Barnes Bash 2008 - Steamboat Springs, CO

Each year Jeff's family takes a trip together which has become known as the "Barnes Bash". This tradition started before Jeff and I were married and now consists of 29 of us (28 this year because Nick is on his mission) getting together for a few days of fun.

Even though we go somewhere different every year, there are certain things that remain the same - the pajama parade (the grandkids choose a t-shirt that they decorate and model for everyone and then they go for a walk outside to parade them around - oh some of the looks we've had!), the unbirthday party (everyone is given a name and they have to make a gift for that person and we have a party to present the gifts) and most of all just spending time together and having A LOT of fun.

This year we went to Steamboat Springs, CO. We left Tuesday morning (the 8th) to drive over from Salt Lake. Emilie and Ada's cousin Eliza rode with us. I think she was taking advantage of having more girls around since she has 3 brothers!

Emilie, Eliza and Ada - Girls Rock!

Sarah looking forward to the fun!

We stopped in Vernal for lunch at Winger's. The funny part is when 21 of us walked in the three waitresses all looked at each other and shook their heads like "I'm not taking THAT group!" Needless to say lunch was a drawn out process, but we did finally get done and got back on the road. Thanks Marc for stepping in and being such a great waiter! We made it into Steamboat later that evening and the bash was ready to begin! Yeah we made it!

Wednesday was full of play time and a gondola ride up the mountain. Some chose to walk down and some chose to bike down. Others (most of the younger kids including mine) chose to ride up and down on the gondola. The view was amazing! (I could only determine that from pictures since I stayed with Sarah so she could nap because she was still not feeling 100% yet)

The Gondola

Getting started on pajama parade shirts

Thursday consisted, of course, of more playing, more fun and miniature golf and the alpine slide.

Miniature Golf

Thursday night we had our first annual BB cookoff. I wish I had taken pictures of all the food. Everything looked so good and tasted even better!

Nicolas sampling the brownie batter

After dinner we then played "Are you smarter than then grandchildren" with all the adults against the grandkids. Then it was on to karaoke. Thanks for a great evening Peter - it was a smashing success. I'm feeling a tradition with the cookoff and karaoke coming on!

Karaoke

Friday was time to finish pjp shirts and finish the unbirthday gifts and more fun! Some when rafting and others went swimming. That night we had the unbirthday party and then the pajama parade. The best news of the day was that Emilie lost her first tooth! We did find out that the tooth fairy does come to Steamboat!

The Unbirthday Party

The Pajama Parade

Saturday morning we woke up to see the hot air balloon rodeo from our front porch.



Sadly Saturday was the day to pack up and head for home.
Sarah and Aunt Heather

Nicholas with Uncle Jeff


Saying goodbye

Thanks everyone for a grand trip! It was so much fun - as always! Thanks to the Management - you know who you are - we couldn't have done it without you! You're the best!

These are a few pictures of the view as we headed out of Steamboat.

Absolutely a Rocky Mountain High

Our Annual Summer Trek West

We got home Sunday night from our annual summer trek west to visit family and friends. We didn't get to see everyone we wanted to this time - but hopefully we will next time! We had an absolutely great trip minus Sarah getting a stomach virus for a week. We are so happy to have her over it and to have her back to her usual happy self! Other than that it was non-stop fun for 2 1/2 weeks in Salt Lake and then 5 days in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with Jeff's family. It was hard to come home back to reality and responsibility, but it was made a little easier because Jeff's nephew Daniel came home with us to spend the week. The girls love having their older cousins come visit. We'll see if Daniel gets a makeover that the twins are so famous for!

Before we left we were lucky enough to have Harmoni and Parker come visit for a week. We had so much fun with them here. We're pretty sure they had fun too - Parker I'll keep looking for cubs stuff, I'm not sure you have enough yet. Thanks Harm and Parker for coming out - I'm thinking it should definitely be an annual thing! Also, thank you so much for your friendship and for being able to deal with all us women in the car for 2 days - especially you Parker!

XO XO XO

So here are some pictures and a run down of all we did in Salt Lake:

Days 1 & 2: Drove and drove and drove and drove and drove. Stopped in Laramie, WY to sleep. Drove and drove and drove until we made it to Salt Lake. I am soooooooooooo happy that I wasn't a pioneer. I am so grateful for a car with airconditioning and portable dvd players (a must for a long trip!). Thanks again for coming on our road trip Harm and Parker - we had a blast!

Days 3-16: The first four days we stayed at my sister Laura's house. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for letting us stay with you! You are truly the hostest with the mostest! I'm not sure my nephew Parker knew what to do since he was out numered by girls.

The rest of the time we stayed at my parents house. Many, many thanks to my mom and dad for putting up with us and for letting us stay with you as well. The kids love time with grandma and grandpa! Thanks for all you do!

