All for FREE

Chrissy hosted a Willow House Party back in August and yes, it was a successful one. Look at all the stuff she got for FREE....let me repeat....for FREE! Thanks again Chrissy.

Please go to my website on a weekly basis and check out weekly specials!  

http://devinbarker.store.willowhouse.com/category.aspx?zcid=289

Leven's team won last night against John Tyler. 24-3 Babeeeeeeeee! We meet our big rivals (Hallsville) this Friday at 4:30. Please come and SUPPORT Leven and his team.

BEAT THE PURPLE!

http://www.news-journal.com/sports/high_schools/lady-pirates-ease-to-th-straight-volleyball-win/article_7af68758-7a11-5a1d-9eb4-c756936e4020.html

Hey folks! It's WEDNESDAY....Happy Hump Day.

 Time to celebrate...Let's DANCE!

-leven's team is now 23-3. they play john tyler tonight. (lady pirates are ranked 15th in the state poll)
-trever is now realizing he has to really step it up this year in school. tough load on him, but he can do it. he just needs to quit playing and get his mind right.
-taydem is WILD. let me repeat...WILD! she doesn't ever slow down. will she ever slow down?? she is also never quiet. she talks more than her daddy and brother put together. and we all know that's A LOT! i told leven last night watching her run around crazy...she is NOT a baby/toddler anymore. she is a little girl with a mind all her own.
-i'm making it =)
-my sister felt her baby girl kick for the first time last night.
-my parents are back from a week long trip to tennessee.

prayers needed: i have never even seen or met this young man, but we need to send him all the prayers he can get.  yesterday during athletics (Trever's class period) they were all in the weight room lifting weights. chris had the bar on his shoulders (w/ weights on the bar) and was stepping up onto a step. not really sure what happened next (knee gave in, ankle gave in, lost his balance, etc) but he fell forward on the ground with the bar still on his shoulders. he went through several surgeries yesterday and he is now paralyzed from waist down. freak accident. pray for his heeling and pain and to give him strength mentally and physically through this tough time. he is a sophomore this year.

9, 10, Leven Barker

One of Leven's senior volleyball players wrote an essay about him for her English class. (See below) I thought this paper was written perfectly for him. I know it made his day when he read it. It doesn't matter how bad your day is something like this makes all the negative go away. If you are reading this and Coach Barker has ever been your coach...leave a comment in our comment box. I'm sure he would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Friday.

9, 10, Leven Barker

“Oh my gosh, he is so scary!”
“I know! He yells at us for every little thing!”


Coach Barker was the conversation being dispersed throughout the whole gym of volleyball girls. It was the second day of two a days and we were all stretching while we were waiting for him to begin practice.

“THERE SHOULD BE NO TALKING, IF YOU’RE TALKING YOU’RE NOT
STRETCHING!”


The gym immediately quietened. The air conditioning unit and drops of water bounced off the gym floor filling the silent atmosphere. He paced around the gym staring at each volleyball girl with fierce eyes. Coach Barker’s height made him powerful without saying anything. His eyes are like lasers, just looking at them makes you swell up. The feeling of unexpectedness was killing us. However, that is the mind of a freshman. The freshmen year Coach Barker is nothing compared to the senior year role model we all love.

“Atta baby Robey….Nice set….Bam!!”


These are some of the phrases you would hear entering a lady pirate volleyball practice now. His sense of humor enlightens practice to where it is fun and enjoyable but at the same we all have our minds set on volleyball. Along with 7 returning varsity players, Coach Barker is one of the reasons we can achieve our goal of reaching the state tournament this year. Over the years, we have realized his ways of discipline and coaching are making us better athletes and shows that he believes in us. Also, fundamentally he is definitely the best coach in East Texas. He has played volleyball his whole life and knows every aspect of the game, whether it is a certain position, line up, or rotation. Without Coach Barker Pine Tree Volleyball would not be the same. We wouldn’t be able to make fun of his accent, or pick on him for his growing belly. If we did not have him as a coach, we would not be able to win as many games as we have. Coach Barker has made us tougher on the court. He has our mind set to win mentality. Losing is unacceptable. With our kind of mentality we would not have been able to fight through our close games or play to our level in the easy wins. Freshmen year we dreaded being on varsity. Now, we have never loved a coach more in our lives. We have changed him to be a better person, and he has definitely changed us. When this group of seniors leave, it will be a heart break for us and for him.

Lauren Cude

Yes, I am a very proud coaches wife!

Remembering......9/11

When someone says the date 9/11....EVERYONE remembers exactly where they were that day, what they were doing, and the emotions that were running through their body.

This Sunday marks 10 years since that horrible day changed the lives of thousands of Americans. This week we've been watching specials on TV honoring the lives killed, the families that are without and how that dreadful day changed our country. I just sit and cry. Picture after picture, song after song, video after video....tears.

Our church is honoring this day on Sunday just as many other churches will.

 IN GOD WE TRUST. This is what we must always remember as a country.

Here are some recent pictures off my iphone........

Another new picture app I found

Sportin' the side ponytail and her Barbie car

Aidan's select baseball team got second this past weekend in Rockwall. They give BIG rings as awards now instead of trophies.

My first attempt on french braiding. Yes, I need some more practice!



Leven's teams won last night. Freshmen, JV and Varsity all killed Longview High School!

22-3 going into district starting on Friday....LP---> YOU KNOW!

http://www.news-journal.com/sports/high_schools/lady-pirates-sink-rival-longview/article_581a6a10-cb43-519b-bbbd-454e76e48272.html

Blazing

Fires in East Texas are out of control right now. Today it is so cloudy outside (from all the smoke) that you can hardly even breathe. Ashes are falling out of the sky. Please pray for rain and for all the firefighters and volunteers working hard to put the fires out.

Leven's team beat Henderson on Friday----> record...21-3. They finally play at home tonight against Longview. Piece of cake!

Yesterday was Molly's birthday! We celebrated over dinner and laughs. I got only one picture from the night. Here's Taydem with her Uncle Eric.

Bounce...Bounce....

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend.

This is a small clip of Taydem in gymnastics last night!