Fried Fall Goodness at the State Fair

While it's not something the Red Barns do every year, this particular fall they decided to take advantage of Richardson Fair Day and attend the State Fair of Texas. Their mission: Gorge on Fried Goodness. Phillip and Claire rode the DART Rail Line down to Fair Park and started their morning with a Fletcher's Corny Dog and some chicken fried bacon. Fortunately since it was a Monday, the lines were not long, which allowed for more eating opportunities. Next, it was onto roasted corn, a Red Barn favorite.

One of the hottest fried items at the 2009 Fair was fried butter (a wadded ball of frozen butter wrapped in dough and flash fried). Claire was skeptical but Phillip just had to clog his arteries with it. While ordering his garlic fried butter, Phillip noticed the Master of Fried Goodness, Abel Gonzalez, so he made sure to get his picture with his latest creation. It was delicious and even Claire loved it! Before the day was out, the two gobbled down a fried Snickers and a pretzel. It was a nice way to spend the day.



Later in fall, the Red Barns decided to carve their first pumpkins as a married couple. Claire carved her school logo, while Phillip did the more traditional spooky face. The pumpkins looked great for the first couple of days until a rain storm soaked them and caused them to mold and mildew. The "plumpkins" were thrown out a week later.

Friends, Mexicans, Countrymen ... Lend me your Sombreros!

Phillip was fortunate enough to snag tickets to the first football game at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Unfortunately, it was European football, but it still gave the head honcho a chance to see the stadium before the real football season kicked off. Phillip joined CJ and a few of his friends at work for the late July soccer doubleheader that featured Costa Rica vs. Guadaloupe and the featured match, Mexico vs. Haiti.

Phillip had great seats and a great view from the lower level, but still chose to watch most of the game on the gigantic, center-hung scoreboard. The thing is ridiculous! Anyway, Phillip had the chance to bust out his broken Spanglish when some real Mexicans, not half like Phillip, sat down next to him. They were fairly impressed with his attempt and formed a bond in rooting for their home team. The Mexi-friends even let Phillip borrow their hat for a few pictures. Everyone had a blast, and Phillip made a few Mexican memories along the way!

Error Proof Test Makes First Error, Conveniently Corrects itself One Week Later

Well Claire hadn't been feeling too well and before the Red Barns went out to the ranch on Aug. 8, Phillip made Claire take a second pregnancy test. In the first test, the results came back negative and the two went on their merry way. I mean, it was an Error Proof Test, right?

The Red Barns got the surprise of a lifetime. Phillip was in the kitchen munching on an ice cream, and Claire enters the room with a panicked look on her face. "I'm pregnant!" she said. Phillip could only laugh hysterically as excitement and fear engulfed his thoughts. Nonetheless, when the hysteria settled, the Red Barns were super excited and anxious to confirm the test. Claire would soon find out that she was almost seven weeks along.

Summer Drought Doesn't Stop Family from Finding a Little Water at Lake Buchanan

At the beginning of August, the Red Barns joined up with the G Clan to rehash some old memories at Lake Buchanan in Central Texas. Claire booked her family into the same cabins they stayed in during their many vacations in the '90s. Unfortunately, a summer drought made it difficult to launch the boat. Mark had to drive 500 yards into the lake just to launch from the shoreline.

One afternoon, the gang found a nice little cove near the dam. It was filled with large boulders that usually hide underwater and a nice little beach to have a picnic. Phillip and Sam were able to do a little boulder-diving just before the park ranger decided to crash the party. According to the megaphone, the dam was restricted area and the group was "subject to arrest."

While the Red Barns were lucky to make it out of there unscathed, Mark and Sam weren't so lucky. Mark suffered a neck injury after he took a nasty tumble when the ski rope broke. Sam's aerial wakeboard antics ended when he overshot a backflip and sustained a knee injury. Despite the injuries, everyone enjoyed being back at the lake and hoped to return when Buchanan, and their health, returned to normalcy.

Red Barns' Anniversary Helps Set Chicago Ablaze

After St. Louis, the Red Barns made the five-hour trip up to Chicago to celebrate their 2-year anniversary. In keeping with their theme of seeing great baseball rivalries in historic stadiums, the Red Barns purchased tickets for the Chicago Cubs-St. Louis Cardinals Sunday game at Wrigley Field. As soon as they got to Chicago, the duo loaded onto the "L" and rode it to Wrigleyville for a bite to eat and the purchase of a couple Cubbies shirts before the game. The seats might have been a little high, but the experience of being in Wrigley for a rivalry game was magical. After the game, the two walked the Magnificent Mile for a look at all the action.



The next day, it was on to the Shedd Aquarium and Field Museum near Lake Michigan. The Field Museum had an awesome pirate exhibit that followed the career of a real-life swashbuckler. There was a lot to take in, but the two had to hightail it over to the Shedd before it closed. It was by far one of the best aquariums the Red Barns had ever experienced, and they were fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of the new show "FantaSEA." After the aquarium, Sherri K. told them about an awesome pizza place called Gino's. The Red Barns gorged on some thick Chi-town pizza.



