Briggs turns 5

Don't know why I didn't post something about this earlier. Briggs turned 5 and was way excited about everything. We had his favs for supper (chicken nuggets) and then cupcakes and ice cream. All during Christmas he would say, "I want that," regarding just about everything he saw. I went a around the week before the birthday and got a bunch of the less expensive stuff. Greg and Kristen also came through with a second Nerf shooter. Shoo-weet.

While Greg and Kristen and Faye were here we made an excursion to the Swannanoa fire station, Station 6. We see these guys out a lot at various events, so Briggs knew exactly what he wanted to see when we got to the station. We had a very nice tour led by Firefighter Aaron Harwood. We got to poke around all the apparatus and see lots of gear. Near the end when we were listening to sirens and horns, FF Harwood offered us a trip around the block in one of the trucks! Awe-some!! Briggs was a little nervous so Kristen actually rode as Captain. But the Barker boys were smitten with the cruise! Briggs got his first station patch and Eli got another to add to his collection. Here are a bunch of pictures.

Calvin's 1st

We had a small party for Calvin's first birthday tonight. Wade and Faye Talbot came by to help celebrate (they watch Calvin on Tuesday mornings so everyone can go to work and school). Calvin was very sleepy this evening so by the time we got around to cake and ice cream, he was not very interested. He had a blast earlier, though, showing off for everyone. He's most pleased with himself over his walking abilities! It's pretty gratifying to see that even Eli can work up a goofy grin for a fun occasion (he was very concerned that his braces not be visible). Here are the rest of the pictures.

Slip and slide

Libby slid on the steps from the second floor to the first this morning. Just as she and the boys were heading to school. They got to hear and appreciate the sound of pain! we got sort of bogged down and Eli was late to school. By the time I got back from dropping him and Briggs off, Libby had managed to move to the sofa. We went to urgent care a little while later and learned she's broken toe #2 on her left foot (she had slid into the newel post). They bandaged it today and she'll go to an orthopod on Wednesday to have done whatever they do for a broken toe. I tried to pull an image off the x-ray disc they gave her, but it wasn't a compatible format; bummer. Trooper that she is, she went on to Manna at lunch-time.

The snowy day

It's not so much the snow as it is the cold: 9 degrees this morning (soaring near 20 at the time I write this). But enough snow to close everything, including the church office. No rehearsals! After 15 minutes of getting ready and putting on clothes, Eli and Briggs lasted about 5 minutes outside this morning. While all that was going on, Calvin found a soda can in the recycling and claimed it as his own. BTW: he's walking now, in that herky-jerky way beginners do.