Our activites included: Lots of time with grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and cousins (from both sides), playing on the playground in Aunt Laura's backyard, playing baseball, swimming, playing High School Musical on the Wii, (Mayhem broke out every time they got an A+ and unlocked something new. A few times Laura and I thought someone had been hurt or the house was on fire!) rides in dad's falcon, visiting friends, playing water hopscotch at grandma Fankhauser's house, reading with grandpa Fank, helping grandpa Fank in the yard, minature golfing, bowling, Wheeler Farm, shopping, decorating the float, the 4th of July parade (see previous post), hiking with grandma Barnes and Richard and cousins, shoe shopping with grandma Barnes and the girl cousins, family pictures with my family (unfortunately I could have taken better photos than the photographer), lots of Training Table, Shivers and Hires and Fry Sauce! I'm sure I've forgotten something, but needless to say we had a grand time!

Day 17: We left for Steamboat Springs, CO. Post to come.

Happy Birthday America!

For the love of a Parade!

Each year the Hinckley family does a float for the East Millcreek Parade. This year we are in Utah (Utah trip post is to come) for the 4th therefore we got to participate in the festivities. The theme for the parade was "Our Legacy". So the theme for our float was "Bee...cause he loved East Millcreek" in honor of Grandpa Hinckley. I didn't know it until now, but he started the parade in East Millcreek, but more than that he left the family with an amazing legacy with the life he led. The float was decorated with bees and everyone was dressed up like bees with yellow t-shirts (with the theme on it), black shorts, black hats with antennas and socks with black stripes. It turned out very cute! Best of all, we took the Grand Prize! Thanks to Angela and Katie for getting everything coordinated.

The banner

Grand Prize Ribbon

Emilie

Ada

Jeff and Sarah

Pedo Pedo

Pedo Pedo with Mike Lookinland (Bobby Brady)
What was I thinking not getting my picture taken with him too? DUH!

How cute is she?

The parade was lots of fun, as was taking part in the festivities and games after. We got to see and chat with lots of friends that we haven't see for a while. Thanks to Mark, Kelly, Jake, Mike, Laura, Lindsay and Parker for coming out to see us!

Later we went to my brother Matt's house for dinner and video games with the cousins.

Then in was off to watch fireworks with the other cousins

The girls had to do the armchair with their cousins, of course everyone had to have their turn!

Ada

Emilie

Eliza

Heidi

The best part of the day was Pedo Pedo making and serving up the homemade ice cream. Mint chocolate brownie, does it get any better than that?

Happy 4th!

GO CUBS GO!

Baseball. America's passtime. I know for most of you it's just another sport. For me it's one of the things I look forward to every spring. I grew up playing softball and watching baseball - and I still do both. This weekend is what is known here in Chicago as the Crosstown Classic or the Crosstown Showdown. The Cubs and the White Sox. Northside vs. Southside. The only way to explain it for most of you who read this is to compair it to the Utah/BYU rivalry and multiply it by about a thousand, maybe even a million. It's something you just have to experience.

This years it's a little different. So much is on the line. See it's been 100 years this year since the Cubs have won a world series. We are hoping that streak comes to an end this year. And to add to it, both teams are in first place in their division. Plus the Cubs currently have the best record in the majors.

Today was the first game of the Crosstown Classic. Tickets were going for insane prices. It's the hottest ticket in town today, tomorrow and Sunday. I got lucky and got 2 tickets for today's game fairly cheap comparitively speaking for Harmoni and Parker. I will admit, I was jealous. I wanted to be there. There is nothing like a baseball game, THIS baseball game at the "Friendly Confines" that is Wrigley Field. And the Cubs did not disappoint. It was one of the best games of the year. Two home runs in the 7th to tie the game and a walk off homer to start the 9th to win 3-4. Storybook.

I hope you two had fun and enjoyed the experience that only Wrigley Field can provide!

Be our guest, be our guest.............

It was quite a busy weekend at our house. It all started Thursday night when our house became sleeping accommidations for 6 teenage girls for two nights. My friend Staci and her husband that live across the street were the "Battalion leaders" for an "ARMY" (A Righteous Mormon Youth was what it stood for) for Youth Conference and they housed the boys of the group and we housed the girls. And yes, they stayed up late both nights doing all those things teenage girls do when they are together - such fun! I think it was about 2 am when things started to quite down the first night, but then the severe thunderstorms we were expecting rolled in, so it was about 4 am before I really got to sleep. Some how everyone else was able to sleep through the storms, I'm really not sure how. As I layed in bed listening to them chatting and giggling it made me laugh because I realized this will be my girls in about 8 years.

Oh the things they have to look forward too!

This is what it looks like when 6 teenage girls come to stay.

