what are you thankful for.

put your answer here _______

i am so thankful for many things.
but most of all.
my family. i am so lucky to have such an amazing family. and got lucky marrying into another wonderful family. there is nothing more important than family. no we do not get to choose them-and family is not always perfect. but be thankful for them each and everyday. they are the people that will always be there for you. and love you no matter what. i love you all.
i have two healthy beautiful children.
an amazing husband.
a roof over my head.
giggles galore.
kisses and hugs each day.
what more do i need?
nothing. thank you to everyone who brings joy to our lives!!!!

we had such a great thanksgiving.
fun with family.
the kids have so much fun together.
we (or i should say the kids and papa) went on rides.
snowboarded behind the bobcat 4x4. the kids make it look so easy. and me=not so easy. but it was fun for everyone to atleast try.
good food.
good company.

OH CHRISTMAS TREE... OH CHRISTMAS TREE. how lovely are your branches.
we got to go out on our annual tree hunting adventure.
we picked out a perfect tree and got it up in the living room tonite!
it looks perfect. thanks mom and dad we love it!

now we are home again.
back @ it.
grandma and grandpa come over yesterday for a visit. they went out in the cold cold windy blustery weather and ran us an errand while they were out! thank you so much! they picked up us a big box. dillons little house is under construction. not looking so good but he loves it anyway! they stayed and played and dillon had a ball. ((he has turned in to a bit of a show off))

today we went to our first MOPS meeting.
you never know what you will take from it, who you will meet and today i was surprised how much i learned.
we had a wonderful speaker.
this is my take away.
1. BE THE BEST YOU that you CAN BE.
do not try to be someone else. do not be your best friend. your neighbor or anyone else. be you and only you. do what you love and love doing it!
2. ENJOY your kids. it is not work. it is LIFE. love it!
3. what would your kids say about you? what would you say about your mom or dad.
i have been thinking about this all day.
what do i want my kids to remember? i want them to remember the things we did, the laughter they always heard around the house, the hugs and constant love, the fun we had each day, the days we snuggles and watch ELMO, me listening to them, reading to them. xoxoxoox
i hope i can do that. being a mom is a hard job and all i can ask is that i can do what my mom did for me! it is a lot to live up to. thanks for being such a wonderful mother.
4. listen. when people talk listen, take it in and do not think about what you want to say next. i know people always say they can listen and do other things. but really can you? try this out.
try to sing jesus loves me while writing "the pledge of allegiance"
we tried this today. it is so hard. and mine did not come out right that is for sure.
we as humans were made to listen. and only listen. not do other things. that is how we are programmed. LISTEN!
5. do the people in your life make you a better YOU.
do the people in your life make you a better person. no i am not saying the people you just do not like them for no reason at all but the people in your life that make you negative. why are they in your life?!?!?! is there are people in your life who do not help you be the best you?

p.s. do not eat the covered pretzels @ our house. as you can see they were Dillon's project. he had do much fun. and i had so much fun cleaning up. he loves his little bobcat. every time we are @ my parents house we come home and he can not stop talking about their bobcat and papa and ride, ride, ride. he carries it everywhere. eats with him, sleeps with him and is always being driven around the house! dillon and preslee play so well together. dillon loves to be where she is. oh how i hope to keep this relationship strong! every little girl needs a great big brother! xoxoxo

drew is off @ curling.
and i am off to bed.
xox

lights camera.....

action.
getting all of the cousins to sit and smile for one picture was a bit harder than expected!
but i think they are cute. and show everyones personality!

we spent some time down with the birdwells a couple of weekends ago and celebrated Chases 2nd birthday! i can hardly believe he is 2! yikes how time flies by.
dillon and preslee have so much fun hanging out with their cousins. they are oh so lucky to have them in their lives! we love you all. xoxoxoox
happy birthday to my little chase!
love mimi

its beginning to look alot like christmas....

ok so not really.... but i am maybe a little ready to see the white stuff outside. might get a bit more in the mood. but then again wearing my flip flops most days still is so nice!

we are on the mend here @ the barkers.
drew is back to feeling good.

