The Barton Family Blog

  At the end of 3rd grade, the girls had the privilege of riding their bikes on a looooong ride, from Philomath to Avery Park in Corvallis. 22 miles round trip!   They did so well! It was a beautiful, cool Spring day - which was unusual, as it had been unusually hot (think 90 degrees!) the previous few days.   Brock, Connor, Sawyer & I drove over and met the kids at the park. Brock got to hang with his "best friends" in the girls class... And I had to remember to snap photos with some of the girls' best friends  Hanna, Natalee, Brooke Kyah & Natalee  Reagan, Shyanne & Zoe Such a fun way to celebrate the end of the school year! 

Natalee landed a lead role in their Spring play! She was so excited and practiced her lines endlessly. The cast members arrived early and their moms put makeup on and curled their hair. Natalee felt so fancy!  Meet: BIRD Isn't she cute!?!?!?!?! More like BEAUTIFUL!!  Since Shyanne and Hollie came with us, they got a touch of make up too! Someone better lock these girls up!!!! Shyanne was a gardener/farmer.  She had a wide rimmed hat & gardening gloves to add to her costume. Hollie was a "weed". They were taking over the garden. "We're the weeds, we're cool, We're the weeds, weeds rule!" The cast before the show

 Natalee requested that we take monthly pictures of Sawyer with his little elephant she endearingly named "Buttons".  Since we didn't get a picture with Buttons at birth or at one month, I created little images to capture him... knowing that from two months on, those pictures would include Buttons! :) : How did this baby change so much already?!?? (waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh) Birth: 1 month:  2 months: 3 months:  4 months: 

 Sweet little miss Hollie May turned 8 on May 6. She was spoiled with fun presents tucked inside a new treasure chest in the morning.... and a special birthday party with a few close friends in the afternoon! Surrounded by family opening presents on my bed before school. The decorations and prep for this party was a blast!  Lots of color and lots of candy! Chocolate covered oreos dipped in sprinkles  Gumballs  and lollipops and pixie sticks galore! A candyland game trailed its way around the house....   And the centerpiece... a KitKat cake topped with M&Ms Love my girl! Happy 8th birthday sweet Hollie girl! You make us laugh and fill us with joy!  We blinked our eyes and you're already 8... slow down little lady!!! 

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. Now remembered as the author of the world’s most famous hymn, in the mid-eighteenth century as England and France stand on the brink of war, John Newton is a young sailor wandering aimlessly through life. His only duty is to report to his ship and avoid disgracing his father - until the night he hears Polly Carlett's enchanting voice, caroling... And so begins the story of Newton & Polly. Based loosely on the biography on John Newton, author Jody Hedlund weaves a gripping tale of love, brokenness, and redemption through Jesus Christ. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and even more-so when I realized that it closely parallels Newton's actual story.  One would expect the author of Amazing Grace to have a deeply profound conversion, but even I was surprise by how far Newton had to fall, to realize the depth of his need fo...

I just take more pics of Sawyer right now... he holds still! :)  Here's an example of children NOT holding still...  Cousins: They seem so far apart in age... but really, they'll grow up being the same age... and I LOVE that!! Crazy hair  & I love it! Twin cousin shenanigans!  Connor and his best buddy Hayden Captain America & Spiderman... super heroes... always This kid is soooo loved! Frienemies (The love each other - but fight till Mom goes insane!) Membership here was a such a great investment!! We get in to this  museum and 5 others in the state. We LOVE each other!!! What a blessing sisters are!!! This pic is missing 2 of our kids.. and it's STILL a LOT of kids! Aunty Jen came to visit. She was in Sawyer-heaven! Photo shoot for my Mama... Mother's Day gift. Norah tripped and fell seconds after we got out of our cars... and scraped the side of her face on the concrete!! Th...