Thanksgiving

I'm sorry that it has been so long since I or anyone else have posted. I just wanted to write a note to say thank you for the wonderful Thanksgiving. Will loved to meeting everyone and he really enjoyed the Thankful game. He told me that it really allowed him to see the structure and values that the church provides for our family. He was impressed and liked our family dynamic. I feel so blessed to be a part of our church and our family. I love you all so much.

Love,
Heather

So, I'm going to start living up to my last blog, by blogging right now. Since knowone has posted anything since me, and that was in junehave to assume we all have pretty dull lives. But in reality, I know this is not the case. Mom and Dad had a pretty exciting vacation last weekend. I think some people would like to hear the highlights of that trip. I'd like to hear how Kathy is doing and her late roommate. And how is Sue with everyone back in school, I'd like to think she is probably relaxing during the day, but that is probably not happening. But it would be nice to hear how Heather's trip was and college co-ed Megan and all the other Barton clan. Mary with her young womens and knitting class. And Laurie with her new students and oh so busy church calling. Amy, what's the latest dvd she has seen, or anything else she may be up to. John and Joe with their lives. And Chris, has he helped anyone move lately? Me, not so exciting, just your typical american housewife who runs the PTA and R.S. organizations. And Kelly, who is the latest on line &volleyball bff?
Just want to hear the low down and let everyone know you are in my thoughts and I am glad to be apart of a fun family!!! xoxo Carrie

the other day...

So, the other day, someone was saying that they never have anything to say on the family blog. I thought, " I should make an effort to write more, even if I don't have anything to say." So here I am writing. And the only thing I really have to say is Keenan is going to be turning 13!!! We are going to have a birthday party for him on the 16th of August. It will be at the golf coarse on 33rd south and 900 west. I think it is called mid-valley golf coarse or something. They have mini golf there and we will be bbq-ing too. It will be at 5:30. So I hope everyone can make it!!
I love being a part of this family!! Love ya, Carrie

The latest from Nick

Hello to all. How is everyone doin. Well you are reading the email of some one who has been out seven months. Time really flies. It feel like just the other day when I got dropped into the mtc. Pretty wild. Any way how are yall. I hope everything is going good. Everything is going so qwell here. Me and my new comp are having so much success right now. Its really awesome. Im really starting to get a grasp on the language too. (funny story: the other day I was teaching and said “kobalo ko nga si joseph smith nahubag sa basahon ni mormon. The word nahubad means translated. The word nahubag, means big breasts. So I pretty much said “ I know that joseph smith big breasted the book of mormon.”. everyone laughed at me. I cant really blame them.) oh and I had diareah again last week. Im almost just getting used to It at this point.Well I love you all a ton.i hope you all are having a great summer break. Love you and miss you all.Love elder goodsellPs I attached some pix. Hope you enjoy.

baseball

Hey everyone. So baseball season is coming to an end. Next week it is Seth's last week of baseball. If you haven't seen his team play, you should come and watch. They are undefeated this year and are doing awsome! They play on Tues. and Fri. at 6:00. If you come on Friday, Shea and I will be working in the snack shack and I will treat you to a free hamburger or shaved ice or something. Also, Keenan's team only has a couple of games left. Morgan is on fire right now with hitting the ball, and it's always fun to watch Keenan on first base. I will keep you posted as to when his next games will be. Love you lots! Carrie

Jail Bait

They threw me in the slammer. I am doin' hard time, but you know what I always say... if you can't do the time, don't do the crime. If you want to help bail me out go to:

https://www.mdaevent.org/ParticipantInfo.aspx?j=1988360f-da66-45a8-938a-b8efc7b7fb52

Please make small donations. I don't expect anyone to put in serious coin (unless it's corporate moola from "The Mountain").

Chris

Hat Pins

The other night I went to a baptist choir concert entitled "Tapistry of African American Spirituals." To be honest, I was so excited to see black people I could hardly stand it. Living in old SLC is wonderful but how I wish for a little diversity. Anyway, me and my friend get to the Cathedral and which white person after white person come filing in. You got it...the choir was white. I was so disappointed. Listening to a bunch of white people sing Swing Low just does not have the same effect.

Anyways, while there we saw several woman wearing pretty extravagant looking hats. Definately the kind that you would need a hat pin for which made me wonder about the hat pin. Now, at some point why didn't woman everywhere say, no, you cannot stick that huge needle in my head just so I can wear this hat. I understand that it was socially appropriate and fashionable to wear them and so I understand the social pressure to stick one on there. But what I don't understand is why woman throughout history are under to look and act certain ways. Even know. Everything tells us how to look, dress, eat, ect. I say no more!!!! So, here is my cry to woman everywhere...remove the hat pins from your life! Love who you are! Celebrate your womanhood without giant needles pinning things to your body! Know that you are fabulous just because you are YOU! (guys can think this too of course.)

