TMAFI 2012

Every year as we make our way up the winding highway 168 up into the Sierras that overshadow Bishop...i cant help but exhale deeply and breathe in deeper and feel a little like we have come home. I love this little area of California so much. We have some roots here - my grandpa worked a mine not too far from Bishop and our family would take yearly trips up to Mammoth. Bryan grew up going to Tahoe (just the other side of the mountain) so it is familiar ground these Sierras. And this little fishing trip - TMAFI - started out just an excuse to get an awesome campsite (see second to last photo) and has turned into an excuse to spend quality time with friends cities away. 

Little did i know when TMAFI began it would turn into what it has. This year was a rather small turnout, but most years we have had around 25 people. I am hoping for a big crowd next year since it will be the 10th one! But this year was so nice to have a small group. The kids stayed with Bob and Kathy at our house, so Bryan and I got to have some (much needed) alone time. I have been on trips and stuff, but never have i felt so completely relaxed. i prayed...a lot...i read books...i sat and thought. when was the last time i sat and thought? i couldnt even answer that...i am so continually distracted on a minute by minute basis at home. There is always something i am neglecting - be it laundry or work or cleaning or sometimes my children or husband...there is always responsibility here - it isnt a restful place. so its nice to be able to get away where cell phones dont work...where road trips spark awesome conversation, where the air is crisp and fresh and the stars come out for a show every night. its nice that my husband and i both love it too...it wouldnt be quite as fun if we didnt. we enjoy each other's company very much...it helps. i still think he is the greatest guy i have ever met.  And even though i wanted to win something awful this year...i secretly hope he gets a turn - because he is almost as good a fisher-person as me :) 

Barnes Boys - Where They At

Bodie Boy...he has been a little stinker lately! so mischievous (and dangerously quietly mischievous) i am talking drawing on the walls, drawing with crayon on the car window, sneaking into the fridge and throwing food all over, punching his little brother and then looking like he did nothing wrong...and then he has been the opposite of quiet in not so fun ways - throwing a tantrum for an hour when i made him dress himself (bryson couldnt wait to dress himself...and get himself into the car seat by himself - they are so different its eerie) and tantrums in general...whining just about every sentence. its been a little difficult with him...but then he flashes you this smile (see picture above) and he looks at you with the same eyes of his father - the eyes that just melt you and you can't stay mad at him for long. oh this boy! he has my number! it drives me crazy!!!

Bryson spent the first 2 weeks of summer with Bryan's parents - his meema and papa - in San Jose. He gave them a run for their money i hear...he did tennis camp with his meema for 2 hours and then would swim for 2 hours and then would golf 9 holes with his papa....like every day...i love meema and papa...and i know they had a blast with him. He has boundless energy this one. Since he got back Bryan has been taking him out on the course a lot and practicing with him here at the Barnes Country Club - he has been improving so fast! He entered his first tournament yesterday and took first place! holy stuff! SO EXCITED! i did not go, but Bryan said he played the best he had seen, totally stepped up his game - of course! there was COMPETITION! he takes after his mama (and dad!) - he par-ed 7 holes, made a birdie on one and bogey-ed one - so it came out to even par (they only played 9 holes). he sank some 8 foot putts and played with total Bryson confidence. when i was tucking him in last night i told him how proud i was of him. "I'm proud of me too mom!" - bryan and i talked about how this is the first award he has won solely on his own merit. that is something to be proud of! bryson also told bryan that golf is now his favorite sport and he wants to play it every day. i really hope he sticks with it...not just because it is difficult to get hurt playing golf...but because he has such a gorgeous natural swing, he could really go somewhere with it!

Bobby boy...Bobby had hand, foot, mouth disease a couple weeks ago and it was AWFUL. poor baby had blisters on his tongue, roof of his mouth, his cheeks and the backs of his lips...it was not fun. for about a week and a half he didnt eat much and was super cranky and had a rough time sleeping...but then...just like that...it was over and we had our happy crazy bobby back! and it was so nice to have him back - i got him from his crib and he flashed a big old goofy grin and oh my gosh...this kid...he just lights up your world! 

with bryson gone, it was just bobby and bodie and so interesting to see how they got on. bobby is talking so much more now - it is so fun to hear him say "Um On Bovee" and equally adorable things. he copies everything his brothers do (aghh!) and is fearless with the skateboard. he is already doing froggy foot while golfing and can balance like no ones business. he is growing way too fast - he can climb out of his crib and just searching for a bed for him is causing me to hyperventilate! he never got the memo that the baby isnt allowed to grow up!

4th of July!

