Sunday, January 12, 2014
Saturday, May 25, 2013
April and May Update
FINALLY get the stupid master bathroom remodeled- Done!!!!!!!!!! And it was done by April 15th!
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- ummm..... My cards are right on my desk..... where they were last month. I really should just take this one off. I am not making it happen right now.
Attend the temple monthly- Done! Aubrey and I headed down to St. Geezy and did a temple session with our ward. It was a lot of fun and we were def due for a trip on our own.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- Zumba. Done. I have already started teaching and I have had tons of fun. I am actually scheduled to do Aqua Zumba here in a couple weeks!!!
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- Aubrey and I were able to go camp a night at Zion's National park before we went to the St. George temple. It was really nice to get away and we enjoyed our time sight seeing. Aubrey really wanted the kids to go but I really didn't want to take all of them camping yet. Something about packing and unpacking and planning meals and everything else for 5 people just doesn't really sound fun. Anyway we had fun and we came home to Liz walking. Aubrey's parents of course had to rub that in my face. hahah They also got her first laugh out of her.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- We are on a better schedule now that the bathroom is finished but we are headed into the spring cleaning stage. We are making time for FHE though.
Stay accident free- Done! Yay!
Make a significant difference- I have been doing a lot with the full time missionaries lately and I can feel the blessings from doing that. I am making a difference and one of the great things about missionary work is that it is so easy to forget about your own problems.
Stay a ward missionary- Done!
Have better family relationships- Things are good and I have nothing to complain about.
Until next month! Or the month after......
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- ummm..... My cards are right on my desk..... where they were last month. I really should just take this one off. I am not making it happen right now.
Attend the temple monthly- Done! Aubrey and I headed down to St. Geezy and did a temple session with our ward. It was a lot of fun and we were def due for a trip on our own.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- Zumba. Done. I have already started teaching and I have had tons of fun. I am actually scheduled to do Aqua Zumba here in a couple weeks!!!
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- Aubrey and I were able to go camp a night at Zion's National park before we went to the St. George temple. It was really nice to get away and we enjoyed our time sight seeing. Aubrey really wanted the kids to go but I really didn't want to take all of them camping yet. Something about packing and unpacking and planning meals and everything else for 5 people just doesn't really sound fun. Anyway we had fun and we came home to Liz walking. Aubrey's parents of course had to rub that in my face. hahah They also got her first laugh out of her.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- We are on a better schedule now that the bathroom is finished but we are headed into the spring cleaning stage. We are making time for FHE though.
Stay accident free- Done! Yay!
Make a significant difference- I have been doing a lot with the full time missionaries lately and I can feel the blessings from doing that. I am making a difference and one of the great things about missionary work is that it is so easy to forget about your own problems.
Stay a ward missionary- Done!
Have better family relationships- Things are good and I have nothing to complain about.
Until next month! Or the month after......
Friday, March 15, 2013
March Update
FINALLY get the stupid master bathroom remodeled- This is going to be completed for sure by next month's post.
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- ummm..... My cards are right on my desk..... where they were last month.
Attend the temple monthly- I went to the Brigham Temple in February by myself and it was awesome. Everyone should take themselves to the temple once in a while. It was nice. Aubrey and I have already gone for March as well.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- I am scheduled for a Zumba certification for April 5th! Yay. Nervous and excited. The only training that is available in Utah is in Orem and in SPANISH! The trainer said he'd translate only the most important parts of the cert so we'll see how it goes!
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- Valentines was in Feb. We didn't do anything too crazy so consider this one semi completed. Blah. We have an iFly pass that we've had for a year and a half and still haven't called to schedule it.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- This did not happen. We have been crazy busy with getting the bathroom remodeled so we didn't actually sit down and have FHE. Once the bathroom is done we'll have more time and less mess.Leila even said, "We haven't had Family Home Evening in a while." We did, however, hit up the junction and I would like to say DO NOT GO THERE!!!! WHAT A WASTE OF TIME! It was such a dissapointment. 90 percent of the games had an "Out of Order" sign taped to them. Also the machines that turn your money into tokens said, "We are experiencing a ticket shortage. Games may not give tickets. Play at your own risk." Seriously! Experiences like this make me think Ogden sucks. It doesn't but the junction was really a let down this last time.
Stay accident free- Done! Hallelujah!
Make a significant difference- I spoke in church this last Sunday and I would say I made a significant difference. Mostly in myself but many people told me that it was good. I know they are not lying because if they were, there'd be too many of them. I felt really good after I was done.
Stay a ward missionary- Done!
Have better family relationships- So So. It could be better.
Until next month!
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- ummm..... My cards are right on my desk..... where they were last month.
Attend the temple monthly- I went to the Brigham Temple in February by myself and it was awesome. Everyone should take themselves to the temple once in a while. It was nice. Aubrey and I have already gone for March as well.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- I am scheduled for a Zumba certification for April 5th! Yay. Nervous and excited. The only training that is available in Utah is in Orem and in SPANISH! The trainer said he'd translate only the most important parts of the cert so we'll see how it goes!
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- Valentines was in Feb. We didn't do anything too crazy so consider this one semi completed. Blah. We have an iFly pass that we've had for a year and a half and still haven't called to schedule it.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- This did not happen. We have been crazy busy with getting the bathroom remodeled so we didn't actually sit down and have FHE. Once the bathroom is done we'll have more time and less mess.Leila even said, "We haven't had Family Home Evening in a while." We did, however, hit up the junction and I would like to say DO NOT GO THERE!!!! WHAT A WASTE OF TIME! It was such a dissapointment. 90 percent of the games had an "Out of Order" sign taped to them. Also the machines that turn your money into tokens said, "We are experiencing a ticket shortage. Games may not give tickets. Play at your own risk." Seriously! Experiences like this make me think Ogden sucks. It doesn't but the junction was really a let down this last time.
Stay accident free- Done! Hallelujah!
Make a significant difference- I spoke in church this last Sunday and I would say I made a significant difference. Mostly in myself but many people told me that it was good. I know they are not lying because if they were, there'd be too many of them. I felt really good after I was done.
