Staying Cool: Part II

June 18, 2014

I am loving our New England summer days.  I feel like a kid again.  We are outside, all day, getting wet and dirty. 

Cutting down on laundry by eating a messy snack in the buff.  Why not?

We ended up with some great neighbors here.  Not only are they as nice as can be, but they have a pool!  

Lindalee has it rough!

Lollipops by the pool

I caught Christian looking out the window, I love his pose.

Enjoying the official food of summertime.

Yummy and cold!

Who's dirty children are these?

Dirt in her hair, she doesn't care!

Christian with Etta, the rooster.

Our neighbors are getting a new septic system.  Christian and Lindalee are enjoying watching all the heavy machinery at work.  Free entertainment!

Christian wrote and illustrated a story to give to our neighbor as a "thank you" for swimming in her pool.

What better way to end a perfect, New England, summer day than by going out to the dairy bar for an ice cream treat.  

Christian asked for chocolate ice cream with jimmies and a cherry on top.  Lindalee ask for "pink" ice cream with rainbow sprinkles and a cherry.  And yes, she insisted on wearing her cowgirl boots.

Checking out the "moo cows" that make the milk for the ice cream.

It could be dangerous living so close to such an amazing place.  Like any good New England dairy bar, the ice cream was delicious and the proportions were over the top.

Thankful for summer in New England and wonderful memories in the making.

Staying Cool

June 17th, 2014

It's hot, but we are doing our best to stay cool.

Christian and Lindalee enjoying their homemade popsicles.

My little country bumpkin.

Lindalee "helping" Christian with his lessons.  She insisted on wearing a matching "muscle man" t-shirt.  Meme, you have created TWO monsters!

Enjoying a little show time snuggled up on our new {to us} couch!  Thank you Aunt Joan and Uncle Dave!

We bought a house with a big back yard, just for the kiddos.  Go figure, their new favorite place to play is under the deck.  They like to drip the hose through the cracks above so they can play in the water and mud.

Under the deck or in the chicken coop: the two hot play spots of the day.

Thankful for cool nights!

Our Growing Flock

June 16th, 2014

Christian has lots {and lots} of bug "friends".  This is his newest buddy, "Mothey", driving the spiderman car around the room.

To help eat up more ticks, we added eight new ladies to our flock.  We got quite a variety of hens and some will even lay colored eggs.  Christian was sweet and said we should all name them "Pinkie" because Lindalee loves that name.  She said "No- Purple and Yellow!".  The naming process could take a little while.

Lindalee is feeling very comfortable catching and handling chicks these days.  I'm praying she doesn't pull an Uncle James and accidentally kill one.  We've had a couple close calls.

Proud Daddy!

Lindalee got down and dirty with me to clean out the coops.  She really was a big helper and took the job quite seriously!

Two little bum bums.  She has to do EVERYTHING big brother does.

Bedtime stories on the porch.  What a beautiful day it was!

Thankful for cool air, warm sun, two sweet kiddos and our {growing} flock.  Oh, and thankful that my husband puts up with my love of livestock.  Christian really wants a pig....

A Son's First Hero, A Daughter's First Love

June 15th, 2014

Despite Christian being a bit under the weather {hand, foot, and mouth disease}, we headed north to get away for the night and visit with some of our favorite people.  This was the first time I've been back to my parent's house since we moved.  Their house looked beautiful, so clean and organized.  A stark contrast from when I last saw it: boxes in every room, our clothes spread throughout the bedrooms, toys everywhere you walk.  It made me realize, even more, what Meme and Papa put up with when they took us in.  I'm glad they survived our invasion.

Meme and Papa took our rooster a week ago.  They were going to bring it to their friend's farm.  Chica, now referred to as Rodney or Roaster, ended up at Meme and Papa's instead.  He follows them around and tries to be their house pet by sneaking in the door behind them.  He is occasionally found hanging out with the wild turkeys in their yard.

Christian out enjoying a campfire and stargazing.

Guess who!

Christian was thrilled to see himself on the television show "Bet On Your Baby".  He thought he was quite a big deal.  Three seconds of stardom!

Father's Day was on Sunday and we spent the day enjoying the beautiful weather celebrating my special guys.

