The Baker Family

Family Date Night

2012-01-30T11:33:00.017-05:00

With gift cards burning holes in our pockets, Saturday we had a family date night!

First stop, Texas Roadhouse

I'll give you two guesses as to who took the first picture and who took the second. :)

Piper has given new meaning to her nickname "Peanut" lately. She asks for peanuts every time we go grocery shopping and she was way more interested in the peanuts and bread than anything else Texan at the Roadhouse. OH...and the butter...which she thought was ice cream and had a whole scoop of it in her mouth before we realized what she was eating! GROSS! :)

After filling our tummies, the kids got to use their Christmas Toys R Us gift cards.

Finally, THE CIRCUS! I am 35 years old and this was my first time ever at the circus!

Before the show began, we enjoyed watching the elephants, camels, tigers and ponies.

See the "woman" on the right?? "She" was very well endowed indeed, and flouncing her "womanhood" all over the center ring and she proceeded to do her laundry. Piper looked at me and said "That is NOT appropriate." Hahahahaha!! That was the highlight for me. :)

We all enjoyed the show and we're so thankful to have generous friends who shared their tickets with us!

a major award...

2012-01-29T15:25:00.003-05:00

I hope you're familiar with "A Christmas Story" so you understand my title and can even smile at it...if not, sorry 'bout your LUCK.

One of my newest bloggy friends, Kara - All in a Row{e} gave me this award:

Liebster in German means dearest, beloved, or favorite, and it is for bloggers with under 200 followers!

{The Rules}

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.

2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.

3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog.

4. Reveal your 5 blog picks.

5. Let them know you chose them by leaving a comment on their blog.

THANK YOU, Kara!!

And the Award goes to.....

Jill ~ Hut Sweet Hut

Rachel ~ Joyfully Weary

Andrea ~ The Gambrel 4

Ben ~ Kissing the Cook
Danielle ~ Sugar Blossom Boutique

Why do we love blogging? I'm sure we all have a variety of reasons. But I would guess we ALL love to have comments, followers, interest in our blog. So if you're reading this, do me a favor and visit these blogs...leave a comment...make their day! Each one of these people bring something unique and special, and I enjoy all of them, I know you will too!

fresh {birthday} blessings

2012-01-28T10:40:00.007-05:00

We live far away from our families. We are scattered from Michigan to Indiana to Florida to Wisconsin to Alaska. And, honestly, it makes us sad sometimes. We love family, family is so important. We wish we had daily personal relationships with our families much more than we currently do...we love to watch the show "Blue Bloods" and we crave that weekly Sunday supper they have! But Thursday, we kept receiving boxes...and mail. By the end of the day, I was touched by the pile of mail and boxes Mack received for his birthday. And I realized something. There are blessings in far-away families too. How excited he was when he came home from school and found this mountain of boxes and mail...all for him!! I should be content with the way things are NOW...God has each of us is where He wants us. I'm thankful for our families and the love we all have for each other, I was greatly reminded of that this week.

In one of the big boxes was this monster birthday cookie AND sugar cookies with frosting so we could decorate them ourselves! How fun is that?!?! (Thank you Grandpa and Robin!!!) We had lots of giggles and laughs and licking of fingers and just good old fashioned fun while we decorated our cookies. It was the perfect way to spend a Thursday evening and to kick-off Mack's sixth birthday.

let the opening of the presents BEGIN!

2012-01-28T10:19:00.012-05:00

Mack got to choose one present to open in the morning before school. He made a good choice...he picked a present that had multiple presents wrapped up inside it! Puzzles, coloring pages and markers and a book! (Thank you Grandpa and Robin!!!!!)

After his special birthday supper of chocolate chip pancakes with bacon and sausage, Mack opened the rest of his HAUL of birthday presents. My goodness!!!! He was absolutely crazy blessed this year! Thank you to all of you loved ones who weren't here in person, but were here in spirit and helped Mack celebrate his special day either with presents, cards, phone calls, texts, or all of the above! Grandpa & Robin, Grammy & Jim, Grandma Baker, Peepaw, Papa Hair Bear, Kamma & Papoo, Grandma Lisa, Aunt Korie, Aunt Pam, cousin Misti, Aunt Mandy, Uncle Dan and cousin Chase...and all the rest of you...THANK YOU for celebrating with our little man! You made his birthday extra extra special and we all love all of you!

and last but not least...CAKE!

2012-01-28T10:12:00.003-05:00

Mack asked Daddy to make the peanut butter ice cream cake again. YUM!! And that concludes our birthday boy's amazing awesome 2-day-long birthday celebration!

Six Years!!

2012-01-27T07:00:00.002-05:00

I can hardly believe it. Our baby boy is SIX years old today! What?! How have six years flown by already? Even though I know they fly by...I don't think it will ever cease to amaze me when I sit down and allow myself to think about and reflect over the days gone by. As I looked through our Picasa account to find these pictures, tears filled my eyes. I was struck by how many photos we have of Mack with that huge, open-mouthed, full of JOY smile of his! This kid absolutely loves life and everything about it. I could learn a thing or two from him (and I do!).

We could not be more proud of our Mack. I need to let him relish life, enjoy every moment, laugh with all his being, be wild (when appropriate!), and spread that joy he has within him...this is how he was created by the Lord of our universe!!! Mack is a gift, a blessing, a joy. He is compassionate and generous (ask me sometime about the way he gave away his toys to 3 boys he doesn't know...because their apartment burned to the ground), he has a tender heart and a huge smile with a laugh to make even the hardest Scrooge giggle.

Mackinley James Baker...WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! We thank God for you every single day! Please forgive us when we mess up...when we try to put a lid on your spirit...and please know that we love you more than we can describe, we're proud of you and we're blessed by you.

HAPPY SIXTH BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Bookworm

2012-01-26T20:20:00.000-05:00

This little girl sure does love her books!

Ugh

2012-01-25T21:45:00.004-05:00

Parenting is so hard. It's the hardest thing I've ever done. And...I'm just going to be real here. Sometimes, like today, I feel like I suck at it. You remember that boy at church or school that just wouldn't sit still? Always acting up, being wild and silly, driving the teacher crazy until she wants to pull her hair out? Yeah. That's my son. And it makes me feel like a failure...obviously I've failed him somewhere, I'm not getting through when I tell him the importance of self control and making good choices and doing our best.

But what is the most heart-breaking for me is that I know his heart. I know he's a kind, compassionate, GENEROUS boy. I know his sweet and gentle side, the REAL Mack. I want everyone else to see that boy! His teachers at school, his teachers at church...I'm afraid all they see is a wild child who exhausts them, even though that isn't his intent. He likes to make people laugh, and silly crazy wildness makes other little boys laugh, so that's what he chooses over self control. I don't want to squash that fun-loving spirit of his, I'm at a loss.

I do know that I love that boy more than I can describe with words. I'm proud of him, and I'm glad I'm his Momma. I just wish I could better help him choose the right choices, do his best, and shine for Jesus.

What I Wore...brown, black and kisses

2012-01-24T18:04:00.007-05:00

I am linking up again with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy, for "What I Wore Wednesday". Some disclaimers you might be interested in knowing before you venture any further: I am small-town-rural. I am NOT a photographer. I am NOT a model. I AM just a regular "Joe". I'm 98% sure my friends will think I'm a major silly dork for doing this...but it seemed like fun and I've been getting LOTS of inspiration because of this weekly link-up so why not join in?? Ok...you've been warned. Thanks for stopping by!

