Four Boys and a Lady

Aunt Nanni!

2009-02-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I wasn't sure we would ever see the day, but Danielle has finally gotten married. It gave Erin and I a chance to shoot a wedding for the first time, and it was an adventure to say the least. It was nice to be able to go down to the Manti Temple again. It has been far to long since we were last there. I also enjoyed being able to actually listen to the sealer (Grandpa Mathis). I don't really remember anything he said to Erin and I when he sealed us because i was to concerned with the beautiful woman across the alter from me. I was reminded how special it is to know that the restored gospel makes it possible to be sealed together for eternity. We had a good time at the luncheon, and the reception turned out really well, even if it took all day friday to get it ready. (my feet were so sore from putting the decorations up, and then taking pictures for two hours, and then taking the decorations back down). I know this may sound selfish of me, but i was most grateful for the opportunity to get some pictures of the Manti temple, because i have wanted to go take my own for the longest time. I will put up some examples of some things i have done so you can tell me what you think.
Needless to say, we are sooo happy for Danielle. Mike is as nice a person as you could find, and I think that they will be very happy together, if only we could get Eric and Marielle on board. My guess is that we have a Marielle wedding next, not that i know anything, I'm just saying. (that's a hint Rex). Oh yeah, for the other pics you will have to go to our ekbphoto blog. Don't be afraid to let us know what you think.

2009-01-08T18:00:00.000-08:00

We've moved! Well my blog has! I will be posting on my wife's blog from now on! Check it out here oh and you can check out her photography blog here and her photography website here!

What a week!

2008-07-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been quit the week for the Barney's. Tyler got home from his mission on Wednesday the 16th. He has been faithfully serving in the Detroit Michigan Mission. It is always funny to see return missionaries trying to adjust back to "normal" life. The kids were so excited to see him. Ethan propably had no idea who he was, but he kept telling Tyler that he missed (pronounced misse-ed) him so much. what a funny boy.
We all got together on Saturday and had family pictures taken. That is always an adventure. I commented to Erin that i couldn't understand why fathers dislike family pictures so much, considering mothers are always so calm (yeah right), and not at all reminding kids every 3 seconds to keep themselves clean. What a riot family pictures are. The funny part about it is that on the way to get the pictures, i told Carlin that he needed to cut his hair. He has been growing it out for the last three years, and he looked pretty shaggy. I told him that I felt like he needed to be an example to his friends and that they would follow. He didn't like the idea, but I knew that the seed had been planted. well, later that night at about 10:30, i mentioned it again and he decided to do it. You wouldn't believe the amount of hair that my mom took off his head. She couldn't help but wonder why we couldn't get him to do it before the pictures were taken, but i figure it's good for us to have a memory of Carlins shaggy hair, so it will all work out. Besides, we are going to need another family pic in about 7 months anyways because DANIELLE IS GETTING MARRIED. We are all so excited for her. It was only about six months ago that she was telling Erin that she didn't think she would ever get married. How quickly things change. I kept telling my mom that she was going to have a december wedding to plan for, but she wasn't buying it. Look who's the smart one now. (that isn't exactly fair, considering i have known Mike had the ring for about 2 months now). The only problem now is that i won't have anyone to use all my "old maid" jokes on. How sad! It is propably for the best though, i know i have enjoyed marriage, and I think Danielle has wanted to get married for a while now. Well, Dani, you got what you wanted. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Cookies

