Snow, snow, snow

I know the rest of you might not agree with us out here in the Wild West, but we are SICK of snow. This is the SIXTH straight weekend of snow we have had, including 2 blizzards. I've lost track of the accumulation. Thankfully, today is is just flurries, but we are still "digging out." The picture of BJC behind the snowdrift was taken in our backyard a few weeks ago. The wind blew all the snow to this one area of the yard, and there were areas where you could see the grass. That snowdrift is still there because it is an area of our yard that gets no sun, so it may be there until May. G Money loves to go out and help shovel, but that often involves him shoveling snow onto Dixie's back...speaking of Dixie...can you find her in one of the above shots?

It's a GIRL!!

In case someone checked out Erika's blogspot already (www.erikacounts.blogspot.com), you will have spotted this very picture. She tells the story very well of how this Oma (along with Pops, GM and GD) all got the announcement in the restaurant for the very first time: that we will finally have a granddaughter (and great granddaughter)!! Danielle and Thomas already knew and were part of the dinner - which had originally been arranged to say goodbye to Mom and Dad Baker. How quickly the focus was changed!! Thanks, D for picking up such gorgeous flowers - they look great on our dining room table; it looks like I cleared all the Xmas decorations away just in time.

We've tried not to be impatient for girls around here; after all, it will only have taken less than 4 years to get this girl after boy grandsons. (In our case, we had to wait almost 10 years to have a boy after those 4 adorable girls!!) We are just plain excited about the news and it's difficult to even put our feelings into words...

One more thing, though: look carefully and see that there are actually 6 tulips in this flower pot. One's just a bud - which must stand for Nancy and Reid's baby - but will it be a girl or a boy? We won't know for a while and naturally we won't be blogging that news until after some equally exciting announcement (like pink or blue ice cream again?).

How fun - we continue to post some sort of Baker's blunders all the time, don't we?

Congratulations to you, Erika, on the blessing of a girl - and to you, Bryan 'cause (Praise God) there's something wonderful that happens to a daddy when he gets a daughter.

Bathing and Walking

Some of our regular activities include baths and walks. Monday my dear friend Kris came over and we went for a walk. (Thanks so much Kris! I had a great time catching up with you!) Had to bundle up Jack Greer, of course, and we borrowed this little number from his cousins G-money and Heavy-D.


And our bath time is SO much fun. J.G. just smiles and splashes like crazy in the tub! He always sleeps on the walks, but he won't miss this action.

Fisher Christmas

Here are some pictures of our Christmas. We got a picture of Olice with all of his living GREAT grandparents except for his Canadian Oma and Opa; and we put his grandparents in there too. What a cool picture! Our weather has been crazy warm, but not so warm for Olice to get away with just a onesie (there was a fire in the fireplace, and he got hot so that's why he's wearing next to nothing on Christmas morning.) Hope y'all like the family picture. That is what I'm planning on send out in the mail. Eventually....Don't rush me:)
Nancy

Twelve Days of Blunders

This 'twelfth day' is out of order but the rest should be OK. Read the whole 'song' by scrolling to the beginning of today's post. Sorry - just a little blunder, to be sure.

Twelve Days of Blunders

If you didn't read about the sink escapade on Christmas morning (thru to Boxing Day), let me tell you that that was a classic Baker's Blunder! One need not search for greater ones. So, instead, I have enclosed a picture of one of this year's cutest presents. Since the family gift book was about 'gardening', this little flower-decorated wooden music box was just perfect for Danielle and Will! The two lady bugs dance to hidden magnets. Judging by Olice's reaction, D&W will have something to entertain visiting children (and their own future ones; too bad Jim won't find it all that exciting!)

And a Basket of Christmas Cards, too!

And a Basket of Christmas Cards, too!

One of these pictures shows the 'traditional' nativity poster that has graced our kitchen every Christmas since Thomas was the baby Jesus in Erika's arms.

But, breaking from another tradition, this year we didn't hang the Christmas cards around the top of the walls in the front foyer. Instead, we kept them in a basket close at hand for all to read and enjoy. The newsy letters with pictures are super - telling of how life has been going for all of you and your families. Whether we are related or not, each time we hear from or think of you, we say a prayer of thankfulness for God's gift of friendship.

Many, many cards depicted the true meaning of Christmas and for that we rejoice! I might even hang up the nativity scenes around my 'craft room' to enjoy all year round! But the card that Helen and Fred sent from New Jersey was particularly perfect this year since I was trying to figure out a way to depict our 'Four Calling Boys'! I'm continually amazed at how God cares so much that He gives us what we need, when we need it - even if our requests are ridiculously small. Naturally all of His good gifts pale when compared to that of His Son, Jesus.

In this "Twelve Days of Christmas" song, I should have called this day: "and a Baby Came to Save the World's Lost".

In His Joy, Marijke - blundering for all the Baker's

Two Spoiled Dogs

Two Spoiled Dogs

By now all bakercrowd readers know that Danielle and Will (Gibbs) have adopted a dog named "Jim Harget, III". (You don't need to know if this is the correct spelling or not because he answers to "Jim" perfectly well.) This blond beast of a dog (98 pounds at last weigh-in) is very gentle and has won our dog Beau's heart which is unusual. It's especially fun for Ken (and other family dog lovers) when we have both animals in the house together. In answer to your unasked questions: No - we did not go so far as to buy them Christmas gifts or stockings!!

