This is what I saw...

This is what I saw when I got home from work on Friday at 7:30pm.

Russell had just gotten home about 15 minutes before me.

The summer is taking it's toll on my kiddos.

Karson loves to sit on the top of the ocuch. He warms in the sun just like a cat. He stayed asleep all night. Kam woke up around 9:30 and watched 10,000 BC with Kaden and I. We had popcorn for dinner. Good times!

Swimming, Gandma's, cousins, games, gameboys, jobs, movies, reading, the park, skipping rocks in the river, canoe rides, library, legos & barbies, trampoline, sandbox, friends, and lots of late nights. This is what we've been up to this week.

We saw this huge butterfly on Thursday afternoon. It was so big--the flower started tipping over. I didn't get the wing span--it just would open up for us. It was enormous! If you see it flying around the neighborhood--say hi for us.

The Baker Pool is open for business!

Well--Summer has officially arrived. We started filling the pool around 10:30 this am and turned it off around 2pm (with "contaminated" water of course--see below)

It promises to be a great one!

Grab your suits and come on over. It's cold and refreshing.

Other amenities=sand box, trampoline, video games...

am I tempting you to pick up the phone?? Do it!

Are You Prepared?

Our stake has been having a preparedness earthquake drill this week. We supposedly had a 6.5 earthquake Monday morning (just in our stake).

No electricity, no gas, no water, no grocery store, no phone, or computer.

How long can you survive?

We've done ok. so far.

Day 1 for us was Tuesday. I didn't think we were supposed to use our fridge--so we had mostly dry things all day, peanut butter, jerky, raisins, crackers, fruit. Then I grilled some chicken for dinner. It was hot. all day. Not too bad, but work the next day.

Russell is not on board with this little excercise--so we have had our swamp cooler on every night and showers on the days I work (I still want to keep my job), but other than that we've used our food storage and survived.

Things like this make you realize what you really need. More water, a water purifier, more canned meat and veggies. It's helped us take inventory of what we have, what we most likely won't use, and what we need. Today we got electricity back so We can enjoy lights and the swamp cooler without too much guilt. We have water now--but it's not suitable for drinking. (I really miss my dishwasher) We get cell service on Friday, gas and good water on Saturday. We still can't go to the store until Monday though... Sunday dinner may just be rice and beans...and we'll dream of Cafe Rio.

Check out this link about earthquakes http://geology.utah.gov/online/pdf/pi-40.pdf

It also helps you realize the luxuries we do have. I really felt "in the dark" literally and communication wise. No news, no phones to call your neighbor down the street. You are really on your own. This was a lot to ask of all those stay at home moms out there. Stuck in their sweltering homes, children out of school, no tv, movies, ipods, or computer/video games. Wow! kind of makes me think of my childhood--every day in the summer and why my mom made us go out and play by 10 am and stay out -- so she could get something done.

Yes we are truly blessed to have what we have--or is it that we are spoiled?.....

OK--it is now the next day and I've just realized -- I shouldn't have blogged at all because we don't get internet priveledges until Monday. OOPS! I was thinking--oh, we have electricity--i can use the computer......dumb dumb dumb! So all of you who were good little members of the stake please don't judge me too harshly :(

It's hard bouncing back from work to home-work-home-can i turn on the light? can I flush the toilet? can I blog?

Oh the guilt that I carry with me-silly really.

Oops I forgot

Yup, Father's Day came and went without me doing much about it.....

When I think of fathers, i think of

• protector
• providor
• teacher
• priesthood holder
• leader
• fun
• builder
• hard worker
• advisor
• supportive

these just happen to be some of the words I think of when I think of my dad--actually when I think of a good father. I am so glad I have the dad I do. He is all these things and more. Add a little bit of Lake Powell, camping, hand and foot, black licorice, blessings, peanut butter cookies, Abba, Alabama--other goofy love ballads, Dr. Pepper, ice cream before bed (he gave me that bad habit), puttering, spirituality, being prepared, and knowledge. Stir in some love, charity, service, generosity, laughter, friendship, and that's MY Dad. Thanks for being you and teaching me so many things dad. Enjoy your throne!