Stay a ward missionary- Done!
Have better family relationships- So So. It could be better.
Until next month!
Thursday, February 7, 2013
February Update
Alright too bad blogging isn't one of my goals for the year or else I'd be on a roll. Let's take look at how I'm doing....
FINALLY get the stupid master bathroom remodeled- This is coming along really well! I hope to have the entire bathroom done within a couple weeks! I was really crazy to think that I could do it by myself and have Aubrey help with the things I couldn't do. My brother in law Ian has been doing the most work and has been a big help. My dad has also been there to answer questions, connect plumbing, go on Home Depot runs, and guide me through the parts I am completing. I will say I AM SICK OF SPENDING MONEY AT HOME DEPOT!!!!!
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- There are 25 scriptures to memorize and I have done maybe one or two. Okay quiz time. Let me write down what I know. "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life it will rise with us in the resurrection. for whatever... something... we will have the advantage over another in the world to come" Okay I'm not doing too well with that one but here's an easy one. "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say but when ye do not what I say ye have no promise." Even though I may be able to memorize the scriptures, the references are hard for me because it's all numbers. I need to work on this one
Attend the temple monthly- We made it in January and our ward is scheduled to go on the 14th but I teach my classes on Thursday nights so it's always hard but someone else in our ward plans to go in the morning of the 15th and it is my goal to go with or without Aubrey.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- This will happen since I am up for re certification this year with AFAA. I am proud to announce I got hired on at Anytime Fitness! I applied back in October when I knew they were opening but they weren't interested in group instructors, only personal trainers so I was bummed. Then right before they opened in January. I went to check the place out and introduced myself. They still weren't interested in me but I mentioned I would clean or just do whatever they needed so I could get my foot in the door. Well they called me and said, "Our cleaning lady isn't answering her phone and isn't showing up. Can you come and look and give us bid on what you would charge?" I have never cleaned for a job but my goal was to get a free membership out of it. I found out what they paid the other lady and just offered to do it for a little less and said I wanted to be added to their brand new fitness schedule and they boss said it was fine. Any who I am excited to teach, expand my horizons, and my clientele for the future.
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- We didn't do anything official but we had a couple fun out of the ordinary dates so I counted it. We went to the concealed weapons carry permit class. LAME! It was not the right information for someone (me) who has never touched a gun. Why would I want to hide one? Anyway I though maybe they'd teach me how to shoot or at least teach my about a gun. It wasn't completely useless but def not worth the $80 we paid to go. A couple days later Ian (Roxy's husband) took Aubrey and I and Roxy shooting and he came over the night before to really show us everything we need to know. I was a little scared about shooting the guns because I play out crazy things in my mind that could happen and I freak myself out. It was fun though and now I am not completely afraid of guns or seeing them. I def am not going to carry one around though. We also took many trips to Home Depot and spent time making plans for the bathroom.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- We have had FHE at least once a week but not necessarily on Mondays which is okay. It is important to be flexible. In January we went for a long drive around South Weber, West Point, Clearfeild and Layton and got shakes. Another week we learned about sharing. Then we had a lesson about our bodies are our temples and the last lesson was about what we do at church. Here's to another month of FHE!
Stay accident free- This one is going okay so far. Liz had her first fall. Leila was coloring in her room and Liz was bothering her so Leila decided to pick her up and put her on the bed. Liz crawled off and had a bad fall. Bad enough that I didn't copy it off the cameras to add to my collection of mishaps in the girls room. Leila had her first fall at 9 months and so did Lexi so I guess she's just following suit.
Make a significant difference- I actually feel I am making a small difference already. I read the Love and Logic for early childhood years and I feel like my parent-children relationship is improving everyday. Hopefully in the long run that will make a significant difference in my the lives of my girls.
Stay a ward missionary- Done!!! : )
Have better family relationships- Still ongoing..... forever. I have been consumed with the progression of the bathroom so I haven't done a tone for this one. On the upside, nothing bad has happened!
Here's for hoping I post every month! Thanks for reading!
FINALLY get the stupid master bathroom remodeled- This is coming along really well! I hope to have the entire bathroom done within a couple weeks! I was really crazy to think that I could do it by myself and have Aubrey help with the things I couldn't do. My brother in law Ian has been doing the most work and has been a big help. My dad has also been there to answer questions, connect plumbing, go on Home Depot runs, and guide me through the parts I am completing. I will say I AM SICK OF SPENDING MONEY AT HOME DEPOT!!!!!
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- There are 25 scriptures to memorize and I have done maybe one or two. Okay quiz time. Let me write down what I know. "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life it will rise with us in the resurrection. for whatever... something... we will have the advantage over another in the world to come" Okay I'm not doing too well with that one but here's an easy one. "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say but when ye do not what I say ye have no promise." Even though I may be able to memorize the scriptures, the references are hard for me because it's all numbers. I need to work on this one
Attend the temple monthly- We made it in January and our ward is scheduled to go on the 14th but I teach my classes on Thursday nights so it's always hard but someone else in our ward plans to go in the morning of the 15th and it is my goal to go with or without Aubrey.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- This will happen since I am up for re certification this year with AFAA. I am proud to announce I got hired on at Anytime Fitness! I applied back in October when I knew they were opening but they weren't interested in group instructors, only personal trainers so I was bummed. Then right before they opened in January. I went to check the place out and introduced myself. They still weren't interested in me but I mentioned I would clean or just do whatever they needed so I could get my foot in the door. Well they called me and said, "Our cleaning lady isn't answering her phone and isn't showing up. Can you come and look and give us bid on what you would charge?" I have never cleaned for a job but my goal was to get a free membership out of it. I found out what they paid the other lady and just offered to do it for a little less and said I wanted to be added to their brand new fitness schedule and they boss said it was fine. Any who I am excited to teach, expand my horizons, and my clientele for the future.
