Friday Flashbacks - Moving Edition

In one month, we will have been here 6 years.  Which makes Park City the place we've lived the longest.

We lived in 3 different apartment/triplex/duplex spots in Provo.  Couldn't find any pictures of them, but we always wave to the triplex on 9th east when we're in P-town.  That place was such a sweet deal, I'll bet it still is only rented to people who tell their good friends about it as they leave.  They should have some kind of occupant history on the wall in there to see how it is passed from friend to friend.  Here's Sara in front of the bushes on the first day of kindergarten:

Provo - 1995 - 1996

With 10 day old baby Nixon and 6 year old Sara in tow, we headed to sunny Quartz Hill, California.  We stayed 5 years, had Easton, finalized Sara's adoption, took care of my Grandma, had my brother Tim live with us, made good friends, and fell in love with Disneyland.  When it was time to pack up, we had willing helpers:

Quartz Hill - 1996-2001

Then it was on to a brief stay in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Have you ever unloaded a moving truck at midnight in 110 degree weather?  I don't recommend it!  This is the only place we've ever lived that we don't have friends from.  Sad!  I'm sure the people were very nice, we just weren't there very long.  We swam a lot, Sara fell in love with dance, and they boys turned into good friends and partners in crime.

Scottsdale - 2001 - 2002

Next we were off to Mission Viejo, a great elementary school for the boys and performing arts school for Sara, a ward family that we still love like we never left, having Becky and her family live with us, all kinds of growing experiences, more love for Disneyland and the beach and new found loves for hockey, surfing and skateboards.  We ate our Christmas dinners outside and hunted for Easter eggs in the yard instead of a snow-surrounded house.  I still think of this as the place the kids grew up.  In the driveway, first day of school 2003:

Moving away - so hard!  Not just because all of our stuff was in this and we were transitioning from one uncertain job to another!

Mission Viejo, CA 2002 - 2006

More or less, that's how we got here:

Park City

Where we (some of us) fell in love with snow and skiing, where the summers are spectacular!  Where we've learned a *few* instruments, had even more growing experiences and made friends I wouldn't trade for anything.

I certainly have learned that you can be happy anywhere you choose to, that there is beauty everywhere if you only look for it and that it's good to seek the Lord's advice on these kind of things - he really does see a bigger picture than we do.

Friday Flashbacks - FOURTEEN?! Edition

Guess who just turned 14?  This guy!

Easton is in the 8th grade, he is a ferocious reader, he loves to play ice hockey - mostly for the part where he gets to hit people.  He is an excellent peer tutor at school - it uses his special gifts of loving everyone, finding the best in everyone, making people feel comfortable and making people laugh.  He just finished building a mini ramp and rail to ski on on the side of the house. He loves his scriptwriting class and keeps everyone laughing in there I'm sure.  He is a life scout and is trying to decide what his Eagle project will be. His babysitting services are in high demand.  He is confident enough to have pulled off that vest on Christmas day.  He brings so much joy and laughter into our house - love you Easton!

Here are some of the rest of us at 14:

Nixon - August 2010

Sara - Fall 2003

Jennifer - Fall 1983 (really 13 1/2 years old)

Geoffrey, his dad and Grandpa - February 1988

Happy Birthday Easton - we love you!

Friday Flashbacks - Ski Edition

In honor protest of the new inches of snow on my lawn  and still falling from the sky this morning.

Karen Markin and friend - circa 1969

Apparently neither of our parents were big skiers - this was the "snowiest" photo I could find!

Jennifer (6th from left in bright pink) 1988

  There are a LOT of jeans in this picture.  I see a few people a year trying to ski in jeans at PCMR, and it makes me laugh. Let's be honest - this is in the midwest, so it barely qualifies as actual skiing, and I really hated falling on ice.  It would be fair to say my interest level in skiing has not improved since then, but I am grateful for the softer landings here when I do go.

Geoffrey - early 90's - probably in the Cottonwoods

A fine example of how the underdeveloped male teenage brain will jump off of anything, anytime, anywhere, with anything strapped to their feet.

Sara - 2006/2007 Season PCMR - She loves to ski like I do!

A few shots from Geoffrey's phone the last week of the season this year (which is when I wanted it to

STOP snowing!).  I owe him a big thank you for taking these - I did not take ONE picture of skiing this year - boo me :(

This (hopefully) concludes any winter related blogging for the season.  Summer where are you?!

Friday Flashbacks - He Is Risen Edition

In Honor of Easter, a day of hope and new beginnings.  Please click the link, because if you only look at my pictures, you'll think Easter is only bunnies and chocolate!

Karen, Jennifer, Jerry Markin - Easter 1973/4

Tim, Jeremy, Becky, Jennifer - Easter 1981

Tami, Carol, Lindsy, Kara, Rachel, Krista and Geoffrey  - Easter 1983ish

                                      Sara - Easter 2003                                                 Nixon  - Easter 2003

Easton - Easter 2003

       

This Sunday will find us spending our morning at church and relaxing in the afternoon, probably eating ham.  We're hoping for less snow and more sun, although the current forecast is not in our favor.  I think we've outgrown egg hunts, but not waking up to at least one small treat.  We'll get to talk about what Easter means to each of us and enjoy our time together.  Hope your day is as sweet as I think mine will be - Happy Easter!

