Little full....lotta sap!

Ok. So - as we speak, I am supposed to be working on a comprehensive essay for one of my classes...however, I am so easily distracted that I thought I would take the time to update everyone on the Baker family.

Ahhh, it's the Christmas season. Lights! Red Bows! And the challenge of finding a tree that is not dwarfed by the size of the room it needs to fill. Which brings me to Mission 1: Operation - Free Christmas Tree.

I am sure I am not the only one who refuses to pay a lot of money for a tree that will be tossed in a month, so Mike and I decided to head out on the 4-wheeler in search of our perfect tree. This mission was proven difficult the second we were thrown off of the 4-wheeler into a thicket. Thicket? Yeah - I didn't know what it was either. The layman term for thicket I believe is high weeds, but you'll have to ask my hubby to be certain. Even though we were thrown from the 4-wheeler, we picked ourselves up and closed in on the tree of my dreams, only to find out it was only the front half of the tree that was alive. The back side was completing bare. Mission: Failed.

The next day we added another, slightly smaller, much more energized member of our team. Yep - Owen...on his four-wheeler. I thought he would more resilient than Mike and I, but the bumps along the way gave him a belly ache, so Mom to the rescue. I drove his four-wheeler and he rode with Mike. And I can attest! It was bumpy!

In a Lampoon's Christmas Vacation kind of moment - "Ahhhh" with a bright light shining down on it...there is was! The Baker family christmas tree. The kind of tree that wouldn't fit in the front yard:) Happy to have remembered the saw, Mike got to work and chopped that bad boy down, tied it to the four-wheeler and happily pulled it back to the house. Mission accomplished! ...well, almost.

In terms of Christmas trees, I believe this one to be on the larger side. Extremely fragrant. Which I still haven't decided if that is a good thing or bad thing. We saw on the trunk to make it level and proceeded to pull it into the living room. Fairly easy actually. Standing the bad boy up was a whole other challenge, but we did it. Wired it to the wall - VOILA! Ready for decorating. Mmmm, how exactly are you supposed to decorate the top of a 15 ft. christmas tree. Extension lift? Throw the decorations on and hope they stick? 

After an all day affair - without much hope from the smaller, more energetic team member - we succeeded and lit and decorated the tree. I still laugh everytime I see it. It's huge. I mean - big, giant, colossal. But it's ours and I love it!

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! And I am happy to report there were no squirrels or any other animals living in the tree!

Merry Christmas!!

On a side note - the extra pink stocking is Dixie' - so don't get any ideas! :)

Wild Berries Photography: Leitchfield Wedding Photographer | Kelly + Mike

Wild Berries Photography: Leitchfield Wedding Photographer | Kelly + Mike: Kelly and Mike recently had a beautiful, country, laid-back outdoor wedding at their Leitchfield, Kentucky home. Every detail of the weddi...

Introducing....Kelly Baker

I know, I know...it's been a long time since my last update on the country happenin's around here, but hey - I've quit my job, moved to the country, planned a wedding, got married...and now I anxiously await a WELL deserved honeymoon in Puerta Vallarta.

Let's start with the move. Wow! The move. What can I say about the move? It went great. Up until we were about 15 miles from the exit to home, that it. Imagine...I am driving in my fully loaded (meaning packed to the gills) car, Mike and Owen are truckin' it in the Uhaul in front of me pulling Mike's fully loaded car on a trailer. All the sudden, sparks. Not the good kind. The kind that shoot out from the tires of the trailer. Uh oh! We've got fire. Oh god!

Isn't it amazing how your fingers don't work to dial a number when panic sets in. I honk, swerve, honk, swerve and try to call Mike. You're on fire!!! Pull over!! So he does. Where? Into a nice dry, grassy area on the side of the road. Can you say forest fire? Having a fireman on hand came in handy - even if you only have 2 and a half bottles of 7-up to extinguish the fire. I proceed to call the fire dept. as Owen happily plays in a dirt pile on the side of the road. And we wait....and wait...and wait. About 30 minutes later, the volunteer fire dept. shows up with no hurry behind them at all.

After 30 minutes - the fire department finally showed up!!

Our parade of vehicles on the side of the road.

So - after a tire change on the trailer...that tire blowing out AGAIN...we finally made it to our new home safe and sound and ready to unload.

Moving to the country, I am encountering a lot of new experiences. One in particular that made me laugh was when the roofers came to fix a few place on the roof. Proof is in the picture!

Mmm, ladder on the roof of a buggy. Now that's something you don't see everyday

And - in interest of time...I am going to skip a head a month...passing all of the hard work (and I mean none stop) work and get to the good part. I'm hitched!!

Mike and I were married on October 5th. This date was so important to us because both of our parents were also married on October 5th. 