2008-07-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

One of my good friends put a post on her blog the other day about the cookies that my dad used to make every sunday when we were in high school. It got me to thinking about being a teenager, and how poorly I treated my parents and how grateful I am now for everything they did for me.
The cookies were a weekly tradition at our house. I don't know exactly how it got started. Mom always says that she used to make them, but I can only remeber my dad making them for us. (sorry mom) As we got older, I think my parents knew that it would be a good way to get to know our friends, and to make sure that they knew where we were most sunday nights. While there were always strict rules in our home, and punishment for when they were broken, our home was also always open to anyone who wanted to be there, regardless of personal beliefs or differing views on morality. As an example, my older brother had two very good friends who didn't share our religous beliefs, and did things that my parents wouldn't have approved of us doing. But, they were always welcome, and treated as one of the family. One of these friends graduated from high school and became a stripper for a while, but I am one hundred percent certain that if she were to go to my parents house tomorrow, that my mom would give her a hug and talk for hours with her, never once mentioning the less than desirable decisions she may have made in the past. The other friend lives in Arizona, and still comes to visit twice a year to talk with my brother and with my parents. The way my parents treated everyone around them is one of the lessons I am most grateful for. They taught us all from an early age that there were very good people who may not share our beliefs, and may do things that we don't agree with, but that doesn't mean that they are any less worhty of our friendship, and our kindness. I have come to learn that sometimes those friends who are not of our faith are sometimes the ones that are most willing to help. As an example, our family had a very frightening experience a few years back. My Dad vomited blood all over the bathroom, and passed out. When the ambulance got there, and my parents left, it wasn't the members of our ward that stayed with my sisters and helped take care of things. It was our less active next door neighbor who stayed there and cleaned up the bathroom so my sister wouldn't have to. Sadly, most the mebers of my parents ward were completely unaware. The kindness that my parents had showed to those neighbors was repayed in a way that was almost imeasurable. I will forever be grateful that my parents taught me the basic life lesson of loving all those around you regardless of thier station in life.
One of the funny things about Marisa posting the recipe for the cookies on her blog, is that a day later I got an e-mail from a friend that I haven't talked to in about 11 years asking me for that very same recipe, and telling me that he had been craving them for the last eleven years. So, for anyone who is interested in starting a very worthwhile tradition of making cookies every sunday, here are the two apparently well liked cookie recipes courtesy of my father. Thanks Dad.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine
*Important note- cream these ingredients together before you add anything else, that is exactly what it sounds like, they should be creamy before you continue*
2 eggs, added one at a time
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. salt
2-3 cups flour. The flour is done by consistency. The amount changes with every batch I make. I will have to put some pictures of the dough so that you can see what it should look like. Or, you can just make them a few times and change the amount until you get it right.
Don't forget to add a package of chocolate chips at the end. They should be cooked at 350 for 11 minutes.

The second recipe is for applesuace cookies.
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup applesuace
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp soda
~ 2 cups flour. Once again, the amount will vary. it should be a smooth creamy texture. If your cookies come out to flat, than you need more flour. Don't over do it though.
1 bag of chocolate chips
Bake at 400 for ten minutes.

The most important tip I can give anyone for making cookies. Buy a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer. They are worth their weight in gold. If you don't have one, well, go out and buy one. ;) Oh yeah, one more thing. A ice cream scoop is the best thing in the world for scooping the dough. I use a size sixty scoop. It is one of those metal ones that you can squeeze the handle on to push the dough out with. The size can be found on the inside of the scoop. erin thnks that they are too sma;;, but i think they are perfectly bite-size.

Inspiration anyone?

2008-06-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

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I had to write this post in response to some friends of mine. Some of you out there seem to be having a difficult time with things in your life. It's interesting how easily we can become discouraged, and how often it seems that life is just completely unfair. Whether it is drug use in the family, or someone close to you going through divorce, or perhaps you have just lost a child, it is important to remember who is ultimately in charge. I had the opportunity last week to go up to our wards young womans camp. It was an amazing thing to see how strong these young women can be. There were some there who were going through very difficult times, and when I had the opportunity to addresss them, all I wanted them to know was that I knew how important they were to their Heavenly Father, and that he is aware of what they are going through, and that he is ultimately incharge of everything that happens. It is the same with all of us. We aren't left alone, and the help will come, but it requires action on our part. Perhaps we have to change what we are doing, or perhaps all that is required is to simply get on our knees and pray. If we ask for his help, it will come, perhaps not always in the way we may think or want, but it will come. I love the Hymn "Be Still my Soul", and I have put on here an arrangement that I really enjoy. While i would like to take credit for it, I didn't arrange it. I am however the one playing it, and I hope that if you are going through some difficult times, that it would serve to remind you that you have a Heavenly Father who does indeed care about you.

Has it really been 8 years?

