It's Been Pouring Tears At Our House!

So with both girls sick they do nothing but cry, not that is different than anything that they normally do, but it's getting old.

Me... well I have been thinking a lot about my mom and dad...

Last week we got a visit from my parents and to make a very long amazing story short... They will be leaving for 3 years to serve a mission in the NAGOYA, JAPAN Mission. I'm so thrilled for them and can't wait to visit, but I have been crying at the drop of a hat all week. What will I do with out them for 3 years, all that they will miss. I know they are not dead but Japan is a long way away and where they won't be able to leave... see I'm crying again! I will just really miss them. I will miss having a place to go to get a way and feel like I can drop my stuff and be home away form home. I will also miss my little sisters so much... see here we go even more. Kat and Whit are so much fun and my buddies! I will miss them. Whit will be submitting mission papers for herself in Sept, she is able to go a year earlier than normal. Who will I call when my kids are sick in the middle of the night with croup? Or help me with my projects that I start and get in Way over my head. All of those little things that you do with a mom. Who will be my sounding ear and bring me back to reality or help me with talks or lessons, who will be the one to listen without judging (and lets be honest it's me, a little crazy and out there) and then calmly express heartfelt feelings of comfort for what I'm feeling and then wise council like my dad.

I really am thrilled and I know that we will do skype and keep in touch and go visit them, but I'm still a little apprehensive about it. All that put aside. I know that they both will be amazing! They have prepared their whole lives for this and I know that like Elder Hales told my dad "Ever thing you have done, every call you have had, every client you have worked with have all been preparing you for this!" I know with all my heart that we will be taken care of and watched over and feel those real blessings. I have a deep and true testimony of that. I will just really miss them! I love you both!

Halloween Day/ Night '09

Grandma & Stella

Wee Wee the best Bowler in the house!;)

Sweet Eleanor!

Molly is scared to death of dogs, but as long as Eleanore was sleeping Molly LOVED her.

I love him!

Oh this sweet face... how can you resist?

Fishing

Dad & Mom

Cyd & Brade

Cameron, Sierra, Eleanor, & Tanya

Abby, Josi, McKay, & Kimball

Wee Wee & Kat

This was such a fun day! We decided to have a Halloween party and it was a blast! My mom is just so much fun and put all of these fun things together for all of us. (I'm sure my sisters helped as well). We got there about 1, well were supposed to but it seemed like we were all running a little late. She had Sloppy Joe's for lunch (a Halloween dinner tradition) she had cut the cheese into the face of a jack o lantern and then we played our games. We broke up into 2 teams and started off with the candy corn toss... my team... VICTORIOUS, our prize was a candy lay. We went pumpkin bowling and then on to the fishpond... my kids totally scored... Stella got a play phone, Molly a Strawberry shortcake polly pocket Kris and I scored as well movie tickets. Yea Date Night! Oh my kids loved it. Then we decorated cookies and made carmel apples. Oh everything tasted so good and it was so much fun. I love that all of us dressed up:)

Dad: Cowboy

Mom: Minnie

Kris: BIG tourist

Me: Witch

Molly: Witch

Stella: Witch

Cameron: Vampire

Sierra: Postal worker

Tanya: Attacked Postal worker

Eleanor: Had this cute little skirt on, she looked adorable.

Cydne: Chinese Girl

Braden: Louigi

Katheryn: Cowgirl

Whitney: Indian

The Manning kids were so cute. Molly loved spending time with them.

After the party we were on our way home and stopped at a few houses being the Moultons, He is so cute. He had driven by our house earlier that day and told us to make sure to bring Molly up. We stopped and they had large candy bars and 20oz cokes. Holy Cow! Then due to falling apart Stella and I came home and Kris took Molly over to his parents. We only hit 2 other houses in the neighborhood. I really am loving this not quite getting trick or treating, one day I will have to go and I'm sure I will love it, but it's really nice to just hit a few houses and enjoy our night at home. What a fun year. Thanks to Mom for putting that party together. So fun!

