Spring has Sprung

I love spring in Texas, it really is beautiful and the weather is wonderful.....we decided not to fo a full size garden ( just some onions and Megan has a corner full of seeds planted-tomatoes and broccoli)this year with Jared being out of town so much this season, but we did do a flower garden with poppies and I am in LOVE with them, they will be a new tradition for us to have beautiful poppies in the spring.....Every year, the 3rd grade class receives a cabbage seedling to grow and if they want they can enter that cabbage in a state competition....Megan wanted to do it when she was in 3rd grade but only for a few days, that poor cabbage never left our kitchen window.....Jacob on the other hand has diligently taken care and looked after and has done all the work with the transplanting and everything and looks forward to entering his giant cabbage.....

snow?!

well, kinda.....it was more like snow dust.......it was fluffy and powdery but hardly enough for a snow ball, a snow man was totally out, somehow it was enough for the schools to shut down and it was an official snow day! We "celebrated" with a snow day breakfast and hot cocoa for breakfast....snow days are great if your a kid but snow days were a pain if your a mom- gloves,socks,shoes,hats, coats and jackets times 4!

Heath in January!

These are misc pics of Heath in January....it's weird b/c if there arent any posts for January it almost as though January never happened.....Heath goes to nursery in March and no one is happy about it esp mom who is not ready for him to get big- even a little bit!

Blue and Gold for Pack 304

These are the Barton Boys at the Blue and Gold Banquet for Cub Scout Pack 304 (Jacob's pack)....Jared has just been called to be a den leader....he does have a shirt but he grew out of his old one (go figure) and his wife didn't get his patches on in time......Travis is a Tiger this year and was stoked to finally have his scout shirt......it was a fun night- soup and potatoes!

Time with Dad!

Jared surprised us one day and quit work early, early like before the older kids came home from school. This meant Chloe and Heath had dad all to themseves, so they made castles and dug tunnels in the sand box.....

I'm stuck!!

It seems that overnight this baby has turned into a notorious climber...so, to avoid him climbing up, I keep my chairs all pushed in under the table...only to run into this problem : being constantly summoned to rescue this cute baby from under the table and between the chair!!

chloe the rainbow

"chloe go get your primary clothes and bring them downstairs."
"Can I pick out my clothes?"
"Yeah, go pick something out for primary tomarrow and bring them downstairs"
She brings down her spring dress with a sweater to go over, which I gave into and said yes.
"Go get your shoes"
"Um, Chloe....those shoes don't match the colors in your dress"
"that's okay, I want to be a rainbow"

that is so chloe-a rainbow!!

Chirstmas Sunday

I try to take a picture of us Christmas Sunday and Easter Sunday.....so here we are Christmas Sunday, minus Jared who was busy going to church with Donny Osmond.....Sundays are such crazy days....yet here we are all dressed up and even a few smile from some of us.....

Not just a pair of shoes

The week before my mom passed away, she took each of my children shopping for back to school clothes....she even took Chloe, and while she was shopping, she came across these cute shoes and wanted to get them for her for this upcoming Christmas.....With all the crazines of the funeral and then Jared's dad passing I had totally forgot about these shoes.....When my sister and I were going through her stuff I found them.....Every time I see these shoes, I remeber that moment she came back with Chloe with cute new clothes just for Chloe and I remeber how excited my mom was about these shoes and how darling Chloe would look in these shoes at Christmas time....for me, these shoes are my last moments with my mom.....these shoes are represent that this Christmas, my mom is missing from all the festivities,dinners and fun.....everytime I see these shoes I see someone who isn't with us....

Brothers are the Best

In all the craziness that goes on in the morning before church(which just so happened to include 4 dz cookies for primary friends) I came around the corner and saw this....totally unexpected and made me feel all warm and fuzzy....it's the little things like this which makes the world go round....

Making Gingerbread Houses

I wanted the little ones to have an opprotunity to do a Christmas activity before the big kids came home for the holidays, so Chloe and Heath with the Pressgrove cousins made gingerbreadhouses to decorate (eat) and it was fun-lots of fun.....

Heath and Blayne

Heath enjoyed his time visiting with his cousin Blayne while Chloe and Ethan decorated their gingerbread houses....it was fun to watch Heath interact with him....cute cute cute!

homemade gifts.....

I am sooo grateful for creative friends who share their "creativeness" with me.....The girls needed a gift to pass out to their dance class friends, but it needed to be super inexpensive.....so we made these clips which are really cute!!

Birthday done Barton style

Travis received a paint ball gun for his birthday so of course we had to have a game of war....Jared paired up with Megan and went against the two boys.....Chloe was crushed that she wasnt included in all the fun, but quickly forgot about it when mom whipped out a slice of pie :)

New Dryer

Jared was supposed to be in NYC until the end of the month, but was given tickets home for a weekend...so in addition to having as much fun together before he goes back, he also picked up and installed our new dryer....Jacob loves to help his dad on tinker projects .....

Christmas Play

Miss Megan has never been shy.....she had lots of fun with one of the lead roles at their school Christmas play

Mr Travis was very excited to be part of his role which he shared with his 1st grade classmates singing, " I dreaming of a white Christmas"

This is the second year Jacob waived his part in the production....but it makes a bigger fan club for those who do want to be in it.....This was the first year doing the play in the districts fine arts building, which they sold tickets to....we also enjoyed the company of Grandma Barton as well as Aunt Rebecca and her family.....followed by chicken noodle soup for dinner :)

Happy Birthday Travis!! (december 11th)

I don't often find myself unable to express how I feel....but to put my feelings for this little man into words is on the difficult side....How to convey just how wonderful and at the same time about to drive me crazy just doesnt even begin.....I never knew just how boring and ordinary my life was without this little guy....and since then, it's as though another color has been added to the rainbows :) When people would ask me about him, I would tell them that his spirit is sobig and full of life, his little body is about to burst!! And that is exactly what Travis is to me....full of life, full of those things you never think to tell your children not to do until he is already knee deep doing whatever it is....In fact, at my mom's funeral, many of her colleagues who I had never met or spoken to, approached me with their condolances and then immediately asked if they could meet Travis- they had heard so much about him they wanted to see the boy behind the stories ....it was almost legendary..... Aside from all the funny memories and hysterical stories which are much more funny now that they have come and gone, my favorite thing about Travis is that he has the warmest heart I have ever met-ever!! even in that 7 year old body.....to make friends with Travis is to make a friend forever! May fireworks fill the skies on your special day:)HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS!!

Jared in NYC

We Miss you Jared

Scout Service Project

This morning my boys had a service project cleaning the side of the road in the adopt a highway program....they had lots of fun, and the weather was perfect-not too cold but not too warm(or muggy)