A few pics from our Christmas

Zac and Jacob helping make Christmas cookies…

Bruce’s parents came down on Christmas day from Virginia to visit for a few days. When they arrived, they shared a few gifts with us, but first we had a feast…

The surprise of the gifts was a special present for Bruce … HAIR!

Just about everybody wanted to be pictured with me having hair… again :)

Zachary is getting his domino's ready

Zac was planning on his gradparents upcoming visit at Christmas when he knew he would be playing domino's against his Papa.

Our Thanksgiving at the Mimi's Parents

Each day of our visit Jacob and Pawpaw would eat breakfast together - and every day it was oatmeal, good to the last drop.

As we prepared for the Thanksgiving feast, we found ourselves in a dilemma on how to open the bottles of wine... for there was no corkscrew in the house. Chris and Larry solved the problem by screwing a dry-wall screw into the cork. Then with Chris holding the bottle, Larry pulled out the screw with a vice-grip wrench. We do not have pics of the working out of this, but it was quite a hilarious sight to be seen.

Mimi was in charge of the bird this year and cooked it all night - it was incredibly moist and tender.

The dinner was enjoyed by all...

Larry and P smiling, as always, for the camera.

Bruce surrounded by his boys.

Continuous fun around the table.

Game Time. When we get together we always play lots of games: Yahtzee, Scrabble, Spades, Chess, Checkers, etc.

Here, Mimi and Nani show they are still friends after a grueling game of Scrabble.

Zac looks on as the women whoop up on the men in Spades. Girls won the tournament again!

Pawpaw is always a challenge to beat in Yahtzee. I think Coy is thinking about getting into the woods for a hunt.

The happiest couple that ever lived!

Whole Grain Sourdough Bread

Last Saturday Mimi and a friend took a class on making Artisan bread. The boys and I have been more than delighted with the results. It is awesome.

Zac attempts new hair styles...

As Zac's hair has been growing out, he likes to try new styles. Here is one he showed to us last week.

I'm not sure where he learned about the 50's look.

Jacob Playing Guitar

Our family enjoys worshiping the Lord especially in song. Today we captured Jacob playing his favorite song.

Psalm 150: 3-6 "Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipes. Praise Him on the sounding cymbals; praise Him with the resounding cymbals. Let everything that breathes praise Jehovah. Praise Jehovah!"

The Hunting Mom

Mom has just conveyed to the family that she wants to go hunting. Wa hooo!!!!!


"Sarah Palin's got nothing on me!" --- Mom

Two more bucks for the Bakers

Yesterday my Dad and I hunted together and each shot a deer. Dad shot a 5 point and I shot a 4 point. The freezer is now well stocked.

I hit my deer high and hit the spine which paralized it but did not kill it. So I had to cut its throat.

Shot a big buck!!!

This deer season I have been hunting on some friends land and just harvested the first deer for the season. This was not just any deer it was the biggest five point buck I have ever seen! Everybody that saw it thought that it should have more points for the size body it had.

I do all the gutting and meat processing myself.

Tennessee Trip

Several weeks ago we took a trip to visit our wonderful friends, Mark and Addie Rouse and their three children. They live in the great Smoky Mountains.






Our trip started out great, but took an unfortunate turn in Cherokee Valley. We were loading up on some very expensive gas for the last trek over the mountains when our car decided it didn't want to go anymore. Of course, it was Saturday afternoon and everything had just shut down for the weekend! A highlight to the unexpected venture was a ride in the car while being towed. How cool! Fortunately, Mark and Addie only lived an hour away and they struck out immediately to rescue us.







Mark, Coy, and Zac playing poker with rocks.

Bruce only thought his days with pigs and pancakes were over. Maddie and Suzanna cornered him for story time. He loved it of course.

I think Owen had the best time of all. He loved having the boys play with him and very much understood they were "of the same breed". Yes, snails and puppy dog tails!

Say awww. What a classic.

The Rouse Seniors live next door and have the most relaxing porch I have ever known. What a great place to spend an afternoon.

The Rouse Seniors had a bonfire one night complete with hotdogs, marshmellows, and guitars and praise songs. Some of the ranch kids and faculty joined us for the good time.

Miss Maddie playing house. What a doll she is!

Mimi and Addie at Cade's Cove.

We drove through Cade's Cove one evening in search of a bear. The men folk had seen the biggest black bear earlier in the week. I was so dissappointed to have missed it. We saw horses and deer, but no bear.

As Coy looks on this old mill in the cove, he is thinking how much simpler it is to use electricity to mill the grain. Progress isn't so bad after all.

Bruce and Mimi still romantic after 17 years.

Cade's Cove

Bambi, but no bear.

Horses, but no bear!

Wears Valley Ranch - where broken hearts are mended. It has ours, but for now the door is closed for us to work with this ministry.

Beautiful places and beautiful people - a great time had by all! No bear though.

Blacksmithing

I have been doing blacksmithing for the past year. I specialize in knives. In the picture above I am burning Zac's name into a sheath of his with a red hot piece of metal. Pretty cool huh.

Fire

Now that it is getting cooler we have been having fires in the evening. We have not been able to get Mom or Dad out yet, but we're still having fun