Church Family Social

Today First Baptist had a “Faith Family Fellowship” cook-out. It was actually held on my parent’s land in nearby Banks, AL (we call it Banks!) late this afternoon.  We ate, had some good entertainment and lots of fun just hanging out with our church family.  Several people fished along the pond and there was some games set up. Lots of lawn chairs and blankets…really nostalgic.  Campbell had lots of fun playing with her friends and although it was VERY HOT (lots of people commented to me about being in the heat pregnant!) it was fun in spite of me sweating.

Matt surprised us by showing up after getting into town from his boys weekend golf trip (The Annual Green Jacket Tournament with the Scott brothers…totally another blog post!) and it turned out to be a really great time for our family. Thanks FBC for organizing this!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campbell blowing (or just throwing) bubbles.  Kate, Addy & C sidewalk-chalk drawing.

 

Campbell & Kate kicking the ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica & baby Mary Tyler.  Our pastor, Luke, & daughter Ashleigh looking at the water. Such sweet pics!! 

What a Gang! 

L-R:  Kate Nelson, Carter Nelson, Addy Renfroe, Campbell & Cole Pugh

Sprinkled with Love

I have been a brat about celebrating this pregnancy.  Not that I am not overjoyed, believe me, I think that this child is definitely worth celebrating and I don’t want anything less for than my first.  Its just that…. well, forgive me for any pending insults, but decorum dictates that traditional baby showers are for first-time mothers or maybe mothers having a different gender or that just haven’t had children in awhile. And for me to be having another girl only 3 years apart and having a huge shower…. well, it would just be tacky. It certainly is not conventional for where I live and everyone has their own needs and reasons and believe me, I’m always up for any excuse to entertain, HOWEVER I was not going to register and have everyone in the world buying me gifts when I had a home full of perfectly pink baby things that was hardly used the first go around.  Not to mention when we all have much better things to spend our money on right now.

SO…in spite of my protests, my very close group of girl friends decided that they would “sprinkle” me.  And I am SO glad they did!!  I am so blessed with the most talented, loving & generous friends.  Each with their own It was absolutely the most perfect party ever.  It should be featured in a magazine—the setting was very intimate and every detail was so graceful and thoughtful. I could try to describe it but the pictures tell the story…

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU TO MY GIRLS!!!

FYI: Candace Nelson was my photographer (which is why she is the least photographed) and did an awesome job! I think the photos really do look like a glossy spread.  She is now a photographer for Kim Box Photography Studio.  Thank you Candace for capturing such a special day in such an amazing way!

31

 

Today is my 31st Birthday. I have not anticipated much ado this year since last year’s 30th was such a big blow-out with lots of special attention and also being pregnant is the biggest thing to celebrate this year anyway.

However, I have too many loving people in my life that won’t let the day (or a reason to party) escape without some celebration.

Since we are at the stage of refinishing the hardwood floor in the nursery, Campbell and I have moved out for a few days back to my parents house so that we weren’t exposed to the harsh smells.  I would have never guessed I would wake up on my 31st birthday in my old bed at my parents house! 

Matt came over early this morning to eat a birthday breakfast and give me my gifts.  He got me a Mia Bossi diaper bag!  Since I’m having a second child and another girl there isn’t much that I need or want but ever since I ran across this bag I’ve been crushing on it!!  I knew that I didn’t really need it and there was much more necessary things to spend money on so I didn’t even mention it.  But my sweet (and nosey!) husband did a little history search on our home computer to see if there was some things that I had been looking at online that might give him a hint at what to give me.  What a wonderful surprise!

 

 

The cool thing about this bag is I can get an insert for my laptop so when I get back to traveling for work I can still use it.  It will be perfect on the plane or whenever I need to carry lots of files!!

I love that it just looks like a huge oversize purse and not like the typical diaper bag. The cool thing about this bag is I can get an insert for my laptop so when I get back to traveling for work I can still use it.  It will be perfect on the plane or whenever I need to carry lots of files.  Love being organized & in style at the same time!