Christian and Lindalee were so excited to see Uncle James and Auntie Pha.  Lindalee shrieked with excitement when they drove in,  "Ah Pa!",  and gave Uncle James a never ending hug.

Christian gave Daddy lots of extra loving on Father's Day.

"The dudes".  According to Christian, "The dudes always have a blast".  So thankful for these dudes, and the role they play in my life.  Christian thinks all the dudes should get presents on Father's Day, "I'm going to be a daddy one day, too!  So I get a present!".

Meme and Papa got their boat in the water with some help from Great Grampie's tractor.

Kid swap!

Lindalee stole Auntie Pha's spot.

The Baker bunch.

Cheese!

Lindalee loves Daddy!

Baker bunch take II.

"A daughter needs a dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men" 

Thankful for my wonderful father and my amazing man {aka baby-daddy}.  I am truly blessed and my children are, too.

Toddler Talk

June 12th, 2014

Lindalee is really becoming her own.  It's so cute to hear her talk about things and how different those things are than what Christian talks about.  It used to be all superhero talk in the Baker household, but now, this sweet little voice is speaking up about the color pink, sparkles, princesses, and babies.  She is a creative thinker and can be quite entertaining {much like her big brother}.  Today, Lindalee announced that baby Jesus is in her belly.  "Baby Jesus right here!" {Pointing to her stomach}.  And a "pink angel" named "Mary" flies around her room at night.  She's taking our bible lessons to the next level.

My little miss enjoying her pigtails.

This boy could swing on the swing all day.  

Lindalee insisted on sleeping with "brother".  I didn't think they would actually fall asleep, but, surprise!  

Thankful for all the entertainment with which my two little nuts provide us.  There is never a dull moment.

Special Visitors and a Very Happy Anniversary!

June 11th, 2014

Christian and Lindalee were beyond excited for Grandma and Grandad to get back from Europe and pay them a visit.  I will blame their excitement on their {pretty terrible} behavior during the couple of days Scott and Inge were with us.  We haven't seen them in a couple of months and I was so excited/proud to have them see how wonderful they are and how much they have changed {for the better} in just a couple months.  Nope.  I feel like Lindalee was whining or crying for most of the visit while Christian egged her on.  Oh well.  Grandma and Grandad didn't seem to mind {or they hid it well}.

One of the first things Christian and Lindalee HAD to do was to show Grandad their favorite place in the house: their under-stair fort.  Both Grandma and Grandad were good sports and spent lots of time in it.  In this picture, Christian insisted the lights be off while Grandad read him stories.  

On Chris' and my anniversary, we headed into the city to visit him for lunch.  It was a beautiful day to walk around and made me slightly homesick for our old apartment.  

Lindalee, Tinkerbell, and Grandad walking through Quincy Market.

Christian got some cuddles from Grandma.

Lindalee got tired of pushing the stroller, so Grandad helped out.

So excited to see Daddy!

We had to stop and see the seals.  

Having babysitters in town allowed Chris and I to celebrate our anniversary with a nice dinner for two.  We had a wonderful, quiet evening and enjoyed some delicious food at a local Italian restaurant.  

It's crazy to think we have been married for seven years, going on eleven years of dating.  When we met, we were both babies {we didn't think so then}.  It makes me happy to think of how much we have grown and changed since then, and that with all the change, we have only grown closer.  Since close to the day we met {yes, it was love at first sight}, I couldn't imagine my life without him.  Those words now take on an even deeper meaning to me.  I couldn't live without this guy.  He is my everything.  We make a great team and I am so thankful for everyday I have him as a partner.  It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, especially now with two crazy children.  His attention from me often gets shafted, but he always seems to understand.  We both share the same passion, our children, and know that our time together will come again, all too soon.

This is what we came home to cuddled up in our bed.  Happy Anniversary!

On the morning before Scott and Inge left, Christian woke up and the first thing that he said was, "Oh, Mommy, this is such a sad, sad day."  I didn't know what he was talking about, so I ask, "Why?".  He replied, "This is the day that Grandma and Grandad leave."  Melt my heart.  

Thankful for special visitors and their amazing son I call my husband!  

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you!"

A.A. Milne