Happy Birthday Haidyn!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HAIDYN LEIGH!

I can hardly believe it was 10 years ago that the sweetest baby came to our home!

Haidyn Leigh . . . born 13 December 1999, 2 weeks early, weighing 8 pounds 13 ounces! I just remember saying over and over how TINY shy was and being told she was a huge baby! Not after her sister!

From the moment she was born her eyes opened, she saw her Dad and fell in love! She has been a Daddy's girl ever since!

I love this picture of Haidyn and my mom . . . What a good Grammy!

A little girl and her pacifier! This was at Gary and Amy's wedding, wasn't she a cute Flower Girl!

Her first dance recital . . . No dancing occurred . . . she said it was because of the circles on her cheeks.

Not a fan of performing or having her picture taken . . . a little frustrating for her mom.

She started climbing right after crawling . . . which she did early too . . . there was no holding her back!

Did I mention she liked to climb?

Haidyn at one-year-old . . . such a cute girl!!

This was at Scott and Sharley's wedding . . . did I mention she didn't like having her picture taken?

My sweet girl!

She has fallen asleep in many different places, not to mention fallen out of bed and never woken up on numerous occasions! Crazy girl!

Luckily she loves to dance now! She is an amazing dancer!

One of my favorite picture of her!

She loves to play and have fun!

Thanks for being such a sweet girl! We love you Haidyn!

Living Planet Aquarium . . .

The day after Thanksgiving, when everyone else goes shopping, we decided to take the kids to the Aquarium . . . I didn't even know it was there until recently . . . The kids had a lot of fun . . .

This was checking out the eels . . . too close to snakes for me.

They have some fun interactive things . . . you can touch the stingrays and touch starfish and a few other things. This just made me think of our cruise . . . and how much I want to go back!

Look at my cute kids! We actually all got along for a whole afternoon! Imagine that!

John showing the kids this cute little fish in a homemade marsh. What a good Dad!!

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving! It is my favorite holiday! It really is! Main reason, I love the food! Funny thing, is that I hardly ever take pictures of this day . . . why is that? Probably because I am too busy cooking and shoving food in my face to pick up the camera and actually use it. This year Thanksgiving seemed so different than years past . . . probably because I was working graveyards this year and I worked the night before and the night of the Turkey day. So I was TIRED, but thank goodness for my Mommie! Shei s the best! She came and cooked up a storm for me and my family! I did help, but not as much as usual. I am so happy she came! I did take a few pics . . .

Isn't that boy just the cutest! With Caitlyn and Dilyn having, what I can only imagine, a very interesting conversation!

Look at that little posing boy! I think he learned it from his sisters! My mom, I'm sure giving lots of extremely helpful advice! Haidyn trying to avoid the picture altogether . . . so like her!

John carving that yummy turkey!

I thought I would list a few random things I am thankful for in the spirit of Thanksgiving, not the typical family and stuff . . . I have to be different!

Four-wheel drive . . . how do people drive in the snow without it!

My sleep mask and ear plugs . . . with working graves, a must!

Snow! . . . yes I know, lots of people hate it, I don't!

My 64 ounce mug . . . love it!

The funny things my kids say . . . they keep me laughing!

Trashy Romance Novels . . . don't ask.

Pink, Funhouse CD . . . gets me through cleaning the house with much fun!

My kitchenaid mixer . . . seriously, how did I get by without one!

the Internet . . . how did we get by without it!

NASCAR baby!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

He Likes IT!!

My boy! He likes his sugar! He gets it from his daddy! I am sure of it! Whenever I am doing any baking of any kind, I have one little guy that must inspect everything! he grabs the stool and climbs up to see what Mommie is mixing up! And of course he always just wants a little taste. He comes at me with a spoon begging PLEASE and then puckers up those cute little lips to give me a kiss. He knows how to get what he wants!

