March 2011-What a great month!

March 12, was the Aloha Festival over in Tempe. Some of my Laurels were dancing in it so we went to show our support. Good times!

For Spring Break we (John, Brooklynn, Annalise and I) took off to Universal Studios in LA. We sure did have a fun time there seeing some of our favorite characters. We got to relax on Rodondo and Manhatten beaches. I was estatic at Rondono beach because just as we got there, the pelicans were diving in head-first to the ocean to get their dinner AND the seals were out in full-force sneaking fish off of the fishing poles of all the men who were trying to catch their dinner!!!

I have always wished I had a Mystery Van!!! (A replica would be alright!)

What a hoot it was to see Brooklynn and Annalise loose their sanity when they saw Spongebob!

Apollo 13 stars-John looks like a real cut-out guy doesn't he!?!

Scooby-do-be-do!

EB=Easter Bunny, a movie soon to be relaeased.

Curious George

Donkey from Shrek was hilarious! He even sounded like what's his name...?

Shrek

Dora-Brooklynn's thrill!

Marilyn Monroe-the one in the middle-not the one to her right!

THE BIG awaited day came for Brooklynn when she got her driver's permit on February 28th! Greg, Adam and Devin have each taken her out driving! THANK YOU guys!

March 14, found Anya, Ella, John, Greg, Allie, Ande, Bastian, Treslee, Millie and I at the Wildlife Zoo. We had the best time seeing all the creative creatures there.
Isn't this a priceless picture of Anya, John and Ella feeding the gross giraffe!

What a fun place that is! We loved petting the starfish and stingrays in the aquarium.










March has been full of much happiness and a few sorrows. All the events have been good for our growth and understanding of God's love for us.

(Ella)

Bastian on March 10, came down from the upstairs dressed as a "NIGHTMARE"!!!

Millie is such a doll posing with her gorgeous big sister, Nina at our house on March 6th!

Ande and Allie at the zoo.
Sorry about the fuzziness!

February Freeze

This is not a joke!!! During the first week of February the temperatures got down into the twenties! I was taking my mom, dad, sister and Brother-in-law for a drive one morning by the proposed Phoenix Temple and we came upon this frozen fountain! We had to stop and take pictures of this rare Arizona sight!

February Fun

My parents, sister and brother-in- law came for eight days and we had a great time. They got to experience the icy cold temperatures we had during the first week of February.

Nancy gave me my first perm in over 10 years!

My Dad and Brian went golfing one day. John took dad to the Phoenix open also.

Bruce helped train Devin in carpet cleaning.

Mom, Nancy and I shopped a couple of times, but it was so clod that we really enjoyed watching movies and staying in! One night the three of us got into our jammies and into my bed and watch "Confessions of a Shopoholic"! Great times!

Jumping for January!

No January blahs here!

Sam keeps us hoppin' with his antics!
Part of our Christmas was to give the grandkids a bounce house to play in when they are here. It has already had many hours of bounding fun with the kids.

Greg made the top news so far this year with his 4 hour and 15 minute marathon! Here he is moments after crossing the finish line. Looks great doesn't he! (For history's sake, he is 34 years old and this was his first marathon on January 16, 2011. PF Chang's Rock and Roll Marathon in Phoenix, AZ.)

Fifty-five firsts for my fifty-fifth year, born in 1955!

My golden year is coming to a close. It sure has been a good one! Here are 55 new adventures I had in my 55th year of life.

We have been to Lake Powell before but never in Connie and Steve's boat! It was one wild ride!

Stretching out on Fred and Wilma Flinstone's bed at Flinstone Village on the way home from the Grand Canyon.

The church of the Holy Cross in Sedona, AZ

A witch museum in Salem, Massachusettes. Spooky in a cool kind of way!

The Quaker family was a highlight for me to see at Niagra Falls!

Brooklynn and Hannah having a chat with Snoopy at Cedar Point, Ohio. Some frigtening rides and some really fun times were had there.

Beautiful Kirkland Temple in Ohio. We got to see the third floor which is not usually done because our group was small. This is one of the places where Heavenly Father and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith.

Springtime in St George, Utah. My Red Hotties group usually go in the winter.

A tour of the Governor's mansion in SLC. Thanks to Herbie who is Gov. Herbert's sister!

Music and the Spoken Word on July 4th with my dear parents.
Thrilling!

Going into the depths of the earth at Copper Queen mine in Bisbee, AZ

Dead Horse Point, Utah

Castle Valley, Utah

Panguitch Lake where five of the happiest days were spent with family in gorgeous surroundings.

Cedar Breaks, Utah

We visited Benson, AZ...can't remember a thing about it! (John and I)

Katchner Caverns in southern Az. was thrilling to be inside of a mountain and see all the formations!

Toured the Utah State capital building's Governor's suite

Heritage Park in Salt Lake City where "This is the Place" monument is. There we saw an upside down ship turned into a church building! We did a lot of fun stuff there.

