Grandkids Contest--Look at my treasures!

One of the things I miss most not being with my children & grandchildren is going for a walk and just seeing what we see. In the fall we saw red,yellow,and orange leaves; pumpkins,witches, and butterfly cocoons. In winter we saw colored lights, snowmen, sleds, and the baby Jesus in a manger. In the spring we saw new leaves, flowers and friends playing outside. In the summer we saw swings, slides, apples, and people having picnics in the park. Sometimes we would even look for treasure...We always seemed to find something that was really special! So as I was walking to work this week I picked up some treasures and brought them home. Here is a picture of the things I saw. What kind of things have you been seeing as you are out walking or playing?

Any grandchild who looks at the picture and asks mom or dad to write it in comments section will get a treasure from me. You don't have to guess what every thing is. All you need to do is just say something about this blog and have mom or dad write it down. The treasure is a hollow ball of choco....oh wait, I don't want to spoil the fun.. if you bite into it inside there is some sponge bo...oh wait I'm doing it again....just look at the picture below for what your treasure ball is like!

I am hoping to have six comments to read!
Mom and Dad, thanks for helping them. I appreciate the time you take to help us stay close to each other!
Any Mom who wants the silver & turquoise bracelets AND is the first to say so in the comments section will get the bracelet sent with the grandkids treasure ball.

Nesting season...

I watched these two birds making a nest inside our bird house What fun to watch! Last year some different species birds tried, but gave up after a few times. It looks like these birds are here for the eggs laying season! Yeah! I'll get to watch the new babies learn how to fly this summer!


In this photo you can see the father watching for enemies on the branch!


In this photo you can barley see the mother going inside the bird house, she had a stick in her beak!

Fun Family Home Evening

On Monday, March 20th we hosted the "Adult-no kids @ home" Family Home Evening. We had a slide show of Korea by two couples who went to Korea during last summer for the Church's "Missionary Jubilee Celebration." (The husbands also served their missions in Korea, one in 1968 and the other in 1981.) They showed a few slides of their missions and slides the new tripthis summer. What a change in the country and the church membership. In 1968 there were only 4 Branches, now there is a Temple and several Stakes! In 1968 most people traveled by bus, now most people own a car. We had a small cozy group of adults & the children of one couples who presented the slides. Here are photos taken that night. It was fun and spiritual at the same time. What a good group of friends we have here!

Virtual Tour of Vines Botanical Gardens

We spent Saturday March 18 at a park that is only 5 minutes from our home. We took a picnic lunch and really enjoyed the peaceful surroundings. Doesn't Rick look relaxed?

The daffodils were abundant and there were several varieties I really love. (In case you didn't know-they are my favorite flower.)

The park has many statues in different locations...my favorite is the Roman "4 Seasons Garden" with columns & statuary that is so beautiful.

There are several bridges throughout the park; four of them converge in the middle of the water at a Gazebo. This is so awesome. (Last year there were Swans-but we only saw Canadian geese this year.)

The different flowering bushes and flowers bloom all season long. What a breathtaking display!

Rick's favorite garden is a pine forest with a miniature village. Each Saturday & Sunday @ 11:30 a.m. a model train travels in and out of the village, over a miniature bridge, and back to the railroad station house. (We really want to take our grandchildren to see this next time they come for a visit.)

This is the end of your virtual tour.

Baby Quilt

I made a baby quilt for Nick & Jasmine's new baby (due in May, about 6 weeks). I hope the ultrasound was accurate becase the quilt is VERY PINK! This photo is trying to show you what the back looks like too! It was a fun project and Rick helped me tie it.

Kimberly Nelson is getting Married!

This photo was taken in 1987. Sally is 8 years old, Nick is 10 and Max is 13 years old. I believe Kimberly Nelson is 2 years old but I'm not sure.













I "googled" Max Barfuss and found a website I sent to family and friends...this is the web site: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb308915.htm Here is a response from Susan Nelson.
Dear Pat and Rick,
The news about Max is terrific!!! What a wonderful thing for him to be doing!!!
I'm sorry I haven't kept in closer touch with you, keep in mind that I just turned 56 yesterday and I still have an 18 year old son at home!!!
Great news!!! Kim is getting married in the Logan Temple on this coming June 24th.
He is a wonderful young man who thinks that the sun rises and sets with her. I plan on getting your address from Max so that she can send you an invitation. I know you probably won't be able to make it, but wanted to let you know anyway.
Charles moved back up with Pat and I the end of last November. He just wasn't doing well in school down in Roy. He's been going to South Campus and I'm pretty sure will graduate come June. He's decided to join the Army Reserves and will be sworn in tomorrow down is SLC. Although I hate to think of him possibly being called to active duty, I also feel that it will be a good thing for him and will hopefully give him some real direction in his life.
That's about it from here. Hope that all is well with you!
Love, Susan