Look at that face! Isn't it the cutest smile ever! He has started saying some pretty entertaining things, I am not sure where he comes up with them . . . for instance, the other day I was getting him dressed and he lifts up his arms and says to me "Mom, my armpits look like cheese." Now, if anyone can explain that one to me, I would greatly appreciate it! I love my little guy! He is full of fun! I love his hugs and I love it when he tells me he loves me! Nothing can be better than that!

Zzzz . . . . sleeping . . . . Shhh!

Everyone needs sleep . . . and sometimes we have to take it where we can get it . . .

This is Haidyn, the day after a sleepover . . . One reason I don't like sleepovers, they come home tired and ornery!

Brevin was watching a movie in the office . . . I'm guessing he got a little tired too.

And this would be me! This is how I have to sleep now, at least when I get to sleep. Please note the purple earplugs! They block out phones ringing, children yelling and the complaints of a husband. I highly recommend them!!!

I'm Alive!

I have neglected my poor blog! What's a girl to do! I told John he should take a picture of me this weekend with my sleep mask on and my earplugs in . . . seems to be the only way I can sleep anymore. Working graveyards 4 and 5 days a week has taken it's toll on me! I have been neglecting my family, my house, my cooking, and most likely my husband. I haven't even kept up on my favorite TV shows! How depressing is that! I just wanted everyone to know that LIFE still exists in the Baker house! The girls are all doing well at school. Caitlyn is seemingly adjust to middle school thus far! She has taken to her 7 classes and playing the clarinet surprisingly well! Haidyn is thriving in the 4th grade and will be 10 this next Sunday. Dilyn is loving Kindergarten and is enjoying her new friends! All the girls are still going to dance every week and I am impressed as usual at their abilities! (I am just glad they haven't taken after me! Not sure where they get it from, hard work most likely, because John ain't that graceful himself, remember falling off the roof?) Brevin . . . is adjusting to Preschool. He never seems to want to go, but I am told he warms right up after I leave and he says he has fun! Oh, and of course his teacher says he is brilliant! John is still with Richmond American Homes, he has survived all the lay-offs and is actually really busy at work! That is always a good thing! I will post some recent pictures this week . . . I promise! And I will let you know everything we have been up to!

All Hallow's Eve

Love Halloween! Love the little kids all dressed up!

Dilyn as Super Girl! Brevin as Mr. Incredible! Love his muscles!! Dilyn said he had a "six packet"!!

Haidyn and her friend Kylie . . . they were "Lazy Heads" . . . which means they walked around in their pajamas!

Caitlyn and her friends . . . she was a PowerPuff girl . . . Blossom I believe.

I was slightly disappointed that I didn't get a picture of all my kids together this year . . . I guess they are just growing up and doing their own thing!

The Carving of the Pumpkins!

I love Halloween! I love to carve pumpkins and decorate the house and help the kids with costumes! Here we are getting ready to carve up those Pumpkins!!!

Get a load of Cait's face.

First you must gut . . .

I don't know what it is . . . but I love to gut the pumpkin! And I must say I am VERY good at it! I get the inside so clean . . . and I and super fast at it! I dare say, it is a talent I possess!

Dilyn actually did her own carving this year! With a little supervision from Daddy!

Haidyn . . . getting her pattern just so!

Do you think he is proud of his pumpkin? I am guessing he is!!

Family Pictures!!

Last weekend we got all gussied up and went to Wheeler Farm to have family pictures done! I am so excited how they turned out! I have never been this happy with family pictures before!!

John and the estrogen sisters!

Mommie and her little guy!

Love my little girls!

Who is that good looking girl with that old guy!?

My mom came down to join us for pictures!

Grammy and us!

Daddy and Brevers!

Look at the ducks Mommie!

Are they not beautiful! They take after their Mommie!

Riding the tractor!

What a good looking bunch!

Caitlyn's grin kills me!

Love the Fall colors!!

Thanks Mindy! I love them all! You did fabulous! Check her out! www.mindylynnphotography.blogspot.com

She is just like her mother!

