New Year's Resolutions

With 2010 right around the corner, and this year having gone by way too fast, I figure I better write up the resolutions already. This is sorta a combination to do list and general improvement list for my life at this point and I will probably add to and edit these a few times later. So here's the first set anyway.

1. Get in Better Shape, Live Healthier
I figure this is one of the most common resolutions so a good way to start. This includes lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, and that sorta thing. This also includes adjusting our family food a bit though we're not too bad currently we can always be healthier in certain food choices and family activities. I would also like to cut out soda again (I hadn't drank any during C and J's pregnancies, breastfeeding etc. and stopped again when working out this year but got back into it after depression stuff and need to get rid of that vice again).

2. Find a church and start a Weekly family worship time.
We haven't found a local church which really fits us yet and would really like to find one in 2010. Also although we have lots of prayer times throughout the day I would love to have a specific worship time/bible study with my family especially as the kids have more understanding now and I think they would enjoy this and benefit from it.

3. Budget better
I have a few friends who are coupon clippers and although I have long dreaded the thought I have been excited about the potential of using those extra funds for other things. I also can think of several other ways to help tighten our family budget and make the most of every buck.

4. Keep in better touch with Friends and Family
The past couple years I thought I was doing this with the help of Facebook but have since realized that actually the site just helped more distant relations and acquaintances keep up with me so in 2010 I am going to try to keep better contact by actually talking to people or keeping one on one correspondence. I also really need to figure out a trip out west this year to reconnect with family and friends (it's been way too long).

5. Be Positive and don't stress the small stuff
This is a tough one for me, but with recent events I've really realized what really matters and what doesn't. It's easy when you're in a negative place to get pulled down by random things that really don't matter in the long run. I am already trying to be more positive and focusing on my many amazing blessings and hopefully I can just get better and better at this in 2010.

That's the big ones that come to mind right now. I will add later. It's crazy to think how 2000 seemed like yesterday and now it's almost 2010! It's even more crazy to think of all the wonderful things that have happened this last decade. This next year has alot of happenings for my family, including hopefully hubby finishing his degree, new jobs, a move and new house hopefully, and who knows what other amazing blessings this coming year holds. No matter what I'm sure with my amazing family and friends that it will be a year full of love. I am so blessed and am sure this next year will just multiply my blessings again and again. Here's wishing all my loved ones a wonderful, happy, healthy new year as well!

Christmas Cooking

I will do a longer update on Christmas later with pics but for now this will be more on the cooking. Overall Christmas was wonderful. C is still getting better and better which is our biggest Christmas blessing. Both kids adored their presents and were yelling, "Happy Birthday Jesus!," "Santa Claus is coming!," and "Merry Christmas" throughout the house for the past few days.

Christmas Eve we began the day with Hot fried Apple Pies, which my sister sent, which were so yummy. I made a couple homemade Chicken Pot Pies (one of which the kids and Daddy, mostly Daddy devoured in one sitting), we still have another pie saved for tomorrow. Recipe


I also made my snickerdoodles for Santa which were awesome too. I have done this the last couple years but I think snickerdoodles will be one of our future holiday traditions for sure.
Snickerdoodles


Christmas Day Daddy made our traditional
Eggs Benedict Brunch. Not the best pic, but
so yummy.

No Recipe here, just Poached Eggs, toasted English Muffins, Canadian Bacon, and Hollandaise Sauce (lots of Hollandaise).

This one is definitely a holiday tradition and we will be having for New Years Morn as well. :)


Then I made Baked Potato Soup and Apple Pie for Christmas dinner. It was the perfect comfort meal for the end of the long wonderful day. Didn't get a pic of the soup but here's my pie which I'm a little proud of.
Isn't it pretty :)

And here's the Recipe Link












Overall a very yummy couple days in the Baker Household. Hope you enjoyed looking :)

Christmas Week

Sorry I haven't written this week yet. Christmas is approaching fast and it seems all the easy plans have become more and more hectic. We are reorganizing our house somewhat to make the most of Christmas gifts and space in general. I need to run to the store for some baking items, and we have to assemble two fairly big Santa gifts.

