Merry Christmas!

My Kitchen and My Hippo


Opening Presents!


Stockings

(click on words for link to videos)

Christmas

Merry Christmas

love the Barkers.
(click on "Christ")

San Clemente

My mom and Abbey both live in San Clemente California- if you have never been there... GO.
It is a charming little place, filled with shirtless surfing beauties ( I have only seen Men shirtless, so don't get your hopes up too much) and hardly any chain restaurants.... I could rattle-off about a dozen or so places that would blow your mind! The people who are from SC absolutely LOVE their community and are welcoming enough to newbies. Ok.. I realize now that I could do an entire post on SC, but the reason that I started this post is beacuse, while visiting Abs and Mom recently, which included a day at Disneyland... anyways, at my mom's house she has this cute little rod-iron bicycle that holds plants on it, it is a decorative piece. I believe my brother-in-law Steve, Ab's hubs, gifted it to her last year. Needless to say, it was a big hit....

Not fair

arm in my face. foot in my back. wheezing. binka fell out. arm and foot in my stomach. nursing on the left. turn over. pulling my hair. cough. ( once I took NyQuil and had a hallucinating effect-seriously the walls had bugs on them and my pillow was swirling with colors. 8million bajillion thoughts through my head each and every second. I haven't taken it since!) No NyQuil for the 8 month old alligator in my bed, but more of the arm foot head in my back. nurse on the right. turn over. binka back in mouth. wheezing. binka fell out. tossing. turning. rubbing my hand... with SHARP nails. nursing AGAIN. arm in face again. feet down. arms up. pulling hair with feet. nurse a-freakin-gain. wheeze. cough. binka in. binka out. up. down. up. down.
Full consciousness for the alligator returns at approximately 7:37am.
He looks at me with the most amazing blue eyes coupled with the most adorable smile including dimples, and says:

Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada

{NOT FAIR}.

Today

it does {NOT} look like this here in Charleston!

Instead.... it is a beautiful warm 63 degrees. Take advantage.... tomorrow it will be a lame 40's-ish.

today would have been a great day to finish putting up those Christmas lights that are
1/2 done....

Decorating

I have a house that is so {unique}... built like a hundred years ago... probably designed by a man.

It is a traditional 4 square. I really love it and all it's quirky-ness, but when it comes to decorating... especially for the Holidays, it does not suit the passionate decorator in me (did you feel the sarcasm?) ha. My sister is THE decorator.
Anyways... this is not exactly going where I had intended but I am blogging off the ideas flowing through my head right now... literally --> this <-- very second. Because our house is harder-ish to decorate, due to not much wall space or missing shelving or whathaveyou. I decided today, this morning infact to {decorate} cookies. Like the really amazing sugar cookies with whipped delicious frosting that towers on top with sprinkles and coconut and all sorts of other confectioneries that are so delicious! Lucy was having a "play-date" of sorts, including a really annoying princess car mobile that plays the most annoying song/music known to man at a decibel that is headache inducing almost immediately. Oh, okay... the play-date... I knew this would be fun for the darlings and would keep them mildly entertained with licking of the spoons, sprinkling of the sprinkles, eating of the marshmallows and other such excitement!
I baked, and baked and baked and baked and baked Sugar cookies... found a recipe here but added an extra egg for fluffyness and made ALL the difference in the world, plus I {eye} the vanilla so I would guess I end up with more than double but it is very GOOD!
For the frosting... I used the canned stuff....Except a little birdie once gave me the good advice to add a few drops of almond extract.... Seriously If I didn't just tell you that and you ate one of these delicious cookies you'd NEVER and I mean NEVER know!
I have an Aunt... she is the mastercrafts-woman of confectioneries! And has a body that would put Jillian Michaels to Shame... seriously she is that awesome!
She-my Aunt Kerry- has been making wedding cakes, and birthday cakes-for family and really close friends only, for forever, like WAY before it became popular to be a "cake-decorator" you know... anyways you get it... a long time she has been doing it!
Her Christmas goodie plates are simply Ridiculous! I don't know how she does it, but every year, every single year, the same old sweet goodness and always a few new ones to see if they can stand the test of time she makes! So... today the decorating happened of the

Famous

Aunt Kerry Santa Claus Christmas Cookie extravaganza...

( that last word doesn't fit.. but to add to the dramatic-ness I just thought I would throw it in there!)