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- We didn't do anything official but we had a couple fun out of the ordinary dates so I counted it. We went to the concealed weapons carry permit class. LAME! It was not the right information for someone (me) who has never touched a gun. Why would I want to hide one? Anyway I though maybe they'd teach me how to shoot or at least teach my about a gun. It wasn't completely useless but def not worth the $80 we paid to go. A couple days later Ian (Roxy's husband) took Aubrey and I and Roxy shooting and he came over the night before to really show us everything we need to know. I was a little scared about shooting the guns because I play out crazy things in my mind that could happen and I freak myself out. It was fun though and now I am not completely afraid of guns or seeing them. I def am not going to carry one around though. We also took many trips to Home Depot and spent time making plans for the bathroom.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- We have had FHE at least once a week but not necessarily on Mondays which is okay. It is important to be flexible. In January we went for a long drive around South Weber, West Point, Clearfeild and Layton and got shakes. Another week we learned about sharing. Then we had a lesson about our bodies are our temples and the last lesson was about what we do at church. Here's to another month of FHE!
Stay accident free- This one is going okay so far. Liz had her first fall. Leila was coloring in her room and Liz was bothering her so Leila decided to pick her up and put her on the bed. Liz crawled off and had a bad fall. Bad enough that I didn't copy it off the cameras to add to my collection of mishaps in the girls room. Leila had her first fall at 9 months and so did Lexi so I guess she's just following suit.
Make a significant difference- I actually feel I am making a small difference already. I read the Love and Logic for early childhood years and I feel like my parent-children relationship is improving everyday. Hopefully in the long run that will make a significant difference in my the lives of my girls.
Stay a ward missionary- Done!!! : )
Have better family relationships- Still ongoing..... forever. I have been consumed with the progression of the bathroom so I haven't done a tone for this one. On the upside, nothing bad has happened!
Here's for hoping I post every month! Thanks for reading!
Friday, January 4, 2013
2012 in Review
I mentally blogged about 5 times since my last post. Unfortunately they don't just magically appear on my blog. And the down side to not making New Year resolutions public on the internet is that you can't remember where you tucked them away. We definitely have goals here at the Barker Residence and they will be documented (mine at least).
Brought baby Liz into the picture on the 9th of April- My little bundle of joy was 5 pounds 13 ounces and helped me realize that 3 kids really is the back breaker just like everyone says. It is hard for me to spread myself out the right way but I'm learning. FYI- the baby isn't the hard part. I think it is the ages of my other two that make it difficult.
Put Lexi in Preschool with Leila- Lexi would live at Preschool if I let her. She always goes so easily and enjoys everything about it. Leila is the one that needs me to stay with her. They are different classes but do a ton of activities together so it's good.
Gave Chello away- This dog would have been the death of me (minus laundry). Our family is just not in the right stage for a dog and it's hard to take care of another living life on top of 3 kids 4 and under. He went to a good family that we will keep in touch with. I sure miss the luxury of not having to sweep my kitchen every day though.I know my life is hard. I think we'll get a dog later on when they ENTIRE family is ready to love the dog and give it the attention it needs.
Went off-trail hiking and camping in the Uintas- Aubrey prepared for this last summer by picking up running so he could be in shape to hike and he did a lot of it. He loves his new GPS and takes advantage of wandering off the trails.
Celebrating our 5 year anniversary- This is tied to the last one. We went off the trails and found a private place to camp and set up our tent. It was wonderful to be with just Aubrey out in nature. I did not like worrying about the kids and the fear in the back of my mind that some animal was going to get us. It was an anniversary well spent and we had a great time and plan to make many more trips up in that area.
Purchased a kayak- A kayak was the perfect addition to our summer equipment. We rented a kayak from Weber State (pictured below) a couple times and just decided to buy our own. We have used it so much and the kids love it too. It's not exactly the 5 year anniversary gift I was hoping for but it has been a great item to aid us in spending family time together.
Got a membership to the Ogden Athletic Club- This was completely Aubrey's idea! It has been nice to go to classes and take the kids swimming, however, the kids are not in the membership which means we can't use the day care so 90% of the time at the gym is spent alone while the other is at home with the kids. Bummer because we have so much fun together and Aubrey uses me as his "trainer" and I like it most of the time. Us working out together in a gym setting is something I never expected because Aubrey never exercised up until about a year ago and I've gotten so giddy the couple of times we have run side by side. : ) mmm I love him.
Found new renters for our basement apartment- Our last renters decided to switch schools and head up to Logan. We were lucky enough to score a great couple in our ward and didn't even have to list the apartment anywhere. We just keep getting better renters every time it becomes available!
Had Family Home Evening for 21 consecutive weeks- A while ago I made a family home evening chart and it's kept us on track with who is in charge of what. I am happy we got into the swing of things. Unfortunately the first week we didn't have it was Christmas Eve! We ate dinner with family and failed to plan a special night. The night was spent doing the better option but not the best.
Got my braces off- Yay! I was glad to get my braces off but my jaw issues are not cleared up as much as I hoped they would be. I can't complain about feeling good about my smile though!
FINALLY get the stupid master bathroom remodeled- I promise this project will get done! My daddy and I are going to Home Depot TOMORROW to buy everything we need and start putting it all together. I can't talk about it too much or I get overwhelmed. Baby steps is how it's going to happen.
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- I recently finished the Book of Mormon and it did it in 3 months. That was by far the fastest I have ever read it but it was so nice to retain what I was reading because I couldn't get enough of it. It was like a testimony meeting when I opened to read its pages and it doesn't include all the crying you get at a RS testimony meeting. Which I don't mind but you always know you are going to cry all night and who wants to cry all night? Anyway this year we are studying the Doctrine and Covenants and I would like to increase my knowledge and memory so that is my goal. I never took the time to memorize them in high school but I will do it this year! : )
Attend the temple monthly- Unfortunately this didn't happen last year but Aubrey and I are doing well so far because we went to the temple last night. It is hard because kids of course and our ward does the temple night on the night I teach my classes. This will happen even if we have to go separately. But seriously for as often as Aubrey's parents watch the kids one of those times needs to be for temple attendance. And just because the Ogden Temple is closed doesn't mean we can't get someone else.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- This is always on my radar but lately I have wanted to really start getting out of my physical comfort zone and really challenge myself to teach something I have not yet. Plus I want to be needed, marketable, and knowledgeable.