The office celebrated my birthday with a DQ ice cream cake which was so yummy.  When Martha called to order the cake the employee asked if it was for a little girl or little boy and Martha said “neither-she is actually having a baby in a few weeks herself!”.  When Martha went to pick up the cake they had decorated it with a cute preggo girl—how perfect?!

 

In spite of me trying to downplay the day, I got lots of phone calls, emails, voicemails, texts & cards from well wishers. 

Thank you to my wonderful family & friends for remembering me! I sure to have a lot to be thankful for in my 31 years!!

Happy Father’s Day from Campbell

Campbell Baker, age 2 1/2

Baby Bump Update

I do a really horrible job of documenting my growing belly. I realize its important, that it will be cool for Sara Gray to see one day and possibly this is my last pregnancy so I need to take as many pictures as I can now and complain about size later.So here you go all my out of town friends who keep requesting pics…

This was taken last week. My mom took the picture, my head was chopped off & Campbell was in a blur but with some artistic editing, I think its pretty fair proof of the bump.

8 months pregnant

Summer is Here!

June 21 is summer solstice and that means summer is officially here-YEAH! So let’s grab some ice cream and celebrate…

Whirlwind Weekend

This past weekend was busy for The Bakers.  We had lots of places to be but we made them all although I felt like we spent more time in the truck than anywhere since we didn’t stay in one place for long.  We tried out some new routes in our excursion. Matt put the Garmin to the test! Here’s what we did:

Tori’s Bridal Coffee

Tori’s family is very close family friends and Tori has always been like a little sister to me.  She was in my wedding and now she is engaged to be married in October.  AND, she is so sweetly asked Campbell to be a flower girl!  She is super excited about wearing a pretty dress and walking down the aisle and mostly getting to be with a Princess on her wedding day. 

Campbell for some reason talks about getting married a lot (which just makes her Dad cringe!).  I don’t know how she knows what she does but she often tells me “I wanna get married. I’m gonna wear a big white dress and be so pretty. And then I’ll kiss and be married.” But when you ask her who is going to marry she says “Mommy and Daddy”.  She loves looking at our wedding pictures but sometimes get upset that she was not there!

Tori’s first wedding event was Saturday morning. She had a lovely coffee at Mrs Joan Beard’s house and it was Campbell’s first event to show her social graces. Mom & Aunt Patsy drove down from the lake for the coffee so it was fun for Honey to take Campbell to her first little lady event.  I told Campbell we were going to a tea party.  She walked in the door and wanted to know where the tea and cookies were! Of course it was coffee punch and mimosas to drink but sweet Miss Carola found her some tea (in a crystal glass, of course!)

Going to the shower with Honey & Pats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campbell with the Bride, Tori.

 

Jerry’s Birthday

Matt’s grandmother, Jerry, turned 93 years old!! Matt’s mom organized a birthday party at Jerry’s assisted living facility and several family members came to Birmingham to celebrate.  They served cake, ice cream, “Presbyterian Punch” and white wine out on a lovely veranda.  Those older people loved it!!

Jerry looked beautiful and really enjoyed seeing so many family and friends gathered to celebrate her birthday. 

Campbell was the only child and got lots of attention.  She ate chocolate cake icing by the spoonful and was a total mess!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JERRY!! WE LOVE YOU!!

 

Uncle Michael, Campbell (and mom in background) helping Jerry blow out the candles.

The glowing birthday girl! 

Campbell & Dad

Matt thankfully entertained Campbell for most of the party. I was exhausted and he enjoyed showing off his girl and his daddy skills to his side of the family.

Jerry with 3 of her children:
Michael, Helen Claire & Katherine

Matt & (a very pregnant) Steph
I think I looked as tired as I felt!

Jerry with some of her party guests.  At 93, she is definitely still loves to entertain and play hostess! 

