Happy Birthday Donna!

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Donna

Happy Birthday to you.

I hope that you had a great day and enjoyed your family!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas!

We had a really nice Christmas with our family and the kids. Everyone had gone to Frank and Donna's for Christmas Eve except for Cayla, Miyah and I, the girls were sick so I stayed home and made cookies for Santa and we watched a movie. It was actually very relaxing just spending time with the girls (when they weren't sleeping or crying because their mouths hurt!!!). The kids opening their pj's, changed clothes and got comfy on the couch to listen to "The Night Before Christmas", this year Cayla read it and she had been practicing for 2 weeks. She did a beautiful job and her sister were right there in case she needed help. Miyah was sleeping and we just could not get her up to open her jammies, once she did wake up she REFUSED to put them on and stayed in her pants. LOVELY...that is good parenting skills. Ryan also refused to sit with the girls and listen to the story.

Christmas day was so nice and as usual we stayed home, played games, read books, watched movies, napped and ate. I hope that everyone had a blessed day and enjoyed being with family and friends.

6 weeks already?????

I cannot believe that 6 weeks have already gone by and it is time for Mackenzie to have her cast taken off. On the 22nd, Kenzie went back to Dr. Redal and he removed her cast. Kenzie knew that there was the possibility that she would need to have her arm recasted but everything worked out in her favor. She is so happy to have it off, but really surprised how weak her arm is. I think that the weirdest thing is the arm that was casted now has black hair growing on it. I told her that is just proof that she is a Mexican. Now she is working on building up the strength back, when they took off the cast her wrist bent all the way down and her hand touch her arm...it was a little gross. Kenzie was a trooper, never complained about the cast expect right before they replaced the first one because her hand hurt.

Of course I had to take my camera to end this series of photos and wouldn't you know that my batteries died!!! I still was able to take some great pictures.

I love you Kenzie Annie Anne!!!!!!!

Family Fun!

On Saturday the 20th we celebrated Christmas early with Corey's family since Hiedi, Matt and Carter were in town. I think that this is our fourth White Elephant exchange and just as usual everyone had a very fun time. This year it really shows a passage of time for us because Meaghan left early to go to a play that her friend was performing in. She stayed long enough for pictures and then Corey took her to watch her friend Olga, so strange it has always been the other kids that have plans. All the kids are getting so big and we are getting older. HEHEHEHEHE!!!! This year it seemed really strange not to have Helen there in the physical sense, but I know that she was there laughing with us. Well family I had a great time and we are looking forward to next year.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Thanksgiving

What am I most grateful for?

My children are my everything and even though it is tough to have such a large family I would not change anything. I am grateful for their ability to make friends, play in sports, keep nice grades in school, know how to read and write and to love one another. I am grateful for what my children teach me everyday and the laughs that they bring. I have a whole house of comedians and that is a wonderful quality to have. I am also grateful that they are watching how we struggle and they know that they cannot have everything handed to them, when they do get the items that they wanted/needed they are so much more appreciative of them.

My husband is my best friend and he is the one that I want to tell everything too. We have been through some tough times and some good times, I tend to think that the tough times out weigh the good. We have created beautiful little people that still make me think wow...all because two people meet and feel in love. I am so grateful for his willingness and ability to support his family. We have a long way to go and somedays I am grateful that we are holding on for the ride.

My ability to work. Even though I may not be doing what I enjoy doing everyday I am happy that I am able to supplement our income. I am grateful for the family that I work with and that I never have to ask for my pay. I am grateful that they are very generous and only work 4 days a week but pay me for the 5th day and give me paid vacations several times a year while they are enjoying their time together. Not to mention the fact that I love their little boy and his kisses are the BEST!!!!!

My parents and inlaws. Without the support of our parents I do not know how Corey and I would have been able to support our family. Never had they made us feel bad for having to ask for help. I just wish that we had the means to pay back everthing that was ever borrowered. I love you guys!!! I love that I have the type of relationship with both my mom and dad that gives me the freedom to speak my mind and still listen to their side of the conversation without turning a deaf ear. I have a wonderful relationship with both of them and feel blessed that I am able to see my dad when I want and can talk to my mom several times a day about everything and nothing at all. I am also tickled that my mom and I will be spending our last days as roommates in a nursing home. HEHEHEHE!!!

My siblings. My sister is the most graceful women and I am very proud of her. I enjoy having her around and knowing that she is very much a part of my live now. I love that she has a wonderful relationship with my children and Miyah thinks that her home is Miyah's home. I am grateful that even though she struggles she is still willing to lend a hand. I am so glad that God brought us back together. I am grateful that I know that my brother is able to support his sons and have a relationship with my sister. Maybe some year we can sit down and talk like adults.

My nieces and nephew, I am so glad that everyone is home and healthy. I love everyone of you with all my heart and hope that you all know that we are here for each and everyone of you. It is so much fun to watch each and everyone of you grow into a young adult and watch/listen to all the stories that are making you this person.

My friends that have been in my life for years and years. I love that I know that I have friends out there that we do not have to see each other all the time and can meet up just once a year and because of the internet we are able to just pick up where we left off at. It has been a joy to watch their children grow from their moms tummies into grown children with lives of their own. I am grateful for the ability to have friends in my live.

My Aunts have been a true blessing in my life and I love that we have the family site (thanks Mom!) to keep us all connected. What a blessing all in it's self!!!

I am grateful that we pray together as a family and thank God for all the blessings in our life. We have a roof over our heads, food on the table, clothes on our backs, our home is filled with warmth, we have a car to take our children to school and their activities, we have a marriage that has lasted a long time and that shows our children that love is hard work but worth every minute, we are healthy and we love one another.

