One of the Men

Yesterday we went to visit Joseph's grandparents. As we were getting ready to leave the four generations of Barnhardt men were found conversing...

10 on Tuesday

1. Started my facebook sabbatical yesterday. Kind of sad because I made some new missionary friends this past week and was having lots of fun with them on facebook! Such is life!
2. Just finished up a great missions conference in Clinton, Massachusetts and are now making our way to Michigan so the grandparents can see Klayton!
3. I told you last week that I would be doing a post about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar...that won't happen until I can find a "good" way of getting it past my tongue!
4. Last night I redeemed my $74 credit towards a basic king size hotel room. Upon arriving to the hotel they put us in a whirlpool suite! Yay for us!
5. Klayton and his new friends Dyanna and Dakota!

6. Let me tell you what a blessing Dyanna, a MK, was to this mama! She loved on my little boy, took care of him and helped me during the conference last week! She was such a sweetie and Klayton was pretty sweet on her...he just might have had a few jealous moments when he had to "share" her!
7. Look who I found in my dryer! What a cutie!

8. Looking forward to seeing my grandparents next week for a couple days before making our way home!
9. I must confess, one of my favorite things at the missions conference was when they took the missionary wives shopping! I can't remember the last time I have been able to do a little guilt free shopping for me...I just didn't know what to do with myself and that $50 went fast!
10. Have a Happy Tuesday...in spite of traveling I think my husband will be having just that as we will be making at a stop to Tim Hortons! Woo-hoo!

You will be...

his first kiss
his first love
his first friend
you are his momma
and he is your whole world

he is your little boy.

Welcome David!

My baby brother has a baby of his own! Congrats to Caleb and Brandy!

David was born last Thursday weighing in at 6 lbs 9 oz and 18 inches long! He's a cutie and I can't wait to meet him!

10 on Tuesday

1. I have decided to take a Facebook sabbatical! I will be deactivating my account Memorial Day until Labor Day. Still in an effort to not be so attached to my phone.
2. We move on tomorrow to Clinton, Massachusetts for a missions conference. This means lots to accomplish today: cleaning, packing, laundry and who knows what else will be added to the list.
3. This past Sunday we had some time to spare in the afternoon and spent it visiting Plymouth Rock and doing all the free stuff they had to offer!
4. The Mayflower! It costs $25 to step in, thankfully I was able to take a free picture!

5. Going to start taking Apple Cider Vinegar-yes it sounds nasty. But, I have been told about the great health benefits. I will have to blog about that sometime along with a few other things that I am learning, like if you take apple cider vinegar you should be sure to take the one with, "the mother" in it! Lol!
6. Friday we went up to Rockport, Massachusetts and walked the shops along the ocean!
7. Its getting harder and harder to capture pictures of this little guy! Just before I snapped this shot he was smiling and then something caught his eye!

8. God has given me a lot of peace lately about some situations in my life. I still struggle; but God just keeps reminding me of His goodness and that it is going to be okay. Just gotta keep trusting.
9. Um, sometimes I have a really hard time coming up with random thoughts...thankfully since this is a random post I can get away with wasting this spot with just that acknowledgement!
10. I don't know what the weather is like where you are; but here its raining so I am going to try and have a happy Tuesday in spite of the gloom!

Klayton You Are 19 Months!

You:
•Wear size 4 diapers.
*Wear size 5 shoe, the few size 4's that you have no longer fit. Must buy dress shoes!
•Are in 18 month and 18-24 month clothing. However, you still have a few 12 month items that fit-crazy!
•Climb on everything.
•Wave hello and goodbye at the appropriate times now.
•Love to give hugs and snuggles-some of my favorite moments!
•No longer sleep in crib or pack'n'play. We now travel with a toddler "cot" and plan on introducing a toddler bed this summer.
•Will throw a ball up and catch it.
•Like to hit your toy golf ball around with your golf clubs.
•Are making new sounds everyday.
•When you are purposing to be extra cute, will scrunch and squint your eyes and give out a huge smile.
•On a not so good note, tend to throw little fits when you want to do something that we say no to or when you don't want to do something that we want you to do.
•Like to color.
•Love milkshakes! If it's an ice cream cone or dish, you could care less! Silly guy!
•Play pretend and drink out of toy cups or "big kid" cups!
•Still love to brush your teeth.
•Like to brush your own hair.
*Starting to climb out of your carseat by yourself.

Things I Don't Want to Forget:
•Finding you "chewing" a piece of gum that you had found in my purse!
•Giving Victor a bath!
•The way you give Victor "kisses"...biting his nose! Poor Victor!
•The way you help yourself to the cookies on the table!
•How you like to share your sucker with me!

Walk With Me in Boston-Part Two

Our adventure in Boston continues! As we step out of Quincy Market we saw people entertaining the crowds for money. This particular man plays three different instruments in spite of being blind!

We also ventured into this little shop that reminded me of a farmers market! But, I warn you its a little pricey for postcards 4 for $3! You could also buy fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables!

This was a familiar site in our adventures, tourists being guided by someone dressed up from the days of Paul Revere!

We finally arrived to the Old North Church, the place where they placed the lanterns to signal the British coming!

