Friday, December 28, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
How Ironic
The 91st richest man in the United States, a roofing company billionaire, died after falling through his garage's roof, local authorities said Friday.
Ken Hendricks, 66, was checking on construction of the roof at his home Thursday night when he fell through, Rock County Sheriff's Department commander Troy Knudson said. He suffered massive head injuries, according to his company, ABC Supply Co.
Hendricks was pronounced dead at an Illinois hospital early Friday morning, Winnebago County coroner Sue Fiduccia said. An autopsy is planned for Friday.
Hendricks was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of his company, the self-described largest wholesale distributor of roofing in the U.S. The company does about $3 billion (euro2 billion) in business a year.
Hendricks had a net worth of $3.5 billion (euro2 billion) in September, according to Forbes magazine. That made him the 91st richest person in the U.S., according to the magazine's ranking of American billionaires.
But he seemed unfazed by his wealth.
"It doesn't make any difference to me; I can't spend it," Hendricks said in an interview with Inc.com in September 2006. "I'd have to sell the company, and I'll sell the company over my dead body."
Hendricks, the son of a roofer, worked side-by-side with his father growing up. A high school dropout, he started his own roofing business at age 21, according to his biography on ABC Supply's Web site.
Tired of having to deal with multiple suppliers scattered around the country, he and his wife, Diane, started a national supply distribution chain in 1982.
The company celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, with 6,000 employees in 390 locations nationwide.
"This is an enormous tragedy and a great loss to the family, associates and the community," ABC Supply said in a statement.
The couple had seven children, according to their biographies.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Eating and a Concert
Here are a couple of pictures of our kiddos eating lunch and watching Blue's Clues at Granna and Papaw's house! :)
Mary Lynn and I (and babies) went to Phenix City this weekend and had a great time! Friday night we went to see Jake Owen, Little Big Town, and Sugarland in concert. It was AWESOME! I recommend seeing them if they are ever near your town. Jennifer Nettles is very entertaining!!! They put on a terrific show. I'll leave you with a video of Sugarland singing at the CMA's this year.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Oops
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Check Up
Monday, December 10, 2007
What's in a Name?
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Friday, December 07, 2007
Soup-Tacular
BooMama is hosting a Soup-Tacular today. If you visit her site you can find links to everyone participating and get all kinds of recipes for soup. You can also participate. Go to her site and sign up (if you want) and then post a recipe (or recipes) on your site.
Here is my favorite Paula Deen recipe for soup and it is delicious!
Potato Soup with Shrimp
1/2 stick butter
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced about the same size as the onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups milk, whole, reduced fat (2 percent) or low fat (1 percent)
2 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot milk
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups salted water
1 pound medium shrimp
Crumbled bacon bits, for garnish
Grated sharp Cheddar, for garnish
In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter and saute the onion and carrots until both are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, milk, and dissolved bouillon cubes. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft and some of them have begun to dissolve into mush. Add the half-and-half, salt, and pepper.
In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp all at once and stir well. Watch the shrimp closely; as soon as they all turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the heat and drain. The shrimp should be slightly undercooked. When they are cool, peel them, and chop roughly into big chunks. Add the shrimp to the soup and stir well. Serve soup sprinkled with bacon bits and grated cheese. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.
Cook's Note: If you don't have access to shrimp, use corn.
Jamie's Note: I have never used shrimp or corn in this recipe and it's just fabulous!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Get this book!
Same Kind of Different as Me written by Ron Hall and Denver Moore is awesome! It is a true story written in first person. Ron and Denver are not authors, so it probably won't be the best written book you've ever read, BUT it is a story with Jesus all over it! I believe these two men, and the gutsy woman, are walking testimonies of the power of Christ living in us when we humble ourselves and are obedient to Him. I had no idea what the book was going to be about and I think that made it more exciting for me. That's why I'm not going to tell you anything else! :)
So, go now! Find the book! Or maybe ask for it for Christmas! After you read it, or if you have already, please leave us a comment about what you thought!
**Note**I'm sure you can find it at the library. If you go to Books-a-Million it's in the inspirational section and not the Christian section. (kinda sad, really!) Lifeway does not carry this book. (even sadder!) I ordered mine from Amazon for quite a bit cheaper than the stores have it for. Right now the book is only available in hardback, but it is soon to be out in paperback. There is also a movie in the works. I have 1 copy if you want to wait in line to borrow it. :) Just let me know! You may want to add this one to your personal library though! ****
Monday, December 03, 2007
The BCS is Broken
Cotton Bowl: Kansas (8) vs Ohio State (1)
Sugar Bowl: USC (7) vs LSU (2)
Orange Bowl: Missouri (6) vs Virginia Tech (3)
Gator Bowl: Georgia (5) vs Oklahoma (4)
Rose Bowl: Cotton vs Sugar Winners
Fiesta Bowl: Orange vs Gator Winners
True Championship: Rose vs Fiesta Winners
The regular season still counts because you have to do well enough to get into the top 8. The Bowls are still played and would generate even more attention because of the playoff system. For example, LSU and USC fans would be watching the Ohio State Kansas game much closer because that's who they might play in the Rose Bowl next week. With this system we'd get a true national chamption. Please NCAA, make it so!
