A year in review!! Part 1

Seriously, I feel like I just sat down and said the words......
Where does time go??? I remember my aunt Joyce telling me when I was in about 9th grade, that once you graduated time just fly's by! Isn't that the truth!

So here is a look back on 2014...............

January usually bring the same thing. Fishing. In fact as I sit here writing this, the boys are out fishing.

Jeremy went with his group of guys to Canada last Jan, of course they caught some beauties!!

In February, my boys were invited to go on a day trip with Uncle Dave and Cousin Nick to South Dakota. I am not sure what was more exciting to the little boys, fishing or the fact they were in another state!

In March Jeremy got to go with Izzy to the Long Lake Conservation trip. Each year the school takes the 6th graders. It is an amazingly fun trip. And a little Daddy Daughter bonding time is nice too!

                           April brings Awana games. The kids get to compete against other churches in our region. This was Izzy's last year in Awana. :(

April also brought along a project that we had talked about for a long time, but actually started. And when I saw we, I mean Jeremy and Jeff! They started the remodel of the boat. Lots of man hours went into this project! 

April also brought a little something for Mom. Mel, Tina, Carissa, Julie and I all went and got matching tattoos. Well not totally matching as we all did our own little flare to them. But the infinity sign is there on all of them. Forever, and ever soul mates we will be!! 

Ahhh, May, well, the boat is done. Isnt it pretty! We spent time online looking for the decals to make it looking as close as to how we got it. Needless to say, we think it turned out great.

May also brought this handsome guy heading to prom. He sure cleans up nice, doesn't he!

June-

Well that of course bring in more fishing!! Jeremy, Josh and Jack had a wonderful boys week up in Canada. There was many fish caught and many stories to tell. But looking at the smiles on their faces is story enough!! 

I did get a text when the boys were on their way home that the trip got a whole lot more expensive. I was wracking my brain wondering what broke that we would have to fix. Then I get a picture of Josh and his monster......

Currently at the taxidermy!

To be continued.......

Our Basketball boy.....

Our boy joins Basketball........

Jack came home from school one day and said that a coach would be calling and that he wanted to join basketball. It was the first time Jeremy or I had heard about it, but said we would look into it. When we heard it was a traveling league we were not to excited. Some of these leagues are crazy with the amount of traveling they do. But the more we looked at it, we talked with Jack about the commitment he would need to put into it for Jeremy and I to put this much commitment into it. And the next thing you know. We are a basketball family! 

Jack had his first game this weekend in Waconia. Talk about the boy being nervous. He has a lot of height on him. But he has never played Bball before. The first game started out rough. The boys did a GREAT job on defense. But actually getting the ball into the net was proving to be hard. At one point Jack and a boy named Hayden looked like they were playing catch over the hoop. But the second part of the game, the boys were able to score a couple, and still played awesome defense. Jack scored his first basket. I was watching it, holding my breath, and praying, dear God, please give him this...show him he can do it......and he did it. Needless to say the smile on Jacks face was worth a MILLION dollars! 

The second game.....well, the boys were on fire!! We commented that I don't think they could of missed a shot if they tried. Another win for the DC 5th grade boys. This should give them some confidence to play a good season! 

A picture of Jack and his favorite coach!

Great job Jack, we are SO proud of you!

Love to all, 

Mom

Time for an update

It of course has been a while since I did an update. Not that I don't think about doing one. But I never think we are exciting enough to update all the time. But this amount of time between may be to far the other way.

 

Amanda has started her year at RidgeWater College in Hutchinson. She is taking courses for an Accounting degree. She is living at home and will be starting a new job at Wells Fargo. We are very excited to see where this next adventure takes her. Her and Stephen see each other as there time allows. He is deep into his Paramedic courses so they both stay very busy.

Josh is in his senior year. I am sure that every mother on the face of the earth says....where does the time go. But seriously, where does it. He did an awesome job with football this year. He started every game, and played the last few games with a sprain in the ankle on both feet. But after being pulled the last couple of years due to concussions, he was very happy to be able to play. He is doing work program this second trimester. He is working for my uncle George. He likes is a lot. And the things he is learning will defiantly help him along the road of like! At this point his plans are to apply to Ridgewater college in Hutch for their welding program.

Isabella is in 7th grade. Its a whole lot faster then the first 2 grades of the middle school. But she is chugging away. She is a very talented little lady. She is doing jazz band, and drumline this year. Those two things keep her very busy, but she loves it. She has music running through her veins, and to keep her busy with something she loves is to keep her happy. And that is music to our ears.....day, night, morning, evening, suppertime, breakfast, you name is, she is playing some kind of music.

Jackson is in 5th grade and has transitioned well into the middle school this year. He has made great new friends. One of which is actually a 2nd cousin, but I suppose when you only see each other once a year at Christmas....your not always going to remember a face. Jack has taken up basketball this year. He was pretty nervous to join as he has not played before. Well other than in our yard, shooting hoops. But he is really catching on nicely and it is fun to go and watch him!

Well, that is a quick update on the kiddo's. Like I said not to much happening. We are looking forward to the upcoming holidays and time spent with the family. Nothing better than that!

