Christmas

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

It was a little over a week ago, and I still can't get things back in order, LOL. As with every year, we had our own Christmas magic this year. Robert, myself, and the kids were actually able to go to Kansas City for Christmas and spend it with my family. I never thought that would be possible since I was working in retail, but it all worked out! The kids are still there for the rest of Christmas break enjoying time with my family. My Mom and sister will bring them back just before school starts again for them.

So a quick rundown, we left Oklahoma City on Christmas Eve to make the drive to Kansas City. The weather was good and we made it there without problem. Christmas Eve, we went to IHOP with all my extended family and church, then over to my Aunt's house to open presents. The kids were so tired by the time we got home, we didn't even attempt to open presents at my Mom's. Just put them to bed after making a Santa plate and putting the reindeer food on Mom's yard. Patrick made it at school, so we couldn't forget to put it out.

The kids woke up around 8:00 and we wet to see if Santa had come. He did and they all must have been really good this year because as usual Santa left tons of stuff. This year, the boys big gift was a Home Depot work bench and Sawhorse. They also got Hot Wheels, and a few other things from Santa. Kaitlyn got a kitchen this year. To which she replied, "My kitchen, I love it!" Leave it to the 2 year old to be so darn cute! She was also very happy that Santa gave her another Cabbage Patch doll. Every year Santa bring her a new baby and that was what she asked for this year.

After, Santa presents were open, we proceeded to the mountain of presents under my Mom's tree, and if you think I'm kidding, wait until I get the pictures! This year everyone was surprised. The kids got tons of stuff, some of the highlights, because it would take me forever to list it all, are the Fisher Price Digital Art Studio, games, Hot Wheels and sets to play with them on, Transformers, Remote Controlled Cars, A Rocking Chair, doll house accessories, desks (these were opened the Sunday before Christmas due to a change of plans), the Click Start Computer, and that's only a little of what they got. As for myself and Robert, this year we got a lot too. Robert, got a new guitar from me, and the new Season of 24 and a Zelda game. I got a pair of cross earrings from Robert and some DS games. And then a surprise happened...Santa visited the whole family!

The Baker family got a Wii for Christmas! Not only that, but 2 games to go with it. Thanks Santa and Mom and Dad!!

So after opening gifts we all settled down to play with our stuff. Robert, Christina, and myself played Wii for a while, and then we got Kimberly and played a game of electronic Life. This was all before dinner.

My Mother prepared a wonderful dinner. Turkey and Ham with all the trimming. And as usual we all ate WAY TOO MUCH. But, it was a great day, and I'm glad I got to spend it with Family.

Merry Christmas everyone, and Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving

Well, the end of November has come and gone and I just wanted to reflect on this year....

We had our Thanksgiving dinner this year, just the 5 of us. I honestly think this is the first one since Kaitlyn was little that it was just us. It was a wonderful day and I think it turned out just perfect. We started a new tradition this year and we around the table to all share what we are thankful for this year. Now mind you, the kids are still pretty young, but they tried. Patrick said he was thankful for his food and friends, Michael said school and his family, Kaitlyn told me her Mommy and Daddy. I think those are great answers for their age. I'm not sure they completely understand what being thankful is yet, but I'm sure over time we will see that light go on and they will know what we mean. Robert said he was thankful he was home again this year.

As for me, I'm going to include the 10 things I am most thankful for...
1. My God. He is and always will be number 1 in my life. Why you ask? Because of him I have all these other blessing in my life. Thank God!
2. My family, not only my immediate family, but my extended family too. I hope God blesses you all as much as he has me.
3. My friends, Internet and real life. You each hold a special place in my heart!
4. I have my health.
5. We have a roof over our heads and a place to sleep.
6. I'm happily married!
7. The move to OK. It has really helped me know who I am and what I want.
8. My life...the life I've led since day 1. Thank you Mom and Dad for raising me the way you did. I know I wasn't perfect by far, but you've shaped me into the women I am today!
9. Job security...I don't have to worry if Robert will have a job tomorrow.
10. For anyone that this blog might bless.

And just for fun...some Thanksgiving pictures.

Making cookies.




Our Thanksgiving table.


Thanksgiving Dinner.



And after dinner.

Fall Focus 2007

I am so fortunate this year to be doing PWOC again. This year I was fortunate enough that Robert took leave and made time for me to go to the annual retreat called Fall Focus. What a time of spiritual growth and renewal. I can honestly say, I had a blast and am already looking forward to Fall Focus 2008, which will be an international conference. PWOC has been such a great thing in my life the last about 2 years. It has really helped me realize a lot about myself. This retreat just really brought it all home. I was remind that through Christ I can do anything and that I am only given what I can handle at any given time. Have you ever been at a point in your life when you truly wondered why in the world these things were happening. I have, and I fell away from God, but he never left me, and pulled me through it.

