Week 31 & CHRISTmas

Good Morning! We hope that everyone had a GREAT Christmas & was able to spend the holiday with loved ones :) We were lucky enough to spend a few days with the Goodroes in Social Circle! Unfortunately, I got really sick on Christmas Day, which really put a damper on things :( Still not exactly sure what it was, but it's definitely not a way you want to spend the holiday. I think I also had my first run-in with Braxton-Hicks contractions while I was sick over the weekend. Nothing too bad, but enough to get my attention for sure! Regardless, we had a wonderful holiday & really had fun imagining how next Christmas will be when we have a 10 month old!! This year also marked the last time we'll travel for the holidays since we'll start our own little family Christmas traditions with baby B in 2012.

We're back home now & getting in the swing of things today. Sad to see the Christmas decorations start to come down so soon, but we've got to prepare for other events! This weekend we are expecting a couple of JD's friends to come visit for NYE! AND we can't believe how close the due date is getting for Baby Baker (seriously, only a max of 9 weeks remaining???)!!!

I went to see my doctor last week & he said that everything is still looking good - baby is continuing to G-R-O-W (still measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule)! I won't go see him this week because he is out of the office, but will go back next week & every week until we have a baby! At my appointment next week we will do another ultrasound (to check baby's position & to see that the placenta is where it ought to be) & an NST (non-stress test) on the baby. Should be a longer visit, but I am really excited about seeing how BIG baby has gotten since our last ultrasound at week 18.

Now that the holiday season is coming to an end, we are hoping to do a few last minute things around the house & finish getting the nursery organized for Baby B's arrival!

Still feeling a lot of movement with Baby B, & different kinds of movement - more punches / kicks rather than flips & spins. Also, he / she is definitely starting to form some sort of schedule - I can expect to feel movement at certain times of the day / night. Here's what else is going on with our growing baby this week...

Your Pregnancy: Week 31 (www.parentsconnect.com)

Your Body
Your mind may not be anywhere near ready for your baby to arrive but your body is already making preparations. One of the ways it's getting ready is by "practicing" for labor in the form of Braxton Hicks contractions. Luckily, these are generally painless, although somewhat annoying as they can occur frequently (the middle of the night, during an important meeting, while you're trying to focus on Access Hollywood, etc).

Braxton Hicks contractions feel like a sudden tightening of your uterus. This is just a little preview of what real contractions will feel like. They usually start to become noticeable around the eighth month and can become very strong by the end of your pregnancy.

While you can't get rid of Braxton Hicks contractions, there are some things you can do to make yourself more comfortable, like gentle exercise (such as walking) or taking a warm, relaxing bath. Calgon, take me away. ...



Your Baby
From this week on, your baby will continue to gain around ½ pound a week until shortly before birth (even though it may feel like a whole lot more with every step you take). Other highlights this week:

Due to increasing space constraints, your baby's arms and legs stay drawn up close to the body now, known as the fetal position (oh, so that's where that name came from!). Plus, your baby can now process information from all five senses—so she'll be all set to smell the pureed peas, taste them, feel them as she mashes them into her hair, hear you crack up and then see the flash as you grab the camera to snap picture after picture.

By now, your baby's lungs are the only system not fully mature. And by mature, we're not saying that the rest of your baby's systems are mature enough to be out past 10 PM with the neighborhood hooligan, just that her lungs need a little bit more time to bake before they can kick it in the outside world.

Your baby weighs about 3½ pounds and measures a little over 16 inches, about the same length as that miniskirt you used to wear (and will again someday!).

30 Week Update: We're in the home-stretch!

Short post this week - been busy, busy getting ready for CHRISTMAS this weekend! We finally crossed over to the last stretch of pregnancy & we are half we through week 30! I go back to the doctor tomorrow afternoon & will go every week until baby B is born. Hope to have more to report after my appointment!

Here's what's going on with our sweet growing baby this week...

Your Pregnancy: Week 30 (www.parentsconnect.com)



Your Baby
Big news for baby's brain this week: It's starting to wrinkle and fold and looks like something that grew in the back of your fridge. This is due to the rapid growth of your little genius's brain cells. Other highlights this week:

Fingernails and toenails are finally finished—causing his or her parents great fear and anguish the first time they try to cut those little daggers (it gets easier, we promise)! Plus, the bone marrow is completely in charge of red-blood-cell production now. Trust us, this is a good thing.

