Best gifts of all....

My favorite gifts this season could not be found in any catalog or store. My friend Mysty gave me the gift of an afternoon of Christmas shopping with my husband, and also a girls night of Christmas movies the night before. She gave my children an afternoon of festivities with their best friends. Dave and Diana gave us the gift of friendship by coming to a store to allow us to buy our kids their main Christmas present. This meant the world to us...no more searching and running around to find that perfect gift that was unavailable everywhere else we went. They also picked up the kiddos and dropped them off at their Grandma's so we could run in just one more store. Doug and Lori asked Jaden to do a presentation with the SWAT team. They taught him for weeks and gave up their Sunday afternoon. Watching that song presentation last night filled my heart with Joy. The love they have for our children and us is overwhelming to me. Sometimes parenting overwhelms me...it sure helps when our friends and church makes such a loving impact on them. They know that they are loved not only by us but by those around them and that helps to let them see how much God loves them. So today I sit here thankful for all my friends that help me not only this weekend but everyday to show God's love and what Christmas is really all about. There are many others I should be mentioning right now but I want to focus on this weekend and these special people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Hard things to take care of.....

Well we have a few issues we have to take care of today. One thing I have to do is go to my lab and have them reprint some Christmas cards I sent in and Jerry picked up. They are to dark. I'm hoping this isn't going to be a big issue with them. It is a big issue with me when a client orders 100 cards and they are too dark. Oh well I just don't want drama.

The really big thing that is going to get dealt with today is that Jerry is going to call one of the dads of one of Jaden's best friends. This little guy has been hitting Jaden in the stomach. It had Jaden so upset last night that he came home from his Grandma and Grandpa's and slept in our bed. That just does not happen with him. He is upset because he does not know why this kid keeps doing it. He hit him as we were leaving the lunch room yesterday. I didn't see it because I was walking ahead of him. I do know it affected him right away because he busted out crying on the way to the grocery store over nothing. Finally at Kroger he told me what had happened. Earlier this week we were with the Boy Scouts, we sang at a nursing home and then went to Shoney's, I turned around in my seat to find 3 Boy Scouts (this little boy included) punching someone in the booth. Well I was the only parent looking at the time so I told the little boys that we do not gang up on somebody and hit them. When the other parents turned around and took care of their kids I saw who they were hitting....Jaden. I was sick. It made me sick to see them all hitting somebody and even more sick that it was my kid and he didn't do anything about it. He said he tried to get them off of him but couldn't. I told him next time to call for help. Help was 2 feet away. All of these kids have great parents and are good kids so I know if there is ever an issue we can reasonably talk with them and they with us. So Jerry is going to call the dad before Monday so that they are aware of the situation.

I wish I could shelter my kids from pain and hurt. This is not possible I know but it is sometimes hard to know when to step in and when to let them handle it themselves. On one hand I wish Jaden could just talk to this little boy himself and make it clear that this is not acceptable behavior of a friend. On the other hand I know if Jaden was hitting someone I would want to know so that we would be able to parent that out of him. I'm praying that the conversation with the dad goes well ... they are good friends of ours and conflict is not something I look forward to.

Goodbye Bro. Benson

Today Heaven recieved another jewel from earth. I remember Bro. Benson most from Youth Camps. He would always speak to every child that came into close proximity to him. His smile and easy laughter will always be remembered by this little shy girl from Memphis. I know he will be deeply missed by so many, but I also know he is dancing around the throne before the one he has lived his whole life in service to. Goodbye Bro. Benson.

Okay now it's getting a little crazy I have blogged 4 times today.

The other day I bought this cute little gingerbread house for the kids to do. An hour later and a hot glue gun I got the silly thing put together. The kids did help for a little while and then they ran on to other projects.

Sophie likes to do anything to help.

Jaden had some coffee this afternoon while they were hunting....that won't happen again. We have been pulling him off of the ceiling all night....Finally we just put them to bed.

Picture with Santa

Took the kids to Bass Pro last night for a picture with Santa. Sophie told Santa she wanted a dolly and Jaden said he wanted a race car. Bass Pro had a cool little area set up for the kids to play and color. We did not have church tonight because of a special prayer meeting that was Tuesday night.

Two in one day....

Well believe it or not I actually got a lot accomplished today. Engagement pictures all booked up and ready to deliver, Christmas cards designed and in the process of being printed, picked up a couple of Christmas presents, had lunch with two of my favorite people in the world Tammy and Nathan, bought a new external hard drive, had a nice visit with my-in-laws, and now fixing to go see about supper.Whew! Tomorrow we go on a field trip with Jadens class. Should be fun! Better go rustle up some grub the men folk will be in from hunting soon and will need some nourishment.

Good Morning Blog

When I have been at my computer lately I have not had time to blog. Photoshop has had most of my attention these days. Yesterday I listened to a Christmas Movie while I worked on pictures. You have to be multi talented this time of year to get in everything you want to do and need to do. It was a great Thanksgiving here at the Barlar house. My whole family came and stayed Wednesday thru Sunday. Thursday we had the big to do with 12 people in attendance. Andrea and I got in some weird play fight where I said I was bigger than her and she denied. So I took her down in the living room....literally. I am 5 pounds bigger than her (she weighed the next day at work...she's a lab supervisor for a doctor). Yeah I win. Stupid I know. We all had fun.



Black Friday Mom, Farrah, and I were among the insane people at Wal-Mart at 5:00. We were able to get everything we went for. Yeah! We then headed to Cool Springs for the rest of the day. It was a shop a thon. I walked in the door at 2:30 and turned around and headed back out to take family pictures for a client. Jerry and I had a great time there and left with some leftovers.



Saturday was thrift store day. We had a blast finding a little happy here and there for cheap. I had to drop Mom and Farrah off and head to Opryland with Gabe in tow to take more family pictures.



This blog was a little random....which they all are...hey it's me what did you expect.