O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

(I will warn you now this is a forever long post. I think I got a little carried away but I was in the mood. Feel free to ignore or even just look at the pictures!!)

I hope everyone else had as good of a Thanksgiving as we did. I know I have so many things to be thankful for and I wanted to do a post about all the different things but I haven't gotten around to it and now I want to do one about everything else that has happened since. Maybe another day I will but do know that I have been thinking about all those things and I am greatful for them.

I didn't find anything that I really wanted in the Black Friday adds but it is so much fun to go and fight the crowds so I got up at 4:30 and went with my mother-in-law. We got there at 5:15 and everything she wanted was already gone. Bummer. Oh well it was still fun. You know I am actually surprised that I like it because any other day of the year I do not enjoy shopping with big crowds and they aren't even half as bad as Black Friday. We couldn't even get a shopping cart that day.

We went to the craft fair that afternoon and to the Trees for Charity. I got some really cute ideas for a tree for Clint. I was going to put it out on my front porch but I haven't gotten around to it. Oh well maybe next year. Then that night Clint and I took the kids to the light parade. We got there just as it was starting at the other end of town. So we ended up sitting out in the cold for a while just waiting for it to make its way to our end of town.

Clint and the kids waiting for the parade.

The next day we went pheasant hunting. Clint's uncle raises them and so he let some go for us. And the guys were nice enough to let me come a long. Dave was gonna let more go but we had to leave so he got two out just for me to shoot but I missed. I actually didn't even get a shot at the first one. Oh well it was still fun! Thanks again Dave.

Then we went and got Christmas trees. I love going to get them. Darcy and Garrett were both sound asleep so we left them behind. I am glad we did. Kale was whining after ten minutes that he didn't want to look anymore and Wyatt wanted to be carried the whole time and screamed if one of us wasn't carrying him. I can't imagine what it would have been like having to carry the baby and drag Darcy around too. It wasn't very easy to find a really pretty one as big as we wanted. We found a lot of nice little ones. Oh well I like the one we got.

Kale was laying on this fallen tree pouting that he was cold. I did inform him that he would be a lot warmer if he stopped laying and sitting in the snow. Did my imformation help? No.

Clint would carry him and then when we would stop to look at a tree he would set him on a tree stump.

You can kind of see Kale's pouty face in this picture. That is how he looked almost the entire time and I couldn't get him to look at me to take a picture.

It is such a big tree!! Poor Clint had to carry it all the way back to the truck by himself. He couldn't see where he was going most of the time and we went quite a ways to find it. I am not sure why he left it hanging off the back of the truck like that. Oh well. And do you like how the truck is so perfect for Christmas time! haha I laugh at it all the time. We said it would be perfect if it had white tires!! Oh well Clint doesn't seem to mind. Obviously.

Here it is all decorated. Monday night Tawna and Lloyd and Kalynn came over and we made docorations. Every year that Clint and I have had a tree we have stringed fruit loops and popcorn. Its has become our little family tradition. Clint says he hates doing it. He actually wasn't even there when we made them he was helping someone move. But he says he doesn't like to decorate the tree either. He said he would just sit and watch while the kids and I did it. Guess who actually decorated most of the tree? Yeah not me. It was more like Clint decorate it while I sit and watch. I wish you could tell better how tall it actually is. I will have to have the kids stand next to it and post that picture so you can tell.

We just decorated it last night and I already had to put most of the ornaments back on. Wyatt got a little hobby horse from Clint's Grandpa Jack and Grandma Donna (which goes EVERYWHERE with us) and he decided to use it to get everything within reach off the tree.

The rest of these pictures are just random things that have happened over the last few weeks.

Clint was laying some of the slate on the front porch and Darcy decided to go visit him. She was in her pajamas ready to go to bed. It made me laugh that her coat is undone and she in putting her hands in her pants to get them warm. Oh how I love her!