dillon too. and super hard to keep up with these days.
pres is now on antibiotics. treating her for bronchitis.
me. getting better. monday was the worst day. but got throught it somehow.
got the kids both to camp out in the basement and even watched a whole movie with popcorn in the middle of the afternoon!!! it was a great day!
drew is out @ curling. ((not curling yet but "meetings"))
dillon spent some time @ gramma and grandpa's this afternoon and tonight. after i picked him up it was right to bed and pres and i got some time to hang out just us girls!!!
it is amazing how little of that time we actually get. she is so darn cute and loves to smile and laugh ((just a little giggle)) and listen and talk back too! love these times!

only one more week of gymnastics left. kind of sad. kind of happy. so we might not have a olympic medalist on our hands. but then again i have been wrong b.f
this week drew came with us this week. dillon was a little saint and showed off. a lot less work with him around. w. me being sick it was a perfect day for him to come!

daddy with the kids last weekend! cartoons in the am!
and dillon in his favorite spot. he would take a bath twice a day if we let him! he loves it.

dillons new toy! seriously. why buy toys when you have these!!!
((if you are a mom you know what these are))

pres's daily routine. sleep, play, eat, sleep, play, eat..... she has got the life.

play time. GO SIOUX.
dillon taking snack time to the bathroom. not sure why he needed to do it all @ once?
and dillon giving miss pres a head massage. what a big brother. he will for sure make her pay him back someday!

love this magnet board that my dad made me that hangs in my hallway.
i love all of the pictures that i can see daily!
i know randomness.
more to come.

hate the new toyota commercials. disappointed i should say. not hate. with bullying being a big topic today. and they go and talk about being "lame mom" if you do not drive a sienna. really?!?!? i think that it is ridiculous that this got through the marketing team!!?!?
more to come.

ok. off to bed for this girl.

back to normal?

are we back to normal yet? i wish i could say yes. but....
dillon is still sick. preslee is better i think? still couching a bit but better. dillon-i am just not sure. running nose and more than ever a bit of a temper! yikes!
we are surviving but i will have to say. BARELY!
gymnastics was a disaster. coach judy might think i am a nut. but she says she gets it. so lets hope she is telling the truth and does get it??!?!?!
kids will be kids. and i would have it no other way.
i want my children to be adventurous, fun and always learning new things.
so if they have to do that by doing things wrong along the way. i am ok with that!!!!
i am thankful each and everyday for their health and happiness.
yes. it is not always fun or easy. but it is our life. and we will get through it. one way or another. i am guessing we will have bigger challenges in our future.
no need to stress about if he is listening well in gymnastics. or wanting to crawl like a bear today!

proof of my craxz drive to nana and papa's
went for the weekend with the kids.
drew went hunting in MN.
i braved the drive with a sick dillon.

this is what dillon looked like on our way home to nana and papas this past weekend.
fell asleep right b.f we stopped @ target. had to wake him up.
then back in the car for 2 more hours. and this is what i saw. had to get this shot when i pulled over one time out of the 100 to try to get him to calm down.
tylenol in his hair, snot running down his nose. the only time i could get him to relax was with a fun silly straw. ((did not last long)) but i loved it while it lasted. singing dillon dillon bo billon.
and as we got closer to their house i got him thinking about the bobcat.

this is what made his weekend. ride ride ride. go go go. is all we heard all weekend.
from the bobcat to the tractor to the 4 wheeler bobcat.
thanks dad for being to patient and being outside all day with dillon.
he can not wait to come back. lets hope it is nice out!
thanks mom and and dad for the fun weekend! love you. xoxoxoox


my baby girl is getting so big. she is so fun. sleeping so well.
loves watching d. loves to smile, giggle a little and relax on the floor.
she is growing to fast!


i have been working in any free time i can find on my pLum inventory for the dec show. just when i feel like i am getting somewhere. i want to start something new. my attention span is not as long as it used to be. but oh how i love new ideas and new inspiration!

it is way too late. why am i up?
drew is on his way home from GF so i am trying to stay up but i think i am need to go to bed!
xoxoxoxo