Tuesday, April 26, 2011

April Cont'd: Yo-Ho-Yo -Ho, A Carribean Life for us

Wait is that a Pirate Ship? Nope it just a bar/restaurant on a Private Island in the Bahamas called "Half Moon Cay" owned by Holland America

Reading and Relaxing
At the Pinnacle Restaurant; the best dinner of the Cruise with great friends
Chris, Nancy, Kristi and Brett in St. Martin
On the way to Orient Beach
In Grand Turk...Got a great "Virgin Pina Colada"
Sting Ray and Snorkeling Adventure
Marmalade Restaurant in Old San Juan
Kirk and something to do with Cannon"balls"

In a San Juan Fortress

Monday, April 25, 2011

Baker' Bashes and Big Beginnings of 2011...

In April...
Things winded down with Spring Break down at the Newport Coast Villas, Celebrating Gregs 17th Birthday, & Tiff came home to Nanny her younger bros so Dad and Mom can grab some R&R

Tiff took Greg to a Mumford & Sons concert in Santa Barbara for his 17th
Greg Loving his new board he got for his Bday while on Spring Break
Austin and Makenna on a trip to the San Diego Zoo.

San Diego Zoo gang; Myself, Grandma, Makenna, Austin, Brynn & Matt (who took the pic)
Some Spring Break Fun with the boys at Newport Coast

In March...
There was a Big Baker Bash!!! Josh got married...
...3-26-2011 in San Diego...
...to his Beautiful and Sweet Bride Caitlin...
(shhh...but I think he kinda married "UP" ;)


And Greg got his Eagle Scout Award
Proud Grandmas! And relieved parents, 2 down 1 to go!


In February Tiff & her friend Chelsea left for their 1 month Cambodian Humanitarian Mission
At Ophanage where she taught... ...served and loved these precious children that blessed her life...

...where she met and was touched by these life long friends, Seiha and Kunthy.

She took some time on the weekends enjoyed the beautiful historical sites
(here she is at AnkgorWat)


In January we had a RARE snowfall and it stuck!

backyard
front yard.

Then Tyler, my darling nephew left for his Mission. This was at his Farewell...
Tyler with his proud Pops, Brett
...and these are a bunch of his little cousins who came to see him off. (Austin is the cool dude with his arms folded)

Monday, January 3, 2011

Christmas, In a cabin far far away...

...well not too far. Just in Midway Utah, a charming town between Provo and Park City. We had our first "White Christmas" away from home. We had a splendid time. We had guest throughout the week. My Mom aka "Magums" OR Grandma. Matt, Brynn and Makenna (my brother and his fam) Holly and Roxanne (My Sister and Niece) Robin and Barry (My other sister and her hubby) Caitlin, our future daughter in law, and Jamie (Tiffs friend). Our activites included, skiing/snowboarding, snow shoeing, sledding, winter fly-fishing, playing board games, have "Just Dance" dance-offs, eating, wrapping gifts, opening gifts, baking, creating gingerbread houses, reading by the fire, decorating trees, a visit to Temple square to see the amazing lights, and snowball fights, that evolved to some typical seasonal family quarrels...Overall, it was a wonderful Success and we enjoyed everyone. Thanks Guys!
A view from the back of the cabin
Lights and Temple in SLC


Sledding!
"Just Dance" with Tiff, Jamie, and Austin
Yes...This crazy guy of ours fly fishes in the winter!
"Magums and Makenna"
Dorough Girls
Sledding at Soldier Hallow
The guys watching the Laker Game.
Holly and Mom, saying "CHEESE" before...
Being bombed with snowballs!



The FOUR stooges


Making Gingerbread houses
A Family effort decorating the "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree" for the Cabin.

And she said YES!! JOSH gets ENGAGED to Caitlin...

Right before Josh was supposed to come home for Thanksgiving break, he informed us that he wanted to propose to Caitlin sooner rather than later AND he wanted to do it in in California (since they are both from S.CA) NOT Utah. With 35 plus people coming over that week we had to act quickly. First thing was he needed was to get a ring. On Monday, with Aunt Leslie's connection at the jewelry mart in LA, Josh was able to find a beautiful ring that Caitlin had described. He he bought and paid for it that day. On Tues the cute couple headed to Temecula to visit Caitlin's family. She didn't know that Josh was secretly planning on having "Thee talk" with Caitlin's father. In the meantime that day, I drove back to LA to pick up the ring after it was sized and designed perfectly. I had to fight LA traffic so I convinced Austin to come with me so I could use the carpool lanes. After that little errand, the same night we met Kirk back at home and then got in the car and drove to Huntington Beach to meet and have a late dinner with Caitlin's family; they were wonderful! I also had the chance to pass off the ring to him. Weds evening before Thanksgiving, was the night he was supposed to "pop the question." After much discussion with Tiff, Aunt Leslie and myself, Josh decided to ask her on a private beach in Laguna, thanks to his friend that owns a home there. The plan was that on the way back from Temecula to our home, Josh planned to stop at the beach for a romantic stroll. Josh enlisted the help from Greg and Tiff. While he was heading to Laguna from Temecula, Tiff and Greg also headed to Laguna. They had to drive through LA Weds before Thanksgiving, traffic was a nightmare; BUT they endured. They arrived early to set up the Beach, with candles, roses and rose petal, Martinelles, Tiki torches, and a big sign below. Mission Accomplished!