Clint told me he wanted me to go duck hunting with him. I said ok so Friday night we took the older kids over to Lloyd and Kalynn's house to spend the night and we got up at like 5:30 the next morning dropped Garrett off and went goose hunting. (I know I said duck before and that was the original plan but this guy said Clint should come shoot the geese that keep coming to his field) Scott went with us. It was so cold. I had a shirt, sweater, this coat, thermal bottoms, coveralls and then another coat and I was still freezing!! I think it was the first night it got into the negatives. I'm not sure I want to go again. At least I'll check the weather and make sure it isn't supposed to be so cold!! And it wouldn't have been so bad if I could have gotten up and moved but I had to stay hidden in weeds. This was the only goose they killed. Scott and Clint both shot it. Oh and who am I kidding if Clint asked me to I would most likely go again even if it was that cold.

We found out that there was another leak in our bathroom shower. Which is on the other side of the wall from Wyatt and Darcy's room. Clint pulled up the carpet to see how bad it was and there was mold. Yay! Most of you know about our mold problem in the crawl space so this was just icing on the cake. I can tell you I was very upset. If this was an older home or if we lived somewhere with a lot of humidity I would understand but not in a house that isn't even a year old and here. Luckily we haven't used the shower because Clint hasn't quite finished grouting it. Who knows how bad it could have been. Darcy's bed used to be in front of the wall where it was leaking I think it was because I moved her bed that I noticed that the baseboard had water damage.

Anyway so Clint cleaned it up right when we found it but we decided to have them stay in Kale's room for a few nights. Well they are still in there. I think they are all so cute snuggled up in the same bed. I am not sure when I will move them back in their room. They usually lay nicely not flopped all over like that. It was just so cute I couldn't resist taking a picture.

Last night Clint told me that he was going to give the boys a bath. Of course Darcy wants to take part. (Poor thing she really needs a sister) So this was Clint's solution. It works out great. The jets make wonderful bubble baths. And then everyone is covered. They had so much fun. Wyatt wasn't so sure but I think he still liked it. I was taking care of Garrett and I kept hearing "Momma come look" Clint and Kale kept going under and getting their heads covered and then they would wipe the bubbles away in certain places and look so funny. I could have sat there with the camera the whole time and gotten some pretty funny pictures.

I just found this video. It is one of the Mormon Messages on youtube. I absolutely LOVE it. I just keep replaying it, so I thought I would share. The music and the message are beautiful! Make sure you pause my playlist before you watch it!! I also recommend watching their other videos. You can watch them on lds.org or youtube.

We sang this song in Relief Society yesterday and I just love it.

Master, the Tempest is Raging

Master, the tempest is Raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o'ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threat'ning
A grave in the angry deep?

The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea
Or demons or men, or whatever it be
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey They will
Peace, peace, be still!

Master, with anguish of spirit
I bow in my grief today
The depths of my sad heart are troubled
Oh, waken and save, I pray!
Torrents of sin and of anguish
Sweep o'er my sinking soul
And I perish! I perish! dear Master
Oh, hasten, and take control

Master, the terror is over
The elements sweetly rest
Earth's sun in the calm lake is mirrored
And heaven's within my breast
Linger, O bless'd Redeemer!
Leave me alone no more
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor
And rest on the blissful shore

Halloween and Fun

I feel like such a slacker. I love to look at other people's blogs and wish they would update them more often but then I neglect mine. I will try to be better but I wouldn't count on it.
Ignore the fact that some of my pictures are big and some are small. For some reason it wouldn't let me make some bigger.

The Monday before Halloween we had Family Home Evening with Clint's family at our house and carved pumpkins.

The finish products!

I wish I would have taken a picture of all of our pumpkins. I decided we needed a bunch for our front porch. I thought that just a couple would look pretty small and lonely so I only bought about fifteen! They were so cute when I had them all out.

Our neighbors have this cute train that you can ride. They offer rides every Halloween and on other occasions. It is so fun and the kids love it!! Quite frequently when we drive by the kids want to know when we can ride it again.

Kale wanted to be a dinosaur this year. When I showed him this costume he was so excited!!

Wyatt hated wearing his costume. We even practiced wearing it and going trick-or-treating in hopes that he would like it. It didn't work, every chance he got he tried to take it off. Oh well hopefully next year he will like it better.

Here's our little pumpkin. It was pretty cold that night so he spent the majority of it in his car seat.

All the girls in the family dressed up like witches.  I think with the picture so small you can't really tell but I look so goofy. I always manage to do something to ruin a good picture!! haha sorry ladies!

