Syndey's Gymnastics Recital!

Sydney did such a great job! I was really impressed with all that she had learned! Although after trying to take some good pictures from a distance with our camera, I've decided we need a new camera.When we zoom the picture just turns out blurry.

Sydney's new haircut!

Hallelujah!

Today was my last day teaching seminary for this school year!! YEA!!! I am not afraid to admit
that I am proud of myself. It was difficult to get up so early every
morning. I told Tyler that I can now sleep in and get up at 6:30. Crazy
how my definition of sleeping in has changed! Anyway I thought I would
list all the things I have learned teaching seminary this year.

1.How to wake up to an
alarm.
Really I could never wake up to an alarm clock
before. Even the first few months Tyler would turn off the alarm and wake me up. It's funny how I could wake up in an instant to crying down the hall but not an alarm blasting in my room.
2.That Esther is my favorite story
in the Old Testament.
I actually don't ever think I really
new the whole story of Esther before this year. I just love her courage
and her willingness to sacrifice so much, ever her life, to save the
lives of others. By the way the movie 'One night withe the King' is the
story of Ester and does a great job of telling the story of Esther.
3.How to Study the
Scriptures.
I don't think I have ever been very good at
studying the scriptures, not just reading them which I wasn't very good
at either. But I really think having amanual with me has helped me so
much to pull life lessons out of the scriptures and helped me
understand things I don't think I could have on my own. I love the
institutemanual for the Old Testament and I think the institute manuals for any book of scripture would be great to have while reading.
4.The reality of the
Adversary.
This may seem strange, but I really have feltalot of inner opposition
this past year. I did not understand my struggles until just recently.
I recognized that Satan was working hard to pull me down. I have never
been so involved in studying the gospel and I have felt an obvious
increase in opposition. I do notbelieve this to be coincidence. I
consider it to be very important to recognize the source, Satan is the
father of lies he does not want us to succeed. So with that I know I
can have a new determination to conquer and overcome. That is the
beauty of the gospel and the importance of the Atonement of our beloved
Savior.
5. The Message of the gospel.
Over this year in seminary we kept referring back to the plan of salvation and
to the Scripture Master Moses 1:39," For behold, this is my work and my
glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." The
Lord's work and glory is bring us all to eternal life. What a beautiful
message and knowledge we have! What is so wonderful and amazing about
the gospel is that there is not one 1st place, in fact if we want 1st
place (celestial kingdom), we must help our Father in Heaven in his
work,which in essence means to help those around reach that same goal.
Isn't that wonderful! We don't want to be better than the next person,
we just want to help each other to all be the best. I love that! I get
excited just thinking about it!!

I am so grateful for this opportunity I have had,although I do not wish another year of teaching upon myself.j/k! My testimony has been strengthened, my love for the gospel and my savior has increased.

3 years old!!

Yesterday Layton turned 3. I can hardly believe my little boy is three. It's crazy how time flies! He of course wanted a spiderman cake so I attempted to draw a spider man figure on his cake. It turned out better than I thought it would. He also has had his eye on the piantas everytime we go to the store he says, "I'm going to have that at my birthday". I think he must have been meant to be a Cinco De Mayo baby. He loves pinata's. Our friends put together a Cinco De Mayo potluck and so of course they had a pinata there. He was so excited about it. And of course loved playing with his buddies on his birthday.
I love Layton and everything about him! He is so much fun and we feel so blessed to have him!

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!!