Gone Country

I'm posting these pictures to let you know that Team Barnes has gone country! Ok, truth be told, half of Team Barnes has always been country, but the other half? I guess after 10 years of living in NC, I've embraced certain aspects of country living. Like the fact that you can ride around with your dog in the back of the truck. Or you can pull into the Sheetz towing your 4-wheeler, and nobody even notices the fact that it's loaded with deer-corn. I had to take a picture of this: between the 4-wheeler/deer corn, the hound dog in the back, and Grizzly Adams sucking down a 44- I think I stumbled on to a redneck trifecta. Oh how I love North Carolina!

Rumble at the Cannery - Or Why I'll Never Move to Pineville

Leave it to me and Eva (and our Relief Society president, Donna) to get into an altercation at the church cannery. It all started out innocently enough- we had an appointment, we show up for our appointment, we listen to a very inspiring introduction from Sister Polous about how we are fulfilling the Lord's commandment by being there... All very exciting. Once the closing prayer was finished, things quickly deteriorated into chaos! I've never seen such frantic, paranoid, every-man-for-himself behavior out of church members in my entire life! Apparently, there are two methods to using our cannery: You can show up and buy bulk off the shelves, or you can help everyone can their orders, and take home the exact number of cans that you want. We didn't sign up to help with cans, we were only interested in buying bulk off the shelves. Apparently us "bulk buying" people rubbed the "can" people the wrong way. There must be some sort of food shortage of Ethiopian proportions in the Pineville ward (where the heck is Pineville?!), because their self proclaimed pack leader "Lisa" proceeds to tell us that we're taking all their food. Excuse me? Come again? She accusingly eyes our cart full of bulk items, like we are hijacking it right out from under them. (Get away from my potato pearls!) She also eyes our stack of empty cans, and makes the snide comment about "good thing we're not rationing cans..." THEN..... "What are you doing, buying the rest at COSTCO?" Ooooooooh evil!!! She then proceeds to tell me that the 25 pound bag of milk that I have on the cart was meant for their ward. Oh really? Because I see it on my cart. Keep in mind, while this snarky woman is attacking us, there is absolute pandemonium going on. There isn't a lot of room in the cannery, but it's as if the "can" people were so afraid we were going to buy their food out from under them, that they just started canning FASTER. And then even FASTER!! How someone didn't lose a finger in the lid sealer, I'll never know. Needless to say, I can never move to the Pineville ward. Because, if I ever had to live the law of consecration with "Lisa," I think I might go hungry....

The Way We Roll - Part 2

As I post this, I'm reflecting on some bittersweet moments- Moments like the one when you realize that you bragged A LOT about your costumes, only to be outdone by the Carliles ONCE AGAIN. Bittersweet, because I DID WIN best female costume, but Daron came home empty-handed... After all, he was sushi! And I was just a side of soy sauce. Albeit, I was the cutest, sauciest soy sauce there that night, but oh well. We took the trophy and ran, and will re-launch our assault next year. (Well, I ran..Daron couldn't run anywhere)... We had a blast, and the rest of the ward did too... Did I mention that the kids had fun punching the sushi in the stomach?

(Although I had many people tell me this was the "cut" for me (for real?), this is NOT my real hair, or color..)

Our biggest tactical error was underestimating the "cute factor" of working a baby into your costume strategy. Having the Carliles position their spawn as the "Slimer" to their "Ghostbusters" was brilliant...

Kim isn't pictured here, but her costume was exactly like Ken's. Nice job Carliles!

Notice the ridiculous amount of detail in the "pack"..... Is that a Sprite bottle?

These are our friends, the Rabideau's and the Lung's. Let me tell you, there's nothing funnier than a mormon kid throwing gang signs in the church. West Siiide!

In closing, I've got a little riddle for ya: If Japanese people eat Sushi, what does Sushi eat?? Hot Dogs apparently..... Who knew?

The Way We Roll - Part 1

Daron and I have decided to jump headfirst into Halloween festivities this year. Our ward was lucky enough to get HALLOWEEN night at the church for our ward party and trunk-or-treat. The Young Men and Young Women are in charge of the spook alley, which we are putting together later this afternoon. The goal this year is more crying- there were only two criers last year. Those stats are way too low- especially when you have a YM president that looks forward to Halloween all year, like most kids look forward to Christmas. He and his wife typically have the very best costumes, so Daron and I decided to kick it up a notch this year. Winning the "Best Costume" award would be a stunning upset- Of course we will pretend to be humbled and awed by the honor...but we all know: We deserve it!! 'Cause Barnes' don't work this hard on something unless there is a handsome reward at the end, and/or bragging rights.

So, for your entertainment, I've posted pictures below of our costume construction for this year. Yep, we are going as Sushi and Soy Sauce. So come on Carliles!! Let's see whatcha got!!!


Look to the far left. You can see some weirdo's head inside the Sushi Roll. That's Barnes humor for ya...
So there you go. Part one of our epic Halloween saga. And it only took us until 1am last night to pull it off. Plus two trips to Wal-Mart... And no more black duct tape in ALL of Raleigh... I'll let you know how it all goes down...