Sandusky, Ohio in June

Cedar Point Amusment Park in Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio. Stayed downtown and enjoyed the night atmosphere.

Went to Church in Cleveland, Ohio (2nd ward) Very sweet fast and testimony meeting.

Stayed at the Palmyra Inn in Palmyra, New York

Saw John Johnson's farm where the Church was first organized in Ohio

Whitmer farm-where Joseph Smith was dragged out in the night and tarred and feathered.

Ate at the Grill N Chill in Palmyra where they have VERY tall ice cream cones!

We spent sunset alone in the Sacred Grove. (John, Brooklynn, Hannah and I)

Boston's Nathaniel Park shopping and eating! Blast!

Lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks! (HCG)

Got gel toes!

Got gel fingernails!

Added THREE new Barry babies

Toured Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables, Salem Mass.

Salem, Mass.

Craziest bookstore ever in Salem! Books were stacked to the ceiling in giant piles!

Gila Temple open house and dedication

Glee concert with Brooklynn

4 trips to Utah! (Jan-funeral of Uncle Duane Herbert, April-St George friends, July for extended family reunions, July for Panguitch Lake cabin.

John and I walked through downtown Flagstaff and ate at a 'healthy' hamburger joint!

Stayed at the Phoenician with Susie Lundberg

John and I went to the Grand Canyon

Snowbowl ski resort in Flagstaff

Winslow, AZ

Meteor Crater near Flagstaff

Moab trip to the Lundberg's cabin

Saw the Monticello, Utah temple (Herds of deer right by it!)

Mexican Hat, UT

A trip down Canyon Lake, AZ in a steamboat with the Lundberg's

Bluff, AZ where Hole in the Rock pioneers settled

Arches National Park

Hiked to the Delicate Arch that is depicted on Utah's license plates.

Hiked in Slick Rock Canyon-the longest and thinnest canyon in the world.

Saw Horse Point-a beautiful and scenic overlook in Utah

Ate at the best drive-in ever-Milt's in Moab!

Castle Valley, UT at sunset-breathtaking!

Monument Valley, AZ Tuba City and other Indian settlements on the way to Moab, Utah

Family picture with all twenty-eight of us in it!

Las Vegas with John to see "Jersey Boys"

Am I lucky or what!!! When it comes to having a glass half-ful or half-empty, I feel like the queen of overflowing!

Resolutions, goals, wishes and hopes.

Setting goals is serious stuff!

I was in my thirties when I got my first "Franklin Planner". I loved writing down everything that I wanted to do each day and then crossing off the boxes that said that I had accomplished something. I have 10 years of planners stored away complete with daily journals of those years, Christmas lists and gifts given. My planner kept me on my toes and feeling productive.

In my fourties, I retired my planner because I realized that for me, it was adding to my busyness. It hit me that having a to-do list a mile long left me stressed when something unexpected came up like an opportunity to serve. I realized that 'my time' wasn't really mine, but His, who loaned it to me in the first place. I know that He wants me to improve myself and accomplish much good while I'm here, and as long as I can feel the Holy Ghost with me, then I know I'm doing okay. The pressure is off! There is a lot more joy to my life with that little, yet profound understanding!


My prayers for the past 15 years have included asking for charity-the pure love of Christ, since the prophets in the scriptures say that if we don't have charity we are nothing! But a couple of years ago, I realized that if I loved God and Jesus Christ first and above all else, like the commandment says, then ALL things would follow. So now that is my main goal.

I've been thinking a lot about faith lately also and have been having a desire to increase my faith in Heavenly Father's will and timing. I really am thankful that God is in charge. I trust Him more than I trust myself, although there are times when my actions say the opposite! Through meaningful study, prayer, service and keeping the commandments, I know my faith will increase. I want to fill my life with these things, not just to get the blessings, but to grow more love for God and Jesus.


In Sunday School we were talking about our favorite scriptures from the New Testament. Here is one of mine: Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Not that I'm asking for any of these things, but I sure want the power of God to be with me.


This has been an exercise mainly for myself. If this blog is to become my journal, then I should use it as such! So in summary, here are my hopes, dreams, goals and resolutions for 2011:

Be grateful, enjoy each moment, increase faith in God and love for Him and all others.

LET GO AND LET GOD. (We're in this thing together, He and I!)

Best of Christmas 2010

After reading Anya's post, I wanted to do one too. Here goes! (In no particular order)

1. For some reason this was the happiest Christmas season for me since I can remember! I felt so much joy in every bit of the preparations. I felt gratitude for the Savior's birth and for all that means to me.

