Our tiny family Christmas

Trip to Gatlinburg and Santa

Make a Smilebox slideshow

So Jon and Anna packed up and headed to Gatlinburg with me as I attended a Title I conference. The conference was okay. I did get some good ideas and research out of it so it was worth my time (I can only hope my kids did well while I was away!). The hotel was amazing! It was a very unique design, as you can see from the pictures. The pools (yes, pools) were the best part. There were 2 large pools; one that went up to 5 ft deep and another that went up to 11 ft deep!! Then there was a wading pool and a hot tub. Mmmm... good times.

The mountains were cold and beautiful. It snowed one of the days that we were there so we were able to experience the beauty of the snowfall. It seemed like that may have been the first lasting snow fall. I could be wrong but it was really neat to see the snow line the next day.

We ate at this very homey British pub. Yummy! Plus, there were toys for Anna to play with, 2 large couches, and a wood stove. The smell of the wood stove getting hot reminded me of my childhood. :)

Once we got home we decided this year we would take Anna to get her picture with "The Big Guy". Oh, you know him as Santa Clause. After we waited about an hour!! (I know, that's what I get for waiting until the last moment to see him!), we met Santa and Anna handled it very well. She didn't freak at all. I think it may have helped that he was giving away gingerbread cookies afterward.

So that about sums up our weekend. Next weekend we head up to WI!! I'm sure we will have plenty more to share then.

Anna's new trick!

Anna has learned a new trick. Jon walks into the kitchen the other day to find Anna sitting in her chair. Now, this would be normal if the chair were child size but no - this chair is hooked to the table, about 3 feet from the floor! As you can clearly see from the video, our little bear has learned to climb. Yikes!! Let's hope this doesn't apply to dressers! (See the YouTube videos in the sidebar.)

As for what else has been going on - last week Anna woke up covered from head to toe in hives!! Poor girl. We took her to the doctor and it turns out that she had a secondary reaction to her cold. Additionally, we thought it was clearing up but turns out she had a minor ear infection from the cold (the cold that lasted a whole 3 days maybe!) What fun. Fortunately she didn't seem to be too bothered by it and she is 100% all better now.

 

 

 

Finally, I am off to a conference in Gatlinburg. Jon and Anna are coming with me to enjoy the sights of Christmas. Hopefully we will have lots of pictures to share when we get back!

Autumn in East Tennessee

This loads the best if you click on View Full Size and then click on View Full Screen! I just found this site and loved playing around with it. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was good this year. It was quiet but very nice. We didn't have anyone over for dinner so it was just the three of us. When I was a kid, we used to go to my aunt's for Thanksgiving. I loved it. It was loud, chaotic, friendly, and fun. It seemed like there would be about 20 people gathered (family and friends). The adults would gather in the kitchen and sit around the table when the kids ran around the house. Everyone would be talking over each other to be heard. The house would ring with laughter and conversation. And then the food!! Ahh, there would be 5 different types of pies and numerous side dishes, and of course - the turkey. *sigh*

Since it was just the three of us, I tried out a few new recipes. Mmmm... I made homemade cranberries. I did this once before but it turned out just like the canned stuff. This time I searched for a recipe that was a bit more involved and it was sooo worth it! Cloves, orange, pineapple, orange zest, walnuts = YUM!! I will never go back to the canned cranberries again. The mashed potatoes had a bit of smoked cheddar cheese added to them and we had baked brie as an appetizer. Mmmm. Very delicious. The turkey turned out perfect, not too dry. There were other dishes but nothing worth mentioning. Dessert was very typical - pumpkin pie. (What can I say, I enjoy cooking!).

The day was concluded by taking Anna to see Fantasy of Trees in downtown Knoxville. She enjoyed children's area and the trees were dazzling. What a lovely way to end the day.

Anna and Dad at Fantasy of Trees Downtown Knoxville

The Plastic Bag Experiment

I will be honest. I have reusable bags. Many, many, many reusable bags. It's actually embarrassing when you consider how many I actually have laying around. Therefore, you would think, I would be a reusable bag fanatic.

Alas, in the past, I have not been. I often forget my bags in the house after I unload my groceries, or they simply sit forgotten in my car or Jon's car. I know, I'm shaking my head in shame; you don't have to say anything. So this brings me to my experiment.

We were grocery shopping today. It's our one big shopping trip we do every month or so. I remembered my bags. I was so proud. BUT we had sooo many groceries and it was so busy at the store, Jon said, "They won't all fit (we had 6 with us), just use the plastic bags." So I acceded and allowed the cashier to bag my groceries in her lovely, flimsy plastic bags. And I go home (head hung in shame at not using my bags - but hey! I'll recycle them at least!).