Thriller '09

Last year I loved Thriller so much when my mother in law took all of us girls. When my mom called me a few weeks ago and told me that she had tickets for all of us to Thriller I was excited to say the least. This time we took spouses which was so much fun. I loved going with Kris. We had a blast and it was so nice to have a babysitter and have 2 hours alone in the car with just Kris and me. It was so nice to just talk and spend time with Kris. I loved Thriller and was not 1/2 as creeped out by all of the wandering zombies this year. Oh I just love this so much I could go every week, it just gets you in the Halloween mood. Now if I can just get the girls costumes done we will be ready for the spooky Halloween.

St. George

Oh we had a nice get away. We were able to go to St. George and spend a few days down there. My two little sisters Katheryn and Whitney came with Molly, Stella and I. We had a good time. We did some swimming, eating out and a little bit of shopping. It was fun to have Kat and Whit come with us. We stayed up late talking and they were such good helpers with my kids and my girls loved having them there. What a blast. Molly was thinking the little pool was the best and we really did just have a blast. What a great weekend.

Cydne's Home!

Oh hooray! My Little sister Cydne just got home form her mission. She had extended 4 weeks and put us all into a depression waiting for her to get home, but when are you ever going to get that experience in your life again? So I totally understood, as did everyone else. I had been tracking her flight all day long and had made her sign and we were about to leave fore the airport, her flight was expected to be in at 8:30. I had made sure that my girls had had 2 naps each so they were up for the late night. We were packing the car when my other little sister called and said that her flight was delayed.  I told her I new that that was not right, I had watched her fight update and new that the fight was in the air, she went on to say that she had missed it due to security going though her bags. Her flight had been delayed till about 10:00. So we waited a bit longer and then headed out! Oh she looked so good! She is skinny, I don't know if that is just her or if that had something to do with her parasite. We have missed her so much. As we watched her come down the stairs my little niece Josie ran up to her and gave her a big hug, Molly followed suit. Molly has been so cute. I have had a picture of Cyd on our magnet board in the kitchen so that Molly remembers her and the transition isn't a shock. She has done so well. I think that it's due to the picture, the prays for her every night and how Molly just loves people and Cyd is really easy to love! Molly is so cute. If you ask her where Cyd has been she would say "on a mission". Then you ask where and she says "in Taiwan". Stella has also done really well. We have loved having her home. It was a late night, and had been a long day for Cyd so we all went home and then went down Sunday to go to church with my family! We have missed Cyd so much, but are so proud of her and her decision to serve a faithful mission. We are thrilled to have her home! We look forward to all of the experiences she has to share! Welcome Home Sister Baird!

Totally Wicked!

I know this is kind of an akward pose, but we were kind of in a hurry because the lady waiting to take pictures after us was getting really impatient and rude! People kill me!

Whit, Mommer, Me and Kat. Cameron and Sierra also came! Oh I want to go again!

Holy Moly! I finally was able to see  Wicked! I have been waiting for years. I have had the music and listen to it over and over. I have tried to talk people into going to LA with me to see it, or to New York to see it, or anywhere... Oh My Gosh! I was so excited. My mom got tickets for my little sisters for Christmas and she got enough for me! Kris also lucked out and got to go, and you know what... I think he really liked it! I was so worried that I would be disappointed because I had an idea in my head about what it would be like, and listening to the music all of the time I was worried that I wouldn't love the cast or their voices. Oh I was so not disappointed! I loved every bit of it, not one oz of my was disappointed and Kris didn't say one negative thing about it, which made it so much better for me. I loved it so much as I was walking out I was ready to try and get tickets another night. I woke up the next morning singing the songs and seeing the actresses and actors dancing around. Oh it's been over a week and a half and I'm still doing that! I loved it so much! Thanks so much mom! What an experience! I can't wait to go again (Let's just hope it's sooner rather than later)!

New Horizon Orcastra

\
We had the opportunity to go to the New Horizon orchestra concert. This is one amazing orchestra! It is for older people that have had played instruments in the past and are wanting to pick them up again, or for those that have never played an instrument ever for those 40 and over! My mom has always loved the sound of the cello and when she heard about this orchestra she decided that she wanted to be part of it. She has now been playing with them for 5 years. I admire her so much. I can only imagine how much courage you would need to have to go at 48 and join and orchestra and learn how to play an instrument that you have never played in your life. It always amazes me when my mom tells me about the people that play in the orchestra with. They are amazing people that have over come serous challenges in their lives and are still overcoming these challenges. Some of these people are in their late 70's. What true examples of courage and living life. I'm so glad that my mom has found something that she loves. This is what life is all about! She is amazing to me that even now that her kids are gone she has found something to keep her busy and some thing that she has always wanted to do. I believe that you have to find joy in every stage of life and to find joy you have to do something you love. What a great example she is to me and my family! Way to go Mom!

