Halloween 2008

I have mastered Halloween. I used to get so worked up about getting the perfect costume for the kids. After numerous costume changes and my own internal frustration, I decided that I wasn't going to purchase any costumes this year. I bought a few accessories totally $10 but other than that I got off scot-free. I pulled out some Indian clothes, Ariel costume, 50's carhop outfit borrowed from a friend and made Eme into a 70's basketball player with the purchased headband/wristguards, swim trunks and a borrowed sissys tank top.

It couldn't have been a more glorious night in Denver. The weather hit 79 degrees and we were able to run around without coats!! The kids went trick-or-treating with their buds Jude and Noel. My favorite of the evening was Eme saying "I don't want candy. I want milk." at someone's house. The kids ran for almost two hours straight and I jumped in a big pile of leaves. A perfect evening and no costume stress!

(I have to point out Malina's height. She is in the top three in her class but these pictures really make her height stand out. Sophia is standing next to a boy in Malina's class in the third picture. The last picture has Malina with her best friend Jude. Jude is 6. Malina is ginormous! She has a few more years before those boys sprout past her!)

The Baker Bunch hit the world renowned Grizzly Rose for some good ole' country line dancing. The Grizzly Rose has family night on Sunday nights with free line dancing lessons. Malina was in rare form dancing the night away. Sophia was happy to be dancing with her best girlfriend Olivia. Olivia (3) and Eme (2) will end up being in kindergarten together. Liv and Eme have a love/hate relationship but they are the best of buds too.

We met my parents for a hike up to St. Marys Glacier. It was a bit windy but fun to see some snow while we are having such warm weather in Denver. Tika was elated to get out...we are finally able to manage all kiddos and the dog again! Confession, my Dad walked her.

Tucson Trip

We all went to Tucson to celebrate Uncle Scott's 40th Birthday. We roadtripped the 900 miles to spend three glorious days with family. The highlight for me was seeing my first rattlesnake and a horny toad. Back to reality...

1st Year Comparisons

Emerson, Sophia and Malina all at one year. I am enjoying getting my digital pictures in some sort of order.

Eme Goes to the Zoo

I have started teaching preschool again. I have been blessed with another great class this year. While I am teaching, my parents take Eme. Today he went to the zoo. The boy is a ham.

Our baby went on her first solo plane trip.

Malina has been begging us all summer to visit Uncle Scott, Aunt Mary Ann and Granmama in Tucson, Arizona. A weekend fare came up and off she went with two days notice. I loved her response "(GASP.) I feel so grown up. I cannot wait. Really?" She had a tremendous time swimming with Uncle Scott and Aunt Mary Ann, writing letters at Granmama's and most important to her was the visit to the Desert Museum. The bats, geckos and various desert bugs entertained her too!

I had to throw the picture in of her cereal she told Uncle Scott she likes. Who doesn't take advantage of a visit to ask for Fruit Loops??

She says she will do it again but she is going to Texas next time to visit Daddy's sister. It sounds like she inherited my wanderlust genes. I told her she will have to save up for her yearly plane ticket budget. We have succeeded!

Obama's Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech

What an experience to be a part of history...

Southern California Calls...

The girls request for the summer was the beach! Malina wanted to go boogie boarding, Sophia wanted to play with sand crabs and Eme didn't have a clue. Banks was suppose to join us the whole time but ended up having a business trip on the front end. I took the kiddos to Vegas ("Castle" Hotel, Excalibur) one night and stayed in Ocean Beach (San Diego) for three days.

Ocean Beach was the ultimate beach experience. The hotel was very primitive although across the street from the beach and the downtown area was next to our hotel. We visited Banks' second cousin who works at the San Diego Zoo. His home had African Tortoises in the backyard which was a big experience for the kids. Then, we went to the Wild Animal Park. It was a brutally hot day but I pushed through the experience. Eme was so excited on the tram tour around the park, even though he screamed when we got on. Sea World was on the pit stop too. The kids loved feeding the dolphins, Eme hated when the girls fed the VERY LOUD seals and the kids soaked in their glory at the Elmo Play Area with rides. We tidepooled at Cabrillo National Park, spotting a sea hare (first time for us, pictured in Sophia's hand above), 2 1/2" dead bonnethead shark and lots of crabs.