So here there are... only a few left... Call me or stop by in the next .. hmmm let's say 20 min and I might have one or two left for you! Happy baking... I think I am DONE for the year.

'Tis the season...

Thankful

I am thankful for {my} family.-Ben, Lucy, Peter... and of course Kona-our dog (even though she might tell you otherwise if she could) I do love her.. I really do. Sometimes it is hard to give even one more ounce. And she, no matter what STILL loves me.

I am thankful for extended family.
I am thankful for friends.

I am thankful that there are 50 seats available on the flight I am about to get on to L.A. I am thanking the people who will be sitting around me today that I hope will be patient as I make a

5 hour flight

from east to west coast. I am thankful that I do NOT have to cook this year.. although I was originally planning on it... sorry Berrey's and Bright's!

I am thankful to go and get some of that rich vitamin D in sunny CA!
I am thankful for free agency.
I am so very thankful for so many things, I could not possibly list them all. These are a few, just know that there are SO many more.

Happy Thanksgiving.

One more thing.... I am {NOT} thankful for turkey. It is gross. But, I am thankful that it brings people together, so I guess I sort of am thankful for turkey, as long as I don't have to eat it.

Halloween-ness

I have been waiting for Lucy to be the age I was when I wore my
"grapes"
for
Halloween!
I remember LOVING this costume and thought she did a fantastic replica!
We had a lot of fun
Trick or Treating...
mostly treating this Halloween.
I remember at one point thinking....
we have the
BEST
neighborhood for this!
Neighbors who go ALL out,
perfect weather ( not provided by neighbors... but nonetheless)
and friendly fellow cute dresser up-ers!
What a fun night...
even if we do it a few days earlier here in Charleston!

And not to leave out the MOST adorable Goldfish in Barker history!
(thanks Martha)

Why?

Working...

on a new blog over here... sorry for the delay of posts!

I am out doing lots of new projects that I plan on showcasing on my new blog.... Stay tuned for an update on the link to another Barker beauty!
For now, here are some cuties...my little girl with her big girl panites

here is Ben waterskiing in Coeur d'Alene
and
My sweetest boy

It runs reeeeal deep

these German blood lines....
the other day I caught Lucy saying,
"Gheeze Kisten"
(notice the missing "r" that is how she said it)
I asked her to repeat herself several times to make sure I heard her correctly
I did.
real sassy
{thanks Ben}
she is full of spice and makes us laugh everyday

she even loves {raw} potatoes... a true German no doubt!
stubborn as can be and blonde as they come

speaking of potatoes, we are headed to the land from where the come!
Look out Sea-Town we are making a stop to see you first.
Off we go, see you all when we get back when no doubt I will have some fun Barker stories to tell!

pete{r} and re-pete

Lucy has reached the age of repeating
EVERYTHING
.
.
.
It is so much fun, and kind of like walking on glass at the same time.
So fun and scary!
My language has miraculously toned down... not that it was {bad} but words like fork and fox are not accepted in the Barker house right now.
Bum instead of butt
oh no instead of crap
She says the funniest things... we find ourselves long after the kids are in bed repeating these funny endearing phrases and laughing, oh how I love my little Pete{r} and Re-Pete!
Some of Lucy's funnies:
whooo yucky... this is said when changing Peter's diaper
Oh gheeze mama... this is said ALL the time
mahsicle mahsicle.... aka: popsicle

Peter on the other hand speaks his own language which is not yet {of} the world! I wish it could stay that way because it is SO cute!

4 months +

Peter is growing up. He is already 4 months old! Lucy is interacting so much more with him and they laugh together all of the time! I love 4 months... this is such a fun stage! Peter is smiling and giggling all the time. He is such a happy baby and a wonderful sleeper!

Want to know a secret...

These are the most delicious little piggies... and they are all MINE mine MINE!These are a close second!!!and I am pretty sure these 2 have some sort of secret language cause they are always telling "secrets" to each other... probably about how much I still have to learn cause when they laugh I swear it is AT me! But I love them dearly.
another one you ask...?
these are GONE Gone gone.....
and this is what went in place of them!

Peter's Blessing Day

a 3 hour tour...

of the Kanawha River!
We went out to the Harris' dock and they picked us up on the boat! Lucy had a blast. Peter slept in the Bjorn the entire time. Charleston is beautiful when the humidity is down! Here are a few picts of our fun ride!