It was during this weekend I was reminded of that yet again. This retreat was a time for fellowship, worship, and most of all a way for me to get back into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As one of the shirts at the retreat put it, I am a Princess, my Father is the King of Kings!

I was away from my family for 4 days. We traveled from OK to MO in vans. It took us about 8 hours to get there. The place was beautiful! It was in the middle of no where and truly remind me that God created this world from nothing. We spent the days with Worship and workshops of our choosing. We were also given free time on both Friday and Saturday. Saturday, the group I was with decided to go to a place called the Edge. It's a challenge course designed to push your limits. WOW, is all I can say. I climbed a 35 foot tower, walked a cable bridge, crossed a log, and then went down a zip line. It was such a wonderful experience, and definitely encouraged us all to reach down and just do things we wouldn't normally do.

The last evening we were there, they had a formal dinner. Since our PWOC theme for the year is Preparing for the Bridegroom, we had a wedding feast. The food was wonderful and we all left feeling just like a bride! I can't put into words what this weekend meant to me. I know God blessed me and brought me closer to all the ladies who went. I know God will continue to bless me in the months and years to come, and when he's ready, I can't wait to go home with him, to the home that he's been preparing for all of us! Will you be going with me?

I will be adding pictures to the blog after a bit...it will be another post.

I'm catching up...this should have been for last month, but I'm just getting around to posting it.

Halloween was pretty uneventful. I ended up having to work and my Dad came into town to visit that weekend, so it was fun, but nothing that big. Of course we led up to Halloween with the usual pumpkin carving, but we didn't get to actually go to a pumpkin patch this year. Hopefully next year. Anyway, we did our carving and such a couple days before Halloween. Here are some pictures of the carving and finished products. I have to say, the kids did better this year than ever. No one seemed completely grossed out this year, so we are making progress.











The night of Halloween, we went and did Trunk or Treat at the kids school and then I left for work, and Dad and Grandpa finished by taking them around the neighborhood while walking home. They go tons of candy and aren't eating most of it, but they had fun and are already talking about next year.

Enjoy the pictures...




And this one was taken at Haunt the Zoo and few days before Halloween...

Red Ribbon week, Friday

Okay, so when I did the last post I was busy looking for hats. Well, the boys foun their hats from VBS this summer and decided they were going to wear those for Hat day at school. Now, I was thinkin more of a baseball hat, but okay whatever. So, I sent two little cowboys off to school on Thursday...and here they are...








So that wraps up Red Ribbon week...next week HALLOWEEN!

Red Ribbon Week

So this week at the boys school has been Red Ribbon week. Tomorrow is the last day since they don't have school on Friday, so it's not a full week, but the boys have enjoyed it none the less. So, Monday was wear red day. They both wore red shirts to school...nothing to exciting, except Mommy forgot and got reminded as we are ready to walk out the door and had to frantically run around the house looking for a red shirt. But, the crisis was averted and they did wear red. Tuesday, things got a little more fun, it was "Give Drugs the Slip Day". They got to wear their slippers to school. But guess what, they didn't have any slippers, so this past weekend, we went slipper shopping and everyone, Kaitlyn included got new slippers. Michael picked Sponge Bob, Patrick picked Donkey from Shrek, and Kaitlyn got Princess. Here are a few pictures...








And today, Wednesday, is "Crazy Hair Day". So I asked the boys what they wanted. First they said they wanted color hair. And since it's Halloween time, it's not hard to find the temporary hair color so I figured why not. But, of course they can't be the same color. She instead, I had to buy three bottles, all different, for today, and then two more for Saturday...they want to color their hair orange for this weekends soccer game. Anyway, so we ended up getting green, blue, purple, and orange. Then, they said we want Mohawks. Okay, so that one is a little harder, but lots of hair gel and patience this is what we ended up with...







Tomorrow, is much easier since it's "Hat Day", all we have to do is find one of their many hats...that could still be interesting...off to find hats.

One more picture just for fun.

Soccer

So, Patrick played this weekend! He seems to play two weeks and then not play a week. I wish we could figure out what triggers him, but I think it's just a lost cause. It sounds like my Dad will be here for his next game so we will see if he plays or not. But, I wanted to share a few pictures from the past few weeks of them playing soccer...hopefully I have a few good ones to share.













Oky, that's all I've got for now...ENJOY!

Fall Break, part 2

So I thought Fall Break couldn't get more interesting, but guess what....

I was wrong!

So, here is the story.

