Rebekah's Baptism Weekend

Friday, October 9th was a very special day at our house. I know, it was over a month ago and I should have gotten around to this sooner. Rebekah turned 8 on Sept. 5th. This is a very special age in our household. At the age of 8, a child gets to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Most of you that read this blog already know that but just in case there is someone out there that doesn't. So, after shuffling dates and schedules around, Friday, October 9th was the chosen date. Lots of family came to town for the occasion (and the football game the next day) and lots of friends joined in too. It is a very exciting and proud moment for a parent to watch their child get baptized. We are so proud of Rebekah and her decision to enter the waters of baptism and become a member of the true church of Jesus Christ. She was excited for the day to come. At her interview with the bishop, he asked her if she was excited to be baptized. She responded "Yes". He then asked her how long she had been excited about her baptism. Her response, "Oh, ever since I first heard about it, 3 or 4 months ago." This got a chuckle out of all of us because we pretty much start talking about their baptism from the day they are born. Anyway, here are some pictures from that day. I think I have a pretty cute family!

Catch Up Post

Everyone keeps bugging me to get this thing updated. So, here will be your updates for August and September at the Barrowes household.

FLYING RATS

One day I was standing in my front doorway talking to a neighbor. There are always pigeons flying around, landing on our roof and making big messes-especially in the spring time when they are making their nests and laying eggs. Anyway, I turned around and looked in my living room and one of these stupid flying rats had walked right past me through the door and into my living room. YUK! It learned real quick to not mess with me and my broom.



SCHOOL ENDS, SCHOOL BEGINS

Rebekah finished 2nd Grade on August 7. She loved her teacher, Mrs. Ferriero. We had a 2 week "summer break" since we are on year round school and then she started
3rd Grade. I can't believe I have a 3rd grader! Rhett started preschool and he loves it. He wishes it was every day. So do I.








SEEGMILLER FAMILY REUNION

Every other year, my mom's family has a family reunion. A different sibling is in charge of it so it is always an adventure to see where we will end up and how we will spend our weekend. This year is it was over Labor Day weekend and it was at Spring Mountain Ranch in Northeastern UT. The family that planned it found an AWESOME lodge that could fit all of us (about 75 people ranging from Grandpa Seegmiller Age 94 to my niece Piper, Age 5 months). It was a blast! My family is RAD! Neldon couldn't come with me this time because of his schedule change at work so it was a long 9 hour drive for me and the kids but it went really well. We played games, chit-chatted till the wee hours of the morning, learned some family history (mostly from my dad's side, the Allreds. My grandma Sessions grew up in the Uintah Basin area), ate lots of food, and watched a killer BYU vs. Oklahoma football game. I need to steal some pictures that my family took because I really didn't take very many.









BIRTHDAYS

Rebekah turned 8 on Sept. 5. Austin turned 2 on Sept. 15. Neldon turned 39 on Sept. 27. September is our birthday month.
Rebekah had a Hannah Montana party. It was all rock star themed and I made her a guitar shaped cake. They watched the Hannah Montana movie that had just come out on DVD.





Austin had a train themed party. I made him a train cake. We just invited some friends over for dinner and let the kids run around. Then we opened presents and ate cake and ice cream. Austin stayed up late playing with his new train tracks. Finally he fell asleep on them.






Neldon didn't get a birthday party. He was at his parents' house so I was off the hook. He bought himself a new bike so I didn't even have to worry about buying him a gift. Next year will be the big 40 so we will go crazy then.

DOMESTIC GODDESS

Well, not really, but I felt that way for a couple of days. I got a killer deal on some produce so then I had to figure our what to do with it. It all got canned. 25 quarts of peaches, 14 quarts of pears, and 14 pints of salsa. MMMMM!






So, that catches you up through September.

Yellowstone

We visited Yellowstone this past weekend while we were in Idaho. The day started off rainy and overcast. Jenny had only packed shorts & sandals for everyone and worried about being cold. But, by the end of the day, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. We tried to do the whole park in one day. Most of the day was spent on the northern end looking at all of the waterfalls and mountains. I informed the kids that we were inside of a volcano and it really had them curious and confused. They couldn't figure out where the lava was. I love Yellowstone, but Rebekah thinks the thermal sites smell like daddy. What is that supposed to mean? The thing we heard the most from the kids was "oh no, not another waterfall." The kids thought the mudpots and geysers were more exciting. Regardless, we had fun, and the kids loved seeing all the animals (which I thought there was a lack of). We ended the day in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Here are a few pictures:

