What a Hoot!

Me and my three year old girl

yay! when can we eat it mama?

Happy Birthday Mollie

Daddy and his three owls

pin the beak on the owl

Make a wish!

Tea? yes please.

Owl Trail mix!

Mollie with her "3" cookie

Inside the "owls nest"

Devry with her owl finger puppet!

owl sugar cookies which I made from a cookie cutter of a tulip,

half a peanut for the nose.

chocolatey owl cup cakes! candy corn nose and mini oreo eyes!

Mollie's owl cake!

Loved theses hair clips!

the girls enjoying their tea party and snacks

The cute invitation that Donia designed for me

Devry, Allie, Mollie, Brook, and Havynn

I'm a little behind so I'll try to fill in some gaps and just hit the highlights up until now! Well my little Mollie had a 3rd birthday!

I had so much fun putting this little party together. We decided on an Owl theme, I had seen some cute owl things I like to do things you can't find in Walmart so their more original and special.

We had an Owl cake, owl cupcakes, owl cookies, and even owl trail mix for take home treats!

My friend Donia helped all the way from Kentucky as she designed some adorable invites and goodie bag labels. I made a huge Owl from brown butcher paper and we played pin the beak on the owl! Her guest list included 3 and 4 yr. old girls so I got the little table set up for a tea party. They played ring around the rosie. Mattie was so helpful with the girls I really needed her! I learned that with these ages that I did everything with girls so I just ignored everything else and just entertained them. I had made some little owl puppets so they really liked it when I sat up little princess castle and they pretended it was their nest. I loved her party it was an hour and a half of fun. Seeing their faces as they played dress up and tea party made every bit of the staying up late so worth it. My other really awesome friend helped me out by finishing stitching around the little felt owl hair clips I made. Yes, I know I over did it, I picked way too many things to make, I looked on-line for ideas probably shouldn't have :) Anyway here are some pictures from her party!

Birthday weekend!

Matti's closet with a place for shoes on the right on shelves and
tubs for keep sakes and baby blankets

Brady and Mollie's beds just knowing that the clothes in the drawers

are in the right place and fit them, makes me smile.

We had a serious book problem... I am so tickled that

all the books have a home now and in one place!

Mattie's full size bed, it has been such a great change so far!

Mollie and her new quilt from Grammie!

When we arrived home Friday night from the Kurts house, we were pleasantly surprised by Papa and Grammie! They had stopped by on Tuesday on their way to Colorado to see the foliage and were suppose to be back through Hooker on Saturday! It was great the kids were so excited as I tried to finish up their bath, they were wanting to get out quick. After everyone was dried and half dressed for bed we visited in the living room for a while. Grammie gave Mollie a birthday quilt for her 3rd birthday coming up. She wrapped up in it and just sat in the floor beaming! Mattie was so glad to have her Grammie here since it means getting to sleep with Grammie over in the appartment (right next to our house, for guests) We were all finally off to bed after everyone had had a long day. Saturday brought an exciting day of work and play. Grammie always has special games to play with the kids, this time it was Bingo and Old Maid. I made omelets for Steve and waffles topped with fresh peaches for Papa and Brady. Then Grammie and I got busy with kids bedrooms, I had lot's of leftovers from the garage sale and Saturday is the day to take anything to the ministry on main street. We loaded up the pick-up and added more to it as she helped me organize my kids closets! It was very exciting!!! Soon we were taking down Mattie's twin bed to put a full size bed in because sometimes her and Mollie sleep toghether. Before I knew it Aunt Janelle or (Nanoo) as the kids call her, was in on the action and the men were all watching football while we organized and moved things around. I had two "Harland" women working with me, (sisters of eight kids) and they know how to get stuff done and I greatly welcomed the help as I felt overwhelmed with all my stuff from babies and moving and never going through stuff. We finally stopped for lunch Grammie made the birthday boy his request which is what he says they got on their birthdays, (their favorite meal) Fried Okra and cucumbers and tomatoes. We had everyone there so it was a great time to have cake and sing Happy Birthday to Daddy and we made Daddy blow out his candles and the kids gave hime their cards and shotgun shells (which I found whilst cleaning) and cologna. We are truly blessed with Grandparents and loving aunts and uncles on both sides of our family. One lesson I truly learned in all this is: "Less is more"

The Big One! Daddy's Birthday!