Three House Guests

Three House Guests

In anticipation of the arrival of Mom and Dad (and Ruth a couple of days later), Ken and I fevoriously painted five main areas in the house. You may have already read about this. Anyway, as a result, we are now sleeping in Danielle's old bedroom upstairs and our clothes are spread between that room's closet and the closet in what I now fondly call my 'craft room'. We carted our bed upstairs (because it was a little bigger for us to sleep in) and Mom is using Danielle's relatively new bed. In addition, we set up a twin bed for Dad to sleep in. (With Mom's leg being what it is, they try to prevent ways from waking each other up at night.) Though some of the spaces we painted got relatively boring colors, Ruth's bathroom is now a very pretty shade of light periwinkle blue. In addition, the carpets in all of their rooms got cleaned - just in the St. Nick of time, you might say. Phew! No more painting jobs around here for a while!!

As you can tell from these pictures, we are all unwinding nicely and enjoying one another's company immensely.

Four Calling Boys

Four Calling Boys

What can we say? Ken and I do indeed have four grandsons now!! Jack Greer Flippin joined the family on October 3rd and Todd and Schelyn are loving being parents for the first time (although they do admit to it being quite difficult at times!) Garrison and Daniel (Counts) get to see 'Baby Skeeter' often as he attends the same church that they do but Olice only got to see this new cousin once when he traveled with his mother (Nancy) and Aunty Dan Dan to Colorado in November. The resulting group picture was being secretly taken for Oma and Pops but, in a conversation we had with him just afterwards, Garrison spilled the news!! They hadn't even gotten home from the photographer's; talk about "out of the mouths of babes". As you look at these angelic faces, it's hard to tell how hard it was to position four very active young 'uns. J.G. even got dropped once - thank you SO MUCH, Girls, for this gift of love.

Five Books to Read

Five Books to Read

This year was the beginning of something new. Each of our five children got a brown paper package in which were stashed lots of Dutch or British edible treats as well as individual little gifts suitable to each family. (Thomas obviously would not enjoy the same things that Garrison would!) Everyone did get a copy of the same children's book, however and it was a delight for me to hear them read it - first in our sunroom (Will, Danielle, Nancy, Reid and Thomas all taking different pages) and then in Colorado over the phone - thanks, Erika, Bryan, Schelyn and Todd! The book was called "The Gardener" and even made Erika cry! Oh - the gift certificates that were enclosed are only to be used to buy something for the garden! (I know it's hard to visualize the planting season out there in Colorado where the snow has been extra deep and early this year!)

Six Grandkids Next Year

Six Grandkids Next Year

Yes, the word is out: both Erika and Nancy are due in June. That'll be 6 'babes-a-laying' next year - and all under the age of 4! That'll keep Ken and I (and these lovely moms) hoppin'!

We'll be sharing more news as we get it!! Stay tuned to this spot (the Mother Birds may let us know what they're having in February!)

Seven Nights of Games

Seven Nights of Games

Here are some more pictures of the New Year's Eve bunco party. We had 5 tables of players rolling dice and next year we think there'll be even more since the prizes were copies of Ken's 'Pretty Place' print! This was one time that it paid to be in last place (both the winner and loser got recognized).

As you can tell, Olice loved tasting and throwing the die the next morning.

By the way, other nights were spent playing scrabble with Grandma and Ruth - another enjoyable sport - and cards, too!

Eight Pounds of Goodies

Eight Pounds of Goodies

This was a typical scene over the holiday season: an overladen dining room table. Christine and Chris were two of many friends (and family members) who helped devour both savory and sweet treats. Did we ever have fun but we'll have to pay the price in the New Year, don't you know!!

Nine Songs By William

Nine Songs By William

After Will had fun recording some awesome new versions of some old favorite songs, most of us Baker's were blessed to receive copies for Christmas presents! Be sure to contact him for YOUR copy!! You'll love what you hear!!

Ten Christmas Crackers

Ten Christmas Crackers

In England, everyone knows that Christmas crackers are not edible but are actualy prettily decorated tube things that people bust open, to the sound of a mini firework. Inside can be found a small toy as well as a little sheet of jokes and a party hat. No Baker Christmas dinner table would be complete without one for each guest at the table - this year there were ten who wore hats: Ken, Marijke, Grandma, Grandad, Ruth, Danielle, Will, Nancy, Reid and Thomas (Olice might get one next year if he's in town and awake!)

Eleven Stockings Crocheted

Eleven Stockings Crocheted

As you might already know, this Oma got kind of carried away with crocheting and giving away Christmas stockings. Erika's best friend's daughter, Grace now has one as well as all of the grandchildren. I've even got a few spares so next year I might try to sell some! In any case, Santa was able to fit a regular size cereal box (instead of the usual mini-size) into Thomas' humongous, 'USC' colored mega-stocking... There was even room for oreos, mayonnaise and other things, too! I don't think he's going to miss his old stocking one bit, do you?

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas...

On the "Twelfth Day of Christmas", our blogspot tells the tale of:

Twelve Days of Blunders

Eleven Stockings Crocheted

Ten Christmas Crackers

Nine Songs by William

Eight Pounds of Goodies

Seven Nights of Games

Six Grandkids Next Year

-- Five Books to Read --

F O U R C A L L I N G B O Y S!!

Three House Guests

Two Spoiled Dogs

and a Basket of Christmas Cards, Too.

The latest J.G. shots

Here are some shots from Christmas week of J.G. He's getting pretty big and is three months old now! He loves to be talked to and he talks back quite a bit now and he also loves to play "super baby". He started grabbing on to things this week!

Colorado Christmas

Here are a few shots from our Colorado Christmas. We, fortunately, did not have the dishes dilemma that seemed to plague the East Coasters. G-money helped everyone open their presents, Heavy-D was the wild man on campus tackling people (especially his daddy) and being in general his charming destructive self, and J.G. just sat and watched the action. He loved watching those boys!

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year!

The 'New' Truck

This is Todd's new truck. You can also (sort of) tell in this picture how much snow we've had over the last week.