BANGS!!!

Surprise here it is. The new cut. If you will notice that I happen to be bundled up, it is like 28˚ here. Yikes. Well James said that he really likes it and so we are both really happy with it. Hooray for my favorite hair girl.

leaving on a jet plane

What a lucky time we happen to have on the planes with the kids. Despite the dirty looks people give us because we are toting kids with us, things went rather well. Whew!

no nap for Gwen

Today was a really busy day for Gwen. She decided that she was not going to take a nap. I could tell that she was tired and I tried having her lay down, but she would just play on the bed and jump and talk. After over an hour of this I just decided to get her up and see how cranky she would get, but to my surprise she didn't get cranky she just kept on playing. So around five she was unfolding all of the laundry that I was trying to get ready and so I told her to go and pick out a book that we could read. She agreed, but didn't return to the bedroom, so after a few minutes of silence I started to think that she was getting into something that she shouldn't so I set off to catch her in the act, but what I found was this.
Totally out! I snapped the first one thinking that the flash would wake her up like it normally would, but she didn't move a muscle. So I snuck in for a closer look. Here is the book that she came in to get and on the way she found her "soft" blanket and the rest is history. If you are wondering why she is not wearing pants it is because we had changed her earlier and she escaped before I could catch her, so I gave up. And I wasn't too worried about her getting cold seeing as it was 70 degrees today. Geeze Louise that is madness.

the hair war

You know when your hair gets to the point where it no longer does the style that you first cut it to do, but it really can't quite pull off something else? Well this is the stage that I am in. I envy James sometimes that he can just pop into whatever local haircutting place is near us and come out with exactly what he wanted, and for under $15. I know that people say that it is just hair and it will grow back, but it is not the growing back part that worries me, it is the day to day with the slaughter until it grows back out that you have to deal with.

I used to work with a girl that would drive over 2 hours to get to the girl that cut her hair. At first I thought that it was a little extreme, but only because I lived but a mere 10 minutes from mine. But when we moved I found myself in a little bit of a situation. Do I wait it out and get the amazing haircut that fits my face every 4 or so months when I might be going back, or do I bite the bullet and find someone new that I will have to pay to break in?

My solution to the problem has been to wait it out and update my hair every time that we head back to visit family. I know that you are all thinking that I am crazy, but my girl really is that good. And I don't break the bank for each visit. Well I just wanted to vent a little about the awkward stage that my hair is in, even though I have put myself in this spot. I just wondered if anyone else has ever struggled with a similar situation.

the new move-in's

Well it is official, Ryan and Leslie have made the big move. Here are the pictures to prove it. Don't we all just cringe looking at moving pictures and thinking about packing and moving all our stuff. I know that is not one task that I love to do.

Have no fear, before anything else was unpacked the kids had found and unloaded the toys.

I am so glad that these girls are together. They had a really fun time playing together by the end of the night. It was funny to see them together like they had never been strangers, they were laughing and giggling, and running around like three peas in a pod. I hope that they like each other the next time that we get together. Welcome to Texas Ryan, Leslie, London, and Madelin we are excited to have you. And feel free to ditch the coats, seeing as it was in the 70's this weekend. Now that is what I call a house warming gift the ability to go outside in sandals in January.

the power of books

Today we took a trip to the Library and found out how well Gwen does NOT sit through story time. So we had to leave. While we waited outside of the story time group Gwen decided that she was going to do a little reading of her own. So the unhappy face is because she just bonked her head before climbing up to the table, and because she won't smile for me to take her picture. Oh well it was an eventful day at the Library, and an even more interesting ride home. Kids, you just have to love them.

Oh I almost forgot that Gwen has been sleeping in the big girl bed for almost two weeks, including naps, but she has one little habit that cracks me up, reading in bed. Yep every time I go in to check on her or get her up from sleeping I find her favorite books strewn all over the bed and sometimes still in her hands. Tonight it was "Once upon a potty" that was tucked in right next to her. I hope that she continues to love reading all her life.

a long weekend

This weekend James' brother Ryan, and his wife Leslie popped in for a visit. They were actually looking for a place to live, and they found one too. So while they were here we decided to take advantage of the clear skies on Saturday and go shopping. There is a great outdoor mall called the Domain, and Gwen was more interested in the outdoor toys and fountains than shopping.
So naturally you would imagine that a kids playground would have animals to play on, but would you guess that there would be an armadillo? Only in Texas.
James was playing a game with Gwen and flying her all around the play place, and another little girl that was there asked her dad to do the same thing, but after only a few times he said he was done, and the little girl was sad because James was still flying Gwen around. I hope when you are older Gwen, you will appreciate how great your dad is.
And after the whole busy weekend Harrison is still recovering. Fast asleep. We are also battling the Cedar Fever here. My new best friends are kleenex, and allergy pills. Bummer, at least we are all still healthy. James had today off for the Holiday, and it was really nice to have him hang out with us all day. Thank goodness for the holidays.