Baby is starting to shed his lanugo—the downy hair that was covering his skin. Now that he's chubbier and better able to regulate his body temp, he doesn't need to sport a fur coat 24/7.

"I spy an umbilical cord and the inside of my mom's uterus!" When your baby is awake, his eyes are now wide open and he's whittling away the hours looking around, checking out his rather dark, limited environs.

Your baby hasn't gained much weight or height this week, as most of his energy's been channeled to the brain. He weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of London, not the city, Britney Spears' Yorkie terrier. Of course your baby is less hairy and way cuter!

Week 28: The Third Trimester Begins!!

Hi all - sorry, I'm a bit behind in blogging this week! Things have been busy, busy at work & at home with the holidays approaching!! As of today, we are 28 weeks & 5 days along! Annnnd, WE ARE IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER!! It kills me how quickly time has gone by during pregnancy, yet at the same time we are so very anxious to meet this little bundle of joy!! According to my doctor, things are continuing to progress nicely with Baby Baker - still measuring about two weeks ahead of schedule, but my doctor is keeping my due date at 02/26. I'm now seeing the doctor every 2 weeks (rather than 4) & will go back this coming Thursday. Things are definitely starting to get a bit more cramped / uncomfortable for me as baby is growing, growing, growing! Getting a "good nights sleep" is becoming more difficult as I am getting up on average 4 times a night & it's hard to get back to sleep. No real swelling issues, but I have just about given up on wearing my winter boots - I think that more so than swelling, the problem is that my joints are loosening up, so my feet just aren't fitting like they did before. Feet & leg cramps are more severe, but I can't complain - I know it's all part of the body doing what it needs to do to prepare for Baby's arrival! Baby has been moving & kicking more this week & at different times of the day. Maybe he / she is celebrating hitting the 3rd trimester milestone?

Here's what's going on with Baby Baker this week as we venture in to the last phase of pregnancy...

Your Pregnancy: Week 28 (www.parentsconnect.com)

As the Big Day nears, your baby is getting ready to go towards the light at the end of the tunnel (the tunnel being the birth canal, the light being the one the doctor is shining directly into it so she can see what the heck she's doing). Other highlights this week:

Your baby's eyes are partially open now and can blink. Truly superior babies can actually wink. (OK, there is no way to prove that, but it's fun to imagine, no?) Your baby can also now become a shiny, happy person as she has begun having rapid eye movement (Get it? REM? Shiny, happy person?? We'll be here all week.)

Her eyes have color now, too. It may not be the color she ultimately ends up with, especially if they're light gray or blue. The eyes typically don't settle on a final hue until nine months after baby is born. So when your mother-in-law says that the baby has her eyes, you can politely inform her that they'll most likely change soon. Sorry.

Your babe is downright chubby compared to a few weeks ago. She is about 15 inches long, about the length of an amusement park cinnamon-sugar-coated churro (yum!), and weighs 2 to 3 pounds.



Other events at the Baker house since my last post:
*got ourselves in the Christmas spirit by decorating inside & out! MANY thanks to my better half for doing all of the hauling of boxes & adorning of lights :)
*started holiday shopping (not NEARLY as far along as I had hoped, but baby steps, right?)
*our first BABY SHOWER hosted by JD's sister!! several of our family members were able to attend & brought lots of sweet gifts for our little baby-on-the-way!! We are so THANKFUL to Aunt Katie for opening her home & to our sweet families for coming out, especially during this busy time of year!! Baby Baker is already so very Blessed!!

Tomorrow JD & I have a full day of "Preparing for Parenthood" class at St. Vincent's hospital. During the day we will cover topics such as labor & delivery, options for pain management, C-section / postpartum care, newborn care, & a tour of the birthing suites! I am most excited to see the birthing suites so that I can get a better picture of what it will be like when Baby Baker makes his / her debut!!

That's all for now - hope everybody has a great weekend :)

Thanksgiving Baking

As I mentioned before, I did a little baking for Thanksgiving at the Bakers'! It was hard for me to decide what to bake, but ended up going with two of our favorites: pumpkin cheesecake & Nutella gooey cookies! As always, they did not disappoint!

Here are the recipes for your holiday baking...