What I wore to church Sunday

sweater - gift (c/o Maurices)

turtle neck and belt - I can't even remember...aka...OLD :)

jeans - Madison c/o Maurices

boots - Target.com several years ago

necklace - special gift from my parents Christmas 2003

which was a particularly hard Christmas for me

What I wore to Walmart for grocery shopping with Hubs and Piper

sweater - NY & Co many moons ago

cami - Maurices

skinnies - Deb

boots - Old Navy

vest - gift (c/o Liz Claiborne)

Are you laughing at the middle picture?! Go on...admit it...YOU ARE! That's ok, because so am I! Jason took that picture just as I was walking up to him. He looked at it and said "HA! You almost look like a model with a 'come hither' look." (ALMOST?!)

Piper said "Can I have a picture?!"

Of course you can, sweet girl.

Our Funny Fun Boy

2012-01-24T17:19:00.002-05:00

Would our lives be boring without this boy? I think so. This kid loves life. He can find excitement and humor in any situation. While this does tend to make structured environments (AKA school...church...family gatherings) difficult for him to find his self-control, and cause Momma to want to rip her hair out, I wouldn't trade it because I'm learning it's what makes Mack Mack. And under the wild-child exterior is a heart that is so tender and compassionate, it has brought me to tears multiple times. Our Mack is a joy and a blessing!

Hot Corn Dip?!

2012-01-23T12:51:00.005-05:00

I saw this floating around Pinterest and thought it looked like something the Bakers would thoroughly enjoy. Last night we had some friends over so I decided to try it out. It's wonderful!!

The original recipe can be found HERE. I cannot take any credit for this...not even for the picture! :)

Hot Corn Dip:

2 cups shredded chedder cheese

1 cup shredded Montery Jack

2 tbs chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced small

1 small can (4oz) diced green chilies, undrained

1/2 cup Mayo

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 11oz can of corn, drained

1 small tomato

2 tbs cilantro, chopped

2 tbs green onions, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cheeses, chiptole and green peppers, mayo, garlic powder and corn together. Pour into an oven safe dish. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Top with diced tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

I know "Hot Corn Dip" sounds really weird...but trust me, you'll love it! The kids ate it with forks like a side dish. HA

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday

2012-01-22T14:45:00.004-05:00

Today is the 39th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. We must turn from this road of spilled innocent blood. "Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death." Proverbs 24:11

Our Sweet Girl

2012-01-21T11:03:00.001-05:00

Piper brings so much joy to our lives. She's sweet, funny, spunky, compassionate, generous, passionate and...well, she's just wonderful! We love you, Peanut!

Beach Night

2012-01-19T09:14:00.003-05:00

Last night was Beach Night at Livewires! Everyone dresses in "beach" attire, we play "beachy" games and the kids get to shop in the "store", where they can spend their Livewires Bucks they've earned so far this year. They get bucks for coming, bringing friends, bringing offering and memorizing their Bible verse each week. Beach Night is always a HUGE hit with the kids. For the leaders? Well...let's just say....I'm still not really awake. Ohhh I kid...it truly is a privilege and blessing to be involved!

The obligatory silly one. EVERY time we take pictures, Mack begs to take a silly one! He is a silly boy. :)

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-01-18T08:39:00.005-05:00

Dress - Old Navy.com

Cardigan - TJ Maxx

Boots - Meijer.com

Necklace - Gift from my sister on her wedding day. I think it came from Nordstrom? I love it! And women ask me about it every time I wear it.

(Jason took these pictures for me and we got a little silly....it was fun.)

Sweater - Older than dirt

Ruffle Tank - Old Navy.com

Under-layer tank - Motherhood - HA! Yep...leftover maternity tank :)

Jeans - Silver Suki Surplus (Maurices)

Shoes - Fashion Bug Clearance rack

There's that necklace again! (look closely...you'll see it...it blends in with my washed-out Indiana Winter pasty skin)

(I had a nasty cold the day I wore this outfit, my Mom will probably say "I can see it in your eyes! Bless your little gizzard!")

More Pinspiration

2012-01-13T14:31:00.006-05:00

I really really love Pinterest. It has introduced me to so many new ideas, recipes, tips, tricks and fashion. The latest pinspiration is this Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili from Plain Chicken (incidentally, I've tried several of her recipes and have yet to be disappointed!) I digress. This chili is FABULOUS and will be a new staple in the Baker house.

The recipe:

1 can black beans
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
2 chicken breasts

Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at bottom of pot, then pour out whole can of corn (undrained), rotel, and black beans. Top with seasonings and ranch mix. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into chili. Use 2 forks to shred chicken. Stir together and serve.

Could it BE any easier?! I think not.

And it was DELICIOUS. We had zero leftovers, so next time I will more than likely double the recipe. Yep. We like to eat...no surprise there! :)

We put a little cheese and crushed tortilla chips on top when we ate it. That's the only change to the original recipe I made. Seriously...TRY IT!

(Sorry for the horrible pictures. I didn't know where the camera was and I was too hungry to go searching for it so I just used my phone. I think you get the gist of it!)

Some Randoms

2012-01-12T16:45:00.005-05:00

1. Choose your cool...I know MY choice! :)

2. Rubik's Cube costume, designed by hubby

3. Fall colors outside the front window

4. WALL-E

5. Early Fall grumps

6. Wii Lego Indiana Jones

7. Fantasy Football fantasizers (I tease...but hubby did win 1st place!)

8. FCW new building, painting ceiling tiles

9. Dress try-on session before August nuptials

10. My record score, my record stomping of hubby

11. Sisterly bonding, new 'do

12. The magic of the Christmas tree

13. Sibling silly-facing

14. Beautiful snow, beautiful girl

15. Papoo

16. Big day for youngest brother

Why is Tenth Avenue North my favorite band?

2012-01-11T12:17:00.000-05:00

This video says it all.

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-01-11T08:58:00.004-05:00

Library playdate last week with Piper and our good friends Natalie and Lucas. :)

Most of this outfit is OLD...I got the sweater for Christmas probably 15 years ago! The vest was also a Christmas gift a few years ago. The boots though...the boots are new and I LOVE THEM. I found them on Meijer.com and they're my new favorite thing.

Friends

2012-01-09T20:37:00.004-05:00

The other day, I realized I have tons of pictures on my phone that I need to share. So...be ready for THAT over the next few days or weeks. :)

These are from October, Piper's friend Eva (pronounced "Eh-vah") came to spend a day with us, and she brought her little brother Stellen (he has a fun birth-story...Stellen was supposed to be a GIRL...BIG surprise when he arrived!). I honestly think the day was easier with these 3 than it sometimes is with just Piper! They had so much fun all day.

Under the Knife

2012-01-07T10:45:00.003-05:00

Our little man had to have surgery last month. He had a thyroglossal duct cyst.

When we were in Wisconsin last summer, Dad noticed the lump on Mack's neck and said "Hmm...you should have that checked. (Dad NEVER says that...so I kind of freaked for a minute or 3484.) Looks like a thyroglossal duct cyst."