For this wedding, we did everything ourselves...with lots of help from friends and family. We had the wedding at our house and couldn't have had a more perfect day. We built a canopy of flags and lights (about 1,000 hand cut flags attached to twine).

Pretty impressive for building the day before the wedding! 

And all I can say is THANK GOD for pinterest and all the ideas that came from it.

After all the hard work and crazy set up, Mike and I were ready to get married! 

After the ceremony, we took pictures, ate some BBQ, had a whirlwind tear down session due to the threat of rain...then continued to dance the night away. Mike and I closed the place down being the last ones up! 

Our first dance to Perfect for Me by Ron Pope

The last ones standing. We danced the night away!!

With great friend and fantastic family...wonderful people cooking, playing music, taking pictures...we are officially married! Mike's vows were amazing...he looked amazing! I love him so much and am so excited to see what will happen next.

Hopefully - a lot of relaxation! Viva la Puerta Vallarta!!

Love to you all! 

I remember when...

I can clearly remember 2nd grade. Mrs. Pittock was my teacher. She was this extremely homely women who wore long skirts with some extremely intense glasses. Every morning in class, she would go to the piano and we would have to sing My Country Tis of Thee and the Star Bangled Banner, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

I can remember the reading groups we were split into. Getting cheez-it's or jelly beans as a reward being good. Playing on the "lower" school playground, wishing so badly I could go up to the "upper" school playground. I remember the projectors that were set up to watch film reels and how excited we would be when we saw the projector in the classroom - knowing a movie was in our future. A member of the class was designated to hand in the milk and lunch order...and classroom worksheets were copied using a hand crank copy machine. Chalk was actually used to write on a board, footlong hot dog day was the worse because the sauer kraut made me gag.

Looking back, I suppose the funniest thing about 2nd grade was that I looked like George Washington in my school picture....THANKS MOM!!

Typically, I am not one to post these kinds of incriminating and hilarious pictures, but proof is in the picture.

2nd Grade - 1985

So today, Owen started 2nd grade. I am excited for him to create and make memories that will stay with him through life. He will remember his teacher, his classmates - and hopefully how well he behaved. His lunches will be gourmet compared to what we had. Cheese quesdadillas, soup and grilled cheese, salads...they get a 9 course meal. The beef-a-roni that we were offered just doesn't have the same appeal.

Happy first day of 2nd grade Owen!! May your school year be memoriable and your school picture be normal!

Owen's first day of 2nd grade - 8/15/12

Dirt!



So - let's start praying for grass!!

I am not sure if I really knew what the definition of hard work was until I starting attending to the inside and outside of this house. Now, being a mom, I have mastered the art of completing a days worth of work into the duration of a naptime....but this takes it to an entirely different level  And - all of this was done injury free - or relatively injury free.
 

Hope they will come back from the dead



In one weekend, Mike and I have planted the plants around the fountain (with hopes that the near death bushes will come back to life), dug up and replanted pretty much every plant in the front garden, and spread out the giant dirt pile that has taken up residency in the front for a few years now. I can not even believe how much we got accomplished this weekend.

  

I am still impressed! I also wish I got a picture of the GIANT praying mantis that hung out with us on Sunday. This thing was like nothing I have every seen. It was huge - I learned how big the sucker actually was when it flew straight into the side of my head. Ouch. Minor freak out moment.

On the wedding side of things - found my dress (YEAH), we will be rockin' to a DJ, opting for pies and ice cream instead of a wedding cake, and are hoping, praying, begging that the grass will grow because that area is where I want the reception.

Ladies and Gentlemen - We have Sidewalks

Yes - sidewalks. Seems so simple and ordinary really.

Oooo, a sidewalk. And steps too. Nice brick ones...leading to the side door and the front door.

Honestly - this is big. Not having to hurl yourself onto the porch from the yard with one giant bound is actually quite an amazing thing. One may not think about sidewalks and how great they are on a daily basis, however, when you go from the have not to the have...you appreciate it.

 

 

What comes next will do doubt be full of blood, sweat and tears as we move ahead with landscaping. This means growing grass (which I am terrible at)....moving plants...buying plants...planting plants....and mulching. And I don't mean buy a couple bags of mulch and you are set. I mean - hitch up the trailer and fill'er up - twice.

As far as the yard in the back of the house...well, the current garden is really just a refuge for weeds. Owen has a nack for finding ripe veggies amongst all of the unwanted growth that I fondly call a garden.



There are tomatoes there somewhere...need to pick them for Kristy

 I look forward to the day when that prime garden location becomes a relaxing pool filled with this lounging mama. Ahhhhh! I can just picture it.

PS - I think my Kentucky Fried Life is looking better and better. Who said I'd be roughing it...I've got sidewalks!

Live Action!!

