MORE CHRISTMAS DAY

My mom posing w/ a photo frame I made her.

Titan was more than excited that he got a huge container of his favorite peanut butter for Christmas!

CHRISTMAS DAY

Our new blue Christmas Tree; I missed having a tree in our front window so I picked this little one up at Hobby Lobby for $15. I already had the blue glass ornaments and then I made the "word" ornaments! Very simple and pretty! Our big family Christmas Tree is down the basement; it holds all the ornaments that the girls have made over the years and lots of other I've collected!

Allie got TEXT MESSAGING from Santa - she had to figure out the puzzle first though! Lindsey's big gift was the ipod touch which she loves and Rachel received Hannah Montana speakers for her new ipod nano which she is enjoying!
Allie gave Rachel some High School Musical TROY slippers!

Hollister gift cards and perfume made these two happy!

CHRISTMAS EVE

We spent a nice Christmas Eve with Rick's parents. We went to the Olive Garden for a yummy lunch and then headed back to our house for gift opening. As you can see, the girls all enjoyed that! We went to the 4:00pm service at Light of Christ and made a mental note to arrive much earlier next year; the place was packed w/ probably 400 people. It was a beautiful service complete w/ a candle lighting during Silent Night. Afterwards, Bob and Jan headed for home and we just relaxed in the basement watching Rick's new big screen TV. Lindsey requested Chinese for supper (kinda of a Christmas Eve tradition we started a few years ago). It was a fun and relaxing day spent w/ family!

SNOW MUCH FUN!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

It was good
it was different
it was happy
it was sad

IT'S THE DAY BEFORE THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

was one of my favorites songs growing up. We had the song on a Christmas record and I remember looking forward to playing that song every year on Dec. 23 cuz it really didn't make sense on any other day, right? I should try to google it and see what I find.

Feeling the excitement around the house today w/ the girls. And that makes me excited! So I will relax and simply try to enjoy the beauty of the wonderful Christmas and remember what it's really all about.

FEELING BETTER TODAY

got 3 rooms cleaned really good: Master bathroom, Master Bedroom, and the Laundry room, made 3 batches of cookies (well, do the pretzels w/ m&m's count?), took a nap, tried to take the girls to see Santa but wouldn't you know he needed a dinner break, had some awesome tacos for dinner. It always good to cross things off your to-do list!

Both Lindsey and Allie had outings tonight w/ their friends! I think they are all getting excited for Christmas and are definitely thrilled to be out of school for 2 weeks.

Plus I heard the Chicago area is scheduled to get some snow either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Now that would be awesome!

FEELING SAD

for Allie tonight. She didn't make the 7th grade girls basketball team. She had been looking forward to this all year. Plus she also tried out for and didn't make poms and cheerleading back in late October. I know she was disappointed although she tried not to act like it. I plan to get her something little tomorrow and will leave it on her bed with a note about how proud I am of her no matter team/squad she makes or doesn't make. I remember middle school; I also tried out and didn't make cheerleading and basketball so I guess I can feel her pain. You only want the best for your kids and when they are sad you are sad. Allie, please know how much I love you and how totally proud I am of you for just being you!

CHRISTMAS SEASON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ...

better this year but it isn't. Hoping to change that feeling in the next day or two (or else it might be a lost cause til next year).

A LITTLE UPDATE

Weekend before Thanksgiving:

We tied in a trip to visit Aunt Judy at Mayo Clinic w/ staying at the Wisconsin Dells. Thought it'd be something fun for the girls. They got to swim a little so I think they had fun. It was nice to Aunt Judy although when we left her she was feeling a little sick.

Weekend after Thanksgiving: Rick carried all the many Christmas boxes out of the storage room so we began decorating for Christmas. This photo was on our Christmas cards this year. It turned out good!

I MISS YOU TIGGER!

Feeling a little sad tonight because I'm missing my Tigger who we had put to sleep on Nov. 1. We had Tigger for 14 years (that's before Allie and Rachel were born). Missing you Tiggs!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Spent some time in the front yard yesterday cutting down some plants before the snow flies and this guy kept me company. He loves being out front and watching all that goes on.
Carved the pumpkins last night - always a fun (?) experience. They turned out great as usual!

Made 40 Dirt Cups this morning (35 for Rachel's class, 5 for home). I originally made Ghosts in the Graveyard for Allie's Halloween party last Friday and thought it'd be cute to make for Rachel's class party. Well, it was a lot of work so I probably wouldn't recommend it. I doubled the recipe and ran out before getting them all done. Thankfully a trip to Jewel saved the day and now they are all done. Now if I can just get them to school without dropping them all. Happy Halloween!

RACHEL IS DOUBLE DIGITS! HAPPY 10TH!!!