The father of my children is also pretty great! I don't tell him enough how much I admire him and the good things he does. I see many of the same qualities in Russ that my dad has (all except Abba of course) --no wonder I chose him to be my eternal companion. Russell's father is pretty awesome. I have come to love and admire him and the qualities he exhibits.

I am so thankful to be blessed with fathers all around me, especially my Father in Heaven. He gives me so many things. Helps me everyday. I am so blessed.

Love you guys!!

Happy Father's Day

Woo Hoo!

LOOK WHAT I GOT!!!!

I finally have 2 toilets again! Horray!!

And here's the tile--my husband is soooo good (he wanted me to add that)

And this is the light we picked out.

Wow--little by little it is happening. Before too much longer I'll even have another sink to clean.

Lake Powell!!

Well I finally did get some Lake Powell photos--not all the ones out there--but 100 or so. They are here. Remember to click on slideshow and they will run through--or just select the photos you want to look at. (could my boobs be any bigger--woah! nasty)

This is one of my all time favorite places on this earth. There is nothing quite like riding behind a boat on a wakeboard or a ski-- slicing through water through red rock canyons. UHHGGH! Love it!!

I think the absolute best thing about this whole vacation thingy is the fact that I only had to cook & clean 1 breakfast & 1 dinner for 25 people. Then I was done the rest of the entire week!!!

My parents have had shares in houseboats since I was about 13 or 14 years old. We've gone down every year since--soemtimes more than once a year. This houseboat the Sum-R-Rainbow (totally lame name) is about 7 years old. It has 4 bedrooms (well beds anyway), 2 bathrooms, 2 fridges, air conditioner (with the generator on) and pretty much anything you need. We all sleep up on the top under the stars on big foam mattresses. We got new ones this year so I slept good--well, better than usual. The water this year was unbelievable. Usually when we go down we have about 2-3 days with good weather. This year was awesome!! I think I wakeboarded 6 times?? Anyway despite the frigid water--it was sweet! There's always tons of junk food, drinks, games, and movies. It's a great time. I even read close to 1,000 pages.....heaven!

Well I've spent a lot longer than I intended to bloggin so..... better go for now.

OK so here goes

On Memorial Day the Baker Bunch usually tries to get together down at the cabin. This is the first time this year we went--oh what fun it is. It is so beautiful--and unfortunately I forgot to take any photos--so here's couple of photos from last fall.

We spent Friday night through Sunday night here--then we had to go home so I could work on Monday. It is such a great place to be. Relaxing--except when all of us are down there--then it gets a bit crazy. It would have been a wee bit more relaxing had it not been snowing and all 18 cousins were trapped inside.....

But it was nice to be down there. The cabin is down in Fairview at Skyline Mt. Resort. Already it is one of our favorite places to be.

Monday (Memorial Day) also happened to be Karson's birthday--I promised photos -- so here they are:

He got a fun new Wii game, a big super soaker for the lake, a card game...

a Lego set.

And here is Karson's swimming pool ice cream cake with lego guys swimming in the pool. There is cookie dough ice cream topped with blue whipping cream surrounded by chocolate covered wafer cookies, blue licorice ladder, and peach gummy tubes. cute huh! The only problem was--I didn't make it early enough and it didn't set up quite right and melted all over. He was thrilled and that is all that matters.

And I also promised photos of the new me-- sooooo

here are my new glasses, one pair anyway, my other pair is in the car, my new do, and best of all--my new lake Powell tan! Boy am I ready for summer! I love my hair. It is so quick and easy. and it doesnt' ever mess up. It was great for the lake.

OK--my eyes look a little crooked---I hadn't really noticed that before.....

So I think I've blogged enough for now. I'm waiting for some more Lake Powell photos so I can put them all on my picasa web page--maybe tomorrow I'll get some more from my brother and sis and mom & dad. Just know we had a fabulous time!!! There isn't anything quite like it anywhere.