Merry Christmas!!

Just wanted to wish everybody a Merry Christmas. I hope the holiday finds you and yours happy and healthy! May all be well and enjoy our family Christmas picture and Christopher's Santa shot this year.

At the Toastmaster yearly Christmas Party. 2009


Christopher and Santa 2009 (Christopher walked right up to Santa and climbed in his lap. He was so excited to see him, big smile on his face the second he saw him. He asked Santa for a turtle in a box... we'll just have to see how that got interpreted.)

A trip to Minnesota

At the beginning of last month we went on a car trip... driving from our home to the mid-west to visit with family and friends. This gave Adam the opportunity to go deer hunting with his dad, for Chris to meet many relatives he hadn't yet and for us to spend many many hours in the car.

It was actually quite fun, we stayed in Bozeman MT where I ate some of the best gluten free meals I've had out in a long time. Montana Ale Works, thank you so much for being an awesome place stop at. Christopher was great in the car, but he always has been and even got to sit forward facing for the last leg of the trip, which in itself made for a great ride... watching him react to all he could see had us laughing for hours.

We had an early Thanksgiving with Adam's family which was a great time. Adam's family is HUGE so even though a very small number of them were there it was still more than my ENTIRE family when we gather. Pretty crazy.

Christopher loved being outside, there was no snow yet so even though it was cold he was able to enjoy the weather. Leaves were the activity of choice on a couple of days.

Here he is helping Grandma Lee rake.

and here he is helping to "unrake" the pile.

Adam went hunting a few of the days we were in Minnesota. He did manage to put some venison in the freezer for which I'm grateful. I even got to go out and sit in the stand one evening for a bit. Nothing like sitting in a tree stand with a bow, but sitting in a little house with a heater isn't a bad way to go.

Here is the landscape Adam had to deal with. There is a deer in this picture, can you spot it?


Adam even got put to work taking down the satellite!

We spent our quite time in the evening sitting in the living room gabbing and listening to crazy Baldwin tales. Christopher would sometimes even sit quietly although most of the time he was running around like crazy trying to burn off some of his ample two year old energy.

Grandma read Christopher his bedtime story while grandpa sleeps soundly close by.


Christopher shows off his running form. This was a nightly ritual!

All in all it was a great trip. Adam's parents will be coming through in the spring and we'll make sure we get out and about around town, try to wear out the child and maybe taste some wine should be fun!!

Pumpkin Patch 2009

We've been busy here, running a business, being run by a 2 year old (yes the fun has begun) getting the homestead winter ready and tying up some loose ends. We can't wait for Halloween! Christopher has been practicing saying "Trick or Treat" and is excited to go out with his buddies Beckett and Grason to grab some candy.

We had another fun day at the pumpkin patch this year... and what a difference a year makes. Christopher was much more able to enjoy what the Pasco Country Mercantile at 2 and 1/2 than he was last year; hay maze, corn maze, tractor ride, pumpkin picking, bounce house, hay towers (these were fun) and petting zoo.

We ran around, tasted many yummy goods, bought some cider and fudge, Christopher fell into a couple of rotten pumpkins... stinky, very stinky, hah. Here are some pictures of the fun. Hope you all are enjoying fall as much as we are.

Climbing the tower of hay, as unaided as possible.


Sitting with daddy in the barn.


Smile!


Super fun tractor ride!! Don't you wish you were there.


Taking our bounty to the car.


The corn is so tall!!

We're off to the Fair!

We headed to the fairgrounds Ssaturday, bright and early at 9:00 a.m. in order to beat the heat. Our goals were simple; take Chris to see the animals, get some food, see some booths, and send the little guy down Big Pink. Adam was volunteering in the Elephant Ear booth the rotary club runs at noon so we had three hours which was plenty of time.

I'd forgotten how active the animals are earlier in the day during fair week we always seem to go in the evening and by then they are hot and tired. As we walked through the pig barn more than a couple of pigs were eager to check us out, sniffing and talking as we let Christopher take it all in. He got a little scared when one big snout touched his leg but was enjoying it otherwise. He pet quite a few bunnies, but was much more excited about the chickens. He kept saying we were at the circus. He had fun in Old McDonald's Barn and loved running on the hay barrels that surrounded the duck pond.