Nutella Gooey Cookies (from one of my FAVORITE blogs, www.plainchicken.com)



1 box chocolate cake mix
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Nutella (add more if you like)
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the egg. Then beat in the Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls (I used a medium cookie scoop) and then roll them in powdered sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake 12-14 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and gooey.


Pumpkin Cheesecake (from another favorite, www.kraftfoods.com)



1 8 oz. pkg Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)


BEAT cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in 2-1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate remaining whipped topping for later use.

SPOON cream cheese mixture into crust.

REFRIGERATE 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining whipped topping. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

27 Week Update

Another week down in the countdown to Baby Baker! Last week was a little crazy with Thanksgiving - as I mentioned before, JD & I spent this Thanksgiving in Mobile with the Bakers, a first for both of us (growing up, JD usually spent Thanksgiving in Birmingham with his grandparents). It was lovely - we relaxed, watched the Macy's parade, looked through all of the "black Friday" ads, & then got to cookin'! JD & his dad fried a turkey (another first for me), while his mom & I tended to the side dishes. Our spread included cornbread dressing, butter beans, sweet potato casserole, macaroni & cheese, rolls, pumpkin cheesecake, & pecan pie! I polled the table during our meal to see what everybody's favorite was - it was a tie between the turkey & sweet potato casserole (both were super yummy!).
Friday afternoon JD hosted a few of his friends at the house to watch the LSU / Arkansas game & have an unofficial beer tasting of all of the different homebrews that JD has made since last Christmas! Saturday we headed over to the Modling house to watch the Iron Bowl game. A sad loss for Auburn, but a good game to watch! JD & the Man played Saturday night at O'Daly's! There was a great crowd at the show, either out celebrating the Alabama win, or drinking their sorrows away for the Auburn loss... either way, it was great to catch up with some of JD's hometown friends & hear the guys play! It also occurred to me today that this past weekend was the very last time that JD & I would travel to Mobile as a family of 2 (CRAZY!!)!

**For the folks in the B'ham area who may have missed the show (or who can't get enough of JD & the Man), you're in LUCK!! They are playing again this Wednesday night at Big Blue Bagel in Crestline!! Hope to see you there!**

So on to Baby Baker... I don't know if it's the pregnancy or the time change, but I have been so exhausted lately!! I get upset with myself when I'm not as productive in the evenings as I'd like to be (still haven't decorated for Christmas yet...), but then I remind myself that I am on the verge of my third trimester & it is silly to think that I should be able to do all of the things that I used to be able to do pre-pregnancy. Any other moms out there remember feeling this way during the late 20 weeks? After reading this week's update, it made me feel better about being so tired - Baby Baker has been a busy bee, & is getting bigger & bigger all the time!

Here's what's happening this week...

Your Pregnancy: Week 27!! (www.parentsconnect.com)
The light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter for both you and your baby. With only 13 weeks left (give or take a couple of days), it's time to enjoy the ride because it's getting shorter. (This is the point on the roller coaster where you throw your arms in the air and wail like there's no tomorrow. Weeeee!)




Your Baby
Baby's lungs and immune system are maturing this week as baby prepares for his grand entrance. If he were born today he would have an 85 percent chance of surviving as his lungs are capable of breathing air (with medical assistance, of course). Other exciting developments:

Baby's done a lot of growing over the past few months. His length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks! And that's not the only thing growing—baby's brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace. His brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby. If baby is a he, his testes will have completely descended at this point.

Your baby now weighs in at approximately 14½ inches and just over 2 pounds, or about the size of that roast you made last time your in-laws were in town. (OK, the baby is the size of that roast you meant to cook before you decided that ordering Chinese was a much better idea.)




I go back to the doctor on Wednesday of this week for another check up. I don't think there is anything worth noting happening at this appointment, just checking to see that Baby Baker is still growing. I was told that after this appointment, I would start to go see him every 2 weeks (instead of 4) until we get closer to my due date (CRAZY!).
This week we are busy getting the house all decorated for Christmas & to welcome our families to town for a baby shower this weekend!! JD's sweet sister was nice enough to volunteer to host a shower for Baby Baker for all of our aunts, cousins, & grandmothers! Can't wait to see everybody on Saturday!!

Week 26 Update & THANKSgiving!!