First thing this morning, I get a call from my college roomie Jen. (Jen - your my favorite but don't tell the other girls!) She called to wish me a Happy Birthday!! (21 again) and we talked about wedding stuff. All the fun details every girl likes to talk about. I asked her if she was excited to come down and experience the country life...and she was very excited. Her and I have big plans for the country. We plan on making a compound with goats and a garden and a duck sanctuatary. The duck santuary is a whole other subject, but in order to have ducks on the pond we need to get rid of the snapping turtles. Enter Turtle Man.

I tell Jen that Turtle Man doesn't live to far and maybe he can come and catch all of the turtles so that the ducks will be safe on the pond. Jen took that a step further. Maybe Turtle Man will come to the wedding. I will have to send him an invite.

After my conversation with Jen was over, I recieve a text from Mike. Keep in mind- he has no idea what I talked to Jen about. Mike's text says "I think we've seen the Turtle Man!". No way!

Turtle Man Spotting - LIVE ACTION!

I mean - how random is that. Mike, my Dad and Owen were driving behind the Turtle Man this morning. I definitely would have hung my head out the window and done that crazy wildman call he does to see if he did it back to me. Too funny!

I will let you know if Turtle Man makes it to the wedding or not. Could be fun!

Stay cool y'all. It's going to be a scorcher!

How much are them there taters?

Yes. Them there. Taters. Words that came directly out of the mouth of an old man at a flea market.

Mike has been telling me about the huge flea market in Leitchfield. Because I am looking for old (dare I say vintage or the price increases about $25.00) jars, bottles, etc...I figured, this will be a perfect place to go. And...because I know the early bird catches the worm, I decided to get up with Mike as he left for work (which was at 5:45a.m.).

At about 6:30 a.m. I hop in the car and head out for what I know will be a successful trip to the flea market. It really does not take much for me to get excited about little things. I suppose this is a good thing, but who knows. Oh my god. Look! What's that?? Awww, how fun. An Amish buggy... filled with igloo coolers? Is that allowed? I really don't understand much about the do's and don'ts of the Amish - however, I always ask "Are they allowed to do that?" I guess igloo coolers have been deemed acceptable. Who knew.

Once I get to the flea market, I pull into the parking lot and see to my left, none other than a line of people selling chickens! I really wanted to go ask how much they were, thinking, of course that this would be a fantastic addition to my growing farm (that now only consists of some tomato, banana pepper, strawberry and onion plants) but I was a little nervous and not quite sure that chickens are something I need right now.


Can't you see them?
       
















After getting over the initial shock of people selling chickens on the side of the road, I walk over to the flea market....well - it was more like a yard sale. This amazing flea market was a bust. It was pretty much a slew of old men were walking around asking what the other was selling that broken pair of hedge clippers for, or - how much them there taters were. Feeling bad about leaving empty handed, I bought 3 ears of corn and 3 'maters. So - here I was, at 7:00...at the flea market wondering what I was going to do next. Oh well.

But, on the drive back home I did pass another Amish buggy. I wonder if I can rent one of those for a few hours at my wedding?




Picture from the front porch. Not sure what that is...but I am sure I will know soon enough






















By the way, the 'maters I bought were so good (Kristy - I will save you some so you can work towards your 35). And...I am happy to report that I have tons of my own 'maters on the way...and banana peppers too. Believe you me, this gardening thing is great. I have discovered that I am a master sprinkler operator. Except for the fact that I forget the sprinkler is even on and water the garden full blast for about an hour an a half. Ooops!


Oh yeah...honeymoon is booked! Puerta Vallarta, here we come.

Livin' the Kentucky Fried Life

Ok. A little bit of background. I'm Kelly...my fiance (holy crap I haven't typed that before) is Mike. My son is Owen...and we will be living the Kentucky Fried Life.

My college roomate started a blog recently documenting her progress on a list of things to accomplish by the time she turns 35. I thought a blog was such a fantastic idea. She doesn't know it yet, but she inspired me to start my own. In my Facebook free life (yes - Facebook free), I was struggling to find a way to keep all of my family and friends, both near and far, up to date with what is going on in my life...our life. So - VOILA! Kentucky Fried Life is born.

Being from a suburb of Philadelphia, I am a novice at my Kentucky Fried Life. Mike - he's an expert. I mean - the man can do laundry like nobody's business, replace the brakes on my car, mow 5 acres with perfect lines (apparently the lines are a big deal), the come inside and whip up some beans and cornbread for dinner. Sorry ladies, he's mine - so hands off!

I am excited to see how I can report my day to day encounters with the country life. I am pretty sure there will be some funny stuff happening to me out in the country.

Alright ya'll. Pull up your britches and get ready to chew the fat, 'cause this Kentucky Fried Life is mine - and I reckon  it's gonna be a good one! (I even impressed myself on that one).


Owen's favorite country past time











Owen and I - Our first visit to Mike at work.



Thanksgiving - 2011