Banks flew into LA and met us at our hotel in Anaheim. Banks didn't want the kids to go to Disneyland without him. We told them we had to get on the shuttle to get to the beach. We got off at the park and they didn't have a clue. Sophia and Malina kept looking around and were out of their minds when they realized where we were. We got a "behind the scenes" visit with Snow While and Aurora before a show and Sophia was so star struck that she looked like she was going to cry. It couldn't have been a better star sighting for her. Our big moment is when the girls went on Thunder Mountain Railroad with us! They loved it and we went back for more. Malina got her hair done in the Princess Pavilion and Eme couldn't get enough of the cars. A fantastically tiring day!

The rest of the trip consisted of visits to Manhattan Beach, visiting our friends Marika and James from grad school and Sharaf and Aseel from undergrad. We drove home in a day and our beginning our day-to-day lives with school starting tomorrow. :-(

Eme's Turns TWO!

Eme had two little parties this year. We had a family party with a visit to the Golden Gate Canyon Firehouse. Eme had the opportunity to ride in the fire trucks but didn't want anything to do with it. The girls rode with Grandma and Papa instead. The second party was at the pool for anyone that happened to be there that day. However, it ended up raining and everyone came to our house afterwards.

The boy loves his "equipment!" On our Northwest trip, I would stop at the gas station and get him the tractor and commercial equipment trade magazines to keep him entertained. For awhile, all big trucks were fire trucks. He received quite a few fire trucks, a Thomas the Train Set and we got him an obnoxiously big car pinata. He was ecstatic to be the center of attention. Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

On the road again...

My dear friend Ann and I headed out on the road again. We drove the beautiful northwest through Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington. The drive from Missoula to Coeur D'Alene was simply breathtaking. The kids enjoyed seeing bald eagles, antelope and wildflowers along the way. We visited Darawan and Steve in Seattle and stopped to visit Lissie and Nate on the way back. Lissie and Nate don't know that we are going to be setting up tents next year at the cattle ranch in Mattawa, Washington. :-)

KID FAVORITES

Malina: Swinging in Dar & Steves picturesque yard, swimming in Pine Lake, hanging out with Alec, Cole and Jada and riding her bike with Ellie on the cattle ranch, riding on the motorcycle with Nate

Sophia: SWINGING!, finding a snake, playing with Jada, tidepooling at Alki Beach, jumping on the trampoline with Wells, finding geysers at Yellowstone, riding on the motorcycle with Nate

Eme: running after Cole, Alec and Jada, chasing ducks at Pine Lake, getting a tour in an ambulance at Jazz Night at Pine Lake, seeing cows at the ranch, eating in a kaboose in Bozeman, buffalo in Yellowstone

Fourth of July

What a holiday! As a child, I loved Fourth of July. It seems all my favorite attributes have been recreated for our children: swimming, playing games and fireworks. Banks said the day at the pool on Fourth of July is his favorite day all summer. Again, we had a memorable day. Happy Birthday, America!

Colorado Mountains

We headed to Copper with our friends Ann and Lawrence for the weekend. We left Eme behind with Papa and Grandma to give some attention to the big ones. It was a fun filled weekend of touring Leadville, spending time at Turquoise Lake, visiting a fish hatchery, girls doing flips on the bungee trampoline (go Sophia who learned first and Malina with her double flips!), go carting, wandering the farmers market in Vail and relaxing with friends. It was a beautiful weekend in every regard.
Sophia (4-years old)

Jumping off the diving board!

She bonds us all.

The best cook in the kitchen.

Stubborn, persistent, creative and so stinking cute!

Eme's (2-years old next month)

Favorite phrase: "Get up. COME!" while he is pushing under your bum and tapping his chest with his hand.

Every vehicle is a fire truck.