After the animals we went through the booths and non-living exhibits rather quickly. I even purchased my first duck ever. The next stop was funnel cake, Christopher's very fist taste of one. It was cute we pretty much had to tear it away from him. He found it very very tasty and was trying to finish it off by himself.

Then we headed over to Big Pink. Christopher loves slides so we had to get him on this one. Adam volunteered to go down with him. Chris loved it and was beaming by the time he got to the bottom of the slide. He even tried to walk back up it, silly boy. Next year we'll try to get him on more rides, he saw the strawberries and really wanted to get in one, however he's a bit short to get on most of them and we were pressed for time.

We meant to get turkey legs however they somehow were forgotten at the end of the day. Twitter saved us however. You see a friend of Adam's was still at the fair, we knew this because of her tweet and she graciously delivered turkey legs to the house, saving the day.

July... whooosh!!!!!

Well ladies and gentleman, July is almost gone and it feels like it just started. The Baldwin household has been a bustle this last month and barely have had time to breath. Here are some highlights:

Adam: Was asked to speak at Toorcamp at the beginning of the month. Getting things to a roaring start for him. Camping in the desert for a few nights left him dirty and a little worse for wear but he had a great time and made plenty of new contacts.

Adam is even now, as I type, driving down to Vegas with his business partner and friend Aaron and another friend to play at Defcon for the weekend. He goes every year (for the last few at least) and has a blast. They participate in the mystery challenge and really enjoy all the fun stuff that gets thrown at them, lock-picking, coding, social engineering and more, they thrive in it.

Rachel: I just got back from cheerleadership camp, doing my thing in Ellensburg the 18th through the 24th. I had 28 girls this week and had a lot of fun. It was hot, there was no AC, and I got pretty dang sick on the 22nd which I'm just now pretty much over. It's hard to be a "mommy" to that many girls when you're running a fever and can't keep your meals down, but I did it. Yay me. Now I'm dealing with allergies which are leaving me sleepy beyond comprehension. So, I'm napping every time the little guy does.

On Monday I started a three month chiropractic treatment that will hopefully restore the curve in my neck and halt the degeneration taking place (starting to fuse), correct the twist in my spine, and maybe (it would be a miracle but I still have hope) relieve some of my many other ailments. So for now it's three days a week in the Dr.'s office for treatment and daily stretches at home with lots and lots of water. I'll keep my progress posted.

I'm addicted to my Kindle, I'm now reading no less than three books a week and I don't see myself slowing down. It's just so easy to pick it up and start reading, and I have a endless library at my disposal. Definitely one of the best gifts Adam has ever given me.

Christopher: This little man is so great, he's growing well, talking and conversing and showing signs of just what an awesome little guy he's going to be. He has his days where I wonder just how I'm going to handle his very stubborn slightly OCD tendencies, but for the most part is just a normal, fun two year old. He laughs at all the appropriate times, like when you've discovered the grossest diaper ever is the one you get to change and when he's completely fooled you into thinking he's asleep in the back seat, a large boisterous "AH HAHAHAHAHA!!!" laugh usually accompanies these feats. I love that he thinks if he moves slow enough I can't see him being sneaky either, always makes me laugh.

He's going potty on the potty for me at least once a day now if not more, I lost a little ground being gone during camp but I'm sure we'll make it up again very quickly.

I love how conversational Christopher has gotten, he's such a smarty (most of the time not a smarty pants). He's also a little particular (we joke that he's OCD), everything has to be in it's place and he'll let you know if he doesn't like where you've moved it. If you ask him what color something is he'll tell you it's green and give you "the eye," even though he knows what color it really is. He's gonna be a handful.

