Family christmas Party

It was so much fun to have Nick and his family back in the Logan that we had to have a super-duper celebration for Christmas. If felt much like "the Christmas past" when our children were young! Our first activity was to decorate cookies! Here's the results...

Thanksgiving in Idaho

Rick and I went to Idaho on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful day. We took them to lunch, visited, and played "liar's dice."

The photo is compliments of:

Family group--Jean

Background & tree--Molly

Editing- Pat

We make a great team don't you think?

First Grade "Communities"

The first grades at the school I work (Wilson Elementary) are discussing Communities. The children were ask to make a building with their family as their homework this week-end. Nick, Jasmine and Isis created a Police station. Natalie, Jasmine and I created a Junior High School. With a little bit of cardboard, paint, markers and Styrofoam they are awesome. I cut and pasted a photo of their their buildings to a background. Here they are for your enjoyment!

Halloween 2008

Rick and I had our annual Halloween Party on Monday October 27th this year.

It was held at our palace.
We had 2 princesses & 1 fairy, Snow White & a baby bumble bee & 1 knight come to the palace for the party.

For entertainment we had Hannah Montana & Billy Ray Cyrus & a rock star.

We ate Pizza, played a game and went to the "Pumpkin Walk.

We had some problems with the Cute Witch, Freddie Kruger & a Skeleton Warlock.

The Knight had to protect us all!

It was an awesome afternoon & evening!

Love to all.

Grandma Pat

Scarey faces!

Tonight we carved our jack-o-lanterns. They are:
1. Kitty (made by Pat and definitely Phoenix's favorite)
2. Scare face (made by Nick and is very scary)
3. Vampire skeleton (made by Isis & nick..this is the best over all-especially since it is painted white)
There are three views for you to choose from and when you reply tell which photo you like best.
a) psychedekic b) glowing c) normal

Nell (Tornelldo) has a birthday

Our sweet but very active and dare-devil-ish Nell celebrated her 2nd birthday at home with her Barfuss family there. She had fun playing with all her new toys and loved blowing out the candles twice (because not everyone was there the first time). Her cousins and grandparents had a wonderful time enjoying the great together time.

Isis and Fifi by Isis

Here is a drawing (16x20 canvas) done by Isis (7 years old) and painted by his mother (Jasmine). I have in hanging in my diningroom and will get to have it there until their house in Australia sells (closing date Dec. 3) It is made from acrilic paints and scrapbooking supplies. Awesome? yes!

Paul Ricky Shumway

Saturday, September 20, 2008 my daughter Sally gave birth to a son at around 11:00 am at her home. She was assisted by a mid-with and assistant, husband (Andy), and a friend. They named him Paul Ricky Shumway, He weighted 7lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 inched long. He and mother are both doing well and we are so happy to have him join our family. (The hands in the photo are: bottom of photo mothers, hands and this head fathers.) (Photo take by Jasmine Bailey-Barfuss)

His brother look said, "My nine months of praying worked. I finally got a brother."

His sisters Lily, Mable and Nell are just happy to have a baby.

September 6, 2008-Wonderful Day!

Today (September 6, 2008) Luke was baptised and confirmed by his father, Andrew Laron Shumway. The font in the Stake Center didn't fill so the time was changed from 10:30 to 3:00 and the location move to the Logan Tabernacle. So everyone had to change their plans. But most everyone showed up with thier love and support.

In attendance were his Shumway and Barfuss family members and Ward and Stake leaders. The Primary President and Second Counselor (Sister Lund and Sister Thomas) of 29th Ward were there with big smiles. Both sets of grandparents attended and Great-grandma Shumway and Great-grandpa & Great grandma Baugh were there too. All the Barfuss cousin came. Of course, there were more people but I'm having a hard time remembering all the names.

We had a lunch in the park and then went to the Tabernacle for the baptism and confirmation.

Last summer vacation week-end 2008

(to see a larger image click the photo collage)

We went to Bear Lake the week-end before school started. The weather was perfect for swimming, making sand castles and burying kids in the sand. Mason and Isis became a 2 headed muscle man. Natalie became a mermaid and Phoenix (Fi-fi) was a mermaid in the water. Max took the canoe and we all had a ride. Sally and family we not able to join us. Josie Ballard joined us and we all went for dinner and the raspberry shakes.

Playdough Fun!

I got a few snap shots of Phoenix and Isis playing with play dough. As a typical 2 year old Fi-fi (phoenix) likes eating it. Isis invented the beaks and the pictures tell all the fun they had!

July 19th-July 26th

We have had a very busy week. We remodeled Sally & Andy's bathroom in less than one week. Rick and I have may aches and pains from work late into the nights. Good news however, Rick got a cortozone shot in one foot and has NO pain there. So, he is going to have the other foot done this week.

As we were driving home on Friday evening we heard sirens so we drove to the end of our street. A young man had been traveling about 60 mph, he drove through a gated fence and landed upside down in the Logan River. Fortunately his injuries were very mild.

Luke & Isis spend the week together at Grandma's house

Our Primary Quarterly Activity (in July) was about following the road to happiness...we had the children make their own cars from a cardboard box and drive around to the different activities. Luke and Isis made cars with cardboard and paint. I wore Luke's car to the Activity and won the cutest car.

Here is a photo of Luke and Isis "crashing" into each other.

We went swimming (July 10th) and afterwards I had Luke and Isis take a shower...they looked so cute I just had to take a photo...(I've been forgetting to take my camera with me).