As usual, he was right! The surgery went well, the cyst has been removed and was in fact just a simple cyst. Mack even made a new friend, a boy named Cadance who had to have the same surgery and they got to share a room. Mack told me a few days ago "Momma, I hope my bump comes back so I can have surgery again because then I can stay in the hospital and have all the ice cream I want!" Nice. :)

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-01-04T13:47:00.006-05:00

I am linking up...for the first time ever...with Lindsey at The Pleated Poppy, for "What I Wore Wednesday". Some disclaimers you might be interested in knowing before you venture any further: I am small-town-rural. I am NOT a photographer. I am NOT a model. I AM just a regular "Joe". I'm 98% sure my friends will think I'm a major silly dork for doing this...but it seemed like fun and I've been getting LOTS of inspiration because of this weekly link-up so why not join in?? Ok...you've been warned. Thanks for stopping by!

I realize I picked a horrible outfit for my very first time. But hey, this is really what I'm wearing today, Wednesday! Today my schedule includes bathing my 3 year old, making homemade chicken noodle soup (including homemade stock!), and this evening we will be helping out with HMC's children's midweek program...aka Livewires. And, I think it's cute...for a t-shirt and jeans!

T-shirt = sent to me by my cousin-in-law who is a real-life Coastguard pilot in...you guessed it...Sitka, Alaska. Wifebeater = Yeah, no clue...stolen from the husband. Jeans = Maurices. Boots = American Eagle, EONS ago. Sweater = I honestly do not remember...I'm pretty sure it's 15 years old! Furry vest = Gap. Scarf = American Eagle (I think??)

P.S. The look on my face in the first picture cracks me up! Even though I almost deleted it, I decided I should share it so you could have a chuckle at my expense here in the middle of back-to-normal-after-the-holidays week.

Out Cold

2012-01-03T17:51:00.000-05:00

Hit by the reading-tranquilizer-dart.

What I Did With Your Christmas Card

2012-01-02T11:50:00.001-05:00

I have always hated throwing away Christmas cards...all those great pictures of beautiful families! So this year I decided to try something new and make a collage with all of them. I'm pleased with how it turned out!

Party Time

2012-01-01T13:05:00.014-05:00

Mack & Piper have been battling some kind of nasty respiratory illness this week. Soo...we decided to keep our germs to ourselves and stay home for New Year's Eve. But that doesn't mean we couldn't have any fun! We had a great spread of goodies: Bacon cheddar ranch pulls, garlic cheese sticks, mini deep-dish pizzas, s'mores dip, caramel popcorn puffs (brought to us by a friend!) and cake.

Jason - in a food coma.

We played Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Piper won. Then we played Battleship, and the girls beat the boys!

We tried to get a picture of just the two of us...but the children had other ideas!

Shining their flashlights in our face!

We hope you had enjoyable New Year's Eve festivities. Happy New Year!!

Today is Someone's BIRTHDAY

2011-12-30T10:52:00.002-05:00

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!! Ooodles and oodles and even more oodles. Happy birthday!

Little Diva

2011-12-29T21:29:00.002-05:00

Isn't she cute? Precious? Angelic, even... HA. Yeah. This is Piper, having been removed from her siblings and deported to the kitchen to eat alone, in hopes that this would actually prompt her to EAT. It seems Piper isn't pleased unless she is waging some form of battle of the wills with her parental units. We win the battles...but goodness it can be exhausting. The current battle is eating. Why doesn't anyone have to force ME to eat?! :)

Celebrations

2011-12-27T15:58:00.013-05:00

Christmas Eve, our gorgeous girls ready for their program at church.

Christmas Eve Dinner

Santa's visit!

Patiently, eagerly waiting to open presents

Playing Lego Indiana Jones on the Wii

Our holiday season has been filled with lots of cozy time at home, just lounging and hanging out together...exactly how we like it! We are so thankful for these times!!!

HopeKids "I Adore You"

2011-12-26T14:39:00.003-05:00

HopeKids singing "I Adore You", Christmas Eve 2011, 4pm service. Can you find our three little "performers"?? I use that term lightly, since only our eldest child chose to do anything other than stand still looking attractive! hehehe! (The video is black for the first few seconds, no need to adjust your screen or panic...just wait!)

We hope you and your family have had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! We sure have! We are enjoying time together, home and "unplugged". My FAVORITE thing about this time of year!

(Thank you to Kyle John for making this video!)

Cookies!

2011-12-23T17:20:00.004-05:00

My darn frosting separated! Boo! They're still cute...but they could have been prettier with frosting that wasn't all lumpy and runny and weird. (I got the reindeer idea from Pinterest!)

Beautiful artwork by the kids on their cookies!

He Wrote Back!

2011-12-21T10:20:00.004-05:00

Kaeleigh, Mack and Piper were excited to find letters from Santa in our mailbox!

Christmas Munchies

2011-12-13T11:23:00.003-05:00

Holiday Blend - roasted pecans, dried cranberries and dark chocolate M&Ms. It is simple. It is delicious! We are hooked on the stuff this holiday season!

Mack's Christmas Program

2011-12-13T11:09:00.004-05:00

Last Thursday we had the Kindergarten Christmas Program at Mack's school. It was great! The perfect length...and very cute to see the kids sing their favorite Christmas tunes.

Pinspired Again!

2011-12-11T23:18:00.004-05:00

I kept seeing pictures of these little deep dish pizzas...but couldn't find a recipe. So I thought "I'll just wing it!" and I'll be darned if they didn't turn out pretty stinkin' yummy! :)

Mini Deep Dish Pizzas

1 pkg refrigerated pizza dough

pepperonis

tomato sauce

cheddar cheese

onion powder

garlic powder

Italian seasoning

olive oil

cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 450. Liberally spray your muffin pan with cooking spray. Unroll the pizza dough and cut in half, put half back in the fridge for another day. Lightly coat each side in olive oil. Sprinkle on seasonings, to your liking. Cut the dough into 12 squares. Push the squares into the muffin pan...you may want to stretch them out a bit with your fingers. Put a spoonful of tomato sauce on each crust. Top with 2 pepperonis and fill with cheese. Add another pepperoni to finish. Bake for 10-15 minutes (or longer...depending on how you like your crust). Enjoy!

(P.S. I may or may not continue the play on the word "Pinterest"...it depends on how nerdy I feel! ha!)

Pinspiration...

2011-12-11T14:20:00.003-05:00

I have been bitten by the Pinterest bug. I realize I'm a late comer to this party...I'm ok with that! :) I just signed up yesterday and I. am. hooked.

This Christmas season, I have been pining for a new wreath for our front door. But I just put it aside, there are other things more important than wreaths! HOWEVER...Pinterest gave me inspiration to make my own! I love it! And so does my family!

This Article Made My Day!!!

2011-12-10T13:10:00.004-05:00

"It’s the photo that sparked hundreds of letters. Is this photo Lizzie Miller going to change the face of the modeling industry?

The picture above of 20-year-old Lizzie Miller graced page 194 of the September 2009 Glamour magazine. Miller is a size 12-14 and heard from agencies that she was too big to be a plus size model. In the modeling industry, size 8-10 is the “plus size” range, which is crazy when you consider that Miller is an average (or even slightly below-average) sized woman.

After the magazine hit newsstands, the publishers received over 700 emails and comments from women delighted to see a normal-sized model on the pages.

Is Healthy the New Skinny?

Thanks to body-positive awareness campaigns and even some modeling agencies promoting a healthy body image, it appears that the tide may slowly be turning. The outpouring of support for Miller’s photo definitely speaks to what women want to see on magazine pages.

