Monday Morning Blues

Whoa...according to this picture of Taydem...she really looks like she has the Monday Morning Blues! She was actually just zoned into the TV here.  When I'm cooking or cleaning I give her Tenlee to hold for me.  Don't they look so sweet together?  Tay is a good big sister and a wonderful helper to me. 

 Happy 3 months to this cutie pie! I bring out the camera and she says CHEESE! Not really...I do have to make all kinds of silly faces to make her smile like this.  Or maybe I just look funny to her.  Either way, it works whatever I do!

Her smile is the sweetest :)

 Yesterday my parents decided to let all the older 6 grandkids come spend the night. So after mom came and picked up Taydem, Leven and I headed to Carthage. He starts "Open Gym" tomorrow for his volleyball girls and wanted to get his nets put up.  So while he did that, I went to the weight room and worked out a little bit.  Tenlee just sat in her carseat and watched me.  She's already turning into the perfect little gym rat just like her brother and sister.

Poor thing!

 And here's a picture of what was going on at Nana and Papa's house. This is Taydem in her pefect happy place.  If she could be anywhere, this would be it....with her cousins at her Nana and Papa's house.  Today they were heading to the movies. 

In just a bit I have to go pick her up from the movies and......

take her BACK TO THE DOCTOR FOR THIS STUPID INFANTIGO CRAP! I am so sick of this. We have been treating this skin CRAP since May 19th (I had to look back on my blog for the exact date because I remember blogging about it). She has taken 2 rounds of oral antibiotics and now cream.  This spot on her nose came up last Monday.  It wasn't this big.  They gave her an antibiotic cream and yes, it has not spread over her face, BUT the spot is bigger on her nose.  Poor thing looks like Rudolph.  It's just so frustrating, because we have washed sheets, washed stuffed animals, taken oral meds and now have used the cream on top of spending MONEY on doctor visits and on medicines. ugh ugh ugh! I'm a little ticked.  I pray that after this doctor's visit, we can get this taken care of.

 

 

So much cuteness

The daycare that Tenlee goes to while we are at work is so good about taking pictures of her during the day and sending them to me.  Yesterday they also sent me a video of her laughing. ~love~ It also helps that I know everyone in the daycare! Small towns ROCK! Her new things....her tongue!

Every now and then don't you get a BRIGHT IDEA? Well I do.  So yesterday I thought I would make headbands out of Tshirts.  I've been seeing celebrities where headbands a lot lately, (Jessie James Decker) but more of a vintage retro look and I think they are just too cute, especially right now for summer. So I thought why not! On my lunch break today I'm heading to Hobby Lobby to look for a more wider selection on fabric.  Last night I used some Tshirts for practice and they turned out cute! They also make for a good work out headband!

FYI- Do NOT compare my "car look" to Jesse James Decker "car look!"

Hers is way HOTTER than mine!

With her windblown hair, mouth open, Ray Bans, cute self!!

 (I will try that next go round!)

Short and SWEET

This is my cousin Channing and she just got ENGAGED over the weekend!

I'm thrilled for her. I haven't met this feller yet, but I know he's a keeper with a smile on her face like this!

Love you sister!

 

Check out these two crazys.

Tyler and Brittyn are 2 and have now gotten these two personalites like you wouldn't believe.  Super cute and are super precious!

 Trever just got back from a week long cruise with his best buddy Bradley and Bradley's family. Check out this water. Doesn't it make you wanna just jump right in? Trever said it was the best vacation he has ever been on.  He's living with his mother this summer and working.  Lubbock will be here before he knows it.  He will be taking one summer course here pretty soon.

We miss him!

 Taydem is a little artist. When I was her age I couldn't even draw a stick person.  I swear I couldn't.  Can you guess who this person is in her drawing below? She loves to draw freehand. 

 

 Tenlee is talking up a storm these days. Well you know...baby talk! She will probably be just like her brother and sister...oh and her dad! Talk, talk and more talk! It's the sweetest though. She's just too precious. I can't help myself but love her UP! I walked in last night from working out and Leven was all in her face making her talk to him.  He had his camera out on his phone videoing it.  So cute.  After they were done, he went to play it back and realized he never hit the record button. Ha! 

 He tried!

 

Happy Tuesday

Austin Texas

Leven and I had a wonderful, must needed time away together, in Austin this past weekend! Again we are so thankful to my parents for watching the girls for us. Friday night we checked into our hotel, got changed and headed to Sullivan's for some really good eaten'(http://sullivanssteakhouse.com/austin/). Then we headed to 6th street for some major people watching and entertainment! Can NEVER go wrong there. We ended the night at Pete's Piano Bar and sang away.....until it was time to make our way back to the hotel.

