The Bayley Blatherings

Christmas 2011

2011-12-30T12:56:00.001-08:00

Super Lion!!

2011-12-16T13:21:00.001-08:00

Almost Christmas!!!!!!

2011-12-14T12:45:00.001-08:00

Since Thanksgiving we have been living a full life filled with friends, family and fun activities. Gingerbread houses, getting a Christmas tree, and Calah performing in the school play and orchestra concert!

Thanksgiving!

2011-12-01T16:41:00.001-08:00

We went to Spokane this year for thanksgiving and got to meet my new niece Alena! We had fun visiting with all the cousins too :)

pumpkin carving

2011-11-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

Calah designed the cat a won a prize at school for most creative!

fun at the farm

2011-11-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

Before Halloween we went with some friends to The Farm in Snohomish...it is becoming a tradition!

Halloween fun!

2011-11-02T12:51:00.001-07:00

friends from family camp

2011-09-27T16:11:00.000-07:00

How we miss you!

Summer flashbacks

2011-09-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few high lights from our camping trips this summer! Hurray for eastern Washington sun!

First day of school!

2011-09-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

It was a busy summer that flew by in seconds! Though a little sad, but more excited to see friends, the girls were up and ready at an early hour!

spring!!!!

2011-04-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

This spring has been full! In March we celebrated Charis' birthday and in April, Ellie's and Matt's. Calah will have her party this Saturday and is excited! In the middle of all the birthday celebrations we have had soccer, volleyball, AWANA, and various church activities to keep us going. Not to mention spending time with family and friends!

5th and 6th grade winter concert

2011-01-26T11:27:00.001-08:00

MLK solo

2011-01-15T14:48:00.000-08:00

This Friday at the school assembly for Martin Luther King, Calah got a solo! She did great and recovered nicely when the microphone was having some difficulties.

More Christmas program pictures

2010-12-21T14:24:00.001-08:00

Christmas program

2010-12-16T18:12:00.000-08:00

Calah played "Ode to Joy" and "Jingle Bell" on her violin. She practiced hard and it paid off!

Ellie recited Is. 9:6 all by herself and did great.

Charis sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Christmas Star" and "Away in a Manger". So sweet.

reminicing

2010-12-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

Looking back at the snow days! Lots of sledding, snow angels, and snow ball fights on our two days of no school!

Halloween

2010-11-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

This year Calah was a cat, Ellie was a rock star, and Charis was a ballerina. We all had fun at a neighbor's pre trick-0r-treating dinner eating yummy food,hanging out with friends, and then had fun getting TONS of candy!

more Spokane pics

2010-10-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

Ellie and Abby

Calah and Abby

Introducing....Taylor James

Indian summer

2010-10-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

so cute.....

The first weekend I went to Spokane with the girls....by myself! It was an adventure to say the least but well worth it. All three of my sisters were there with their kiddos, including meeting for the first time, Taylor James, who is sooooo cute! and it was in the mid 80's as an added bonus!

The Farm

2010-10-07T09:36:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to The Farm in Snohomish on a beautiful fall day. It was such a fun family day! They have pig races, duck races, hay maze, a corn maze that is 5 acres and in the shape of Washington state, train rides, putt putt golf, pumpkin patch, playgrounds, and a petting farm. We took our time and enjoyed it all.

soccer season

2010-09-29T12:12:00.000-07:00

Ellie has shown much improvement this year in soccer. She is becoming more aggressive and assertive. We are all proud!

First day of school!

2010-09-22T19:59:00.001-07:00

Yes, we are officially back in the blogging world again. I took a mini break due to all the complications with my OLD computer. Now that I have a NEW computer that is GREAT I am able to keep up with the blog. YEAH!

This picture was actually taken the second day of school since we forgot the camera the first day of school :) All three love their teachers, their classmates, and look forward to going to school each day! What a blessing!

Olympia field trip

2010-01-30T12:19:00.000-08:00

This week Matt chaperoned the fourth grade class to Olympia to visit the state capitol. Matt said the tour was really cool and he was glad he went.