Okay, I feel better after saying this so please excuse me while I go burn my bra.

Family Vacation

Hi Everyone,
I have the dates for our family vacation to Disneyland. The dates are November 12 - 15. I think most of us are planning on being on the park; Wednesday (12), Thursday(13) and Friday(14). Some of us will be heading to San Diego on Saturday(15) to spend the day and attending the Utah game that night. Some family members are going to stay in San Diego until Monday and go to Sea World on Monday(17). I will have an invition for all of you on Sunday when we meet for dinner after the 2nd session of conference. Please plan on joining us for our family vacation. I am to going to the happiest place on earth with you.
Love Ya
Mary

The Man in the Vest

I just wanted to share what I just witnessed today...Kelly should appreciate this...
I was walking into my job in the library on campus and on the way there's a green house. It usually catches my attention because for so many months out of the year Cache Valley is pretty dark and dreary and its nice to see some new, thriving green life through the glass. But today it caught my attention for a different reason...There was a well built man wearing only (what appeared to me to be) a black leather vest watering the flowers in a very suave manner. It was strange. I couldn't figure out if he was putting on a show or that's how he waters the flowers. Anyway, just wanted to share...

I am here

Hi Everyone,
Thanks to Heather I now can blog. I had a wonderful Easter with all of you. Thanks for coming to the Easter party at my school. Love being with all of you. Thank you for your friendship
Love, Mary

Where's Mary?

How come I've never seen Mary on this blog. Did I have an administrative oversight and not invite her? Does someone have her email address?

Mary if you can hear [read] this I'd like to see you contribute to the family blog.

--Heather

so happy to be

We saw the new dog Linus....he took a shine to Grandma. Really cute face. He looks like Stitch. I really don't have much to say...read letters from Ryan and Nick this week. What a thrill to see how well they are doing and how they are growing. Grandpa and I are tired of winter, but so grateful for all we have and what a blessing to enjoy good health and be associated with each of you. Just hearing little things like Heather and Kim spending time together brings such happiness as we see you all close and caring friends. Hope to see you all to dye an Easter egg and eat a bagle. Love you all, grandma

Ryan's moved to Calgary!

hey! Greetings from Calgary! My area isn't like downtown, it's pretty residential but still pretty busy, can't really compare it to anything back home, but I like it, not much going on in this area teaching wise so it's been fun to do a lot of finding, we do a lot of street contacting here, which is a bit diffrent for me, kinda a waste of time in the small towns I've served in, but here there are a lot of people to talk to on the streets, we still have a car, and a way awesome apartment with a gym and sauna and everything, high rise building...we live on the first floor...kind of a bum deal but it's all good.
wow, where do I start? having 2 comps is fun, my area is so old!! I thought sacrament meeting would surely turn into a funeral service, that will take some getting used to.
we met this awesome guy named Ralph a few days ago, he has a lot of questions and ideas about life, he's kind of a hippy, he really opened up to us last night and it was awesome, the plan of salvation is so amazing, what a comfort! how bad would it suck to not know that plan was true!!he's cool, we feel really good about him going somewhere.
I sent a package home a few days ago, inside is...all the mail I've recieved since being out, please ignore that personal stuff, I just didn't have room for it, please just put it in storage! some candy and some winter stuff I never used, I'm trying to find time to write some letters so hopefully I'll do that soon.
there is this really awesome family that fed us a few nights ago, the Zaugg's, some of the happiest people I've ever met and she's from Chile and she fed us...Real Mexican food!!!! which is non-existent anywhere else in Canada except for from the people themselves, so that was fun.
so many awesome spiritual experiences happened, and funny ones too, I always got such bad writers block while I'm e-mailing.
Love much and do the best you can.
elder barton

I'm starting to thaw out I guess here in Logan. But not really. It's still dang cold! I guess I'm just trying to be optimistic. Good news though, next week is Spring Break and I fly to Houston on Saturday with my roommate to stay with Kim and my roommates brother in Galveston. It should be fun. I can't wait to be somewhere where the temperature is above 40! I'll try to bring back pics!

Love,
Heather

Dog

You may have heard that we got a dog. I have learned Opra and Martha Stuart are very convincing forces in the universe. Anyway, the dog's name is Linus. He is very cute and the kids love him to death. He is a French Bulldog. What an oxymoron!

Hello Guys,

Sorry it has been awhile since I have been on. Just wanted to say thanks to Chris and Sandra for the fun super bowl party. You have a great home and thanks for letting us spend the evening with you all.
Kelly you crack me up and thanks for always brightening my day. Glad you and the shoes are ok.
Vince and I don't have a whole lot going on. We have started taking the floor out in the laundry room and we think we can get all of the remodeling done on that room except for new cabinets.
Those might have to wait awhile.
That is it from the Robinson's. Love ya all

Shoes will be the death of me!