Here's a couple of bday photos from Rachel's 10th birthday. She was excited to get a Hannah Montana digital camera and a Husky Webkinz!





After attending 2 of Allie's soccer games, we went to see the Chicago Storm (indoor soccer team) play at the Sears Arena. It was a fun night and so awesome to see how professional indoor soccer operates. Very fast moving. The Storm won and after the game the girls waited in line for some player autographs. Rachel was SO excited that she got the goalie's autograph, maybe because he was so adorable??? Hope you had a happy 10th bday sweetie!

GHOSTS IN THE GRAVEYARDS !

Made this cute dessert for a Halloween party that Allie went to Friday night at her friend's house. Really easy: mix instant pudding mix w/ milk and cool whip and some crushed oreos. Put in frig for one hour. I found this cute little ghosts which I thought would be perfect so I added them, some decorated cookies and pumkpins. So easy and cute!

edited: easy and cute unless you are making 40 of them for Halloween party - see Oct. 31!

PUMPKIN PATCH FUN!

ALLIE'S CHORAL FESTIVAL

Allie was chosen to participate in the D300 Choral Festival. This was a pretty exciting thing since only a few students from each grade are chosen. The AMS students practiced after school for 3 weeks and then got together w/ the other D300 school for two group practices before the big event. The Choral Festival is always held at the Hemmens Theater in Elgin (I guess it seats more than the D300 auditoriums). The chorus sounded awesome. Way to go Allie - we are proud of you.

HOMECOMING PHOTOS

LINDSEY & STEVE - HOMECOMING

Lindsey and Steve, her boyfriend of almost 7 months. They looked so cute together.

PRESENTING MISS RACHEL

So proud of Miss Rachel today who, w/ no prompting from her parents, decided to donate 12 inches of her silky long brown hair to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is an organization who makes wigs for young cancer patients. Doesn't her new haircut look just adorable? So so proud of you Rachel. You're a good person and w/ a huge heart and I know some little girl will love your donation.

AWESOME SPIDER WEB

I looked outside this morning and found this awesome spider web on the hook next to the deck. I took a photo of it and on a whim sent it to the Channel 5 TV weather guy (Brant Miller) who airs viewer's photos during his weather segment at the 10pm news. Well, I got an email from him this afternoon and the photo is airing on the weather tonight and will be in the Chicago SunTimes Newspaper on Wednesday. Guess my my new camera and photography skills are paying off. Well, I won't receive any money just the honor!

HE ROCKS!

421 Career Touchdown passes - NEW NFL RECORD!

and he ain't bad looking either!

THE PACK IS BACK BABY!

Congrats to Brett Favre today for tying the NFL TD pass record today! So excited that the Packers have started their year off 3 and 0! YEAH!!!

WE LOVE SOCCER!

Another soccer filled weekend for the Bakewell family! On Saturday night we watched the Chicago Fire take on the New York Red Bulls in a very heated soccer match. The game ended in a 2-2 tie but was very exciting!

ALLIE - GOLDEN TEENAGER

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ALLIE BUD = WHO TURNED 13 TODAY ON THE 13TH. LOVE YOU SWEETIE!

COOL QUOTE!

“ Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it's the only thing ”
- Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)

HAPPY TIMES!

So happy for my cousin, Kathy, who got re-married this past weekend. Less than 2 years ago,

she tragicly lost her husband in a car accident. To be left a widow so young w/ two small children broke all our hearts. Well, I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason and fast forward to this past weekend, she found a great new person to share her life w/! Congrats to Brian and Kathy!

Here's some of cousins hanging out at the 55 Stafford Irish Inn Pub in Plymouth, WI where we had some cocktails and dinner before heading the wedding reception. The girls had a super fun time seeing their cousins (especially Robert).

No photos but Sunday was filled w/ opening games for soccer. Lindsey's and Rachel's teams both tied 1-1 and Allie's team lost 2-1.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL PHOTOS

Everyone had a great time day of school: Rachel was the first home and was smiling just like her before school photo. She's got lots of her friends in her class and they got to pick their own desks and cubbies. I think that made her day! Allie reported having a great day too - she also has friends in every class and at her lunch hour (really important when you're in middle school). Her locker is close to the gym and since she has PE last hour she's was thrilled w/ that! Lindsey went right to cheer practice after school so her mood when we picked her up wasn't quite as cheerful as the others. She did have a good day - a couple of friends w/ lockers close by. One teacher that she can't stand already (on the first day?). She found all her classes which was good - she was worried about that. How did I spend the day? Well, I cleaned, did laundry, washed the laundry room floor, worked on some soccer mom stuff - the normal stuff I do even when the girls are home. I must admit though that I did miss them (I always do when they first go back) and the house was SO quiet. I'll settle into my routine just like them!

ps: Forgot to take Lindsey's photo at home so we opted for a photo in the car on the way to school.