Miles and Daddy at their first Portland Trail Blazer Game!

Miles got Trailblazer basketball tickets for Christmas from Santa and last night was the game! Miles called it "Man Time"....They had a blast. Take a look at the pictures!



Headed out! Almost game time!




before the game




so excited



blazer warm up

Lemarcus Aldridge - Dave says the L Train was the best player on the court!



Praying for a free Chalupa - If they score over 100 pts, the entire crowd gets a free chalupa!

CHEERLEADERS!! CHECK EM OUT!!!

Marriage proposal guy showed up! An engagement on the big screen! They say the girl was less than amused!

Getting "Blaze" autograph during the game- Only Miles- He is a magnet, people love him

Fist Bump!

The autograph

 Blazers score 100 PTS! Free CHALUPA for everyone!!!!!!!!!!

cheerleader...hot mama's! haha!

My week at Children's Cancer Association

This week has been wonderful!!! I spent 24 hours with The Children's Cancer Association in downtown Portland (such a neat city) and loved every second of it. The people here are so great! With all the negative media, bad news and horrible feelings in the US all the time, the CCA is a breath of fresh air!!! Though there are terminally ill children involved in this cause, the children and people who support CCA are amazing. The employees, volunteers and donors have shed such a light in my life since the start of my involvement here. I received phone calls of people wanting to drop off donations, send money, donate a car and more.... I am happy to report that I have been asked to spend Monday and Wednesday each week at The Children's Cancer Association working on a special project with the Special Events Team!! I'm excited!
Again, a constant reminder of how blessed our family is to have our health and such love!

http://www.joyrx.org/


Have a Happy New Year everyone!!!

Festivas and Baker Family Christmas!

Festivas 2010 was a huge success. We enjoyed time with new friends, drank Glogg (a Swedish Holiday Wine), ATE TOO MUCH and laughed a lot. I think everyone who came wants to come again next year. It is such a fun theme for a party! We all had a great time.

Heather Grievance: STL HOME NEEDS TO SELL!!!

Miles Grievance: The people above us in the apartment are so loud!!!

Dave Grievance: Micro brew beers in Portland are over rated! And our EX STL BROKER (enough said)

Katrina Grievance: When people make fun of other people at school!

Katrina feat of strength: a head stand

Miles feat of strength: Napolean Dynamite impersonation!

Christmas was great too! The kids were with their Mom Christmas eve until 8pm so Dave and I went out for Italian food. We enjoyed our dinner and then picked up the kids. When we got home, Katrina received an email from Santa which was unexpected and really cool! They each opened a gift from one another Christmas Eve. Miles got Katrina and Ipod Shuffle and Katrina got Miles the Epic Mickey Wii game...they were stoked and off to bed!!!!

Christmas Day was a hit as always. We woke the kids up at 7:30am. Dave went in their room and blew a blow horn (festivas gift) and startled them half to death! (Merry Christmas kids! WAKE UP!!!) So the excitement began!!! Santa wrote them a beautiful letter as always and gave them just what they asked for! They earned it as they're great kids!! What a year we've had!!!!!!!!!

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Katrina and Ella!

Katrina doing her splits during the head stand!

Miles as Napoleon!

The GAG gifts!

The entire crew...The girls had on the mustaches that were given to Dave (a mustache for each day of the week)

Christmas Eve- Katrina got an email from Santa and was floored!

The tree and gifts Christmas Morning!

Santa brought Miles Trailblazer tickets!!!

Katrina LOVES her new helmet! haha!

Miles new Boston hat- handsome!

Sleepy eyes on Christmas morning!

Dave and I laid back, relaxed and needing a snap shot of us by the tree on Christmas Day!!!


WE HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED YOUR HOLIDAYS!!!! We cannot to share next year with our families!

Santa Emailed Katrina! Take a look!

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/0SeUY9wCLGe-YnqoA9gpeA

Heather Baker for Talk Show Host!...and if that does not work out!!...

It's no secret that Dave and I want to expand our family. We plan on two more Baker children but would be happy to be blessed with one! We know that a baby will happen when it's supposed to as everything happens for a reason at its own time. So we wait....
In the meantime, I stay busy with the kids, volunteer work and of course the washer, dryer and dishwasher never stop running. I enjoy blogging, reading, exercising, baking, cooking and taking the dog on walks. I still need more to do.  There is still some down time (when a baby happens for us there will not be much down time). Which is where these ladies and gentlemen below come in.
I LOVE DAYTIME TELEVISION TALK SHOWS!!! I watch as I do things around the house and sometimes stop what I am doing all together to hear what these people or their guests are saying. I am more intrigued than most; I want to be them! I want their job! As a Communication Major in college I used to dream of this type of job knowing that Columbia Missouri was likely not the place that kind of career would happen. My friends used to say that I would be great at this kind of job or reporting the weather but they would have to take a Tylenol or Aspirin before turning on the TV because I am too much personality in the morning! I think a bit has changed since college because now the first thing I need when I wake is coffee. I am rambling.... The point is I should have pursued the ABC news station opportunity in Columbia MO. as an intern...instead decided to take a different class credit hours and for that I regret it!!! I wish I would have taken that chance as a way in to this business. I loved my COMM classes.... anyway...moral of the story, I love being a Mom and dream of more children of my own but I daydream of being a talk show anchor!! There, I said it! HAHA! 
If  the talk show anchor dream does not come true (never too late to start chasing a dream, but really Heather, a little unlikely!) then maybe I will own a boutique some day! (see how my mind works...I am a bit of a scatter brain) Cupcake boutiques are the new rave and are replacing wedding cakes and party cakes. People LOVE cupcakes...Also, as you all know, I love flowers. So maybe I'll be a flower shop owner or cupcakery owner and the kids can work with me....Growing up at a flower shop could be fun right?! Hey, a girl can dream!! Check out the people below, I spend a lot of time with them !!

hilarious

witty, corky, fun!