Time for another weekly update on Baby Baker! Hope that everybody is ready to get their turkey on for Thanksgiving tomorrow!! I know that we sure are - We have *so much* to be thankful for in the 2011 year! We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in Mobile with the Baker / Modling families for the first time! I even baked some of JD's holiday favorites last night to kick off the season (I'll post on that later)! Lots going on over the next few days: Thanksgiving dinner celebration, family time, Christmas decorating, IRON BOWL, & we'll end our trip with a JD & the Man show at O'Daly's Saturday night! Hope all of our Mob-town readers will be able to make it out!

As far as Baby Baker is concerned, things are starting to feel a bit more uncomfortable as baby continues to grow & grow! Baby Baker continues to move & swing around a good bit - & his / her foot even found my ribcage in the last few days :) I'm starting to feel a bit more tired in the evenings than I have been, but I can't decide if that's from pregnancy or if it's due to the time change? I have another doctor appointment next week, so we'll see if Baby Baker is continuing to grow, grow, grow! It's hard to believe that in a few short weeks (MAX of 13!!) we will have a sweet little baby!

Here's this week's update...

Your Pregnancy: Week 26 (www.parentsconnect.com)


{YIKES!! Look how big that baby looks already!!}

Deep breath! Air sacks are developing in your baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because her eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. She can't understand what any of it means yet, but she's on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue's Clues in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Your bambino will also start to recognize your partner's voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of her stay in Hotel Womb. Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as your primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months).



Hope that everybody has a safe & happy Thanksgiving weekend!!

FUN in October!

Today marks the beginning of my favorite month of the year -- October!! I think it has always appealed to me as it feels the most like Autumn... September is still a bit hot & November gets swept away with dreams of the holiday season {and the Baker wedding anniversary, of course!} Plus, I am a sucker for all-things-Halloween :)

One local event that we try to make every year is the showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show at the great Alabama Theater the last Friday in October.


It is GREAT fun - everybody dresses up & there are a couple of costume contests (regular costumes & Rocky-inspired costumes). For the Alabama Theater adaptation, live actors do a reenactment of the film while it plays on the big screen behind them. Also, the audience brings "props" to throw during the showing of the film (if you aren't familiar, check it out here) Always a great time, we try not to miss this one!

While searching for this year's Rocky details, I found that during the third week in October, the Alabama Theater is showing classic scary movies every night for cheap! The list is pretty much what you'd expect: The Omen, Amityville Horror, Halloween, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead; however, I was most excited to see my all time FAVORITE scary movie, ROSEMARY'S BABY on the list this year!! You can bet that the Bakers will be in attendance for this one!!



Hope everybody has a great October!

Also, a quick shout-out to my dad on his birthday today!! Hope you're having a great time in Florida!! Love Lots.

Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays

Greetings! I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas with loved ones! We spend the holiday with the Bakers in Mobile. We got to town late Thursday evening & we immediately went to meet up with some of JD's friends from high shool: Jon, Brian, Stig, Sneul. It ended up being an early night after our waiter accidently spilled someone's drink all over me, my cell phone, & my new purse - lovely :(

The next morning we all were pretty lazy - we did get out to run a couple of last minute grocery store errands & had lunch at JD's favorite Mobile bbq joint, Saucy Q's (yummmm). Once we got back to the house, Pam & Katie started cooking / baking for that evening's family celebration. Katie made Nan's *famous* chocolate cake & the Bottega mac & cheese - both were excellent! I "helped" Johnny fry the oysters & chicken fingers (a family tradition)later that night. Luna & Benny were a big help too, especially when Johnny accidently dropped any batter :)

Every year on Christmas Eve, the Baker / Modling clan gets together for a dinner of fried oysters (with other assorted goods), followed by exchanging of presents with the extended family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins). Growing up in my family, we always waited & exchanged gifts on Christmas day, but it is nice to break it up & be able to be with lots of family during the holidays.