Mattie and Rachel

We love you Rachel!

On Dave and Shelley's front porch
they are so festive and grow their

own pumpkins every year!

We had been exciteted about Daddy's upcoming birthday for weeks, like in any house with little kids Daddy's birthday is a BIG deal! So ofcoarse I had all sorts of elaborate plans from a Dallas Cowboys football game which I scaled back to a college game like OU vs. Texas, which was scaled back to watching his nephew play in OKC with family there to surprise him, which was again not the best idea for us. You know God sometimes puts special people in our lives that help us and encourage us at times and for us those people are the Kurts. When our friend Shelley called and invited us to come to their homecoming to help cheer Rachel on as a homecoming queen candidate and said none of their family would be able to be there I kinda new right then, it was a sweet blessing from God. She had no idea it was Steve's birthday but I when I told her she was just as excited. No amount of money or great game is worth the value of friendship. We had a plan! Dave, being one of the kindest men that I know, had fixed a very nice and delicious supper for us. I brought a cake to share but we ended up just saving it since we were running out of time. Dave and Shelley are people you feel blessed from just being in their company. I love having a friend that is not in my stage of child raising but down the road a few years, she has a precious daughter in college and two in highschool and being able for her to see where I am and give me advice is priceless. Shelley is always positive and encouraging and confident in her christian walk. We all had a wonderul time. The kids loved getting to see the Hugoton Eagle mascot, they kept wanting to hug him again and again.

Going to get a load of sand!

Yesterday we took the kids to get some sand. They have an area in the back yard that is mostly dirt that Brady loves to play with his trucks. I grew up in Sterling, OKla. out in the country, and a couple of miles from our house my dad would load us all up in the blue chevy pick-up and go get a load of sand. I remember riding in the back of the pick-up on top of the sand was more fun than the sand itself! When my dad brought it back to the house he put a plastic tarp down so the grass couldn't grow in our sand pile and it entertained us for hours. This is one of the reasons I love my husband because he loves to find simple ways to entertain the kids and he is good at it. Whether it's showing them a river to wade in or a walk around a pond, or examining a horny-toad or a turtle. So when we decided we would go get a load of sand the excitement started, we would need buckets, a shovel, and of course water bottles since it was a pretty hot day. Thank goodness I grabbed my camera in time! We drive out of town and down a long country road where the road is pretty much pure soft sand. The kids usually have fun playing in the sand while Daddy starts filling buckets. I was so excited to see how they react to the adventure as we have done this nearly every year since Mattie was a baby. As I was helping Mollie get out of the truck she says, "I so escited!" After Steve dug an area for them to sit and cool their feet they immediatly went to playing. I walked around in the field a little just looking....endless blue skies, and as far as you could see just the wide open field. It was so peaceful.... to go somewhere, where you can see nothing but the outstretched land makes you breathe a little deeper and think about your relationship with God. It is so evident once your away from all the "things" in life what really matters most. Your love for God....and if he is pleased with you.

Daddy found a couple of strange tiny eggs while he dug and he wanted to save them to see if a turtle hatches??? So this could be interesting. From the loading up, the playing and digging to spreading the soft sand into a new place in our backyard I enjoyed every minute of it all! I know they will get a lot of good use from it and hopefully great memories from the whole experience.