As long ago as 2006, even women within the industry began to speak out against super skinny models on the catwalk when Madrid Fashion Week banned all models with a BMI of less than 18.
While there are definitely a fair number of skin-and-bones women on runways and in magazines, I think that Miller’s photo and the buzz it’s generating are definitely going to impact what designers and agencies consider an “average” sized woman. Since the issue of Glamour came out and emails and comments started rolling in, Miller has started getting a lot more offers for work.

Let’s hope that this is the start of a trend!"

I copy/pasted this article from feelgoodstyle.com. I would have just put a link to it here, but I was afraid you wouldn't click it and you'd miss the awesomeness. :) You can see the article here, and it even includes a video clip of Lizzie's appearance on The Today Show. I would LOVE to spare my two little girls from the agony and misery of living life the way I have...striving, wishing, dreaming, hoping to look like celebrities and other women who are smaller than I am. Sorry if you're offended by her lack of clothing...but honestly, I think it's important to see her this way, it's the only way to see that she doesn't have rock-hard abs and you can't count her ribs and she has softness, not all toned and muscular and firm. I want to be clear. There is nothing wrong with having a toned, muscular body! I'm just tired of being told, or made to feel like, I HAVE to look like any certain way to be beautiful.

Letters to Santa

2011-12-09T10:26:00.003-05:00

The kids wrote letters to Santa last weekend, and dropped them into the special mailbox for Santa downtown. They were pretty excited! Do you think he'll write back??

You've Got Mail!

2011-12-04T14:39:00.001-05:00

You won't find a card in your mailbox from the Bakers this year, but we certainly are wishing you good cheer!

Stressed?

2011-11-29T12:53:00.002-05:00

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving.

People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out.

You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.

God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

Matthew 6:30-34 (The Message)

The Giving of Thanks!

2011-11-25T10:14:00.020-05:00

Thanksgiving festivities were at our house this year. We had a wonderful day of family,

silly faces,

hanging out,

annual matching sweaters,

FOOD...of course,

and family fun like PlayDoh and games. We are so so so blessed and we are so so so thankful for everything we have been given. God is good! ALL THE TIME!

Wacky Hair Night!

2011-11-16T21:59:00.005-05:00

Tonight was the annual Wacky Hair Night at Livewires. Too much fun! :)

3 Totally Unrelated Items

2011-11-09T10:22:00.003-05:00

#1 - Ninja Turkey. Mack brings home a "family project" each month. This month, our task was to help this Tom Turkey escape becoming dinner on Thanksgiving by disguising him. Mack decided no one would eat a Ninja!

#2 - The Bakers, Fall 2011

#3 - Jason and I went to an 80's theme birthday party. We had so much fun dressing up...and Jason brought home first prize for Best Dressed Male! :)

Trick or Treat

2011-11-06T16:00:00.003-05:00

Last Monday evening, Luigi and Rapunzel hit the streets, using their cuteness to procure goodies.

Rapunzel kept saying "Can I have more? It's for my Daddy." Nice.

FCW 5k

2011-11-04T07:47:00.004-05:00

Last Sunday Mack, Piper and I participated in Forgotten Children Worldwide's Annual 5k Run/Walk.

This year the event included a "Water Walk". You could choose to carry a water jug, full or half-full with water, to help raise awareness to what many orphans have to do every single day. Some participants even did this barefoot! All 3.2 miles!

Mack finished the race with an official time of 37:36! Piper walked the whole 3.2 miles and didn't melt down until we were just yards away from the finish line. Such little athletes...they must get it from their father! :) We are very proud of them!

Since it took Piper and me an HOUR to finish...Mack had some time to hang out with his buddies.

Red Ribbon Week

2011-11-02T16:27:00.004-05:00

Last week was Red Ribbon Week at Mack's school. They do this to raise awareness and to educate the children on the dangers of drug use. This year their emphasis was on tobacco use. Day 1 - You're Crazy If You Smoke! Crazy Hair Day

Day 3 - We're Too Smart To Smoke! Nerd Day

Day 4 - Wake Up! Don't Smoke. PJ's Day

Day 5 - You Can't Run If You Smoke! Favorite Sport

(Day 2 was Say Boo! To Smoking! Costume Day...we didn't get a picture, Mack dressed up in last year's Halloween costume, a doctor.)

What a fun week! Mrs. Heyerly (Mack's teacher) said she's ready for things to be back to normal. I can only imagine how wound-up these kids were! :)

Jack-O-Lanterns

2011-11-01T08:39:00.005-05:00

October is for Jack-O-Lanterns! The first one in the Baker house was Jason's birthday cake. :)

The second one was carved by Jason and all three of our kids! Jason wanted to make sure each of them had a hand in it's creation so he came up with a brilliant idea. Mack made one eye, Kaeleigh made the other, and Piper made the nose. Then Jason had each of them draw a mouth, and he combined their three ideas to create one awesome mouth! After the carving, we roasted and gobbled up the yummy seeds. It was a super fun evening of creating memories.

Good Times!

2011-10-01T21:04:00.002-05:00

Goofy Mack

SCARY Piper! (Doesn't she look like she just stepped off the pages of a Dr. Seuss book??)

40 Days For Life

2011-10-01T11:57:00.002-05:00

With God, nothing is impossible...even putting an end to abortion!

(Sorry for my lack of personal posts lately...I promise I will return!)

Smile

2011-09-28T15:22:00.002-05:00

Two funnies I found on Facebook today.

Pigeon

2011-09-14T09:56:00.002-05:00

We recently discovered Mo Willems and his books starring The Pigeon. These books are cute and funny and good times for the WHOLE family! If you haven't yet...check them out!

Kelly & Cathy's Wedding Photo Shoot

2011-09-08T21:37:00.000-05:00

Mom...have your Kleenex handy. :)

Wow

2011-08-29T14:20:00.001-05:00

An anonymous surprise in the mail...whoever you are, THANK YOU! You have blessed us beyond words.

For Kamma

2011-08-29T13:25:00.003-05:00

Jason always peeks on the children before he goes to bed on his days off, or before he goes to work on his work nights. He's done it since they were newborn babies and it's just ONE of the reasons he's an awesome Daddy. :) ANYWAY...last night, he was on his nightly check and he found Piper sleeping with her new friend, Tick Tock, snuggling him close in her sleep. She got Tick Tock this weekend from Kamma. Kamma, I think it's safe to say she is in love with Tick Tock. THANK YOU!!

Kelly & Cathy

2011-08-28T16:59:00.011-05:00

My brother married his beautiful bride yesterday. We are soooo happy to have Cathy officially in the family!

It was a gorgeous wedding! Congrats Kelly & Cathy!

A dose of cute...

2011-08-24T19:55:00.002-05:00

Just in case you needed it today.

Summer Sizzle & Splash

2011-08-22T13:42:00.004-05:00

Every year HMC has an event called Summer Sizzle & Splash. It's a fun night for us to celebrate the transition between summer break and fall ministries beginning again. There are games, water slides, and of course...FOOD! This year, SSS included the addition of a kickball tournament! It was so much fun! Yes...those of you who know me well may be assuming I did NOT play...but in fact, I did! And I had a blast! I even kicked the ball each time I was up and made it to first base twice! :) That's kind of a big deal for this girl who has not one tiny little athletic bone in her body. Here I am with my Blue Team...we got 2nd place!