We know how rich we are with the blessings listed above. That is what I am grateful for!!!!

Happy Birthday to George and Tiffany!!!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear George and Tiffany!

Happy Birthday to you!

I hope that you have a great day!

Things that happen when we are sleeping....

We have been struggling alot with Ryan's issues over the last couple of weeks and I am just not seeing any light in any direction that we turn. To top it all off we have Miyah that likes to act just like Ryan (the good and the bad). Here is a good story that I know we will not want to forgot...sorry no pictures...Corey was not very happy to be thinking about picture taking.

Corey was woken up by Cayla that he needed to come downstairs because Ryan and Miyah were outside. Corey went downstairs and both kids were sleeping on the back porch with their pillows, blankets and lots of opened pop cans. When could they have done this? Was it still dark outside because it was early when Corey was woken up. Whose idea was it in the beginning...maybe Ryan and I can just see how Miyah would jump right on broad. I am sure that it would be Miyah's idea about the pop...come on Miyah did we need several can and did you need to open them all?

I thought it was very funny and it was simply because I was not in the middle of it. Once I came downstairs and Corey told what happened I had to laugh. Then I saw the kids and I told them that the next time they were sleeping outside they had better hope that we are on a camping trip...turn the head so they cannot see that I am ready to burst out laughing!!!!

Corey thanks for taking this one so that I could enjoy the story instead!!!!

It was suppose to be a goal.....

Wow...we have had a crazy week!!! Last Saturday was Mackenzie's last game of the fall season for outdoor soccer. We had to be on the field at 8:15 in Littleton for her first game that day. She had an outdoor game, indoor game and birthday party to go to on Saturday. The game only had a couple of minutes left and the ball was kicked to Kenzie and she was getting ready to do a header into the goal. Well...the ball hit her arm and then her arm hit the goal post. She started crying and tried to finish the game but the girls were telling her to take a knee. The coach took her out of the game and I had to wait patiently to go over there. As soon as I saw her arm I knew that something was wrong with it because of the color and the way that it was shaped. Right before we were getting ready to leave the field the coach came over and asked Kenzie to get on her knee because the team just took team pictures and they wanted to add her into the picture. She looked at me and I was telling her to do it (how dumb)...she was crying and very upset. I told her, she will look at the picture in a few years and laugh and think that was 15 minutes after I broke my arm. Endless to say she has a Radial Fracture and they are watching it closely to make sure that it heals correctly. We are all pretty positive that it will be fine because she is just a child and their bones fuse back together easily however the doctor said that there is a chance she may need surgery. Kenzie is now on her third cast this week!!! The first one was a soft (but hard) cast, second one was done on Monday and the third one was done on Wednesday. Her fingers were turning purple, staying cold and her hand was in a lot of pain so we took her back to the doctor and they replaced it was a new one. Kenzie was put through a lot that last visit because they could not get the cast off of her arm and they were pushing and pulling. They also needed to put a lot of pressure on her wrist to make sure that she was getting a good flow of blood to her wrist. When they were doing this her had went back to the nice pink color and when they stopped it started to turn purple again. The doctor called her dad who is an orthopedic surgeon and he thinks that we just need to watch her fingers closely, it may just be swollen still or the bone may be pressing on something. I can tell a difference tonight that they are not quite as dark. We will just continue to monitor everything.

Obama wins by a landslide!!!

Wow...how amazing to be a witness to our first black President winning by a landslide. This just shows that the majority of the Americans are in need a change. We all know that change does not happen over night and hopefully he will stay true to some of the things he spoke about. Even though my son is too young to realize the impact on our young children, it is now even further proof that Ryan can grow up to be anything that he would like to be. The Barker family is happy today and we are glad that the democrats won!!!

Election Night

We are watching the numbers tonight to find out who our next president will be. This election has caused lots of different emotions between all of us. My family has an opinion on who we want for president just like everyone else. We had a super long ballot in Colorado this time and it was very time consuming. Corey and both choose to have mail in ballots to get our votes in early...well if you know Corey or I very well than it will be no surprise to know that we waiting until the very last minute to turn it in. We have been listening to the kids talk about the election and they all have their own views and they seem to be making their own decisions on who should be president. I have found it very interesting to listen to Cayla because she has really been paying attention to details of the two parties. The schools have their own elections and the kids even had to register to vote. Such an educational tool and creates a great source of conversation even amoung the little people. Well I hope that the best man wins and the God is looking over our nation as a whole tonight.

Happy Halloween!!!!!

What a beautiful night we had for halloween in Denver!! I grabbed the coats and pants but no one asked for them. We went Trick or Treating with Paula, Cisco and Kayla. Everyone looked so nice in their customes and I was really surprised that my kids did not want to add blood or guts to their cute outfits. Well...Miyah did wear fangs with her Dora costume. Once again this year Meaghan and Cayla are the true trick or treaters and just wanted to continue to get more candy. Kenzie, Miyah and Ryan were more laid back and wanted to stop after a couple of blocks. Then it was back to Paula and Cisco for a scary movie.

Mackenzie was a fairy.



Miyah was Dora the Explorer (with glow in the dark fangs). Meaghan was the person from the game "Operation". Her pillow popped in the costume so she added a pillow.Micheala was a girl vampire.Ryan was a fire chef.
Marcel was a pumpkin.Paula was the girl from "The Ring".Kenzie, Kayla, Micheala, Meaghan, Miyah and Ryan ready to hit the streets!!!
Cisco and Paula ready to scare the kids.