Sledding....Idaho Style!!

So Saturday was sledding day. It started out as ALL Saturdays should....at the North HiWay Cafe!!! After breakfast, Team Newton went on the hunt for snow-clothes...they found success for us all at the Target. We have a little park down the street with about a 5 foot drop and we thought it would be perfect for first-time sledders. Did I mention we couldn't find any sleds in town....so the "sleds" were actually Rubbermaid Tote lids!! Classy!! Anyway...Grandpa got bored with the little hill and decided to show the kids how it's done in Idaho!!! I'm still laughing!!!

Christmas Morn

Mikey asked Santa for a whale...yeah....a whale. Not really sure why, but I do know that it was quite a task for Santa. He was thrilled when he found it under the tree!!! Ryan loved his activity table too.

Later, we met up with my family at Brandi's house and the kids were surprised with more gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Barlow. Mike received a whole knight outfit....complete with a two-headed dragon to "defeat". Ryan got a new truck. You can see how much he likes it!!

A Christmas Eve Tradition

Every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember, my Mom hosts a party for her sisters...and whoever else needs somewhere to go!!! Dinner is always great...this year we had a "shrimp fest"... yum. As part of a new tradition, I think this is the second year, the grandkids do a living Nativity. It is always the hit of the party!! Here's a peek!! Sorry about the crummy color!! Mike is the donkey... as he was last year.

Here's Ryan sitting so content on my Auntie M's lap...so cute!!

A Christmas Program

Every year, Mikey's pre-school does a big program. What a geek show...we love it!! Cam and I sat in the 2nd row and cheered and waved like every other geeky parent!! He was great... of course!! They dance and sing...this is Mikey's "Frosty the Snowman" dance.

Mikey is looking for Cam and I using his "Super Secret Agent Spy Goggles"!! Gotta love the nose-picking dance partner!! =)

Luke 2: 10-14

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

I am so grateful for the love of Christ in my life. I am so thankful that He was willing to come to this earth and be a perfect example for me. I am grateful to him for his sacrifce in the Garden of Gethsemane that makes it possible to live with my Heavenly Father again. I am so thankful for my eternal family and the true joy that comes from living with my boys (that includes Cam!!). I am humbled daily that He trusted me with such sweet spirits. I am grateful for the wonderful people in my life. I have such wonderful friends that teach me all the time about how to be a better person. I have an incredible family... I'm blessed to have them so near. I love you all so much. May we all have the light of Christ with us always. And may the New Year bring us all much happiness.

Who am I?

Of Course I'm Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!!! Mike wore these most of the day....great job Cam coming up with a way to keep the antlers on!!! We had to steal the ribbon off a gift...

Haircuts

So Cam decided that Ryan's mohawk was getting to be a bit much. For the most part...Ryan was great. Mike of course wanted to have his cut too!!! What cute boys....

Did I mention that Ryan is trying to walk already??!!!

Ode to Brandi...

It's so nice that Brandi could move back to town so she could host EVERYTHING!!! Thanksgiving was at her house....and it was so great!! She does such an incredible job telling us what to do!!! =) But seriously....everything was perfect and a wonderful day!! Thanks Brandi!!

This is a cute picture of Ryan and my cute Aunt Elaine!! Ryan just hugged and snuggled her!!! I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family full of people who are so fun and hilarious!! I'm very thankful for them all!!!

Standing...

So...it only took about a week before Ryan decided crawling wasn't all that cool! Pulling himself up is the newest trick!! It won't be long before he figures out how to walk....so sad!! I'm not ready for my baby to be a toddler!!

Crawling

Ryan decided to crawl on November 11. At least that's when we saw him move intentionally with both his arms and legs moving together!! He's going all over the place now...it's so cute.

The Rivalry

It's that time again.....Go Cougars!!!

Wish I was watching with my friends again.....on the "top row"!!! =) Still makes me giggle that my ticket actually said that!!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!!

Oh Boy.....look who's 30!!! (Finally!!!) This pic was taken on the pier in San Francisco...that's the Golden Gate Bridge in the background!! Des/Ryan.....remember how good lunch was??!!

A Halloween Tradition

For as long as I can remember....we have always gone out to my grand-parents' house on Halloween for chili. It's a tradition that I love and I'm so happy to share it with my own boys. This is a picture with Team Newton...the Hulk is of course....Mike.

This last pic is Ryan's first lollypop!! You can always count on my Dad to introduce the boys to the better things in life!! I love the looks on both of their faces!!

Time with Grandma

So I was scanning through picture files....not really sure why....but I came across this picture. I love it. Every time we go to my parents' house, Mike can't wait for dinner to be over so he can go get a book for Grandma to read. She ALWAYS finds time to sit with my son and read with him. How cool is that....thanks Mom. On a book note....that is "Stand Back" said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!!" If you don't have it.....it's great!!! Get yourself a copy!!!!