Long lost cousins reunited

We attended a birthday party for Nick. It was an all day game party and was held at Max's house. The Gary & Margaret Avery Family were invited. So, the whole family came for about an hour. Our families got to see their long lost cousins. So, of course, we had to get a family photo. It is the first time these families have been together in years!

Lily's last day of school program

I was happy to be able to attend my grandaughter's school program. She was so adorable. The class recited and sang. Each child read a poem they liked and two setences about what they learned at school. It was fun to be there. These are the joys in life!

Mason's 1st pinewood derby car & race

His car was chosen as the most Magnificient! Way to go Mason!

Australian Grandkids visit-the first 2 days

Well, Nick, Jasmine, Isis and Phoenix arrived Friday. Phoenix became sick immediately and we rented a cough assist machine. The other grandkids who were not full of germs came and played! Fun two days! ( Phoenix has recovered and both kids are a great joy with their very special loving spirits!) I'm a very happy and blessed grandma!

Baby Blessing Invitation

Family and Friends,

You are invited to attend a baby blessing for our Granddaughter, Phoenix, from Australia. She is 2 years old and has been waiting until she could have her Grandpa could do it.

It will be Saturday May 3, at 11:30 am. Location is Logan 7th Ward 565 East 100 South. Please enter from the back of the building.

It will also be a birthday celebration and a pot luck luncheon.

We would like to especially invite all those who have donated money to her family to purchase needed medical equipment and friends who haven't seen Nick in a long time. This is their first trip to the USA in four years!

xoxoxo Rick & Pat

Easter with family & friends

We spent Easter day at church and then at Max's where we enjoyed a great meal and had fun watching the kids find Easter eggs. The littlest got to go first then we advanced to the oldest, that is why we are all standing on the porch. Watching or waiting for a turn.

(photos: compliments, again, of Brigitte)

Rick's Birthday

For Rick's birthday on March 1, 2008 we had the kids and grand kids over to play pictionary and eat strawberry short cake. I hadn't replace my camera yet so no pictures were taken. Max and Brigitte gave him a day skiing, so later in the month we all went skiing. I had my new camera but when I downloaded the photos they we in too good of a resolution for my computer to handle and I lost them. Brigitte gave me a disc with these photos and now you can see Rick and me, Max, Brigitte, Mason and Natalie and the fun we had!

Panama Canal Cruise

We left our camera in the airport on the way home and haven't been able to retrieve it...but thanks to Rick's bothers and sister we have a few pictures to remember our great 10 day Panama Canal Cruise Feb 15-25. Here is the link to view them all but I'm only posting one collage i made for a class I am taking. Hope you enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/pbarfuss/PanamaCanalCruiseFebruary2008

(remember to click the image to view it larger)

News from Nick & he's coming to Utah!

Hi Family,
About a year ago we wrote a letter to a family that lives in Utah that has four children with Rigid Spine Muscular Dystrophy. We found out about them through a Research paper we found on the internet. We contacted the researching doctor, and he put us in contact with the family. We finally received a letter from them. It was quite a moving experience, and hearing about their problems, and joys, trials, and love made for a very emotional read. The saddest part was to hear that two of their children died this year. It opened me and Jasmines eyes to the sad situation we are in.

Rigid Spine Muscular Dystrophy is so rare (only 10 cases in all of Australia) and few in the US. This makes it very hard to get correct, current, and specific information about what our kids are going through. I thought this letter would help give you an Idea of what we expect for our kids. For those of you who don't know, Phoenix has a much worse scoliosis than Isis. This means Spinal Surgery sooner in life than expected.

(Nick asked me to un-post the photo and letter...they haven't written back to them yet and it might not be appropriate--so it has been deleted)

Kitty Wookums Barfuss has passed away

Thursday Feb 7th Kitty got stepped on and died. This may seem strange to some but Kitty was more that a bird she had a great personality and was very loved by the whole family. But more than that she was Mason and Natalies best friend. Needless to say there were many tears and now it will take time to heal.

Last week-end before the tradgey Mason and Natalie spent the night. While Nat andI played Barbies, Mason made some domino buildings. We always have fun playing board game when they come. Sleeping in our King size bed is awesome too! (grandma usually can only spend about 1 hour there- the kids wiggle way to much) Grandpa has been working a lot lately and missed the fun.

Bear Lake traffic jam

The front page of our newspaper had this photo in it! If you know Bear Lake it would make sense, Bear Lake is a very rural town. However, it is beginning to grow because last week the same newspaper reported that many people are moving in and building million dollar homes and driving up the price of the smaller existing homes. Lets hope that we get enough snow to fill the Lake back up or they will all be looking a a very small lake and even larger mucky beach are!

Our new fireplace

For Christmas we got an electric fireplace that mounts on the wall. We hung it in our entertainment center and have wonderful ambiance when ever we feel like it. We got a remote to turn it on and off, without any muss or fuss. If it gets cold we can use the remote to turn on the heater.

We have never been so blessing as we have been since returning to Logan.!

Cold yet, so Beautiful!

Last night we had a new snowfall and this morning we woke up to below zero temperatures. I know most people don't like it. But to me it is so beautiful and peaceful! I love shoveling snow on days like this. As I walked to work (1 block) I took these photos. The canopy of trees lining our street are so fantastic when covered with snow while the sun is shinning.

Facing East

Facing West

Looking out back window

The Temple Spires peeking above Wilson School where I work

New do--shades of 1962

I got my hair cut...six inches were cut off and I thought it was short...but I looked again and it is the same hair cut I had in High School... it seemed long then.

Christmas Party with kids @ Wilson