Here's Jason with his Red Team...who came in FOURTH. After all the trash-talking, strategizing (Jason wore CLEATS), and bragging that went on from this team before we played...I think they ate their humble pie with great attitudes! :)

All four teams together. Orange Team took 1st place. It was sooo much fun, I hope it becomes tradition.

The Government Can!

2011-08-21T15:05:00.004-05:00

I'm really not "political"....but I keep seeing these funny things and have to share. :) Incidentally, if you've never heard Tim Hawkins...check him out...he's hilarious!

REALLY?!

2011-08-16T13:03:00.003-05:00

The Daily Show

The way John Stewart presents this story is really funny...the story itself is rather infuriating.

Family

2011-08-14T12:58:00.001-05:00

There is nothing like it!

Never a dull moment...

2011-08-14T12:50:00.004-05:00

A Week of Firsts For Our Little Man

2011-08-12T10:20:00.006-05:00

Tuesday Mack had his first dentist appointment, where he received his first puzzle that has more than 20 pieces. He came home, changed clothes, and immediately got to work...making sure to inform me to let Kamma know he got a puzzle "like hers".

He finished it yesterday (Thursday) morning! He did it all by himself...the only "help" we gave him was showing him how to sort his pieces by color and "edgy-ness".

Today is Mack's first day of Kindergarten. Here he is, checking out his first-ever packed lunch for school.

It's hard to believe this day has come. School! We are so proud of Mackinley...it is bittersweet as we watch him grow up and move on to independence.

I'm sorry

2011-08-10T14:29:00.003-05:00

(If you are like my mother, you are probably beyond annoyed with me by now for the seeming-to-never-end vacation posts. Sorry....I hope you'll forgive me and continue to come back.)

Wisconsin Rapids Zoo

2011-08-10T14:07:00.013-05:00

The Wisconsin Rapids Zoo is FABULOUS!! It's pretty. It's clean. It's full of all kinds of animals...and even a petting zoo area. To top it all off...it's FREE!

The turtles were a big hit with the Baker children. Kaeleigh and Mack weren't so sure about the slimy legs and sharp claws...

But little Piper fell in love. She was so gentle and loving with the turtles, it was precious. :)

They even had a giant one! (Don't worry...he wasn't harmed by our boy taking a seat on his back...we made Mack get up before he put any weight on him. SIGH)

Other Wanderings and Sightings

2011-08-10T13:53:00.011-05:00

Lemurs! Just like King Julian! :)

This is one of my favorite vacation pictures. Our kids adore their Papoo.

That little duck was chasing the larger geese...and they were running from him! He must be small but mighty. :)

Handsome and gorgeous! :)

Wrapping It Up

2011-08-10T13:46:00.008-05:00

(Make sure you do not miss Piper's FACE!)

It's worth repeating...this zoo was FABULOUS! :)

After the zoo we hit up Walmart, followed by yummy Chinese buffet! Mmmmm

Fashionistas

2011-08-08T10:35:00.003-05:00

Both our girls love fashion. They love to dress up, they love to be princesses.

Kaeleigh has to be sure she always MATCHES...and she has to be sure everyone else always matches, too! :) One day in Wisconsin, she dressed herself and Piper up in "dresses" and hats.

I have to wonder...what will prom be like with these two?? And their weddings?! Oh. My. Word.

Piper's Friend

2011-08-06T18:04:00.003-05:00

"He is my friend, the toad. I will not kill him." Oh, Lord protect this poor toad! My little Peanut means well, even though she's dropped him on his head several times. :) She is in love.

CAN IT BE???

2011-08-06T10:24:00.002-05:00

Is today the day? Is she really gonna do it?? Piper has been using the potty...and for the first time EVER...POOPED IN THE POTTY! (I apologize to those of you without small children who will think that is TMI....feel free to roll your eyes and ignore me.)

A Little Pampering

2011-08-05T10:25:00.003-05:00

While in Wisconsin, my Mom took me to her nail salon and treated me to a manicure! This was special because a) I got to spend one-on-one time with my Momma: I know I'm blessed to have my Mom alive and well and that we love each other AND like each other. b) I never do fun girly things like manicures. c) Mom's nail-guy, Andy, can do amazing things with nails without an airbrush!

Last Tuesday...

2011-08-03T16:19:00.004-05:00

We visited the Wisconsin Dairy State Cheese Company, aka: the cheese factory. We watched the curds being separated from the whey and then we ate those yummy curds! Some were even still warm! Mmmmmm!!! If you have never done this...make sure you add it to your Bucket List, fresh squeaky cheese curds will change your opinion of all things cheesy. :)

Lake Wazeecha

2011-08-03T11:03:00.011-05:00

After the cheese factory, Mom took us to her childhood swimming "hole", Lake Wazeecha.

(Jason gives a whole new meaning to the term "towel-head")

The lake was gorgeous and the kiddos had lots of fun splashing in the waves and building their own "pool".

After such a busy day...all ready for a good night's sleep!

Road Trip!

2011-07-31T18:36:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday we packed up and headed out on a road trip. Our very first-ever family vacation!

We traveled through Indiana to Illinois, through Chicago...

to the seemingly empty and lonely highways of Wisconsin. Our final destination: The Broyles Abode in Wisconsin Rapids (aka Mom & Dad's house. HA!).

We arrived sometime in the wee hours of the morning and immediately crashed. The next day was full of lots of lounging around, watching TV, and napping. That evening Mom treated us to supper at Taco John's (a first for all of us and we loved it!!).

Then we visited the Dollar Tree, or "The Toy Factory" as our children have dubbed it. Kamma gave each kid their very own dollar so they could each pick out their very own special toy.

As I sit here typing this post, I'm a little sad our vacation is already over. We had a fabulous time...stay tuned for more. :)

I love my "job"

2011-07-22T15:18:00.002-05:00

I love working for FCI. If you know me even a little bit, you know how passionate I am about this organization. I also love the people I get to work with. We had a fabulous time today, raising money for orphans at the Columbia City Travel Center. If you stopped by, thank you!

Oh...it's you again, Pride. Didn't I un-invite you??

2011-07-21T15:41:00.001-05:00

Like that mosquito in my bedroom as I'm trying to sleep...I can't seem to slap it to it's death. Pride. Gross, nasty, ugly, and in constant competition for my heart and my thoughts.

"...everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble." Daniel 4:37

"I'd rather humble myself than force God to humble me. Let's allow the circumstances and weaknesses, and any thorns in the flesh God has chosen to leave, to do the job they were sent to do - provoke humility." Beth Moore "Breaking Free" workbook

This battle is one I don't know will end before my time on this earth has finished. I'm so thankful for the ways He continues to remind me to be humble. And the times I don't "hear" Him, he gently brings me to my knees. And yet it seems it can only be moments later that I find myself being seduced again by pride.

(Why am I even making this post?? IS IT MY PRIDE?!)

Ugh. Human-ness. Fallen-ness. I'm so very aware of how much I need filling up and carried by my Savior.

"Pop-in" for a laugh...har har har

2011-07-20T12:16:00.003-05:00

Ouabache Pool

2011-07-18T12:54:00.002-05:00

Break time! We're beating the heat with swimming and going down the water slide. Sum sum summer time!