Two weekends ago the weather was nice so we decided to take the kids fishing. When we got up there Clint realized he forgot the fishing poles. Luckily he had left one in the back of his truck on a previous trip. The kids didn't care though they had so much fun just running and getting dirty. We only were at the lake for about an hour when the clouds started moving in and the wind started blowing. That was ok though it was fun and Clint did catch a pretty nice one.

On our way back Clint decided we better stop and check and make sure the horses had water. When he got back to the truck, Kale said, "Look a pheasant!" Sure enough there was a hen and a rooster pheasant in the field and it happened to be opening day of the pheasant hunt. And not surprisingly Clint had his shotgun in the truck. Kale was so happy he asked if it was his pheasant. I'm glad we were able to get out one more time before winter hits!

One day I decided I wanted to try curling Darcy's hair in ringlets. She looked so cute. It was sad though. I had her sitting on the counter in the bathroom and had set the curling iron down next to her and she put her hand down and burned her finger. She got a big blister and everything. Then she wanted Daddy to come home and Grandma to come get her. Luckily I did get her to let me finish it.

This cracked me up. I don't know how she could stand having her arms under her like that.

This is the best picture I have been able to get of Garrett smiling. It isn't even a very good one. He smiles so big and it is so stinking cute!!

I am a terrible picture taker. I didn't get one of Darcy by herself on Halloween and the ones I got of the other kids aren't very good. I guess I will have to have them get in them again and get a few more. Other than Wyatt I don't think they will mind. In fact I have let them put them on a few times since. They are just so cute.

Hunter Man

Clint has been so excited about hunting this year. He has spent countless hours looking at maps, on Google Earth, and on the mountain. So Thursday he told me he was going hunting, and being closing night of the elk hunt, I figured that was it we weren't getting an elk again this year. Well, he called me just as it was getting dark and I asked "Did you get one?" I figured because of the time of day he hadn't gotten one otherwise he would probably still be up there cutting it up and stuff. To my surprise he said yes. I had to ask him a couple of times if he was serious. He was so excited. I probably shouldn't tell anyone this. He wouldn't be impressed. But he kept it in the back of his truck the next day and took it to work with him so he could show everyone. It made me laugh. I took him a drink that day and while I was there the guy that does the soffit and fascia for them came and he said "That's a nice bull Clint. You know if you had waited a few more years you would have had the world record." "That's exactly what I was thinking as I was pulling the trigger." Of course if he could have guaranteed that he would get it in a couple of years he would have waited but he can't so he shot it. He is still really happy with it especiallhy when his dad told him he hasn't ever shot one that big. I will admit I was pretty excited for him. I waited up for him to get home. Which wasn't until after 1:00 am. And of course we didn't get into bed until after 2. He was so excited telling me all about it.

This made me laugh.

Kale is loving school still. I can't believe how much he is learning. His teacher sent home a note the other day saying that he had already passed off all his first trimester skills and all his letters and they just barely had midterm. I am so proud of him. When I went to parent teacher conference she told me that she uses him quite often for her helper because he always listens and does just what she needs him to do. She said he is very respectful. I was a little worried just because I know a few of the boys in his class and I thought they might create some problems being together.

Look at what a beautiful girl I have!!

Darcy is such a little girl. You know those princess dress ups that they have and the big shoes that you can get to go with them? Well Darcy LOVES those shoes. They are huge on her but she does not care. She has to wear them everywhere. At first I tried to fight her over it but then I decided it just wasn't worth fighting over. A couple of Sundays ago she put on Kale's irrigation boots with her dress. I told her she couldn't wear them but then she asked Clint and he said sure. It was great. I wish I would have had a camera to take her picture. Yesterday she told me to stop being sassy! I had to laugh. She also has started lying. Ugh, it drives me crazy. If anyone has any ideas of how to break a child of this it would be greatly appreciated. I have tried everything I can think of and nothing has worked. She is a lot of fun and I am glad that I have a little girl.

I love all the faces he makes.

Wyatt is such a smarty pants. He still isn't talking much but we know if he wanted to he could. Almost every day he says a word that I haven't heard him say before and he says them almost perfect. He still just loves to watch everyone. If I take him to the park or something, he will sit and watch all the other kids play for a half hour and then he will finally go play. It seems like he has to warm up to everything. He is so much fun right now!

