Merry Christmas!

Harvest Festival

Here are my four awesome kids all decked out in their Harvest Festival Costumes  On Monday, October 31st our family ventured off to a nearby church where the kids had a blast playing games while retrieving half a pail full of candy treats. Other fun activities: face painting, petting zoo, outdoor jumping balloon, cotton candy and others who love the Lord. What a "memory maker!" This experience reminded me of the days in my childhood where my sister, parents and I participated in an event titled "Fall Party." A time where we could dress up, go door-to-door,  and show our friends and Bethany family our homemade costumes. This memory was why I looked around for something similar for my kids - a fun and safe place to dress up and have fun as a family. I think I came pretty close this year.

Birthday Girls

Monday, September 19 was my birthday

Today on September 20th our Hannah turned "1!"

What fun we will have in the coming years!

Peach Canning

The Canning crew: My job was to halve the peaches and put them in the jars.

Mary (mother-in-law) was the syrup maker and Master Canner!

Aunt Peggy - Peach Scalder, Micah - Peach Deskinner and Great Grandma - also peach deskinner

      

Micah with Great Grandma as Grandma Mary took the VERY HOT canned peaches out of the canner.

Peach canner-in-training

The fruits of our labor - we had 61 jars done by early afternoon!.

Micah entertained Hannah by taking her for a wagon ride in our family room. As you can see, she enjoyed the ride!

While us ladies were canning this morning, Tim had a vacation day where he took the two middle boys out of the house. Ahhh, what a relief that was! So, once kids were down for rest he got to have some R&R fishing with his cousin. Wow, what catch! Thanks Tim for helping me out and for a GREAT birthday date last evening. :)

Pictures

Here are a few pictures of what's been going on the month of August. Below are Micah and Ben completing swimming lessons at Maple Grove Community Center. They both passed (Yeah!) and thoroughly enjoyed their time in the water.


If you do not know, my boys (including Tim) enjoy tractors. This picture was taken in Waconia at the Carver County Fair

We also enjoyed visiting Elm Creek Beach this summer. Many hours of fun in the sun. Thanks Rekstad family for a fun time!

Recap of things going on...

Wow, is it really August 15th already? I know it has been awhile since I've updated the blog so let me give you a recap of things going on around here.

Hannah baby is looking more and more like a little girl. She is nearly 11 months old and she is crawling (more like army crawling) everywhere! She likes most anything I put before her, even ground up spaghetti, mixed vegetables, banana, cheerios, pizza crust, you name it. She is a happy, go-with-the-flow type gal.

Caleb is talking more and more each day. As you talk with him he'll more than likely repeat the last word you say. It makes it kind of fun to say to him, "Caleb, that piece of watermelon is so delicious!" Where he in turn will say, "Dewicious!"

Ben is full of curiosity and sometimes mischief. We call him Mr. Chatterbox. Whatever you are doing, wherever you are going he has something to say. He also enjoys riding his bike and more recently taking swimming lessons. There was a time when we were at a hotel pool and he wasn't able to stay afloat. As he was sinking down into the water I was able to grab his arm and swing him up onto the ledge. What was the first thing he said? I was thinking he'd say "Mom thanks for rescuing me!"Instead he said, "It sure was good I had my goggles on!" That kid makes me laugh (and occasionally add a few gray hairs to my head).

Micah is growing and learning quite a lot lately. He has some AWESOME questions which sometimes I am able to answer, but others leave me stumped! So we go to good old Mr. Google to find an answer or consult Daddy Bailey on other questions. I love how his mind works and operates. I think he'll be an engineer of some sort like his dad. In a couple weeks he'll be starting 1st grade. We're going to try something a little different this year in homeschooling so I'll have to let you know how things go. I'm excited, especially about our history and math program. In a way, I feel like I'm going back to school myself and it brings back so many fond memories.

That's about all for now. I'll try to put some pictures up soon. Thanks for stopping by. If you are ever in our neck of the woods, we'd love for you to stop on over!

Blessings,
Krista and gang

Baker Park

July 9th, we had family pictures taken at Baker Park by Becky's sister, Amanda of Amanda Joy Photography. Just thought I'd share a few pictures from our day. Below is a picture of our whole group - we're now up to 17 people!

The "original" five!Micah (6)

Ben (4)

Caleb (2 1/2)

Hannah (9 months)Our family of six

Sneaking in a kiss to Tim

Happy 6th Birthday MICAH MAN!