Frugal Fashion

2011-07-17T14:58:00.004-05:00

I follow a blog called Pink Coffee Photoart, owned by Professional Photographer Lyndsay Almeida. When she was pregnant, she started posting pictures of the outfits she liked most, hoping to encourage other pregnant women that there can still be fashion with a baby bulge. Lyndsay has since had her baby, an adorable boy named Kingston Rock, but she has continued the "Outfit of the Week" posts and I must say...I do get inspired by her creativity with her closet.

This is my feeble attempt at somewhat replicating one of her posts. (I said FEEBLE! I am NO professional, do not have her creativity or eye for these things, but still...I'm trying!)

V-neck T - $3 at Walmart (last night! HA)
Skirt - This was a dress I bought at Von Maur 4 years ago. I couldn't make it work as a dress anymore so I chopped off the top and made it a skirt. The belt used to tie around the back, just under the bodice, so I saved it and use it to hold the skirt in place.
Flip flops - Payless Shoes, the same day I bought the dress from Von Maur.
Bracelets - Various pieces I've picked up along the years, the wide brown one and one of the others came from Uganda.

Maybe you'll be inspired...maybe you won't...but either way, make sure you check out Lyndsay's Outfit of the Week because hers are light-years better than this one! hehehe :)

African Beauties

2011-07-17T13:41:00.002-05:00

The girls wore their Ugandan dresses today! I was determined to get a picture because a) the girls are beautiful. b) the dresses are very special to me. c) they're growing up SO QUICKLY.

Outtakes

2011-07-17T13:26:00.011-05:00

We always have tons of outtakes. I rarely post them. But these are just too funny not to share. This doesn't really appear to be an outtake...except that Piper decided to come "see" the picture before it had even snapped...thus resulting in this close-up.

Let the silly-ness begin! Kaeleigh elegantly holds her smile and position while Piper gets spunky.

Piper seems to be thinking "Really, Sissy? You're just gonna do what you're told??" (Novel idea.)

Strike a pose.

Mack decides to get involved. It looks as though Piper is attempting to bring back DISCO while Mack clearly finds this idea hilarious. Sweet little Kae is still elegantly holding her smile and sweet position.

Mack - "Check out my dogtags!" Piper - "What are dogtags? I don't see a dog." Sweet little Kae is still elegantly holding her smile and sweet position.

Mack - "OH YEAH, BABY!" Piper - "I'm done." Sweet little Kae is still elegantly holding her smile and sweet position.

Mack - "Look how cool I am with this chain in my teeth!" Sweet little Kae is still elegantly holding her smile and sweet position. If I could show our children's different personalities by a string of photographs, I think this would be the string I would choose. We are so blessed!

I think it's a hit...

2011-07-15T12:21:00.003-05:00

They look super cramped, but they're not. They just scrunched together for the picture. :) Good clean fun! They LOVE it and so do I!

Project

2011-07-14T14:55:00.002-05:00

My project today. Converting the sandbox to a kiddie pool. Swimming in this counts as a bath, right?!

(P.S. This post was sent via my cell phone...which pretty much ROCKS. So be warned...there will probably be much more frequent posting going on in BakerBlog Land.)

Summer Nights

2011-07-11T21:15:00.001-05:00

Hot dogs, swimming, family fun. :)

Date Night!

2011-07-08T22:49:00.002-05:00

Dinner at Outback to use a gift certificate that's been burning a hole in our proverbial pocket since February, followed by some Settlers of Catan with two of our favorite people in the whole wide world = the perfect summer night.

Not a bad little Thursday...

2011-07-07T15:48:00.004-05:00

A picnic...

followed by the sprinkler. And later we have Mack's final t-ball game of the season!

(I need to stop using my phone for pictures...the quality is horrible. But I'm lazy and using the camera means going in the house to find it!)

Cheerleaders!

2011-07-05T22:55:00.003-05:00

Ok...so not much cheering went on...more "ewww"s over bugs and "Is it almost over?" and "Why is Daddy over there?" and "Where's Mack?" and "Is it almost over???" But nevertheless, there they sat to support their brother. :)

My friend Deidre took this precious picture. :)

Eat Your Heart Out (and your cake, too!)

2011-07-01T15:13:00.001-05:00

4th of July weekend challenge: IGNORE the trainers, nutritionists, media, magazines and enjoy your holiday. Eat your potato salad and cake and hot dogs. Be thankful for the blessings and the fact that you get to HAVE a hot dog! Enjoy the life you've been given and DO NOT feel guilty about any of it on Tuesday. Happy 4th of July!! :)

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

With a Thankful Heart

2011-06-30T16:41:00.001-05:00

Whoever you are, you have blessed us beyond any kind of thanks I can express with words. "Thank you" just doesn't cut it. We are humbled, joyful, grateful, blessed. May the Lord bless you TIMES ONE HUNDRED in the way you have blessed us!!!

"How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord." Psalm 116:12&13.

YOU know who you are. THANK YOU.

Birthday Surprise!

2011-06-23T11:38:00.003-05:00

Piper got a surprise birthday package in the mail today from Kamma & Papoo! She LOVES IT.

She didn't like the way the hair tickled her nose and kept falling in her eyes so we have braided it and she loves it again. :) She is somber here because she didn't want another picture taken.

Birthday Girl

2011-06-22T09:23:00.008-05:00

Piper turned THREE last Saturday! Thanks to Netflix, she has completely fallen in love with Kipper the Dog. She has been informing me for months now that for her birthday she would have KIPPER CAKE! So we had Kipper, Pig and Tiger cupcakes.

Piper got lots of love via the mail! Thank you for all the cards and gifts! She loved all of them!

Some of my favorite things about our little Piper:

Her singing. She does it all the time. She sings songs she's learned as well as little ditties she's just completely made up. It's precious. I have tried to get it on video but as soon as she realizes I'm recording her, it's all over.

Her imagination. Piper can sit for hours and play in her imagination-land. She creates characters, stories and situations with her Polly Pockets, Polly's CLOTHES, her stuffed animals, her brother's Ironman figurines...there is no limit to her ability to play!

Her tender heart and feisty spirit. As Piper grows, I am realizing these two things go together. Because as feisty and fiery as she can be, she can just as quickly feel compassion, joy and love for someone...someone she loves, or even a stranger. I believe these two characteristics of her personality were given to her by God with intent to compliment each other in her passions.

Cute Piper-isms: "I can't found it!" "I want peanut-hutter-jelly-and-goldfish." "Beebee & Woongie" "Hangled" (Instead of "Tangled") Her lamb named "Neigh" (instead of Baa) The way she adds "Momma" to the end of her sentences. "Skeetie-o's" (mosquitoes) "Oopsie-doo!" "I do NOT! Goodbye!"

My Dad

2011-06-19T14:04:00.004-05:00

I'm one of those truly blessed daughters to have an amazing father. I have been around long enough now to really grasp how huge this blessing is. I am so thankful for my Dad!!!

My children are also very thankful for their Papoo. All three of our kids each have their own special and unique bond with my Dad and it is priceless to me. I love seeing them with him, hearing them all giggle and laugh together, seeing their faces light up just being around him.

And his sense of humor is second-to-none. :) Ok...so maybe he had nothing to do with the humor in this picture but TRUST ME, without Dad life would certainly have less spice and less laughter. Dad, Happy Father's Day. Thank you for being the father you are. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made throughout the years for your children and your grandchildren. Thank you for laughing with us, crying with us, and for loving us. WE LOVE YOU!!!!

