1940 – The Year Greatness Began

Today, September 14, my eternal partner of 43 years turns 70. I am more in love with him today than the day we married. He’s the one I’m growing old with. He’s the one who holds my hand and says “the best is yet to be……”

I like making lists. I’m a “list” type of person. Helps keep my life ordered. So here’s a short list of some of the reasons I love this man. This I do to honor him for his 70 years well-lived.

1) He is retired from full-time employment and yet works tirelessly serving others. Some examples of his serving:

-He helps a friend remodel a 40 year old home for this friend’s son. He’s been there working about one day a week for several months now.

-He fixes screen doors, hangs pictures, builds shelves, paints (yes lots of painting), and many more “handy-man” jobs for his daughters and sons-in law that live in town. And when he goes to Utah, he does the same for his sons.

-If anyone is moving in or moving out, he is there working side-by-side the 20 and 30 year olds. He’s usually the first one there and the last one to leave

-He volunteers to help anyone who needs help, whether it is yard work, house work, building, repairing, he’s the man

-He volunteers for community service and serves on two committees for the town of Farragut

-He unloads trucks at the Bishop’s storehouse (a job for a much younger man)

-He researches and does genealogy for others, as well as his own family

2) He spends lots of time with his grandchildren---not just babysitting, but taking them to baseball games, and other fun things

3) He is honest, faithful, pure of heart, and loves his God, family, neighbors, and friends

4) He treats me like a queen and honors my womanhood

5) He has supported me in everything I’ve ever tried to do whether I was good at it or not

Oh, yes, and what I like best of all is that he is so modest and unassuming. This post will no doubt embarrass him to no end. Happy 70th birthday and may you have many, many more birthdays to celebrate the wonderful man you are. Here’s a few snapshots of this amazing man.

Six year old

High School Pictures 1955-1958


Captain of the Baseball Team



Serving a mission in Argentina 1960-1963

Love of baseball - holding Troy before playing in a baseball game - 1968

Russ Trying to grow a beard while attending Utah State - 1973

Serving as Bishop of the Oak Grove Ward in Walnut Creek, CA

Russ the Engineer with Ash and Landy 1983 - Bechtel

Towards the end of his nine years as Stake President - celebrating the church's Sesquicentennial at the World Fair Grounds - July 1997

Elder Robert D. Hales, Sharlene, Russ - day of his release from being Stake President - November, 1998

Babysitter extraordinaire - 2000 -------------------My true love - pix taken 1999

September 14, 2010

September beauties

If anyone needs peppers or tomatoes, come see us. And in another two weeks or so, we'll have our second batch of Zucchini ready. Yum! Many flower blossoms are edible too.

Surprise at a cemetery

I recently made a trip to Scott County to search out Sexton geneology information. To my surprise I found that one of our living Knoxville family members already has his name on a tombstone. Look closely at the middle column, third from the bottom.

Shown above is the back of the gravestone for David's grandparents, Oswell and Rema Sexton, in Botts Cemetery in Scott County.

Posted by Dad

$40 Target Gift winner announced

Susan Krueger-Barber is the winner of our back to SCHOOL give a way. Her comment:

“A history lesson in honor of my husband and SCHOOLhouse Rock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvH7ySQi37E”

Congratulations and may you enjoy every shopping moment at Target. A gift card for $40 is being mailed to Susan today.

Thanks to all of you who participated. Loved all the comments! All were very clever. :)

Back-to-school in August?

We old folks often say: “I remember when………..” But it’s true; we do remember when school didn’t start until after Labor Day, a more appropriate time. Anything before September just seems outrageous and wrong, and yet, for most of our own children’s lives and definitely our grandchildren, it’s been back to school in August----even mid-August for those in Tennessee.

I started a tradition when my own children were school age to have a big party the week or so before the kiddies were to go “back-to-school.” So naturally that tradition kept going once I had grandchildren living by me who were school age. It started out small with just Trey and Allie, but it’s grown and grown. The type of activity changes through the years. Here are a few pictures from “some” of the “back-to-school” parties we’ve held. Starting with the most recent one.

And hey, we haven’t had a giveaway for a long time. So make a clever comment including the word SCHOOL, and you may be the winner of a Target Gift Card so you can buy those school supplies. Everyone is welcome to enter---you don’t have to belong to the Barber family to enter. Here’s hoping the air conditioners don’t break at the schools this month. This giveaway will end Monday, August 16 at 12 noon. School starts in Knoxville on August 17.

Everyone who attends the party goes home with a

gift bag full of school supplies

2010

2009

A few of the party-goers: Allie, Emma, Jonah, Carter - 2005

Part two of Barber Family Reunion

Here are a few more pictures, as there were just too many to limit to one post. After all, it only happens once every two years. Thanks to you children who shared some of your pictures that I used in my last post.

Grammy, Grandpa and Afton by pool

Cake Walk: everyone going the right direction except for Afton

Gathering to bless baby Sam - July 4th

34 people are in this pix - Watts joined us for this special day

Thanks, Brad, for sharing the blessing pictures.