Carnival

The school had an end of year carnival this past week. Brad was a trooper and took all of the kids alone thanks to me having to work more, and the kids had a blast. It was a lot of fun for them and put together well. 

 The balloons the kids got there. Emery's is a bracelet. 

 Emery and her friends. 

Park

Last week we went to the First Federal park. Everyone is so sick of the colder weather, so when we have even semi nice days we take advantage and get out. Good thing it wasn't too hot, because the park is usually packed the warmer it gets outside. 

As I did the boys update I realized that we used to take a lot more pictures. The thing that doesn't make sense is then we had to get the camera out and take them, now that I have one on my phone we don't take pictures very often. I think a good new goal is to take pictures just because and put more random ones on here so the kids have more memories from when they were kids. 

11 Years Old

Every year it's the same thing when the kids have birthdays, the time goes by way too fast. I was looking through baby pictures of Cam and Beck yesterday and it makes time seem to go that much faster. It's been a fun and interesting year with the boys since  they are really starting to try and figure out who they are...more on that later. They are finding out they don't have to share everything and do the same things all the time. Next school year will be interesting because they chose different electives, so they for sure will have separate classes. They are getting into different hair colors, so we bleached their hair again, this time we did the whole head. 

For their birthday this year we opened up presents before school because they got shirts and we thought they would want to wear them to school. All of the kids were awake and ready by 6:45 am. I guess they were a little too excited. At school they had the big year end math test on their birthday and somehow to each of them this was a good thing and they were glad it was on their birthday. At least they were happy for it I guess. 

I'm not sure if its a normal 5 year old thing or just a 'Brad and Kilie Barnes'  5 year old thing, but Jacks has been like Camden was at 5, very emotional, especially over little things. Not as bad as Cam was, but still lots of fun. With that going on it's been a good look back at how far Camden has come. From 5 to being so sensitive to now 11 and turning into his own person and much happier. He loves to help people, especially at school. Because he is so good at math he likes to help others who don't understand it. He tells me all the times that he stays back and helps in the library or his teacher, which as a mom is so nice to hear. If I ever have a math problem I turn to him and he can do it in his head every time. He really loves to figure things out and build some interesting things. Recently he made a hammock using his door and a blanket. It didn't last long because I made him take it down, but it was still a good idea.  When he and Jacks are in the perfect moods at the same time they are the best of friends and Camden will play with him so well; doing all of the imagination things Jacks loves to do. Then they turn around and annoy each other to no end. Cam has to be right and Jacks.... well Jacks is Brad's son and loves to just bug for the joy of it. He knows what to say and do to get a rise out of Camden and loves to do it. Camden has excelled this year in piano so much. I took a different approach this year with him and it's worked so well. He has played a lot more songs he likes and wants to learn and has gotten so much better because of it. When we moved rooms we thought Camden was the messy twin but he has surprised us and is actually the cleanest of all the kids. He seems to like to cook the most and helps me out when he can, or I let him have full control and see how well he can follow the recipe. Camden is more quiet when it comes to figuring out who he is. He likes to know he did a good job. The only bad thing is he thinks of 100 things at a time and then forgets to do other things. If he's in trouble now it's either bugging Jacks or not doing something we asked a few times because he go side-tracked and did something else. He has asked a lot of questions and was the first one to bring up where babies really come from. I could tell he had been trying to figure it out since the puberty talk. He knew all the anatomy of it, especially the boys side, but couldn't figure out the physiology of it. That was a fun conversation with them...We may be in-store for some interesting questions to come as he gets older. Camden's favorite food is fries. His favorite subject is math, and his favorite toy and game are fidget spinners and "Geometry Dash".

They even blow their candles out at the same time. They went to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Arrington and we had cake after. After sharing so much they did like having their own cake. 

Beckham has changed the most this year as far as becoming his own little person. He tries to be funny, sarcastic, and tough a lot. Sometimes it works, other times not so much. I have a pretty big needed space bubble and he likes to get close, so that's been fun. Another thing he likes to do is make up jokes. Some are funny, others are pretty racist, those we put a stop to fast and have to talk why they aren't actually funny or appropriate. Like Cam he loves math. If I ask how school was he will always say fun, especially if they have a math test. I think he has tried a little more this year to become just Beck, not Beck the twin. He seems to try and do his own thing more than Cam. Even with this, he still loves Cam and needs him around. He's like me and enjoys just hanging out in his room without anyone or any noise. Anything we let them do that makes him feel like he's getting to be more adult like or more responsible he loves. We let them ride to the gas station once and he loved it.  Beck is one to talk, he loses focus because he's always thinking about what he can tell us. He does repeat a lot, but I love that he talks so much and is so open. He always talks about what he wants to be when he grows up and it's always changing. They got a DC fighting game for their birthday, it doesn't come out for a week or so, but he tells me all of the time who he wants on his team and asks who I want. I have to tell him every time that I don't know the names of most of the characters and I don't really play games a whole lot. After we watch a movie, every time he asks what is my favorite part. I try and watch to have a specific one to tell him. Beckham likes to make book ideas or characters. He gets an idea and is obsessed with for a few days then switches onto the next thing shortly after. He is good at just getting things done, mainly so he can have game time. He loves to play video games, so when he's out of game time he usually just follows me around the house. One weird thing he does, (well I think it's weird, Brad said he did it), is he will jump and hit the top of every door opening with his hand. EVERY DOOR EVERY TIME! He likes that he is almost as tall as me and tries to size me up all the time. I can always count on Beck to notice things, he is going to make someone very happy some day. If I cut my hair or get a new shirt or just do something different he notices and comments on it. He is still such a sweet boy. Even when I came in to listen to the puberty talk with them he pulled a seat up for me to sit next to him and gave me a hug in front of his friends. (Cam just said hi and sat away from me ha) His favorite food is sandwiches. Beck's favorite subject is math, and his favorite game and toy are "Destiny" and fidget spinners.