Once I get home, I start to realize the waste. Here is a breakdown of my bags and what they contained:

(each dash represents one plastic bag)

- 15 lb turkey (this is probably the only thing I find reasonable for one bag)  

- 64 oz of OJ

- 3 cans; 2 15 oz, 1 28 oz  

- head phones, makeup, vitamins

- 2 jars (NOT large by any means)  

- half/half (12 oz), s. cream, butter

- 1 package of tupperware (cheap version), 13 oz jar - eggs

- celery, 3 lb bag of apples  

- saltines, 3 packs of ready rice

- 4 lb pork chops  

- 2 24oz frozen veg, 2 16 oz frozen veg

- 12 oz cranberries, 3 pomegranates  

- 46 oz pickles

- 3 lb chicken breasts, 2 lb hamburger, 3 lb ground turkey 

- 1 pair earrings

- 7 bags of frozen vegs  

- 4 onions

- lb of butter, jar of sauce, sm. jar of olives, Can of Whipped Cream

- carrots, mini carrots, 2 oranges  

- pie crust

- box of stuffing, 2 boxes of tea, 2 14 oz cans  

- toddler pair of slippers

- 4 cans (3 15 oz, 1 28 oz)  

- gloves, movie, Q-tips, white-out

- 64 oz juice

Okay, now that you have scrutinized my groceries and seen what we are eating for the next month approximately - COUNT THE BAGS!! Did you come up with 27?!! Yes, that was 27 bags! I was appalled and disgusted. This made me wonder - How many bags would it have been if I used my reusable bags?

So I did. Take a look and count again. (Don't forget the green bag behind the red one.)

 

I hope you saw 7. Yes, I swear, I fit them all in 7 bags!!!! This represents a 74% reduction of bag use! 

The moral, remember your bags. This is a lesson that I will not forget. Sure, we use the plastic bags for the cat box, and in the garbage cans in the bathrooms but it would take approximately 4 months to use all the bags we got from ONE shopping trip!! I suppose you are saying to yourself - but those bags take up so much space. I agree, I have those type - the kind that stand up by themselves - but I also invested in this style of bag that folds into itself. Look at how much space these 7 bags take up. Keep in mind, we spent approximately $200 on groceries, so imagine that shopping cart with that many groceries (side note: items not bagged - 10 lb bag of potatoes, cat litter, toilet paper) ALL FIT IN THESE BAGS!

New Camera

I DID IT!! I have been saving for 

about a year now so I finally bit the bullet and bought my new SLR camera. I am loving this camera and it's functionality and creative control. So beware - I will have this camera everywhere I go, taking pictures of everything I can!

New house colors -What do you think?

My reading obsession

I just spent the last week reading the Twilight series and all I can say is "Fantastic!!" Let me preface this by bringing you on my reading journey.

It began quite innocently.  A friend lent me a book that has become immensely popular with the adolescent crowd. Never to be one that is behind on the book trends, I eagerly picked up the book Sunday afternoon. I did not put this book down until Monday morning around 2:30. This was a great, easy read. A wonderful love story that reminds me of my adolescence filled with some outstanding vampires and action.

Now, it did not stop there. The book so cleverly placed the first couple of chapters at the end of the book. After work, I rushed to the nearest grocery store to get the next book. Unfortunately, it was not there so I had to wait until Anna was in bed. So there I was at 7:45 pm, at Walmart, getting all the books I could lay my hands on. Then I rushed back home and stayed up to 2:30 am reading the next book. I did it again the next night and then again Wednesday night (except I finished by 12:30 am instead of 2:30!). Here was the problem - Walmart didn't have the last book!! I talked Jon into driving to Borders and we bought the last book. Needless to say I finally finished all four books Sat. morning.

It was worth it! I loved every minute. I forgot how much I love drowning my thoughts in a good story. Cheers to the draw of a good read!!

Anna's Fall Pictures

I have this picture of myself. I must be about 2 years old, standing somewhere in time, wearing overalls. My best guess is that the season is fall as I am also wearing a long sleeve shirt. I have that look of childhood innocence; blissfully unaware of the economy, politics, and the craziness of the world. When you look at this picture, you smile at the cuteness of a toddler.

I also have another picture of Jon. He is also dressed in overalls. This picture was taken in a studio but still elicits the same sense of wonder and joy that being a toddler brings. The amazement that everyday brings something new and exciting. That proud feeling because you figured out how to say "Biscuit" and everyone around you understands you for the first time.

This is the feeling I wanted to capture and duplicate by searching out a pair of overalls and scheduling a photo session. Photography captures that moment in time that memory doesn't always keep. I love how in one second, you have this irreplaceable snapshot of a feeling, a thought, a flash of what was. Photos bring smiles, tears, laughter, wistfulness, amazement, and much more. This is why I am drawn to photography and how I recognize that it truly is an art form.

Here is a link to Anna's fall pictures, my attempt (through another's lens) to capture Anna in a similar outfit. Enjoy and let us know which ones you like!! 

http://meganparkerphoto.com/baker/

After you enjoy those (or before) here are a few of our pictures from Halloween and before.

Fun while shopping with Mom and Grandma.

Anna and Grandma Baker

Anna Bear

Anna and her crew

Papa and Grandma Baker Visit

Fall is here!

Well it has finally occurred. Fall has arrived in all it's splendor. The leaves are changing colors, falling, and carpeting the ground. The weather is turning cooler, inspiring me to break out my hot cocoa and bundle up. I love the smell in the air. It always makes me think of the beginning of school and football season. Of new clothes and notebooks. A fresh start. 

Funny how fall is my fresh start. As a student, and now as a teacher, fall represents an opportunity that only comes once in a while for most people. It is my time to start anew and allow myself to reinvent my classroom. Can you tell I love fall?

As a parent, I am loving fall in a whole new way. I get to experience the changing of weather and nature through my daughter's eyes. I now have this wonderful excuse to go trick-or-treating, dress ridiculous, carve pumpkins, and go to pumpkin patches. Granted, I did all these things before Anna, but now I'm not viewed as some excited overgrown child. Ahh, the joys of children.

Here Anna is hanging out on the hay ride.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin is hard work!

Getting close with Mom!