An Introduction to Us!!

It begins with Bryan & I...we have been married 6 years in June!! Bryan is an electrician and he coaches Cooper's soccer team. He has recently started playing on a men's soccer league! WHEW!!! He is getting a workout! He is the best daddy I could have hoped my children would have! He's not to shabby as a husband either. He has blessed me with being able to stay home with our sweet babies since Cooper was born! Which leads to me...I am a SAHM, wife, and full time student! I have a few other titles, but you will probably hear about those sometime soon! I go to Texas Tech and will graduate (fingers crossed) in August!! It has been a long road, but good! I am hoping to start teaching in August too! I love crafting of any kind...my mind never stops turning! I have ideas all the time! I would love for this to be my full time job someday, but as for now, it is just a hobby!

We are members of a wonderful church and have an awesome family there!! I have made some really great friends and become a better person for knowing them! I still miss all of my friends back home, but that is what life is about...embracing the new and remembering the old!

Cooper was born in March 2004, he just celebrated his 5th birthday! He plays soccer and is going to be starting kindergarten in August! But, he is so very ready! He loves to play outside and is such a mastermind at playing trains and cars! He is such a sweetheart and is *usually* taking care of his little sister! He is too smart for his little britches sometimes, and does not like "because" as an answer to one of his questions! He is always saying funny little things that I am

sure I will be posting on here daily!! :)

Then there is Brylee!! What a girl!! She is such an independent little person already with big ideas, big blue eyes, and the sweetest big smile you've ever seen! She was born in November 2005 and is 3 years going on 17! She loves ballet and all of her friends there! She is a thinker and a doer! She hasn't quite learned the virtue of patience yet, but we are working on it! She cooks up these crazy ideas that usually get her in the most trouble!! She loves American Idol and Dancing with the Stars! She never stops talking and I have absolutely no idea where she gets it from! *WINK* She is strong and I know she will give us a run for our money! But, I wouldn't have it any other way!

We are hoping to be moving back into Lubbock soon, if we can ever get our house ready to sell...until then, we will just keep busy and keep going on with our lives! We spend most of our summer weekends camping and at the lake! The boat is one of our favorite things and we love it! Naps after church on Sundays are the highlight of our week and we couldn't imagine our life without each other! We are looking forward to watching our kids grow up and ready to see what God has in store for our future!! But we don't want to know our future, because we don't want to miss out on the adventure of the ride!!

THE BARBOURS!

And so it begins...

Well, it has already been quite an eventful week at our house! Cooper was given a swingset for his birthday in March! It has been so windy and we have been so EXTREMELY BUSY, therefore...we have not put up the swingset! On Saturday, we were in the car, on our way to Cooper's soccer game. Cooper is not exactly the David Beckham of his team, but the kid does have heart! We are always trying to "encourage" him to play and participate in the games. Bryan used the oldest trick in the book when it comes to kiddos...BRIBERY!! He said,"Cooper, if you play and try to score a goal today in the soccer game, I will put your swingset together!" Well, if that didn't get Cooper fired up. He ran with his soccer team, and even kicked the ball a few times! I know...I know...it's sad!! So, we came home after soccer, Bryan mowed the front and backyard, and he told Cooper that Sunday he would put together the swingset! As most of you know, Cooper does not EVER sleep in...so at 7 am, he was in our room..."Today is the day we will have a swingset!" We managed to atleast get him to let us wake up a little. I made the kids some breakfast, Bryan went to get a Red Bull, and at 9:30, we were in the backyard...looking over about 100 pieces that would make a swingset! The instruction manual said that it would take 4.5 hours to assemble...we finished at 1:00!!!!! The kids were so excited and just could not believe they had their own PLAYGROUND!!! Sunday was a good day!!

Monday came as it always does, Bryan left before we were awake. The kiddos woke up, and wanted to play on the playground, so I let them. It was nice for them to be able to go outside and play, I could actually get some things done inside the house! At about 10 am, the kids came rushing through the backdoor with a special new surprise. "Look Mom, it is our new friend, SAM!" It was a frog, which all kids seem to just flock to in a disgusting way. I told them that the frog had to go outside, that he could not live in my house and that they really needed to just leave him alone. I said it was fine if they wanted to watch him jump, but leave him alone. I then went to the sink to do dishes, which overlooks the backyard right where the swing set is now! I noticed they were pushing the swing, but no one was on it, or so I thought....Sam was on it. Before I could get to them, they had him on the slide...and DOOOOWWWNNN he went!! Once again, I said...LEAVE THE FROG ALONE!! We go on with the rest of our day...a good hand scrubbing, lunch, an attempt at a nap, a snack and YAY!! Daddy is home!! By this time, it is around 6 or so...and Cooper says "Daddy, I need you to help me find Sam, our new frog!" Bryan says ok and starts to go outside, Cooper stops him and says, "NO, he's in your room, under your bed! We need to break your bed apart to get him." I am listening now, and I said "Cooper, how did Sam get into my room, I said he had to stay outside?" Cooper:"I am very, very sneaky!" So, sure enough, Bryan looks under the bed, and there is Sam, probably hoping that he is never going to have to see our children again! Bryan put him outside and told the kids to leave him alone. After dinner, they went out to play some more and Brylee brought Sam back in the house in a cup, like we would not know what she was doing! :) POOR SAM!! He didn't know when he woke up this morning, he would have such a rough case of the MONDAYS! But he did! Everyone went to bed and we said our prayer for Sam!

Tuesday mornings are always crazy...I am getting ready, Bryan is getting ready and the kids are usually running around wild...we left for school! When we got home from school that day, the kids didn't even mention anything about Sam. Which I had hoped theyhad forgot about! Well, Cooper went outside and came back in to get Bryan. Cooper had found Sam, and picked him up! He was dead! The kids asked what happened and I had to explain to them why we cannot pick up small creatures and what happens when we treat Sam like a playmate! I thought they might be sad, but nope! Not the Barbour kids...they are POSITIVE! Cooper said,"It's okay, we can always just find another Sam!"

Until next time...enjoy the rest of your week and look out for the little creatures!