Campbell with Julie.  This is Matt’s beautiful cousin who just graduated from Mississippi State and is so wonderful with children. Campbell adores her!

Campbell on her 2nd or 3rd piece of cake!!  Those older people just loved watching her eat and only encouraged her.  We were all covered in chocolate by the end of the day.

Sunday at the Lake

After the birthday party, we went to Sid & Burr’s house for “cocktail hour” with Matt’s family (which meant we snacked on grapes & cheese & water) before hitting the road.  Since the lake is closer than Troy, we drove down Hwy 280 and arrived at the lakehouse about 8:30pm.  The next morning we went to Church in the Pines and then to Aunt Patsy & Jerry’s for a wonderful Sunday lunch.  Troy was in town so he joined us.

Thanks Pats for cooking such a great meal: traditional Sunday roast with fresh veggies and especially good peach cobbler!

After lunch the storms came in so Campbell & I put together a puzzle, colored and played checkers. By the time the rain stopped it was time to pack up and head  back to Troy.

 

So, that was our whirlwind weekend—Whew!

Happy Flag Day

Play Date with Peyton

My friend Jana lives in Virginia…well Florida…well North Carolina.  Its a long story!  But anyway, she was in Troy staying with her parents in between moving from Florida to North Carolina (her hubby is military!) so we finally got our kiddos together to play.

Her precious son, Peyton, is not quite 1 1/2 yrs old and is so cute!  He’s the perfect combo of his beautiful parents.  And he was not sure what to think of Miss Campbell.

We met up at Cone Zone which is a local ice cream parlor that has a great playground. Campbell calls it the “ice cream park”. She was uncharacteristically shy (did a new boy have this affect on her?) but eventually showed Peyton how to slide, climb, and play house.  Here’s some pictures:

    

WE MISS YOU JANA, JON & PEYTON!!  COME VISIT US AGAIN SOON!!

Weekend Retreat

This past weekend we went to the lake with our dear friends Kristy & Adam Drinkwater and their daughter, Lola who is 15 months old.  It was wonderful to just get away and enjoy our families together.

The weekend was like a little retreat for me.  We had some good times in the sand and water, some good food in the kitchen and some good girl time for me & Kit. I definitely came home feeling a little more renewed and refreshed.

We talked a lot about our girls, what we desire for them and what we hope to help them avoid too.  But we know that life’s lessons are inevitable and sometimes the best thing we can do is just pray.

I am so blessed to  have such good friends and know our children will be friends as well.  I know it will make for many fun times and hopefully we can all watch over each other.  And if we have to go through the growing pains of life with our children (especially mean middle school!) it is comforting to know we have each other.

I think the best thing we can do for our girls is to be an example to them of what true friendship looks like.  No jealousy, no malice, no games.  So that is my prayer for Campbell and Sara Gray. That they can figure it out earlier in life than I did and when they do, they will recognize it as a valuable gift.

Thanks Drinkwaters for a great weekend! Here’s the highlights:

The dads took their girls out on the Sea Doos for a spin. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristy made some yummy watermelon mojitos with fresh mint from her very own garden.  Thanks Kit for my “virgin” ones!

Adam & Lola with her little lifejacket on getting ready for a late afternoon boat ride.

Kristy’s shrimp tostados she made for dinner Sat night. She served these with a roasted corn salad.  Delicious!

The Baker Family after church Sunday.

The Drinkwater Family

YEAH! The sun finally came out Sunday. After church, the girls ran in the sprinkler…

swam in the lake (bumper boats!) and…

after hours of making sand castles and pies and splashing in the water, it was time to  clean up! How cute is this?!  I have a feeling we are going to need to keep these pictures for some graduation days and wedding videos!

As you can imagine, nap time was next! 

 

The husbands let Kit & I have our own time late Sunday afternoon. We got on the boat and spent hours talking about everything & nothing. A concept they totally do not understand but nevertheless love us enough to understand we needed it!