Summer Fun

Jared and I decided this summer we were going to transform the hole where the tree fell down last summer in our backyard into a fire pit, and Jared worked on it for two Saturdays and finished last weekend. It turned out great.  We had a breaking in party the first night with Jesse and Kelsy, I demonstrated how I make my whole wheat bread, then we had dinner and roasted smores over the firepit.  It was a beautiful evening.

Today is my sister Krystal's birthday.  Wednesday was my sister Kynsie's birthday. We start off birthday season with Savanna on the 17th of May and end it with my dad on the 9th of July, there is a whole slew of Barrett Birthdays being celebrated in between.  We were lucky enough to have Kynsie over for a hot dog roast over the new fire pit in our back yard on her birthday.  I had balloons hanging from trees with messages inside that were things we all love about kynsie. I dragged two tables and 16 chairs out there too.  I was too busy to take a picture, and then we all got too cold and had to come inside. Kynsie said she loved it, she is a beautiful 17 year old funny smart woman!

Singing to Kynsie

 

Weston made the card on the left, Fiora the one on the right

Present time!  Sadly we had to come inside, too windy and cold

Jared has been a scout leader for 5 years and this year finally he had a scout of his own to take to day camp.  Weston looked very handsome in his scout shirt and they had a lot of fun!  We sure love this kid.

Just what a Cub Scout should look like.

Weston has been suffering from a random case of hives this week.  Large red welt looking spots have been covering every part of his body except his palms and feet-bottoms.  Poor kid is very itchy, and when we give him benadryl he is very drowsy.  Hopefully it won't last more than a week, we cannot discern what is causing it at this point, maybe something from day camp.

I have been trying to establish some order in these summer random days, and it has been proving difficult what with my random work schedule and the kids random friend coming-overs.  Monday is supposedly library day, tuesday music day, wednesday arts/craft day, thursday science and math day, and Friday is fun day.  We managed to get to the library monday, barely, and Friday the kids realized they hadn't had any science so they all voluntarily sat through a science lesson and activity which was great, and they all remembered Friday was fun day so we went on an outing to the Riverbottoms and got ice cream.  The kids ran through the sidwalk fountains.

Weston I practically forced to get wet

Fiora ran right in there and got soaked

Savanna, in blue, also got soaking wet, and we had no towels

Drying off in the sun!

Jared took us to Stewart Falls last night to go hiking, which completed Friday Fun Day.  It was a difficult hike for me who was very tired after a long week, and Savanna jumped back and forth from having fun to complaining, but Fiora and Weston were TROOPERS and loved hiking.

Fi forgot a jacket and never complained. :)

Stewart falls which Fiora calls the Wishbone Waterfall

Goings on

At the BYU play

Grandma and me went to a play again, Arabian Nights, it was very well done!  And TODAY is my Grandma's 91st birthday, WOW!  Happy Birthday Grandma, love you lots!

My birthday was the 26th, we went to Carrabbas and enjoyed much yummy food. My parents gave me a nice professional looking shirt, its a good thing mom shops for me cuz I never shop for myself. I got many other wonderful gifts and well wishes from my family.  They bring me much joy! My sister Krystal drew a picture of Lillian and framed it, I loved that!

Memorial Day

On Memorial Day we visited Grandpa Neil and Bonnie in Gunnison, which was a lovely visit, and had graduation dinners for the Schauers graduates that evening, so I didn't get to the cemetery until Tuesday.  I put mini roses on all my loved ones graves, and someone had put some really pretty red flowers on Lillian's grave. Whoever did that thankyou! They looked so beautiful.

Fiora's ears pierced

Fiora got her ears pierced last weekend and is taking very good care of them.  She paid for it with her own money.

Savanna got sick on my birthday with a fever and was miserable for a few days.  She started a chain reaction, Fiora got sick and missed pool party day at school, and then Weston got sick and missed the last day of school.  Poor sick kids!

Weston is being baptized on June 30th at 9:00 am at our church in Lindon.  If you would like to join us please do! We will have a brunch in our back yard afterwards to celebrate.

My father in law found a floor board in a house my great grandfather built that said Floyd Sorenson.  His name was Lloyd Sorenson, but we believe it was misprinted on a shipping order and belonged to Lloyd, who built the home in 1916.  Pretty cool find!

Trophies for all who participated

Fiora clogging concert

 Fiora had her end of the year clogging concert in the park and did very well. I love watching cloggers!

The kids all were well enough to participate in the Dance Festival at school thankfully, and I enjoyed watching them "break the moves" to their songs. I can't believe summer is here already!!!

Nostaligic

I have been cleaning out some files today and waxed nostaligic, I saved A LOT of stuff from my past, there's a file folder for practically every era of my life...elementary school, art, poems, jr high, high school, college, temple marriage, inspirational, hobbies, travel, study abroad, Barretts, volunteer, and on and on, there were even some emails and letters I kept that I wish I hadn't.  I was such a little know-it-all back then, it was rather embarrassing to read.  I'm so glad Heavenly Father is so patient and wise, to help mold me into a better person and have faith that I can become better. Also the other day I received an email from one of my very best friends in elementary school, Laurellee Seaver.  That brought me back to some good memories, and some sad memories, because she was a soul mate and I let her friendship slip away when I was in Jr. High and I will always regret that.  I found a collage of almost every friend I had from 1988-1995 and scanned it, how clever of me to create and keep such a treasure. And last but not least, Jared sent me some pictures of his parents back before he was born and I thought I'd post them, since I'm feeling like remembering the past.  "Backward, turn backward, O time, in thy flight; make me a youth again, just for tonight." -Thomas S. Monson

Barrett Family 1989

Barretts at Rappleye Reunion, 1991

Holly's baptism, 1989 or1990 (she was a December baby)

Last days in our old backyard, 1991

Barrett family growing, 1995

On one of our many scenic family vacations, 1993

Family picnic in the canyon, 1999

Laurelle Seaver, now Rodriguez

 

My favorite friends 1988-1995

Sandy and Neil Schauers, with their 3 girls and 2 others (?)

Neil Schauers, mission in Mexico

Neil and Sandy, sorry I don't know date

Neil and Sandy Schauers shortly after wedding

I thought this was a nice picture of Neil

Anyway, the reason I posted today was to put the rest of Savanna's birthday pictures on the blog.  She invited 13 people, 10 showed up, 3 boys and 7 girls.  She had a blast, she has most fun in life when she is with friends.  I'm starting to see her priority shift from parental influence to peer influence (sad).  She is a smart girl and will make it, hopefully without too many regrets.

Savanna and Sophie Jensen

whoever had the hose, had the power

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Water gun fight

Jared made hotdogs and put on loud music, fun dad

Savanna liked playing with the guys

The three guys stayed together most of the party

present time, the guys gave her the best gifts I thought

peanut butter bars

she almost (too embarrassed) refused to let me put on candles

Beautiful birthday girl