Birthday Pictures

The Birthday Boy!! His candle is in a pile of little sugar donuts....he loves them!!Look out Darth Vader!! Ryan was loving the pool party!!

Gotta love cupcakes!!

Ryan loved the cupcakes too!! And his Aunt Brook is more than willing to share!!

Mike was VERY spoiled for his birthday....he received a dragon, a snake, a dinosaur, some Batman wings, a Connect 4 Game, and many fun art supplies!! He is so lucky to have so many people who love him!!

Michael is 5!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy!! What an absolute joy he is to our family!! Ryan couldn't ask for a better big brother!! I can't believe he's already 5 years old!! Where did the time go??!! We love you Bug!!!

Mikey P

So, I guess as you get closer to five, your imagination starts working overtime!! Here's a look what Mikey has been up to.....

Yep....he's rowing.
And he's a bat....love the red eyes....and the chocolate milk down the front of him!!

And he's a dragon!!! "Actually, the King of the Dragons, and the red eyes mean he's the toughest!!"Mikey also started playing T-Ball this summer. He bats really well, and when the ball comes near him, he pounces!! He's so cute and we love him so much. He is a great big brother who loves Ryan so much. He shares and plays with his baby brother all the time. We are bless to have him in our family!!

OF COURSE he's wearing a Yankees hat!!! He is my kid!!!

Enjoy the Silence

As requested by my sister....there is no more background music!! I guess she's getting old....

Grandma's Easter Party

The Saturday before Easter is always spent at Grandma and Grandpa's house first for an Easter Egg Hunt, followed by many other activities. This is the line up......

Ryan wasn't all that interested in lining up!!! So, the little ones (4 and under) got a 30 second head start....

Check out the loot!!!!



Ryan discovered jelly beans and was eating them by the handful....so funny.

Last they colored eggs, rode the merry-go-round, rode the horse (Snazzy), and then went to the sand-dunes to get sand for the box. They had a ball!! I am grateful every day for the active part that my parents play in their grand-children's lives!!! I have always known that I have incredible parents.....they are even better grandparents!! I love you Mom and Dad!!!

A few more pics from our day and Easter Morning....

Mike and Kaycee on Snazzy....

It's Time.

So I guess I should blog about the major change in my life . . . I'm going to be coaching basketball again. It's so strange really, because I have been happily retired for 7 years. Last Monday, Idaho Falls High School decided to take a big chance and hire me as their next women's basketball coach. I have so many emotions . . . mostly excited. I've been filled with many memories... and ready to provide the Lady Tigers with some of those same experiences. It's a little scary to even think about a practice without Coach Romo, but luckily, we've been on the phone enough that anyone who know's Romo would feel her influence all the way to Idaho Falls. I'm grateful to Romo for the many hours of advice she has given this past month. I'm grateful for the incredible support I have been given from my family, especially my sweet husband. I think they are as excited as I am.... I'm humbled by this new adventure, and pray daily that I can be a positive influence on these young ladies' lives. Go Tigers!!!

Happy Birthday Ryan!! Well...last Friday!

So...our baby is a year old!! This year went by so fast!! Here are some pics of his Bday!!

Isn't he so cute?!! (I know I'm biased!!)

Ready for church!!

Yum..CAKE!!

Showing you the blue frosting from his Spider-Man cake!! He's such a clown!! Can't put into words how this little guy blesses our lives everyday!! We're so grateful that he is a part of our little family!! Love you Scooter!!!

MOUNTAIN VIEW BRUINS

Let me start this post with a phone call Friday night....

Laura Romo calls me from North Carolina and says, "I'm getting on a plane tomorrow morning to go watch Mountain View in the state championship....pick me up in Salt Lake at 1:00." What do you say to that?....other than, "I'll be there!"

So... here's a little tribute to my friend and mentor: Before leaving Mountain View last spring to move back home to North Carolina, she promised those young ladies two things....1) that they would play for the state championship this year and 2) she would come back to see them win it!! For anyone who knows Coach Romo, she is a woman of her word (and many other incredible things). What an awesome sight it was that after cutting down the nets....the Bruins caught sight of their coach, jumped/climbed over their bench, ran up the stands and hugged this incredible person. They cried, they screamed, and even picked Romo up off the bleachers. Awesome. With all the class in the world, the new Mountain View Coaching Staff came and took Coach Romo into the locker room to celebrate with her team. Cool.

Congratualation to Mountain View High School!! You are the measuring stick.

On a side note.....the "Bruin Crazies" are the coolest student section!!! You can see them in this picture, but it doesn't do them justice. What a great sight it was to see so many young people who "get it!!" They scream, they yell, they have their own jerseys, they even have their own choreography!! Two thumbs up to the MVHS administration that "get it" too!!! Instead of stifling all those young people...they join them, organize them and get matching t-shirts!! Jeanne, Kayla, Mike and Rick....hats off!!! Thanks for always putting your students first...and again, showing the world what a high school should look, feel, and act like!!!Love and miss you all!!!

Once a Bruin, always a Bruin!!!

(of course this font is CARDINAL!!)

My Big Boys

Here are a couple of pics of the boys....they're getting so big!! Who's this girl? Brandi had the boys late one night, and Ryan got to wear these pretty butterfly pink pj's home!!

This is the 1st book that Mikey read all by himself. He is doing so great at school. He is learning to read and he can write and spell quite a few words. We are so proud of him!!

Mikey has learned about the Playstation 2. His cousin Garrett got one from Santa, and since Mike thinks Garrett is the coolest, he too wants to learn to play. He most enjoys playing Crash Bandicoot 2, which requires that his parents play a lot with him. I have to admit it's fun... Ryan of course wanted to help, so he climbed into the chair with his big brother. (Recognize that chair Ween?) What is awesome about Mike, is that he wasn't one bit bugged that his little brother wanted to be with him!! He moved over, helped him up, and gave him a hug. It is so awesome that Ryan has a big brother like Mike.

Happy Birthday Addie!!

Today is Mikey's girlfriend's birthday!!! We love you Add....we wish we were there to share your day!!

STEELER NATION!!!

So much fun!!! We had another big Barlow family party to watch the Bowl!!! The Newton girls were in their "Steelers girl" t-shirts that matched their Mom. My boys and I were also in our Steeler gear!! Dad was in his "party shirt" which is a Hawaiian number and his Steelers hat. We were pretty much Steeler Nation!!! Our friends, the Storms, came over too. Their son Sawyer and Aaron were the lone Cardinal fans...but we love them anyway!!! Way to start of '09 right!! Now if only my Yankees could get on the championship train....

I BELIEVE!!

GO STEELERS!!!

To know my family is to know that we are Steelers fans...and ALWAYS have been!! So, you can all guess what we'll all be doing tomorrow!!!! I'm in charge of bringing stuffed mushrooms, pot stickers and taquitos....yep....football food!!! Not sure what else we're having, but we'll be tuned in at Team Newton's for the entire game!! Go Steelers!!