Catch all, no more

Last Spring, I set out to make a quilt for Kalia. A real quilt -- with the cutting, piecing, sewing, and quilting. I was so excited at the prospect of having all 48 of my blocks finally completed and ready to sew together.

That's when a friend pointed out to me that I had only made half of the blocks that I needed to complete the full size quilt. Aaaagh! However, I was still very determined to finish since I loved the quilt thus far.

Almost a year has passed and my blocks are almost all sewn (for real, this time). But now I have a new problem. Not all of my blocks are square. That means, in order to finish the quilt, I have a lot more unanticipated work ahead of me. That's when I called for help.

It seemed like my nightmare was just beginning. I laid my quilt out on the kitchen counter and told myself, "I will love this quilt when it's finished." My head started to hurt (this is a bad sign, seeing as I never get headaches), and every time I looked at the quilt, my head hurt worse.

Look at my kitchen. Not even my maid can help me out here. And I've decided that I can't live like this anymore!So I'm scrapping it. Goodbye forever you messy, headache-provoking, unfinished quilt!

(Aaahh ... feels better already.)

Calling in the Reinforcements

I love an organized house. Unfortunately organized is a term that rarely described my house before I hired a maid. I never thought I would have to pay for cleaning help, but when you combine the forces of three children, a dog, a messy husband (who, bless his heart, really does try to clean up after himself), and lots of company, I just couldn't keep up.

Thanks to my cleaning service, I have limited my chores to dishes, never-ending laundry (of course), and smaller tasks, like making the beds, picking up personal items (even ones that don't belong to me), and vacuuming.

The part I love the most about not having to clean so much, is that now I am free to spend more time with the people I love most -- my family. And we get to do it in a clean, organized house.

Hooray for Susie Baker

Today Susie was so excited when she realized one of her teeth were loose. Much to her surprise after she had lost the first tooth, she notice the same tooth on the opposite side of her mouth was also loose!

First

Second

Third

Few more missing teeth and you'll be ready for braces!

Vegetable Boy

Ty loves to eat all sorts of vegetables! Sometimes I try to hide them in the refrigerator when I know I'm going to be using them to cook with just so he won't eat them!

So much for my salad!

My Girls

Kalia and Susie are 21 months apart in age. Matt and I always said that Kalia needed a sister... so we got her one! When these girls were little, they were inseparable. They played happily for long hours, just like best friends and now I can't get them to play with each other for 5 minutes! What happened?

Shopping Spree

It was an unusual night in the Baker household. Matt was in Boston, Susie was at cousin Sammie's, and the rest of us had nothing to do.

The missionaries had been by earlier, and like I always do, I asked them if they needed anything (food, video games ... just kidding). I told them their moms would not be happy if they thought their boys were working hard on empty stomachs. They always say they don't need a thing, but I know better. So with our lists in one hand, our ads in the other, Kalia, Ty and I headed for Wal-Mart.

I thought we would only be gone for 45 minutes. But no, it turned out to be two hours! Ty managed to score a few items that weren't on the list. I mean, how could I say no to this?

Yeah, I couldn't. Looks like a little someone has me wrapped around his cute little finger!

Huck -- Get Cleaning!

A few weeks ago, I took the liberty of having my windows and sunscreens washed professionally.

It's hard to believe that I have lived in my house for almost 4 years (and have never had my windows cleaned), actually it will be 4 years to the day, this year on my birthday, August 19th (by-the-way, I don't know if Matt will ever be able to beat that kind of a birthday present)! I swore to myself I would not live in this house this long!

Funny thing is our very first house being a 4,000 sq. ft. rambler with 2 kids seemed to suit us just fine until we decided we were off to bigger and better business opportunity's. Our second house was here in Arizona and of course we couldn't compete with getting a basement, and that house was a one story 2,100 sq ft., 3 car garage.

Because we were still pursuing our dreams, we needed to move to San Clemente, CA for 6 mths. Luckily, we had the chance to move right back home to Arizona.

The problem with the third home or this home was, there wasn't a big selection of homes to choose from due to the decrease of homes on the market, so I felt at the time we needed to purchase this home even though it wasn't exactly what I had in mind! It was smaller than I hoped for and we were also adding a new family member, Ty!

As time has passed through the years, I am finally happy with this house! As HGTV would say it, we have put a lot of sweat equity into this house and now I love it. I do however, disagree with Matt and I still think we need a bigger home eventually.

When "C'mor clearly" came to clean my windows they told me about Huck towels and glass cleaner from Costco. Let me clue you in....Huck towels are the blue surgical towels that surgeons use to lay their instruments on in the O.R. while performing surgery. Huck towels are lint free therefore, they do not leave residue on your mirrors or glass.

The glass cleaner is not your mundane windex...this glass cleaner is ammonia-free, with a very nice, clean odor and comes in an aerosol can leaving your glass and mirrors streak free! It's amazing, see for yourself!

Dirty

Clean

My Little, Big Boy

Ty Matthew

When Matt & I decided to have a 3rd child, we anticipated the wait to be short. But not so. There is a 5 1/2 year gap between Ty & Susie. Ty was born November 16, 2004 at 5 wks premature. However, his premature delivery has not seemed to slow him down!

It was a long wait, but I finally got my boy!

Ty at 4 months old

Ty at 15 mths. (climbing)

Ty has had his (un)fair share of ear and sinus infections (too many to count). If anybody should be immuned to antibiotics it would be him! With the help of Dr. Hurley (ENT -- or otolaryngologist to be technical), he's had his tonsils & adenoids removed and ear tubes installed. Maybe one day (I hope), Ty won't be sick!

