Sunshine, Springtime, and Shopping!

Today is a yummy day! It's just beautiful, the sun is out with just a few clouds, the snow has melted away, and the green grass is looking happy as can be! Spring is finally arriving! I'm overjoyed at this thought, it's still only about 45 degrees outside but i think after i go to the gym and get home I'm going to take a good book outside and soak up some sunshine, even if I have to wear sweats and a sweatshirt to keep warm just sitting in the sun will be amazing!

Along with the sunshine spring colors are out again! That means stores aren't filled with dark colors anymore but lovely pastels; blue, pink, yellow, green, the colors of spring! Soon will come summer colors which are super bright! Oh happy day! Along with spring comes flowers, not the lovely kind that comes from a boy but the ones that pop up in the most random places, little flowers all over the hills waving in the wind. Gardens full of color, fresh fruit, strawberries, new baby animals at the farms i drive past everyday! Oh and with the passing of February they gym empties back out all the new years eve resolutions of getting in shape are out the window and it's just the dedicated people still around! I'll finally get to use my favorite machines again! Oh and my Bald Eagles will be coming back, flying by the window, perching on the trees in the back yard! Happy happy day!

Micah story time: When Micah woke up i told him that we needed to get all dressed because we needed to run some errands, so we got all dressed and ready and hopped into the car! Well i needed to go to the bank but what i really needed was to just get out of the house and it was raining so there was no way we could go to a park or anything so i decided to go shopping. Upon pulling into the mall parking lot Micah takes one look and says "NO I am NOT going in that dress store" I've only taken him to Maurice's three times in the last 4 months! So i convinced him that we were going to other stores too, and managed to get him out of the car and we walk into the mall and towards Maurice's and before we even get to the entrance he plants his feet into the ground removes his hand from mine looks at it and declares "i don't want to...i don't like that dress store, it's ugly." hahaha Good thing I'm bigger than him, we went in anyways and the lady that works there greets us with how are you today and Micah using his manners (I'm always telling him that he needs to use his manners and answer when people ask him a question) says "I don't like it here, it's bad" Then proceeds to show the lady his nice glow in the dark bracelet he had. so while i shopping he informs me that he is going to hide and run away and that we need to leave and he's thirsty and anything he can think of to get out of the awful store. The ladies got a kick out of him! I have such a special job! He's so sweet though no matter how much of a pain he can be sometimes it's so worth it when i tuck him into bed for his nap time and he blows me kisses and tells me I'm his favorite!

Oh ya another big thing...I Allyson Renee Barton have 3 days off and i didn't go to Oregon! How crazy amazing is that!

nap time

Just a quick little story about micah....so he woke up from his nap the other day and came out and looked at me and asked "where's my mom?" "she's at work Micah" "then i'm going back to bed" and back into his room he marched and shut the door....i guess i don't rate as high as his mom! lol
Today he woke up asked where she was and when i told him he said he didn't want anything and she didn't need to get money...i think he might be missing mommy time.

fun weekend

Well as most of you know my weekends have been spent driving down to Oregon to see everyone, and i'm exhausted! haha i guess it's about time my lack of sleep and constant driving got me! But let me tell you it has been so worth it! I love my friends and family so much and i have so much fun when i'm with them! Most of the time we just hang out and talk and play games and such, but this last weekend we went skiing, well i went skiing they snowboarded. It was Brandon, Kyle, Kimbria, David, Jordan, Scott, and me. we were on the mountain all day long and it was not snow it was pretty much all ice and super scary but it was a blast at the same time. I did break my new years resolution of not getting hurt this time for sure! I hurt my hand pretty badly at first it looked like i may have broken it but now it's just looking badly sprained which is a good thing! I wonder how much longer it will be until i just move back to Oregon...
oh i think i may go to school and get a degree in journalism....hmmm maybe photo journalism.... at least i'll take some writing classes as soon as i can! Next weekend is Idaho!!!! the weekend after that back to oregon i go!

Safe Homes

Lately i have been made so thankful for those homes that are open for the young people to come over whenever they want. The homes that you walk in a just know you are welcome, the homes that are always stocked full of food, the homes where i can talk about meetings and not be looked at like i'm crazy, the homes where i know i'm safe!

So i'm living in a trailer....i finally have a schedule... i pretty much work 6-6 5 days a week but that's kinda just a rough schedule and only until may when mark goes back out to sea. Anyways when mark gets home i can leave and go where ever i want, well i don't like to stay in my trailer, it's cold and pretty lonely. Which is why i have become so thankful for safe houses, and for invites to eat dinner or spend an evening playing games with the friends.

So of the houses i have found to be a safe place for me are...
Ulshafers-they were the first safe house that i ever discovered, i still lived at home but i loved to go places and their home was always open to me. it helped that two of my best friends lived here!

Fileners- i know that i can drop in here whenever i need a place to stay or a place to hang out. This one is always loud and full of kids and fun!

Davitos- i was never as close to them as i was to some of the others but i did know that i could come here whenever i wanted to...plus they built a lovely home with space just for the college kids to come study and play.

Steirs- they were my "family" in San Luis and i loved everything they did for me. Always had the fireplace warm and a chair waiting for me so i could come over and read after work anytime i wanted to

Vances- Everyone knows that i loved to go see my little Gracie girl, but i did truly enjoy talking with Truitt and Heidi as well! I always felt more than welcome there and enjoyed every minute spent with that family!

Cruz- They still had a million kids at home that i loved to hang out with, but it also seemed like Julie always had an ear open to listen when i needed to talk and i loved being there!

Shoryers- They are my new washington "family" i was so thankful for the invite to come over after work anytime i wanted to and during work they said i could bring Micah if i needed a change of pace. They also have kids my age which is wonderful!

Of course all my wonderful family, aunts and uncles, grandparents have made me feel more than welcome and i loved going to their places to...

Anyways i guess i just wanted to say thank you to anyone who has ever opened their home to any of the young kids...especially the college age ones. It's a hard time in life so full of decisions and questions, and influences and it is so wonderful to know that there is a safe place that we can go and get away from the world and the busyness of life and slow down and have fellowship! I hope someday i can have a home that is able to be opened to a safe place!