The Wonderful World of Color

The world is a carousel of color,

Wonderful, wonderful color.

The miracle of imagination,

The marvels of earth, sea and sky,

These wonders untold

Are ours to behold

In the funny world,

The sunny world,

The wonderful world of color.

We celebrated Holi at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork last week - so so so so fun!  They estimate 40,000 people came on Saturday alone - this is the biggest Holi celebration in North America.  I'm going to spend all year thinking of how to protect my camera from all that colored dust so I'm not afraid to take it!  I did take a few pictures while we were on the outskirts of the crowd, but of course we headed straight for the middle for the big color throwing count down!  This is my favorite of the many videos on You Tube:

Friday Flashbacks - Baby is Born Edition

In honor of my friend Brittany, who I was lucky enough to visit in the hospital last week and spend some time snuggling her sweet newborn boy.

I still remember the wonder of it all - first a little person was growing inside of me, moving around, kicking me, killing my chances for a good night's sleep.  It seemed like each pregnancy would NEVER end, then I blinked my eyes and they next thing I knew, there I was in the hospital, holding this perfect little person that I could NOT believe had been growing inside of me and that was about to kill my chances for a good night's sleep EVER again.  It is such a magical time, it's a shame it goes so fast!

Jennifer

The youngest picture I could find of Geoffrey - with his sister Tami

Sara

I went in for an induction at 7:00am.  It was a little over 2 weeks before my due date, but I had already been the in hospital for a few days for toxemia, and they couldn't wait anymore.  Plus, it was Thanksgiving and I think my OB was avoiding his in laws, because he induced 3 women that day.  That pitocin is nasty stuff.  By the afternoon, I was tired of the contractions every few minutes and discouraged that I wasn't even dilated to a 5 yet (they wouldn't give me an epidural until I got that far).  It took me until 5:00 to get to the magic number 5 and the pain relief!  About 45 minutes later, I kept telling the nurse I felt like I should be pushing.  She assured me I was wrong because I had only been at a 5.  Finally, she decided to check me - whoops!  Time to have a baby!  Delivery was easy.  I was so in love with that sweet girl right from the start and so amazed at the whole process. 

Nixon

It was a few days before my due date.  We were moving to California, we had finished our lease on our duplex in Provo that weekend, our stuff was packed, and we were staying with Geoffrey's parents until we had a baby so we could move.  It was Sunday and a storm was moving in .  I was making dinner for the whole Barber family (pork chops), I sat down for a minute and when I stood up, there was a tiny trickle of water leaking.  No contractions, no gush of water, so I finished dinner and then we decided to head to the hospital around 4:00.  I wasn't in labor, but my water was leaking, so they had to induce labor (more pitocin!).  Lucky for me, progress had been made in the medical community in regards to women and pain and labor.  I was able to get the epidural right away, and I celebrated with a quick nap.  Even better, it was a self administering IV - just click the button when you want more.  Again, it took me a long time to dilate to a 5, but once I did, it was 5 to 10 in under an hour.  Nixon took about an hour to push out (big head!).  He was perfect and I was instantly in love again.

Easton

The doctor took mercy on me one week past my due date.  Easton was pinching a nerve in my back and I was in a lot of pain and couldn't pick up the cute 17 month old I already had at home.  I arrived at the hospital about 8:00 am on a Thursday.  I brought graph paper, as I was working on handmaking a word search for Sara's school class with the names of all the students for Valentines Day.  Pitocin once more for me!  By 2:00, I was at the magic 5 and by 3:30, we had an Easton.  Delivery was easy except for the fact that the epidural was wearing off, and no amount of pleading on my part convinced anyone in the room that there was time to give me more drugs.  Easton was a snuggler from the start and I fell in love again!

Friday Flashbacks - Just Say No (to Overalls!) Edition

This week Sara informed me that she had seen overalls in several stores and they were making a comeback.  I feel it is my duty to perform the public service of reminding you all that overalls are NEVER a good idea. Not even if they are $288.00 True Religion overalls. They do not hide your extra pounds, they just make you look MUCH larger than you really are.  If you are tempted, even slightly to purchase a pair, think of this post and just say NO.  Thank me later. 

The proof is in the pictures.  Sadly, there is noooo shortage of possible pictures I could use for this post.

Greg Barber and Nixon - November 1996

OK, Sometimes they are cute on babies.

Jennifer and Easton - August 1999

They are never cute on women - especially if they are shorts!

Sara and Jennifer - November 2000

Double negative X 2 - Overalls with sweaters and sweatshirts over the top - yikes!

Sara and Geoffrey - July 1995

Never appropriate for rock climbing (or any other sports)

Jennifer, Geoffrey, Easton, Nixon and Sara - 1999

If none of the other pictures scared you off of overalls, this one should do the trick!