Another Mile stone

I've been wondering why my six year old daughter is really drawing out this whole loose tooth thing? Then I started thinking well from the perspective of a six year old this is a big change in her life. When you loose something you've had for most of your little life. I've explained to her this is the normal progression of the way it's suppose to be, this is God giving you new and better teeth. BUT to her it was fear, it was a fear of the unknown, how will this hurt? how will I look? change. So I can't be too hard on her even though I've been pretty impatient with her hanging on to it and not trusting me? Well well, Rhonda isn't it always true that the most profound moments in my life are when I'm trying to convence my child of something and then Bam! the truth comes at me like an arrow, Rhonda~What your trying to get through to your daughter is somtimes how God feels trying to get through to me. Do you trust me? What fears do I hang on to? Do I keep my worries and concerns instead of trusting and believing. I didn't like the feeling that I couldn't look into my daughters eyes and she willingly trust me to know what was best for her and that I would not hurt her. I am going to try and be more intune with the things I am holding onto and TRUST my Heavenly Father to know me and believe he is trying to do what is best for me.

I am blessed to be a mother

With Steve taking Friday off we got to have lot's of time over the weekend to just get to be home and do things around the house that needed done! Sunday came and Mattie rushed into the kitchen as I have Mollie in my arms and says in her not so inside voice, "Happy Mother's Day Momma!!" then Mollie says in her Mollie voice, Ha y Moth s Day! and gives me a hug just modeling what she sees and hears perfectly. Later, Brady comes in and says, "Happy Santa Clause Day!!" like he really does remember there's some reason he woke up and remembered this day with excitement! We had a lovely couple from church over to enjoy our lunch! Steve and Rod grilled steaks for us as we prepared mashed potatos, spiniche salad and steemed asparagas! It was a delicious meal and great friends to enjoy it with. Later that evening after church we had sandwhiches and desserts to welcome the new preacher and his wife which are also our neighbors behind us. All in all the sticky hands, the diapers, the messy floors and the tears I feel so blessed that God has blessed me with the honor of being a mother, because mothers can change the world! I love my mother and all the Godly examples of mothers in my family and friends. Thank you.

Baird's first garden!

Well the weekend started earlier than usual for the Baird family! Thursday I had the entire house cleaned and neat so my eyes became focused on this dirt patch we have in the back yard. We had a swing set on it but I decided it needed to become what it was made for, a garden!! I had a plan! The kids looking at me, watching why is Mommy doing this and that and sometimes I forget and get so busy I forget to get out of my pajamas and into real clothes. First we picked up lots of dishes and toys and trucks! Then I along with a really strong neighbor I like to call Mother Teresa moved the swing set over to another part of the yard!I was determined to get the rotor tiller out and use it and impress Steve that I knew how to use it myself and that I was quite resourceful to have a garden!! Hauling the thing over to our back yard was enough to almost be enough of a job! But I was fiercely determined today!It's amazing what a women can do when she is determined and sets her mind to it! I know you know what I mean :) After doing everything I knew to do on how to start an object like this Mother Teresa came over gave it a few pulls and I was off! Steve had let me till a few rows in the past but he was there to guide me and take over when I needed. This time I was the only one in control so I better be smart and know what I was doing I mean I'm running a tiller with 3 children close by!!! They all watched and clapped every time I came down where they were and turned around. I had instructed them to sit on the step and not get off! I felt like a real women, I even kinda hummed some Shania in my head as I slowly moved along. I thought after a while it would be fine if the kids wanted to play in the freshly tilled cold soil, so I said you can get in. Then I motioned to Brady if he wanted he could walk behind me to feel the soft dirt. I love dirt, and mud! Mattie definitely gets her messy muddy ways from her momma! My mind drifts back to when I was a kid I remember clearly walking behind my dad while he used a tiller to make our garden, it's funny I didn't really know what he was doing at the time but I am so glad I have that memory of stepping into his big foot steps they were kinda hard for me to reach one to the next. I have been a parent for five years and have thrust myself into it quite quickly so I find I am always leaning on how my parents parented me and following in the deep imprints they left on my heart to help guide me. I am so thankful I have a clear place to know where to step.