2. Being with ALL the family including Grandma Barry.

3. Celebrating Ashlyn's and Rich's birthdays.

3. Getting our family picture on 16x20 canvas.

4. Treslee's gift of pictures of John and my parents and grandparents.

5. The musical bells that play when sensing motion-from my parents.

6. The gift cards for movies and ice cream!

7. Greg's gift of treating us to a play with money for dinner!

8. Seeing the grandkid's faces when they saw the bounce house set up in the backyard!

9. All the goodies! Fudge, sweedish nuts, See's candies, Banbury explosion, cookies... I made caramel for the first time and it turned out! (Grandma Barry oohing and aahing over it was the best part!)

10. Grandpa Santa!

11. Bingo and the 6-pack soda belt that Ryan got!

12. Hugs from the grandkids-the pure love they show. (seeing that they like their gifts!)

13. John's journal for the last year. (He gives me his journal every year and it is always something to look forward to.)

14. The bows Scottee made me!

15. The luxuriously soft bath mat from Adam and Anya.

16. Giving 'my favorite things' this year to our kids including, bidets, ott lights, kitchen gadgets, and to Devin and Allison a Vita Mix.

17. Seeing Christmas lights on houses.

18. Reading Christmas books (The Christmas Journey, The Christmas Bus, Christmas on Mill Street, Christmas Rose and They Call me Mrs. Miracle)

19. Watching the sappy Hallmark channel Christmas movies.

20. Singing and listening to Christmas carols.

21. The unique gifts from LaBelle...room purifiers, the beautiful nativity painting, utinsels that hang on the sides of pots...

22. Brooklynn making Adam and Anya a video of each of the family saying what we love about them.

23. Christmas cards with pictures.

24. Wonderful friends and a ward family that feels like family!

25. Health

26. Dancing to Micheal Jackson with the kids and grandkids.

27. Black Friday shopping with Brooklynn.

28. Getting to see Brian and Scottee's kid's early Christmas.

29. The Very Barry Christmas DVD that Anya made again this year. (4th year and counting!)


The Worst Things of Christmas 2010

1. Stomach flu

2. Gaining weight--BUT--having the flu helped me there!

3. The garbage piled high with nowhere to go! Garbage day isn't for another couple of days!


Oh what happy times. I just hope I remember them!!!

A Very Barry Merry Christmas

I think this was our best yet! Why, you ask? I don't know! The joy of the season just seemed to lift and overflow!

Carter had his first experience sitting on Santa's knee. He didn't seem to mind at all!
Santa had an overloaded sack! Everyone was sooo extra good this year!
Mollie Marie's first Christmas!

Rich's 30th birthday celebration with Treslee's homemade, scrumptious cheesecake!

All the 'boys' got shorts that were supposed to be good for sports, but they ended up being good for a laugh and maybe sleeping in!

The annual precious Nativity story with Nina on the couch with the flu.

:(

BINGO!

Camilla's first Christmas!

Santa comes to Brian and Scottee's house early so we got to share in the joy! Charlee gave Oaklee this cute frog and Oaklee was thanking her for it!

Johnny wanted to give us all his Christmas gift which was dancing. He has the moves! All of a sudden everyone was dancing to Micheal Jackson tunes and having a blast!

Congratulations Ryan

Ryan is a graduate (December 16th 2010) of ASU's school of mechanical engineering!

We are so proud of you!

Ashlyn is three years old!

After going to many birthday parties and waiting and waiting for her own birthday, Ashlyn's day finally came! Her mommy threw her a big party complete with games and prizes, pinata', lunch, and a specially made princess castle cake!

Ashlyn got to become a big sister this year when her brother Carter was born in April.

Christmas shopping was a blast in the K-mart holiday isle! Ashlyn danced and sang with Pooh for so long. Mindy and I couldn't even entice her away with an offer to go to the toy department!

At Old Navy while Mindy shopped, I watched Ashlyn as she became best friends with the manequin and the dog-maneqiun!

She always manages to find something to dress up in when she comes over. She's a lot of fun!

If you get the chance, try to listen in when she is singing. (which she does a lot!) It's a joy!

Happy Birthday Rich!

Rich at 2 years old. He and Mindy were best buds as kids. If I needed to find Mindy, I'd just look for Rich! (And vice versa)

Our fourth son and favorite child (!) (Hee Hee to all the rest of you who always say that Rich is our favorite!) has made great strides in his 30 years. Just in the last two years he has been blessed to find his eternal companion, welcome their first baby, complete his Master's degree in Computer Science and adopt the two precious girls that came with Treslee's first marriage, oh and he baptised and confirmed Nina just last month!

This is he and Nina, his oldest daughter and below is he and Elle. (5 years old)

This is their vacaction to Utah this past summer.

Halloween-I can always count on Rich to be fun with me!

Here's the adoption that took place in October!

Baby Camilla LaRue, born June 2, 2010 Here she is in her Tinker Bell costume for Halloween. Can you just see the thrill on Rich's face!

We are proud of you and your progress Rich and so grateful for all the happiness that you are blessed with.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!