23 December 2009

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Barkers!

This year has been a busy year for us! But it’s also been the BEST year too!

Dallin and I started off the year by deciding that we wanted to get married! Well, we’d been talking a lot about getting married up to this point, but hadn’t decided when we wanted to. On January 2, we went to a friend’s wedding at the Salt Lake Temple and decided that we wanted to get married on May 1, 2009! We were so happy and Dallin called the Salt Lake Temple the very next day to make the appointment.

The next few months were a blur of school, working, planning a wedding and not sleeping very much! I don’t know what we would have done without all of the help from our parents! We want to thank them especially for all the hard work and planning to make May 1st such an amazing day. It went off without a hitch. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was wonderful! It was so awesome to see so many friends and family that day. Thanks to everyone!

After a week in Park City, Dallin and I began settling into married life. We have spent lots of time laughing. It has been such a blessing to be married to my best friend! We are currently renting an apartment in Murray. We love it here! We spent most of the summer working AND playing. We spent several days and nights rock climbing in Sandy and had fun on camping trips in the Unitas and Ogden Canyon. We fished, we hiked Timp, we went to Zion’s National Park, and enjoyed spending lots of time with our families!

I am currently finishing my last class online through BYU and I’m almost done! Dallin transferred to the University of Utah in August and is really enjoying his first semester there! He is taking 16 credits and staying very busy, but he is doing great. We’ve had some fun as I’ve changed jobs and adjusted to new work environments, but decided that every experience we have can be a learning experience so we’re very happy where we are now.

This Holiday Season, we are reminded of all our wonderful friends and family that have given us so much support. We are so grateful for your generosity, your examples, and your kindness. Thank you for making our lives better! Thank you for sharing your love with us. We hope your holidays will be full of love and laughter.

Love Always,

Dallin & Becki Barker

07 December 2009

i love christmas time!

It really is my favorite time of year! Here are a few of my favorite things:

Christmas Trees!
(ours is small, but I LOVE it! thanks mom for letting us use your tree and decorations!)
Christmas Lights!


Christmas Music!

But most of all, I love spending time with my family. Christmas without family isn't Christmas at all. Christmas is about spending time with the people that love us most. Christmas is about love and service and giving. Christmas is about worshiping our Savior who lived and died for us so that we can be resurrected and return to our Heavely Father someday. I'm so grateful that we have such a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of our Savior and to celebrate his life!

02 December 2009

my husband loves me!

he helps me look for jobs
he wakes me up when i'm having a bad dream and holds me til i fall asleep again
he doesn't complain when dinner is lame
he tells me that he loves me at least a hundred times a day
he pushes me to be a better person

i sure love him!

23 November 2009

the job hunt


so i'm on the job hunt once again. the job i am currently at is a seasonal job, so i may or may not have a job after the new year starts. i won't know until probably the last week of december. but let's be honest, everyone knows i hate the job i have now, so i'm looking for something else. the problem is that i'm having a hard time finding a new one. i guess i'm too picky. my requirements for a new job are: 1) they pay similar to what i'm making now (we have to pay the bills somehow!) and 2) i'd like it if i actually LIKED my job. i know, apparently i'm picky and asking too much! dal and i are searching like crazy for jobs, so if you guys know of anything, please let us know!

and i just want to say how grateful i am for dallin. i tend to get discouraged as i get turned down for job after job, but he is so supportive. i feel like a loser, but he insists that i am not. bless him. i love you so much dal! thanks for always having my back!

18 November 2009

a note on the fridge

so i was in the breakroom today at work, heating up my yummy leftovers for lunch. as i was waiting for my food, i saw this note on the nearby fridge.
basically just saying that they are going to clean out the fridge every friday.

wait, what does THAT part say? let's zoom in:



a reminder that everyone could benefit from:
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR BOWELS IN THE FRIDGE!
it just seems unnecessary (and kind of gross too)... i'm just sayin.

13 November 2009

10 things I love about my husband DALLIN FLOYD BARKER

1) He LOVES me and he always lets me know.
2) He’s EXTRA! Extra handsome. Extra nice. Extra awesome. Etc.
3) He is a great cook. I have not had a single bad tasting meal since we got married (unless I’m cooking…). Everything he makes is absolutely delicious!
4) We have fun together! Whether it’s rock climbing, camping, fishing, four-wheeling, setting up the tent in our living room, or just watching TV, he is always making me laugh.
5) He doesn’t make fun of me unless I deserve it. He doesn’t laugh when I cry and when I’m upset he is so patient with me.
6) He believes in me. Even when I don’t. Whether it’s about school, or my job, or my climbing skills (or lack thereof) he always tells me that I can do anything and that he has total confidence in me.
7) He works so hard. I don’t know if you know this about him, but he is taking 16 credits at the U this semester! And he works almost every day. And he still helps me cook and clean up! He is such a great husband!
8) He is always surprising me. Sometimes it’s with an extra hug or kiss when we leave in the morning. Or he makes the bed. Or folds some laundry. He is so selfless and is always doing nice things for me. Last week, he bought me the new Andrea Bocelli Christmas CD. (It is awesome and it has the Mo-Tab Choir on it, so check it out!)
9) He is AWESOME. I know I already said this, but I just want to reiterate. My husband is cool. Shades at night cool.
10)