C and J share most of their toys and both have gotten so much better at keeping set toys together we got them both a couple big things from Santa this year: a kitchen and toddler tool bench! I am so excited to see them play with them but not so much on the assembling beforehand, though Daddy has promised it won't take that long and his power tools will help I'm sure. My mom has my old kitchen from when I was little at her house still and the kids love playing with it every time we visit so I really wanted to get them an updated version for here. Daddy decided on the tool bench in part so there's something a little more manly I think lol, though I'm sure both kids will play with both toys. I am amazed by toys now a days. The kitchen has lots of storage, noise making burners, phone, and microwave, and even a fake backspash. This would probably have been my dream kitchen at C's age and it was on sale too!

The kids are also getting lots of books, magnadoodles, and other various items. It's a bit much but we'll most likely put some things away and bring them out again after Christmas so they can have the joy of the new toys later too.

We're still trying to finalize Christmas plans. We will be home Christmas morning for sure but MIL is trying to convince us to drive up to NC that afternoon, which I'm not thrilled at the prospect of. I'd love to see more family but the last drive up was brutal. MIL and Daddy's sisters were supposed to come here last weekend but snow made that impossible. Then when it cleared somewhat MIL said the sisters have colds but should be better if we drive up on Christmas, though they won't be coming down beforehand, hmmmmm. Not sure if that will happen or not, we'll see.

Anyway speaking of health matters. C is doing great! I'd still say not quite 100% but really close and getting better daily so hopefully soon everything will be even better than before. J has been dealing with a rash on his legs and cheeks we think was started by MIL's dryer sheets and then aggravated on the face by citrus, but that's mostly gone away as well. I think we've rewashed everything from her place and him not having been over there in a bit has helped. I have so many things to be thankful for this year. It's strange, despite the stress and busy-ness of this week or maybe partially because of it I haven't thought of the depression that was plaguing me the last couple weeks. It's still tough but I am so focused on the now that it's been alot better. And knowing I have so much support from friends and family has helped as well.

I received a yummy box of Apples, pies, and jams yesterday from my sister. We've already broken into the Pink Lady apples (my favorite apples btw), but are saving the pies and Muffin Mix as Christmas Eve treats. Thanks so much for thinking of us! All I want next year though is more visits :) I will try to write a New Year's Resolution list on here soon, but one of them will definitely be keeping in touch with my amazing family more next year.

Well I have to get back to the preparations. Hope everyone has a blessed wonderful Christmas!

Surprise Gifts

Today has been fairly long and I've been fighting depression, exhaustion, and some congestion. Yesterday I found out some news that though happy in itself was a reminder of some pain I'm dealing with. I may talk more about this on the blog in the future but am figuring out my own feelings I don't think I want to put it out there to the world just yet.

Anyway I received an email that I had a package to pick up from the apartment office. I figured this was my Amazon purchase from last week of some dvds of kids' songs (one of which the kids had already but they've played so often it's almost unplayable). Outside the weather is absolutely horrible. The rain is heavy yet stings when it hits, the highways are flooding, and it's just cold enough to make the rain more miserable but a few degrees too high to turn it to snow. I braved this to cross the complex to pick up the package. I got in and it seemed the package had disappeared. Ten minutes later the staff found it. And I was greeted with an amazing surprise which was all worth it! Santa had come early and unexpectedly from Utah actually.

My amazing sister-in-law and my big bro sent us hot cocoa with chocolate dipped spoons (which I really want now but am trying to wait till after dinner), popcorn, adorable holiday cups, the perfect snowman popcorn bowl, and Madagascar Christmas movies for the kids (Madagascar is actually the kids favorite movie though I don't think they knew this and the kids will probably be watching these over and over the next few weeks lol). It was perfect. I honestly couldn't think of anything that sounded better than a movie and snacks snuggling with my family right now. The weather even seems perfect for this. This thoughtful sweet surprise really made my day. I did tear up a little from the pure joy, it was like my own Santa, and today I really needed something to pull me out of this rut, and this did that and then some. I really wish I could get on a plane to Utah and hug them in person.

If yall read this thank you so much for thinking of us! I can't thank you enough not just for the present but for your love :).