As I tilled along I tried to remember all my garden memories. I remember me and Randy my older brother sneaking into the garden and hiding behind really big broccoli bushes and snapping them off and eating them. We weren't suppose to do that, but isn't that like kids sneaking to eat fresh vegetables??? We played hide-n-seek in the garden. We played in the sand for hours fixing our ranches and plowing our fields, Randy always had the best land and spread, but nobody really taught us how to do that we just did and we dreamed about our future homes together and now it's funny we are all working on our homes today but not in the sand.

Steve planted a dozen tomato plants and four pepper plants. He worked really hard on a fence to keep kids and small animals out. He built cages to provide support for the plants when they get bigger. This is going to be a fun project that our whole family will get to be a part of this summer. The kids are so excited to learn what we are planting and how we are going to do it! Now it is Monday and I've just planted two more rows of green beans and okra today I hope it comes up! As I planted today I used many references to the parable of the sower in the Bible it was so fun to have a hands on experience with them that related to God and his word, maybe as we go along something will stick with them!

Pioneer Days!
Another Pioneer Day has rolled around and it always takes me back to that first pioneer day that I went to with Steve. Meeting his Grandma Janie and meeting with family after the parade to got eat lunch together. Then later meeting Uncle Edward Lee at the rodeo.
How much things have changed.... it seems like every year we go back we have a new baby in toe. Every morning I scramble around trying to find a matching pair of boots for the kids to wear and maybe a cowboy hat. This time, I still have a little one but now my little one is 19 mo. old she is able to sit and clap and pick up a piece of candy here and there, so I am able to take in my surroundings a little more.
I never want to forget the way Brady points out every tractor and horse with excitement at the parade, or Mollie's face riding the little train with her big sister at the carnival. Mattie's wide eyed face as she comes down the big slide on the gunny sack, so proud that she did it herself!
Mattie and Brady bringing me rock after rock saying" here's another good skipper" as I attempted to skip them my best across the pond. Steve at all times having someone up on his shoulders, and loving every minute of it. It was a special day! We all had a ball and now the family sleeps while mommy tries to jot down some of these precious times.

Okay! Today was a great day. We were up and going today, dressed, and breakfast done and out the door by 8:40! Mollie absolutly loves to go on walks, anytime we are in the garage she just gets in her stroller and sits their content as can be!
Mattie and Brady were on their bikes! They have gotten to be quite the duo on their bikes. Brady is really getting brave and wants to ride everywhere we go and he is a determined little man! We walked to the park, the tennis courts, then to the new gym so the kids could ride down the big ramp they really had fun and thank goodness we didn't have any wrecks!
Mattie often repeats back commercials to me pretty well to let me know what I really need, it's either the aqua globes, the cool hangers, the hanging tomato plants or something! This morning it was "bump its" mama!! you really need that! I remember even last year she really wanted me to get that little purse that everything could fit into! She almost had it memorized, watch what all can fit into it! She was so serious and thoughtful it was funny! Uh Oh do I sense another gullible girl??

Another little tid bit...
Tonight as I was getting supper ready and the kids were up at the bar and we were waiting on Daddy to get home and listening to some singing cd's I told the kids "This is the song that was at mommy and daddy's wedding!!! But it was before you were even born! I continued messing around and singing and Brady bursts out not quite in tears yet and says "Why did you leave me ? Why did you leave me? I didn't want to be born" (just little bit mad!!!) I couldn't help but laugh and try to explain to him how he was our precious baby boy. I ended up going and getting apicture of when we were all in the hospital when Mollie was born, he's just not quite sure on how he was inside my tummy yet! I hope my grammar hasn't failed me too bad. I am probably not making any sense with the way I write. Hopefully I will get better and better at this! Love you all!

In the beginning.... okay today is the first day of my blog. My goal for this blog is for me to have my most precious memories written down so we can go back and laugh together and remember when. Also it is for people that I love and that love my family to enjoy or catch up on what is going on!