My favorite painter

Growing up I attended a church building in Boise Idaho that had a painting of a random landscape and I liked it. Later I found out (as a teenager) that the picture was painted by Robert Wood. I have a real close friend who sent me this link saying he (my friend) is important because of the people he knows. Check it out!
http://www.robertwood.net

Quiet...is bad!

We thought Isaac was downstairs with Cosette. When we went down there and he wasn't there, we didn't know what to think. Yelling his name, he thankfully answered. This is where he was found...in our bathroom sink taking a "baf" and using the lotion as soap. He thourghly washed down the mirror with lotion as well. You can see the water almost to the top of the basin as well.
7:30am, the moon is just setting. The kids think it's great they can see the moon in the morning.
Cheezy kids! I love them.

Oh Brother, A New Car

My Brother has had a good time in Idaho. There are just a few noteworthy items to mention. First he bought his very first car, catapulting himself into manhood. These are a few pictures of his flashy sweetness. It's a Pontiac Grand AM.

In other news he is engaged to be married in the Idaho Falls temple in 3 weeks. If you believe that I have some ocean front property in Montana to sell you. He is still single and very lovable so if you know someone...let us know.

Rob's back in school

So, Rob is back to the grind once again and for the price who can blame him. He started is Doctoral courses in Higher Ed Administration two weeks ago and seems to be doing okay. A WHOLE LOT of reading and writing but then again they are trying to build some of the brightest minds in education. He goes to class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and every time Cosette will say "Daddy where are you going?" He would say " I am going to school." she would then respond " daddy you are silly you don't go to school you are too big big big." Oh the cuteness. So if you see Rob and he seems grumpy that is just who he is...but if he seems tired and unsocial, then it is from school. Don't forget to wish him luck.

Remembering 9/11

This is being encouraged by my friend, Mario Jacquez, a third-year teacher at the elementary school I attended and where my mom also works. Please contribute if you feel so inspired. (and for any international friends, how did 9/11 impact you and your country?)

barton911@gmail.com

"I'm not sure how many people remember the project a few teachers at my school worked on last year for September 11th.... but it is that time again. Let me explain. Last year we realized that many of our students were so young that most of them had no idea what happened on September 11, 2001. Inspired by the story of the aunt of a teacher at our school who was on flight 11 , the first plane that struck the WTC, we did not want our students to forget the many people who lost their lives and the heroes that emerged from the tragic and horrible events of September 11th. So we invited people to contribute their thoughts, reflections, memories and insights about Setember 11, 2001. We want to place all of these contributions in a collection to use as a resource in teaching about the historic day. There are so many lessons that can be learned from this event. Not only from the event itself but from its aftermath and how it has shaped the world in which we live today.This is the invitation we used last year inviting people to share last year.We, like elementary teachers all across this country, are now teaching children who were very small six years ago. They have no memory of the events of that day. We would like to preserve your thoughts and feelings to share with classes for years to come. Please write about what you were doing at the time of the attacks, how it has impacted your life, and your feelings as an American and please forward this to people who you think will contribute. You will be writing for children between 7 and 12 years old. Please join us in compiling these memories so that the children can be taught and as a nation we will never forget. Thank youWe have established an email account where people may email their contributions to. barton911@gmail.com Please send your reflections to us and encourage everyone you know to do the same and encourage everyone they know as well... you get the point. Our hope is that you will repost this on your blog or copy it and send it to everyone on your email list. We would love to see this grow and grow then receive a flood of contributions. I am kind of reminded of a documentary I saw a few months ago called the paper clip project. A small school in a small town had the idea of collecting a paper clip to represent each person who died during the Holocaust. It was something that once it got rolling had lasting effects on the students involved and the community. I hope that maybe this project might grow into something will forever impact the lives of not only the students who pass through a few teacher classes but maybe an entire community. "

Then there was ONE

We have officially disconnected the (909) 743-4053. It was a waste of money because we hardly ever used it. Only two family members would ever call it and it was long distance for one of them so we are down to just one phone line. If you don't have it and would like it send us an email and we will be glad to give it to you.

Pictures from Camping

Friday night's dinner was KFC. Apparently we've done a poor job teaching our daughter the proper way to eat a drumstick. She was sucking on the handle.

We spent a lot of time in front of the campfire. It was the only place the boys would just sit and be still.
Isaac laid claim to this chair. He wouldn't let it out of his sight. It would make the trek from the table to the campfire and back...all with him carrying it like this. He'd pitch a fit if we tried to fold it up for him to carry.
Sorry it's sideways...but see on Isaac's right side, just above his diaper...a nice welt from a hornet bite. He had four of them, one on each knee, one inside his right thigh, and this one. Cousin Josie jumped on a rotted log on our nature walk. Isaac walked over it and apparently the hornets went up his pant leg. We pulled out four of them and eventually took off his pants to make sure the "pokies" were gone. We felt really bad for Isaac, but the welts went away pretty quickly.
Just our happy, go lucky Ethan. He loved the carrier. This is where he ate, slept, and probably even pooped...all weekend.

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend was spent in Island Park. We decided to have a last hurrah of summer by sleeping three nights on the cold, hard ground. It was great fun. The kids loved it. We arrived Friday evening, about 6pm. The boys (Tate and Rob) over saw the ground breaking ceremony of our new outhouse.

Saturday was more digging, hammering, sawing, eating, you name it. Because Island Park has a population of 215, they have "community yard sales". Convenient it was over Labor Day weekend when EVERYONE is in town, and then some. We poked around the community activities and were sad we didn't win the bid on a 50's aluminum sided trailer. The bid started at $100 and closed at $105. Reason we didn't win was they closed the auction before we went back to make our bid. Don't know how that was fair, but oh well.

Saturday night was abnormally warm. We slept most of the night out of our sleeping bags. It was just to loll us into a false sense of comfort however.

Sunday started with a vengeance. Rain, hail, thunder, lightening...the works. Fortunately, the Carter's had to speak in their ward and went home, taking half of the kids with them. In camp Sunday was Rob, Josie, Shandell, Isaac, Ethan, and myself. Plenty of helpers for little campers.

Sunday night was cold, Monday morning, even colder. When we left Island Park at 1pm on Monday, it was 44 degrees. Burr!!

We are looking forward to many more adventures up there, but they'll have to wait until next year.