of her friends from our ward...In all the photo shooting, then realizing, I had to break tent early, to make it to Jacob's first football game, I forgot the picture of my mom, myself, and my little girls- next year...

There aren't many places in Texas like this...lucky for us, it is only 15 miles ....

Megan is out there in the river with her friends and cousins

Chloe Camping

This is Chloe with one of her favorite nursery friends-Miss Holland, we were neighbors with the Hardin family, Holland came to wake Chloe (Sleeping Beauty) so they could start the fun together
Chloe showing off her safety jacket....ready for water fun
Chloe is very cautious...this is as far into the water as Chloe went.....Mom loves it when her children are cautious

4 wheelin

Here is our new (new to us anyways) four wheeler- check out that smile Travis is wearing
My three big kids love this thing.....Jared has a three wheeler....and now the kids have their four wheeler....there are already talks underway about a sand dune trip to St Anthony's in Rexburg...We'll see!!

Pricelss

I love this pitcure from Jared's Birthday for many reasons....but my most favorite reason- is that it captures Travis whole-heartedly....there...but not really there...and definately doing his own thing...NOTE the swimming goggles, while everyone else is helping Jared blow out his candles....I LOVE THIS PICTURE.....

Soccer stats

I am sure everyone is very curious how our soccer season is going...for starts, there was a misunderstanding about the whole asst coach thing...I am Travis' COACH....he was very upset, so I made Jared the asst coach, and just tell Travis that daddy is the coach.....Travis' team- I think we call ourselves the Panthers(the blue Panthers b/c we are blue) we had our first scrimmage a couple of days ago, and our team won...so things look somewhat promising...it was fun to watch Megan at her scrimmage- this is her first SPORT, she has always done dance, she is not competitive at all and is just happy to be on the field in her cute pink soccer socks that go to her knee and cute pink soccer shoes- it's priceless :)

Jacob is enjoying his football-not tons, but warming up to it...I think he is still trying to figure it all out, despite all the games he watches w/dad and practicing ....his team won their last game and he was on the field when it happened.....so winning always makes everything more fun....if you ask him what his favorite sport is though, he will tell you GOLF.....

Bunny Talk

I was at school the other day...on my way to Megan's class actually...on the way I passed Jacob's class...outside their door the teachers display artwork or papers the children had written...Jacob had written " My family has bunnies. I love them" underneath was a piture he had drawn perfectly identifying each of our bunnies (brown, brown & white, grey & white) I love reading sentimental papers my babies have written :)

Megan came home with a paper she had written about these cute bunnies...the subject was favorite birthday present...which she stated " My favorite birthday present is my bunny Furball. For my next birthday I want a keyboard." These bunnies have a good life here and my children love them sooo much...although we keep waiting for baby bunnies to show up....we're still waiting!!