Emmy's Baptism Day

We celebrated a big day for Emmy on January 18, 2014 - she was baptized a Mormon! It was a special day for Emmy and she had all her biggest supporters there to be a part of it. They'd never seen so many catholics in a Mormon church - whooping and cheering when she got dunked in the font! (I guess that is not the norm ;) Emmy has always been very spiritual and as we all know - a very special soul! She met a friend who is LDS and attended church with her and said "I've never met so many people like me in one place!" We are so happy for her and loved being a part of a really special day.

Getting to the church - the girls rushed out of the car to see their Em

Peas in a pod!

all of our relatives were there - on time even! Aunt Kim gives Francie a squeeze

One happy Em! And dressed beautifully modest of course ;)

Tiny and Gladys - who Maisie said looked "beautiful and not recognizing" all dressed up for Emmy's day. We didn't take any photos during the ceremony but it was a beautiful and very special service. New friends and the missionaries she met with spoke about her and then we went to a different room for the actual baptism in the font of water. The kids were all right in the front and watched her get a full body dunk backwards (followed by the cheering!) but Tiny was SO confused and for the rest of the 45 minutes back in the ceremony room she was yelling "Mem!? Wah-wah!?" (like WHAT just happened?! Emmy went in the water at church?!?!"

Kelly and Lauren after the ceremony pushing the girls in the basketball court - of course Mormon's have basketball courts in their churches?! (funny side note: Francie had been one of Emmy's biggest critiques about converting. The conversation one morning before school went like this:

Francie: "Emmy, why do you want to be a Mormon?"

Emmy: "Well Francie it's important to me and I feel like I belong in the church."

Francie: "Are you sure it's not just because you like hanging out with Stacy?"

Emmy: "Yes Francie I like Stacy but it's more about the church and community."

Francie: "But Emmy, You are a CATHOLIC." (deadpan straight staredown to Emmy.)

Mary - had to jump in: "Francie, it's ok we are welcoming to all religions and it's most important we all believe in God. Emmy can still come to our church too even if she is Mormon."

Francie: "Well. Ok. But... we have donuts at Catholic church." (haha good one France)

(and Emmy under her breath to me "Can I tell her we have a pretty Temple that looks like Disneyland!?"

and after chatting for awhile after the service we invited everyone back to our house to celebrate of course! I was pretty flattered when two of the Mormon boys came up to me as they were leaving and said "THIS was the best after party we've ever been to!" Family specialty.. mormon conversion "after parties" :)

Drew and Jerry

Tiny, probably looking for Em to ask her again about the "wah-wah"

Em and her buds - JP and Will Frimel (who she nanny's for in the afternoons!)

Awesome BFF Maddie who flew down from Gonzaga to surprise Emmy!

Andy and Mimi talking to Jefferson, who baptized Emmy

Em and Scar

I-don't-go-anywhere-without-my-red-boots-JJ

the sweet Missionary sisters who helped Emmy prepare for her baptism

James, Uncle Rich (Emmy's Dad - who's Mom was a Mormon and was happy to see her happy in part of her family's roots!) and Heff. (and YES our after party included alcohol since everyone is asking - Catholics are fully supportive as long as they have their celebration drinks too :)

SO proud and happy for you Em.

Lots of supporters - the best :)

and a quilt we made for Emmy with a collection of vintage and new laces and fabrics - everyone there that day choose a muslin heart and pinned it on the quilt to show their love.

These 8 kids are SO LUCKY to get to have Emmy in their lives everyday helping to take good care and be an example for them.

and the Baker girls too!

The big kids all gave a toast to Emmy - it was SO sweet and they each did an awesome job speaking in front of everyone! Francie had asked the night before to give a toast but said she might get too shy. She practiced though and said "Emmy- I am really happy for you that you are being a Mormon now. I know you made a good decision. Even though you are leaving our family church - the church that our WHOLE family goes to - I am still happy for you and I love you." (#catholicguilt?!) Francie was too shy to give that very direct little toast :) but the big guys said "a toast - to Emmy? I got this!"

What a handsome, polite, well-spoken guy!

Francie was in heaven with all the big girls

they all were!

Lots of Love for Emmy

Em and Jefferson

and a lot of ladies who love Emmy

We know Kaky (Emmy's Mom) was looking down from Heaven with a big smile and a kiss with her sisters

thoughtful gifts from the Baker girls!

these two :)

Yes we do

Mundy's Visit

Sunday the Mundy's came by for a lunch visit after their son's rugby practice in Palo Alto - and stayed through dinner! It was so fun to just catch up and relax while the kids played. We stayed at home and ordered pizza and then wandered downtown to play at 151, Red Racer and have dinner at Bumble. Their kids were SO sweet and they all got along really well - a treat for the parents!