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- Yes you caught it. Monthiversary is not really a word but it means Aubrey and I will celebrate our marriage on the 10th of every month since we were married on the 10th of August. We don't always make time to go out even though I would love it if we did. Our monthiversary is there to make sure we go out on at least one fun unique date a month if nothing else.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- I think we will be successful in this area since we are already in the habit and the girls really do like it. They grab their pillow pets and everyone is assigned a part of the night. AND I just found my huge binder of FHE lessons, activities, and ideas so I am fully armed! : )
Stay accident free- This may sound like a weird one but many times this year I have been so overwhelmed with gratitude because of the safety my family has had both physically and spiritually. I look around me with all of trials and burdens with family members, ward members, the community, and everyone in the news. I always had a thought that it will be my turn next since my family has not had to deal with any big issue. I do my best to help others in need and sometimes I feel like I am filling my lamp for when my times are hard. I have to work hard to push those thoughts from my mind and just hope for the best. And I keep reading/hearing about tragic things that can happen to anyone like the shootings and kids dying in freak accidents! I pray to my Father in Heaven that my family will always be safe! We have been ridiculously blessed and I can't count my blessings enough.
Make a significant difference- This year I felt like I made a huge difference for someone and it felt really good. I became closer to that person and that alone was enough of a reward. I try to help where I can. I am so blessed in many ways and I have covenanted to bare one anothers burdens so I want to help in the way the Lord wants me to help. This year I hope to do that for someone else if not more people.
Stay a ward missionary- I know I have little control over this goal/ambition/resolution but I absolutely love my calling. I feel like this is where I need to be... still. I was called in Feb of 09 and have loved every minute of it. I lie. I dislike setting up meals for the missionaries. Don't judge. It gets hard after the 3rd year! I can't imagine myself anywhere else but we'll see.
Have better family relationships- This one is going to be on my list forever and it's something I often pray for. My P. blessing tells me to never be a weak link in my family chain. I will continue to get to know my siblings and in laws to increase our relationship and always be there for them.
There you go. My goals are public and therefore very real. I welcome your encouragement on my hopes for the year 2013 and I would really love for you to just leave me a comment so I know someone read this! Usually I don't care who reads my blog but tonight I feel like I need some validation on my blog post. Thanks! I love you all!
This year we:
Brought baby Liz into the picture on the 9th of April- My little bundle of joy was 5 pounds 13 ounces and helped me realize that 3 kids really is the back breaker just like everyone says. It is hard for me to spread myself out the right way but I'm learning. FYI- the baby isn't the hard part. I think it is the ages of my other two that make it difficult.
Put Lexi in Preschool with Leila- Lexi would live at Preschool if I let her. She always goes so easily and enjoys everything about it. Leila is the one that needs me to stay with her. They are different classes but do a ton of activities together so it's good.
Gave Chello away- This dog would have been the death of me (minus laundry). Our family is just not in the right stage for a dog and it's hard to take care of another living life on top of 3 kids 4 and under. He went to a good family that we will keep in touch with. I sure miss the luxury of not having to sweep my kitchen every day though.I know my life is hard. I think we'll get a dog later on when they ENTIRE family is ready to love the dog and give it the attention it needs.
Celebrating our 5 year anniversary- This is tied to the last one. We went off the trails and found a private place to camp and set up our tent. It was wonderful to be with just Aubrey out in nature. I did not like worrying about the kids and the fear in the back of my mind that some animal was going to get us. It was an anniversary well spent and we had a great time and plan to make many more trips up in that area.
Purchased a kayak- A kayak was the perfect addition to our summer equipment. We rented a kayak from Weber State (pictured below) a couple times and just decided to buy our own. We have used it so much and the kids love it too. It's not exactly the 5 year anniversary gift I was hoping for but it has been a great item to aid us in spending family time together.
Got a membership to the Ogden Athletic Club- This was completely Aubrey's idea! It has been nice to go to classes and take the kids swimming, however, the kids are not in the membership which means we can't use the day care so 90% of the time at the gym is spent alone while the other is at home with the kids. Bummer because we have so much fun together and Aubrey uses me as his "trainer" and I like it most of the time. Us working out together in a gym setting is something I never expected because Aubrey never exercised up until about a year ago and I've gotten so giddy the couple of times we have run side by side. : ) mmm I love him.
Found new renters for our basement apartment- Our last renters decided to switch schools and head up to Logan. We were lucky enough to score a great couple in our ward and didn't even have to list the apartment anywhere. We just keep getting better renters every time it becomes available!
Had Family Home Evening for 21 consecutive weeks- A while ago I made a family home evening chart and it's kept us on track with who is in charge of what. I am happy we got into the swing of things. Unfortunately the first week we didn't have it was Christmas Eve! We ate dinner with family and failed to plan a special night. The night was spent doing the better option but not the best.
Got my braces off- Yay! I was glad to get my braces off but my jaw issues are not cleared up as much as I hoped they would be. I can't complain about feeling good about my smile though!
This year we or I hope to:
FINALLY get the stupid master bathroom remodeled- I promise this project will get done! My daddy and I are going to Home Depot TOMORROW to buy everything we need and start putting it all together. I can't talk about it too much or I get overwhelmed. Baby steps is how it's going to happen.
Memorize the Doctrine and Covenants scripture mastery scriptures- I recently finished the Book of Mormon and it did it in 3 months. That was by far the fastest I have ever read it but it was so nice to retain what I was reading because I couldn't get enough of it. It was like a testimony meeting when I opened to read its pages and it doesn't include all the crying you get at a RS testimony meeting. Which I don't mind but you always know you are going to cry all night and who wants to cry all night? Anyway this year we are studying the Doctrine and Covenants and I would like to increase my knowledge and memory so that is my goal. I never took the time to memorize them in high school but I will do it this year! : )
Attend the temple monthly- Unfortunately this didn't happen last year but Aubrey and I are doing well so far because we went to the temple last night. It is hard because kids of course and our ward does the temple night on the night I teach my classes. This will happen even if we have to go separately. But seriously for as often as Aubrey's parents watch the kids one of those times needs to be for temple attendance. And just because the Ogden Temple is closed doesn't mean we can't get someone else.
