Combating Cabin Fever

The Baker fam, okay especially me, has been feeling some cabin fever. So we work on it here. Here is a few things we have done to enhance our days of winter. 

Fun making Cricut little people. You can't see it closely but Austin's person is Sonic the Hedgehog (the icon at the moment for Austin). It was quite creative how he made spikes on the back and everything.  Luke's is a football player. Cute:) I think they would play with the Cricut all day long if I let them...its fun. 

We just had to get out of the house so we decided to go on a road trip to watch Landon wrestle and Allie pole vault.  It was a great fast trip.  

Samuel (what he would like to be called now) pushing Cole in the laundry basket.  The baby thought this was fantastic attention from Samuel and loved every minute. 

Motorcycle rides on Dad. 

Honestly! I can't believe I captured the cuteness of this babies teeth. For all you non-dental people out their who are like oh sad their baby has a gap in their teeth, really it's fantastic!  It leaves room for the big teeth to come in.  No worries he is just adorable.  

Did I mention we LOVE visits?!?

Ever so randomly (in a great kind of way) my parents called and said "we are going on a road trip to see all of our children who aren't at home and your house is the first stop." Well that brought a round of cheers at the Bakers. 

Austin had in mind to play some Kinect baseball with Papa.  They had some good victory dances going on their. 

Luke was perfecting his cheating skills with Mama Marie.  She was quite surprised to find out how meanly competitive this little three year old is.  

Here I am keeping my goal of taking pictures with another great woman in my life.  

Then we get a call that our good friends might come and visit and we pounced on that idea.  We love it when Troy and Courtney come to visit (we have kind of made it a tradition).  

The Peyton/Paytons: Kind of a big deal at our house. 

So these two little ladies are pretty special to us for obvious reasons.  I was telling Luke that Troy and Courtney have a Peyton and Nick and Kim's (my brother and sister-in law) baby is Payton too.  Luke pipes in with, "And our Payton is Birdie."  I just laughed that he understood so well the differences.  Never the less these little ladies are adorable and loved at this house! 

 Not to mention that Max is a great hit here too.  He is a pretty fun and energetic kid.  I get a kick out of how he calls Luke and Austin simultaneously.  He is super amazing playing games on the iPad.  Tad wanted to find out if he was super amazing at playing the iPad too...he should be he played it the whole weekend...Earth to Taddy Boy! 

Coles first experience with an Oreo, humm a hit. 

Kinect time. 

Luke will try to get his hands on any baby to hold.  What a sweet boy. Notice Peyton's skinny jeans. Honestly! 

Look at me fulfilling my goal at taking pictures.  Man I could have fixed up a bit though.  This is Courtney and I attempt at hugging.  We have been friends for as long as I remember. Honestly we know things about each other that well endear us for life, but hugging well that is challenging.  I have issues! 

What great visits we are having.  If you feeling an itch to leave town for a road trip I think you know where to stop.  I promise to fill your belly and enjoy your company:) 

we love visits!

This boy gets more personality everyday.  He is truly enjoying his independence of crawling and standing up by things.  

We had such a fun weekend with Auntie Mary.  We love it when she comes to visit.  For a fun activity I have been wanted to try out chocolate boxes with Raspberry Chocolate Mousse.  I think they were a success! We also had a great time playing on the Kinect together.  

A new goal... 2 years of having Mary for a roommate, associating with her for almost 10 years now we have less than a handful of pictures of us together. Before she left on Sunday we made a goal to snap a picture of the two of us together. It isn't great because we didn't have anyone at the house to take it for us, but it will do for now. 

Lets finish up our Christmas break, shall we?

The boys and I made cookies for Santa Claus up at the cabin. It is a miracle Santa Claus got one because they were a hot item. 

Sledding with Austin was my favorite thing we did together.  He is such a trooper in the snow and goes pretty hard.  I loved spending time with him. I also loved that I had enough energy to do it.  Last year I was super pregnant with Cole so I have a great appreciation for the ability I had to actually walk up the hill:)

This was Austin's favorite present this year...transformers. Thanks Nick and Kim:)

Here is Luke's favorite.  He is a jammin' boy these days. Do people even say that any more 'jammin'

 One of my fun surprises this Christmas was this great knife that Tad got me. He knows me well to know I would like such a thing as a really nice dicing knife.  I'm so weird!

I know don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?

Tad worked really hard to build Austin new toy and Cole was his right hand man. 

This little Hartley lady is Luke's love! He adores her.  You can't really blame him she is so sweet. 

The boys wanted to paint my toe nails...okay:)  Luke did the right foot and Austin did the left. Just as long as they are my toes and not theirs right? 

Here is little Birdie trying out the saucer.  She is pretty with it for just a wee little one. 

This baby has been my project for the last month. I have been hand sculpting each green orchids and purple lisianthus. The night we got back from the cabin I finished the cake. I liked the way it turned out. It was all worth it for my cousin Dayna. 

Here is a little school art from Austin. Kindergarten art is the new decor at our house and I think it suits the walls beautifully. 

Markle Farkle!

She is going to kill me, but don't you all need a good laugh today. Well it makes me laugh. My question is how can one of the most beautiful person in the world do this to every picture? My answer is pure talent!

Look closely...serious talent (I have hundreds of pictures of this kind)

You add siblings and it just gets worse!

Getting better.

You add her favorite and then she is adorable!

Finally a picture that will work on a wall for the next 6 years ahahah.

Psst... Markle I love you more than words can say....really I do:0) Come and visit me!

Christmas in McCall- Ice Skating

I know I look like a minion from "Despicable Me" hehe.