Friday was quite a day. Since I had to get our guests up at 6:30 in the am, I managed about 2 1/2 hours sleep only to wake up with the most awful allergies. With my eyes watering and my nose with a constant drip, you know the kind where you end up sticking a tissue in both nostrils because it's better than having to contantly wipe it, I was a mess. I was watching Staci's 3 kids from noon to 7:00 that night, so I took some medicine that morning hoping it would help so I could be semi functional to watch 6 kids - no such luck, it didn't kick in until about 5:00 that night. I was so grateful the kids were so good and they played outside most of time. At one point when I went outside to check on the kids, Lia (Staci's 3 year old) was stripped down to her underwear and riding her bike. I just busted up laughing. I was so tired and drained from lack of sleep and the allergies, I really didn't care - I just let the girl and all her inhibitions go. She did eventually decide to get dressed again and the rest of the evening went a much better after the medicine kicked in.

Then Saturday we got to spend most of the day with Jeff's sister Heather and her son Bryant. Heather had to come up to speak at a Youth Conference in another stake here and it ended up Jeff had to sub for our bishop at our YC. Bryant was nice enough to take the girls swimming that morning, and then they gave him a make over later that afternoon. Must have been very relaxing because it put him to sleep! Nice work girls!

So proud of their work!

The big news of the day is that Ada lost another tooth, #2. Emilie is working on loosing her first one, she is hoping it's soon because it makes it really hard to bite on anything! Anyway, Heather and Bryant are staying with us tonight and then it's back to just us Sunday night. Then Monday Harm and Parker come. We are excited for the fun to continue!

If you are looking for a place to stay in the Chicago area, we'd love to have you.

The rates are cheap (practically nothing!) and food isn't to bad.

We offer lots of entertainment options as well.

Makeovers are available for a small fee in the salon.

We have lots of openings in July and August, so book your reservations now!

Happy Birthday Jeff! (yesterday)

Yes I'm a day late with this post, only because it's been such a crazy weekend!

But we hope you had a Happy Birthday Jeff!

We had a fun party Friday night for Jeff and our good friends Paul Brown and Ken Israelsen. It's become a tradition to have a party for them because Jeff and Paul's birthday's are both the 7th and Ken's is the 9th. I would post pictures, but at the end of the night we all realized that nobody took any! Shame on us. But it was fun nonetheless and thanks to everyone who came to celebrate!

Unfortunately for Jeff, Saturday (his actual b-day) wasn't exactly a party day. It started out with him going to Bishopric training from 7-9 am then home to some work around the house to my softball game at 2:00 (yes, I'm back on the field and it's awesome!) to a convert baptism at 6:00 (which he was the only bishopric member able to attend) to a wedding reception at 7:00. In between it all Jeff decided to fix the kitchen faucet that I have been bugging him about for the last few weeks. As he got into it he determined we needed a new faucet. So after the wedding reception, it was a trip to Lowes and home to install it. Sorry it wasn't such a great day, but what do you expect when your 37? :-)

He did get a party and we did manage to get our door decorated for him!

We'll definiately try to make Father's Day a little more relaxing and fun for you!

Happy Birthday again to the best dad/husband and thanks for all you do! We love you!

One of those Days

We've all had them - those days where nothing seems to go your way. A comedy of errors if you will. And most likely there will be others. So please, let me share my day today. Let me preface this with the fact that Jeff has been gone since Saturday afternoon to a week long Sales meeting, so life is a little crazier than usual around here. Fortunately he's only an hour away. Anyway, last night I decided to stay up a little later than usual to watch some TV (finally I had the remote all to myself!) I thought it wouldn't be a big deal since all the girls had been sleeping in lately, and so of course I could too, except for the fact that Sarah decided to wake up at 5:45 this morning for an hour or so. So much for sleeping in, thank goodness for Diet Coke.

Then after she and I went back to sleep for an hour we all woke up. It was pouring rain outside, so I thought I would walk on the treadmill and get a little exercise. So I did and then went to get in the shower. Turned it on, let it run for a minute or two. Still cold. Let it run for another minute. STILL COLD! So I went in the basement to see water running out of the water heater. Not so good! So I had to take a very quick cold shower - thank goodness for hats. I wasn't about to stick my head under freezing cold water. Then of course at the exact moment I had to take the girls to school the heaviest part of the rain storm hit. Good thing the doors aren't too far away from the drop off - I ran them up to the doors, ran back to the car to find Emilie left the sliding door open.

Since it was pouring I decided to come home from dropping the girls off and let Sarah have a good nap and I would actually accomplish something today. So I put together the bookshelf we bought for the girls for the basement. I was so proud of myself I got it all put together, even nailed to back of it on. I stood it up and here it is

Yes it's true, it put the sides on backwards. ARGH! I was so careful to put the top and bottom on the right way and completely ignored the fact I was putting the sides on the wrong way. Why can't they just finish both sides so it doesn't matter which way they go? So I now am working on pulling out all the nails and unscrewing the sides without completely destroying the thing. I'm starting to think it would be much easier to just go buy a new one for $18.

The good news of the day - Jeff did come home for the evening to help sort out the water heater situation and just to be with us. If all goes as planned (unlike anything today!), 12 hours from now we shall have hot water again. Sing HALLELUJAH!