Making Strawberry Jam

My little helpers helping me make a staple in our home. We love strawberry jam and the monkeys had so much fun mashing the berries and stirring and stirring and stirring. Making jam requires lots of stirring. Although I think Layton was sticking his little finger in for tastes more than anything.

Layton Craig Barney

1.Layton is all boy! Really so far I have been so amazed at my kids innate characterics. Layton LOVES basketball, and really any game that involves playing ball but he really loves to play basketball. He loves to pretends to be spiderman, or superman,and recently super-why. He likes to pretend to be a bad guy too and chase after us. He really likes any boy kind of thing. He will look at the ads with me and say, "look mom, that's boy stuff."

2. Layton is a goofball! He says and does the silliest things. My favorite thing is to watch him do a little jig when music comes on, hes got some killer moves! He also has this silly talk he does. Sometimes when he says prayers he puts the word 'head' at the end of every sentence. So he'll say "thank you for our food-head" it is terrible but so hard not to laugh. Obviously we need to work on our reverant talk. Needless to say he makes us laugh all the time.

3. Layton the acrobat. Layton is constantly doing somersaults. He usually runs every he goes and mostly that run ends in a somersault. But it doesn't stop there. While we were in Utah he learned how to do a front flip off my parent couch and land on the big love sac. So now he stands on the headboard of his bed and does flips off landing on his bed. I am really surprised we haven't gone to the ER for stitches yet.

4. Layton like his sister loves to help me and do whatever I am doing. Like I said with Sydney usually when I am making something all the kids are helping. Layton loves to pour the soap in the washing machine and help me sort and put in the clothes. He is great at putting the folded clothes away, but usually they do not remain folded by the time they get there. Oh well, I am glad he likes to help anyway. So if our clothes look a little wrinkly you know why. He also gets sidetracked really easily.So after if he ask him to help clean up he ends up playing. I have learned that he needs specifics like, "please go pick up the balls and put them in the basket", and can then get the job done

5. Layton although he likes to pretned to be a tough super hero still likes his lovin. He loves to cuddle and likes to give kisses rather then receive them, I love how he needs his cuddle when he wakes up and how he loves to hug his Daddy each day when he gets home.

Tag

So my cuz Stacey tagged all my kids, which I am so happy about because
I love to talk about my kids. Mostly I brag, sorry I just think they
are so great. Tyler thinks it is funny. He calls blogging, bragging
because he says it seems like that is what everyone does. But that is
what i love about the blog, I love reading others' 'brags' as well as
writing my own.
Anyway I will have to so just one child each day. I wish I had more time to blog and do it all at once.

SYDNEY MARY BARNEY
All about Sydney....at least five things about my Syd!



1.Sydney is ALL GIRL!! Really. It is just who she is because I am not
that way at all. She loves to dress up, put on makeup, play barbie,
play house (which she has to be the mom), do her hair,paint her nails,
and if she could wear a dress or skirt everyday of the week she would!
She even has 'the walk' down. Really if any of you have seen it, it is
hilarious. When she gets all ready and is thinking she looks pretty
cute she has this girly walk she does. It cracks me up. She is definitely a girly girl!

2. Sydney is super smart. She loves to learn! She could spend hours
writing letters or drawing or coloring. She just loves to be learning
and doing hand on things and would much rather be doing things than watching any show, which I love!!! She loves going to school and I love that she is so interested in it!

3.Mother Sydney!! Sydney likes to be the 'mom' to her younger brothers.
She always lets me know if they are doing something that they shouldn't
be. I love this and don't love it at the same time. However she is
really sweet with her younger brothers and is always willing to help
them out with anything. I love that she watches out for them and is concerned about them. I love that when we drop off Sydney at school she gives all her brothers a hug and a kiss. I treasure this becuase I know it won't be long and they will have out grown this. Though I hope that day never comes.

4. Wonderful helper. I love that Sydney likes to be doing whatever I am doing. Cooking is usually afamily affair whether it is dinner,rolls , cookies, whatever I usually have both Sydney and Layton helping me. The same goes for everything I
do. Sydney loves to help me do laundry, fold laundry, sweep, mop,vacuum, make beds, dishes. Really she likes to do it all, but only if we are doing it together. If Iask her to go do something by herself sheis not so excited about it. Particularly picking up the toys. However she has become a great peanut butter sandwich maker all on her own and will occasionally make her own sandwich for her school lunch, pack it
up and all.

5. Sydney is a sweetheart. Really she will often tell me I look pretty, or she likes my shirt. Just today I asked her to get ready for gymnastics, after she got her leotard one she came to me and said, "Thanks for reminding me to get ready for gymnastics , Mom." She is such a sweet girl. I always love watching her with her friends. We have been trying to learn about being a good friend, and letting our
friends have or do what they want instead of us. It is been great
watching her make those good choices that make other people feel happy.
She has also come out of her shell just recently and loves to talk to
and meet new people wherever we go. Sydney use to be so nervous of
these new situations and it has been great to watch her gain confidence
and learn to be friendly with others.