Tiny looks thrilled to be at the bottom of that pile :)

The Ranch!

Finally after 5 years of looking at ranches and dreaming of someday having our own property - we bought a ranch and couldn't be more excited. We have high hopes to raise our own all-natural pasture raised cattle. And if I can talk Heff into it - maybe chickens and hogs :) It's going to be a lot of work and a slow process to get an operation going but it's a great starting point for us. The ranch has pasture lands for cattle and lots of wide open space and wilderness to raise some free range kids!

hi here cows

the pasture

the Barn

the view of Marble Mountain Wilderness from the base of the hills

Someday we might build a house on the hills, but for now we will camp out in an 1868 old Victorian on the property- it was built without a kitchen, bathrooms or central heat! But a little kitchen and bathroom have been added to the back and there is a stove for heat. It's simple old 8 bedroom and ONE bath house and could sure use some love. It will be an adventure!

and this is the foreman's house - it used to be a creamery and has 1 foot thick cement walls. Stays cool in summer I bet. guessing there is a 50/50 chance the realtors photo shopped this rainbow in :)

The ranch is in a town called Fort Jones, CA and 5 miles up the road is a supermarket, coffee shop & deli, bike shop and community center. 20 miles north is the city of Yreka (that has a WalMart :) and 6 miles to the south is the town of Etna - good restaurants and Etna Brewing Company. So it's not terribly remote but still off the grid. (but TG for high speed internet in Fort Jones due to a federal grant - and 4 bars cell reception! WooHoo!)

Maisie went with Heff for 3 nights a couple weeks ago and was a trooper going to all the district farm and county offices with Dad. Stayed in the fancy Etna Motel too :)

first time on the ranch that we could call it ours. Oversized jackets for xmas, hoping they grow into them :)

JJ might never want to leave

Bundled up - snow still on the hills

that's a happy husband opening the gate for the first time - my Rancher husband!

dry pasture - needs some rain

we met with the former owners and lots of local neighbors who couldn't be nicer people - learned lots of ranch history! The family who sold it to us were only the second owners since 1850 - or as they say the fourth owners - The Indians, The government, the Sharps and themselves!

JJ riding in the back seat of the family size four wheeler

high fives by the river. First time I'd been down all the way to the river to see it - I see lots of summer picnics here!

pretty happy, can you tell ? :)

throwing rocks in the water - never gets old

the family showed us the old cabin site up in the gulch. There are old tin cans and mining equipment from the gold rush days.

Tiny in the snow - it was chilly!

sunset on the ranch - can't wait for this adventure!

It's Moose!

We bit the bullet and got a DOG. Brian loves labs and we had a yellow lab and a jack russell when we got married - both who died when the girls were little. So it was time for a dog in the family as much as we tried to avoid it! Brian's Uncle John has had three great labs from a breeder in Chino, CA so we waited for one to be available and got an 8-week old little bundle of a chocolate lab named MOOSE. He's pretty mellow so far, but like a newborn baby - he might wake up soon!

Nashville Trip to Meet Baby Brennan!

I got to sneak away to Nashville for 3 days to visit my sister, Pat and meet sweet Baby Brennan Virginia! She was born December 2, 2013 and was two weeks old when I arrived. I got there Sunday night and my mom was there (had been for three weeks!) and we had a big job to move them into their brand new house the next morning! Poor Ann was sick in bed so we rallied to Target, got bins and boxes and tape and started packing up the house.

FULL POST HERE

Nashville Trip to Meet Baby Brennan!

I got to sneak away to Nashville for 3 days to visit my sister, Pat and meet sweet Baby Brennan Virginia! She was born December 2, 2013 and was two weeks old when I arrived. I got there Sunday night and my mom was there (had been for three weeks!) and we had a big job to move them into their brand new house the next morning! Poor Ann was sick in bed so we rallied to Target, got bins and boxes and tape and started packing up the house. I always like to have a project to do when I visit anyway - we kept busy and her new house looks amazing! Fun to be there and be a part of it all :)

Arrival - so excited to meet this bundle!

The new Makery signature swaddle blanket Jannie invented :)

we swung by their new house first to see if construction was done and ready to move in - just under the wire!

then time to PACK UP!

and maybe a few seconds to snuggle

I got Ann a Moby and was lucky to wrap Brennan up on my chest when the movers came the next morning - it's the BEST

Let's do this

Ann was a trooper moving, sick with a newborn!

Gorgeous new house!!

We unpacked ALLL day and had the kitchen and living room done and ready for cocktails and dinner by 6:00!

looking good

her sweet friends brought dinner over - yum

ahhhh - I texted Heff this picture at night and he said "you look happy. ps... don't get any ideas" :)

the next day we walked down to Burger Up for lunch out with the ladies

Congrats Ann - can't believe my baby sister is all grown up with a beautiful house and baby!