He puts up with me always making mistakes. Like that time last week when the haircut I was giving him turned into a buzz without an attachment… he just laughed and said it was fine. He trimmed his beard to match his short hair and gave me a hug and kiss. Even though I was near tears, he just told me he loved me.

How much better can it get?!

14 October 2009

we should have our own cooking show.

by the husband AND the wife (pictures at the end. but seriously, you should read the whole thing. we're funny.)

dallin: many people think that because i enjoy cooking that i'm a pansy
becki: this is true. he's a pansy...
dallin: i'm here to tell you that this is a farse. cooking is not for pansies. and neither is watching cooking with ming or rachel ray. just thought i'd get that out there. so to all my brotha's, COOK ON. WITH PRIDE.
becki: okay, he's not a pansy (he paid me to say this publicly)
dallin: no i didn't. i'm serious.

dallin: cooking is not for the faint of heart. it takes patience. mathematics. chemistry. uh... courage. testosterone...
becki: uh...
dallin: ... and lots of love to cook something extraordinary! "what i say is true: ANYONE CAN COOK, but only the fearless can be great!"
becki: 5 bucks to who can name that movie
dallin: i know! i know!
becki: shush girl. shut your lips. do the helen keller and talk with your hips.
dallin: helen keller was a communist. i just think everyone should know that.
becki: that is unverifiable...
dallin: whatever! wikipedia that!

becki: but we digress...

dallin: i can't credit all of my cooking skill to watching the food network or reading cookbooks
becki: thanks to all for donating cookbooks to our cause. feed the barker's fund. always accepting donations. of food. or cookbooks.
dallin: i would have to credit my grandparents for teaching me proper measurements and how to throw noodles at the ceiling to make sure they are al dente.
becki: that's french right?
dallin: it's italian.
becki: i knew that. i was testing you...
dallin: i knew that.

dallin: [large sigh]... [chuckle]... also, i would have to say that becki is such an inspiration to my cooking abilities. but seriously, even though she typed that last part without my permission, it's true.
becki: you're taking the words right out of my mouth.
dallin: experimenting and trying things that might not work... the challenge of making new things makes it interesting, it always comes out delicious.
becki: it's true. i haven't had a bad meal yet, except for maybe the ones i cook myself...
dallin: [chuckle] um...
becki: you'll notice he didn't deny that...
dallin: [chuckle]

dallin: back to the subject at hand. we should have our own cooking show. many people ask why i didn't go to culinary arts school, but the reason is that the opportunity cost was too great. and all of our sponsors got dropped.
becki: just for the record, i CAN cook. even though dallin doesn't say so. i've made many culinary masterpieces.
dallin: okay, that is true.

becki: okay, now that we sound super full of ourselves, let me just say that we LOVE cooking together. it's one of our favorite activities.
dallin: yeah... [dreamy sigh]
becki: and we like to take pictures of our creations. and maybe a video or two... that we might share
dallin: SHOWTIME [jazz hands accompanied by a sing song voice]
becki: [used car salesman smile]
dallin: so to all you peeps, may you cook with confidence and enjoy it. one love. [next comment censored by wife]
becki: seriously dallin?
dallin: i'm not swearing people. honest. sometimes the things i have to say are just too awesome. normal people can't handle it...
becki: but we digress... again... so here are pictures. after all the talk of exotic and exciting dishes, here are pictures of a bunch of normal food that we cooked.

to start, we have the appetizer and a drink: freshly carved melon & a mango lime fool



for the next course, we have your choice of either gnocchi or a thai noodle creation

next for the main course: rack of lamb or smoked salmon


and finally dessert: maybe you can find room for both the chocolate souffle or the baked alaska

(sorry the lighting on that baked alaska is so bad, it was hard to get the flame to really show up in the light...)

06 October 2009

The Success of Life

There are a few things I'm good at. Being a good cook, good looking and an awesome athlete. I know, I know I'm just being modest but let us be real, I'm successful at a lot more than that but I'll keep it brief.

