Horsie, Horsie on Your Way....

Winston Churchill said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man." Lynn has taken this quote quite literally and uses it for his mantra.

While the kids and I were in Portland, Oregon for my cousin's Big Fat Mormon/Greek wedding he had to stay behind and go to Organic Chemistry. (Lucky Him!) He decided to take his study buddy Jack on a weekend tromp into the mountains up above Smith and Morehouse to where the snow hadn't melted yet.


Isn't Lynn looking so cool in those glasses and with that mustache I LOVE so much? (Someone really needs to come up with a sarcasm font!)



Striker decided he wanted "in" on the good treats and walked right in to camp.

Henrietta had similar ideas...

Lynn should be glad horses don't mark their territory like dogs do...

Taking horses means one of them is going to lose a shoe. It's quite handy to have a farrier along.
He had a good rest and was able to come back and put his full effort back into his next O-chem test!

P.S. Oregon pictures coming soon!

Not a Girlie Girl

Elise informed me on Thursday evening she was not, "A Girlie girl." Now in my head I'm mentally going through her closet. All I can picture are clothes that are mostly pink and covered in frills. She walks like a definitely feminine girl, talks like a feminine girl, AND when we go on trips she's all about the gift shops.
"Hmm." I say. "What makes my pink girl say she isn't a Girlie girl?" Keep in mind I'm putting makeup on her while she's wearing a pink tutu getting ready to go on stage to dance, ahem.
"Well, I like to ride bikes." She ticks off on her fingers. "I like to ride scooters and horses. AND I can saddle Goliath by myself." "MOM, I walk in horse poo all the time and sometimes I shovel it!!!" "I hike, I camp, I can start a campfire..." On and on she goes.
I calmly listen while blinking my eyes. "Well, I can do all those things too and Dad thinks I'm pretty girlie." SILENCE "I just think you're a Girlie girl with personality. Besides, who wants to be a girl who CAN'T do all those things?"
"OHhh." Is the answer I get. She jumps up and runs off to tell off another girl in her dance class. In the distance I hear, "My mom says...."
If they only knew half the stuff her mom says. Like get your education, a man is NOT a plan. Being a smart girl is GOOD!

Brayden's First Dance

Every Year South Weber Elementary holds a dance for the Sixth Grade. Apparently the Core Curriculum includes "Social Dancing". The boys and girls spend a few months of their PE time learning line dances and "other" dances, "not to include slow dancing". The day arrived and Brayden dressed in his Sunday finest, a blue dress shirt, his universe tie from the Air and Space Museum in D.C., and of course dress slacks that were a tad bit too short. (He grows sooo fast I can't seem to keep him in pants long enough, unless they are too long).

The poor boy was so nervous he thought he was going to be sick. He did better when he got to school and saw all the other boys dressed in their finest. Right before the dance began he twisted and tortured his tie to death. The seam ended up splitting. Poor kid! If he only knew it will only get worse!

He only ended up dancing line dances. Despite the fact his BFF is a girl. They've been attached at the hip since first grade. He did tell me he got her a lemonade, and then he told me the teachers told the boys they had to get a drink for a girl before they got one for themselves...ahhh, now I understand. He told me his BFF talked to him a lot. DUH! I should have smacked him in the forehead. I had to explain to him she wanted him to ask her to dance. He told me there was, "NO WAY!" He was way too scared. I had to laugh. How is this boy Becky and Lynn's kid? As his Aunt Marilee says, "Dude, get your Lynn on!"

At least he really enjoyed the pineapple. The PTA had a lot of pineapple. AH! My baby boy!

5 Days of Smack Down and Counting....

So far the children being grounded from electronics hasn't been as bad or as much of a punishment on me as I thought it would be. Brayden is putting together model airplanes he has had for some time. The twins are playing in the basement with toys long forgotten and I get to watch a show or two I didn't know existed. They still are fighting in the mornings. Brayden can't resist teasing Elise and she bites every time. So the grounding will stay on a while longer.


As far as budget cuts at school... 2 days will be cut from the school year IF the school board approves it. Plus we have two furlough prep days which I will end up working for free. My salary is unfrozen to what I should have been paid this past year but not up to what I should be getting this next year. However, any pay raise I get will be eaten up in new insurance cost increases. So, what does it amount to? Gratitude for a job, and a pay check that doesn't bounce.

What do you mean no calling?

Lynn and I just got released from nursery. I'm actually missing my babies. Although...Sunday felt a lot like every other day of the week for me. They didn't have another calling for me to step right into and I don't know what to do with myself. I've always had a calling, or two or three. I can't sit through the entire block of meetings. No baby to take out... I borrowed one from a friend this Sunday. She has twins too, hers are girl/boy and they are 4 and she has a 1 year old. I borrowed the 1 year old. Her four year old boy was making faces at Brayden in Sacrament meeting and told his dad, "That man is funny." Brayden and I laughed out loud so much people turned to look at us. Brayden rubbed his face and said, "Yep, I've been shaving for weeks." :)

8 days of school left. Only it doesn't feel like it because it keeps snowing. I am counting down because this is the class you always hope you never get. One on One they are cute and you love them to death, but mixed together...volatile. Matches and gasoline. I think I wore out my "Teaching with Love and Logic" book this year and well and my "Tough Kid Toolbox". AND I think if I have to write on one more tracker, I might scream. Here's to summer vacation! The reason I became a teacher!

The Smack Down

All is Bliss and Joy at our house...Nah, did you really think so? Elise and Brayden have been fighting like, well let's just say they've put Becky and David to shame and THAT is saying a lot. Twice this past week Becky has nearly NOT beaten the buses to school because she left late after refereeing Elise and Bray fights.

Friday, both children were grounded from all electronics after multiple, tearful, phone calls to their Mom's cell phone while she was in school meetings. Becky was quite surprised to find all well, the house still standing, and the children playing peacefully when she got home, late, because of their fighting.

Did I mention they fight a lot? Saturday morning dawned a new glorious day full of screeching, hitting and well, FIGHTING. Abby got in on this one too. Becky and Lynn joined in a united front, talked to each child individually and put on the smack down.

AW, bummer! The DSs are skillfully hidden. The passwords have been changed on the computers, and Becky owns the remotes to the TVs. All three Barton Children are on electronic arrest until the PARENTS see noticeable change in their behavior.

Part of the SMACK DOWN includes: doing any chore cheerfully when Mom asks. If you say NO or throw a tantrum, Mom gets to put down tally marks for more chores.

Becky really hopes she lives through this one...

Mother's Day

I thought I would let you all know....

for Mother's Day, I packed my bags and headed to Puerto Rico for a few days with Jaci and Brook. I might, maybe, if I feel like it come back!