A good night for sure!

And while we were in Austin, this was Nana.....in her living room

Saturday we slept in...(love), ate an amazing breakfast, then layed out around the pool for a couple of hours.  Then got dressed and drove to Round Rock for this sweet girl's wedding.  This is Kendle.  I met Kendle when she was in the 8th grade along with her sister, Bailey and their Momma. Bailey is Trever's age and they grew up down the street from Leven and Trever.  Their Mom, Melissa, pretty much took care of Trever (and Leven!) for awhile there! Kendle was our babysitter for Taydem and started babysitting for us when Tay was just 3 months old.  She loved Taytay! And her family loved Lev and Trever. Kendle was an outstanding volleyball player and played for Leven on varsity her freshmen and sophmore year before we moved to Longview.  It broke our hearts, especially Leven's, the day we had to tell Kendle we were moving to Longview.  No way would we miss her wedding! She looked gorgeous. So happy for her.  She's all growed up!!  

 Here's Leven with a group of his Mexia Ladycats!

He loves when he gets a chance to see his past athletes. It always makes him so proud to hear about what they are doing now.  

My Main Men

Father's Day was this past Sunday. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful Daddy.  Everyone says this right? But I really mean it when I SAY IT!

 

I grew up in a loving home where my Daddy did these things:

 

*brought us up in a christian home and was taught from day 1

 that God was always #1 on our priority list. he drove us to church every sunday and most wednesdays. we ate together and prayed together. people probably wonder why and how we are so close as a family today....this is why. My Daddy.

 *loved my Momma from sun up to sun down (and still does!) 

* worked his butt off to provide for his 4 children...from sun up to sun down

*he adores his mother and adored his father

*and you should see him with his grandchildren. they love their papa.

 

I am blessed to have a Daddy like him!

 

Check us out! We've changed a little...ha

 And here is a collage of pictures of my "baby daddy!" We have a 19 year old, 6 year old and 2 month old.  We like them all spread out! Crazy crazy. I guess they will keep us young forever.  Now we just need Trever to stay away from babies for awhile. 

 I love my kiddos and I love my Leven!

June 17th is today and that means mine and Leven's anniversary.  8 years today! I know what you are thinking....me too! Who would have ever thought we would have made it this long.  Leven reminds me of this every month.  This morning he thought it was 7 years.  He kept saying 8 years was just too long.  He said he has never even known a woman for 8 years!  Leven is something else. He continues to make me laugh every day. He is something special. It's funny because when we run into people from Leven's past I hear either two things:

1) God help you-It takes a special woman to have lasted this long with Leven Barker

-OR-

2) Thank you so much-Leven needed someone like you to settle him down

Geez Louise Leven!!!!! 

 

But seriously.  I say it over and over.  God knows what he is doing.  And he knew what he was doing that day in late July 2005 as I nervously awaited for somebody to come interview me for that job in Mexia Texas! Little did I know it was going to be some cocky, single dad, volleyball coach with a hidden kind heart, that would interview me. So much can happen in 8 years.  That little boy in the top two photos will start his 2nd year of college at Texas Tech in the fall. Two beautiful daughters, 6 jobs, 6 homes, lots of sports, did I say sports? lots of sports, specifically volleyball, many miles and a few pounds later, we are still trucking along! Happy Anniversary LB!

TGIF

Yesterday went really well with our meeting with Rod.  I'm so excited about our house plan. Rod has the neatest software program and you can actually see inside the house.  It's like a 3D type of thing.  So if you are a visual type of person, which I think most people are, then it's something you really need to look at when you are building .  We ended up making a few more changes and I think the plan is ready to be finalized! Yesterday on my walk in the neighborhood I took a few pictures of our lot to show you where our house will be built.  In the next month or so we will clear the land and build our pad. 

 

 

 

 This picture is taken looking directly in front of where the house will be.

 This morning the pool guys were up early working on my brother's pool! I can't wait to keep you posted on this process. It's going to be a beauty!

Tomorrow night a few of my classmates from high school are going to meet in Longview for dinner to catch up.  It's hard to believe it's been 15 years. 

 

Happy Friday!

 

Houzz/Pinterest

Building a house this time around is different in 2 ways.