The Animals: Dart managed to bore a pretty nice sized hole in our pocket when he got loose in our bedroom and decided to eat everything he could get his maw on. We discovered over the course of two (almost three weeks) that he had eaten, not chewed, just swallowed, four pairs of underwear out of my drawer, a pair of Christopher's knee high socks, and two or three hair ties. Ended up taking him to the vet as he tried to pass the last of it as he was getting very dehydrated and couldn't keep any meals down. The vet suggests a cage muzzle to prevent further incidences until he's gets the idea. At least he's not eating rocks anymore.

Happy 5th Anniversary Honey!!

Today my dear husband, we've been married 5 years. I remember that the cloudy morning of our wedding day cleared just before we got started, raining sunshine and a cool breeze on us while we stood on the beach, sand in our toes looking to our future as husband and wife. I found our vows and read them through, what a great reminder to love each other. I'm sorry you have to be away from home right now, just know I'm thinking of you and missing you.

Hands of the Bride and Groom

BRIDE
Rachel, please face Adam and hold his hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day as he promises to love you all the days of his life.

These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.

These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he too, feels his child stir within you.

These are the hands that look so large and strong, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.

These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family.

These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief wrack your mind.

These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.


GROOM
Adam, please hold Rachel's hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you.

These are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.

These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.

These are the hands that will massage tension from you neck and back in the evenings after you've both had a long hard day.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are grieving.

They are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope, each time she tells you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a new life.

These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish for can be realized.

My super awesome birthday!!

This last Monday, June 1st I headed up to my big sister's in Skagit County. You see she'd been working on a surprise birthday getaway for me as I'm turning 30 this year. All I knew was that we'd be going to Seattle and I'd need some good walking shoes, a swimsuit and a good book to read.

In my head I'd been flipping through all the possible things she could have planned: a day at the zoo, the food tour walk of Pike's Place, or just a nice relaxing couple of days hanging out by the pool enjoying the company of a good book and each other. How wrong I was.

Monday night when we got to her house after watching my very talented nephew play some basketball I got to open the big box waiting for me. I untied the string and pulled the bag away, out popped a big mickey mouse balloon... I didn't think much of it, I love Disney stuff so thought it was cute. Then I read the scroll she'd attached to it. Many heartfelt sentiments, the kind that bring tears to your eyes were written (I love my sister very much, she's my best friend) and the last line, "I decided we should celebrate your first magical 30 years at the Magic Kingdom!!!"

I was in shock and disbelief. No way would my sister surprise me with a trip to Disneyland, but sure enough she did. I haven't been since 2005 (which I know doesn't sound like long, but trust me it is) and didn't think I would be going for a while, you see my little man is a little bit short, he'll be six before he can get on most of the rides. I was so excited I couldn't even show it properly. Theresa you're the best sister a girl could have, thank you for the trip and the effort you put into it. I loved the shirts you made us too!! I will treasure this memory always.

Here are some pictures.

The reflection of the castle in the "moat" at night was gorgeous.

We decided to get our faces painted.


I'm celebrating!! I'm celebrating!!


Our last day. We were sad but had a great time!!!


Even Christopher got to share in the magic.

My family and I had a great dinner on the 10th. My mom always does such a great job and it really is all I need to warm my heart, getting to spend precious quality time with my family. We joked and giggled over a great gluten/dairy/pepper/tomato/citrus free dinner. I know, crazy right.

Adam took me out to Bonefish on the actual day of my birth and got me a Kindle with a cover for my gift. I'm very excited to get to using it. I love to read and this was the perfect thing to get me. Thanks honey!!

I also want to say thank you to all my loved ones, family and friends that touched base and said hello to me on my birthday. It meant a lot. Thank you so much.

I'll leave you with this for now and will post again soon. Love, Rachel

A quick visit.

On the weekend of the 24th I drove up to Skagit County. I had a quick planning meeting for leadership on the 25th (9-5) so I decided to drive up the day before and stay with my sister and her family. I don't get to see them nearly as often as I like so this was the perfect opportunity to do just that.

My nephew Landy turns 16 this July, my how the time flies. He LOVES sports and happens to be pretty darn good at them. I was fortunate enough to watch him play on the 24th, a double header. I got to see him bat, play outfield and pitch. I might have made a fool of myself while I screamed for his team, as I don't really watch sports so didn't know what to yell, especially for baseball, but I had a really good time.