Garrett is two months! The time has gone by so fast. He still sleeps a lot. But he is doing good he holds his head up really well. He has started cooing at us. He also started smiling about two weeks ago. He is so sweet. He isn't nearly as fussy as he was. That is nice. He doesn't have the gas like he used to so I guess that is what was causing it. The older kids still adore him and want to hold him all the time. I think he likes them too. Today he was laying on the bed crying and Wyatt climbed up and sat by him and Garrett stopped crying and just stared at Wyatt. It was really cute.

His toes are so long! They makes me think of a monkey's feet

All the pictures of the kids my sister took. I meant to post them a while ago but I am such a slacker.

First Day of Kindergarten

I know, I know I am so slow getting posts done lately! It seems with each additional child you add to the family it just takes more time to get anything done. Or maybe that is just an excuse on my part...or maybe a little of both.
So Kale started kindergarten three weeks ago. He loves it!! I have noticed such a difference in him and he is just soaking everything up like a sponge. His new favorite thing is for Clint or I to say a word and then he will tell us what letter it starts with. He does really good too! He is already trying to figure out how to spell words by sounding them out. I can't believe how smart that kid is! He rides the bus every day to and from school and loves that. I am not sure if I like it or not. He is getting to interact with the older kids in the school on the way home which is probably a good thing but I am not sure I like it mostly because he is already growing up so fast he doesn't need the influence of other kids.

This is him on the first day of school. Isn't he so hansome! He still doesn't like me to say he is cute. He's getting so big too. And Mittens Kitten I will have to tell you about her in a minute.
I think all younger siblings have to have a picture like this. They are so cute they like to walk Kale out to the bus every day. They give him a hug and a kiss as he is getting on the bus. And then they want to go out and get him when the bus drops him off. It is so precious and I love that they love each other so much. I just hope they can keep it up.

You know those days when you've just about had it? Well I was having one of those days this day. I heard Darcy squealing and I didn't really want to know why. The next thing I know Kale is dragging her in like this. I'm not sure why she decided she needed to be buckled in Garrett's seat but she did and turned the buckle part around so neither she or Kale could undo it. I laughed so hard. Today I don't find it funny but that day it was just what I needed.

We are adjusting to having a fourth child rather well. At least most of the time. By the end of the day I am exhausted though. At least I am going to sleep right? The kids absolutely love Garrett. I am so glad. I thought Wyatt would have really bad jealousy issues but he hasn't. I spend a lot of time reading books to him. I have noticed occasionally that one of them will just act up or have a melt down. I know when that starts happening they are in need of some one on one time with Mom and Dad. I don't know how I managed to have such great kids, even when they are naughty I know they are better than a lot of peoples kids are when they are being good.

Ok, I have to tell you about our poor kitty. We decided to get some cats to help with any mice problem that might occur. Living in a hay field and having horses and a hay stack close to the house we thought we would have mice in the house. So we got them right after they were weaned and were keeping them in the garage since they used a litter box and everything already and we were afraid a coyote, racoon, dog, or who knows what else would get them. One day we had been doing something in the garage and had the door open. Well when we went to close it the kitty decided it needed to come out. Clint even sat and watched to make sure neither one came out until there was only like three inches or something left. The kitty decided to come out and got squished. It was so sad. Neither one of us was very close to an opener. I thought for sure she was going to die but she didn't she is just down one life. Well then they ran away to the neighbors house but Clint was walking by and she came running out and he brought her home and she decided she liked us and has stayed since. Well not long after getting her back, I had come home and as I was walking in the house I heard the kitten but couldn't see her. I had the strange thought to look in a cooler that was sitting out. Darcy had been playing with her and didn't want her to run away again so she put her in the cooler. Poor kitty was in there for a day and a half in the hot part of the summer. She got so sick she couldn't even meow. Again I thought she was going to die but didn't. She's just down another life. Something else traumatic happened to her more recently but I can't remember what. I'll tell you what she is one tough cat! I'm so glad that she decided to stick around. She has already caught three mice that we know of. (not to mention all the grasshoppers and preying mantis)

I know this is really sad I posted more about our cat, that I don't really care for, than I did my kids. Life hasn't been very eventful lately. At least I can't recall any exciting events since baby was born. Wyatt has started talking more that is one good thing but it still has to be his own idea.