I love my little girl so much!! She brings me so much happiness,laughter and fun!!

Timeout for Women

On saturday I was lucky enough to go to time out for women. My very sweet friend Becky called me from OKC to inform me they had an extra ticket I could use. It was totally worth the long drive there and was so uplifting. A few of favorites were Dean Hughes who wrote the 'Children of the Promise' series and talked about not being so competetive with each other and to be more meek and mild. I must admitt I can be extrememly competetive so I needed this! My other favortite was Merrilee Boyack. She spoke of involving our kids in giving of service and finding happinees and joy in life in and through service and teaching our children how they can feel that joy by involving them too. It was so inspiring, and I came home so rejuvenated and ready to try a harder. Lastly was Hilary Weeks who performed and spoke a little. Music is a passion of mine it is the best way for me to feel the spirit. She just spoke a little of motherhood and the challenges and the joys. She sang a beautiful song about motherhood I think it was called, 'If I Just Had Today'. Of course it made almost every girl there bawl. Including me, not that is is hard to get me to cry, I'm a baby!
Anyway I just wanted to write this mostly for me to remind me of my renewed desire to be better because knowing me I will probably need the reminder tomorrow.

Jackson's Walking!

For a the past month Jackson has been wanting to walk so bad, but has only been able to take a few steps and then he falls. But yesterday he just took off. It's amazing how just all of the sudden in one day they can just do it! He was thinking he was pretty cool and spent the whole evening just walking anywhere he could go. It is so fun to see him so proud of himself and having so much fun! I am having problems with my computer so I'll have to add the video later!

Story time

Last night I was trying to prepare my seminary lesson for the next morning while the kids kept coming up and needing something. I was getting a little annoyed, to be frank, because I was tired and just wanted to hurry and get it done. So in order to get them to leave me alone I promise I would share my lesson with them if they would let me read it first. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before, but it worked. As soon as I finished Sydney reminded me of my promise and I related to them the story of Daniel in the Lions Den which they have heard before many times, and also Shadrach, Meshach,and Abed-nego, being put into the fiery furnace. They thought those names were so silly and would laugh every time I said them and King Nebechenezzar's name. We had so much fun and it was such a fun way to teach them the principle of trusting the Lord.

It made me reflect on teaching seminary. This has been such a tough year for me. I have really been struggling, for many different reasons. And I realize how I need to trust in the Lord more. Teaching seminary has been very difficult. It has been so hard to sacrifice that extra rest in the morning and very hard to prepare a lesson everyday. I have had many moments when I thought I could not do this anymore, which is actually how I felt last night until I sat down with my children to teach them the wonderful things I had learned, and I see how good it is for me, even though it is very hard. I needed this reminder to help me to be grateful.

New addition!

For some reason lately all my posts are about being pregnant or new babies. Is this a sign? Tyler's brother Ryan and wife Kara had a baby in March while we were in Florida. He is super cute and we are excited to have another boy join the crew cuz believe it or not with all these Barney boys, the girls were starting to rule. Not that I can complain about that, but it's nice to even the score a bit, and I'm so glad my boys have another boy cousin. Welcome Colin!

April Fools!!

I know I am horrible! I actually played this trick on Tyler yesterday and had my friends who is expecting take the pregnancy test for me. I took the picture just to tell everyone about my clever trick on Tyler when I thought I could have fun with this!! I actually got a great reaction from Tyler. I was truly feeling not the best yesterday probably becasue I skipped breakfast. Tyler asked how I was doing and I told him I didn't feel too good. He responded by, "Your not pregnant are you." I just smiled and thought this was a great set up. So when he saw the pregnancy test, I got a great reaction! I had him going for a while, but couldn't hold back my laughter. Anyway it was fun. Sorry for the prank.

More Florida Pics

Of course I couldn't document our Florida trip in one post. We also went to the Fountain of Youth where Ponce De Leon landed and found the Fountain of Youth and settle the area. We had fun feeding peacocks and of course we had to drink from the waters there so we could stay young forever!! It really works! It smelled and tasted horribly of sulfur. But I had to drink of it just so I could say I drank from the fountain of youth.
Sydney's favorite part of Florida," Going to Disney World and every part of Disney World"
Layton's favorite part of Florida, "Feeding turtles, seeing frogs and lizards, Peter Pan ride at Disney World."
Jack's favorite, as you can see from the picture he loved the carousel rides he went on two carousel rides and both times held on for dear life when the ride was over because he did not want us to ake him off his horse.