Success is a strong word when used as flippantly as we use it today. For example, "Look at that guy he makes lots of money, he is successful." Or, "That is amazing! She must be successful at playing the banjo." And my personal favorite "You're successful! How do you do it?!?" To all of these I say, "Are you serious? That isn't success you nerd! Living is success!"

Now, I don't want to bore you with all of my philosophical or scientific, metamathematical mind blowing knowledge but hear me out. Some days I just think that it is a miracle that I just don't explode with joy, for my cup does runneth ore'. I believe that we as humans are a success. Sure, we don't like each other and we are in a constant state of trying to either kill each other or the very least obliterate one another but honestly there is good in the world.

I witnessed over the weekend that LIFE is not just a game we play on Sunday night with our families when we get bored but it is miracle that we live everyday. God is great and loves us, General Conference is a confirmation of that love. The prophets today really do want the best for us. I'm truly grateful for the love and blessings our Heavenly Father shows us daily, it is awesome!

Last night, my greatest joy Becki shared with me what compelled her to help a lady at her work get to the Trax station so she didn't have to walk or wait outside. Becki told me, "She looked like she had a hard life, she needed a friend and I just couldn't pass her by." WOW! And I thought I was awesome, the woman I married is 100 times the person I am(that is saying a lot considering how much I think of myself). Becki is an example of what she learned at General Conference, and I would hope that a person as vain and self-centered as myself could do something as noble.

The adventures never end at the Barker house and there are more to come. I have come to find that adventures are around every corner in our lives and we should be brave and take them on. Adventure is out there. Stay tuned for the next post of adventures and hilarious writings by yours truly. One Love.

05 October 2009

i know lots of good people!

i'm grateful for the husband who stayed on the phone with me while i was freaking out about my car breaking down in the middle of rush hour traffic. i'm grateful for the Honda World mechanic and his wife that stopped to help me and stayed with me til my parents got there to tow me to the mechanic. i'm grateful that i had parents to call that could tow my car. i'm not so grateful for the car repair, but i'm grateful that we have a working car again!

19 September 2009

foul ball



i love the look on the dad's face when she throws the ball back!
later, a Phillies usher walked a new ball up to the girl

subaru impreza hatchback

dear dallin-

when you become a $millionaire$ (or have an extra $25,000 laying around), can we please buy one of these?
they are my favorite...
love,
becki

17 September 2009

bagel sunday

dallin & i love to cook together!

a few weeks ago, dallin got it in his head that he wanted to make bagels. has anyone ever made those before? i don't know about you, but it sounded pretty intimidating to me!

well, needless to say we did it anyway. we had a blast! they were delicious! this is now our
favorite thing to make.

they take a little bit of time, but boy is it worth it!





14 September 2009

bathroom etiquette

don't worry this isn't graphic :)

i just find it laughable that some people are so clueless to what bathroom etiquette includes that signs like this have to show up in the restrooms at work:




12 September 2009

i'll stick with you

dallin & i
are always looking for fun (& cheap) ways to decorate our apartment.

this latest work of art was 100% dallin's idea.
& what a GREAT one it was!


a trip to DI & $6 was all it took.
(we used velcro to hang them up. this is a great way to hang things without using nails.)

do YOU have any fun decorating ideas?

11 September 2009

sweet thing

i was looking over some wedding pictures and wanted to post a few.

my. wedding. cake. was. AMAZING.

my aunt cindy made it and my sister alison did all the flowers on the cake. it turned out even better than imagined it would.

so-

thank you alison for making it perfect for me. i loved it so much! (and for my awesome wedding video, and for everything else you did...)



04 September 2009

job adventures

i had my first day of training at my new job today. i work for a company called extend health. here are a few things about my day:

1- extend health calls their training, "extend university," but it's actually more like kindergarten. i got a sticker with my name on it to put on my shirt. i also received a piece of construction paper with instructions to write my name on it and keep it with me so that everyone can know my name. (isn't that what a name tag is for?) later i got a yellow sticker to stick on my name tag because i am a visual-verbal learner. yay me!

2- this is not a call center, it's a "retiree service center." i am not an insurange agent, i am an "advisor." i don't work in sales, i work in the "enrolling department."

3- a conversation i had today as i pulled out my phone to send a text to dallin. stranger: so, have you been texting for long? me: um... no. i just pulled it out. stranger: no, i mean have you known how to text for very long? me: um...yes?

4- my "homework" is to bring a picture of my favorite senior citizen to work tomorrow.

5- my new best bud at work is mr. wright. he told me i could call him chris. he's about 70 years old and in exchange for showing him how to use a computer, he tells me stories about places he used to work.


okay, yes. so i'm slightly ashamed of my job. but also amused. i can't wait for what tomorrow holds... i guess i'll stay there until i invent something that makes me a million bucks.