Thanks to My Sisters!

Katheryn and Whitney came up and watched my kids for us while Kris and I had a much needed date night. They are so cute with my kids and I feel lucky that they would drive an hour to come and help me out! Thanks girls!

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave!

I have an incredible family and I feel blessed to have the family (extended family) that I do. I really do come form good stock. One family in particular in my extended family have 5 family members who have in the past and present served and represented our country. I wanted to say thanks to them! We have kept you all in our prayers and have thought about you often. We feel so blessed to have you representing our family and our country! Thank you for all you do! We love you and are glad your back! Welcome home Jo, Mike, James, and Chris (Is he home, I hope so) Thank you so much to you all for all you do and have done! We are glad that you are home with your little families and safe and sound! Bless you for all your hard work and sacrifice. You are courageous and brave men, and women for Amy who has served and all of you wives for doing all that you have done and bearing all that you have had to Baird (I mean bear.) Really you women are courageous and brave. I'm sitting here crying thinking about all that you amazing mothers and wives have been though the past few months and longer and I know you have truly sacrificed. Thank you for your amazing examples of being women of faith and courage. You teach me so much! We love you all and continue to keep you in our prays! Thank you Jo & Cody, Amy & Mike, Liz & James, Chris & Kim, and we can't forget their parents Lonnie & Julie Thank you all for your sacrifices! Welcome Home!

Grandpas Blessing in Disguise

I have the most amazing grandparents ever. They always make you feel like you are the "favorite" grandchild, and I know that all of my siblings and cousins feel the same way.

About 3 weeks ago my grandparents were going to church and they both slipped in the icy parking lot. During sacrament meeting my grandpa was feeling very ill. But he made it through the meeting and then 2 of the men from their ward helped him out to the car and then met then at their home to help him get in the house and in his chair. One of the men from his ward was a Dr. and checked grandpa out and told grandma to keep an eye on him. He had started to recover and went to a chiropractors appointment. Two weeks after his fall he woke up early and was so sick but couldn't make it to the restroom. He was throwing up every where and my grandma had called my Dad in hopes that maybe she could get someone to help my grandpa get to the restroom. My dad wasn't home but my mom offered her help but she grandma said she would call one of my uncles. After she got off the phone my grandpa said "just call the ambulance" K you know it's REALLY bad when grandpa goes to the Dr. and now he was asking for an ambulance. He was so sick and knew something was REALLY wrong. Grandma had call my uncle Denis and he and his wife came up quickly. They live really close and were there really fast. When they got there Dennis asked my grandpa if they should get him dressed and take him to the hospital. He looked at my grandma and said "would you quit calling the kids and call the ambulance." Grandpa told Dennis just to call the ambulance and they did. He was in really bad shape when he got to the hospital and they discovered that in his fall he had punctured his spleen and was bleeding internally. He was also on Coumadin which thins the blood and so the bleeding was not stopping. Apparently he had stared to heal from his fall, but when he had gone to the chiropractor, his spleen had been re punctured and he was bleeding internally. They had to give him 8 pints of blood. When they opened him up they didn't only find a punctured spleen but they also found 2 aortic aneurysms they refer to these as "Ticking Time Bombs" Because when they burst your gone, no chance. They usually operate on these when they are (pelvic)3cm and grandpas is 9cm and (stomach) 5cm and grandpas is 7cm. These are in no way related to the fall or the spleen but have been accumulating for a while now, but had he not gotten so sick from his ruptured spleen, the Dr. wouldn't have found his Aortic aneurysms. and it was only a mater of time before one of them ruptured. Grandpa spent a week in the ICU until he was well enough to come home. He is now home and recovering and looking great and will be back in the hospital for surgery on his aortic aneurysms on Feb 24. This is quite an invasive surgery and will take a team of about 15. 4 hours long with about 4 different Dr. anesthesiologists, nurses, product reps, assistants the list goes on. Man her really did give us a scare and we really did think that we were going to loose him. I truly believe that he is meant to sick around a bit longer. Some one is really watching out for him. As scary as this has all been with grandpas spleen, those aneurysms would never have been found and who knows how long he would have been around with those "Time Bombs" inside of him. What an amazing man he is. This is not the first time that he has cheated death. He truly is a man of great faith and a strong reliance on the Lord and his healing power. I'm grateful for such amazing examples of faith i have all around me and only hope that I can have that kind of faith and learn from his example.