Another blessing, another surprise gift I received from this was in the card. It had a bible verse fairly often seen and heard at Christmas time:

And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luke 2:10

I have heard this verse so many Christmas' past but this year it seemed to be speaking to me more. With C being sick and the past stressful few weeks the reassurance of hearing when God sent his angel saying "Fear not" and telling of the greatest gift ever given was such a needed blessing. I feel God's hand in my own life, helping, healing, and watching over my family. And we too have nothing to fear. C is definitely getting better though she's not back to 100% yet I know she will be soon. I am so blessed and I know that God is still blessing us daily. Thanks again to my brother and sis-in-law for the reminders of all this.

Now I'm off to have a nice warm happy evening enjoying all my surprise gifts :).

Tired Thursday

The last couple days have been rough, with C being sick along with general stress and emotions on edge. C is getting alot better but we have figured out that some virus is causing all the cold symptoms and general crud. The doctors say we just have to treat the symptoms and wait. She's also on an antibiotic to prevent/treat infection. I know God is healing her. She's had no fever for a couple days now and she is generally feeling and looking better. C has a tiny benign cyst on her neck and the only time it's ever an issue is when she's sick, since it's right on top of a lymph node if the node swells it makes the spot bigger. This has only happened once before but this second time was slightly scarier since C also had alot of congestion in her throat so there's was alot of stuff going on in the same area. God is blessing us again though and slowly but surely the spot is going down again and you can tell from her voice her congestion has almost all gone away.

This morning I felt like I was coming down with the virus as well but hubby was sweet to let me sleep in some, and I definitely feel my body is fighting it off. Hopefully J and Daddy will miss it. We were supposed to have pictures taken tonight and I had an OBGYN followup/annual appointment scheduled for today but have postponed both. I want to make sure we're all well before going out and would rather not risk any of us being hit by any other germs while already fighting this. Hoping and praying we'll all be well by Christmas and I know all is possible with God's help.

On a side note, Santa did get all his shopping done earlier this week. We canceled plans to go to North Ga this weekend but my mom will be visiting on Saturday which will be nice. And my MIL will be bringing Daddy's sisters down from NC this weekend and they'll be in town till shortly before Christmas. Not sure if we'll be in GA or NC or both on Christmas currently all I want is we're together and healthy.

The following Bible verse has been proven true for me often, but I still need reminding at times. I'll end this post with it.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mark 9:23

Dec. 15 Beginning the Blog

Hi! I'm working on making this blog to share moments and memories with friends and family. I am very busy with the holidays right around the corner currently but will hopefully be updating and sharing more soon.

This week is our week after Daddy's exams (he's working on the last year of his engineering degree). Now he's out till January which is wonderful, especially since we are now busy with Christmas preparations.
C started coming down with a cold Sunday and horrid congestion hit yesterday. She's in high spirits and on an antibiotic which will hopefully knock it out soon. Also cross our fingers but J doesn't have it yet.

Our to do list this week includes lots of Santa and general Christmas shopping, a followup doctor's appointment for Mommy, and a photo appointment hopefully late enough in the week both little ones will be healthy. I bought custom outfits for the kids from an amazing seller on etsy.com for Thanksgiving and Christmas and the Christmas ones arrived yesterday. I am amazed by this seamtress' talent and will upload pics of the outfits after I get holiday cards out, as to not ruin the surprise. I plan to use her for Easter heirloom outfits as well and could never find such amazing quality items at such affordable prices in store.

My mother-in-law is currently staying in town, which is at times a blessing and at times scary. I am trying to make the most of her help and be honest with her if she happens to overstep some boundaries so hopefully we won't drive each other too crazy. Today we will probably have dinner at her place depending on how C's feeling. I also need to get to the grocery store for some holiday recipe shopping. I'm currently craving Snickerdoodles and cider.

As a "Baker" I think I'll end this post will end this post with a recipe for some good snickerdoodles. Enjoy!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Snickerdoodles-II/Detail.aspx
Snickerdoodles :
Ingredients-

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions-

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, mix together the shortening and 1 1/2 cups of white sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into the batter until blended.
3. Roll the dough into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll in a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned, but still soft.