Loves to sing A,B,C's, kick balls and hit balls with the tennis racket.

Strong willed, affectionate and endearing!

Malina (6 1/2-years old)

Discovered Magic Tree House books and loves to curl up at the pool reading her books under a tree.

Sports that require balls: tennis, golf and soccer!

Independent, smart and a beauty inside/out!

Banks

Outside staining his Maldives dhoni (boat) tree house tonight. Building in progress. Good afterwork therapy!

Resident breakfast chef. He is so sweet to have breakfast waiting for me when I return from boot camp.

Me

I am loving boot camp. I am addicted. I am definitely becoming the healthiest in my life.

Also, I am enjoying the relaxed summer with our children!! Watching the bond between them grow each day is beautiful. When we all sat down for dinner tonight, Malina looked at me and said "Mommy I see you have happy tears." They hadn't fallen from my eyes but she knew I was feeling blessed for everyone sitting at the table.

Kicking my Booty Camp

I have been stupid enough to sign up for Fitness Boot Camp. I am going five days a week from 530-645am in Downtown Denver. The camp lasts FIVE weeks long.

I have never been so exhausted in my entire life. I should have known to quit on the first day when we had to do 10 minutes of push ups, 10 minutes of lunges and JUMP ROPE! I am going with two other friends. The first day they said we had 23 hours and 59 minutes to cancel before the next class. OH I thought about it but we never whispered a word to each other. The second day the instruction was to run to the state capital and back. Now that is far!! It is REALLY far to someone who cannot run a block! I had to figure out the distance and it was 4 1/2 miles. Big time for Mrs. Baker!! I have done the army crawl in mud, crab walked in the rain and run further than my body could tolerate.

My frig is bare, my family is surviving on breakfast sausages for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Banks has to pull me out of my sports bra each day and I have to nap for hours on end. I remain. I am determined. I perservere. It is mental. These exercise people ARE mental! It is the biggest high I have ever had in my life and I am excited, yet, terrified to see what lays ahead.

So Malina I hope you enjoyed your soccer camp and tennis camp. Sophia you have been a trouper helping me cook and entertaining the dozens of kids that come over everyday. Eme, thank heavens that I bought you a Fisher Price Lawn Mower.

Time for nap...

The last day of my first year back.

Today was my last day of teaching preschool this year. What a joy, trial and absolute rewarding experience. I am teaching 2 1/2 to 3-year olds. They are sweet, innocent, scared, cautious, loving, rambunctious and endearing. I truly had the best group of kids and families this year. A few pictures of my "adopted" family.

Cakes

Lissie you asked to see more cakes. The kids get to choose the cake and Banks has creative license. Here are a few of them:

Malina's 6th Birthday Cake: Pumpkin

Sophia's 4th Birthday Cake: Pixie Hollow Tree

The trunk was constructed of rice krispy treats with a plywood base.

Sweet Innocent Four-Year Old Love

Malina had James. Sophia loves her Noel.

I like sports...

Malina has decided that she likes sports which entails soccer, tennis and golf. Apparently all other "sports" don'tclassify. The girl has talent. She is incredible coordinated. Now we need to figure out how to get her focused. The girl daydreams. Is it her age or is it her genetic makeup unfortunately picked up from her mom?

Ok, I love this picture. This girl is Daddy crazy right now and to get the opportunity to have a Mother's Day luncheon with my sweet, dear Sophia touches me. My artist, chef, gymnast and outstanding bug collector is a gem. At the luncheon, I weeped like a baby when she sang songs to me and the below statements were read.

Eme, oh, Eme. You are a funny guy. You know you have your sisters wrapped around your little fingers...a sweet spot having two older sisters that adore you.

I love your recent request to "Come sit sofa" to read the encylopedia of animals and fish. What would I do without YouTube?? This Baker Family does not have boy videos. Banks and I often search for "Fire trucks + sirens" or "Cows + mooing" or "race cars" or "tiger + growl." This is the only way Banks can rip Eme from his arms in the morning to get a shower. He starts a six minute video on the laptop and he is immersed.