Acquire new certifications in the fitness field and pick up more classes- This is always on my radar but lately I have wanted to really start getting out of my physical comfort zone and really challenge myself to teach something I have not yet. Plus I want to be needed, marketable, and knowledgeable.
Celebrate our monthiversary every month- Yes you caught it. Monthiversary is not really a word but it means Aubrey and I will celebrate our marriage on the 10th of every month since we were married on the 10th of August. We don't always make time to go out even though I would love it if we did. Our monthiversary is there to make sure we go out on at least one fun unique date a month if nothing else.
Have Family Home Evening every Monday night- I think we will be successful in this area since we are already in the habit and the girls really do like it. They grab their pillow pets and everyone is assigned a part of the night. AND I just found my huge binder of FHE lessons, activities, and ideas so I am fully armed! : )
Stay accident free- This may sound like a weird one but many times this year I have been so overwhelmed with gratitude because of the safety my family has had both physically and spiritually. I look around me with all of trials and burdens with family members, ward members, the community, and everyone in the news. I always had a thought that it will be my turn next since my family has not had to deal with any big issue. I do my best to help others in need and sometimes I feel like I am filling my lamp for when my times are hard. I have to work hard to push those thoughts from my mind and just hope for the best. And I keep reading/hearing about tragic things that can happen to anyone like the shootings and kids dying in freak accidents! I pray to my Father in Heaven that my family will always be safe! We have been ridiculously blessed and I can't count my blessings enough.
Make a significant difference- This year I felt like I made a huge difference for someone and it felt really good. I became closer to that person and that alone was enough of a reward. I try to help where I can. I am so blessed in many ways and I have covenanted to bare one anothers burdens so I want to help in the way the Lord wants me to help. This year I hope to do that for someone else if not more people.
Stay a ward missionary- I know I have little control over this goal/ambition/resolution but I absolutely love my calling. I feel like this is where I need to be... still. I was called in Feb of 09 and have loved every minute of it. I lie. I dislike setting up meals for the missionaries. Don't judge. It gets hard after the 3rd year! I can't imagine myself anywhere else but we'll see.
Have better family relationships- This one is going to be on my list forever and it's something I often pray for. My P. blessing tells me to never be a weak link in my family chain. I will continue to get to know my siblings and in laws to increase our relationship and always be there for them.
There you go. My goals are public and therefore very real. I welcome your encouragement on my hopes for the year 2013 and I would really love for you to just leave me a comment so I know someone read this! Usually I don't care who reads my blog but tonight I feel like I need some validation on my blog post. Thanks! I love you all!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
It's been too long!
Remember that time I blogged every day for a week? Yeah me neither. Well since posting about the nanny cams we've have more interesting/ funny footage. I never used the word EPIC when it was huge but that is how I would describe this video. No introduction would do it justice.
(Dang! I can't remember where on my computer I saved it so you'll have to view it here)
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=4625936646852
Liz is 6 months old today. Time seems to fly but sometimes I can't wait for it to speed up more. I want her to walk and talk but when I pick her up I know I won't have a little baby for long. Tomorrow we'll evaluate her development, get her shots, and see where she is physically compared to history and all the other children in America.
The appointment with the pediatrician is also for Leila who just turned 4 years old. She sure can have a lot of attitude when she wants to. I can't believe I have a 4 year old, and a 2 year old, and a .5 year old! I am not sure if Leila is going to get shots but I don't think she'll be too happy about her body getting looked at. We'll see what happens.
Lexi is my little stubborn spit fire. She is talking a lot and she says lots of things that really surprise me. I have to constantly remind myself that she is 2 and still in the "terrible twos" stage. She will cuddle with me like no other child though and we could seriously laugh all day. I made some Halloween inviations for a party that had two yellow eyes on a black background as if something in the dark is just staring at you. I put it on my face and made some scary noises and Lexi was freaked out. I put the invite down and she quickly flipped it over so she couldn't see the eyes. It was funny.
Aubrey is still just working as an independent contractor and loving what he does. I still try to get him to work from home but most days he leaves me so he can actually work. He really wants me to be a stay AT HOME mom though. Once winter comes I am sure he'll do everything he can to get me out of the house. I hate the cold.
I am loving being at home with my baby girls. I teach classes once a week and soon I will be adding another when the new dorms open up and we have the new equipment. I will be teaching Step360 which I am super stoked about. I also think I am going to get certified to teach Zumba! That way I can increase the formats I teach, be able to sub for others, be more employable and have no doubt I can fill a class.
I also have been picking up some crafts and it has been fun. I do them mainly when Liz and Lexi are sleeping. Trying to do anything crafty with Lexi around is near to impossible so Leila is the lucky one that gets all the domestic training. Here are a few pictures of what I have done lately.
I found this idea on pinterest. Our rooms have so much wall space so I decided a huge picture would be a nice way to decorate. I still need to switch it to the other wall because ginormous prints and 4x6s don't go well next to each other.
I made these little candy jars today as prizes for my Halloween party. I think they turned out super cute AND I can take full credit for the idea. They are baby food jars, ribbon, glue, paper, and candy. That's all it took and Leila and I did it all during nap time. I taught Leila how to count by tens so we could count all of the candy.
These funny little things were actually really fun to make. The picture "frame" I made in the picture above is just an underlayment that I cut and painted. I just added a jigsaw to my tool box and wanted a challenge. I wanted to make a full size zombie for the yard but Aubrey didn't like the idea and it probably would have scared the kids. So I found images turned them into huge patterns, traced and cut away! Then we spray painted them and put them in the yard. I think they look pretty good!
So Instagram has been my new little obsession. I found out I could turn my pictures into a book so that is what I am going to do. That simple fact alone is my motivation for taking more pictures and enhancing them through Instagram. Here are some of my favorites.