Saturday Morning

Remember the days when you looked forward to Saturdays. Looking forward to sleeping in and maybe getting something accomplished around the house...or how about even being lazy? When did we get to the point that Saturdays become just another day. No sleeping in for sure, no accomplishments planned for the day. Ah yes when, I believe that we gave up the enjoyment of Saturday mornings when we decided to have kids. No it was when we had a toddler. Yes that was it. They are able to stay awake and tell you that they need to get up. Well there is an up side to this whole having kids thing, besides the fact that they are really funny, they take naps.

***Kelly fun fact for the day. Kelly does not like milk. Yes you read that right. She was one of the first people that I had met that would rather eat her cereal with yogurt than milk. Now this is funny because her 2 year old son also loves yogurt on his cold cereal too. I guess that it runs in the family. I guess that means that there is more milk for my cookies. And less money on your shopping bill. Kelly you sure are a fun girl. Got milk? Just kidding.***

making sense of jibberish

Well as we inch nearer to the age of two, everyday sure gets more interesting. I love hearing new words that she adds into her vocabulary in fun ways. I love to see her little personality develop, as well as her interesting fashion sense. Today as we were eating lunch she was talking in jibberish as well as adding in random words and sounds, just as she would do when talking on the phone. But she kept saying na-na. Now I should have picked up on it sooner but for some reason it just wasn't clicking as to what she was saying. So I told her that I didn't understand what she wanted.
Quickly she leaned back and pointed in the kitchen and said "peek a boo, I see you na-na."
I couldn't stop giggling as I asked her if she wanted a banana, with a big smile she replied, yes peease.
I could hardly believe what had just happened, after all of the single words that she had been saying for quite some time, she had chosen the perfect way for me to understand her in that moment...Houston we have communication that not just a parent would understand. What a fun little way for her to express to me her needs. I wonder what she will say to me when she starts wanting really big items from the store?


***Kelly fun fact of the day. Kelly has a memory like a steel trap. It is very solid and always working. She remembers dates, numbers, and fun details that make her sharing a story really fun. She is one of those people that can remember the anniversary of the day she and her husband started dating, or from when they got engaged. She is great with birthdays, and important dates of friends and family members too. If ever I was working on my birthday she always had a surprise gift waiting there for me. Thanks. I know that I struggle to remember a lot more things than just important dates, that makes me even more appreciative of your amazing memory. I tell you what if it weren't for post-it notes I don't know where my memory and I would be today.***

A first for us

Well ladies and gentlemen as you know it is the beginning of tax season. The adds are running on t.v. all day long, the w-2's are in the mail, and so begins the waiting and procrastination. Well not this year. Not for the Barlow's. I am proud and a little amazed to tell you that as of tonight we are totally finished with the tax game. As a matter of fact we were told that our return should be here within a week!! Crazy I know. I just wanted everyone to take part in my sigh of relief as we got a head start on the season and finished earlier than even I could have imagined. I would like to thank James for doing all the work, and for jumping into the whole thing so soon. Whew!

*** Now for the Kelly fun fact of the day. Kelly is a great dancer. Yep. She has done it all. Cheerleading, drill team, dancing with the stars, alright maybe she didn't do dancing with the stars, but I bet that she could. I would want Maxim to be her partner, just because he is kind of feisty and you are not quite sure what team he is playing for, you know he keeps it interesting. Also because he has had a partner that has made it to the finals a few times. You know that you need a partner that knows what they are doing. Anyways here is to all the dances that you have done and all the ones that I know that you are preparing to teach your kids. I hope you dance, I hope you dance.***

my little sumo

I am not talking about Gwen being a little sumo, although she did have her sumo days, but our little Harrison is showing some very promising signs of a sumo future. First the intimidating sumo/zombie stare down...
next the little rolls that are covering his body. Including the fact that he has no wrists.
And last but not least, James has to hold him back from taking down his competition, Gwen. Don't worry at the end of the day Gwen is still more than happy to give him hugs and kisses.

***Kelly fun fact for the day. Kelly Ann is always up for a challenge. No matter what it is, camping at Lake Powell with a tent that has no stakes, How many dates can one go on in a week, an n'sync concert for silly high school friend, a new game, pumpernickle bagels, or a friendly contest of the biggest loser. She makes taking on a new and sometimes silly challenge really fun. Have you had a good challenge lately?***

jump a roo!

So we busted out the good ol' jump a roo. Harrison is just like Gwen was when she was a baby. They always want to be standing up and looking around. So here is a great way to do both.
Not quite sure what all these silly gadgets are but so far so good...
Adding in a little bounce...
He is having such a good time that Gwen had decided that she wants him outta there so she can have a turn. ( and if you are wondering, yes that is a diaper she is wearing. Potty training has taken a new turn and her attitude is a force to be reckoned with).

