Crazy Busy

First of all, as you can tell I have my laptop up running right now at the bare minimum level (it still needs A LOT of work...maybe next week we can finish it up, but at least I have it working).

Second, life has been crazy busy around here with lots going on the past coupe of weeks and a couple of guests. The first guest to arrive was our friend the "Kraut" (aka Andy) for his fall Mizzou trip (he got here late Tuesday evening). He likes to make two US trips a year, one in the spring to work camps with Don, and the second in the fall to work a home and away game (he sure loves Mizzou)! :) I always like to joke with him, "You spend all of that money to come to the states and of all places you pick here!"...he laughs and claims he loves it (and Mizzou football)! 

The second guest to arrive was my dad who flew in today. Poor guy came into a very busy day (heck who am I kidding it has been a crazy week). This morning started off with Miss Bella's class field trip to the pumpkin patch (the same one that I brought the kids to a couple weeks ago)...this trip was 8:30-11:30. After her trip we rushed to daddy's office to pick up grandpa (daddy was kind enough to pick him up at our airport for me), shoved sandwiches down our throats and then headed off to Miss Liv's class field trip to their Partner in Education's property from 11:45-2:24pm. They played games, painted pumpkins, listened to Halloween stories, recited Halloween poems to us, had snack, and went on a fun hayride. Both field trips were a lot of fun and we had a gorgeous day for them! After that we went back to the kids school to pick the rest of them up, get Liv's stuff from her class, then to our house, and then my dad brought my sister and a couple of the kids to get food/after school snacks.

Tonight we are having a Trunk-or-Treat at the complex that Don works at which should be lots of fun for the kids. My friend Adriene & I thought it would be a fun thing to do for the kids since all of the Support Staff wives & our spouses will be gone for Halloween. Which leads me to the reason why my dad is here. This weekend is our annual football wives trip and we are going to Baylor...I really look forward to it and it's always a good time! After the last two weeks that I've had I NEED this little break!!! I feel bad for my dad though because they are going to WEAR him out...oh well, someone else can have a turn to be run ragged other then me! :) Then after the Trunk-or-Treating tonight my dad & I have errands to run (run, run, run).

I have many fun pictures to post from the past week or so, so when my computer is up to par or I get access to Don's I will share them.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, BE SAFE, DON'T EAT TO MUCH CANDY AND GO TIGERS!!!

M-I-Z.....

New Hairdos...

PS...

...still no laptop! It's home but that's about it! (sniff, sniff)

October Employee of the Month

Don is not one to toot his own horn and doesn't care for recognition (heck he didn't even tell me about this, I had to hear about it from some of his co-workers), but I thought it was important for me to document this at least for our children (but really I wanted you all to know too...I've got too brag every once in a while). One day the kids can look back on this and know what kind of person their dad is/was and the kind of work ethic that he exhibits(ed).

Yesterday was the monthly athletic department staff meeting and this when they recognize the Employee of the Month...prior too everyone is informed via email!

Here is the email that went out:

Congratulations to Don Barnes, our October Employee of the Month. Don was recognized for his people skills and his ability to lead people. His integrity, the ability to create good relationships and the ability to lead by example goes over and beyond. Not only does he show a genuine liking for people, but he always has a pleasant personality and the willingness to help out. The ability he has to multi-task is indescribable. I’ve also never seen him without a pleasant work attitude. His out-going, tactful, courteous, and professional nature makes it easy calling “Barnesy” the BEST Director of Athletics Equipment. Sometimes his persistent, cheerful, positive demeanor is all we need to keep things in order and to keep the work day moving smoothly.

Way to go babe, we are VERY PROUD of you and love you very much!!

Do you know what's pathetic...

...when you're sore from playing a video game!!

I haven't played the Wii in awhile and decided to start up again two days ago. I have just been playing the Wii sports game with most of my attention to tennis and boxing. Holy cow, if you put everything you have into it it's a decent workout especially the boxing.

I currently feel like I have cinder blocks for hands!

Time to go dust off the Wii Fit and give that a go again...

#3 Lost

Miss O lost her third baby tooth on 10/20/08 at school. Her teacher assisted her in the removal of the tooth and is known for pulling teeth out for children...they come from all grades for her assistance (these kids are serious about their cash from the tooth fairy)! The tooth fairy visited last night and brought her loot (she didn't come by the night she lost it, but we think it's because it was too cold)!! ;)

Laptop Update

Good news to report, my laptop is back in my home!! Yea!!!!!

Bad news, is that Don can't get it downloaded with the info that had been backed up on the Time Capsule. He also informed me last night that he thinks that it had been even longer since it backed up to the time capsule then I originally thought (3 weeks ago)...not good folks, not good!!! AGGGGHHHH!!

Keep your fingers crossed that it works!

Weekend Recap

Friday: Don had left Thursday evening for the 15 hour bus ride to Texas so it was just the kids and I on Friday eve. We decided (mostly me) that it would be fun to have a low key evening in our pj's. So we settled on breakfast for dinner which included: pancakes, hash browns and bacon, a movie (Nim's Island) and the Catons joining us for the fun. I love these kind of nights!

Saturday: We slept in a little, got up, got ready, and headed to Arbys for a lunch on the go. We then headed to watch Lauren, our favorite lifeguard's, swim meet. She has been so supportive of our family and always willing to help us out, so it was fun to be able to support her for once! She did pretty well even though she had to swim against Mizzou which has a BIG swim team.

After the swim meet we went to Mass and then headed home to watch the football game with the Catons (yeah we spend a lot of time together during this time of year). The Tigers did not do well which lead to a disappointing loss to the Longhorns with a score of 56-31. We are now 5-2 and our ranking in has dropped to #15 (I'm surprised we are still in the top 25). This week is homecoming here at Mizzou so hopefully this will rejuvenate our boys enough to bring out a victory against Colorado on Saturday. Kick-off is at 5:30pm and airing on FSN.

Sunday: I brought Bailey to youth group which I found out when I cam to pick her up was cancelled (I asked why she didn't call me she told me that she was having fun just catting with her friend that was stuck there too) and the others stayed home while Don slept (he didn't get home from work until 8am and only got 3 hours of sleep....poor guy). We came home and I got everybody ready for family photos. At 3PM we headed over to Stephen's Park for our photo shoot with my friend Nancy until 4PM. We then came home, Don went to work and the rest of the evening was low key.

Not too exciting but I loved it as these next two weeks are going to be BUSY!!