Christmas seems to be the time of full of traditions! This is our annual family date night! We have done it for years long before the little girls were old enough to date and they would do the babysitting, but for the last few years we have all been able to go, minus our faithful missionary in Taiwan. We do dinner and then go to temple square or do something else that helps us to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. This year we went to dinner at Ottavio's and then went to the live nativity playing at the tabernacle. So lets start with dinner. For those of you who have been to Ottavio's than you know that they have an accordion player that goes form table to table and sings and plays for the guests. Not that I don't enjoy the music, I just hate the attention on me so I never make eye contact. My littlest sister Whitney was joking about it all night long that she was going to tell him we were newly weds. Kris came back with "well then we'll tell him that it's your birthday." for those of you that know Whitney she HATES people looking at her even worse so that kind of stopped that talk right there. Long story short. Cameron my brother make some comment to the guy as he was passing like "She's a really good dancer" pointing at Whitney, In turn she pints to me and said "there newly weds" and my response is "It's her birthday!" Oh boy. Well it is Whitney's birthday in January and so when the guy asked my dad if it was really her birthday he said that we actually have two and pointed out Whit and my birthday also being in January so yes they all came out and sang to Whit and I. Oh my word. So on to the live nativity. It was really sweet and did remind us of the humble surroundings of that amazing night. A few funny things was they played out the birth... I know I kept waiting for the lights to go out. You didn't see anything, but they put a cloth over her legs and then pulled the doll out form under it... I know I just had to smile. A few other things that made me smile were 1- the extremely energetic angel and 2- the small little sheppard that they were having a hard time getting to focus. All in all it was an awesome night. Thanks so much Mom & Dad!

Shopping Tradition!

This has to be my all time favorite family traditions of this season. Every year the Saturday after Thanksgiving we all get together in the morning and start the day off with an amazing breakfast we have traditionally done scones, but this year we did waffles and I think that might be better for my mom, she wont have to get up at 4 am to raise the rolls. Then we all give my dad the money we want to put in. This can be as much as you want to put in or as much as you can it can be what ever amount you want. Then we all split up into teams and we usually have two names off of the angel tree and then we head to Shopko where we spilt up into our teams and find the items we have been assigned and then we all meet up at the check out. We make sure they are all separated into the right bags and then drop them off at the designated spot.

You may be asking... How did this tradition begin. Well when a few of us were married and trying to figure out how we do gifts for everyone my parents came up with this one. This replaces all of our gift giving. My little sisters still at home exchange gifts and my parents give us gifts, but we other than that this is our gift giving. I just love that we aren't buying silly little things that we don't really use and don't really need, and we are taking that money putting it toward some one who really needs it. Like I said this is my all time favorite tradition. My team this year was, My dad, me, and Stella (little girl clothing). Kris was with Craig (Boy toys), and Kimball, and Molly was with McKenzie and Jojo (Girl toys)! Like I said this is my favorite tradition. I love it! It always seem to kick the season off on the right foot and I always look forward to the next year.

Thank You Katheryn!

K so we were at my parents on Sat (more on why). Kat had to go to work later and text me and told me she had a surprise for me and I couldn't leave until she got off of work. I had no idea what the surprise was going to be, thinking it might be the Baird family joke barbie CD we were packing everything up and getting ready to leave when Kat came home with this...

It's an elf and he is so cute, but what is even cutter is the poem on the little tag this is what it says.

"This small little elf has a special job to do as he sits on a shelf watching over you.

He goes back to Santa each night to say who's been naughty or nice each winter day.

So make sure to find him in a new place each day so he'll be sure to tell Santa to bring toys Christmas day!"