Knight Family Reunion

With Jenny spending the week at Girl's Camp, I had to do this one on my own. That was no small task.... Dad and three kids camping in the wild. This year, we were high in the mountains between Manti and Price, Utah. As always, it was fun, and the kids had a blast. The things they enjoy most, like playing in the dirt, no baths, & eating with your hands.. etc, are the same things that wear out their parents. But, hanging out with the family and cousins makes it more than worth it. Next year, it is my family's turn to plan the reunion. Between the rain, and chasing kids all weekend, I can say that I was worn out when this one was over. I am just now recovering from the weekend. Here are a few pictures:

Manti LDS Temple

Austin playing ball with Grandpa Barrowes

Rebekah and Hazel on the Quad

Cousins at play

July 4th

Nothing special happened at our house on the 4th. It was the first time in ten years I have not worked the holiday, however, so that was nice. We woke up early Saturday (8 AM is early for me) to catch a parade, only to get there and find out that it was cancelled for budgetary reasons. So we ended up hanging out at the house doing pretty much nothing. We had a few fireworks to fire off that evening. Rebekah and her class put on a Independence Day show at school, and she did a great job.

How can you not love them?!!!!

Ever have one of those days when you wonder what you were thinking when you decided to be a parent? I know you have all been there. Luckily, children do amazing things each day to remind us how much we love them and how lucky we are to be trusted with these sweet little spirits. Well, I didn't have a bad day today but there have been recently. I was just looking at some pictures and decided I had to post them - like I said, How can you not love them?!

Vacation !!!!

For quite some time, Jenny and I have been planning our vacation to Colorado. It finally happened, and we just got home. It was a good time. Initially, we invited my parents, my sister Vanessa and her family, and the Able family, good friends of ours. Matt & Heather were the only ones to commit to it at that time, so we began planning. About two weeks before departure time, we found out my brother, Spencer, was going to be in the states from Hong Kong and wanted to come along. This re-ignited interest from Vanessa and Dave, as well as my mother and youngest brother, Bryce. Also tagging along was Daisy, our 13 year-old neighbor/babysitter. In all, we became a group of 23 (13 kids under ten, four of them 2 yrs old)


We found a great place to stay on Frying Pan Creek, near Basalt, Colorado. It is called Taylor Creek Cabins, and consisted of one large cabin, which we were able to reserve. By a stroke of luck, Spencer and Grandma Norma were able to get a smaller cabin in the same area due to a late cancellation. This gave us lots of room for kids to run, and beds for the adults. Kids got couches and floors for sleeping. It was a beautiful cabin, secluded, with a creek running through the property.

We packed a lot of events into a few days, and everyone had a good time. Some of the highlights included a bicycle ride along the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon, touring Glenwood Caverns, riding an Alpine slide, river rafting the Roaring Fork River, and a scenic drive to the Maroon Bells and over Independence Pass. Rebekah made her first attempt at river rafting, and by the end of the run, decided it was "boring." The guide did let her "drive" the boat a couple of times so I guess she is ready for some white water. Rhett tried his hand at fishing, but on his first cast, launched Matt's fishing pole into Frying Pan Creek, and that was the end of that. The kids ran & ran & ran and all had a good time, wearing out the grown-ups in the process. All in all, the trip was a success, and we are now experiencing the duldrums of a return to daily life - having all of the neighborhood kids show up by 10 am this morning to play.

Here are a few more pictures.

Austin.

Just using this post to show a picture of our little jokester, Austin. He is a fun kid with lots of energy, but even this little guy eventually runs out of gas.

The day after

Jenny's surgery went well, and she is now recovering here at the house. She is not terribly comfortable, but is happy for the pain killers the doc prescribed for her. This will probably be her roughest day, and she is pretty sore. Our neighbors and friends have been a big help already.

Jenny's Surgery

Today, Jenny will have a small and rather insignificant organ removed, her gall bladder. For such a small thing, it has caused her a good deal of pain of late. Her ultrasound revealed a few good sized stones, and the best option is just to take the thing out. It is a pretty minor surgery and she'll recover at home. Everyone wish her good luck.




In other news.... tomorrow, Rebekah and Rhett play their last soccer game till fall. This happens just in time, as temperatures are expected to reach 100 degrees in the afternoon, and Rhett's game is at 2:30. Such is the life in Las Vegas. The kids don't mind that the season is over, as it means the beginning of swimming lessons. Rebekah has essentially reached fish status already, and is a very good swimmer. Rhett is moving along well, and I predict will be swimming the big pool from end to end by August. Austin is in a Mommy-kid class and enjoys it already.

That's about all for now.

Catching up --March & April

With May already here, I'll catch you up on a few things that happened last month. One word would describe April 2009 -- BUSY. Three trips to Utah, soccer practice 3 times a week and games on the weekends, various activities at the rec center, a trip to the county fair, and an SUU Ballroom Dance Company Reunion (has it really been 12 years) have kept Jenny running full time. I have been busy studying and prepping for the promotional exam at work since January and am happy to say that process is complete as of yesterday, a huge relief.

