"A Dish Full of Sinks"

Anyone ever hear of Mary Englebreit's famous line: "A Chair Full of Bowlies"? Well, Boxing Day morning I told Nancy when she called that I had a 'dish full of sinks'. The sad thing is that I didn't know what I said until she told me so I wasn't even being funny on purpose! Must be quite a lot of happy stress around this house, eh?

Hope all your Christmases were merry ones! And that 2007 is not too full of blunders for you and yours.

Love from Oma and Pops' house!

Mini '06 Xmas Blunders at the Baker's

Teddy made a huge blunder this year just before the 'East Coast Baker's' Christmas meal was ready. It hadn't even been served, eaten or cleaned up yet when he plugged up the kitchen sink!

Though he was very remorseful, the repercussions have been amazing. First of all, Danielle and Nancy did a lot of the dishes in the tiny sunroom bar sink. But we saved the bulk of them until the next day, (in hopes that the plumbing would be fixed relatively quickly). It ended up, though, at around noon, that two big boxes of dirty dishes got brought to sweet neighbor Jane's house (where the water was running).

Meanwhile, Thomas' good friend Brett had come over and he told us that it was possible to unclog a kitchen sink by using a garden hose. He was then kind enough to stay around to supervise and to hold the stopper over one sink, while Ruth helped Teddy with the hose and Thomas manned the spiggot in the back garden.

FINALLY we had success and a free sink! (As well as clean dishes from across the street!)

Teddy, you are forgiven but you'd better thank Plumber Ken and his entourage.

The Painting's Nearly Done

Removing miles and miles of painter's tape is much easier if you use your head!

The word is that Mom and Dad (Baker) are quite content in their new 'quarters' - that is, the bedroom on the main floor that Ken and I have used for years. We got the toilet area and closet painted just in time for their arrival - and now there's Ruth's bathroom to work on before she arrives Christmas Day. Ken and I are getting some much-needed exercise going from one upstairs area to the other. (Our new bedroom is Danielle's old room - also repainted - are we nuts?)

So many good changes!! And the carpets get cleaned today.

I might show some more 'decorating' pictures later but it's actually pretty boring - truly just maintenance that we had put off for far too long. Feels good to be on top of some of it for sure! Now if I could just get some time to go through the boxes of stuff that I moved from our nightstands and bathroom shelves. I believe the trash man will be surprised at how much we have to offer this week.

We're almost ready for Christmas! How about YOU? Love, Oma Marijke

Making Stockings

Let me tell you the 'Christmas stockings' story.

Well, when Garrison was about to be born, Erika thought she would like green and red velvet stockings for her children. She liked the idea of a crocheted top - and a photograph of the child with his or her parents. So I made the first one with a scalloped edge. When that seemed a bit too 'feminine' looking, I altered the top and put initials on instead. Then, when Daniel came along, I made initials for the top of his red stocking - along with a little picture of him alone with his parents.

Something didn't feel quite right for Erika, though. Sure enough, when I made Jack Greer's stocking, Erika knew she'd like the same for her boys (and upcoming baby).

Since they don't take too long, I was happy to oblige, coming up with three; they have either red, green or white stripes on a taupe background. She says they're perfect even without initials on them (like Jack Greer's). (Now I wonder if Schelyn will want Jack Greer's changed somewhat to make it look more Christmasy.)

Anyway, one day in early December I had a feeling that Erika's best friend, Stacy would be in need of a stocking for her daughter, Grace. Sure enough, when Erika called her to find out about it, she said that she had just picked one up at the store. Because Erika told her how cuddly these stitched stockings were, and that I had offered to make one for Grace if she still needed one, Stacy gave me permission to 'stitch away'. (As you can imagine, Mommy and daughter were both delighted when the package arrived - and it fits a lot differently than Jack Greer's does!)


The two red and white stockings in one of these other pictures are Olice's and his new brother or sister's. And the VERY BIG stocking that Jack Greer is using as a blanket is Todd and Schleyn (Flippin)'s to share for now. (S&T may want me to make them a different big stocking for next year - this one kind of matches the Fisher family's 'theme' - we'll see!)

I'm trying to get a huge one ready for Thomas - in the colors of his favorite college. In the meantime, though, does anyone know someone who would like some beautiful velvet stockings? It's not too early to be thinking about 2007!! And I should have enough time to crochet different initials by then, right?