*** Here is the fun fact of the day about Kelly. She is a great speller. I am not talking about your regular vocabulary words here people. I am talking about the kind of spelling skills that have won her Spelling Bees. In my world of needing spell check all the time, that is a skill that I greatly admire. Here is to Y-O-U Kelly.***

Kelly Kelly bo belly

This week my friend Kelly C. will be celebrating her birthday. So I will be celebrating her all week long. Throughout the regular posts I am going to list fun and interesting things about her, so that everyone will know just how fun and great she is. So to get us started here are three reasons why I love Kelly:

1. I love Kelly because she was not afraid to be my friend even when I was just the younger sister, she was dating my brother at the time, and when I first met her I liked her immediately. She has such a fun and bubbly personality it truly is contagious. Her smile could seriously light up a room. And she has been my friend ever since.

2. I love Kelly because she really cares about other people. She is probably one of the nicest people ever, and she is always ready and willing to help out no matter what. For instance James and I got stuck in Reno while having a car fixed and we were supposed to open the store the next morning(at 4:00am) and we were not going to make it back until 6am. Kelly took care of everything and we pretty much drove straight to work as soon as we got into town we felt so bad. When we got there she had opened the store, was smiling, and asked us how the trip was. You would think that she would have just fired us both, but she didn't. Now that is going the extra mile.

3. I love Kelly because she can make me laugh. Now when I say laugh I don't just mean a little giggle she can really bring out a brighten your day kind of laugh. I love to talk to her, weather it is on the phone or in person, you just feel better after having a conversation with her. She even made me feel good when I was ready to pull my hair out due to potty training. Now that is some kind of magic.

So Kelly here is to the last 9 years, we have been through some funny and tough stuff. I think that you are so great, so for the next week I am going to let everyone else get to know you too. I can't wait to share some of our fun history. Have a happy birthday, you deserve it.

A little music for the soul

"Jesus Savior, Pilot Me"

"Come, Come Ye Saints"



A friend of ours, Mark Abernathy, performs here his rendition of "Jesus Savior, Pilot Me" and "Come, Come Ye Saints". He asked James to shoot some video of it so here it is for all of you to enjoy. We apologize in advance for the terrible video service YouTube provides.

dejunking

First off I am not quite sure if that is really considered a word, dejunking. Nope it is not. Spell check is not liking that one. Well it is a word around our house and after picking up a ton of toys and too many clothes today I have decided to take on a New Years resolution. I know that is a really big step for me to commit to something like that but I think that things have gotten a little out of hand around here.

You know before James and I were married I basically pack ratted whatever I could, little silly things that my friends and I did or laughed at, or even just random things that I really liked, sadly I believe that some of that stuff is still at my parents home, ( mom honestly feel free to get rid of anything that is there, it is not like I have needed it, or even thought about it, in the last 6+ years) Yikes!
Well when I married James he is not in any way shape or form a pack rat or a big saver of things. So I just happened to come into our union with A LOT of shoes, ( when I say a lot it is a really embarrassing number) so when I wanted to get another pair James told me that to get one new pair I had to get rid of at least 5 other pairs each time. Ouch! I think that I still have scars from that one. This has been a great lesson to me throughout our marriage and through quite a few moves, so I think that James has rubbed off on me enough that I am ready to take on the task, even if it means one drawer at a time.

So this is what I will be working on for the next year, I really hope that it won't take nearly that long, I am curious to know what kinds of things everyone else pledges for the upcoming year.

Hey Ladies...

All right, I am in need of a new pair of jeans. (what girl isn't?) Over the holidays I have tried on so many that I can't even count, well actually it was 10 different kinds, but my point is that I am looking for some good recommendations, so if you have a little pair that you love and want to share, please send me some help. I am curious to know what everyone is wearing.

A day for Harrison

Today we blessed Harrison and I just wanted to share a little bit of
the boy that we love so much. So here are a few pictures of a fun kid
that we are glad to have in our family. Oh and how can you resist
that little round face, it is practically a perfect circle.

I have nothing to wear

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

You might think that Gwen is some kind of a diva with how often she changes her clothes, and mind. The other day I caught her in one of her mid day changes, as you can see she cleaned out all her shirts, but she didn't find a single one she liked. I guess that is the life of a up and coming almost two year old.

Oh and don't you think the little bum hanging out of the skirt is funny. I better make sure that she knows to pull her clothes up all the way, no need for a clothing malfunction around here.

Farwell Dexter

A sad moment has happened to me today. My favorite car "Dexter" or "Dex" as I liked to call him, has found a new home. I wanted so badly to keep him for a long time, but two cars was just not working for us at the moment. So I just wanted to say thanks Dex for all the fun times, for all the really neat features that you had, and for just being a really awesome car. I know that you will have a lot of fun new adventures with the young single girl that now calls you her own.