This was the extent of our decorating this year...

bobby super pumped about the bike parade

The line up

i am aware it is the 9th of july...and really...i am amazed that i am telling about the 4th of july in july at all. its my day in the office today and what i should be doing is budgets and reconciling and all kinds of boring accounting stuff. but we have had such an amazing week i feel like i should be on vacation. which is not allowed for people who own a pool cleaning company. summer vacations are forbidden...but in my head i am on vacation...

so on the 4th we took part in the annual kids bike parade with our friends the Douglas' - so fun! and we are usually late, but this year we were early so we got to decorate our bikes a little better and register the boys - we usually just jump right in since we are late. after a nice bike ride we rode home and put bobby down for a nap and bryan bar-b-qued some pork bootie...and i got to read a book and bodie looked for bugs. we had the douglas' over...the neighbors over...my mom and sister and brother in law and don and julia and it was a low-key amazing time. the kids all played extremely well. we did the mentos/diet coke geysers in the street, which was hilarious and totally more for the grown-up (ish boys) and lit a little backyard firework display that exceeded any and all expectations. the food was amazing - as was the 3 desserts...i wish it could be 4th of July every day...except for pool parties...if no one had pool parties on the 4th of july that would be perfect!

My cute husband

Notice the flag in bodie's helmet

Baby Riley's Baby Shower

Sorry for the picture heavy post, but i couldn't pick which ones to leave off! Thank you cousin JJ for snapping pics for me, or else there would be no way to document the lovely day that it was! Liz and I threw a shower for my beautiful sister Sara-Britt in my backyard this past weekend. The weekend before my Aunt Stephanie and cousin Melissa threw Sara-Britt the sweetest most amazing shower ever for our family...and when we got there Liz and I realized they had the same idea in their mind for a theme (yellow and gray) so we quickly decided to re-think the theme since we didn't want to even try to compete with the professionals that they are...it was seriously amazing!

So we just used things i already had and kept it simple and it was a lovely day and just what Sara wanted - no agenda, no fuss, no games, just lovely women spending time together and blessing this (highly anticipated) baby Riley. There was a prayer of blessing on this baby and chatting time and then she opened gifts. Liz and I had arranged a group gift to get her the stroller she had wanted...little did i know she thought no one would buy her that stroller since it was a little pricey, so she registered for a different one in the mean time. to make a long story short...we were able to somehow surprise her with the stroller. She has just about all she needs and more and is ready to stop working (she was ready for that a while ago) and prepare to meet this baby!

Such a special time to celebrate. She is going to be the most amazing of moms and I can't wait to see her become a mom to her baby girl - she is going to fall so deep in love! It makes my heart happy to know she has an amazing support system within this group of women to help walk with her on her journey. 

Dear Riley - Your Auntie Carlee is so excited to meet you! I have been praying for you since the day I found out your mother was expecting you. I can't wait to take you to tea parties (if you like that sort of thing) and ballets (again, if you are into it) and make you wear dresses I made (when you are a baby you can't stop me...but when you get bigger I will let you decide). Whatever type of person you are, I have full confidence you can't help but be pretty awesome, since you are going to have pretty awesome parents who love the Lord, love life and know how to celebrate all that life blesses us with and how to deal with the stuff that life hands us that isn't so pleasant. Just remember you can always come over to Auntie Carlee's house if your mom doesn't want to play princess with you or if you want to learn how to catch bugs from your cousins or if you want to just bake some cookies with me. I make really good cookies just like your mom...

Love you Baby Riley!!!
Auntie Carlee

A Letter to Bryson

Dear Bryson,
Today you shocked your dad and I. We make you and your brothers stay in your room until 7:00 (even though you like to wake up at 6:00) - all year we have been struggling with keeping you all in...with you and Bodie getting yourselves dressed...with your brothers and you not screaming. Well today, young man...today you and bodie and bobby all came out of your room promptly at 7:00am and you had dressed bobby all by yourself! including his diaper! (it was on backward, but that is okay). You told me that you like making me happy and that you see how I am always doing stuff for you guys. I dont think my heart could have swelled more!

I have seen such a change in you since you started Kindergarten. I have seen you change the way you get frustrated with your brothers. I have seen you become such a gentle teacher with Bodie. I have seen the way you care for Bobby and look after him (most of the time). I have seen you make more of an effort to remember all the things you are responsible for (backpack, sweater, lunch box, homework). I have seen you own up to your mistakes and work really hard to do better. I have seen how well you listen and how you always help Mrs. Clanton clean up the balls and jump ropes even though you never use them...because you are ALWAYS playing tetherball....by the way...i have also seen what an amazing tetherball player you have become...i saw you beat that first grader. i know you think i didn't, but i did! i see lots of things you think I don't see ;)

I am so glad that God gave you to me so that I can be your mommy. God has shown me a lot about love and patience and self-lessness through you. Believe it or not, mommies learn lessons still. I want you to know what I pray for you every night when I tuck you in:

Dear God - Thank you for Bryson. Please help me to know how to parent Bryson in the best way. Thank you for his independent spirit, for his endless curiosity, for his love for life. Please help him learn how to temper those things as well. Please help him to have a grateful heart. Please give him sweet dreams and help him to dream about amazing things like (i switch these out each night) ice cream and baseball and catching bugs. Thank you Jesus.
Amen

I hope you know how much I love you...and I hope you know it through what I do...and maybe you do, since you are doing the same thing for me!
Love you dearly,
Mommy

The Lemonade Stand

Bryson had his first lemonade stand a couple weeks ago after church. he has actually begged me on several occasions to do one...but i didnt know how it would work for me to be outside with all three boys trying to keep bobby from the street...didnt sound like a fun afternoon for me. But this Sunday our neighbors were all around for some reason, we had the big gate open because we were having a BBQ and people were over and it just worked.