We have had so much fun with this little guy! THANKS SO MUCH KAT! What a fun gift. Katheryn is always so thoughtful of all of us and now that she is on her own I know money is tight, but that was so kind of you to buy that for us, we absolutely love it!

Our Thanksgiving Gift!

So at the end of the thanksgiving dinner my mom (who is in charge of Thanksgiving every year) gave us all these amazing cook books! These are the coolest thing ever. My dad comes form a family of 9 siblings and one did pass away when she was 15 but every one else is living and has several children of their own, and then there are grandchildren. My mom had everyone email ALL of the recipes that they use everyday, special occasions. The point of this book was to combine all of the recipes that you use into one book! Can I tell you how much work my sister McKenzie and my mom put into this! Literally Hundreds of hours! IT'S AMAZING! I LOVE IT! They did such an awesome job and I'm so grateful that they would share it with all of us! HUGE THANKS TO MOM, MCKENZIE, AND DAD! YOU GUYS ROCK! I LOVE IT AND JUST CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT! ONE OF THESE DAYS I MIGHT EVEN MAKE DINNER:) THANKS GUYS. I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK YOU BOTH PUT INTO THIS!

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving with the Baird side is soooo much fun! There is always a plethora of food, not to mention plenty of family and friends to catch up with! This year was especially amazing. There were 2 different families (a brother and sister, and then a young husband/father that was away form his wife and baby. His lives in Taiwan, but is here going to school and then will go back home to be reunited with his family) all three of these people had connections to my sister who is serving a mission in Taiwan. The young husband/father had called my dad the day before his birthday and said that he had just gotten a call from his wife, she had just gotten home form being on splits with my sister and she mentioned that it was her dad's birthday the next day. So they got my parents # and called to wish him a happy birthday form my sister. Oh I just started to cry when they were all talking about what an awesome missionary she is. I just miss her so much, but know that there is no better place for her at this time. I'm so proud of her. I know this was not an easy decision, but what blessings she will have! It was an awesome Thanksgiving! I didn't really pull out my camera so I don't have pictures, but I loved it!

Gardner Village!

So yesterday we went to see all of the fun witches at Gardner Village with McKenzie, Craig and their kids. It was so much fun to walk around with all of the kids. We did the witch hunt, had some lunch hot dog and corn on the cob, and did some more witches hunt. Once the hunt paper was completed we could go to the bakery and get a cookie for 25 cents. Then the husbands took the kids to the car while McKenzie and I went in to a couple of shops, we were fast (40 minutes) but only Kris and the girls were counting. What a good sport. I think it was fun for Kris and Craig to hang out, being as they were friends before McKenzie and I came along. They would push the strollers around while we horded the other kids. Oh this is funny. So on our way in I had taken the seat off the stroller so Molly could do the stand or sit, I was walking in front and I looked back and Kris was picking Molly up from off the road. I guess while he was crossing the street, which is made of gravel, Molly had slid off the seat and was just laying on the ground. Kris said she was just looking up at him. She didn't cry or anything just looked at us. It was so funny. Any way we had so much fun. Molly was talking about it, and how she loved all of her cousins until she went to bed. Really it was a blast, there were a ton of people, but sill a blast!

Lake Powell In October!

