Daddy's Girl

Ok. The next several posts are just a bunch of pictures from the past couple months that I've failed to get up in time. Sorry if they're disjointed.


Here we go. Biggest most exciting thing of our lives right now? OUR BOAT!!! Brian the only pictures I have are on my phone and I can't upload them to the computer. I'll take some of the boat the next time we're out.

Here's something you should know about Barton's and boating. Something always goes wrong. So in the tradition of my maiden name's sake, our first trip out to the lake we drove over an hour, got the boat all ready and realized we forgot the keys. About 2 and a half hours later, we were out on the lake having fun.

Second trip out. Everything went smoothly. Everything except the murmurs from the men who thought it was crazy to take a boat out at 5:30 in the evening, in crazy cold wind and choppy water. Carsen got bounced out of the tube (no worries, after Ryan pulled him out he said he wanted to go again; climbed back in with mom, and told me it was my job to protect him). Everything went fine until we got a flat tire on the boat trailer. Surprisingly, everyone still deemed the trip a success and we went home happy.

Third trip, well it hasn't even been a week since we've had this awesome toy so we'll keep you posted.

Are we crazy for going boating in October? YES!

Was it so much fun? YES!

Does Travis look hot behind a boat wheel? YES!

Is Vickie better at driving the boat than Travis? YES!

Did Ammon find a special way to get warm? YES!

Was it as cold as it looks? YES!

Santa's Village

Parents Visit

Just a fast flash of pictures. Notice the shot of the cheerleaders Travis took at the game. Great Trav.

Labor Day

All right these pictures are going to hit you fast…

School's In!

These are never in the order I want them. I'll figure it out someday...

First day was a very sunny day which means squinty eye's and pirate type expressions.

Sometimes our kids do things that surprise us, but I have to admit that it's been awhile since we've been surprised. With Ammon it's like this: Of course he's playing in the toilet, of course he's trying to close himself in the dishwasher.



Carsen is on the other spectrum. Of course he's spelling, of course he just read that sign that says "Kyoto".

I'm a mom and get to brag so here's my pride showing through. First thing to spell: Old Navy, in the bathtub at 2 and 1/2 years with foam letters. Kyoto story, 3 and half, December of 2009, while I was pregnant and we were driving around at night looking for this Japanese restaurant. Carsen said, "Kyoto, it's there on the left!".

Anyway, Carsen hasn't surprised me for awhile until I found this today:

We did go to the zoo yesterday and the writing down animals thing wasn't so surprising. Granted, he usually prefers to write down geographical areas, but he did sound out the spelling for rhinoceros (which apparently I need the help of spellcheck to spell myself), and he grouped gorillas and orangutans together and labeled them primates!

Yes he did this without a book, no he did not spell everything correctly, and yes he failed to include monkey's in his "primate" grouping. But the kid just had his first day of school this week so let's cut him some slack. Seriously, he is amazing and I want everyone to know!

At the zoo

That's right, it's a toilet plunger.

With the cousins watching/eating during "The Little Mermaid"
oh Ariel, you are my favorite...

Carsen and Ms. Korte, his teacher.

Photo Free

It's Friday night! And I'm all alone...

I figured I would get in some details of our Colorado Living. Nothing great, no pictures. Just some outer splurging of my internal thoughts.

Travis is gone and I don't know why I miss him ;) He's getting ready for the big surprise visit to the Plainfield ward fantasy football draft tomorrow morning. I'm going to take a gamble that no one from Indy still keeps track of our blog and reads this in the next 12 hours. Lindsey and Tashina, If you do read this, please keep it to yourself and don't tell your husbands!

Carsen: I think Carsen is just the sweetest little boy in the world. He continues to make up stories about his stuffed animals and loves to interrupt dinner conversation to tell us the latest Drippy the Frog story (He just moved from Minnesota to Monument and had his 95th birthday and is planning a trip to the Northwestern Territory in Canada).

Ammon: Fat baby is definitely the cutest if also the most destructive little tug in the world. Today he ended up destroying two large circular pot-pouri (sp) flowers by squishing them and then ramming a smaller decorative pine cone into his mouth. He still asks for his daddy every morning, gives his daddy huge kisses and makes me steal kisses from him. If I didn't already get this down, Ammon's first words were:

1. Dadda

2. Daddy

3. No no

4. Dad

5. Momma

The funny thing is, when Travis gave Ammon his name and blessing, he blessed him that he would have a special relationship with his mother. Go figure.

Ryan and Tj are our new neighbors. HORRAY!!! Tj makes me laugh so much and I LOVE laughing. We went up with Pini's for some fun in the sun last week to a lake for swimming and jet skiing. I'm embarrassed to admit that during my 41 mph spin on the jet ski, all thoughts of motherhood left my mind and I felt like a teenager again. Even more embarrassing is that I loved that feeling. Not quite sure what to make of that. Carsen loved being pulled on the inner tube and keeps asking me when he can go tubing or ride the jet ski again. I think he's going to be my thrill seeking partner in crime. Travis, I know you're out there somewhere thinking about your first round pick, so this is your notice that when the time comes, you'll be stuck with Ammon.

I've gone through what seems like a dozen books this month that have all left me disappointed. We did get to see the final Harry Potter movie - which made me a little emotional. The first HP movie I saw as a Freshman in college and now I'm sending my oldest to school next week! I feel like we've reached the end of an era. In fact, Travis and I were both feeling a little nostalgic this week as we finished up "My Finale and My Finale part 2" Scrubs episodes.

Mom's babysitting J and K's kids while they are cruising it up around the island of Crete right now. Travis thinks the ideal vacation would be to go to a cabin by a lake. I think the ideal would include a 5 diamond hotel on a beach (if not a 5 diamond room, at least a 5 diamond worthy bathroom) with all you can eat food, jet ski's, water skiing, rock climbing and repelling, kayaking with whales and dolphins (Santa Barbara Channel Islands here we come), and para-sailing. Then taking a day to hit up an amusement park with the scariest roller coasters ever.

That should do it for now. If you'll excuse me, there's a container of cookie dough I just remembered needs my attention.

Family Pictures

We broke down and got some family pictures just in time for Ammon's first birthday. Here are some results and some advice if you're planning on taking pictures with your family.

Mischief Man
Just like Daddy

Don't put on fake tanner the night before you get your pictures taken.

I've always got my tongue hangin' out

Don't give your kids fruit loops within an hour before you go.

Dancing baby

Do plan for an acrobatic display - you're kids will love it

He's going to kindergarten next month. Also managed to make friends with an older lady at the photo studio who's from Florida. He told her the capital was Tallahassee and it was bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Watching Mommy dance

Don't wear that tulip style dress that reminds you of Kelly Ripa. No matter how skinny you think you are, you're going to look puffy.

The Great Escape

Don't plan on your 1 year old making friends with the camera man. I think that pretty much covers it.