I hope all of this makes sense, I am rather tired.

Garrett Bill Barton

August 21, 2009

3:25 PM

8 lbs. 1 oz

21 inches

I know I am so slow getting this done. Garrett is almost three weeks old already! Time really is flying! I was going to post the whole birth story because I love birth stories but I decided not to right now, maybe another day. So here are the pictures of our beautiful little guy! This is right after they got him all cleaned up.

Right after they gave him back to me. I don't remember him crying a lot but both of those pictures he looks like he is.

I couldn't get enough of him. They like you to try to feed the baby as soon as possible after birth and Clint kept asking "Aren't you going to feed him?" I probably sat like this for at least ten minutes. He is so perfect.

Our first family picture. I feel bad it kind of feels like Darc was pushed aside. I just couldn't have her on my lap. I hadn't been hurting until they came and wanted me to hold them. I should have let her sit on my legs. They were still numb.

Happy Anniversary! You can tell he is so thrilled to be there. He wanted to go home the next day but I wanted to stay and get a good nights sleep before we headed home and the hospital doesn't charge any more if you stay two nights over just one so I wanted to take advantage of the help. So we spent our six year anniversary in the hospital! He was so sweet. He bought me flowers. I wish I would have gotten a picture of them. The vase was a cowgirl boot. It was so cute! I love it. He also bought be matching freshwater pearl bracelet, necklace, and earrings. I meant to get him something before we went to the hospital but I didn't have it in me to even go shopping by myself. So he got a new baby boy for his anniversary present.

This was a few days after coming home. They wanted to lay down by baby brother. If only it was always this easy to get them to take a nap. Poor Wyatt won't just lay down most of the time so he had to be in his bed. They all just love him. It seems like one of them wants to be holding him at all times during the day.

Summertime Fun

For Lisa and Scott's birthdays we went up to the lake. The kids had so much fun playing in the water. I am terrible with taking pictures though so I only got a couple of Wyatt on Scott's birthday.

That ball was in the car and he insisted he bring it with him. He LOVES balls right now. I guess I should say he loves to throw and it doesn't matter if it is a ball or not. And it doesn't matter how close he is to you, he might be two inches from your face and throw it at you.

This was so funny. I didn't see what happened. I was looking at him one second and he was standing then I looked away for a second and when I looked back this is how he was. He didn't cry or anything he just laid there even after Lloyd put a chip in his mouth.

We went fishing up to Matt Warner with the kids a couple weeks ago and had so much fun we went back and invited Scott and Lisa to go with us. Clint found this water snake right when we got there. Kale was so excited. He wanted to bring it home to be his pet. Unfortunately he isn't the nicest to things like that yet so after a little bit we made him let it go so he didn't kill it.

Clint and Darcy are reeling in a fish I think in the background Lisa and Kale were both reeling one in too. I wish it hadn't turned out so blurry.

She loved reeling them in. I wish I would have gotten one of Kale with a fish but I had issues with my camera that night and I could get it to work sometimes and others not. He was reeling in every one's fish though. If Scott or Lisa caught one half the time Kale was the one reeling it in.

I feel so bad for this fish. On a fish earlier Clint told Kale to hit it on the head to kill it. Well Darcy remembered and we looked down to see this. She just kept squishing its head. She was trying so hard.

I'm not sure why Clint insisted I get my picture taken it wasn't the first time I have caught a fish or anything. Oh well. I did tell him afterward that this is like the first picture we have of me in probably 18 months. I don't mind, I'm not to fond of pictures of me anyway. I should have turned though. The sweater is very deceiving you can't tell how HUGE I am.

We are all doing good right now. The baby is getting so close to coming!! I am so not ready. I remember with all the others by this time I was so ready to have the baby. This time I am not at all. The only thing is that I am so hot and we don't have AC yet. I keep getting told its not that hot but it sure feels like it to me!! If we stick to our Aug. 21 date we only have 29 days left but if we decide to change the most is 36 days because if I can help it I am not going clear till the due date. (which is only 40 days away) We still aren't sure what to name him so any ideas would be greatly appreciated.