The Barela Family

1. One week from today we will be heading to “the city”, San Francisco that is, for the marathon weekend! Brian’s parents and nephew are coming to stay with the kids while Brian and I get a weekend away with our friends who are leaving their triplets behind and joining in the marathon weekend. I’m excited to stay in a hotel, be in the city, hang out with our friends sans kids, go to the race expo and of course run the race! I can’t believe it’s only 1 week away!!!

2. I LOVE CONTAINERS! And even more I love to make containers. Mason and I made 2 more today to store the random little legos that are always getting lost or that we are often stepping on. I use empty frosting, oatmeal, animal cracker containers or soup cans to create these handy little organizers. Pick your favorite scrapbook paper, cut it to size, label it, slap on some mod podge and you can organize anything and everything. I also like it because it’s a kid friendly craft, you can’t really mess it up.

3. Tomorrow I’m going to make one our family’s favorite Fall desserts called Pumpkin Roll. It’s so yummy and looks very pretty but really easy to make…here’s the recipe.

1 c sugar

2/3 c canned pumpkin

3/4 c flour

3 eggs

1 tsp each of salt, baking soda and cinnamon

Mix altogether and spread on greased wax paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15 min at 350. Let it cool a bit (so you don’t burn your hands for next step). Lay out a clean dish towel on your work space and sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar. Flip the pumpkin cake onto the powdered sugar, remove wax paper, gently roll cake up in dish towel (starting with short end) and let cool.

While it’s cooling mix the following ingredients together for the filling:

2 Tb margarine

8 oz. cream cheese at room temp.

1 c powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Once your cake is completely cool, unroll it and spread with the filling. Roll it up again, without the dish towel and cut into slices. Enjoy!

Side note: this dessert freezes well:)

4. Next Wednesday is the girls 2nd birthday. We are having a Cupcake Party with a couple friends. I’m excited!

5. I had an awesome experience and opportunity this week that reminded of me why I love my job. Although our vocation is challenging and faith stretching I was reminded what a privilege it is as well. It made me very thankful. I needed this reminder.

That’s it friends! Happy weekend!

Aubrey

1. Tonight we are having our staff team over for dinner in celebration of the craziness of the Fall being over. The first 4 weeks of school is super busy, draining and exciting. We are celebrating all that God has done, the many answers to prayers that we specifically prayed for and for what is to come! Here are my boys preparing the meat, one of their favorite things to do together.

2. The girls are becoming more and more interested in the potty. Actually they are more excited about it than I want them to be at this point but we’ll see where this goes. Here’s little Kaia having some “alone” time this morning.

3. We are so thankful that this Monday the weather finally broke. We’ve had highs of mid 80’s and cool nights. This is still warm but so much better than the triple digits and we are happy! Fall is my favorite season, not only do I love the weather but the colors of the season, Thanksgiving, I get to bring out my favorite comfy clothes and JEANS! I love to wear jeans:)

4. Saturday was harvest at the Barela house. We have a grapevine that is 3 years old that is Brian’s baby. He has done a wonderful job taking care of it and pruning just so. This year all of his hard work payed off and we picked about 20 pounds of grapes! Awesome! Now what does one do with 20 pounds of grapes? Yep, that is what I’m trying to figure out.

5. Tomorrow night we are starting a parenting session for the next 8 weeks at local church. Craig Castor series that we are using. I’m excited to learn more but a little nervous how this will all play out.

I’m going to try a new thing on Fridays called 5 on Friday. It’ll be 5 random facts, thoughts, happenings of us Barelas. We’ll see how it goes.

1. I got my hair colored this week. I’m a very dark brunette with carmelly highlights. I like it. It’s different. My husband really likes it so that is a bonus! I’ve also decide to grow my hair out. Right now it’s a little past my shoulders and at this point I cut it but I’m gonna let it grow for awhile.
2. Ever hear of toticollis? Well Miss T woke up with it on Sunday and it lasted 4 days or so. Basically it’s a stiff neck for children that comes sometimes after an upper respiratory infection, which she had the week before. Poor thing was walking around with a crooked head and had to turn her whole body to look in the right directiont. Kinda cute at the same time though She kept saying “Neck hurts, Mommy”. All is well now.
3. There are 10 little pink toes running around here. I painted the girls toes painted for the first time. They look so cute and they are so proud. I felt like it was a coming of age for me and my girls. One again, the realization that I don’t have babies anymore but little ladies.
4. We love the library! Right now we probably have about 25 books checked out. I know, that’s a lot but we really read them all throughout the week. We look for books that have to do with the letter of the week we are doing in preschool and whatever else Mase is interested in that week. The girls are also into picking their own picks out too, which is fun to see. We really enjoy the story time where they sing and dance and hear stories. My kids are known for their “intense” dancing as someone once told me. They really get into it. Their favorite song is Shake Your Sillies Out.
5. Tomorrow morning I have my longest run of my training of the marathon. It’s a 22 miler. I’m gonna get a very early start because it’s supposed to be 103 here tomorrow. Fall weather, where are you? Looking forward to when I finish my run and get to relax the rest of the day!

That’s it for this week. Let me know you think of 5 on Friday.