Some of Ty's favorite things are:

• Going to the park
• Playing cars with cousin Tommy
• Watching Mickey Mouse
• Riding the bus to preschool
• Attending preschool
• Taking a "bath tub" (as he would say)
• Jumping on the trampoline
• Swimming
• Riding his bike
• Kalia & Susie
• The color pink (uh, yeah, not sure where this came from -- couldn't have been two older sisters???)
• Piggy back rides

Ty swimming in the ocean in Mexico

I thought that Ty would be so difficult to potty train because when we first discussed the idea, he had no interest (surprise, surprise)! But with the help of Spiderman, Batman, Lightening McQueen (Cars) and Power Rangers, we've made it! So thank you to you all!

Here's my Big Boy Ty at three years old.

We love you Ty!

Trier, Germany

I invited my sister-in-law Sarah, my niece Sammie and my nephew Tommy over for dinner last night. Many of you know that Sarah's husband Tom (my brother) is a pilot who flies 747s around the world. This week, Tom is lucky enough to have a four-day layover in a little town called Trier, which is 20 minutes outside of Luxembourg. When I was 11 years old, I visited Europe and stayed with a military family based in Bitburg, Germany -- also 20 minutes from Trier (just in a different direction). I went to Trier on Good Friday, and because of the holiday, it wasn't crowded. I remember seeing the Porta Negra, which is the largest Roman portal still standing.

The Porta Negra

What is so amazing is that I visited Trier and the Porta Negra twenty years ago, and my brother was just there yesterday.

Another thing I remember about Trier is the calamari. The calamari in Trier is not your ordinary calamari that you order as an appetizer from your favorite resturant. This calamari is a jumbo ring and I dipped it in some kind of fry sauce (similar to ketchup & mayo mixed together -- except better). I told Tom that he needs to be on a manhunt for some jumbo deepfried calamari!

Another unforgotten memory was when I went to a little cafe and ordered a banana boat, which is actually a banana split. I missed the part on the menu that said the banana was dipped in alcohol! It was the worst thing I have ever tasted, and from that experience, I learned that I didn't ever want to drink alcohol.

Over the years I have missed Trier. It's really hit home for me since I heard Tom's been there.

Sin City

I am one who is content to stay at home. But let me tell you that this vacation was long over do! Matt, the kids (along with fabulous friend Sabrina) and I headed west on a five-hour road trip to Las Vegas last Friday.

First stop: Subway
Wickenburg, AZ (Home of Rush Limbaugh's drug rehab!)

We stayed at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Resort ... and was it ever a resort! The Hotel has a shark exhibit called "Shark Reef."

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Circus Circus ... The dirtiest place on Earth!

The kids love the fun dome at Circus Circus because of all the rides and games.
It's a mini amusement park filled with germs and ... kids!

Susie (8) & Ty (3)

Ty's favorite ride!

Sabrina & Susie

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In front of the Excalibur.

Inside the Excalibur is ... you guessed it ... Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!

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Hoover Dam

I don't know how many times we have driven over Hoover Dam and have never stopped to take the tour. Well, this time we did!

This Dam is amazing...

Look close, the new overpass is being built behind us!

They say rubbing the feet of this statue brings good luck!

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Are you in the mood for something sweet?

We're off to Ethel M's Chocolate factory!

Home of the M&M's

Sabrina, Ty, Kalia & Susie

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On Sunday, Matt and I took the kids to the Las Vegas Temple.

I wish we were always this happy!

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New York, New York, here we come!

This roller coaster ride was the talk in the car all the way to Vegas!

The good news is:

These girls can't believe they're actually on it!

And....

The bad news:

Susie was so disappointed that because she wasn't tall enough, she couldn't ride the roller coaster.

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The World of M&M Store (on the strip)

The Mime, Elvis and the kids!

A long day's shopping is a lot of work!

BFF (Best Friends Forever)!

Smile!

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Our trip to "The Orleans"

The kids were begging to go bowling, so we went to "The Orleans Casino" (3 blocks off the strip away from Mandalay Bay) to go bowling when all of a sudden I was stopped at a red light when this guy named Joe decided to rear-end me. Knock on wood (knock, knock, knock) this was my first car accident ever, and quite surprisingly, it's turned out to be almost too good to be true! Out of bad things come good things, I've always been told -- I get a brand new bumper!

So back to bowling...we had a great time!

Susie

Despite the final score...

They're still happy!

And finally...

You know how that saying goes...

what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

But not when you're having fun ...

P.S. Every time we leave BB behind, she has withdrawals. I think we would have had to check her into the nut house had we been gone for one more night. Aunt Sarah and Tiffany (our like-family friend) aren't enough to make this dog happy! Face it, no one is a proper substitute for Ty!

Isn't she cute?!!

Black Bear on Boxwood

We have a 7 year-old-female, black lab. Her name is BB. She Weighs 500 pounds -- well, maybe not that much, but she is slightly heavier than she ought to be. She has a gorgeous, shiny, black coat and she is the sweetest dog ever!

The other night Matt, the kids and I took BB to our state-of-the-art dog park. This dog park is a dream-come-true for all kinds of dogs. At the park, there is even a lake for the dogs to swim and play ball in.

I wonder about BB, though. She is so timid and graceful (and oftentimes acts like she's human) that she doesn't appreciate mingling with fellow dogs. And even when we take her to this dog haven, I sometimes get the impression that BB would rather be somewhere else.

Am I lost?

Where's BB? Oh ... I forgot we're at the dog park!

She thinks she found her old beau Cooper Dooper!

All in all, the Baker humans had a rather fun time!
And when all was said and done, I suppose BB had fun too!