So much to say...so little space

Needless to say I have neglected the blog that I was so determined to update throughout the years in order to keep everyone updated with the Bakers and life as we know it in Kentucky. I know - I suck!

With that out of the way, I guess I have to start somewhere to get back into the swing of things...but I am not sure exactly where to begin. We have had some additions and some losses. Happy times...sad times...but since the last post in December, my kentucky fried life has changed...DRAMATICALLY.

I will try to go in order...an addition is first. My step-granddaughter Grey Rowan Baker was born on March 9th. She is such a sweet, funny baby and is now nearing 9 months...5 teeth...crawling everywhere...and head banging to music.

Next came a loss. I lost my spirited and loving grandma in March. She was our one and only Cupidean and the only person I know that could pay people in hugs! I truly believe that heaven gained an angel the day she left us and I know that one day I will be able to hug her again.  I miss her everyday!

Also in March (shew...it was a busy month) came another addition to the family. My little niece Lilly Marie Berkhimer was born on March 25th. Lilly was born with many health complications and remained under the care of the talented doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for around 5 months. She truly is a miracle and every picture I see of her brings a smile to my face. Lilly is now almost 8 months and is doing great. She is keeping her parents on their toes for sure. I can't wait for her and her parents to come visit over Thanksgiving!

And finally...the grand finale of 2013...our new addition...Nolan Berk Baker. Nolan arrived on September 27, 2013, which was about 17 days early to my relief. Owen was 2 weeks late, so having one come early was great. Not knowing what the gender was, Mike and I were so excited to meet the little person inside of me. Nolan was just as excited to meet us apparently because he didn't take his sweet time. By the time I got to the hospital, he came in an hour and a half. 

Nolan Berk Baker - September 27, 2013 - 3:30 am

Jacob, Owen and Nolan

Owen's just a little happy to meet his new baby brother

Nolan is now almost 8 weeks old and I can't imagine my life without him. Owen is pretty smitten with his new brother and loves to hold him. It's amazing to see both Owen and Jacob interact with their brother. I absolutely love my family! 

It's so much fun to watch both of my boys grow. Why does it have to happen so fast? It makes me sad but I am trying to enjoy every moment as a mom.

2013 has been one amazing, busy year... and it's not even over yet. I can honestly say that I am one blessed woman to have a wonderful husband and amazing children. My goal now is to keep everyone posted with the next days, weeks and months to come. It may be a little boring compared to the last few months but I will do my best to make it as exciting as possible.

Love y'all!

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!