The bathroom remodeling has been put on hold. I have done so much work to it! It is completely gutted down to the studs in the walls. Our next move is to purchase a tub and go from there. 3 day kitchen and bath gave us a quote and wait for it....... ONLY $12,000 to redo the bath and shower! Yeah talk about putting a damper on my everything. Anywy we really just need to set a date on buying everything we need and just start putting it together. I will have a new bathroom!!!!!!! Someday.
That shall be all for now! Expect another update soon! Thanks for reading!
(Dang! I can't remember where on my computer I saved it so you'll have to view it here)
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=4625936646852
Liz is 6 months old today. Time seems to fly but sometimes I can't wait for it to speed up more. I want her to walk and talk but when I pick her up I know I won't have a little baby for long. Tomorrow we'll evaluate her development, get her shots, and see where she is physically compared to history and all the other children in America.
The appointment with the pediatrician is also for Leila who just turned 4 years old. She sure can have a lot of attitude when she wants to. I can't believe I have a 4 year old, and a 2 year old, and a .5 year old! I am not sure if Leila is going to get shots but I don't think she'll be too happy about her body getting looked at. We'll see what happens.
Lexi is my little stubborn spit fire. She is talking a lot and she says lots of things that really surprise me. I have to constantly remind myself that she is 2 and still in the "terrible twos" stage. She will cuddle with me like no other child though and we could seriously laugh all day. I made some Halloween inviations for a party that had two yellow eyes on a black background as if something in the dark is just staring at you. I put it on my face and made some scary noises and Lexi was freaked out. I put the invite down and she quickly flipped it over so she couldn't see the eyes. It was funny.
Aubrey is still just working as an independent contractor and loving what he does. I still try to get him to work from home but most days he leaves me so he can actually work. He really wants me to be a stay AT HOME mom though. Once winter comes I am sure he'll do everything he can to get me out of the house. I hate the cold.
I am loving being at home with my baby girls. I teach classes once a week and soon I will be adding another when the new dorms open up and we have the new equipment. I will be teaching Step360 which I am super stoked about. I also think I am going to get certified to teach Zumba! That way I can increase the formats I teach, be able to sub for others, be more employable and have no doubt I can fill a class.
I also have been picking up some crafts and it has been fun. I do them mainly when Liz and Lexi are sleeping. Trying to do anything crafty with Lexi around is near to impossible so Leila is the lucky one that gets all the domestic training. Here are a few pictures of what I have done lately.
I found this idea on pinterest. Our rooms have so much wall space so I decided a huge picture would be a nice way to decorate. I still need to switch it to the other wall because ginormous prints and 4x6s don't go well next to each other.
So Instagram has been my new little obsession. I found out I could turn my pictures into a book so that is what I am going to do. That simple fact alone is my motivation for taking more pictures and enhancing them through Instagram. Here are some of my favorites.
YAY! Braces are off! It feels good.
The bathroom remodeling has been put on hold. I have done so much work to it! It is completely gutted down to the studs in the walls. Our next move is to purchase a tub and go from there. 3 day kitchen and bath gave us a quote and wait for it....... ONLY $12,000 to redo the bath and shower! Yeah talk about putting a damper on my everything. Anywy we really just need to set a date on buying everything we need and just start putting it together. I will have a new bathroom!!!!!!! Someday.
That shall be all for now! Expect another update soon! Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Adventures of the Nanny (Mommy) Cam
One of the best investments we put into our home is our security cameras. You heard me right, if you come to my door I can see you! Not in a creepy way though. Our home is now protected and it is very comforting considering we were out thousands of dollars due to a robbery a couple years back. I told Aubrey we needed some type of protection because we'd be kicking ourselves if it happened once again. Without a doubt we knew where we wanted to place the first camera in/out of our home: Leila's room. When we would put Leila to bed it was hard to check on her because the doors in our house are old heavy sliding doors and some don't even work. We always wondered what in the world she was doing when we heard loud noises or her crying for no apparent reason to us. It was also a gamble to slide the door open if she was asleep. Thus, we installed camera #1.
Since having cameras around, we capture some pretty interesting things such as KSLers taking our free junk, cop raids, numerous cat fights, attempted car theft, renters' guests, abduction of our dog, and falls, trips, and accidents be had by our girls including our 4 month old today. I decided instead of posting the videos on fb it was a little easier for me
everyone to see the videos in the same place.
Prepare to laugh and gasp
at our small version of AFV starring mostly Leila, Lexi, and Liz.
P.S.- Our house is as real as it gets. Sometimes it's messy and sometimes it's clean. It's a kids room so most of the time it's messy. I am not sorry for the inconvenience.
P.S.S. I am a good mom and my kids are crazy. I encourage them to be active and always cheer them back up when they fall. And we haven't had one broken bone yet.
This video is Lexi. She is BY FAR my clumsiest baby! She can't eat anything without spilling it and can't carry anything with out running into something or dropping it.
This is Lexi mimicking Leila here. I think you will notice the point of no return.
Here's Leila trying out a "cool trick." I heard a loud noise (her landing) and then wondered how she got down without hurting herself. Aubrey thought she just straight up jumped off the top bunk.
This is almost the one that scares me the most! I changed Liz and then tended to the boiling water on the stove, however, when I left the room Aubrey was still there and I didn't know he followed me out. I also had no idea Leila would try this!
When Leila came into the kitchen I thought she was carrying a doll and then my heart dropped! I kind of yelled at Leila for doing that and explained to her that she can't do that and soon I would teach her how to hold Liz all by herself and eventually pick her up. Liz was not crying at all. She rarely does but in this case it would have helped.
This one is funny. It is fairly common for Lexi to go to sleep before Leila and wake up before her. This morning Lexi got into Leila's bed. Lexi is the one closest to the camera as well as the instigator.
Here's another of Lexi being herself.
And another......
This last one is the worst. Can I just say we are so lucky she was okay. I thank Heavenly Father for her limber body and watching over my kids NIGHT and DAY!!! It's crazy to watch but I bet you'll want to watch it again just to be sure you saw what you saw.