27 August 2009

opposition in all things

don't worry

we're still best friends [proof > or here]
we still love each other! [proof > neither one pushed the other off the top :) ]
we're happy as clams [ proof > really, there are clams...]

23 August 2009

welcome home berk!

berkeley got back from her mission in belem, brazil this past wednesday



so glad to have you back!

20 August 2009

aqarium adventure

our aquarium adventure!









if you haven't been to the living planet aquarium in sandy, you need to go!

05 August 2009

Sushi

one of dallin's and my favorite places to go for sushi (well, for food actually) is yamasaki restaurant in murray. the soft shell crab is my favorite sushi roll there, but i haven't had one that i didn't love. if you don't like sushi, they have lots of other things to eat there too. we love it!

02 August 2009

Angels Landing with My Angels!











Yeah, I know I'm lame.... and i don't blog.... and no one reads it....and this post is late but it was fun and we had an awesome adventure.
So on the weekend after the Forth of July....Go America!!!!! The Barkers got together to have a little reunion. We had the AZ Barkers, the SLC Barkers, the Murray Barkers and Jana was there too.
On Thursday night after work, Becki and I packed up the car and we headed to St. George or San Jorge as it is commonly known. My Dad (Dr. Dave) Had rented a condo where we could all stay and have fun meeting together. We arrived to find my Dad and brother Ammon chilling at the condo while the girls were out to a play at the Tuacahn.
The following morning we plastered on the sunscreen and headed to Zions for a day of hiking. Lest we all forget Barkers never have vacations they have adventures and their adventures never have a shortage of hikes.
Dr. Dave decided it would all behoove the family if we hiked Angels Landing. This is no joke sheer cliff on either side the whole time...well pretty much.
Emma my little angel face was also in company with us and enjoyed the view from the curb and making 'Aunt Jemima' proud with her up do....I thought it was racist even though she is only one year old....okay just kidding.
We had an awesome time weaving in and out of the chains toward the top of the landing and trying not to fall to our deaths. But the view was spectacular.
After a quick lunch mostly consisting of a 5 pound bag of 'Good n Plenty' and some chips we were on the way down.
After returning to the shuttle stop and after I entertained Emma for a while Dr. Dave wanted to go see Weeping Rock which was well worth the ten feet walk from the road.
On the return trip back to the condo we all talked of taking showers and relaxing at the pool. Which sounded great to me because we looked like a mess! The pool and showers were in fact extremely relaxing and cooled everyone off after a good days hike.
That night we had some cooking demonstrations preformed by yours truly and the lovely Becki. We showed the family how to make a delicious meal on a budget and that it can still taste great! Later Jes talked about real budgeting which I enjoyed and thought about how I should stop buying balinese mahogany toilet brushes to save money.
On Saturday morning most of us went to the St George temple, then we all met up for brunch before heading our separate ways. It was a great trip and Becki and I really had a great time.
Well despite the fact it was a late post it was still awesome. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures form the Murray Barkers!!! One love.

29 July 2009

happy birthday america (3ish weeks late)

we're still catching up...

this 4th of july was tons of fun for me! it's the first 4th i haven't spent with my family, but it was fun spending the day with dallin's extended family. lots of traditions that i got to be a part of and definitely some adventure thrown in too.

we started the day out by watching the murray parade. it comes right by our apartment, so we didn't have to get up early to get spots, all we did was put camping chairs out on the porch and watch!

next we went to jake and tyra's for a water fight. i'll admit, i was NOT excited for this. running around in a backyard just spraying each other in the face did not really sound like fun. but dallin promised me that it would be awesome, so we over. i was in for a HUGE surprise. this was no ordinary backyard waterfight. this was well organized guerilla warfare. there were two teams on different blocks. each team had a truck had all sorts of weapons. there were water buckets, water guns, balloons, a baby pool, garbage cans filled to the max, water sticks, and even an old fire extinguisher filled up with water! we attacked back and forth for a few rounds, and got a lot of the neighborhood involved before we called it quits. i think every single person was soaking wet. it was so much fun!

after the waterfight we just hung out at the hawkins for a while. we had pizza for lunch, talked about michael jackson, you know, the usual. the dallin and i went home to change into dry clothes and then we went to see kira at smart cookie. i had some frozen hot chocolate (frohocho- thanks katy b) and we ate some really great cookies.


after that we headed back to the hawkins. after some great food (especially the guac that dal & i made) and some more visiting with the cousins and aunts and uncles, we watched a great firework show. i'd say it was even better than the stadium of fire.

happy birthday america! i'm so grateful that i live in the U.S. and have the freedoms that i do. i am so blessed to live where i want, to worship the way i believe, to have men and women that are willing to fight for our country and so much more. thank you everyone!