After the family left, we cleaned up the kitchen & got ready for Santa!! JD, Katie, & I always get to open one gift on Christmas Eve from Pam & Johnny - our Christmas pajamas!! This year there was a special surprise under the tree from Santa to all the pups (Wilson, Tanner, Sadie, Luna, & Benny - yes, we did Christmas with 5 dogs) - CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS!!! Here is a picture I got of JD with our pups in their new pajamas: (too precious)



Christmas Day was so nice & relaxing this year - usually JD & his band (Doubt of the Benefit) play a Christmas-Day-night show at Soul Kitchen, but this year they weren't able to do it as the drummer wasn't going to be in town. This was the first time in 6 years (since I started dating JD) that the guys didn't do the Christmas show & although we missed hearing them, it was so nice to be able to relax & enjoy the holiday & time with family. We spent most of the day tinkering with the new Christmas goods : Katie got GLEE kareoke for the Wii, I got a new CAMERA with a carrying case & tri-pod from the hubbs (someone was reading my blog, possibly?), & JD got a beer home-brewing kit!! I think JD was more excited about that than the rest of us put together - he can't wait to start brewing & have a party at the house for his first batch (um, it makes 5 gallons people - come thirsty!!)!



Here are a few more pictures from Christmas at the Bakers - I'm trying out the new camera, so they aren't too great...







Later that evening JD's friends Brian & Charles (in from NYC)came to visit & see the Bakers new house. We ended up going downtown with them to see some other folks & JD's friend Stig was DJ'ing at Boo Radley's. As you can imagine, this ended up being a later night than anticipated, but it was good to see old friends!

Sunday we loaded up the car & the pups & headed back to Birmingham. On the way home we reflected about the holiday (which we started celebrating a couple of weeks ago wiht the Goodroes) & thought about how belssed we are to have such a great network family & friends who love & support us in all we do.

We hope that everyone had a great Christmas holiday & we wish you the very best in 2011!!

{holiday treats}

last night I tried a new recipe for a fun holiday treat to share with the sweet girls at work, chocolate sugar cookies! They turned out pretty good, although I wish they were a little sweeter. The recipe is pretty basic, so it allows you to personalize it as you wish! I think I am going to try icing mine to add some holiday *happy* & to add some sweetness:

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES


2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
1 cup butter or margarine
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1 cup sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Refrigerate 15 min. or until dough is easy to handle.

HEAT oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets.

BAKE 8 to 10 min. or until centers are set. Cool on baking sheets 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

family.

just wanted to do a quick post to reflect on the great weekend we had with our families. It seems we never get to see them enough, so the holidays are such a treat to spend time together. JD & I are so blessed to have such a great family who provide lots of love & support in all that we do.

We hope that everybody is enjoying spending the holidays with loved ones too!

{holiday spirit}

Well, we FINALLY got all of the outdoor Christmas decorations up - just in time for Christmas... what do you guys think?


Ha ha - totally kidding :) We did, however, stumble across this *gem* while looking at holiday lights last weekend with Mom & Dad Goodroe. This picture doesn't even begin to do it justice - for those readers who live in Birmingham, try to find yourself over in the Crestline Village area & take a drive down Beech Road. You will NOT be disappointed!

And let me go ahead & say that I won't tolerate any witty remarks about how this is a "typical Auburn fan"... :)

Hope that everybody is ready for the holidays - JD & I kick off our family celebrations this weekend with the Goodroe family! Looking forward to spending more time with the family & having our usual traditional Christmas.

Safe travels for those of you who are going to be on the road / in the air!

Until next time,

peace & love.

the bakers.

Excited!

Just a short note today to say how EXCITED I am about the holidays!! Last night I got several presents wrapped & put under the tree, so in my mind it's officially the holidays! There's such a difference when you actually get presents under the tree!

I am also excited because the Goodroes are coming to town this weekend to visit!! Mom & Dad haven't ever seen our house decorated at Christmas {this will be our third Christmas on Daly Street}, so we decided it was high-time they made the trip over! I think we are going to check out the new outlet mall in Leeds {Shops at Grand River} & try to wrap up our holiday shopping. It blows my mind that we will actually start our gift exchanges with extended family NEXT WEEKEND!! Where have the holidays gone?!? I'm also hoping that we will be able to ride around & see some Christmas lights while Mom & Dad are in town. This was something that we always did when I was growing up in Snellville, & I think it's only appropriate that we do it now in Birmingham!

Wanted to also say what fun I had this past week with some good girlfriends - Wednesday night a few of us went to the Innovation Depot in downtown to make our own stockings!! When I say 'make your own stocking', I mean it. They provided the burlap & all the various fabrics, buttons, pins, yarn, thread, etc... but we actually assembled everything & sewed the stockings together.