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Internet fun!
Matt, Jamie, and Bryan dancing!!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Michael W. Smith
I received Michael W. Smith's new Christmas CD in the mail yesterday. I actually got a free one by being one of 150 to sign up on his label's website. All I had to do to receive this free CD was listen to the music while decorating for Christmas and write a short blog about it. So here it goes!
I turned on Michael's CD while unpacking all of our snowman stuff. Bryan started dancing immediately! :) The first song, Christmas Angels, is wonderful! The whole CD has a lot of orchestra music, which I love.
When we got married we received the cutest snowman cookie jar, tea pot, sugar and creamer dishes, salt and pepper shakers, and plates. I was excited to show these off to Bryan this year. As I pulled each of them out of the box he smiled so big!! He pointed to the snowman's buttons and nose. After getting each piece out, Matt went outside to put up lights. We've never put outside lights up before so we can't wait for it to get dark to see what they look like! :)
Bryan and I went and played in the grass while Matt slaved away. We propped the door open and let the Christmas music blare. I think my favorite song is Christmas Day. It's a duet with Mandisa and who doesn't love her?!?! All in all it's a great CD. One of Michael W's best, I think. Of course I love anyone's Christmas album! What is your favorite Christmas album of all time?
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Christmas with the Bakers!
Since we are unable to do Christmas cards this year (too expensive) we just had our blog design changed for the holidays :) Thank you Dawn for always doing a marvelous job! She has 4 custom pre-made designs if you'd like to spruce your blog up for the holidays. Just click here.
Can you even believe Thanksgiving is behind us and we are only 30 days until Christmas?!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Give Thanks
1 Chronicles 29:13--Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
Psalm 7:17--I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 100:4--Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 107:31--Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.
Psalm 118:29--Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18--Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Visit to Granna and PaPaw's
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Thursday, November 08, 2007
It's Paula Deen Y'all!
The evening started with a silent auction. There were 145 things to bid on. Lyndi won a 4-D Ultrasound valued at $350 for $50!!! That is a steal! Anyway, we had a wonderful dinner consisting of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, collard greens, butter beans, mac n cheese, and flat cornbread. It was DELICIOUS! (There's a lot of goodness under the cornbread too!)
Paula was there in all her glory! She is such a hoot. She spoke for about 15 minutes about her battle with agoraphobia years ago, and the hope that her friends and family gave her to pursue a dream. She related that with the women that come to GraceWay for help and how they find hope there. They then auctioned off a goodie basket of all of Paula's books, spices, and things. The biggest auction was a trip to Savannah along with 4 tickets to Paula's Party. That went for $3000 and her brother, Bubba, matched it! Too bad we're broke because I would have bid!! :)
Afterwards Lyndi and I waited in line for autographs. Not only did we get them, but we also got a picture with her! She's the best y'all! :)
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Whew! What a week!
Last Wednesday I woke up with a sore throat which lasted several days. Now the sore throat has turned into a cold. Bryan started having a runny nose Friday night and by Sunday he couldn't breathe. (poor guy!) I called his pediatrician Monday morning to get a prescription cold medicine since they've taken all the infant ones off the shelves. Well, the medicine they called in is making him fussy, but the worst part is that he REFUSES to go to sleep in his bed! Monday he did not nap AT ALL! That says a lot considering he usually naps twice a day. Yesterday he took a morning nap and fussed off and on from 10:00 until 7:30pm! Today I have finally gotten him down for his second nap, but not without a fight. I hate to leave him in there crying because he already has enough snot, but I've been losing my sanity and need some downtime!!! What I need is to get out! Thank goodness my sister-in-love is rescuing me tomorrow night. She is coming to town and has 2 tickets for us to go see PAULA DEEN!! I am SUPER excited! Of course I'll have pictures to post and hopefully get an autograph in one of my 4 cookbooks!! :)
On a whole other note, my sister's very good friend, Joni, got married Saturday. The wedding was beautiful and totally Christ centered. She and Chip are honeymooning in Hawaii right now. (Wouldn't that be wonderful?!?!) Here's a picture of ML and the beautiful bride.
More about the wedding to come!
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Sara Groves
If you've never heard her, this is a song off her album, All Right here called "Less Like Scars."