The Father of My Children

2011-06-19T13:48:00.005-05:00

For Daddy from his children on Father's Day 2011 (What do you love about Daddy?):

Mack (5) - tackling, riding on his shoulders, he teaches me how to ride my bike, he teaches me how to play baseball

Kaeleigh (7) - tackling, he's smart, he's nice, he plays with me, I love his big hugs, "I just love him because he's very nice and cute." (HAHA!)

Piper (3) - Daddy loves me.

Babe, you are a fabulous father and a wonderful husband. We are so blessed to have you at the head of our family! You keep us together with Christ first and foremost. I am so thankful for you...and even though they don't know how to articulate it yet, I know your children are thankful for you, too. Happy Father's Day! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Kaeleigh and Mack made these for Jason today at church. So cute!!!

Shaped

2011-06-17T17:12:00.002-05:00

The following excerpts come from the book "Every Thought Captive" by Jerusha Clark. I haven't even finished this chapter yet...as I read these truths, tears streamed down my face and I KNEW I had to share. I don't think I know a woman who DOESN'T need to hear this.

"We accept that there are people who are tall and some who are short. Some people are beautiful blondes, others have raven black tresses, and some are gorgeous brunettes and redheads. But what about the reality that some women have tiny frames, whole others have bigger ones, or that some have small breasts and others have large ones? EACH shape is beautiful because it's God's design. Why don't we believe this?

....

I know there are some women reading this who are thinking, Maybe I WAS God's masterpiece as He originally designed me, but I have ruined my body by eating or dieting unhealthily and exercising too little [or for some, too much]. If I had my act together, I would be the right size, the size I could and SHOULD be.

This, too, is part of the lie. There is no "right" size, and there is no behavior you could engage in that would IN ANY WAY diminish your heritage as a masterpiece of beauty. Believing what God says about you actually will enable you, in the healthiest way, to take care of your body and eat with balance, freedom, and joy.

Just as the Louvre curator intently watches over and protects the Mona Lisa, so we are called to respect and nurture our bodies. But however we care or don't care for our bodies has nothing to do with the fact that we are - indisputably - God's priceless works of art. Whether we've neglected our bodies or surrendered ourselves to an obsession with being thin, we are still beautiful to Christ. Period.

And while He certainly desires for us to take care of our bodies - they are, after all, masterpieces - it's up to Him to express what that means. A tension will probably always exist between what we see as nurturing our bodies and what He sees as caring for His poeima. Because sin, the lies of the enemy, and the lies of the world have so tainted our minds, and because caring for our bodies will look different based on everyone's design (for instance, diabetic women need to exercise more and eat less sugar to stay healthy), we can never make definitive, for-all-women-at-all-times statements about what eating and exercising "right" looks like. No perfect formula for healthy living exists. There is a high likelihood, however, that you will learn that caring for your body as Christ desires does not equal looking how you think or how the world says you should look.

My husband thinks a woman should look like me. And believe me, I count myself one of the luckiest women alive. So many people fight the voices of others (parents, siblings, boyfriends, or husbands) whose hurtful comments repeatedly scream in their ears, "You cow. Nobody wants a fat girl." "You better not eat that; it'll go straight to your thighs." "Why don't you go to the gym today, honey? You ate quite a bit yesterday." I even remember one guy at my high school telling a friend of mine, who was severely anorexic, "The skinnier the girl, the better." And these lies don't come strictly from the weight-obsessed world. Far too many Christians communicate their disgust for and displeasure in the bodies of women around them.

I am so sorry and so angry for all of us who have heard these toxic messages. They are lies from the pit of hell, and every time a woman opens the fridge to binge, pushes herself beyond exhaustion by exercising, feels paralyzed by the thought of her birthday party because of all the cake that will be there, and considers herself trapped in a relationship with someone who acts as the food or fat police, I think the enemy is laughing himself silly.

Whenever someone attacks His masterpiece, God weeps for His beloved. In Christ, we have the power to resist the lies that other people, spiritual forces, or our own hurting hearts tell us. God wants us to hear, to know, to believe, to LIVE OUT our rightful destiny and design as His poeima. He aches to woo us back to His heart and to show us His exalted vision of the body and food.

When the lie comes that you are not the "right" shape or size, argue back (even if it means saying it straight to your biggest critic's face), "I am the expression of God's image. A woman is supposed to look like ME. God's masterpiece."

Will you stop with me and soak in this truth? Will you ponder it this week for as many hours as you've been assaulted by the toxic beliefs you see on TV and billboards and hear from body-loathing men and women? Spend an equal (if not more) amount of time immersed in the truth that you are lovable, acceptable, and declared worthy of happiness and fulfillment. We will recapture the joy we can have in taking care of our bodies and adorning them beautifully only when we trust that doing so does not add to our worth but merely reflects it.

In no way would I advocate abandoning the care for and enjoyment of a healthy body. But it's time to finally disregard the lie that we will be happy, accepted, and lovable when we reach the "right" weight. The question of our happiness, acceptability, and lovability was settled forever on Calvary. You are approved of and lovable. Your body type is beautiful."

Join Me

2011-06-14T13:43:00.004-05:00

Meet Fred. Fred was an orphan. God used a dream to transform Fred's life. Now God uses Fred to save many, many orphans. Fred is the founder of Hope Care Child Program (HCCP) in Rakai, Uganda, Africa. This is me with Fred and my friend Deidre during our trip to Uganda in November/December 2010. There are 400+ children at HCCP. Orphans. Needy children. Children who literally have nothing else. Some of the children live on the compound, others walk miles and miles one way just to get there every day. Fred also assists widows, elderly, unemployed...the poor. The Lord has done amazing things through Fred and for Fred because of Fred's obedience.

This video, taken by my teammate Chris during our trip to visit Fred at HCCP, is a glimpse of Fred and his amazing faith in Jesus. See how he beams just talking about his Jesus?? (Incidentally, the children you see in the background are children who don't live on the compound and are beginning their trek home for the evening after school)

Fred was a crucial part of our trip. He went everywhere with us. He translated for us, he smoothed things over. He "gets" Americans and our culture and really helped us get along with the Africans in their culture. He's charming, he's funny, he's an all-around lovable guy. If you met him, I guarantee you would love him.

I'm sharing all of this with you because I want to ask you to pray for Fred. He was in a vehicle crash yesterday. The details are a little fuzzy, but it seems he was hit head-on by a 10 wheel truck. He is in a Ugandan hospital, comatose. Please pray for Fred! He has a wife and three small children in addition to HCCP and all those children who rely on his leadership. He is an integral partner with Forgotten Children. Losing Fred would be devastating to so many of us.

God is big. Way bigger than me. I know He has a plan. I know my desire to keep Fred here with us is a selfish one, but it is my desire. Fred has been in our home, he ate supper at our table. My heart is so heavy today. Please join me in praying for my friend and brother in Christ, Fred.

I am amazed as I look at Fred's Facebook. I see comments from people from ALL OVER THE WORLD who are praying for Fred and his family. What an amazing testimony!!! God adopted this orphan and transformed his life, in turn bringing so many people to know HIM and so many children have been saved. Our God is an AWESOME God!!!!