I have to admit, I was a little overwhelmed when the sweet girl was explaining what we were going to be doing, but I quickly got over my nerves & just went for it. 2.5 hours later we all had stockings! Everybody's looked amazing - very unique & I thought reflected each personality very well. I named my stocking the "Raggedy Ann" stocking - I went with a patchwork-style design. It actually turned out better than I thought it would - take a look for yourself: {please excuse the clutter on the bookshelves...}




It ended up being the perfect holiday-inspired evening with good friends! I know that everybody stays so busy all year, and the holidays are no different, so it was really good to spend an evening just relaxing with friends.

I also wanted to share a recipe that I tried last weekend for the Baker's house warming party {which, by the way, was a TOTAL success!!} It's a recipe that I found on another blog, Plain Chicken, which my friend Natalie introduced me to... it's a recipe for Sausage Cheese Muffins, & I like to think of them as a really nice alternative to sausage balls {the muffins aren't nearly as greasy}:

Sausage & Cheese Muffins




1 lb. hot ground pork sausage
1 tsp onion powder
3 cups all-purpose baking mix
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used skim milk)

Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium to med-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Drain and cool.

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sausage, baking mix, and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together the soup and water; add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon until lightly greased mini muffin tins, filling to tops of cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

This recipe made about 36 mini muffins, so get ready to feed a crowd when you make them! Last weekend I made over 70 of them for the house-warming & they were all gone (needless to say, a crowd-pleaser!).


I think that's all for now - I'm going to continue my Christmas playlist on Pandora {hey, it's only the holidays once a year, right??}

Until next time...

peace & love.

the bakers.

The HOLIDAYS are Here!!

The Bakers are in full swing for the holiday season!! We kicked off the holiday season as we usually do with a trip to Social Circle, GA to spend Thanksgiving with the Goodroes! This is one of my favorite things to do because it gives us some much-needed time with my family who we don't get to see as often as we'd like. Also, I came to a realization this Thanksgiving - I may actually enjoy this holiday more than Christmas even... no gifts, or sales, or decorations - it's all about FAMILY & FRIENDS & spending time together with a great meal.
After another wonderful holiday meal, prepared mostly by my mom & dad {although I did have a few contributions!}, the family took advantage of some much-needed relaxation. It always surprises me how relaxed I can feel when I am back at "home" with my family. The next day, we cheered on the Auburn Tigers as they DEFEATED the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Iron Bowl! To me, this has never been the biggest game of the season; however, with an UNDEFEATED season on the line, it definitely adds to the excitement!
As we all know by now, the Tigers are headed to Glendale, AZ for the 2010 National Championship game in January!! I, for one, would LOVE to be in attendance, but I fear that I'll have to watch the game like so many other Auburn fans from the comfort of my own living room. Oh well, a girl can dream, can't she?!?
I was forced to wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving to start decorating for Christmas - I know this may come as a surprise to some readers as I have been blogging about my excitement to decorate / celebrate the holidays since August!! We decided to go with a live Christmas tree again this year, which I think is my new favorite holiday tradition for the Bakers. The excitement of sorting through the hundreds of beautiful trees to pick the *perfect* one for us has been so fun for us, & I look forward to continuing this tradition when we have a family some day.
This year, decorating proved to be an emotional time for us. JD & I both lost a Grandmother this year, & we found ourselves remembering fondly all of the holidays we were so lucky to have had with these special ladies. We had several new holiday decorations this year of items left to us from our sweet Grandmothers & we have a whole new appreciation for each piece. See JD's cousin, Lane's blog post about the beautiful Radko ornaments that were so loved by Gigi. Here is a picture I took with my phone of our completed Christmas tree - I hope to have some more pictures of our house all decorated posted soon, so stay tuned!



If you look carefully you can also see two of our sweet babies who wanted to be apart of the holiday photo :)

Until next time, I hope that everyone has a safe & very happy holiday!!

peace & love - the bakers.

the Bakers lately

Hi All - Hope everybody is doing well!! Can you believe it's already November?!? The holidays are right around the corner & I couldn't be happier :) I seriously had to resist the urge to pull the Christmas stuff out of storage on Monday night & start decorating... ha!