Abbey's Wedding

We had a fantastic time on our vacation to Phoenix and California. The wedding was amazing! We had such a fun time! Lucy got her first haircut by her Aunt Abbey, she looks gorgeous as far as I am concerned... her Father was not too thrilled but I think loves it now! I indulged myself in repeated meals of the Mexican type... lets be honest peeps nobody does mexican food like the southwest! Abbey and I enjoyed a day at Burke Williams....it was pure bliss! Congratulations Steven and Abbey on your marriage! We were so glad to be a part of your special day! We love you!

today's outing...

I am certain that today might possibly be the last day that Target will allow me to shop in their store....

5 pm naps are over, Peter's belly is full of the good stuff. Clean bums... Good to go!

Today is the last day to drop off my Pre/Post-Natal Vitamin script to get my $10 gift card...really it is only a $3 benefit, because the script costs $7 but free vitamins... whatever, you know still a deal blah blah blah.

My $10 gift card is going toward the new bag I NEED... my purse finally had enough and broke. The line is like four-e-v-e-r to drop off the script. Lucy wet her pants.
awesome.
Luckily I had the "piddle pad" in the double stroller- mistake #4. (previous mistakes not numbered but I am sure this wasn't the 1st)
My double stroller in Target works out really well, Lucy knows how to escape, but she listens to me and obeys so I deal.
35 min until the script is ready.... that is an eternity at now 6pm. We walk around a little, Lucy grabs 3 different kinds of chips begging for "foo foo fooo" (food). She then discovers the microwave bags of popcorn and remembers we ALWAYS get popcorn and a drink right away at Target. The next 4 minutes..."poppy, poppy"-(popcorn) I make my way up to the snack bar and get our poppy and my D.C.
We make our way back to the women's clothing where I come across a cute blue skirt on sale, that I must have! Onto the kids section.... this next scene was a whirlwind
the guys monitoring the security cameras must have enjoyed this one! Lucy escapes the stroller, I am following her and then realize I am hearing a recognizable sound that I have been experiencing a lot in the last 2 weeks.... She unleashes Niagara Falls on the carpet in the children's clothing section.
HOLY COW
btw.... Peter is crying so I am holding him at this point.
I quickly put Peter back in the stroller and lift up Lucy... trying not to make much of a scene, thankfully hardly anyone was around, I put Peter in his side of the stroller, set the popcorn down next to him, lift up Lulu and knock the popcorn all over Peter, the stroller begins to tip backwards. I catch it. Lucy now is freaking out because Peter is covered in popcorn, but smiling now! I set Lulu back in the stroller, buckle her in and proceed to the pharmacy where I politely stopped and told a worker that I spilled some popcorn and that area might need some attention....and some 409!
Got my vitamins, my gift card and checked out! (target made an additional $35)
Not sure what went unpaid for but surely there was something...
cheese crisps for dinner and left over rice, bedtime and another probably disappointing episode of Bachelorette.
I hope Ben enjoys his 4 day recurrent training/vacation...I'll be here cleaning up urine and on the phone on hold all day with the bank whose incompetence will send me to a therapist all because someone now has my account #.
fantastic.
Maybe Lucy will call them for me...?

It's 9:28am

and already a lolly!.. bribery works and I am not ashamed.... she did it! Whoo hooo! It took almost 24 hours for a successful "in the potty" but I have renewed faith. It was dwindling quite rapidly, but it is back and she is PROUD!!!!! -me too. Here's to another successful day of lollys, stickers and bodily functions in the proper place.

It's 10:22am

and already I have changed 3 pair of panties.... Today is day 1 of potty training. This very "training" might just send me over the edge!....

A Good day

Beautiful weather. Lots of running around. BBQ chicken for dinner. Peter's first ride in Fatitsa. A good day indeed!

Smiles

#2

I can't believe it is that time of year again....It is so clear to me, the day- 2 years ago- I awoke to intense feelings in my abdomen. " Is this the real thing?" I wondered. I was excited, scared, nervous, happy, concentrating on breathing, feeling lots of emotion only barely describes what was happening.
I was getting ready to bear a child.
A child.
Can I really do this? I felt strong and empowered but did I know what was to come? NO.
I didn't know what the next few hours held for me, my body, my un-born baby, and my husband.
.
.
.
.
What I do know now is that these have been the most fulfilling 2 years of my life!
Happy Birthday Lucy
we love you sweet girl!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter

love the Barkers.