Happy New Years!!

These are some of my co-workers---Kim, Me, Phillip and Natalie


We are headed to my brother's house for a "Mexican" themed New Years Party! It should be a pretty good time....

Tis the season...

Well Christmas has come and gone once again...This year was very hectic for us. It's really not the same when you don't have Christmas at your own house. I know next year will be a whole lot better being in our new home. Trever racked up again this year...he's at his mom's house right now until school starts back. Taydem got lots of toys and clothes...which I love the clothes part of it. My cousin Brian's wife brought a huge bag of her daughter's old clothes...I was so excited about that! They are 24 to 2T sizes but that didn't matter...she will be there one day. Leven and I bought 2 leather chairs a couple weeks ago for our new home so we said we weren't going to buy each other anything. Well I decided to have his newspaper article framed but it's not going to be ready until this week. So I went ahead and told him. It wasn't a Christmas gift though...well he went out and bought me a gift card for Christmas...I was so mad at him...b/c I didn't get him anything...oh well!! We bought my parents a Wii and they love it!!

Leven went hunting this past weekend with his buddy Patrick...this is his third hunting trip I might add...but this time he shot him one!! He killed a 9-point...I wish I had a picture to show...it was a beauty! He's going to have it stuffed for his "man room" in the new house.

This year has come and gone...we've had good times and bad times. A look back...
- Taydem turned 1
- Leven and I both got new jobs
- We bought and sold a house
- We moved in with my sister
- Trever went to like 5 states in a year
- I joined a gym
- Taydem started walking
- Leven got East Texas Coach of the Year
- Trever made a "B"
- Leven and I almost divorced when we first came to Longview (not really)
- Tucker was born
- We went to Cancun with some good folks
- We lost both our pets
- We lost close ones...

I really could keep going..but that's enough...I wish every one a Happy New Year!!

Great weekend...

We got up early early Saturday morning to head to Mexia. Greg's funeral was at 11 in Teague and Leven wanted to get their early. We knew the church would be packed. We ended up getting there an hour and a half early. His funeral was really neat. He would've been pleased by it. The speakers were amazing and even if you didn't know Greg you did by the end of his funeral. The neatest part of the whole funeral was President Bill Clinton was one of the guest speakers. How cool is that...to have a president speak wonderful words about you. Greg's mother was the president's personal secretary for over 30 years. I thought it was very sincere of him to come to Teauge Texas to comfort this lady and her family. And he did just that.

We spent all day at Leven's mother's house with his brother's family. We did tons of stuff there. The boys shot guns, we shot the bow and arrow, played horseshoes, and that night we played the "family" card game together. We all had a blast...

Sunday we went to church to visit our family there and then had Christmas time with his dad's family. We all got wonderful gifts from everyone.

It really sucked this morning when I got up for work and Leven was still laying in the bed. This is the part when I miss teaching....yuk!!!

Tay and Grans

Trever shooting the targets

Tay with Uncle Johnny, and the spider!!

Christmas in MEXIA

We are heading for a visit in Mexia this weekend. Coach Huber's funeral is tomorrow morning. Leven will be a pallbearer at the funeral for the family. Then it's off to visit Ann and Mike. Leven's brother will be in town with his family as well. Then Sunday we will be with Louie and Gwen and their family....I will have new pics next week!

We lost Greg around lunch today. Please keep his family in your prayers. He was a great friend...

My cousins have also lost a great friend this past weekend. Chase is missing from a boating accident last weekend at Richland Chambers Lake. They are still in the process of finding him. PLEASE pray for his family and the divers out searching.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Yea, right...white Christmas?? Have we ever had a white Christmas here in East Texas?

Last night we had our company Christmas party. We had almost everyone there, with their families! Of course the whole time I had to chase Tooter Poot around the house. She's always on the go. My boss and his wife bought gifts to exchange for The Chinese Christmas game. I ended up with a set of really great knives! I needed a knife set so bad...lucky me. They also bought Taydem, Trever, and Leven a little something...very nice people.

This weekend we are heading to Mexia to do Christmas with all his family. Saturday we will be with his Mom and Mike and his brother's family. And on Sunday we will be visiting his dad and his step-mom's family. I'm sure we will make a few more visits while we are there.