Lots of catching up to do!

2010-01-20T19:34:00.000-08:00

Sorry all! It has been a long time since my last post. We have been busy with Christmas and New Years fun! Then followed by getting back into the school routine. Over break we did many fun things. The girls got their own library cards and checked out their own books. A high point of the break. We also made gingerbread men and decorated them for us and for Santa. Also their idea. We enjoyed going downtown with Matt's family for a production of the "Black Nativity". Lots of dancing and singing-very cool. Charis tried to follow along with the hand motions : ) On New Years Day we drove to Snoqualmie Pass and went sledding with friends. We all had a blast and I even got to do a bit of snowshoeing! With school back in session we are in full swing with basketball, more choir performances from both Calah and Ellie, and church ministries that we are involved in. Life is full and always fun.

Christmas Concert and Lights

2009-12-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

Calah had several speaking parts and said them loud and clear.

Ellie had been practicing the songs and knew the words well.

Even Charis got in on the action in "Away in a Manger".

The downtown carosel has become a family tradition.

Actually, it has become a neighborhood tradition as well!

Thanksgiving fun!

2009-12-02T11:22:00.001-08:00

Dana and James

Warming up by the fire.

Enjoying the firework show.

An indoor sleigh for fun!

Sisters

2009-11-22T20:06:00.001-08:00

Miss you guys in So Cal!

'MP' is for More Princesses

2009-11-07T13:35:00.001-08:00

'P' is for Princess

2009-11-07T08:59:00.001-08:00

Already missing this!

2009-11-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

friendship

2009-10-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

Calah was awarded the Super Lion of the Month in her class for friendship. There is a new girl in her class who is shy and doesn't speak English. Calah has included her at recess and lunchtime to help her make friends. What a heart of compassion! I am proud of her choices.

First Lost Tooth!

2009-10-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

Ellie has been wiggling her tooth like crazy for the past MONTH and it finally came out! She was so excited! She also wrote a letter to the Tooth fairy explaining that she wanted to keep her tooth to show her friends at school, and could she still get a dollar even if she didn't give it to her. Of course the Tooth fairy complied.

More about Calah :)

2009-10-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting facts you may or may not know about Calah!

She loves treats

likes to write stories and songs

her favorite color is green

her favorite subject is art
want to be an artist and a teacher when she grows up
loves the sunshine
want a puppy for Christmas
plays basketball
likes to read
wants to be a cheerleader for Halloween
favorite thing to do is play with friends
big helper to her little sisters
is organized
favorite dinner is spaghetti
favorite season is summer
is a daredevil
and loves to cook!

Preschool Heaven

2009-09-30T14:22:00.001-07:00

Charis is in preschool this year and is loving every moment. She is very pleased to be part of the "big girl' routine in the mornings. She puts on her coat and 'packpack' and waits with anticipation for school. This week she even took the bus for the first time and is sooooooooo excited to be on it!

super lion

2009-09-28T13:08:00.000-07:00

At Lynndale every month a student from each class room is awarded a Super Lion for excellence, good behavior, setting the example, ect. Ellie was excited to be the first super lion for her classroom this year!

Friends from afar

2009-09-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

This summer I got to spend some time with my friends from high school and college days. Amy has been in Africa serving African bible college in Malawi for 2 years and it has been even longer since I had last seen her! It was so good to catch up with her! What a blessing their friendship is.

SCHOOL!!!!!!

2009-09-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, summer days at the lake are officially over and school has begun! Both Calah and Ellie love school so much they both wished the school day lasted longer! Amazing. Charis will be starting preschool in a couple of weeks and can hardly wait!

Fourth of July recap

2009-07-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Our family tradition for the 4th of July weekend (or week) is to visit extended family on the San Juan Islands. We have built great memories there and look forward to the times to come. Some of our highlights include: boat outings, visits to the pool, listening to Grandpa perform at Roche Harbor, 4th of July parade, Time Benders concert, BBQ's, and this year the highlight was watching everyone take turns playing Guitar Hero. Yes, even me.