Home Remedy

2011-05-31T09:47:00.004-05:00

Friday I went to Mack's class party with him. Jason was home with Piper. Since he works third shift, he sleeps during the day. So he snoozed on the couch while she played. We've done this in the past and it's always worked out very well. Take Mack out of the equation and little miss Piper is perfectly happy to entertain herself with coloring or Polly Pockets or other such things.

She entertained herself on Friday with coloring alright. Coloring herself and the walls in the living room with an INK PEN. The ink came off her skin easily enough with warm water and soap. The walls? Not so much! First I tried a Clorox wipe, knowing that would be too good to be true. Next I tried Windex. The blue streaks laughed at me. So I grabbed the Clorox Clean-Up (which is essentially bleach). I'm pretty sure I heard a "Nice try." come out of the bottle as I furiously scrubbed. I followed this with an attempt using Dawn Dish Detergent. Go ahead...roll your eyes.

Several years ago, I was doing laundry and discovered an ink pen in the dryer...because there was ink all over the clothes and all over the inside of the dryer. Someone told me then to use hairspray to get the ink out of the clothes and off the interior of the dryer. It worked! While trying all these other methods on my wall, the hairspray idea was in the back of my mind. But I was afraid it would leave a sticky film on the wall (yeah...because THAT is more difficult to remove than INK, right?! NOT. Don't judge me...I was in the heat of battle!). Once all else failed, I grabbed the hairspray. The ink wiped off just like magic. And the Clorox wipe took care of the sticky film.

SO...if you have a situation where you need to remove ink from a wall, a dryer, clothes, what-have-you...save yourself the trouble and go right for the hairspray!!

Class Party!

2011-05-29T12:53:00.016-05:00

Friday was Mackinley's last day of preschool. So they had a party!

"You brush your teeth! Tsh tsh tsh tsh!"

Bop until you drop...slooooow mooootion!

Bop until you drop....spin!

Bop until you....DROP!

Learning a new song about a humongous hungry whale who burped! At least he said "excuse me"!

Pass the treat bucket until the music stops.

Interactive snack time.

During snack time, the 1st & 2nd graders came in and read books they wrote. So cute!

Preschool Graduation

2011-05-29T12:48:00.008-05:00

Friday evening Mack officially "graduated" from preschool! He had a wonderful year making new friends and learning. We fell in love with his teacher, Mrs. Connett! We are happy we chose to send him to preschool.

Random Spring Happenings in the Baker Household

2011-05-29T12:42:00.006-05:00

Mack and his best school buddy, Hudson

It's t-ball time! This is Mack's first time being on a team. He loves it! From Jason about this picture: "Mack's first plate appearance. He had a good first pitch and made great contact sending the ball to the right side of the infield. He was thrown out at first. He's picking things up nicely and having fun. I'm having fun with his fun."

Kaeleigh Jay opening her birthday mail.

A picnic in the front yard!

Piper Renae

2011-05-27T20:35:00.000-05:00

Do you know my Piper? Do you know how loud her little voice is?

At Mack's game tonight she looks up at me and says "YOU HAVE A BOOGIE!!!" So I wiped my nose and she says "YOU HAVE A BOOGIE!!!" Then a little later she is sitting there quietly and says "TOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!" (which means she just farted). And lastly, after a little while she looks at me and says "I'm PEEING!" I said "Piper, shhh!! Why won't you pee in the potty?" She replies "No. You change my DIAPER!"

In the sieve?

2011-05-26T15:56:00.003-05:00

("Borrowed" from 'Jesus The One and Only' workbook by Beth Moore, Week 9, Day 3)

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32

Christ seemed to be singling him out as a leader in Luke 22:31 as He directed the statement concerning all the disciples (plural "you") to Peter: "'Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift [all of] you [disciples] as wheat.'" Very likely, Christ thought that Peter, as a leader among the disciples, could either take the extra heat or needed the extra heat. I have a hunch both apply. Please be encouraged that Satan can't just presume to sift a believer like wheat. I believe this New Testament precedent suggests he must acquire permission from Christ. (Compare Job 1) Christ will not grant the devil permission to do anything that can't be used for God's glory and our good - if we let it.

I'd also like to believe, based on the same precedent, that if Christ gives the enemy a little extra leash where we're concerned, He prays for us. The word for prayed in Luke 22:32 is deomai, meaning "to make one's need known." This particular word for prayer involves the petition for what one lacks. I don't think Christ's petition for Peter's need referred only to what he needed to be victorious in this sifting season. I believe Christ saw that this sifting season itself was something Peter needed.

Although I can think of many things, humility as a servant of God and alertness as a target of the enemy most readily come to my mind. Peter was a natural leader and might have led in the flesh...if he were not taught its terrible weakness and danger. In about 51 days, Chris would transform him into a powerhouse among the disciples (see Acts 2). He needed a crash course only a fierce sifting could supply.

...Being sifted like wheat is not your regular brand of temptation. It's an all-out onslaught by the enemy to destroy you and cause you to quit. It surfaces what you detest most in yourself and reveals the ugliness of self. Not everyone has or needs such an experience.

...The method of sifting wheat is to put it through a sieve and shake it until the chaff, little stones, and perhaps some tares surface. The purpose is that the actual grain can be separated and ground into meal. You see, Satan's goal in sifting is to make us a mockery by showing us to be all chaff and no wheat. Christ, on the other hand, permits us to be sifted to shake out the real from the unreal, the trash from the true. The wheat that proves usable is authentic grain from which Christ can make bread.

(How did Peter fare from his sifting?):

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:6-11

36 Years

2011-05-24T09:24:00.003-05:00

36 years of marriage! That's what they're celebrating today!

But really, it's a celebration for the whole family. With today's divorce rate, staying married 36 years is a big deal. I have a divorce in my past. I have been blessed with the gift of a second chance and a new marriage (though I certainly don't deserve it!) and have been married 6-1/2 years. I have an idea of how much work marriage is...but let's be honest, if we compare my 6 years to their 36...I haven't got a clue!

Being the first-born of 4 children, I have seen the "better or worst" and the "sickness and health". I have seen the "ups and downs" the "good and the bad". That's why this is a celebration for our whole family. There have been dark days...days when my parents easily could have said "WE'RE DONE!" and walked away.

But they didn't do that. They stuck it out, they ran the race, they fought the good fight. Why? Because it felt good? Because they were happy? Because they were in love? Because they had the "butterflies" when they were around each other? No. Of course not. Those things fade. The secret to the success of this marriage is commitment. They are committed to each other, but even more importantly...there is a third person in this marriage and they are committed to HIM.

What a GIFT to the rest of us! They have four children...2 of which are married, 1 will be married in the next few months, and the 4th will someday go down this road as well. The example Mom & Dad have given us of what it means to be committed to Jesus and to each other is priceless. Much better than any Bone China (which is the traditional gift for 36 years according to Google!), silver, gold, namebrand clothes, extravagant vacations, brand new cars, or anything else I may have thought I "needed" as a youngster.

Now, after sticking it out through the rough spots, I see a relationship between my parents that I've never seen before. They laugh, they have fun, they ENJOY each other...all the time! They remind me of newlyweds, newlyweds with the wisdom and knowledge of each other that only comes with years of loving one another.

So, Mom and Dad, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!! And thank you. Thank you for being committed to Jesus, to each other, and to us. It really is the gift that keeps on giving, and your children and grandchildren are reaping the benefits. Your sacrifices haven't gone unnoticed...here in this world nor in Heaven above. You are and will be richly blessed. I love you both so much!