Landy on the pitchers mound.

Landy up to bat.

I just happened to arrive at the same time as the tulips started to bloom. They are a little late this year due to the weather but beautiful and not quite in full swing yet. I took a few pictures, mostly from my moving car (I'm practically a local and have seen the tulips many many times, traffic is horrendous during the tulip festival.)

I had a good weekend with my family and can't wait to get up there again. Maybe next time I'll get pictures of the twins playing some sports.

The last couple of weeks.

The last couple of weeks have been busy, and stressful to say the least. We had a couple of birthday parties on Saturday the 20th. One for the neighbor's little girl and one for Olivia's "babies." It was great getting to see Olivia and her family, Amanda and Dom, and seeing Lisa and her kids was a pleasant surprise. That was a whirlwind day and by the end of it Christopher had a fever of 102. Which has only just yesterday decided go away. (Started writing this last week or the week before.... so the dates are off.) Still no new teeth.

My grandmother underwent a Carotid Endarterectomy which went well. She was home a couple of days and started feeling poorly, dizzy and tired. So off to the hospital she went and the last couple of weeks have been spent mostly having her and my grandfather in my thoughts as they went through the trials of major surgery and the ICU. We had a few touch and go nights. I won't put all the details here, but thank you to all of those who contacted me and asked after her. It meant a lot. She's at home now and will continue the process of recovery where she is loved and hopefully more comfortable that at the hospital.

Halloween is coming up, I'm really excited. While I want to throw a party, I just don't know if I can pull it off this year. With Adam not working for Symantec anymore, and the multitude of unforeseen things being thrown into my lap I just don't know if I'll have the energy. If I do have a party it will be on the 24th or 25th so tentatively pencil in those dates. I'll let you know in the next couple of days. It'll be a costume party, however I won't be such a stickler due to the late notice.

A little sprinkling of Christopher.

Today was pretty fun. Christopher slept in until 8 this morning, giving me of course a morning I would consider getting to sleep in. We did some dishes (dishwasher currently out of service so this was by hand,) folded some laundry and vacuumed. We had a wonderful lunch together of some pasta with sauteed tomatoes and garlic. The neighbor called and we took our kids to the park. Katie loves playing with Christopher and visa versa so it was a good time. Here are a couple of pictures.

From Christopher Michael

From Christopher Michael

From Christopher Michael

After the park we went to Fred Meyer to visit grandma. Christopher has chosen the terms amma for grandma and papa for grandpa. It's very cute and he actually asks for them now.

A couple of weeks ago I made Gluten Free onion rings. Very tasty. Adam and I decided to let Christopher have a go at one. He loved it, a messy meal but very worth it. Hope you enjoy the little update and the pictures.

From Christopher Michael

Adam is currently spending his last week away from home as a Symantec employee and we're very happy to have him home full time. The end of September is coming fast and we're excited and nervous to really get nGenuity going full swing and be done with Symantec (hopefully for good.) Keep us in your thoughts and send some positive vibes our way.

A little bit of Chris.

Tuesday we went to the fair. We met my parents there and listened to Chicago, they were pretty good and I'm sure Adam enjoyed the drum solo! We got there and went through the animal barns first, the pigs were being herded to the show ring so were walking right past Christopher, pretty much at his level... his little eyes were wide with wonder and I hardly got a word out of him he was taking so much in. He was pretty much in the same quiet, wide eyed state in the cow barn too, but once we got the the chickens and bunnies he was smiling and pointing... "Birdie, bunny!!" It was cute, he even got to have a bunny in his lap. He's very good at patting the fuzzy animals nicely as we practice with Kiro kitty at home. He was in heaven. Here's a picture of Adam and Chris at the concert.

Lately Chris has taken to running around the house with my baseball cap on. Usually backwards, but occasionally with it facing forward, completely covering his face. He of course can't see like this, but it's very fun for him and he giggles and runs (slowly, almost in place,) every time he does it. I thought I would share a goofy picture of him with my hat on. He likes to get very close to the camera right now for some reason.

