Kids are Back to School.

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When life gives you lemons...

You know how the old phrase goes..."When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"

Well that is what we are going to do!

As some of you may know already my step-mother, Heather, passed away unexpectedly earlier this week. The funeral is on sunday so we are leaving tonight.

Jesse and I have been trying to plan a trip to North Carolina to see my family and bring the kids to the ocean for a couple years now.The trip keeps getting pushed back to "the next summer" due to a number of unforseen circumstances. There is no more next summer, the time is now...

We have made plans to spend time with my family for a couple days after the funeral. My brother Ricky, who I havent seen in over 10 years, if flying back from South Korea. Prescilla was 6 the last time I saw her !!!

Jesse and I have made plans to spend Monday(maybe tuesday) in Atlantic Beach, NC on the ocean front. Izzy is already planning on going shell hunting and Jackson wants to go surfing. Josh and Amanda have been at church camp all week so we are not sure what they have planned. They are aware of what has happened, and I am sure they have come up with some "plans". Jesse bought a new "bigger" storage card for her camera as she plans on taking hundreds of pictures, that she hopes to share when we return home.

It is sad life changing events like this that remind us all how short life can be...

Celebrate life for what it is, not what it isn't and while you are here...Live...Laugh...Love as much as you can !!!

Summer so far.

Well the summer is off and running. June was a blur of fun. The kids have been manageing very well again this year with Amanda babysitting. Her and Izzy have quite a bond forming. Iz got all teary eyed tonight when Amanda left for babysitting, and Jeremy asked what are you going to do when Amanda goes to college?? Izzy said she will start crying on Sunday night, and stop crying Friday. We will just see how long she thinks that.

Jeremy and I went to Winstock this year. I think it is safe to say that a fun time was had by all. Great friends, Great food, Great beer, and Great music. What else do you need? We sure missed the kiddos by Sunday though.

The end of June, I had a hysterectomy. We set it up in May, so I knew it was coming. I am always busy at work so from May to June went really fast, and I found myself at the Buffalo Hospital on Tuesday trying really hard not to vomit. What made me nervous was just the thought of the iv's going in. And I have to say that every nurse or lab tech who touched me ROCKED. So once everything was in I was ready. Dr Minke came in to talk to me before hand and gave me the low down. One would think he was a women with how good he is with his information. But I guess he just really listens when we talk. The things I rolled my eyes at and got him talking more to Jeremy was when he started talking about not lifting, no stairs, no driving, yadda yadda yadda. Time to go. I woke up very little in recovery, and was in and out of it once they brought me to my room. I think about 1pm I finally got up for an hour or so when the kids came to visit. Jeremy later told me he could tell when I was waking up cause my heart rate would start getting faster, and he would know I needed more pain med's. I think it was about 3 pm that I finally came more out of the fog, and got up to brush my teeth and go to the bathroom. Jeremy and I walked down to the sitting area, as they told me if I was up and walking around, I would have to have the massage things on my legs. I think I told Jeremy to go home about 9pm. He had only left the hospital after Dr Minke was done with surgery and told him to go have breakfast, and then when the nurses told him I would be up anytime soon, so go have lunch. I have to say that I was not prepared for how much it hurt. I kept describing it to Jeremy, and he didnt think it was funny how I described it. Its pretty graphic so I wont put it on here. But I have to say, the next day was alot better. I woke up at 5:30am on Wednesday, took a shower, tried to eat breakfast, no thank you. Dr Minke came in and looked me over and said I could fly the coupe. I slept most the day Wednesday and woke up Thursday feeling ok, so we started to get ready for the camper, but there was one thing that I had to do before I would leave, I hadnt done it in 4 days, and anyone who knows us Chaps, knows what I am talking about. About 11am, I was singing PRAISE THE LORD, from the bathroom and we were off. I can honestly say that I do not remember being at the camper till Saturday morning. I would get up to eat a little take my meds and go back to sleep. It was just what the doctor ordered. It has been a slow couple weeks. I have one more week off this coming week, and I am hoping that I am able to do some visiting, and feel alot better. I am not going to complain, as for what I had done, I think I feel pretty darn good. But my body will still tell me in the morning if I did to much the day before. I have been very good.
Ok. Long post. Sorry. Till next time. Have fun.

YEAH!! Last day of school. Things that I look forward to.

Successful Opener Over....On to Memorial Day

It was a cold but fun Fishing Opener weekend at the cabin. There were many walleyes boated despite the near freezing temps and the rain. Jackson was the "perch slayer" on Saturday night. I can tell my wife is completely discouraged with Mille Lacs lake fishing, but the girl has skills. She put a leech on her hook. She then told the leech go "catch" something for me, and it did, it caught a rock !!! It isnt her fault the leech was stupid :-)

On to Memorial Day weekend which is always fun. Again we will be "going to the cabin" for the weekend. The pool will be open at the campgrounds and the kids will want to swim for about.......2 minutes until they realize how cold the water is yet!!!

Mom and Dad will enjoy some coffee and bird watching in the morning while sitting on the log swing. The kids will go exploring and bike riding. New fun stories are certain to come...

Jeremy

Were going to the cabin....were going to the cabin

Are the lyrics to a little diddy that gets sang around our house on the days before we head up to our "cabin". We are heading to Sherwood Forest for the weekend. It will be the 1st weekend up there this spring, not to mention it is walleye fishing opener and Mother's Day, so there will be much to do.