Bryson wanted me to make him an actual stand, but he settled for his easel. I asked him how much he wanted to sell it for and he said $1 a glass...i tried to talk him down...that seems really high bryson...but he would not be talked down. at all! i even wrote 50 cents on there and he erased it and put 100 Cents. Ha! That kid! and people totally paid it! he made $15 selling lemonade.

He did look pretty cute in his bow tie, so i think it was part of his whole gimmick. One guy drove by in his car and tipped him $5! what? lemonade stands have come a long way...just sayin...

Afterward bryan made him pay me $2 for overhead - for the sugar and cups...and my labor for making the lemonade...the lemons were gifted by our neighbors beautiful tree that partially hangs in our yard. thank you neighbor's tree...

The problem here is that it worked...so now bryson wants to go in to the lemonade business (hello! little bryan!) and thinks he needs to do one all the time. I need to be constantly one step ahead of this guy...which is getting harder each and every day!

Weekending

The Graduate! 

what a full and wonderful weekend! still recovering...need to get my second cup of coffee because that first one barely dented the brick mass that once was a brain. so excuse me if there are typos a plenty...

We started the weekend fun-o-rama with my niece's graduation party - just as i was starting to get over the fact that she is 18...boom! she graduates from High School. so nuts. I can't believe my brother has an 18 year old daughter. he seems like he is about that age himself sometimes :) but we stayed the night at my brothers and my boys love it there - swimming and getting teased by uncle jake - what more could you want?

my SIL threw the party for Katie and it was so nice - nice to see family and friends gather and have some time to actually chat (after the boys went to bed of course...before that i just kind of start a conversation and then run around chasing little people) i feel like most parties/gatherings i go to with my boys i can never fully participate at because its peppered with "MOM!" or tugging on my skirt or bruised knees or...or....or... - so its nice when we can stay the night somewhere and have some exhale time and catch up with people for longer than 5 minute spurts. There was a taco guy there too that was pretty amazing i must say. and i must...you will find that food will interject here and there because we write about the things closest to our hearts do we not? right...so...the tacos...the al pastor especially...yum! anyway...i had some amazing conversations and got to connect with people i don't usually get to. i am so excited to see what Katie does- where she goes, what she discovers. Such an exciting time of life, no?

The next day was my sister's baby shower. oh goodness - i didn't take a single photo. bad sister! i know some other people did though - so when they post them on FB i will just have to steal them :)

Such a lovely shower - thrown by my Aunt Stephanie and my cousin Missie...or Melissa, i guess - but to me she will always be Missie :) - they wrote the book on showers - every detail was touched by a loving hand - carefully put together for her because they love her and wanted to shower her with blessings and love. and they did and she was. Such a neat part for me was seeing all the women from our church growing up who raised children alongside my mom. at one point i was looking through my sister's baby book and there was a list of who gave what to my mom and so many of those women were there in that room...now giving gifts to that baby's baby...so amazing. it made me think of the women i have found in my church that i am raising babes with alongside right now. to share in that time. to have community like that - to know that these friendships will last a generation and longer - that is powerful and wonderful. i kinda feel like it might be similar to a war buddy...you go through something that traumatic and stressful together and you can't help but be kindered to each other. maybe motherhood is not like war...but you get what i am trying to say!

My wonderful husband had the boys for the day so i could spend some time with the women in my life who mean the most to me - cousins and aunts and friends and my sister of course! it was an emotional day and an amazingly beautiful shower - forever memorable!

Then...after that...it was Parent's Night Out at Bodie's school - we took all 3 boys to Bodie's pre-school from 3:30 - 8:00. we didn't have any plans...we came home from dropping them off and looked at each other, like "what do we do? its so quiet!" so then we took a nap. seriously. that is what we did with part of our PNO. sad. but also awesome. then...when we woke up we rode bikes down to 2nd street and enjoyed a meal together.  we ran into some old friends and new friends and the ride back to the pre-school i just had a big goofy grin on my face thinking about how much i love this place we live.

The next day after church we drove straight up to Ojai for a BBQ with our college friends. Our friends Jon and Anna recently moved to Ojai into the cutest little house with the best backyard. Our friends all kind of got into cooking around the same time...so its always amazing just to hang out because you know that not only do you get to be around some of the best people in the world...you also get to eat the yummiest food - julia made an awesome corn salad and that beautiful cake you see up there...rhubarb and strawberries and angel food - all from scratch...thank you...i brought some of my beer and this salad that i need to blog about and Solera brought the rhubarb strawberry crumble that i had to have seconds on...jon and anna made the most delicious salsa and roasted veggies and sangria...and everything was of course amazing. the day was lovely - there were a lot of boys (we missed you Hansens and Bartels!) but i deemed it a success that no real damage was done to the house (minus a now bubbly fountain thanks to bobby dumping a bottle of bubbles in it) and no real damage done to any of the children. are my standards now too low, i wonder? perhaps - but perhaps that is also why i am so happy!