13 and a Spontaneous Trip

Poor Hannah kind of got ripped off on her birthday this year.  On the Friday of Spring Break at around noon, Brad and I decided it would be fun to throw the kids in the car and head to Salt Lake for a Jazz basketball game.  Within an hour we were on the road.  We got to the game about 30 minutes before tip off.  After the game we hunted down a hotel to stay in for the night.  We found a lovely (haha) place by the airport.  Hannah was a little disappointed the next morning (her birthday) to eat the complimentary breakfast the hotel offered instead of choosing her favorite breakfast at home.

 We checked out the new City Creek Mall in downtown Salt Lake City and then toured temple square.

 The weather was warm and the temple grounds were beautiful.

It was a fast and wild trip, but a fun family memory.

Spring Break

 Even though Paige's birthday is in April, she had a celebrated with a couple of friends during Spring Break.

The things these girls come up with to do when they get a break from their busy schedules.

St. Patrick's Day 2012

 The gang enjoying the traditional St. Patrick's Day breakfast.

Hashbrowns with green onions, bacon and cheese

Scrambles eggs with cheese 

Lemon/poppyseed muffins

Orange juice

6

 Kerrie turned 6 in March.  She started her day with homemade bacon, egg and cheese McMuffins.

 Happy Birthday!

 Opening her gifts

We love you Kerrie!

Little Dancer

This was Lizzie in her performance costume for her company dance last year.

(minus the high tops and the sweatshirt)

She is such a cute performer.

Music Through the Decades

 Last March, the 5th grade program was Music Through the Decades.

Can you guess which decade Paige's class was?

It is always fun to have Grandma and Grandpa Baker come to the school programs.

Crazy Hair

 I am not exactly sure why my children look like this.  I am thinking it was for Dr. Seuss' birthday or some random crazy hair day last Spring.  Whatever it was, I think they look fabulous.

Be Mine

Busy making Valentines

We had to have our family Valentine party on the Sunday before Valentine's Day because people had dance on the actual day.

Everyone topping her own pizza.

All ready to go in the oven.

Enjoying our delicious pizzas.

The elementary school crowd on Valentine's Day.

Competition

Kiley's dance company started their competition season in February.  We spent a great weekend in Seattle for the first competition. I love going to the competitions.  It is fun to watch talented dancers and spend time with my girl.

Check out those eyelashes.

Snow

 Snow was late coming this year.

 It was January before anything really good stuck.

 The girls had to get out quick and enjoy it

before it melted.

Nativity Scenes

I love decorating for Christmas.  My favorite thing to decorate with is Nativity scenes.

 This is the first Nativity Scene I bought.  We got it at Costco about 8 years ago.  It looked so pretty all lit up in our entryway.

 I won this carved Nativity Scene from a raffle.

 Brad served a mission in the Philippines.  This cement Nativity Scene from the Philippines.

 This is a metal Nativity Scene from Ghana.

 This is the Nativity Scene I grew up with.  I am so happy to have it in my home.

 This is a fabric Nativity Scene from Ghana.

This was my new Nativity Scene this year.  It is from Kenya.  I think the figures are made from banana leaves and they are housed inside a gourd.

Christmas 2011

This year Christmas fell on a Sunday.  We got up early to see what Santa brought, ate a nice Christmas breakfast and went to 9:00 church.  After church, we opened the rest of our presents.

We tried something a little different this year for Christmas dinner.  Brad made us hamburgers and homemade french fries. Yum!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.

Afterwards, we walked through the mall and ended up taking the four younger girls to get a new pet at Build a Bear.  Kiley didn't get one.  That is our dog Henry on her lap. 

We came home, unwrapped Christmas Eve pajamas and watched Luke II and Mr. Krueger's Christmas. All the girls went to bed early so Santa Claus wouldn't pass by our house.

Baby Charlie

Kiley had a child development class at school first semester.  For one weekend she had to take care of a computerized baby.  He was programmed to cry at random times, day and night, and she had to figure out what was wrong and how to make it better. She will be a great mom some day (in the far, far distant future).

Baker Christmas

In the middle of December we had a Christmas dinner with the Baker side of the family.

The Spread

The Annual Train Cake

They can only take so many nice pictures.

Musical Su

December was a musical month for Susanna.

 Her school choir, The Soaring Eagles, had a performance.

 The school Christmas program was put on by the 1st grade this year.

 Grandma and Grandpa came to watch.

 Su and her loving dad.

Su and her loving mom.