State Fair! And Pumpkins!

So it's that time of year again... the only time of year when it's totally worth it to fight the crowds, and pay outrageous prices for greasy food. Carnies! Mullets! Rickety Rides that barely pass inspection! The North Carolina State Fair!!!

A certain part of the fair is bittersweet for me- I once had aspirations of growing the state's largest pumpkin, and blowing those other guys out of the water! I could even imagine the headline: "Novice pumpkin grower sweeps record, angers and baffles longtime growers!"

Problem is, I tried to grow my pumpkin in the middle of the hottest summer on record, and I also abandoned it for a week when I went to Alaska. These anomalies (plus a dog that treated the vine like his own personal playground) didn't lend to any easy pumpkin growing experience. Needless to say, I had 200 feet of beautiful vine, and no pumpkin. It just wasn't meant to be. So, for your viewing pleasure, I have below a picture of me with this year's winning pumpkin (in the back at 612 lbs):

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. It's not THAT big. So let's put it in perspective- the next photo is the WORLD RECORD holding pumpkin (1689lbs!), grown in 2007 in Rhode Island:

So what do you do with a world record holding pumpkin after the fair? Yep, that's right. World Record pumpkin pie! 2020 pounds of it!!! Just kidding, it's not the same pumpkin. That wouldn't be a very dignified end befitting a world champion. But it's still funny....

Two Handsome Boys

This might be my favorite picture yet- of my two boys!

Ok, funny story about the pictures below- (keep in mind, people that don't have children post about their pets. It's ok, we're allowed! You can comment on how pathetic we are behind our backs!) Anyway, so last Tuesday it was time for Skipper's regular 6 month Lube/Oil/Filter at the vet. He typically loves going anywhere in a car, but has this psychic sixth-doggie-sense when it comes to vehicle rides that result in a vet visit. Ok, so somehow he knew, and he barked THE ENTIRE way to the vet. Which isn't bad, except at stoplights, people were looking at me funny. Probably trying to figure out what the dressed up professional type looking woman is doing driving a truck with a redneck dog carrier, and an obviously distressed hound dog in the back. So we make it to the vet, and all is well. Except I didn't tell you the ironic part- on the way to the vet, I switch on 96.1 to drown out the canine cacophony in the back, and what's playing? Yep, Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark at the Moon." You can't make that stuff up.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!!!

Thanks to my sister Catherine, my employer has lost about 20 minutes of productivity from me today!! But that's ok, you guys were all dying to know:

10 years ago I...

1. Was just getting ready to move to NC from Albuquerque, NM
2. Would fly somewhere on a moment's notice, just to have fun with my friends. Or go to a Rush concert!
3. Was a good solid size 6 (or less). I've expanded inexplicably since then.
4. Only had one nephew. Now I've got 15 nieces and nephews!
5. Was a redhead. Like the Julianne Moore or Marcia Cross kind of redhead...

5 Things I'm really into right now:

1. Twilight Series- and looking forward to the movie next month
2. Music as always, currently in a rut of listening to Muse, Paramore, Porcupine Tree, Angels and Airwaves, and the new Coldplay. And Rush, of course. That's just a given.
3. Going to the gym every day after work.
4. Trying to get ready to run some sort of 5k. Haven't decided which one. Any recommendations?
5. Trying to be a good YW President, and not destroy the program in the process. Working with these girls is sort of like herding cats.

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire...

1. TRAVEL. Nonstop. Everywhere. And Daron and I would fly first class.
2. Pay off mine and my family's assorted debts. And totally pull an Oprah and buy everyone a new car. And buy Daron a really big, fat, brand new truck.
3. Go back to school, and study something frivolous and fun. Like Art History. (Apologies to all the Art History grads out there...)
4. Adopt 3 or 4 kids. I can't wait to be a mom.
5. Buy books and CD's. Thousands of them. Or maybe I would just buy a Barnes and Noble?

5 places I have lived...

1.) Moab, UT
2.) Mountain Home, ID
3.) Las Cruces, NM
4.) Albuquerque, NM
5.) Raleigh, NC

5 jobs I have had...

1.) Mainframe Operator, NMSU Computer Center
2.) Insurance Sales, Cigna Healthcare
3.) Software Trainer, MDWIN Corp.
4.) Business Manager, Carolina Women's Health
5.) Wow, Seriously? Only four jobs since 1991? That's got to be a record.

I tag...Rebecca. Because seriously, I've looked at all my friends pages, and they have already answered this silly thing.

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

Birthday Trip to Texas!

I think surprises are the best- as long as they are not the bad kind, like flat tires and broken air conditioning. But surprises like flying to Austin to visit my parents and family are really great! A couple of weeks before my birthday, I decided to surprise my parents with a visit. My sister Catherine was in on it, and picked me up at the airport. We drove to my parents house, and I hid under a blanket in the back of her minivan. When Catherine told Dad that he needed to get a "box" out of the back, I about scared him to death! The next surprise was later that night, when we drove back to the airport again to pick up my sister-in-law, Shelly, and her daughter Lucy. I think it really meant a lot to my parents that she would come out to visit, even without my brother. We had a blast, just relaxing, visiting, shopping, and even a trip to Sea World! It was also great to see Catherine, Jared, and the kids, especially my new niece Maj-Lis.