 

1) HOUZZ

2) PINTEREST

 

Every night while I lay in bed, I search Houzz and Pinterest looking at all kinds of ideas for our house.  I'm hooked! This way when it's time for me to let the bestest contractor in the world know what color I want my granite to be, I will whip out my [cracked] ipad and show him.  Or when he asks what color kitchen cabinets I want, BAM, I've got it all ready for him! I will be organized and the process will be smooth and fast.  And us Barker's will be in our new home in no time. 

This is what I'm thinking at least.  

 

I love the idea of putting wallpaper behind the shelves in my closet.  I doubt Leven would want this in his closet.  AND I love Grey!

 I'm going to use grey in a few places this time around.  

 

 Plug in the drawer.....Simple idea, but a good one. 

Will do this in my bathroom and the girls as well.

I love the colors in this kitchen.  I love the color of the cabinets and the color of the island.  We will also have a built in hutch and it will be the same color as the island. 

Check out the sink and the floors.  Love 

 

If you haven't glanced at Pinterest or Houzz yet, join the club now!

 

~DB~

Down and Out

Some days you can just be, well, down. Mine started off this morning.  I can't tell you how many times I have locked my keys in my car. I seriously can't because I've now lost count.  Why is it that this is one thing that I just can't seem to fix or correct or just slap get it together?  I do it A LOT! And this is something that once you do it once or even twice, you learn from it and don't do it again, right? Well not Devin.  She does it over and over and over again.  So this morning I had too much crap in my hands, once again, while getting out of my car (at work) and I thought I had my keys in my hand too. I hit the lock button on my car door while getting out, shut the door, looked in my hands, and realized.... SHOOT! Too late. Door locked. I called Leven because I knew we had a spare in the apartment but since the move there is really no telling where I put it. So he couldn't find it. (I'm sure I will get home and find it right off!) So now I will call the LockSmith.  Thank goodness for my car insurance because they credit back so many in a year.

Thank you Farmer's Insurance!

 

I'm losing weight. I am. But it's just taking time. It's just frustrating, you know.  In all my life, I've never had to really diet.  Tenlee is now a little over 2 months and I'm still not back in my jeans. It just sucks.  I've loved my group of ladies that I've been working out with and doing my diet plan with.  I think in 5 weeks we have together lost over 30 pounds together.  [We said that if we reach 75 lbs that we would take a little weekend girls trip together.] This past week I lost another 3 pounds.  I think now my body knows it's time to lose weight and we are finally getting somewhere.  Those first few weeks, my body was in shock or something.  I haven't had any fast food in 5 weeks, not ONE Dr. Pepper, and pretty much not any junk food.  I'm eating very clean. Every now and then I will eat a small piece of chocolate or some kind of sweet just to tell my body to shut up and get over the craving that it is well....craving.  But I never go overboard.  But next week, Leven and I are going to Austin for a weekend together and I wanted so badly to be back looking "right", "good", "skinny" , etc.  These are all the words I say to myself to make me feel good.  Leven thinks I look fine.  He knows that I'm not back to where I was before Tenlee, but he doesn't really care.  I'm sure he is just tired of me carrying on and on about me, me, me!

 

Yesterday Taydem dropped my ipad on the ground and it cracked a little in the corner.  Ugh.  I know that she didn't mean too but it still made me so angry.  I made her go to her room simply because I didn't want to do or say anything at that moment that I would regret.  After about 10 minutes of her being in her room she slipped a few pieces of paper under the door.  The first note said that she was sorry.  The second note said that if I didn't forgive her that she would runaway but if I did forgive her then she would stay. D-R-A-M-A  Q-U-E-E-N!  I couldn't help but laugh.  So I forgave her.

 

So I'm a little down today.

 

But we all have those days.

 

I also wish I had about $15,000 in my checking account!

 Just $15,000. 

That's not too much to ask for, now is it? ☺

 

But when I see this sweet smile it seems to make me feel a little better:

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today.

 We are almost finished finalizing our house plans!

Yippee.

Meeting with Rod Brown tomorrow

(http://www.designsbyrod.com/contact_us.html)

Pay it Forward.

Say HI to a Stranger

Smile

Say your PRAYERS

Hug a child

Be nice

DON'T LOCK YOUR KEYS IN YOUR CAR!!