Just wanted to post about what the Bakers have been up to as of late... JD has been staying really busy playing with his bands, JD & the Man and Dangerous Cousin. I think that he has had at least one show a week for the last month & we hope that will continue through November / December! Recently he has played at Otey's, O'Dalys Pub, & this week he will be playing at Big Blue Bagel in Crestline and at Touchdowns in Auburn for HomeComing weekend {war eagle!}! He's also about half way through another school term!

This past weekend we went down to Mobile {first time since Memorial Day :(} to help JD's mom & dad move to their new house!! It's only a few short blocks from the apartment they've been renting the last few years, so still close to downtown. And - better yet - the new house is on the Mardi Gras parade route!! Who could ask for more? I'm bummed I have no pictures to share of the weekend, but my camera is on the fritz! While we were in Mobile we were able to have a little fun - JD & Sam played a show at our favorite bar, O'Dalys Pub. It was a pre-Halloween show, so everybody was in costume. Here is a picture of JD & Sam all dressed up before the show {they were Mormons}:



The coming weeks will be busy ones for the Bakers: next weekend we head to LAS VEGAS for the FLORY WEDDING!!!! {Me = overwhelmed with joy & excitement} Following that I head up to Nashville to celebrate my best friend's engagement party {yay for Katie + Nate}! Then the holiday rush officially begins! We are really looking forward to getting to spend some time at "home" with our families this holiday season.

To end this post, I want to give a quick shout out to my AUBURN TIGERS!!! 9-0 on the season!?! Each week it has been so fun to watch the Tigers come together to defeat the next opponent! We hope this trend continues through December 4 for the SEC Championship!! WAAAARRRRR EAGLE! HEY!!


***I AM A TERRIBLE MOMMY!!! I had intended to end this posting with a mention that our sweet kitty, Aja, came home on Halloween!! JD heard her meow'ing in the front yard & after a little hesitation she came close enough for him to snatch her up & bring her inside!! It was a very emotional reunion for us all & we are so happy that she is home & seems to be okay. She does have a couple of scratches on her head / face, so we are taking her to the vet on Friday just to make sure! WELCOME HOME KITTY!!! {thanks for the reminder, Tonya...I'm a flake}

Christmas in July...

...well, August.

I don't know what it is, but I've been thinking a lot about Christmas lately!! I find myself getting excited at the thought of cooler weather, crispness of the air, decorating the house, seeing family, giving gifts - I haven't LOVED our Christmas decorations since we moved in our house 3 years ago, so in my free time I have begun scouring the internet for decorating ideas! Here are a few things that caught my eye:










This week has been an especially busy one for the Bakers as we prepared for Supper Club this weekend! We are serving up a true old fashioned summer BBQ equipped with all the 'fixins: BBQ pulled-pork sandwiches, ribs, potato salad, slaw, baked beans, pickles, & banana pudding for dessert! I hope our guests bring an appetite because they sure won't leave hungry :) The biggest project we did this week was painting our patio furniture! We were able to get a great deal on a 5 piece Hampton Beach patio set at the of last summer. I was happy with what we got, but I always thought everything looked kind of drab out there - everything was in the same color family. This week we painted all 5 pieces black & it has made a HUGE difference - I am so happy with the results! I do not have a "before" picture, but here is a shot of it now (sorry for the bad quality, it's from my phone):



This time next week we will be getting ready to head to Rosemary Beach with my parents for a few days! We are so excited about this trip as I have not been able to take a vacation with my parents since high school! Dad found a great place for us to stay - it's much larger than the 4 of us need, but the owners' parents live in Social Circle where my parents live, so we were able to get a great deal! JD & I will only be there for a 4-day weekend, but Mom & Dad are going to stay the rest of the week; actually, my Dad's siblings & spouses are going to join them after we leave - what a great opportunity for the family to get together at such a relaxing venue! Here is the place we're staying:

Well, I think that is about it for now - before I go I want to say a few words... earlier this week, JD's sister Katie had to say goodbye to her kitty, Ginger. Ginger had been a part of Katie's life for over 14 years. She followed her from her high school home down in Mobile, to Tuscaloosa for college, to Birmingham, to Auburn, & back to Birmingham. They had shared a lot of special moments together. It is never easy to say goodbye to a pet, especially when you have the kind of connection that Katie & Ginger had. We will all miss her.

Until next time...

peace & love.