Rhett and Rebekah have been busy playing soccer. Rebekah is getting pretty good at it and I hope she keeps playing down the road. She is less than fond of practicing, and frequently reminds me that she prefers swimming. The good news is that swimming classes start for her next week. Rhett is hilarious to watch when he plays soccer. At this stage, it is mostly a bunch of kids running around aimlessly with about half paying attention to the game and the rest picking dandelions, or waving to mom & dad on the sidelines. Last game, when Rhett was subbed in.... instead of running to the ball and getting involved, he did a running forward somersault, popped up on his feet, and struck a pose much like a gymnast does when sticking a landing. The parents watching the game all clapped, promting several repeats and not much soccer from Rhett for the rest of the day. He does enjoy his tumbling classes, and has already started swimming lessons, along with Austin who takes a class with Jenny.

Here are a few pictures from the previous month:

2009, the year of the breakdowns?

So far, we have averaged one major breakdown/month since the beginning of this year. In January, it was our washing machine that went ka-put. In February, it was our microwave..... see the post below. Then in March, we got hit by a big one: The water heater went out and had to be replaced, and that was too big a job for even me. This month, we replaced the printer, another recent death in the household. What's next? Austin has already tossed one of our cordless phones in the toilet this month, and our DVD player is hanging by a thread. I'd say that we are fast running out of appliances to break, but that is tempting the gods of electronics to slap us down again.

New Family Photos!

I finally got everyone dressed and ready for pictures. We went to Portrait Innovations. I love this place because the take soooooo many pictures. Our photographer took 127 shots. About 3/4 of them were no good but it ensured that we got some good ones. I ordered way too many so watch out, you may be getting a picture of my cute family whether you want one or not.

New Microwave

The kids were asleep, Neldon was at work, and the house was all mine to enjoy some peace and quiet. I thought to myself, "Mmm, hot chocolate sure sounds good." So I go to my trusty microwave to heat some water and it sparked and died. What???!!!! I have to heat water on the stove??!! Who can live without a microwave?! This was a little sad because we have had the microwave for almost 12 years. It was the first thing we bought with our wedding money. Like I said, who can live without a microwave?! So the next day, I took the measurements and loaded up the boys and we went to Lowe's. I found a microwave, bought it and went home to plug it in. I hadn't paid attention to the depth of the cabinet. The microwave I bought was too deep to fit in the cut out in our cabinets. So I had to take it back. I looked at several stores and online and all of the microwaves were too big. Except for the little ones that look like they belong in a toy kitchen for little kids. Anyway, we decided to go for the over the range version instead. Neldon did a great job installing it and now I can enjoy my microwaved hot water again.

Let the games begin!!

I finally paid attention and actually checked the soccer sign ups on time this year. Bekah and Rhett are both signed up and so far they love it. We had to miss their first games but they are ready for the game today. They were so excited to get their new gear that we had to put it all on and go to the park to practice. Austin was thrilled.

Ain't It True?!

I found this while doing some blog stalking and found it to be quite hilarious.


Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 15 step program first!

Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child'sbreast-feeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior. Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work(work hard and be productive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out. Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
1. Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
2. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle .
3. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower .

Lesson 7
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 8
1. Get ready to go out.
2. Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
3. Go out the front door.
4. Come in again. Go out.
5. Come back in.
6. Go out again.
7. Walk down the front path.
8. Walk back up it.
9. Walk down it again.
10. Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps.
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.

Lesson 9
Repeat everything you have learned at l east (if not more than) five times.

Lesson 10
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a preschool child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 11
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air. You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 12
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know,you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 13
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.

Lesson 14
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly.(Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 15
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it'sall worth it!' Share it with your friends, both those who do and don'thave kids. I guarantee they'll l get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!

PAY IT FORWARD

Pay It Forward Exchange is based on the concept of the movie "Pay it forward". I will send a hand made gift to the first three people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join the PIF exchange. All the gifts will be made and posted out 'sometime within the next year'. How exciting to not know when your surprise package will arrive! What you need to do in return, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog. This Exchange is only open to those with active websites or blogs. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PROMISE TO POST THIS SAME 'PAY IT FORWARD' MESSAGE ONTO YOUR BLOG, WHICH MUST BE ACTIVE IN ORDER TO PLAY. YOU WILL PAY IT FORWARD TO THREE PEOPLE WHO COMMENT ON YOUR BLOG. I'd love for you to join me! Will you? Other comments are welcome, but only the first three will be my Pay It Forward recipients. Come and join me who doesn't love a gift or giving gifts???