Our oldest son and child is SIX YEARS OLD! Happy Birthday Micah man. You are a joy, blessing and treasure to our family. I love your enthusiasm for learning but most of all your heart for the Lord. May the Lord continue to bless you and direct you in HIS ways and path for your life. WE LOVE YOU, Micah!

Getting ready to open his gifts from mom and dad the day of his birthday, June 3rd (above picture)

NERF GUN - a present from the Ostercamps

Target practice! We made use of our "Thome Target" sign we made for the Twins game a week ago. Worked pretty good! That way I didn't have nerf pegs flying in every direction. Phew!

Alex and Adam making use of the sandbox at Micah's birthday party on Saturday. It was a gorgeous day!

Most of the kids gathered at the party and a few of the adults.

He was so blessed by many wonderful, fun gifts. Bow and arrow, Dick and Jane Book, Sugar Creek Gang books, dress shirt, drawing paper, toy dirt bike, remote control motorcycle, water gun, Dinosaur DVD, birthday money, Legos

Micah's requested cake this year, DIRT CAKE with gummy worms.

Happy 6th Birthday, Micah.
WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

"TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME...!"

On Sunday, May 29th Tim and I took the older kids to a TWINS GAME. We had a GREAT time! Here are a few highlights from our day. This is the sign we took, just in case Jim Thome would hit a home run to our section in left field. Sadly, he did not play that day, but we were ready! Note: Micah and Ben are holding their FREE Jim Thome pre-signed autographed bat handed out to the first 5000 kids 14 and under at the gate.

Ben is in line for free autographs from two Twins players - Jason Repko and Anthony Swarzak. We waited in line for about 45 min. but it was worth it to see them up close and get their autograph on the boys' gloves.

Micah waiting in line. He's ready to catch a ball!

Here they are enjoying their FREE Blue Bunny ice cream as we waited in line for the autographs.

Micah, Ben and Tim meeting Repko and Swarzak

Jason Repko - outfielder

TC and Micah

Me and my boys in our seats, section 232 - row 4

As we stretched our legs in search of popcorn in the sixth inning, the boys hung on Mickey Mouse decked out in Twins gear.

Family picture with Tim's HR "bare-handed" catch. See video below!

After the game we took a parting family picture. Sadly, the Twins lost 5 to 6 .

One last thing to do before we leave was get in line for the boys to run the bases. See the crowd of people! Once the line started moving, it really did not take too long.

Bailey Boys in the outfield!

Micah and Ben finishing up running the bases

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED A LITTLE "SNIPIT" OF OUR DAY AT TARGET FIELD! We strongly recommend you go to a game if you live in the great state of Minnesota.

Tim's GREAT Catch!

UPDATE!

It has been awhile since I've updated the blog. So I'll give you a recap of the last few weeks. First of all, Micah got a package of ants in the mail for his ANT HILL project the end of April (see below). We had studied ants during the winter months when it was too cold to receive an ant package. We we reviewed this study of how some insects work very hard. They are not lazy and God wants us to work hard like an ant. See Proverbs 6:6-9
These are the flowers Tim got me for Mother's day. Roses and purple flowers, my favorite! What a great guy. ;)
Here Micah received his certificate of Kindergarten completion. What a great year we have had! We do plan to continue our Bible memory through the summer and read LOTS of books as well as practice his reading/phonics. GREAT JOB, Micah!
This is the scene (see below) I came home to last Saturday morning while I was out at some garage sales. Tim had all three boys playing Monopoly and Hannah was taking her morning nap! At the time, Caleb was winning this game. The boys absolutely LOVED it! Not to mention, Tim was pretty pleased to bring out this game again. Gotta love "Dad days!"
Grandpa and Grandma Bailey were over for a supper last Saturday. Here are a bunch of Bailey boys chillin' together in the recliner while watching a tractor DVD. As Ben's shirt says, "I'm BIG on the farm" [or at least on the BAILEY HOMESTEAD]! Happy 61st Birthday TODAY Grandpa Bailey!

Here is Caleb enjoying our yard

My BAILEY BOYS!

Here is a picture of Hannah today at 8 months of age. Where did the time go? She is the perfect addition to our family.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY THE BLOG FOR A VISIT. HOPE WE GOT YOU UP TO SPEED ON ALL THE HAPPENINGS AT THE "BAILEY HOMESTEAD!"