Wenatchee fun!

2009-06-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I am a sun-lover! So for my birthday I wanted to go to the land of hot and sunny. We love Leavenworth and Lincoln Rock state park and we extended our stay to incorporate both, giving us time to catch up with old friends who moved there. All of us had a great time and look forward to future visits!

rainy day fun

2009-06-24T18:18:00.001-07:00

Today the girls took matters into their own hands and decided to make jelly tarts from a kids cookbook they got last Christmas. They did everything on their own, including cleanup! They enjoyed this process very much and are planning on making other snacks for tomorrow.

playing catch up

2009-06-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

We have been busy wrapping up the school year, soccer season and birthdays for the spring and ready to move onto summer! Here are some pictures of what we have been up to.

Bayley Birthday Splash

2009-05-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

Instead of having individual birthday parties for the girls, we had one BIG party at the public pool. And big it was! Matt and I counted over 60 parents and kids! WOW! Needless to say, I am more than a little relieved the whole adventure is over. :)

A Mother's Day Song

2009-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

My cute little girls surprised me yesterday with hand-made gifts and a song that Calah and Ellie not only wrote, but then sang to me. Here is their song to me.

We love you
Mommy, Mommy, we love you so much that
we talk about you everyday and every night.
We should kiss you, we should hug you
because your the best mom ever!
We love you, yes we do (echo).
We love you!

This to me, this is the best song ever written!!!!

SPRING!!!!!!

2009-04-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

My computer has been out of commission lately so sorry for the delay in pictures!!! Here are some events that have been happening in our lives. Ellie turned SIX! We went to the children's museum, had pizza and angel cake. On her birthday she also had her first day of soccer and her jersey number is six :). Calah was a super lion at school for her patience, and we have all been enjoying the nice weather-including a trip to the zoo.

Happy Birthday Charis!!!!!!

2009-03-23T12:05:00.000-07:00

I still can't believe Charis is three!!!!! We had a fun day full of activity. She had a special afternoon with mommy at the mall. We went to Build-a-Bear where she picked out a pink unicorn that has pink shooting stars and pink sparkly fur. For clothes Charis chose a pink Disney princess T shirt and silver flip-flops. She was in pink sparkle heaven! Afterwards we went to the Sweet Factory and she got to pick out her own treat. I have experienced first hand the phrase,"like a kid in a candy shop". I will never forget the look on her face as she carefully put one of each candy out of the bin into her bag. That evening we had a special dinner with family at our favorite Mexican restaurant. For dessert-churros and flan! What a fun day! Happy birthday Charis! We love you!

Very Proud

2009-03-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

Third grade has been a big jump for both Calah and I. These past couple of months Calah has been working hard on her school project. Each student had to pick a biography to read and then, while dressed in character, be interviewed and answer the questions as if she was that person. Calah read,"By the Banks of Plum Creek", and dressed up like Laura Ingalls for her interview and did a great job! Way to go Calah, we are so proud.

Attention all LOST fans!

2009-03-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

DON'T WORRY!!! I WON'T GIVE ANYTHING AWAY!!!

Matt and I are big LOST fans. It is one of the few shows we can watch during the regular season because it fits in our schedule. All I have to say is, hmmmm. I'm STILL thinking about last nights episode!

Busy Bayleys!

2009-03-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since my last post and here are some reasons why!

Refinancing

Meeting up with old friends

Basketball

Fancy Valentines dinner with my Valentine

Teaching Sunday school

School projects

TRYING to stay healthy!

Birthday parties

Father Daughter dance

AWANA/date nights

Feeble attempts at potty training

It has been a fun month!!!! Looking forward to more times with family and friends :)

One week and counting...

2009-02-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

It has been one week since we moved Charis into a 'big girl' (toddler) bed and she has adjusted better than we could have dreamed! No fits, tears, or tantrums! She even stays in bed until we come and get her in the morning! Now how awesome is that! She is so proud of her bed, definitely on her way to being a big girl! Next up...potty training.