Much love for now,

Jesse

A Bond so tight.....

When you really stop to think about your life. It is amazing the things you can remember. I was recently asked about a member of my family, to which I gave my standard short answer to the question. And the person I spoke to said; oh have I always felt so sorry for you girls. I had to stop to ask her why? She didn’t quite know what to say and to be honest, I didn’t either.

 That got me to thinking. Really thinking. Did I have something for someone to feel bad for me? It’s been so long since I looked at the dark side of things; and to be honest, I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to revisit them or not. I finally just looked at this concerned person and said, Please don’t feel sorry for us. We never did. You may look at us and think we were missing something, but let me tell you what we had.

For years we sisters have been there side by side.

 Sometimes with the weight of the world on our shoulder.

But always there to keep each other on the right foot.

 Side by side showing each other that with Love, there was always a way.

And when the weight of the world got to heavy at times we always had Faith that we could carry on.

And anytime one of us needed a little Hope the others stepped in.

We have always Hoped for peace, had Faith we would find it and Loved one another through it all.


We have always been each others best friends, and forever will be.



And God knew we needed an Angel to guide us at times. So he sent one of those too!

And somewhere along the line he must of figured that our brother would not go get matching infinity signs tattoos so he gave him a wife who would put up with and love his sisters that would!

So you see. In this crazy wonderful life that we live. We are grateful. We are loved. And we know that God has given us the most precious gifts. Faith, Hope, and love for infinity......

1 Corinthians 13:13

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The importance of Dating.......

So I have been dating someone. Life has been good. We have been sneaking away every other Saturday morning and grabbing a cup of coffee. And we have been trying the opposite Thursday to go out for supper.................
And this romance started with an email.
I got an email saying, can we go out on a date. Just once a month. You and me. I told him, the funny thing was I had wanted to run a Saturday morning coffee date by him for a long time. But that stupid thing called life kept getting in the way.
We decided that life sometimes just had to wait. We were going to start dating. I love it. I LOVE IT. On our Saturday morning dates we go to the Grounds in Cokato, sit by the big picture windows and talk about a whole lot of nothing.
The first Thursday night we went to The Red Lodge. WE love that place. Its always slow, and usually has horrible service. But we are there on a date. Just me and my date. I really don't want you coming to my table all the time. Me and this boy, we are connecting. We have nothing but time and eyes for each other. So go ahead, cook my food slow. I am here with the love of my life.
The next Thursday date, well, I had a crappy day at work and it was like -100 degrees outside. I wanted to go home, turn on the fireplace and cuddle up on the couch. And that is what we did. Kids went to bed and we sat up and watched the fireplace.
Let me tell you this dating thing is awesome. I love having myself out there again. I spent many years raising kids, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning and all of that stuff. Not that I don't do that stuff now, but I remember why I loved dating. I love the connecting with my husband. I love the undivided attention we can give one another.
Not to mention, the kids giggle when we tell them we are going on a "date"


Its the small things people. Keep them small.

2013 and Faith......

I can vividly remember sitting on the couch Jan 1 of 2013. I was crying. I was sad. I was thinking of all the things that I was feeling sorry for in my life. Friendships lost, not knowing why. Relationships where one just walked away, and seemed to be happier. And I was feeling SO sorry for myself. I was in a deep dark place and knew that that was NOT how I wanted to start off my New Year. I remember going into the kitchen and turning on the radio, and the above song was on.

Now I believe in God, I believe that he sent his one and only son to save us. I believe that he loves my sinner self. But, I wasn't relying on God as I should. I was to consumed in this world of mine to let go, and let God. I grabbed my phone and went to my Bible app found a devotional and started reading. I did a 14 day devotional that was truly a great way to start 2013. It was Joyce Meyers, Battleship of the mind. I still want to buy the book and do that whole thing, but one step at a time.

I knew that the next year would be full of changes, challenges, and hard times. But what this opened up was my mind to focus on the good times. This year I put in more time with my Bible then I ever have, and I can honestly say that what a year this has been. We still had our changes and challenges, but what we didn't have was hard times. We had changes and challenges. And as a team, the Bakers and God, we made it through each and everyone of them, some with a few (or a lot) of tears, but most with laughter and love.

I looked back at my Bible app and saw that I have finished 60% of my study. So not perfect, but what it is, is; 60% more time with God than I did the year before. That is 60 % of my troubles, challenges, changes, good times and bad, with God. That is 60% of my time giving glory to the one who gives us glory. And what that done is amazing amazing things!

So as I sit here Jan 1 of 2014, I have a smile on my face. I am thinking of all the blessing that I have had in 2013. I am looking forward to a new year with new challenges and change, and I know that with my faith, I can only continue to grow. I can not wait to see with God has in store for me for 2014.

Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

God Bless my friends.
Happy New Years.
Jesse

One more.......

So I thought I would just show a little cuteness too......


She is just cute. Don't know how she is going to steal our hearts yet, as she is purely getting by on cuteness to this point!!!!
Brynlee......
To be continued...................................