4th of July, 2nd annual Neighborhood BBQ!

We have the BEST neighbors!

Lining up for the Dakota Dr. bike parade.

Jayden, our HILARIOUS neighbor posed for a pic...

Sophie and Mia chillin' on the blanket.

SPARKLERS!!!

The 4th of July went out with a BANG, or a SPARKLE!

Sophie's school program

We love our Sophie. She tries so hard in everything she does. It was so fun to get to see her in her program. She knew all the words, and was very attentive, and focused. Thanks for being you Soph!

Sophie was so excited to get to stand by Mia in the program!

She was excited as well, to get to hold up a sign.

First Supper

This is the first dinner I had after finishing up the HCG diet. It was oh-so-tasty! Angie organized this little get-together during priesthood session - I think, can't remember. Thanks Angie! I just love my sister-in-laws, mom, and kids!

HCG

I am living proof that the HCG diet works! I did it for 45 days, and lost 34 lbs. This is an after picture. The before pics are all on here, before this. It is not cheap, or easy, but it rreally does work. Yea me!!!

Landscape...

Landscapers plants and bark...

My plants and bark...

We paid a landscaper last year to put in our yard. I knew what I wanted, but though he would have some better ideas. While I like some of the things he did, I was not in love with everything. He put in lilies, and grasses, and that's it, in my walk way. The colors and shapes were in competition with each other, and the bark was not dark enough. I pulled out all the lilies, and replaced them with a dark bush that matched the rain gutters and trees, and left the grass. I put in new bushed in the front, that matched the grasses. I really like the grasses. They have a nice blue tint to them. A nice way to bring the outside in. I planted colorful annuals, and some ground cover. This picture was taken barely after planting, and in early spring, so everything is still really small. I should have just trusted myself to pick things out in the first place. I like it better.

B-day gifts!

I made my cute Baker side sister-in-laws aprons for their b-days. I thought they turned out super cute, so I wanted to take a picture of them. I wear mine all the time for cleaning. It is my new favorite thing!

Hoe!

Heather, otherwise lovingly known as Hoe, came to visit in May. She had a case she was working on here in Utah, and was able to make time to meet me for brunch at Hotel Monaco. We had a great time, catching up. She is still a beauty, and smart as always! Miss you Hoe!

Lil' Slugger!

We signed Conrad up for his first year in t-ball. He loved it, and got progressively better as the weeks went on. He went from hitting off the T, to actually hitting a slow pitched ball from Coach Quinten. He had a great coach, and a great time playing with friends and neighbors, including Will. Little boys are so much fun!!!

Aunt Mary, always in a good mood, and very happy to see you :)

My dad and his sisters get together for b-days every year, and it is always at a lovely all-you-can-eat restaurant. I usually try to go. They are all very nice, and have been like grandparents to me over the years. I heart Terburg's! Dad's b-day 2009. A little Terbutg trivia... My Aunt Grietje (the one sitting next to my dad) wrote, hymn no. 130, "Be Thou Humble," in the LDS hymn book, as well as many other songe in the children's songbook. My Aunt Marjorie, in the pink, was the creator of the game, "Choose." You may remember it from your childhood.

Southern Utah for Easter

We stopped in the COLD Cove fort for a little tour on the way down.

We Love Mongolian BBQ!

Soph can really work the chop sticks!

Riding the tram with Dad in Zion.

Conrad thought the best view was in the front of the tram!

Easter Egg hunt in St. George. Rainy but fun!

Sophie at the older kid Easter egg hunt.

So... last winter and spring, Wayne took the kids out on numerous show shoe and sledding adventures. These are a few pics. He is such a great dad! He brings the sled to pull them in if they get tired, and always sure to bring hot chocolate.

table setting

I love linnens, and dishes, as well as an elegant table setting. So... I have to include them on my blog - right? The first two shots are from the Christmas party tonight, and the last two are from Thanksgiving at my mom's house. So fun... for me at least!

Baker Christmas Party

It was the annual Baker Christmas party, and we were the hosts this year. I have many more photos. Too many to add, so I am going to try to figure out how to do a slide show, and edit this post more later. It was a fun night, with great food, great family, and great white elephants! Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread houses

We were back at it again. We did gingerbread houses yet again. It was fun, and fun to see what everyone comes up with.

Baker Village

Wayne Manor

Risa's rest stop

Sophie's Chalet

Conrad's Castle

Hot chocolate bliss!

After a fun time playing in the snow... the girls came in for a warm snack! They had hot chocolate made with milk instead of water... thanks dad! Their favorite part was stirring the cocoa with a candy cane. It gave the whole thing a nice minty flavor! What cute girls!

A old, and a new tradition...

My Grandpa Terburg was born and raised in The Netherlands. He came to the United States in his late teens, where he met my grandmother, and settled in Florida. He used to tell my dad what Sinter Klaas day was like in The Netherlands when he was a child. My dad told us the same story every year at Christmastime. I wanted him to share this with my children too. So, we invited my dad over on Dec 5th to share the story. The 5th day of Dec, is Sinter Klaas day in The Netherlands. We thought we would try setting out wooden shoes, and see if he would visit us here as well.

This was a special year. I was only able to find 3 pair of wooden shoes, so my dad brought his dad's, and Conrad got to use them. Guess what? Sinter Klaas did come!

This is a shot of my dad sitting with Conrad after sharing the story. The man in the photo is Grandpa Terburg. It was a special night, one I am sure the kids will remember for a long time, and if not, we got it all on tape! Thanks dad!

Of course Conrad had to try on the shoes...

And so did Soph.

The Manger show

In Farmington, for the past 30 years, the neighborhood I grew up in has put on a manger show in a barn on main street. You go and watch the program, while sitting hay. They have real animals, and a real baby most years. We went with our fabulous neighbors, the Butchers. It was great fun.

You know me, I had to pester the wise men into letting us get a photo with them. Thank you wise men. You are very wise.

The kids had fun with the Animals.

They told me a goat tried to buck Conrad, but I didn't see it. After the manger show, we went to Dairy Queen. It was a fun night!

Temple square - A family tradition

After dinner at the Gateway, we jumped on the tracks, and rode to Temple Square to see the lights. We arrived early, so we spent some time in the Visitor's Center before the lights were turned on.



We walked the pathway to the Christus. It was a lovely walk. We did not make it to Temple Square last year, because we were busy with the move, and it was too cold when we were available, so this is the first year the kids actually understood what was going on. There was such a nice spirit in the visitors center, and I think we all felt it.

We also watched the manger scene. I have loved that ever since I was a child, and hope my kids will feel the same way.

Can't beat a photo in front of the Temple!

Talking to Santa

So, I was in Seagull the other day, looking for Christmas books, and low and behold... the real Santa was there. I called Wayne right away, and told him to bring the kiddos. He did, and the kids each told him what they wanted for Christmas, and that they had been good this year. I think the kids were a little overwhelmed. We then got a hand autographed copy of, "Twas the night before Christmas." I think we will love that book for many years to come. Look at Conrad pulling his beard! Yep, he's the real deal!

Decorating the tree

Decorating the tree is always a fun night. We do it the weekend following Thanksgiving. As a tradition my mom started for me, we each get a new ornament of our very own every year. We write out name, and the year on it. I took all mine with me when I got married. I started doing this for Wayne when we got married, and he has quite the collection now. We all have a great time getting out old ornaments from previous years, and looking at them. Each ornament brings back a memory, and reminds us of Christmases past. I have ornaments from the 70's that I still hang on my tree. They are great, and very nostalgic. Thanks mom, for making Christmas fun for us when we were little, and for teaching me how to do it for my own family.