The church is still active today and when people meet for worship they still sit in these "rooms".

The balcony.

Front of the church.

Just behind the church you will find the famous statue of Paul Revere!

This house has an interesting story behind it. Its a Spite House.

A father left his two sons land. While one of the sons was at war, the other brother decided to build on the land (the brick houses) and left his brother a little land saying, "ha, he won't be able to build anything here!" When the brother returned from war, to spite his brother he built this house 9 feet wide!

And we will end our tour at Bunker Hill!

294 steps up into the monument, this is the view you will find!

Boston is so rich in history! I would love to go back and finish my own tour!

Walk With Me in Boston-Part One!

Yesterday we went into Boston for the day! I caculated that we probably walked at least 5 miles and spent around 6 hours taking in all the sites and we still didn't even see them all! Here is a "brief" tour, part one of what we saw!
Boston Commons! A beautiful park area, with lemonade stands and people selling their goods!

One of the things I thought was neat...something you always see in the movies is the chess tables!

From Boston Commons we were off to see where Paul Revere was buried.

As well as John Hancock.

The parents of Benjamin Franklin.

As well as Samuel Adams. Who I might add, people put him with the beer; but he never sold it. His dad and brother sold it and even then when you really dig into it, you will discover his dad distilled malts.

Just across the street where these well known men were buried you will find, Tremont Temple Baptist Church where men like Adoniram Judson, Charles Spurgeon, Paul Bunyan and William Carey preached.

And to finish the first part of this tour we will stop for lunch at Quincy Market!

And yes, it was not easy finding a table!
Come back later and we will finish our tour!

Becoming Unattached

I've been convicted lately about how much time I spend on my phone. then I read an article about missing out on your children's life because of being on the phone. I was even more convicted. Klayton is only going to be 18 months once and there is so much that he is doing and exploring. Do I really want to miss out on those moments because of Facebook, words with friends, etc? Do I really want to say, "just a minute" because I'm making a move on my game or checking out the latest status on Facebook?
Before cell phones and even at the introduction of cell phones, life was lived independent of cell phones and now it's dependent of cell phones. If their not at our ear, their attached to our fingers as we type our text message, play our games etc. if we just happen not to be on our phone in some way or another we leave it in sight "just in case".
I love my iPhone and all it's neat features; but I don't love it more than my child. I don't want it to be priority one; but I'm making it priority when the first thing I do in the morning is check it before I do anything else...or keep one eye on it as well as one eye on my child as he doing something fun.
This is how pathetic my attachment to my phone is. Last week I decided not to access it during lunch time-that's just one hour! Can I tell you how slowly those minutes passed and how quickly I ran to my phone to see what I missed during that hour?! When I realized that the conviction and guilt settled in. I acknowledge this because I really want to work on this, I don't want to be that mom who leaves her phone in another room and my child proudly brings it to me because he knows it has to be in my hand, like it's a part of my body.
So, here's to wanting my iPhone to be on the back burner in my life!!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  My two favorite iPhone apps of the week, instagram and pic collage! 
2.  After a long search I found Dum Dums! Yay! Then of course I now see them EVERYWHERE!
3.  Went to Moms Nite Out last week with my friend Beth! Got a ton of free samples and coupons! It was great!
4.  Klayton ripped a page put of my Bible the other day. Joseph's response, "you have lost your Bible privileges."  Umm...honey do we really want to take that right away from Klayton? Ha!
5. Yesterday we went to lunch, our waitress was having a bad day. But, Klayton was giving her the biggest, cutest and maybe a little flirty smile! She thanked us for coming in and for having such a well behaved little boy. Through that we were able to talk to her about church, it's amazing how my lil boys contagious personality is already being used by God!
6. Am I the only one who thinks rainy days call for a long, hot bubble bath with a good book? To bad it never happens that way. 
7. Observation: bathrooms in a mall are spread to far apart. I say this on the premise of having no gall bladder, no further explanation is needed. 
8. I'm thinking stock in Nuby straw cups is a worthy investment. We seem to either be losing Klayton's cups or either needing to replace them because of him chewing a hole in the straw. 
9.  If you are friends with me on FB I should make sure you understand I am not pregnant! Someone gave us pop tarts, canned herring, fried onions, pb, French bread, juice and baked beans. I commented how it was an interesting combo and several people messaged me with, "are you pregnant?"
10. There is nothing left to say; but, Happy Tuesday!

Mothers Day

Today is a day I will always cherish. It's a day that growing up I never considered the possibility of never being able to be a part of. Then in my time of struggling to conceive it became a painful day. When people would wish me, "Happy Mothers Day" or try to give me a gift that I would have to turn down, a wave of sadness would pass over my heart. But, then the questions that would follow, such as "don't you want to be a mom?" My heart would be pricked with hurt. I longed for someone to just give a hug, whisper in my ear that they would pray for God to grant me my desire.
God has since granted me my desire. I have a handsome little 18 month old that I praise the Lord for daily. Each night I thank God for letting me be his mommy. Not everyone is granted this gift. I am thankful for days of dirty diapers, smiles, play time because these are the days I longed for!
Thank you Lord for letting me be a Mommy! And Lord please help my friends who long to be mommy be given their own special blessing today.

A Day at the Park