Lucy, making new friends with baby Maj-Lis...... and eating her favorite- peas!







The boys playing with dad, and me holding my newest niece, Maj-Lis. What a sweet baby!






The girls having fun at Sea World. And Shamu!





Grandpa and Lucy spending some quality time together..




And finally, the phenomenon known as "Smiley Mylie"......and "Crabby Patty!"





What a great trip! I can't wait until we go back for Christmas. Besides, the kids always have more fun when Uncle Daron is there anyway....

Gluttony 101: aka Texas Roadhouse

So, last night was the ACTUAL birthday, and six of us went

to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate Daron's 36th birthday.
We've got Daron, Elisa, Sherri, Mr. Terry, Eva, and Eric.

Normally, Daron and I try to eat pretty decent, and count points,

but Texas Roadhouse is NOT conducive to that.

But what the heck, it's a birthday, right?

Daron got some good loot: a Target giftcard from the Hahn's,

a Blockbuster giftcard from Mr. Terry, and a JAR-O-MONEY

thanks to me and Sherri!! (Daron is trying his hardest to save up $$

for a new kayak, and he's sooooo close he can almost smell the plastic!

But seriously, a $1000 for a plastic boat? I just can't imagine what

high quality plastic that must be...but anyway... a whole 'nother story)

Quite possibly, the highlight of the evening might have been when Mr. Terry bolted out of his chair and grabbed the nearest waitress to swing dance. For those of you unfamiliar with Texas Roadhouse, about once an hour the waitstaff all gather together to do a line dance down the middle of the restaurant. Apparently overcome by a moment of impulsiveness, Mr. Terry decides it's time to deploy the Terry Tornado. After finishing the swing dance, he launches into what I can only describe as an "I've got ants in my pants" full body heave. It happened so quickly, I only had time to snap one shot. Check out the look on the waitress's face. Priceless.

Yep, we can pretty much NEVER go back there..... :)

The Pedi-Egg Birthday

It's not actually Daron's birthday until tomorrow, but these pictures are from last night's family party at the Plantation. He's the big 3-6!

Possibly the creepiest part of the birthday celebration was where Daron's sister Sherri gave him one of those weird "Pedi-Egg's" that you see on TV. They are sort of like a cheese grater, but for your feet, and Daron has been intrigued by them ever since they showed up on TV. I don't think he will actually be brave enough to use it, but hey... be careful what you ask for! Because Sherri will make sure you receive it as a gift in front of your entire family!!!

The week of RUSH

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to fly to Seattle and spend some time with my brother and his family, as well as my best friends from growing up in Las Cruces. Some of us have known each other from gradeschool! The common goal was for everyone to attend the Rush concert at the Gorge, but it was awesome to get to spend a few days with my old friends. Interestingly enough, we all fell back into our old selves. All the old jokes were still funny, and it was like no time had passed at all.




We golfed 18 holes at McCormack Woods

We took a boat tour through the locks, and around the Sound..

We even saw my FAVORITE boat from the show "The Deadliest Catch"... The NORTHWESTERN!!! No, I didn't see any of the crew hanging out....

The highlight of the week, by far, was the RUSH concert. For most of us, we've seen them anywhere from 15-20 times, so you might consider us veterans. The venue they played at is called the Gorge, and it's literally out in the middle of nowhere. You either camp out that night after the concert, or you drive 2 hours back to Seattle in the middle of the night. We chose to camp!!!

The show was probably the best I've seen out of 17+ shows. The energy was great, and everyone was having a blast. I can't wait to get together with these guys again. Hopefully it will be sooner than later!!

A Jaunt to DC

So last Thursday, Daron and I decide that we want to get away for the weekend. We are fortunate to live in Raleigh, where we are literally two hours from the beach, two hours from the mountains, etc. Washington DC is about 4 hours away, and neither of us had been to visit in a while. (Well, if you count the nightmarish night we had to spend in the DC airport sleeping on the floor, then we were just there last fall...) ANYWAY, a three day weekend seeing the sights was a much needed getaway. We even took my best buddy Sherri, (who just happens to be Daron's sister)...

We saw all of the monuments, the Natural History Museum, the Art Museum (my favorite!), the National Zoo, Arlington Cemetary, and shopped at H&M! I hate to admit that that was a highlight, but it really was... :) My brother John has expressed an interest in seeing DC, so we are looking forward to doing that with him and Shelly and Lucy.

At the World War 2 Memorial

Van Gogh's Self Portrait

A Rookie

Ok, so I'm a total newbie at this blog thing. I watch my friends and families post to their blogs, and wish that I had fun things to post about. Well, I still don't, but that won't stop me from trying to get in on the fun.