I will miss the Oprah show...I have watched her forever!

they're awesome

with my morning coffee...

maybe a flower shop!

future cupcake boutique! who's in with me?!

Miles and Sports

Miles is a Soccer Champ! He truly is a natural athlete.Yesterday he scored two goals during Soccer. The score was 4 to 1 at the half and Miles scored his first goal at the beginning of the 2nd half...Another teammate scored the third goal and with 25 seconds left in the game he scores a goal to tie the game leaving the final score 4 to 4. The kids were so excited and the look on Miles face was priceless. In Soccer he is always very impressive but Basketball is more challenging for him, which is why moments like these are so cool. He is improving with each practice and game that he plays in Basketball! In the below video Miles passes for a rebound and also gets a basket after a great pass! He is in a black jersey and is number one....his team takes the win. Enjoy!! (sorry, part of the video is sideways...I'll know for next time not to turn the phone camera!)

"Charlie Brown Christmas" Read by Katrina Baker

Katrina loves the classic Charlie Brown Christmas Story that my Mom sent in the mail. She read part of the story for my nephew Finley. Enjoy the video!!

My small trip down memory lane...

These pictures are just a few pictures that my Mom picked out for a Bride wedding poster in our condo during wedding week in Florida. I just came across them while cleaning and smiled. These pictures bring me joy to look at (though I question a few of my looks). I cannot remember many times where I was not a happy kid. I, in most cases had a smile on my face because I was always surrounded by love and happiness. I always felt special being a twin with my sister Ashley (who now has twins of her own). Though there was quite an age gap with my brother, I spent a lot of time in college during his maturing, I love him. He has developed into a very respectful, kind and handsome guy! I had (and still have) a wonderful Mom and Dad who loved each other, respected one another and taught us the core values and foundations of life to be happy, successful, loving human beings. I am proud of my upbringing and all of the people who were a part of it; from immediate family, to Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles (lots), Cousins (lots) and family friends (lots). Simply, I feel blessed. We are from a rather large family that I hold very dear to my heart!

 This picture above is special. This was taken at my Great Grandma's house. I was blessed to have known both my Mama and Papa (great grandparents) very well. They were wonderful people. I know my Mom loved having them for Grandparents and I have very fond memories of them and their little home with little space for a lot of family. My Grandma and her sisters and brother are one of a kind!  My sister is the one in blue and I am the one in red. We most always dressed alike in different colors. Thanks Mom.

 I was probably close to Katrina's age in the above picture.  As you can see, another smile.

 This picture is not my favorite picture because of the hair, eyebrows, acne and braces but I love it because again, I am smiling and holding our childhood dog. Our Shih-tzu Pugsley who passed a couple years ago. She was a great dog! She brought our family a lot of joy.

Heather the Pommie! This was a Senior Picture. I danced on my High School Poms Team and have a lot of great memories of that as well.... I had a lot of great high school friends who I am still in touch with today. 

7 going on 17

Katrina reminds me of myself when I was 7 yrs old. I always wanted to be older than I was. I always wanted to be involved in the older girl talk and be around the adults. She is the same way. She impresses me with her maturity, manners and corky personality. She would make a great actress if she ever wants to be one! We had a great time at the Secret Santa Party last night! The girls adore her and how could they not?!! She says things that make you laugh and even sometimes cry! She is my favorite girl in the world and I am so happy to call her my step daughter.We have a great friendship and foundation for a really successful relationship and for that, I am proud!

Katrina and I at our place before the party...she was so excited

Katrina mada all the girls a fan...they loved them!!!

She is so ready to find out who her Secret Santa was!

Her Secret Santa was Emily!!!

Rapunzel Barbie! Yay!!!

Katrina pulled Mary's name and could not wait to give her the gift!

Mary loved what Katrina picked out

Emily and I

So much to catch up on!

• Thursday I had the privilege of attending the Children's Cancer Association Radio Telethon. Myself and eight or so other volunteers answered phone calls from generous donors. Some of the people called in and donated $20 because that is all they could afford to contribute. Others called and donated $1000 dollars up to the highest bid of $5000. Total, we raised over $40,000 for the CCA and the families they help every year. The event was a huge success. The Oregon Ducks coach called in and even some of the Trailblazers called in and spoke to the founder of the CCA and host of the show. It was such a cool experience. Behind the scenes at a radio station is a cool place and being involved with such a great cause is awesome. The people that are a part of the CCA are just the coolest people and I feel blessed to have come into contact with this organization.
• Friday night we attended Tualatin Elementary Family Holiday night. There was a cookie walk, visit from Santa and Gingerbread house making! It was fun to see Miles in action as an Ambassador but also to meet more of the kids friends and their parents. We had a great time.
• Saturday we spent our day with Miles at his basketball game and soccer game! We did the rest of our Christmas shopping. Yes, we are done shopping!! Feels nice!
• Today I took Boggs on a walk and came home to see a sign on our front door by Katrina. See picture below....The kids are all about making money!
• Tonight Katrina and I are attending a holiday party with our new friends. Katrina is so excited to be a part of the "Adult Women Party"...She behaves so maturely around the girls and it's fun to see. She cannot wait to give her Secret Santa gift away. Should be a nice time. I will take pictures.

 

That's all for now!~

Friday Night at Holiday Night- Miles wearing his Ambassador shirt

Katrina's creativity

Katrina's sign! She wants to be a dog or cat sitter!