I have never professed to being a perfect mother . . . and perhaps my children have learned just a very few improper things from me. What can I say? I am imperfect, extremely much so! I get in trouble from my children for my love of using a few swear words here and there. I make inappropriate comments and speak my mind, usually without the use of a filter. Now that my children are getting older and have the ability to think for themselves my errors are becoming more apparent. A few nights ago, my entire little family went over to my friend and coworkers house for the first time. Lynette was impressed with how much Caitlyn is like her mother . . . the sarcasm, whit and silly gestures are all quite apparent. It has been obvious to me for quite a while, in fact, John and I took Caitlyn shopping and out to dinner one night last month and after one of her sarcastic comments I looked at John and said "Oh my, she sounds just like her mother!". John immediate relief was ALL to apparent when he yelled "Thank you! I have been wanting to say that! Thank you!!!".
John and Caitlyn have been at odds as of late, she being twelve and her hormones just banging on the door to be heard and John pushing mid-life crisis mode, are loving life! I tend to spend much of my time as their referee. John will come to be begging me to talk to her and she will do the same for me to talk to him. Needless to say, it can be exhausting! Well, this past Sunday was no different than any other day. John was trying to get Caitlyn to do her dishes and Caitlyn was trying desperately to avoid doing them. After plenty of arguing and harassing back and forth, said dishes were finally done, save for the silverware. Caitlyn was waiting for Dilyn to empty the silverware from the dishwasher before the dirty silverware could be put in, and we know she was not going out of her way to do Dilyn's job. This is what we found on the counter . . .
Needless to say . . . Caitlyn is still on dishes this week. But secretly, I laughed my guts out! She is definitely my daughter!

One day . . .

Do you ever have one of those days when you think . . . Why am I doing this? Why am I here? No one listens to me, no one appreciates anything I am doing. What is the point!? I must admit, I have having these thoughts all too frequently as of late. I get tired of not having any help, and when asking for help I am inundated with whining and crying, and that it just from John! Seriously though, I have those days when I really wonder if they would even notice if I didn't get out of bed, other than the fact that they didn't have clean clothes or no food. Would I be missed at all? I know this is extremely selfish of me, but it doesn't hurt to be a little selfish on occasion. A few Saturdays ago, I was feeling sorry for myself, wondering "Why me!?" and one by one the kids came in to my room and climbed on my bed with me. I looked at each of them and thought how truly lucky I am to have such beautiful and amazing children . . . Now don't get me wrong, they drive me crazier than I am sure I drove my mom, but I love them. There I admit it! We played and tickled and most importantly laughed. I told John to hurry and grab the camera, because I wanted to remember the moment when all my kids actually wanted me and liked me, all at the same time! Will miracles ever cease? I hope not!

Love these precious moments!

And these precious kids!

Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday we made our annual trek to the pumpkin patch. I love Fall, the colors, the cooler weather, decorating the house and it really makes me want to start doing the fun seasonal baking along with it. Last weekend we got all the Fall and Halloween decorations out so this weekend we decided it was time to go pick out our pumpkins. We have been going to the same pumpkin patch for a few years now, one reason because they have tractors lined up for the kids to sit on and play.

Aren't they cute! (Warning! Though they might seem cute, they have a naughty side to them!)

John always takes the longest to pick his pumpkin . . . it is quite the process!

Brevin, always has the smallest pumpkin.

Haidyn always has the largest pumpkin.

Dilyn likes to strike a pose!

We can never get Brevin away from the tractors!

Caitlyn . . . need I say more!?

Peace Out!

Haidyn thinks she is all that and a bag of chips! So she has to get her brother to be the "gangsta" that he is . . . peace out!

So, of course Dilyn has to participate . . . I love Caitlyn's face in the background!!

Daddy, pretending he is cool too!

He is G-funk, and O.G. . . . Gangsta baby!
(that is for you Carlye!)

The Boys . . .

Brevin firmly believes he can help his Dad with anything! When and if John gets out a tool of any kind, Brevin is by his side helping! How cute are they!

My boys! Gotta love 'em!

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