 

~DB~

Sweet Summatime

Summertime has begun for all the kiddos and most of the teachers.  Leven will take off the month of June and start back up in July with volleyball camps, open gym and more volleyball camps.  Taydem will bounce around this summer with Leven, Mom, Danin, Austyn, and whoever else will have her come over to play :)

 

Tenlee started back at the daycare this morning.  Of course she was all smiles when I dropped her off.  She is now pretty much sleeping through the night.  She is such a blessing to us.  And such a wonderful little baby.  She doesn't sleep much during the day, but this momma isn't complaining one bit.  She likes to take herself little "power naps!" She loves watching every little thing that we do and I guess she just doesn't want to miss out on anything.  Her doctor's appointment went well last Thursday.  She is in the 78% in height and 64% in weight.  Taydem never got passed the 35% on height as an infant so Tenlee has her beat so far! When Taydem had her 3 year old check up she finally hit the 75% on height! And now she's one of the tallest! It just took her awhile to grow.

 

This past Saturday one of Leven's oldest and bestest friends, Billy, was getting married in Mexia.   Billy was the first of Leven's friends that I met and Leven was asked to be a groomsman.  We stopped by and visited with Louie and Gwen first and got dressed at their house before the wedding.   

 

 Taydem danced her little shoes off (literally) at the wedding.  Since I was holding T the whole time, Tay danced with Leven and she felt like she was dancing with a prince all night.  I think because Leven was in a tux, maybe! It was pretty cute! And Tenlee did so good. 

 Check out this 2 person swing my brother and SIL, Chrissy made for their back yard.  It's made out of pallets.  Isn't it the coolest? I just love it.  You can't see in this picture but she also put solar lights on the back of it! Super cute.

 And this is Baylee! Isn't she the cutest?

A little tear because it's the last day

Taydem's class had their FIELD DAY on Monday. I was so jealous seeing how much fun they had.  Times have changed for sure.  I know once they get a little older it becomes more competitive, but at the Primary school is all about fun and friends! Today is the last day of school.  We all say it every day how fast days come and go.  It seems like yesterday I was taking her to her first day of school and meeting her teacher for the first time.  It's sad.  I know I'm very partial to Tatum schools because it's where I grew up, but I love it so much.  I love the small town atmosphere. I love how everyone that I grew up with now have come back "home" like me and have their kids going to school with my kids as well.  It just shows how much we love and appreciate where we are from.  I love how Taydem's teacher this year, graduated with my sister.  And so many teachers in our near future, are also Tatum graduates!  We are all proud I guess! It's the small town in us.  And any other small town folks that you get around are the EXACT SAME WAY! We just can't help it. 

We bleed that GREEN AND WHITE!

 And this is Julia.  I pray that these two sweet girls stay the bestest of friends throughout their years together.  Taydem adores her! We find out in the next week or two who they will get for their first grade teacher. Fingers crossed that they get the same one!

 Taydem's very 1st trophy.  Super STAR in the making right here!

 She is very proud of it.

 Tenlee is loving her sleep and Momma is very proud of that!

Today she goes for her 2 month checkup. 

But Tenlee will NOT be very proud of those shots.

 Miranda Lambert's new CD came out on Tuesday and of course I've already downloaded it and have pretty much every song memorized.  Well not EVERY song, but most of them.  I just love her style of song writing and her voice.  She's got it going on and she's so far above the rest of the other women in country music.

The last week of school...........

 

Leven and Trever are in Lubbock today at Trever's Texas Tech Orientation.  Leven said Trever's head has been on a swivel since they arrived up there.  Trever said he has never seen that many good looking girls in one place.  I just pray he can keep his head on straight and those grades up! Yesterday they found him a place to live and hopefully after today he will be registered and ready to go come fall semester.  They fly home tomorrow.  I'm actually ready for Leven to get back home.  I don't see how single parents do it. 

 

Yesterday my cousin Whitney watched Tenlee for me and Taydem and I went to the movies to see Maleficent! Taydem has been dying to see it and has been counting down the days until the movie came out.  We both LOVED it and Taydem is ready to go back and see it again.  It really was a good movie!   I highly recommend it.

 These days I have to make this child get serious and smile.  She is too silly sometimes!

 And she loves her some popcorn.  Since I've been trying to eat good, I had to limit myself on the popcorn. 

 I love this picture of my girls.  They were both in my bed watching TV.  Just as quiet as can be while I got some things done around the house.  Tenlee is such a good baby.  Just like Taydem was as a baby.  Just so chill.  Have I mentioned that she's already 2 months?

She goes to her 2 month checkup on Thursday and get her next round of shots...

dun dun dun!

My sister's baby's 2 month check up stats were off the charts...read my words...OFF.THE.CHARTS!

99% IN HEIGHT AND 95% IN WEIGHT! I'm anxious to see where Tenlee will be.  

Happy Monday...

now if only I could quit with the yawning!