I have posted some new (and a couple old) pictures of Jack Greer at: http://sevenschepers.blogspot.com/
Check them out if you want!
-S

The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round...

So, a collegue and I attended the unveiling of a mural downtown at the Bus Transfer Center... lots of interesting things to note there, not the least of which is the fact that we were deep inside the bus transfer center to dedicate a mural that most of the citizens of Greenville will never see nor appreciate... Anyway, it was also the 30th anniversary of the GTA bus system in the city. Here we are with our smiling faces, which can also be viewed by going to:

Smiles & winks!

Jack Greer has been smiling for some time, but we have just managed to finally catch it on film. Here are a few for you to enjoy!

Traveler

Traveler here. Well, I haven't TOTALLY been forgotten, at least not while family is visiting. I usually have a "Pops" or "Grandad" who is willing to take me out morning and night on walks. So, while Todd is busy lavishing the attention on the baby, I soak up any leftover attention I can find. Thanks so much for all your help, Mimi, Grandad, Oma and Pops!!!

Jack Greer

Well, I'm not so little anymore!! I weighed 9 pounds, 1 ounce at the doctor's office last week! My Mimi and Grandad were here last week for a visit too. Here are a few recent pictures.

Well, we dressed Olice up for Halloween and went to the Fall Festival at Abner Creek on Tues. night. I know we are boring and predictable, but we dressed him like a .... COWBOY! Thanks to Erika and Bryan he wore a genuine Stetson hat, and to the Merrell's for making sure he had some real boots early on in life! The Fishers were there of course, but mom and dad even came. I was glad they were there. When you are the only grandbaby in town Olice, you get lots of attention:) Get ready to move over;)
Nancy

And What About Me? - Daniel

Sometimes I have this feeling that I might get overlooked on this Baker totem pole, so I tend to make sure everyone is aware of my presence-- especially at the food table if I see that my grub isn't coming quickly enough!

I've got a lot of energy and speed (grabbing people's glasses off their faces is my specialty) but, at the same time, I can be a little cautious, too. When it comes to stairs, for instance. About that; usually I am quite cautious, but mom has taken to putting up a gate so I don't try to slide down "fast" like my brother.

Besides, I've been working out - I really want to be ready to give my brother a good wrestle soon! For now, Dixie the dog gets my best moves but I can't wait 'til cousin Olice comes for his visit in a week or so. He's bound to be just my size! Plus I figure that if I teach him how to say "hi", maybe he'll give me a lesson in flipping from my back to my front. We're tight.

With love from the not-the-middle-grandson anymore, Daniel Jordan (Counts), age: 11 months (well, almost anyway!)

"I am STILL the Biggest" - Garrison

Just so everyone knows, I am STILL (and always will be) the eldest Baker grandson! I can prove it by showing you my getting-better manners, by talking in long, mostly-recognizable sentances, and by my advanced physical abilities (Olice, Daniel and Jack Greer can't slide down the stairs in their p.j.'s yet!)

It's sometimes a tough job (my little brother doesn't know the meaning of the word 'share' yet) - but someone has to be on the top!

Trying to continue to carry my title well - Geroge GARRISON Counts, age: almost 2 years and 9 months!

A word from JG in Colorado

Though these shots may not be very exciting (I haven't been mountain climbing yet, for instance), I wanted to share some more pics of my first few weeks of life! You can see the obvious love that my mom and dad have for me, and my Oma and Pops have really enjoyed being out here, too. Soon I'll get to meet my Mimi and Grandad (Flippin) and after that my Aunts Nancy and Danielle are bringing my cousin Olice out here for a visit! I'll be blogging again soon, as you can imagine. But I'm so glad that the whole Counts family is here in town with me; that will be a huge comfort after all of the out of town company has to leave. (Plus it makes it extra fun when the other Baker's/Flippin's/Gibbs'/Fisher's come!)

By the way, it's not always easy being a newborn. I have been dressed up in so many different outfits that it's hard to keep track (I have this slight problem with my bowels - they tell me it's a newborn thing). Anyway, I don't mind - I got so many cute clothes at my baby showers - and my mom says that my dad wore some of my clothes when he was my size!


I can't decide if I enjoyed posing in my Christmas stocking, though. Oma made it for me (complete with matching hat). One thing's for sure: it was a whole lot easier getting that thing off!!

Until later, I remain, the newest Baker grandson, Jack Greer Flippin