Here and There and Everywhere

This blog post will be all over the place. I guess that's how it is when you only blog once a month. Lot of random things to catch you up on and a little rambling as well...

I saw that I am last on some of my blogging friend's blog rolls (is that what they're called?). And it's been 3 weeks since I last posted, so while my two oldest are asleep and Andrew is happy in his bouncy seat, I thought I would update you on life in the Barber household. Sad news-(mainly for family)-my camera is broken and my mom's is also broken--thanks to Ellie. Note to self: if and when we get a new camera (don't really have that much extra cash right now), don't let Ellie anywhere near it.

Steven is gone for 2 weeks (gulp!). We are actually into the second week. He is teaching two different youth camps. He came home for one night (on Friday) and left again yesterday morning. Just so you moms aren't hyperventilating at the thought-you should know that my mom and two sisters are helping a ton. So to kill the first week, and because we wanted to see you, Moore family :)-we went to visit Laura Beth and Scott and their little monkey, Ada. I assume that everyone that reads my blog also reads my sister's. But in case you don't, I will officially announce on my blog that she is pregnant with baby #2. I am very excited. I love a new life in our family, especially when I'm not the one who has to carry it for nine months. (Don't want to make it sound like it isn't a privilege, but I'm a little worn out from pregnancies at this point) She is feeling pretty yucky and it brings back all of last summer's memories of feeling unbelievably sick and tired in the middle of the suffocating heat. Not fun! Mom went with us to visit and we were hoping to give her some relief, although I'm afraid it was anything but that. There is so much refereeing between the cousins when they all get together. It isn't exactly what I would call restful. Although I think we can all say it was very entertaining and we had several really hard laughs. Thanks for the visit, guys!

On to other exciting baby food news...I have decided to attempt making my own this time around. Notice I said attempt. I don't know why I have never at least tried it before. I think it will be much cheaper and it seems like it will taste a lot better. I pureed my first squash yesterday. Andrew wasn't a big fan, but we will try, try again. Any "make it yourselfers" out there are welcome to leave me advice!

As I mentioned before, Steven had one night at home in between youth camps. I nicely asked my mom and sister, Sarah (Kate was out of town) to keep all three children so Steven and I could go see a movie. They so graciously agreed. We went to see My Sister's Keeper. Definitely one of the saddest, most depressing movies I have ever watched-on several levels, actually. But most sad to me was how hopeless death is without Christ. The movie is the world's best attempt to put some sort of answer or hope into dying, but without the gospel, there is none-zero. At one point the girl with cancer says something like she isn't afraid because she thinks she will be alright. It saddens me to no end to think of the people in this world who are going about their lives with some false sense of security about eternity because they are a "good person". It says in Isaiah "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags." But praise be to God for His indescribable gift! What a glorious hope we have in Jesus! Are you ever just completely humbled and overwhelmed by your salvation? I love it when God hits me with that at various times.

Told you this post would be everywhere!

Back Already!

Can you believe it's only been a few days and I'm blogging again? I was reviewing pictures on my camera and realized there are quite a few that I should post. I know there are certain family members that would probably love to see them-Hey, Mary Ann :) Just to warn you, they will be very random!

So I found this picture on my camera. (I didn't take it, it must have been Steven) And I realized that doggie is getting some milk straight from the breast pump. Sorry if that is TMI. Also, we have found Luke a few times trying to breastfeed doggie, except he puts him up to his bellybutton.

We are getting some neighbors!!! Also, you can kind of see the project that we are working on sloooooowly. We are trying to get our screened porch painted so we can actually get it screened in. I'm dying to sit out there on a rainy summer day!

Here is the bulldozer at work. They were working for several days and Luke had a front row seat. This is Luke straight out of bed to catch the action.

First watermelon of the summer!!

My four month old. I can't resist this little guy!

Neither can Ellie.Or even little AdaOmigoodness. How cute are these two? Ada loved Andrew or just "baby" to her.

Andrew wasn't so sure. He's like "who is this chick?" And finally...this is what my living room looks like at the end of a long day. Ellie's latest game is to pretend she is making "pies". This involves tearing up lots of paper into lots of little pieces for the pie filling. Ellie's pies have also started taking over our fridge. I should've made her clean this up, but tonight I was more ready for her to go to bed than to do a clean-up battle. We'll cross that bridge in the morning when everyone is more rested.

Good night!

Not Supermom!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted. I realized this (aside from the date at the top of my last post) because Andrew is 4 months today. I don't have any pictures because that takes extra time and that is something I just don't have much of right now. I feel like I am always saying something about that, (my lack of free time), and really it isn't a complaint, it's just the truth. Having three is so insanely time consuming!

Sometimes I read other blogs or hear of moms doing these super creative things with their kids or doing elaborate projects or things to their house and I have to say it confuses me a little. WHEN do they do all this and is something else sacrificing for it? On Thurs. last week I took all three to the grocery store for the first time and I have to say it went pretty well. I didn't have an extremely long list, but it was enough to take a little while. God was gracious and we left without a peep from Andrew. Ellie and Luke hung in there and with just one argument over who would open the door to get the milk out, we made it out without any major meltdowns. Anyway, that was beside the point. I wanted to bake a cake. Sounds simple enough, right? So I got home and got Andrew down, but he was struggling to fall asleep so that means back and forth to put his paci in. Ellie had several issues upstairs (bathroom). So, back and forth up the stairs. I spilt some buttermilk all over the floor. Clean that up. Switch some laundry(so we'll have some clothes to wear). And a few hours later, the cake was in the oven. Now it's almost time to start on dinner.

So, what I'm saying is, to go to the store and bake a cake is a lot for one day. And by just doing that, there are some other things that get sacrificed. I don't get a shower. Laundry is backed up (I usually need to do several loads a day to keep from getting really backed up). Dishes aren't cleaned up from lunch. So, how do "supermoms" do it? Coupon, homeschool, smock dresses for their little girls???? Oh, and the most important responsibility (which I often forget is #1 priority) to train our children -Prov. 22:6-not just meet their basic needs. It's a lot to fit in one day, as in, it can't all be done. And that is okay, we just have to pick and choose-what will be our priorities on this day?

So yesterday (Steven's day off-we often try to do something differnet and fun as a family on Mondays) we took a visit to our brand new movie theater here in town to see the new Pixar movie Up. Mom kept Andrew and we took Ellie and Luke. It was so cute!!! Funny for adults and children. It was 3D (which they charged $2 extra for!), but I really did enjoy the 3D part. Ellie and Luke got tired of wearing the glasses after awhile. But I wish I had a picture of Luke. He was so funny sitting on the seat, because he didn't weigh enough to hold it down, so his feet were sticking up in the air and he had those huge glasses on and was eating popcorn. It was so funny. They loved it and so did we. I highly recommend it!

I hate to say it, but until next month...