Sally as Emma Hale Smith

Sally borrowed this dress from the Utah Opera Company to portray Emma Hale Smith in a play. She says.....
Mom I just wanted to e-mail you this picture of me all dressed up and ready for the Relief Society play. It was a lot of fun! I asked Luke if I looked like the picture of Emma and he said- "NO your skin is darker" so I wonder what children think and how they relate people looking like each other! Anyway it was fun and I was nervous beacsue my lips kept shaking when I wasn't smiling and I didn't want to smile the whole time, but I didn't know what to do with my mouth.
Love, Sally

In January I started a book club here in Snellville. I belonged to one in Logan and the one here is formatted the same. The first month there were 4 of us, the second month we had 7 people, this month we are hoping for 10.
We meet monthly at a members (hostess) home. Another member (reviewer) reports on a book that she has read. Then we have “lite” refreshment provided by the hostess and visit. This month it is my turn to review a book. I have chosen a children’s book called “Despereanux. It is a great tale about light & darkess, good & evil, friends & foes and hate & love. But, like a good fairy tale it has a "happy ending." If you want an easy fun book to read in one day this is the book for you!

I feel like Anne of Green Gables.

I remember the Rick & Pat Barfuss Family and the Jim & Renee Baugh family watching a PBS movie series called "Anne Of Geen Gables" one Thanksgiving in the 1990's. It was a fun experience sharing the love portrayed in this series with family. When Anne was driving to her new home she passed under a canopy of beatuiful spring trees. She called it the White Way of Delight. This is the road I drive down each day to work. The trees are "Bradford Pears" they are ornamental only & don't bare fruit. Behind the hedge is a small historical cementary. On the opposite side of the street is my office complex.What a beautiful sight!

Rick's Birthday Trip, March 4, 2006!

For Rick's Birthday we took a country drive and ended up in a historic town named Madison. This photo is of the Town Hall that they are restoring. We ate lunch in a great restaurant where we all found something to tempt our taste buds. Rick had alfredo noodles, Maja had hawaian chicken, and I had spinach & artichoke pita.

We peeked inside the historic Town Hall and saw two vaults we thought were cool and photographed them. We also shopped at several quaint shops and drove past a few historic homes that were REALLY big.

Rick and our friend Maja and I really loved the spring shrubbery. It was so warm we enjoyed ourselves. All too soon we headed back.

The trip back was so relaxing. And we meandered through some farmlands. What a cotton picking shame this cotton field was harvested last fall and we missed it. None the less we got enough to send some to each grandchild.


Rick and Maja spotted some large clumps of greenery in trees. It was really cool. They knew what it was. I didn't..can you guess what it is? It is mistletoe in an oak tree. Mistletoe is a parasite and blooms in the winter. I wouldn't want to climb up to gather it. I had never seen it before so I was in awe and took this photo. What a great trip. Come for a visit and we'll take you too!

Mason & Natalies newest art work.

These were made right in front of me as I watched on the kids on the web-cam. It only took about 4 weeks to arrive, but I proudly show them off! Thanks Mason & Natalie.

This is a threee week update!

Hello, dear readers, I arrived in Memphis safely on Sunday Feb 12th and as I went to pick up my luggage I was welcomed with this sign.













Monday was a sight seeing day. As a group we went to Sun Studios and Graceland the home of Elvis.














Tuesday & Wednesday were work days....We started to get the empty Convention Center ready for the show.Thursday, Friday & Saturday were Education classes and the tradeshow.













Sunday I traveled home and Rick's parents and Brother & wife arrived for a visit. Monday we went to visit Cleo's brother & wife.












Tuesday we took a city tour and saw the home of the lady, Margaret Mitchell, who wrote gone with the wind. We also went to CNN studios on a tour.














On Wednesday I went back to work and Rick continued sightseeing with his family.















It has been a busy three week trying to catch up on everything...That brings us to today, Rick's birthday! Thanks to our three children for calling or sending cards, Dad loved it! Here is a photo of our Neighbor's flowers and neighborhood blossoming trees, for Brigitte who HATES the cold! In Georgia it seems to be spring!