It's been a hard year • But I'm climbing out of the rubble • These lessons are hard • Healing changes are subtle • But every day it's... • Less like tearing more like building • Less like captive more like willing • Less like breakdown more like surrender • Less like haunting more like remember • And I feel you here • And you're picking up the pieces • Forever faithful • It seemed out of my hands a bad situation • But you are able • And in your hands the pain and hurt • look less like scars and more like character • • Less like a prison a prison more like my room • Less like a casket more like a womb • Less like dying more like transcending • Less like fear, less like an ending • • And I feel you here • And you're picking up the pieces • Forever faithful • It seemed out of my hands a bad situation • But you are able • And in your hands the pain and hurt • look less like scars • • Just a little while ago • I couldn't feel the power or the hope • I couldn't cope, I couldn't feel a thing • Just a little while back • I was desperate, broken, laid out • Hoping you would come • • And I need you • And I want you here • And I feel you... • • And I feel you here • And you're picking up the pieces • Forever faithful • It seemed out of my hands a bad situation • But you are able • And in your hands the pain and hurt • look less like scars • And in your hands the pain and hurt • look less like scars • And in your hands the pain and hurt • look less like scars • And more like character • •
Friday, November 02, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Excuse our mess...
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Family
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Our 200th Post!!
Click here!
(Lyndi is Matt's sister)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Pushing Daisies
Have you seen Pushing Daisies? I think it's one of the best new shows and definitely the most creative! If you haven't tuned in yet you should go to abc's website to at least watch the first episode so you know what's going on! If you like Tim Burton movies I believe you'd love this show. One of mine and Matt's favorite things is that the main character, Ned, owns a pie shop called the Pie Hole! :)
Ned was born with a strange "power." If someone (or something) dies he can touch it to make it come back to life. He then finds out if he touches that same someone again they will be forever dead. If he brings someone back to life he must touch them again to make sure they are dead within 1 minute or someone in close proximity must die. (sounds confusing, I know, but you just have to see for yourself! :) )
About the show (from ABC's website):
Grown up Ned puts his talent to good use by touching dead fruit and making it ripe with everlasting flavor. He opens a pie shop. But his gift leaves him wary of becoming close to anyone, as beautiful waitress Olive Snook finds out. His life as a pie maker gets more complicated when private investigator Emerson Cod finds out about Ned's secret. Emerson convinces the cash-strapped Ned to help him solve murder cases (and collect the hefty reward fees) by raising the dead and getting them to name their killers.
Then Ned is handed the case that changes his life forever. His childhood sweetheart, Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, is murdered on a cruise ship under strange circumstances. Her death brings him back to his hometown of Coeur d' Coeurs to bring Chuck back to life, albeit briefly, and solve the crime. But once reunited with Chuck, Ned can't bring himself to send her back. He helps her escape after her grieving aunts, Lily and Vivian (Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene), former synchronized swimmers Darling Mermaid Darlings, think they've buried her forever.
Chuck becomes the third partner in Ned and Emerson's PI enterprise, but she encourages them to use their skills for good, not just for profit. Ned is overjoyed to be reunited with Chuck, the only girl he's ever loved. Life would be perfect, except for one cruel twist -- if he ever touches her again, she'll go back to being dead, this time for good.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
14 Months
Bryan is 14 months old today! It's so crazy to think that this time last year he was only 2 months old!!! In honor of his 14 months of life here are 14 things about him:
1-He has 12 teeth!!
2-On Saturday he learned to kick a ball
3-He still takes 2 naps during the day! (Yay for me!!)
4-He sleeps 11 hours at night! (Yay for me again!!!)
5-He loves being outside now more than ever. He cries when we start to come in.
6-He wants to walk all the time and rarely crawls anymore
7-He loves his diaper being off and will try to take it off himself any chance he gets
8-He's "saying" lots of things and we think he might be saying dog
9-So far the church nursery is his least favorite place
10-He LOVES the bathtub and tries to eat the bubbles in his bubble baths
11-He has a new fondness for his blanket and is starting to carry it around the house
12-He aggravates Simba to death! (mainly trying to pull her ears...Ouch!)
13-He'll give you five if you ask
14-He likes to headbutt things: walls, windows, people (must get his hard head from his daddy)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Family, Friends, and Strangers
(This says we live in Atlanta, which of course we don't. I entered Georgia and it came up with that on it's own!)
Monday, October 08, 2007
First Meme
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car): Tanner Highlander (that's kinda funny!)
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie):
Moose Tracks Heath Bar (doesn't sound so great! haha)
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name): J-BAK
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Green Dog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, hospital where you were born): Rae Taylor
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first): Bakja
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The Pink Water (I know...whose favorite drink is water?!?!? Only me!)
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers): Forrest James
9. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ): Lana Ray
10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Acree Atlanta
11. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Autumn Tulip
12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”): Apple Pantsy
13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Cheerios Dogwood
14. YOUR ROCK STAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft + fave weather element + “Tour”): The Stamping Rain Tour
Please feel free to play along too.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Doe Doe Doe
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
About the Concert...finally!