This last photo is an interesting one. Christopher was being very quiet in the living room. I was washing dishes I think and so I decided to check on him. When I looked over the couch to see him sitting on the floor I discovered he was "hungry" and since mommy was taking to long to feed him he took it upon himself to have a snack.

That's right, he ate his nerf ball. I don't actually think he swallowed any, he was just biting the pieces off and setting them on the floor. By the way, that foamy stuff feels gross when it's all covered in slobber.

A health report.

Well, I went to the gastroenterologist on Monday and he scheduled me for a scope the next morning. Why did I go to the gastroenterologist you ask. For the past 5 months or so I've felt like I have a ball in my chest (not every day though, every 4-5 days) when I have this feeling my saliva would get very sticky and if you touched it it would do the mozzarella cheese thing (stringy) wierd, it would be hard to swallow and I wouldn't have any appetite... I dealt with it. Each episode would last about 12 hours, I'd be uncomfortable but could live with it. Well the last month or two it had become so uncomfortable I couldn't sleep through it anymore and dealing with this issue and hives was bringing me to the breaking point. So I went to see the gastroenterologist.

When you get a scope done, they give you some pretty heavy medication to sedate you during the process... meaning you can't drive home and you shouldn't use the kitchen or other potentially dangerous items and you most certainly should not be left to care for a very active 17 month old all alone. Adam, my hero... picked up an emergency flight home Monday night so he could watch the little mister and Suzy, bless her heart came and picked me up to take me for the procedure (at 7 in the morning) and drove me home. The Dr. found that I have candida esophagitis... aka a yeast infection in my esophagus. So I'm on meds for 2 weeks and it should hopefully clear up.

On a hive note: I have chronic idiopathic urticaria and so will just have to live with them until they decide to go away. I'm taking a tiny pill 3 times a day to keep the flare ups down. The medicine does not cure hives just helps make me comfortable. I have a couple of Dr.'s yet to see but my allergist is feeling very firm in her diagnosis. I'll let you know more when I do, however it will probably be very similar news.

On a side note. Please keep my grandmother in your thoughts, she's going in to have a completely blocked artery cleared out and we are all very worried about her. It would be much appreciated.

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving this year was pretty darn good. On the 22nd Adam, Christopher and I headed out to my sisters house. My parents came out too and we got to meet my sister's soon to be in-laws. It was a yummy traditional meal; turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, yams and pie!! I of course didn't get to eat with the rest of the family because Christopher has wonderful timing when it comes to meals and decided he was hungry.

On Saturday the 24th I hosted our family dinner. My first time hosting Thanksgiving and I had 14 people. Grandparents, both sisters and their families and my parental units of course. The turkey was great, very moist, herb roasted potatoes, green beans, yams, stuffing, pie... etc. Everything was wheat free and milk free. You would never have known, in fact many people eating didn't know. It's so nice to be able to not worry about being sick after a meal like that and have it turn out so great. Again, I didn't get to eat with the crowd, I was feeding the baby who's timing is impeccable. It was great to get so many family members in one place at one time. I'm making bread today so I can have a turkey sandwich... yummy!!!

The great part was that my mom kicked butt on the Wii. She was playing Mario Party mini games and rocking it. My dad even played with my nephews for a bit. I don't know if my grandparents played at all but they hung out up there for a while. I love that we have something that's so easy to use anybody can jump in and enjoy themselves. Definitely a good investment.

From Baldwin Blath...

Deer Hunting in Minnesota

I spent last week hunting with my dad (and only had to do minimal computer work). I haven't been deer hunting in Minnesota since 2001 and I had a great time. It was a full week of doing absolutely nothing. By the end of the week I even forgot what the date was.

My dad shot a 6 point (3 point for you crazy people who think that you should only count 1 side of the antlers) and I shot a 4 point.

Friday night I stayed with friends (Justin and Chris) and of course went out and had too much fun before I had to fly back home at 6:00 AM on Saturday. I had to literally kick Justin in the shoulder to get him up so I would be at the airport on time.