Oh wow! Another awesome week at Powell! Kris and I decided to take the girls down to lake Powell on Monday. We had such a fun time. Tuesday morning we got up and went in to Page for some groceries, and stopped to have breakfast at McDonald's. Kris had gone to get some salt and pepper and there was an old lady who no lie was probably in her late 70's if not 80's. Anyway she was cleaning and was sweeping and mopping the floor, bless her little heart, Molly looked at her and then looked at me and said "Cute girl, mommy!" then she went into the supply closet to get something Molly kept asking me "mommy where cute girl? Where cute girl go?" She is so funny. She is such a sweet little thing and just loves everyone and finds the best in every one, even that cute little old lady. We went to the beaches to throw rocks in the "Pool" as Molly calls it. We had so much fun just hanging around the house boat and boat rides in the small boat and feeding the fish. I was getting really into my book (Breaking Dawn) I love that book. I wish I had more time to sit and read it. So good! Wednesday came and my mom, sisters Katheryn and Whitney, and my Brother and his wife Cameron and Sierra come down Wednesday. Shortly after they came we decided to go for a boat ride. We all piled in to the boat and headed out for a ride. We weren't very far out and the boat just stopped. We got it to start up again, but it shut down again same thing. We had a hard time getting it started again. In fact we thought that we were going to have to call for help, Kris wasn't sure that he wanted to use the CB to call for help. We finally got it started and were able to bring it in and put it on the trailor. Kris felt so bad that my family had only gotten about 15 minutes in the boat before it puttered out. My mom and sister in law took the kids back to the boat while we were trying to get things figured out. Well even without the boat we had a blast. Molly went off the house boat slide and when she got out of the water she was whining a little but was saying "again, again." I took her back up, but she wouldn't go. We layed out and hang around the boat laying out on top and just having fun in the water. It was such a fun trip and Kris and I were lucky to have so many awesome helpers with the kids. I love Lake Powell, It's so fun to take the kids down and watch as they discover, more Molly than Stella, but I know as Stella gets older we will see that same excitement in her eyes.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

HUGE Thanks!

I am just the luckiest girl in the entire world. I have been having a really hard time keeping my house clean after getting back from Lake Powell a few weeks ago, but trying to get thing done and having two kids with one, if not both of them are crying and screaming and needing something has been really difficult. But we are going out of town again tomorrow and don't get back until Saturday and then Sunday we are blessing Stella with lunch at our house after. I have to have everything done and ready so that I can walk in the door and get the laundry done and be ready for the blessing on Sunday. My mom and sister Whitney came up on Friday to help watch the kids and get the house clean. It's amazing how much you can get done with 3 adults, even with 2 kids. The girls were actually quite cooperative surprising being as they were both crying when they showed up. Not only did they help me get a ton done, my mom took Molly home with her to spend the night so I could finish the rest of the house, basement not included. It was so nice to get everything done and feel like I'm back on dry land and no longer drowning. Molly had a blast at Grandma and Grandpas and she was glad to come home when I went to pick her up on Saturday. Thanks so much mom and Whitney. I was telling my mom she will never know how much she helped and she told me that she did and that she had a mom too. What a lifesaver moms are and how blessed I am to have the mom I have. Thanks so much Mom and Whitney you guys are the best!

Molly, Moga, and Wewe after our cleaning frenzy.

One of the fun activities that Molly did while at Grandma and Grandpa's was play with this wig. Everyone tried it on, from Molly to Grandpa and everyone in between. Molly loved it.

My mom was saying that she kept climbing up on this little car wash thing and trying to slide down it. Only one "cheek" would fit on the slide. That funny girl.

Party At The Race Track!

So yesterday was my nephew McKay's Birthday! Holy cow. For his birthday he got to go to the Larry H. Miller Race track to ride in a porsche for a parade lap before the porsche race. We got invited to go. Oh it was SO cool! Molly and Kimball were little buddies and people were asking if they were twins, I know I wish! Not only was Kimball doting over Molly so was everyone else. McKay, Abby, Josie and even McKenzie all took turns loving and playing with Molly. Man she was in heaven. We watched McKay take the parade lap, It was way longer than I thought it was going to be and then we hung around and waited for the race to start. That was really cool, so loud, but way cool. After the race we walked around and looked at the cars and then we stopped to let the kids play on the playground on our way out. They all loved it. I was had gone to my mom and dad's that night to help with my sisters make up for her homecoming dance and to look at some pictures of the girls and then to go to the women's broadcast with my mom, sister, and sister in law. I had only taken Stella and had left Molly at home with Kris. When I got home late last night I asked Molly what she had done with daddy and if she had had fun, Her reply was "K, Car! K, Car!" She still thought that that was so cool that we could go see McKay ride in the car. There were some really cool cars and It was a blast! I have been wanting to get out there to go to a race and this was so cool. Thanks McKay for inviting us. That was way cool.

McKay, Kimball, Abby, Molly & Josie

Josie, Abby, & Molly watching McKay take his lap.

McKay in the race car!

McKay In race car #21

The race!

McKenzie, McKay, & Josie on the tire swing.

Molly & Kimball

You try taking a picture of 5 kids... this was the best I got!