2008-06-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Seems like it was only yesterday that I was graduating high school, and here Erin and I are celebrating our 8th anniversary. Perhaps the reason it seems as though it has gone by so fast is because it has been so thoroughly enjoyable.
Erin and I met february of 1999. Her roommate "forced" her to go to a dance with me. The very first question I asked her was "Does this (my butt) look Big to you." (thank you Cody Hancuff). She must have thought i was such a dork. Ha, look at us now.
The second dance we went to at Snow, I knew i wanted to spend eternity with her. I got together with a couple of guys from my chorus class and we serenaded our dates right there on the dance floor. I remeber dancing with her afterwards, and crying (I know, i am a dork) because i was so in love with her. She must have thought I was insane.
It wasn't long after that we had our first kiss (she made the move), and then it was ring shopping, and then a short wait until December to get married. Well, it was supposed to be a short wait, but due a another wedding in the family (thank you Richard), and Erins grandma boycotting December, we ended up waiting until the following year. And so it was that i found myself on June 8th, 2000 kneeling across the altar from the most beautiful woman i have ever met. It is still the best decision i have ever made.
It has been eight years, and we still have the best realtionship of any married couple i know. The fights are very few and far between, and there is nothing I enjoy more than time spent with my wife and my children. Erin, thank you for everything you have given me. I love you more than you will ever know and i very much look forward to an eternity with you spent at my side. THANK YOU!

Magoon (Actually Ethan, i think it is spelled Lagoon)

2008-06-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

We Just got home from a day at Lagoon, and on the way home we had a conversation with Ethan because the other two kids had fallen asleep. Poor Ethans mind is constantly running about 100 miles per hour, and he was bouncing from one topic to another. For some reason he started talking about our dog. The conversation went a little like this.

Ethan- Toby really likes me.
Erin- i know he does honey
Ethan- He jumps on me, and lickeds (pronounced lick-eds) my face.
Erin- oh really
Ethan- yeah, he was happy we came home from the mountains (girls camp), and he was happy we came home from magoon.
Erin- he really likes you doesn't he?
Ethan-Yeah he does. Hey, my birthday is in October. I know what rhymes with toby.
Erin- what rhymes with toby Ethan?
Ethan- Tober rhymes with toby.
Erin- you mean October?
Ethan- no i mean tober and toby rhyme.
Erin- well, they have the same beginning sound, don't they.
Ethan- no mom, toby and tober rhyme.
Erin- you are absolutely right Ethan.
I hope he gets rhyming figured out for real. There just isn't any arguing with him on anything right now. It just turns into a fight, so we have to just let some things go. After we got home and got Tanner and Brennan in bed, Ethan was loking for his pajama shirt. Erin asked me if I would help him, and when i went upstairs i couldn't find him. Lets see if you know where he is.

Three of the Four, and the Lady

2008-06-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you that are interested, these are three of the aformentioned (Check the header) boys. I'm the fourth, and since it's my page I get to decide if and when you get a picture of me. I am fortunate to have three very wonderful children. Although it can be hard raising three boys, it is one of he most worthwhile things I do. Tanner is almost seven years old, and he is about as tenderhearted as they come. While he will fight with his brothers on occasion, he is always concerned about everyones well-being. He cries more often than not, and while he may not ever be a sport star, I wouldn't change him for anything in the world.

Ethan will be four in October, and being the second child has served to toughen him up a bit. His personality, while difficult at times, is so fun. He always has to have things a particular way. He really is borderline OCD. On the days when I am patient enough, I have learned that a hug and a quiet voice go a long way in helping to ease Ethan's sometimes overwhelming amount of frustration.

Brennan is our youngest, and still at that age where he can't do anything wrong. He loves his older brothers, and when the three of them get going, and then I get into the mix, it's time for mom to watch out. It doesn't take long for the four of us to make a mess of moms recently cleaned house. I look forward to the wrestling matches, and sometimes wonder if I will ever know how to treat a daughter if God decides to send one my way.

What can I say about my wife except that she is far more than I deserve. I imagine she wants desperately to add another girl to the mix, but I also know that she recieves great joy from the three little boys that she has. The fighting among siblings is new to her (she was an only child), and I try to convince her that it is a normal part of life. She takes it all in stride though, and deals quite well with being the only girl in the home. She works part time, teaches dance at night, and still manages to have dinner ready, and the laundry done, and still find time to take the boys on bike rides around the neighborhood. I am fortunate that the Lord has decided to bless my life so greatly. She is my life, and between her and the boys, all it takes for me to forget a bad day is to remember what is waiting for me at home.

Time for a change

2008-06-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided to move my blog from MSN to here. I think these ones just look better. Besides, I can put music on here that I like which is something I couldn't do on MSN. I am not the best at updating my blog, so sometimes the posts are months apart, and while I will mostly write about my family you will also get a good dose of politics and religion. Hey, it's my blog I get to write what i want.