Their last day there, the Red Barns took a river cruise that outlined the major architectural feats of Chicago. The two checked out Millenium Park, walked around downtown during a typical work week and said their goodbyes to the Windy City with a drive down the lake.

To cut the trip in half, the Red Barns stopped in Springfield, Illinois for a look at the home of Abraham Lincoln. Talk about a town that has thrived off the history of one man ... Geez. It was pretty cool to see where he lived and worked though.

St. Louis Brews Up Some Good Times in July

In July, the Red Barns decided to make a road trip out of friends Kevin and Sherri's wedding. Instead of just flying up to St. Louis, Phillip and Claire opted to load up the family truckster and make a trans-American voyage out of it. On the first leg of the trip, it was on to St. Louis. The wedding wasn't until Saturday, so the couple headed downtown to check out the Gateway Arch and downtown activities. With All-Star Weekend underway, the redheaded duo walked around Busch Stadium, checked out the scene underneath the arch and did a little gambling in a riverboat casino.



On Saturday in between the wedding, the Red Barns knocked out the most important stop in St. Louis -- the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Dressed in their Sunday best, the two took the Budweiser tour with about 50 other individuals dressed in cargo shorts and flip flops. At the end of the tour, it was free all-you-can-drink Budweiser beer! Despite being overdressed and having someone ask if we just got married (and were honeymooning at the brewery?), it was definitely an awesome experience. After three days in St. Louis, it was on to Chicago...

The Red Barns Crash a Few Family Weddings

Summer 2009 was the season of love for Red Barn cousins. Phillip and Claire attended four weddings this summer, traversing the nation for each "I do" with exactly one wardrobe.

It started out in May with New Orleans for Lawrence and Cecille's wedding. The first lovebirds were married Cajun-style in a wonderful rustic hotel courtyard. Inspired by the evening, Phillip opened his taste buds to new cuisine like oysters, which he quickly removed from his diet. After the wedding reception, the wedding party was escorted through the French Quarter through Second Line -- a New Orleans tradition that features a real brass band leading the parade. The Red Barns got a good hard look at the Mississippi, gambled a little on a Sunday morning and said their first, but hopefully not last, goodbyes to a great city.



In June, it was time for a nostalgic trip to Aggieland as Claire and Phillip headed back to her alma mater for cousin Sara and Matt's wedding. The second lovebirds were married at St. Mary's, Claire's Catholic church while attending Texas A&M, so it was nice to go back and reminisce. After the wedding, it was on to the local country club where the Red Barns shredded the dance floor. Phillip and Mark came up with a new dance move called the "Leapin' Gazelle" which can be seen in a few of the photos. It was inspired by Mark's interpretation of this reading from Song of Songs. The Hinkle's wedding was a blast!




A month later in July, it was down to Georgetown and a country wedding for Claire's cousin Candace. Upon arrival and shortly after Claire took over driving duties to allow Phillip enough time to change into proper outdoor wedding attire in the backseat, the Red Barns wanted to kick off the party early with a few beverages before the festivities. "The Man" told them that outside alcohol was not allowed on the premises. So the Red Barns decided to obey their thirst and drive 50 yards down the road for Wedding Tailgate 2009! The two enjoyed a few cold ones in the back of Phillip's truck while guests began arriving. Along with enjoying great family at the wedding, it's another wedding memory they will never forget.

Movin' On Up ... to the East Side of Allen

In May 2009, the Red Barns were blessed enough to make an upgrade from their awesome two-bedroom apartment that had been their home for the first two years of marriage. The two began searching for a house in February, and after trolling online searches each day for two months and using up several Saturdays to do some house shopping, the Red Barns stumbled upon the perfect home that had just entered the market. It was an amazing one-story, 4/2/2 that Claire best describes as "really open."



The couple closed in the first week of May and were able to slowly move their stuff from the apartment over to their new-yet-previously loved house in East Allen (about 30 minutes north of downtown Dallas). Since the Red Barns didn't have to be out of the apartment until mid-June, the two were able to paint the entry way, study, laundry room, hallway and den. The Red Barns welcomed their old apartment furniture and, with a handsome federal stimulus package, were able to add a couple new pieces like a dining room set, computer desk, TV console, patio furniture and grill. It was more perfect than the couple could have ever imagined for their first house!

Egg-citing fun with the Siblings

Easter Sunday at the Barnhard house means one thing: The Adult Egg Hunt is On! Family lines are divided as each sibling and spouse traverses the yard like a bloodhound, sniffing for the scent of a pastel, egg-shaped piece of plastic. Inside each egg lies promise. The promise of a better tomorrow via a few extra dollars, a new toy or gift cards to delicious restaurants. The adult egg hunt has become a tradition over the years at Phillip's parent's house and one day, the Red Barns promise to take pictures of it. Unfortunately, they're too busy scouring the yard for pinks, yellows, blues and greens of all shapes and sizes. Instead, enjoy the pictures of the not-so-vicious kid's hunt.