I went right over to her and just paused for a second to analyze her and what really just happened. She said her leg and back itched for a second and then she was okay.
Please note: These are all recordings! I did not sit and watch while my kids almost broke their necks. Things happen and cameras record.
I hope you enjoyed my little post of real life in the girls' room. Soon we will make the transition of Liz going into their room and out of ours. Hopefully that will go smoothly!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Bathroom
Well today I made progress. I CAN'T wait to have a new freaking master bathroom! These before pictures were taken in Nov of 2010 and remember I have never used this bathroom even though I've lived in this house for one day shy of 5 YEARS!!! UGH
It will be nice once Leila and Lexi are in school because I can actually get stuff like this done. Who knows, may I'll find out what I even want to do with this bathroom!
Enjoy....
Gross huh?
It will be nice once Leila and Lexi are in school because I can actually get stuff like this done. Who knows, may I'll find out what I even want to do with this bathroom!
Enjoy....
These are before pictures
These are after pictures.....
Gross huh?
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Mom of 3 = crazy!
I think I have finally gotten the hang of having 3 kids although I still feel like I haven't gotten the "H" right on the SAHM title. I constantly look for something to do to get out of the house. If Aubrey is home and kids are sleeping you can bet I find a way out of the house. I usually always have one kid with me but I have really taken advantage of the help I have been receiving so I don't go completely insane. I can't thank Grandpa Barker, Hollie, and my mom enough. It's so nice to get a little alone time.
I have been working on my role as a domestic Goddess though and I won't lie, it's pretty fun! One of the high lights of my day yesterday was beautifying the yard by mowing the lawn and today I made a carrot cake with frosting designs I have never done before. I also get to find new foods to make using my bountiful baskets every couple of weeks and even introduce Leila to crafts I did when I was little. And wait for it.... we've even had Family Home Evening 3 weeks in a row. Those are all things that unfortunately took the back burner while I was busy with School, Teaching, and MK. It's nice to only worry about my girls and wonderful hubby. He does so much for me and I owe it to him to "save my best chickens." The girls and I read lots of books every night, I get to do their hair when they let me and they get to earn marbles by doing good things to earn prizes. For the first time in my life, all I get to do is BE with my family and it feels great! No school and no work. I might just pick up another relationship with Home Depot.
My birthday was this last week and it was good. And Chelsea and Shay I am so lame as to not wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY the same day! We are all officially 23! Gasp! Can you believe it? I barely can. It's really weird when I think about it. To add to the unbelieveability (made up word) Aubrey and I will be married for 5 years in a couple weeks! I love him with everything I have. We are planning to hike up in the Uintas and camp for a night.
I have been working on my role as a domestic Goddess though and I won't lie, it's pretty fun! One of the high lights of my day yesterday was beautifying the yard by mowing the lawn and today I made a carrot cake with frosting designs I have never done before. I also get to find new foods to make using my bountiful baskets every couple of weeks and even introduce Leila to crafts I did when I was little. And wait for it.... we've even had Family Home Evening 3 weeks in a row. Those are all things that unfortunately took the back burner while I was busy with School, Teaching, and MK. It's nice to only worry about my girls and wonderful hubby. He does so much for me and I owe it to him to "save my best chickens." The girls and I read lots of books every night, I get to do their hair when they let me and they get to earn marbles by doing good things to earn prizes. For the first time in my life, all I get to do is BE with my family and it feels great! No school and no work. I might just pick up another relationship with Home Depot.
My birthday was this last week and it was good. And Chelsea and Shay I am so lame as to not wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY the same day! We are all officially 23! Gasp! Can you believe it? I barely can. It's really weird when I think about it. To add to the unbelieveability (made up word) Aubrey and I will be married for 5 years in a couple weeks! I love him with everything I have. We are planning to hike up in the Uintas and camp for a night.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Liz Farah Barker
Liz Farah Barker
Monday April 9, 2012
10:33 p.m.
5 pounds 13 ounces
19 inches long
My due date was April 8th but half way through my pregnancy I got the big ultrasound done to make sure everything was fine. The ultrasound doctor was concerned that Liz was measuring so small and was actually kind of mean about the situation. I wasn't too worried because A.) Leila and Lexi were small, B.) I have a very healthy history, C.) Liz's heart, head, fluid, and bone measurements were perfectly fine. Her femur actually measured longer than most babies! That doctor was double and triple checking that I knew when my last period was. She looked up previous ultrasounds and discovered that my dates were matching up with what I had said. We made a follow up appointment to make sure that Liz was still growing and the doctor said we should move my due date to the 21st! I went back five weeks later and sure enough Liz was still growing and still.... just small. I
told the doctor AGAIN that my other babies were small too. I followed
up with my regular doctor, Dr. Marget Lister who said that she's never
once changed someone's date and that that doctor has no authority to
change any due date. Anyway that info becomes more relevant later.
Around 32 weeks or so, I was sure this baby was going to come early. I
had the waddling going on and pelvic pressure and I couldn't roll from
side to side without moaning. I knew Liz would be small so I wanted to
make sure I could keep her in as long as possible. As time went on I got
comments like, "Wow you are so small! I looked like you when I was 4
months pregnant!" "What? you are due today?"
Anyway I and my baby were small so I was surprised and glad to make it past my due date! After I delivered Lexi I realized I
could have handled it since I only had the epidural for 40 minutes or so before
she was born. Also I had all of the contractions in my bed, and I was a 6
when I got to the hospital. With that experience and Liz being small
the entire pregnancy, I figured I could do it naturally with no epidural so that was my
goal. After my due date I had an appointment to do an ultrasound just to see
how things were going. I was excited for the ultrasound because the last
5 weekly appointments I had I gained only 1.5 pounds which isn't normal
for the final stages of pregnancy. Marget and I decided I would wait
until I went into labor naturally and come to the hospital when I was
ready. I was going to stay at home as long as possible. She looked at
Liz and then looked at her stats and said I could go one more week. Then
she looked at Liz again. She noticed my placenta was all white in the ultrasound which means it
was calcified. It was a grade 3 which means it was done providing
nutrients for Liz. I don't know when exactly it stopped providing since I
hadn't had an ultrasound for a month but I'm glad we noticed. Basically
my placenta had Liz on a diet for the last month of my pregnancy. Which explains why I (Liz) didn't gain any weight.
