Noah's Baptism

Noah was so excited on Sunday because he was baptised. Here are a few photos of his special day:


Here are Aaron, Rachel, Noah and Eve. Noah says that the plastic lawn chairs are his "throne", which makes me think he has rather low expectations for kingly wealth.

Michael told the kids to all pout, so they would laugh on the next photo:

Poor Rachel, she just looks so confused:

Michael and Noah in the Primary room:

Another strange Noah expression:

Getting ready for the ordinance:

My mom gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and baptism:

Michael and Noah after getting dressed:

My SIL, Missy, was our pianist:

My SIL, Shelene, was the chorister:

Noah really appreciated everyone for coming and a few folks were able to come back to our house for refreshments. My dad smoked pork tenderloin, my SIL, Laura made brownies and chocolate chip cookie cake (she sent it via Marcus because she wasn't feeling well), Melissa and Angela made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, my mom brought drinks and hot dogs, Granny Sydney brought spagehetti, Michael and I provided chicken nuggets and various sauces. The kids played well together and the adults got to talk. The weather was gorgeous, so we were able to leave the door open and people could be on the porch or just move, more easily through the house. Melissa and her kids lingered the longest and climbed trees and played dress up.

Grampa Jim joked about getting Noah an ant farm, but it became even funnier when Granny Alice actually bought him one. She gave it to him, yesterday. I just have to send off for the ant colony, which should arrive in 4 to 6 weeks. I will mail off for them on Tuesday. So our house will be the home of 1 ferret, a gazillion sea monkeys and a colony of ants. I wonder if Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kindgom will be knocking on our door soon asking if they can start filming our family?

Thanks, again, to everyone who could come to the baptism, send something, or just wish Noah well. He was one happy kid! :)

Matroyshka...

Russian nesting dolls:

My sister-in-law, Angela, is a wonderfully talented artist. She drew my name for Christmas and created these dolls:




_{Darcy Baldwin: DJB MANDY at The Digichick
Shabby Miss Jenn: Tree Trimmin' Party
Christina Renee: Sassy Lace, vintage frame from UA Collection}


:::::::::::::::::Silly Christmas Layout:::::::

My nephew, Gabriel, was sporting a mohawk and I thought it would be fun to have his dad and a couple of uncles share in the hairy goodness.


_{Darcy Baldwin: DJB MICHAEL at The Digichick
Tia Bennett: Pixel Mischief
Shabby Miss Jenn: Tree Trimmin' Party
Christina Renee: Glitter Splats, Just for Fun Doodles
Sausan Designs: Needful Things book
Erica Hite: Nessa Alpha
Kate Hadfield: Primary Rubberbands and Doodle Tape}

::::::::::::::::::::::Tomorrow::::::::::

I will be back with some Christmas layouts. Today has been spent with the kids arguing over and with the new computer, watching Season 3 of Dr. Who, Meet the Robinsons, Ratatouille, and Ben 10 Season 2.

I hope y'all had a happy Christmas! :)

Right Field...It's Important You Know...

:::::::::::::I'm Not The Only Thing Headed For A Break Down::::::::

I sent the kids off to the bus top, then a couple of minutes later Rachel rushed back up to the house to get her terrarium with a worm for school. I said, "Hey, luckily the bus is running late so you were able to run back and get that." Then, 2 minutes later I hear a rush of thundering kid feet and yelling voices. The kids from the bus stop are running to my house. The said the bus was broken down and they needed a ride. So, I loaded 3 of the neighbor kids and my 2 in the car and headed for school. I was third in line and we just had to wait 10 minutes until the school was open. That was a valuable 10 minutes. I used the time to sing with the radio and dance in my car seat to the utter and complete embarrassment of the children. That was a satisfying 10 minutes.

::::::::::::::Almost There:::::::

I took Rachel for her last braces adjustment before their removal next month. She is so happy to be getting so close to the end of her tooth confinement.

:::::::::::::Right Field:::::::::

This is a 2 page layout of my boys playing trap ball at Colonial Williamsburg. It is an English game that was part of the evolution of modern baseball.


Kate Hadfield: http://www.digiscrappingqueen.com/blog/ created the super amazing Dandelion Doodles as a request. Thank you, Kate!
Wordy Bits, Messy Staples, New Home doodles
Jen Wilson: Simple Expressions
Michelle Coleman: Color Me Solid (freebie on her blog)
Amber Clegg: Date Stamp


Font: DJB MISH/ DJB LIZ by Darcy Baldwin at The Digichick





::::::::::::::::::Zneet Znatter Zneet:::::::

Rachel has been watching Season 2 of My Hero. The Christmas episode is hilarious...hold your sides, tear up and start laughing like a seal hilarious.


::::::::::::::::::: A "Relatively" Nice Evening:::::

Reuben, Ang, Gabriel and Afton came over for dinner last night. The kids had fun on the computer and making bead watches. Reuben helped roll up the egg rolls, which I can not figure out how he does it. His fingers are like thick sausage links, but he can make quite an attractively rolled egg roll. Michael made some tasty ginger beef soup, breaded chicken cutlets, and rice. The Hmong eggrolls were so delicious!
After dinner we just talked and then Eve wanted to watercolor, so Afton, Reuben, Noah and Rachel were given watercolors and the watercolor paper. They left about 11:00p.m. Noah and Eve were instantly asleep and the rest of us soon followed.

:::::::::::::::::::Always Behind::::::::::

Laundry, a couple of subjects for school with Aaron, homework with Noah and trying to remember where I left my mind. Time to go do a couple of science experiments in kitchen stadium.

Barefoot in the Spring:

Text: “If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.”

_{Sing Spring kit by Sausan Designs at Scrapbookgraphics, Curled Edges by Anna Aspnes, Font: Jane Austen}

This layout uses an excerpt from this poem:

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax, I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles,
but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live
sensibly and sanely hour after hour,
day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments,
And if I had it to do over again,
I'd have more of them.
In fact, I'd try to have nothing else.
Just moments, one after another,
instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those people who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat
and a parachute.
If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

Nadine Stair,
85 years old.


:::::::::::::::::Paint, Caulk and Sheetrock::::

Oh, my! Michael, Aaron and I went to help Reu and Ang work on their house to ready it for sale. The taupe wall color Ang picked looked great. Michael spent his time working on taping the sheetrock and sanding the walls. Michael's hands were cracked and painful from being dried out by the sheetrock dust. He used my watermelon scented Shea butter. He is now a shea butter convert.


:::::::::::::::::My Hero::::::::::::
Granny Sue bought this for Rachel:



Here is a synopsis that I found on Amazon.com: George Sunday's life took an unexpected turn when he met and fell in love with Janet Dawkins, a nurse from Earth. The thing is, George is also Thermoman, from the planet Ultron, who dashes from one catastrophe to another as he juggles his two jobs: superhero and health food shop owner. Keeping George's identity secret is very difficult for the young couple, but luckily Janet's parents and colleagues just think he is an idiot.