The Annual Grandma Pumpkin Party

Today we went out to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the annual pumpkin party. The party begins with painting some pumpkins (a change to the party...we use to carve them....but the adults usually ended up doing all the work...so we went with paints this year!!! Major improvement!!)

Next was some face painting....

Followed by a relay race...it was a dress-up thing...

We decorated sugar cookies next....yes, Grandma's famous sugar cookies!!

What a fun day!!! I had to post these last three pics....these are my Dad being, well, my Dad.

He made those glasses himself....and that is a pink ball that got popped on his head!!

Fouth File Fourth Picture Tag

So I'm new to this tag thing....but my sister-in-law Ranae said I was tagged and this is what I do!! Ha ha ha ha....I'm still laughing that this is the pic that came up!!! This is my Mike at Ellie and Katie's birthday party last January at our house. The girls got this great present from my sister Brook that was all sorts of "dress-up" stuff. Well, Mike thought it was cool too!!!! We called him "Mrs. Nesbit" the rest of the night (that's a Toy Story reference in case you missed it!!). Thanks for the tag....it brought a smile to my face after a tough week of very sick kids!!!

Oh...my blogging friends....you're tagged too!!!

Yard Work

Of course the really down-side of a new house (can I still call it new?) is putting in the yard. Since we were busy playing softball and having a nice summer....we decided that we would hire someone to get the yard ready for sod. Big mistake. The reality is that no one will do it as well as Cam would have....and in the end, he's doing it anyway. Lucky for him...he has such great help!! The goal is to have sod before it snows.....so since we're in Idaho....we better hurry!!! =)


I love the matching poses in this one!!! And yes....those are Hulk shoes!!

The Boys

I just thought that the boys looked so cute one Sunday morning I had to take their picture.

And of course.....the Hulk!!

Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter became the all-time hits leader for the Yankees in Yankee Stadium tonight. Of course I saw it.....MLB.TV baby!!! I'm just glad that in a year that my Yankees have given me very little to cheer about....I can always count on the Captain!!! As a person who has been to monument park and read about the legends, it gives me great satisfaction to know that I have actually seen the "best" play in The Stadium IN PERSON. I saw him hit a home run IN PERSON. I have called his name for "Roll Call" from the right field bleachers IN PERSON. I guess that makes me a part of history too. =) Congratulations DJ...thanks for the memories!! I'm looking forward to more!!!

Ryan and Jimmy

My Dad called us out to the "farm" a couple of Sunday's ago so that we could get a picture of Ryan and Jimmy (my Dad's newest racehorse). Jimmy was born just a couple of weeks after Ryan. Mom and Dad had been looking through scrapbooks and saw a picture of my nephew Garrett when he was a baby sitting on Jimmy's mom. That racehorse was our very best...so we thought that we would try this trick again. So.....hopefully Jimmy can run as fast as his momma did!!!

Man-Capris

So...I picked Mike up from school and actually got teary. He looked so cute...so when we got home I took his picture. He's doing so great in his Pre-K class. Today he got to get a prize out of Miss Maryanne's box because he was "so good and I got enough stickers!!" I love my boy so much....

About "Twilight".....

So....I finished. And here's the verdict....I liked it. It was different. It was entertaining. It gave me plenty of things to talk about with all the other teen-age girls!!! But here's what I wish.... I wish I had a dollar for everytime she talked about how "beautiful" Edward is!!! I could retire!! But....I liked it. In fact.....Cam is on his way to the store for book #2: NEW MOON!!!

Again...giving in to peer pressure.

I'm going to do it....I'm going to read the "Vampire" books so I can 1) find out what all the buzz is about and 2) relate to all the high school girls in my classes. I'll keep you all posted....

P.S. Special thanks to my sweet husband for going to the store and buying this for me!! I know he probably thinks I'm losing it...but he did it anyway!! XOXOXO

Where's the controversy?

So....according to ESPN the BYU win today was controversial. Hmmm.....here's the thing....and I know R. Sedg. is going to love this.....looks to me like UW had their point after blocked!! We win by 1. Where's the controversy? GO COUGARS!!

Is it Tarzan or the Hulk

So Mike is now a pretender. It started out with being Tarzan...but now he is the Hulk!! Needless to say....he is sleeping in just his underwear these days...."because I'm the Hulk and my shirt has ripped off!" When we were taking pictures....the photographer wanted to take a few shots of Ryan without his shirt on...so Mike insisted that he take his off too...." 'cause I'm the Hulk and Ryan is the baby Hulk." Thus...here is the picture of "Hulk" and "Baby Hulk"!!!

New Pics

Just picked up the boys' new pics...they turned out so good! So...I thought I would share them!!

This is one of my favorites....but I haven't figured out which way it should go!!