Last Post of 2007!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We sure did! Every Christmas Eve we go to my grandparents home in AJ for pizza and we get to open the presents from them. This year, they both had the flu, so it has been postponed. Instead, we went out for Chinese with my parents and then drove around looking at Christmas lights. Christmas morning came and we realized we didn't put the rest of the gifts under the tree! We quickly did that before the kids (Slade) wondered out to the great room. We opened gifts with the kids...Skylar got me the vacuum I have been wanting, and he got a remote control helicopter that has been his baby ever since. We then got ready and headed over to my parents house to open more gifts! It turned out to be a good Christmas, even if everyone was on a limited budget. I'm pretty sure just about everybody received a homemade blanket.


I had to post this picture of Daisy because she is so darn cute. She posed seriously, all by herself for a few pictures.

Christmas Eve Day, we headed to the Zoo with Skylar. It was his first time going with us! We became members after Slade was born so me and the kids go all the time, but it was really fun having Skylar come this time. It wasn't busy at all, which was surprising, but pleasant. I just couldn't pass up this picture-taking opportunity! Aren't you glad you're not a Rhino?

Slade usually enjoys staying in the stroller as we go thru the Zoo, but since Skylar was with us he had to walk with him and became very unhappy when we stuck him back in the stroller. He really loves his Dad and copies everything he does!

Daisy is getting so big! Time really flies the second time around. Now that she crawls, she always heads for the kitchen because she knows that I am most likely in there. She has figured out how to climb up to the dishwasher but she just stands there frozen as if she is afraid to move. She is not the daredevil her brother was and continues to be. Thank goodness for that.

We received a 3lb box of Belgian Chocolates and Slade loves chocolate. He is always asking for chocolate, whether it be M&M's, chocolate chips, cookies or whatever! I'm not a big chocolate lover. I think Skylar likes it more than I do. And yes, Skylar gave Slade chocolate while he was laying on the couch before bedtime! No wonder Slade likes to be with Dad more than Mom lately.

Kleven Family Christmas Party

Santa's Elves! These are my dad's cousins and they happen to be brothers. They come from a family of 10 kids! Anyway, they always do a really funny skit for the party and this year they were elves. And yes, they are wearing tights!

My dad always has a corny joke or comment, so the elves cropped him in this picture with the Blue Collar Comedy Tour guys. It was a joke on my dad. It was so funny! He's the second from left, obviously! And sorry to Uncle Richard for having your bald head in the picture!

Daisy's first time to sit on Santa's lap! She did wonderful! She didn't even cry or get scared.

Slade did great too! The past two Christmas' he totally freaked out when he saw Santa. This year I kept telling him that Santa is nice and wants to give him a present. He was really nervous, but he didn't cry!

This is our 2007 Family Christmas Picture. My awesomely talented sister Kendyl took it for us. Skylar had to tickle Slade to get him to smile and it turned out great because then Skylar had a great smile too. Thanks to Ashley for letting Daisy wear one of her hairbows! And thanks again to Kendyl and my friend Kristi for letting me borrow clothes! I would have looked like a frumpy dumpy mom without them.

Kids Christmas Pictures

This morning we took pictures of the Stock side grandkids. We went to Lyndsay's in-laws house because her father in-law is Santa every year and sits in his sleigh in his front yard and waits for kids to come by and get pictures with him. Anyway, we used his sleigh for the pictures. We tried getting matching dresses for the girls, but were not able to do so. Although, it turned out cute anyway. This is just a picture that I took with my camera. I am so not a photographer by any means. From left, Madison (Erin's step-daughter) holding Bostyn (Lyndsay's), Kinley (Erin's) and Slade holding Daisy. She obviously doesn't enjoy sitting like a lady. It was fun and hopefully my mother in-law will be happy with it, as she is using it for her Christmas card. This is not the picture that will be used, but something similar. They are so cute! Poor Slade, the only boy. But then, Daisy is the only girl on the Barnes side.

Wonderful News!

My husband has been testing with many different valley fire departments for our whole married life. Time after time, he received rejection letters. We know it is really hard to get on with any department, and it really comes down to politics when they hire. Meaning, you have to know the right people in order to get a job. Well, on Wednesday the 5th, Skylar received a phone call from the Tempe Fire Chief, and he offered Skylar a job! Skylar was not expecting a call because he had gone thru the whole process with Tempe a year and a half ago and was put on their list that lasts two years. Anyway, he has to pass a CPAT (physical agility test), a physical from a DR. and a background check before he can start the academy in February! We are so excited to start this new adventure in our lives. It about time! So, pending those few tests that have to happen, Skylar will be a firefighter! This blessing couldn't have come at a better time. We are truly blessed!

Single Mom for 8 days!

As you know from my previous post, Skylar went hunting for eight days. I was able to experience what it is like to be a single mom. To my surprise, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. He ended up staying an extra day because he wasn't having much luck. He saw two Bull Elk, but they were too small, so he passed them up. After that, he didn't see anything! Oh well. He wants to go up to his parents house in Utah and shoot a HUGE one he says. That won't be until next year, and I assume me and the kids would go along. Having Skylar gone during the night was the hardest thing. My worst fear is that someone is going to break into my home while we are all sleeping and steal my kids. So, my kids slept with me every night. Now Daisy won't sleep in her own bed, but at least I was able to sleep peacefully. I took some random pictures because Skylar had the camera and didn't even take one picture!



This is Skylar shortly after getting home. He just shaved off his "hunting hair".(facial hair that keeps him warm) I haven't seen Skylar with his hair long like this, I was wanting him to keep it long and style it cute, but he wasn't going for that. He likes his hair short, really short. This is him telling me that I am crazy for thinking his hair is cute long. What do you think?





Slade in his goggles. He has a tool set that goes with them. He doesn't like it to go any lower on his nose, although they are designed to protect his nose. And he always wants to wear his jacket, even inside the house.





Daisy is still in the stage where she cries every time I leave the room. I think its actually getting worse. I was making dinner last night and had her in the excersauser in the kitchen so she could see me. Obviously, she was very happy about that.

New at our house...

I don't have too many pictures this time because Skylar took the camera scouting over the weekend. And, he is taking it hunting for eight days starting on Thanksgiving, so I won't have any pics until he gets back. Hopefully my next post with pictures will be about Skylar's Bull Elk!?! Because this hunt is a rifle hunt, he is pretty confident that he will "catch one". He hates when I say that. He usually does archery only, so we will see! I was able to capture a few pics before he left...



Skylar borrowed a super awesome two seater quad from a friend and Slade wanted to drive it so bad! I had to lock the garage door because he would go out there by himself and climb up and pretend he was driving it. He would call it a motorcycle, so I taught him how to say quad. Later I asked if he could say quad and he said, "no mom, quad cycle."

I love the fact that my mom is a bargain shopper! She will stop by Goodwill to see if there is anything good and she came across this double stroller! For $25! I absolutely love it! It is so easy to stear and its not heavy at all.

Slade climbed up into the stroller and was watching TV just like that. He is so much like his father!

Be Grateful

Many of you don't know, but my little brother Austin, who is now almost 17, was hospitalized last year after getting GBS, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. His blog explains it somewhat, and we are all grateful that he is doing great and living life like a normal teenager. I had just found out that I was pregnant with Daisy when he was in the hospital, and I remember thinking how awful I felt with morning sickness. But as my brother lay in his hospital bed not able to move and having to have my dad help him shower and use the bathroom, I felt so selfish and stupid. I couldn't believe I was complaining! It was extremely humbling. As the holidays approach, remember what a wonderful life you have and of all the little things you are grateful for. Happy Holidays!