We agreed that having a small baby was better than chancing a still
birth and I would be having my baby that day. SOOOO what if my due date
was changed to the 21st? Crazy to think about. Anyway Aubrey was kind of
right when he said in the elevator to my appointment, "Maybe they won't
let you go home." My doctor called Labor and Delivery to see when I
would check in. At that point I found I had an hour and a half to shower and pack my hospital
bag. I went to bagels and buns for my last real meal and headed up to
the hospital to check in at 3. It was actually kind of nice to know that Liz would be here soon. I called my friends Ashlie and Dani who work at the hospital so they
could be my CNA and nurse. I checked into the hospital at 3 and it was
busy because they didn't get me started on pitocin until around 4:30.
The highest the doses go is up to is 30 and they started me off at 4.
The nurse came in to see me and said, "You don't really look
uncomfortable..." and I had to agree because I wasn't really in pain. It
was kind of a bummer to be in the hospital when I wasn't going into
labor myself but with my placenta in it's condition, maybe I never would
have. Scary. So every so often they raised the dose by 4ccs. I went to
the hospital when I was at a 1 and luckily my body was progressing. I
got to a 2, then 3, then 4 but none of my contractions were really
painful until after they broke my water which was around 9:20p.m.. When they did I was up to 20 on
the pitocin and dilated to a 5. Then the contractions were a little
more uncomfortable to the point where Aubrey could tell by the look of
me rather than the meter when I was having one.
It was really nice not to have an epidural though because I could walk
around and be on the yoga ball. It was easier to deal with a contraction
when I could bounce around a little instead of trying to move around in
an uncomfortable hospital bed. I just sat on the ball and set the
tablet on the bed so I could watch some netflix while trying to pass
some time. My contractions were getting closer and I just knew I needed
to lay down. In between contractions I moved to the bed and told Aubrey
and the nurse, "I need to pee." The nurse said, "Okay do you want to get
up and go?" I said, "No" They were getting me a bed pan but then I
said, "I need to push!" It was so crazy how fast it all happened
though. All of the sudden I just needed to lay down and have a baby. I
can't really comprehend how the "pain" felt now but I wouldn't really
call it painful. It was nice to feel what your body is naturally
supposed to do. I could feel Liz descend and that was a good feeling because that meant she was really coming. That is the feeling I can still recall the most. I realized when I first started pushing that I was just
trying to push rather then waiting until I had a contraction and that
made a big difference! I recall pushing twice at the wrong time and
giving one big push with a contraction and Liz was here. I also remember
feeling a little embarrassed about the color of my face. I felt like it
was purple when I was pushing and I was hoping no one was looking at my
face! haha While in labor I told everyone, "It hurts!" and the nurse
said, "There is a solution for that. Let's get this baby out." And I thought, "Okay that's a good idea. As soon as she's out I will be done." It's
funny to think about now because that's something you don't get/realize
with an epidural. It doesn't hurt so it's almost like you are hindering
your body from what it's supposed to do because mentally you can't
support the process because of the drugs you've been given. I think it was a
fast delivery because I made it like that. I easily could have
complained about how it hurt or how long it might take to actually push a
baby out of my body but I didn't. I waited until I had a contraction
and pushed my hardest to get her here.
I was very grateful for Aubrey, Marget, and the nurse telling me how well I was doing. It was nice to hear the encouragement and that made it easier as well. They could talk to me rather than just tell me when to push. Marget said, "Push when you need and do what you feel you need to do." That was also a nice change because with an epidural you don't get to feel and understand your body. Someone just tells you when to push. When she was born she was put on my stomach and she was so tiny! I couldn't believe it. The nurse and doctor were really surprised at how well I handled it and said that I made a lot less noise that women who do get epidurals! I was glad to hear that. I wasn't crying to screaming or anything but I do know I was moaning quite a bit. At least it wasn't grunting haha. Unfortunately we didn't get a picture of me smiling in the bed holding Liz. Give me a break I just pushed a baby out of my body with no drugs! And I couldn't believe I had done it again and naturally! I can't believe that I have 3 girls! I can't believe that I am only 22. I can't believe I am married to the most supportive husband. I can't believe how far I have come as a person. It is crazy to think I am a mom of 3 of the most beautiful girls alive! Sometimes I think it's a dream like I've just been baby sitting someone's kids for a long time! : ) The best part of all of this is that THEY ARE MINE FOREVER! Nothing can ever separate them from me or Aubrey or us from them. Leila, Lexi, and Liz will ALWAYS belong to me and Aubrey! I can't ever thank Heavenly Father enough for that. I couldn't comprehend ever living without my little family! The Lord has a plan for everyone and everything and I know my family is meant to be together.
Liz is such a good little baby. We were a little worried there would be something wrong with her since she was so little but nothing is. We couldn't be more grateful for her condition considering the issues we had with my due date and placenta. We are lucky my placenta didn't give out earlier during the pregnancy and that Liz got enough time to grow big enough. The girls have been adjusting and they really like to touch Liz. I love having this little baby to just love on and cuddle with. She is so alert and oh so strong. She was born into the most perfect family for her AND she has dark almost black hair! We love her so much and can't wait until she can run around with and talk to Leila and Lexi. I am sure they will have some interesting conversations!
I want to thank everyone for the support and kind words since being home from the hospital. 3 kids is definitely harder than 2 and this experience took more out of me than the other deliveries. Maybe it's because "I'm older" now like my mom said or that I haven't been as in shape as with my other pregnancies. Needless to say, it's been nice taking a break and a little easier asking for help. My mom has been wonderful as well as some of my sisters! Thank you Ashlie and Dani! Thank you everyone! We love you and are glad to welcome Liz home to our family.
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