A new bluegrass duo called Trees Leave opened with 3 songs. They were surprisingly good. One of the guys played the guitar SO fast you could hardly see his hand. The other was a great fiddle player.
Finally the Glory Revealed group came out. David Nasser and Mac Powell said a few words and then the "show" started. I hate to even call it a show because it was completely a worship service! They opened with "I'll Fly Away" and it was so awesome! I love a good hymn remix! :)
Altogether the group sang a few songs from the album and a few hymns and worship songs. Shane and Shane (one of my new favorite groups!) sang 2 of the songs off their new album Pages. They were awesome! ("We love you Jesus" and "Vision of You"--WOW!)
David Nasser spoke in the middle of worship time about how God reveals himself through His Word and what easy access we have to it if we'll just use it. He is also a very funny guy. He told us all how they would be on TBN the coming Friday. He said the people at TBN were so nice and wonderful...they just have bad wigs! :)
One of the last songs is my new favorite worship song. Candi-Pearson Shelton is one of THE BEST women vocalists I've ever heard. She sang "Mighty to Save" and as soon as she hit the chorus almost everyone's hands went up as we sang praises to our Lord Jesus! (I had NEVER heard the song before and was feeling left out! ha!) Anyway, here's a clip of "Mighty to Save." (INCREDIBLE!)
Friday, September 28, 2007
pharyngitis
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Glory Revealed
For the last few months I've been listening to the CD Glory Revealed. In case you haven't heard about it, the lyrics are scriptures. I heard Mac Powell (lead singer for Third Day) talking about this CD on the radio so I went out and bought it. It's awesome y'all! After buying the CD I started reading about the project by David Nasser. Here's what it's all about:
"It all kinda started with the Holy Spirit putting in my heart a passion to call a generation back to God's Word," says Evangelist David Nasser of the Glory Revealed project. Wanting to share his vision, Nasser enlisted the help of his good friend, Third Day's Mac Powell. When Nasser called Powell to tell him about a book he was writing, Powell was intrigued. So, the two decided to produce a collection of songs taken directly from scripture, also complimenting the messages Nasser was communicating through each chapter of his book.Matt and I have also been reading the Glory Revealed book. It's 20 days of how to help see and hear God in everyday situations.Using scripture was key for Powell and Nasser. A primary goal of the Glory Revealed project was to have people hear scripture in the songs and therefore make it part of the fabric of their lives. "What we really wanted from this album was have songs that people could listen to and enjoy, but also have lyrics you could memorize easily," Powell says.
Initially Powell was going to produce the album and leave the bulk of the songwriting to friends he and Nasser were recruiting. Shortly before they went in the studio, however, Powell felt a sudden rush of inspiration. “I wrote five songs in a matter of about two hours, which never happens," says Powell. " To me, it was very evident that the Lord was putting this together. It wasn’t me trying to do this on my own."
Powell and Nasser asked several friends to record the songs for the album. Glory Revealed was a labor of love for all of those involved. A deeply rooted sense of mission and unbridled passion runs through every track. "These songs are very powerful and they come from what we consider the greatest book of all time--something that for thousands of years has changed lives and has brought people hope and faith," says Powell.
Realizing that sometimes it’s easy to see God’s creation on a "starry night," Nasser also understands that "seeing the evidence of his existence isn’t enough." He wanted the book to help answer hard questions like, "How do I see God when I'm suffering from cancer or when my best friend betrays me?" Nasser used personal experiences, illustrations, and scriptural references to introduce readers to different ways in which God is constantly revealing himself. Reiterating the goal of the Glory Revealed project in his book, Nasser says, “…in no place has He revealed himself more powerfully than through the Word.”
I definitely haven't finished it within 20 days, but I only have 2 lessons left and am excited to finish.
I do not share all of this with you because I want you to buy the book and/or CD (which I'm sure you'd be encouraged by and grow from if you did) but to tell you that I'm planning on going to the Glory Revealed concert Tuesday night in LaGrange, GA!!!!! Matt has to work, so my parents and I, along with Bryan are going. I believe we will get to worship with Mac Powell, Candi Pearson-Shelton (AWESOME voice and sings for Passion), Josh Bates, Brian Littrell (heck yeah...a backstreet boy!), Mark Hall from Casting Crowns, and Shane and Shane.
(I'm not sure if everyone on the CD tours since many have their own tours, but I will definitely let you know!)
Do any of you have this CD or book? What do you think about it?
Saturday, September 22, 2007
6 years ago!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Bird Watching
Friday, September 14, 2007
Bryan Walking (and talking!)
12 months walking |
Another one to welcome to our world
This sweet boy is bringing lots of joy to lives who have been filled with sorrow this past week do to a very tragic death. We welcome you little man and say Congratulations to Daniel and Amy Lynn! :)
To see pictures click here.