"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

Driving through our neighborhood last night was so fun because our neighbors are really getting in the holiday spirit and decorating! Our decorating is complete, a mini winter wonderland! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Our cheery house!

2011~ Thanksgiving Holiday Fun with The Bakers~

Pop and Gran left this morning after 4 full days of a wonderful visit! Our Thanksgiving dinner was fantastic, putting up Holiday decorations together was great and having a party Friday night with dessert and wine topped off the visit. I have never made an entire Thanksgiving meal before because my Mom, Grandma and other family like Gran and Pop have hosted us. This year we hosted and Gran helped me with my first turkey!!! It turned out awesome. The rest of the meal was great too! Spending time with them in our new home felt nice and it was a Thanksgiving to remember!

Homemade Apple Pear Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream! Great for my hips! (Thanks for the recipe Karie!)

Suzie Homemaker picture!

Katrina and my homemade chocolate chip cookie makes her CHEESE smile happen

neighbor Abigail love!

lots of playing games with Pop and Gran..fun playing cards!

a funny way of playing!!!

desert and cards!

Hi Boggs...Pop and Gran enjoy Boggs! Even Pop was caught quite a few times giving her love!!

The Table is Set...The food is ready!

Katrina made all the name place cards...

Our beautiful tree was complete Thanksgiving Day! Thanks for your help Gran!

Picture time!

ok -now a real one! Nice picture Pop, Gran, Miles and Katrina!

Dave and Mary Ann, Mother- Son

Happy Thanksgiving Husband... I am most THANKFUL FOR YOU!

Pop, Your busted!! You LOVE BOGGS!

Our Pretty Turkey on my new Turkey Platter! YUM!

Dave did the honors...sliced it right up!

Time to SKYPE with GG, Karie, Sean and the kids!

Our Spread! Turkey, Ham (on a beautiful new platter Gran got us), eggs, Salad, Green Beans, Corn, Mashed Potatoes, Corn Bread stuffing, Cranberry Sauce and more...

Dave is ready to eat after a nice toast!

Cheers!

Apple Pear Pie!

Friday Night Party with Neighbors and Family Friends!

Dennis and Ilene Daley~ Awesome couple!

The Bakers and The Daley's

Jennifer Daley and her clan!!!

Katrina and I broke our wish bone!!! WE HOPE OUR WISH COMES TRUE!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

the little reminders...

First of all I would like to say how excited I am that today our family blog, Baker Buzz, has hit 10,000 page views!!!! We have posted on our blog for just over a year and enjoy writing about our life, little events, pictures and memories along the way! To know that our family and friends check in on us and care about what is happening feels amazing! We feel so blessed to have such caring friends and family! THANK YOU for reading! We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoy writing as our Baker Buzz Scrapbook has only begun!

I will be the first to admit that I, like many women, love designer clothes, jeans, shoes, make up etc. However I am fully aware of the more important things in life and the things that really matter. While decorating our new home since July (always a work in progress), I have come to realize how much I buy that has a meaning behind it. I love the little reminders in life. There is a lot of love in our home!! The little things remind us each day of what really matters.

above our fire place hangs our family portrait from our wedding...below is decorated with fall decor and this wooden ..."Bless Our Home"



a wall hanging in our home- "Live for today...Hope for tomorrow." After all, we are not promised tomorrow.



on our dresser in our bedroom are two reminders!
"Forever, For Always, No Matter What" and "Always Kiss Me Goodnight"

In our entry way foyer on our walls we have a couple wall hangings that remind us of a few things.
"Love Comforteth Like Sunshine After Rain"
"In Our Home Let Love Abide, And Bless All Those Who Step Inside"
"HOME is a place you grow up wanting to leave and grow old wanting to get back to."

The B Flag...Represents our BAKER HOME!

"It doesn't matter where you go in life, it's who you have beside you"

"Live, Laugh, Love" 

The Baker Family Rules:
1) Maximum Effort
2) Don't get sick
3) Never Quit
4) Always Listen to your coach or teacher
I drew each picture and had a print maker create this wall hanging for Dave for Christmas when we were first together.

Rescuing Boggs will always be a part of who we are..If ever another animal in our house, we will rescue. Boggs is the best dog I have ever had. The kids LOVE her.



My Favorite Kiddos

Miles is still LEGO obsessed. We get the LEGO magazines and different ads at our home and he ran across a Holiday Decoration Contest. Miles was to build a Holiday decoration being judged on creativity and originality to win $100 to the Lego Store. He worked very hard on coming up with a couple ideas and came up with Santa's Sleigh, Santa and his Reindeer, snow scene and Christmas Tree with presents! He is always impressive with what he builds but I love his Holiday Lego scene. We will send these two pictures to LEGO this week and I hope he wins!

Miles Holiday Scene- Santa and his sleigh with Rudolf and his buddies, a Christmas Tree and Santa is even packing presents and a whip!-Even better in person!

Katrina and I spent some girl time together on Saturday. We went shopping and out to lunch. I love to go with Katrina places because when it is her and I she opens up and chats away! She is starting to sound more and more mature. She is sweet as ever and we really enjoyed our lunch. She loved pouring the hot tea, she felt like we were having a tea party!

Halloween 2011~ Miles 5th Grade "Bones" performance

We have way too much candy in this house...

The kids had a big day yesterday. Miles had the traditional 5th grade Harvest "Bones" performance at Tualatin and he did an excellent job. He was right on the beat and really getting down. HA! Very cute. Katrina had her classroom Harvest Party and the kids loved the cupcakes we brought! After school we went to our neighbors Halloween party before the kids went trick or treating! Dave and I handed out candy to at least 100 neighborhood kids last night! My favorite costume was a group of three girls that designed and made their own costume. ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS. Very cute idea...of course all the little baby monkeys, lady bugs, princesses and super hero's were a hit as always!

It's now November 1st and the Holiday Season is in full swing!!!

Miles 3rd to the right

 

Miles 3rd to the right

Miles third to the right

Great job Miles

Miles, Katrina, Blake and Cole at our Neighbors Halloween Party, in Blake's room

my favorite Monkey of the night! he wanted to stay at our house! :)

Dave loved all the kids and their costumes...hundreds of kids.

Zander as a business man with a Suit, Tie, Mustache, brief case and business cards! Adorable.

Katsuda Family - neighbors

Boggs the princess

Miles, Katrina and Boggs

Katrina with Ella, Katie and Kalista , her friends from school- A Vampire Diva, Corps Bride, Katy Perry and the Devil- Trick or Treat!

CANDY CANDY AND MORE CANDY!!!!!