Saturday, we tired to get the kids to lay down for a nap. But around 2:30pm I give up trying to take a nap before work because the boys are just not napping. I leave Kaitlyn "napping" in my bed and proceed to take a shower. I get out of the shower around 2:45pm only to discover Kaitlyn is no longer "napping" in my bed, but I figure oh well. I go down stairs to get my work clothes and what not. I'm downstairs, about 15-20 minutes, before I head back up to my bathroom to dry my hair and finish getting ready for work.

I walk into my bathroom and as I do, I hear a loud noise. It sounds like my linen closet door being slammed shut. I open the bathroom door, and what do you think I find? Two of my three children, heading for the door. They get in trouble because they aren't supposed to be in my bathroom, but where is the third? I open the closet door and well, see for yourself...





That's right, Michael is in the top cupboard of a 6.5 foot closet! After the initial shock of being upset and worried, it was pretty funny, but still he must be part monkey to climb up things like that!

So, Thank God Fall Break is over and they get to go back to school today. If they weren't going back to school today, I might have had to take him to the zoo and turn him over.

It's Fall Break

So, it's 8:51am on the first day of Fall break, and the kids are already driving me crazy! Kaitlyn is sitting at the table screaming because Patrick is talking to her. So what does Patrick do, yell at her some more to make her scream louder. Some days are just like that with him. If this keeps up this is going to be an interesting fall break. Anyway, did I tell you all what happened yesterday?

I was downstairs filing bills and what not while the kids were upstairs playing, or so I thought. Around 10am, Michael comes downstairs and says, "Mommy, Kaitlyn's stuck in the sink." It's during this that I notice his hair is wet and he's taken him PJ's off. I asked him about it only to be told he doesn't know why he's wet. Well, we all know that's not the truth. I walk upstairs to find Kaitlyn stuck in the sink like he said, COVERED in soap! And not just any soap, but the soap I bought the day before because they thought they needed to use the last bottle to clean the boys' bedroom while I was at work a few nights ago. And, not only is Kaitlyn covered in soap, she's still in her PJ's and there is soap everywhere. In the tub, sink, toilet, floor, step stool. If it has a surface in our bathroom it has soap on it. So, I have to give Kaitlyn a bath to get all the soap off, but the tub has so much soap it turns more into a bubble bath and I have a hard time getting the soap off. So after about an hour of cleaning and bathing, the bathroom is clean and so is Kaitlyn, but I've learned lesson.....

Leave the Bathroom door locked and make them ask me to go to the bathroom.

While this may sound extreme, this is the only way they are going to get the point. This is the second time they have done this in 3 days so obviously our first method of punishment, taking away the playroom, wasn't enough. So for now they will have to use one of the other two bathrooms in the house....mine or the one downstairs.

So, here's to a good Fall Break...hopefully we all survive.

My Birthday weekend

Well it's official, I had my birthday. It was good since my Mom and sister came down from Kansas City to see us. We went to the boys soccer game, Frontier City, and then has cake and presents at home.

So, I don't think I've mentioned that the boys are playing soccer this year. They love it for the most part. We have practice twice a week and then a game every Saturday. Patrick seems to do well for about 2 games and then throws a fit for the third ans won't play. I keep hoping this won't hold try, but it still has. Anyway, they had a game Saturday morning so we did that. This was Patrick's game to throw a fit so he didn't end up playing, but Michael did really well. Here are some pictures from that...

This is Michael during halftime.


So after we left the game we went home to get Robert because he had dorm clean up duty. He doesn't even live in the dorms and yet he had to go clean up for them. It frustrates me so much. I want to know when they are going to come form up and do housing. But anyway, I digress...so we pick him up at the house and left for Frontier City. They are having a special time right now called Frigt Fest. It's for Halloween, and was a lot of fun. Nothing to scary and very family oriented. Plus we have season passes so we've been there quite a bit this summer. Anyway, we spent the rest of the day there...from about 2pm-9pm or so. It was fun...








And some pictures of the kids in costume. They do trick or treating from 6pm-8pm for the little ones, so I took their costumes...aren't they cute!

Kaitlyn, aka Princess Snow White.


Patrick, aka Optimus Prime.


Michael, aka Captain Jack Sparrow.


And all three kids together.


Michael and Kaitlyn in the pumpkin patch. Patrick wouldn't do it for me so this is what I got.


And my favorite picture of Kaitlyn so far this year!


After we left everyone was very tired. Sunday was my actual birthday and since Mom and Christina had to leave in the early afternoon, we went to lunch and then came home and did cake and presents.

This is a picture of the cake my Mom made for me, with my three babies.


And me with them.


So, all in all it was a good weekend. Hope you ejoy the pictures.