So, I am at work riding in the elevator with a guy who was delivering office supplies. We were chatting about the weather and such trivial things as we rode up to the second floor which is where my office is. So, we get to the second floor, the elevator doors open and I say my goodbyes and head off. Suddenly, the heel of my very cute blue and green plaid pump gets stuck in the little tracks of the elevator door. I can't budge but am making earnest efforts to free myslef when the door starts to close with me stuck in the track. Seeing the big medal door coming towards my head I scream unashamedly. This also causes the purchasing guy to drop his box and grab my leg to try to force my foot out of the track. Now at this point, some of you may ask why I did not just take my foot out of the shoe...but I could not do that. No shoe should be left behind. So, after some pulling on my part, and the big strong hands of the purchasing man, we free the heel and the door closes and I am safe. My shoe on the other hand is missing a big chunk.

However, in those breif moments I thought of how sad that this would be my end. But how lucky I was to have such incredible friends and family as all of you. Thanks for being such a wonderful part of my life. And, please do me a favor...if this should ever happen again, make up a better story of my demise.

Love you all!

Kelly

superbowl party

They cancelled our church today so come over whenever you like. It's not snowing out here but the wind is blowing like a son of a gun. - Chris

superbowl party

Our church is over at 4. Feel free to come over anytime after 4:15. I will start to show the game at 4:30. Don't worry, I will record the game so you wont miss anything!

Chris, Sandra, Evan, Ashton, Max

Superbowl

All:

I talked to mom and we are going to hold the superbowl party at my house. All are welcome!

Chris, Sandra, Evan, Ashton, Max

Transfers for Ryan...not going too far

Ryan's latest...I keep having dreams that I run into him in malls. Weird cause niether one of us are big "mall people"

So I'm getting transfered to a remote area in southern alberta to teachthe nomadic people in this frozen wasteland. the nearest branch is 3 1/2hours away, we live in an igloo, hunt and fish for our own food, anyhuman activity is very rare but polar bear sightings are common...I'llsend some pictures. just kidding...
Elder Barton is staying in Brooks!!!! I couldn't be more happy. I'mgetting a new semi-green elder from north carolina, Elder Whitt...0 utahcomps for me so far...
I feel like my full potential has not been reached thus far in Brooks,and the hardest part is I feel my companions weren't the biggest help,but from what I hear of elder whitt we should get a lot done! plus Ithink he's gotta be a baller if he from NC so we'll see what we can doon the playground (gym) against some africans.
other than that, we had a pretty good week, there is a french sundayschool class now and we're trying to stock it full of west africans. Idon't know if I told you about Rosette, but she loves us and came thissunday, only problem is she's really quiet and can't read any language,not sure how great her french is, she prefers swahili or ingala I thinkand there's only one member who speaks those and he's super busy runninghis own company.
sunday night we had an african fiesta, we got fed some type of spicychicken, beef and veggies, corn with eggs, rice (a staple in everyculture I've decided) uhh...some really awesome deep fried, almost donuthole but not quite really good things. we had a few investigators thereand some how everyone found out about this god given talent Ihave-dancing.
dancing is probably my greatest strength at this point.
can't believe matt neeves is home.
I've been beefing up my studies lately.
awkward moments for the week...1. this lady started breast feeding her child mid-lesson2. being stuck in a tiny room with an ex-hutterite who wants to kill usand his less active girlfriend.3.just being a missionary everyday
spiritual moments...1.realizing I just can't do this without the Lord.2. bearing my testimony every hour3.keeping it fresh
curling went well last week.
that's pretty much all I have.
love you babies.
Elder Barton24 Lakewood GreenBrooks, AB T1R 1K8C, eh? N, eh? D, eh?

As for me I'm just freezing my bum off in Logan waiting for the semester to end (yes it's only the second week of classes)

Love you all,
Heather

Happy New Year

Thanks to all of you I have had the best holiday season. It has been wonderful to interact with fun and service. I think we should all be counting our blessings after reading the note from Maria, the director of the detention project where she expressed that the bags we gave to the kids in detention were for some more than they had ever received before. Thanks to the Bartons for the wonderful brunch. It is always a special treat to be at the Bartons. Enjoyed going to visit all the grandkids and their Christmas and then to have dinner with John and family. Thank you. Thank you. Koleyna has moved. I can't wait to paint and redo her room and the bathroom. May she find happiness at the U and beyond. What a joy it is to have two missionaries serving....and to belong to a family where everyone seems to be moving forward. My cup runneth over. Love you all. Grandma

great weekend

Hey, I just wanted to give a big THANK YOU! Lucy's baptism was so much fun and I so appreciate all the help(with the food), gifts(Lucy loves everything she got), understanding(we were late because Shea was shaving at 9:45), love and support. I am so proud to belong in such a wonderful and cute family! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Love you all tons! Carrie