 I love doing these yearly look backs. It really makes me take time to sit down and see all of the wonderful thinks that our kids do and at what amazing kids we have. Just a few pictures I have on the computer of the boys. I had to make myself stop, there are too many good ones. 

Going day to day sometimes it's hard to not look at what frustrating thing they did, but really they are such good boys and that outweighs anything else. I love the little men they are molding into and while I wish it would go slower, I can't wait to see what the next years bring with these two great boys. 

If You Give Me Paint

Have you read the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"? That same concept applies for Brad and I and decorating... If you give Brad and Kilie a gallon of paint, then they will re-do all of their decor. It started with our room/bathroom. I didn't like the color in there and wanted to paint it again. Once it was up Brad liked it a lot and we thought it would go well in the kitchen when we finally get to the cabinets in there. Then came the stairs, which I was really glad to paint over that. Then came the planter shelf. Once the wood was done it wasn't really what we wanted it to look like, so we finally took it down and painted that. I think we finally have it how we like it, which is good because we are almost out of blue paint.  

Genius Hour

In school the boys have something called Genius Hour. Their teacher let them research anything they want, then they have to do a power point and present it for the class. They have loved this and done a lot of topics. Beck is slightly obsessed with "IT" the movie/book. He isn't allowed to read the book but saw they old movie. He choose to do a GH on Stephen King and play the new "IT" trailer. Last week Cam Beck and a friend all did one on dogs. They do all like dogs, but mainly they just wanted to bring the dogs into class. Monday Brad went and watched and took them in, which the boys loved. The speech got a little long, so this is only about half of it, but they did a really good job. 

Remember a few weeks ago Camden was a little nervous to sleep at a friends? Well this past weekend it was Beck's turn. They both were at a friends house and called to stay the night. They wanted some things at home and came home to get them. We asked where they were staying and Camden wanted to stay home but Beck didn't, so we told Beck if he wants then just go but Camden doesn't want to go. A fun side note is they were semi grounded from games. Instead of having their normal time they were only allowed 20 min a day due to not following rules. This had a little pull in Cam's decision, but he also didn't want to be away from home. Beck went and we started to watch movies at home. About 45 min later Beck came home, he said it was weird and he didn't really like not having Camden there. The joys of twins and them really never separating from each other. 

Water and Bikes

We did a lot of yard work last week, just before all of the rain this week. The rain was helpful since we did lay some seed down. While we were cleaning up we put a little water on the grass. It's been so long since they were able to swim so they played in the sprinklers. Jacks was trying to spray Beck and ended up shooting Brad and I in the face instead. 

 The other night Jacks must not have been tired at all because he was up for a long time in his room. If he's quiet we don't mind to a certain time. He came out and said he had a present for us. It was candy in an egg in a glove in a hat. He was still up and so I went and checked on him and he was making a note for everyone. He said he wanted to be nice and give everyone a surprise. 

 He wrote a note to everyone,  it just said to --- from Jacks and left them a quarter. Jacks was excited to be able to do this for everyone.  He is a very sweet boy. It did backfire a little because later in the week we went to Michael's and he saw something he liked but I told him he had to save his money to get it. He said he tired but he gave his money to everyone... oops. 

The older three kids have bikes and ride them around a lot. We had a smaller one but it broke, so Jacks didn't have one. Every time we would look outside the kids would be riding and he'd try to run along or just be sitting at the basketball hoop. It was a pretty sad site to see. We went one day and sized out bikes to get him one for his bday and he fell in love with a motorcycle one and has been asking for it since. Little did he know we bought it but were waiting, but  every time we went to Walmart this would happen....

Since the weather has been a little better we decided to give it to him early. He was pretty excited to get out and ride it once it really sunk in he now has a bike. 

 He still has a little practice to do, but so far he has loved it. 

More Recorders

The boys had a small recorder concert at school last week. They did really well, and Camden was even in the master group, meaning he passes off all of the songs he was given. 

I'm not going to lie, I''m glad they are done and we have a little bit before Emery does it too. 

Easter Weekend

We had a big Barnes party last weekend. It was Grandma and Grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary party and the Easter Party. The egg hut has gotten smaller and smaller in the years since the boys started, but the kids still love doing them. 

 Almost all of the family was in town so we did family pictures. This is just all the grand-kids! 

Emery was in a bad mood before we left so I may or may not have threatened them if they don't smile and listen they will go to bed early for a few days. Jacks really took this to heart and had this look on his face literally the whole time. He didn't move once he was set. He did do what I asked at least.  

Cute Kids

The kids had class pictures this week and this is what Jacks picked out to wear. He's like his dad who wore kind of the same thing, but Brad took it a strep farther and had a briefcase as well.

 Last week they took their clothes setting out a step farther. I should mention they did this while they were supposed to be in bed sleeping. To make up for it both their signs say that we are the best mom and dad. 

The Toe

If you know me well, you know I HATE feet. They are so nasty and sweaty and smelly... ugh just the worst. A week ago Cam came limping into the house and said someone close the door on his foot. He had his tennis shoes on, so we weren't sure what to expect. When he took his shoe off this is what we saw. 

I'm not sure how hard someone closed the door to do this but it was pretty nasty. He was freaking out and didn't want it touched. We wrapped it in hopes that the nail may go down, but by bed it didn't. After a lot of convincing we were finally able to gt him distracted and Brad pushed it back down. Even the pictures make my stomach turn.