We will be minus 2 of our clan this weekend :( but it is for a good cause. Amanda and Josh will be doing a "cancer walk" with their grandma Judy who is of course a cancer survivor.

Have a good weekend everyone !!!

Been a while

Well. It has been a while. Let see....what has gone on. March ended. April started. Thursday April 9th, both Amanda and Izzy sprained their ankles. Mind you, Amanda was at one friends house and Izzy was at anothers. So that is some sisterly love. They are on the mend, a little sore yet. But getting better. We spent the weekend at the Holiday Inn in St Cloud for our yearly family get out of the cold weekend, and just have a good time. And we had the great pleasure of watching out baby sister get engaged. THAT was cool! We knew long ago that he was the one. He is just great. So I get the great pleasure of standing up with my sisters as our sister marries the man of her dreams. Could life get any better.

Long Lake

I got the great pleasure of traveling with Josh's 6th grade class this
year to the Long Lake Conservation Club. We took off Wednesday March 11th after a 2 hours late start to school. It was a long slow bus ride, but we made it there safe and sound. Those school bus drivers are pretty amazing. We got to Long Lake and the fun began. I think it was like 11 below zero, but our grounp headed out snowshoeing. I LOVED IT. Josh and I have already been looking on EBAY for a pair or 6 of those bad boys. What great fun! It was super cold, but you never would of known as it was just beautiful up there. The week was busy, but so worth it. I am so happy that I was able to partake in this great event. I would recommend to anyone reading this if you are able to go with your kid, sign up and do it. What a trip to remember!

Here is a highlight of what we all did.........
-snowshoed
-cross country sking
-some creapy class about snakes
-orientering
-snow snakes.....its a game with pool sticks, not real snakes......wasnt happy at first when I saw the name......I did threaten to cry.....
-And the Alpha wolf hunt.........I didnt get to do it....
it is a game played at night where you go out and search for the "alpha wolf" and it howls back....well needless to say, one little guy in my group started to have an astma attack.......I pulled him aside and explained the game to him, and he didnt care, he wasnt going into the woods at 10:00 at night!!! So another teacher took my group and back to camp we went.

All in all, it was a great week. I totally loved it!

Isabella's Early Birthday Present

Two years ago, Izzy asked Jeremy to shave. He had shaved when he had sinus surgery and she loved the feeling of kissing his smoothe face. He told her she had to talk to me, and I said NO! I like the facial hair!!! What can I say, its a good look! So the deal was struck that he could shave it for her birthday.........and so it began!

We were talking birthday presents last week and she said Daddy, dont forget, you have to shave. Well today is the eve of her birthday and the deed is done. It is so cute to watch her walk by him and want to rub his face!

Izzy would like me to edit this...these are before......

during.......

After
And for that I am ok with him shaving it off once a year!
Happy Birthday Bella!

Update

After a very nice reminder e-mail, I thought I better update the blogg. We have been taking advantage of any day that reached above, if I go outside, I will die. Here is a picture of the kids in some snow suits Dad brought into town after cleaning out a closet. Totally reminded me of back in the day!!! And I chuckled as I put them on the kids. I can so remember Eric and Tina wearing them!
The kids thought they were cool. They liked them being one piece.



At the Cokato Elem on Valentines Day they did Jump Rope for Heart. The kids raised money for the America Heart Assoc. and then got to spend a portion of the day in the gym jump roping. Daddy got to go and watch Izzy. She was super excited about that.








Izzy LOVED this day. She loves to be active! She jumped for Uncle Pat. She put his name on her heart and where it asked why she was jumping for him she said.....Cause I love him.

Ah the DC drumline home show. Let me just tell you.....these kids Kick.....arse!!!!! There show this year is AMAZING! The music is awesome. You can just tell they have blood, sweat, and tears in this show. They are just an awesome group of kids. To give you an example....last year at the Hutchinson Home show, the kids took last......this year......First! Its awesome! Ok, now that I sound like Amanda posting with my amazings and awesomes.....but really....two words that sum them up!!!

Amazing.......Awesome!

Well that is it so far. The month again is busy, between drumline shows, candle shows, fishing trips and school. But everyday gets us closer to camping..........what was that? How many days?? Hold on, let me check..........that would be 61!

Until next time! Make it a great one!!

Have Faith

Give Thanks

Trust Completely

Jesse

93 days and counting

Heres a picture from summer 2006.....today I start counting the days

until we will be opening up the camper. I am just so excited to be able to go back up there. We sat down and mapped out the summer. When Jeremy has off. The only thing sad about that is then you also know when summer ends. But whatever, not looking at that yet. I just love life up there. Phones put away. No tv. Just us and the kiddos! Cant wait! (It also marks Auntie Lois and Glen opening there cabin in Cokato.) What you kids are bored....lets go to the lake....I Love summer!

BBBRRRRR!!!

That is all I have to say! BBBRRR. Keep warm people. Keep warm!

WaterPark with the Bakers

For Christmas this year Kathy (Jeremy's Mom) decided to take the family to a hotel/waterpark. I think I can safely speak for all the parents that it was forsure ok with us to not get anymore toys for the kids. And it is just plain fun to hang out with the family. So we all headed up to Brooklyn Park and had tons of fun!! The Cokato Bakers, Howard Lake Bakers, and Montrose Bakers all had tons of fun! I look forward to many more times of hanging out SOON!!!

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