Please keep Greg Huber in your prayers (Leven's coaching buddy from Teague). We got a call last night around 3. He was rushed back to the hospital and was put in ICU. The doctors said there isn't much they can do for him now...pray pray pray!!!

Even better...

Leven didn't get District Coach of the Year, but he was honored with EAST TEXAS COACH of the YEAR, even better!! Check out the article that was in the paper yesterday...

ET Volleyball: Coach of the year - Leven Barker

Sunday, December 14, 2008
Team: Pine Tree Lady Pirates
Record: 26-16 (Shared the District 13-4A championship with Hallsville. Defeated Kilgore in straight sets - 25-22, 25-8, 25-18 - in the bi-district playoffs and lost in the area playoffs to Waco Midway, 25-21, 11-25, 25-23, 14-25, 6-15).

You weren't hired until July 17 - about 2 1/2 weeks before practice started. How difficult was it to jump into the season with little knowledge of the players and what was the key (or keys) to being able to get everyone on the same page?
It was difficult. As a team, we were at a big disadvantage for about a month. Our first two tournaments were in the Metro-Plex at two 5A, 32-team tournaments in which we spent the night and I barely knew the kids names. It was certainly a challenge for both the kids and me. The key to gettig better was this bunch had something to prove, and they played hard from the start.
After a loss to Tyler Lee on Aug. 26, the Lady Pirates were 5-10. Pine Tree won seven of the next nine matches to enter District 13-4A play with a 12-12 record. Can you pinpoint any one thing that sort of flipped the switch for your team?
When you are 5-10, that is when you have a character check. I told this team all along they would have to deal with more adversity than any other team around. It is easy to be a team player and work hard when you are winning, but will you have that same attitude when your back is against the ball and we were definitely against the wall. I think our turning point was at the Tyler Lee Tournament. I felt that we started playing hard for each other and not just for our individual stats.
When did you know this group had the potential to be a force in the district race?
When we played Whitehouse at home, we changed into a whole different gear. They were our defending district champ, and we beat them in three that night. That's when I knew we had something going.
What is the best part about being a coach?
Dealing with a different set of kids each year and watching them grow together. There is not a better feeling than when you feel like your team has overachieved or that you as a coach migh have made a difference in one of their lives.
What is the worst part about being a coach?
I don't think there is a ''worst'' part to coaching. Every job has its ups and downs, but my job sure is fun.
Who had the biggest influence on your decision to become a coach?
My high school coach, Jack Estes, and my college coach, Jack Allen. Even though it is a different sport, they prepared me for what I am doing today.
Favorite food?
Cheesburgers
Favorite song?
Knocking on Heaven's Door
If Hollywood turned the Leven Barker Story into a movie, what actor would play you?
Jim Carrey

Sleigh bells ring...are you listening...

Getting closer every day! Here are the pics we took for Christmas...

Christmas is so close...

I am doing so good this year with my Christmas shopping. I have like one more gift to buy. I even have all the ones that I have already bought, wrapped and under the tree. This year since all my Christmas decor is boxed up in storage I bought a little tree for the lake house. It will do for this year. Taydem has been back to her normal happy self. I still don't really know if she was teething or not. She doesn't have any new teeth yet. Makes me wonder??? I took some pics yesterday of Taydem, Aidan, and Ashby before church. They really could all be sister and brother...Meagan had her little boy-Kasen Tate...congrats!

Teething sucks...

Taydem has been miserable for a week now. And when she's miserable, the whole house is miserable. She is not a fussy baby, but I don't think she's smiled since Thanksgiving. I just wish those teeth would hurry up and pop through. She's in so much pain. She cries, kicks and screams, drools, and wakes up every two hours during the night. HELP!!! We need HELP!! Pray for this child....

Thanksgiving break

The three F's: Family, Friends Food!

We had a good break. Leven and Trever did some hunting. Leven shot 2 bobcats and a beaver, haha...no deer. He will be leaving for Lampasas this weekend to hunt with my brothers. Taydem is cutting teeth so bad. She walks around the house wining and moaning! It's driving me crazy and I know it's killing her. We went out Saturday night in Lousiana. It was everyone but Leven. He volunteered to stay home with the kids...sweet husband! We joined our church yesterday.