A rare sight to see!

2009-02-09T15:18:00.001-08:00

I can't remember the last time they all took a nap AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!! Ahhhhh-I can feel my sanity slowly coming back.

Just Because

2009-02-05T12:18:00.001-08:00

Not so funny story

2009-01-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

You know how you have those moments as a mom when the house is abnormally quiet and you know it can mean nothing but trouble? Well, yesterday I had such a moment. I was unloading the dishwasher and helping the older girls with their homework and all was peaceful-or so I thought. Suddenly I had a panic moment and called out 'Charis! Where are you?'. In the other room I heard a faint,'here mommy'. That was clue number one that something was up. As I turned the corner I saw Charis, standing in the middle of the living room, scissors in one hand and my down throw blanket in the other, and feathers as far as the eye can see. Can you guess what happened? Yup! The blankets had little cut holes all through out and Charis was digging her little chubby fingers in these holes to de-feather my throw blanket. Though Charis and I survived and have lived to see another day, my poor comfy down blanket did not.

January

2009-01-26T13:33:00.000-08:00

Life can go by in a blink of an eye!

Not Happy Bob!

2008-12-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

So they finally decided to sand our picture perfect sledding hill! Matt was infuriated, to say the least, as well as some of the other neighborhood dads!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2008-12-18T11:56:00.000-08:00

The Bayley family loves snow!

Hats

2008-12-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

I am the type of person that likes a good hat. While we were in the San Juans for Thanksgiving I found one that I LOVE!!!!!! Merry Christmas to me!

I'm Back!

2008-12-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

Life has been full and fun! Though the more full life is the less blogging/picture taking goes on! I will do my best to fill you in. Calah is playing basketball and loving it! Many of you know that I played basketball for a number of years and I really hope Calah sticks with it. Going to her games reminds me of high school, in a good way :). Also this year I made cinnamon ornaments for our ladies tea at church. Our house has been smelling festive for weeks! All of our girls are enjoying awana (reminding me of my childhood again), Charis especially loves being a 'Puggle' because now she gets to be included in the fun too! (Mom and Dad like having a free Monday date night!) Matt has been away and busy with various conferences and preparing/studying for sermons and seminary classes. Ellie has been working hard at school and missing her friends when school is canceled.

Halloween

2008-11-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

The girls had a great time on Halloween day! It was conference week so Ellie had no school and Calah had a half day. Calah was a bride, Ellie was Barbie Island Princess, and Charis made a very cute Barney. (You should hear her Barney impression-hilarious!) They all got dressed up, with make-up, and went trick-or-treating at the mall during the rainy afternoon. Had a quick pizza dinner and went out for more candy since the rain stopped. Unfourtunately I got the stomach yucks and spent the day in bed! Thankfuly Matt took over picture duty so I have these to share! (two days later Charis got the 'yucks'-that is what she calles it).

All Dressed Up!

2008-10-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Calah and Ellie have been so excited for months now to go to their first wedding! They wore their fancy Christmas dresses and curled up their hair. Both were especially good at the ceremony and didn't complain or be loud or anything. Angels! When Scott announced 'you may now kiss the bride' Calah said 'gross' and hid while Ellie perked up and said 'look mommy, kissing!' At the reception the girls met up with several of their church friends and played, ate, and danced to their hearts content. On the way home Ellie asked if they were now allowed to go to every wedding-We'll see.

Kindergarten Field Trip

2008-10-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

Today was Ellie's first fieldtrip and she was so excitied. She got to pet the goats, feed the pigs, lear how garden veggies grow, but the most exciting part was riding the school bus!

Word Wednesday

2008-09-24T15:17:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, this is a new thing for me. I usually post super cute pictures of my kids and friends, or a combo of each and call it good. The truth is, I'm really bad with words and writing them down. A while back when Carl taught his personality class at church, we took a "test' the first day and the results of that test then categorized you into your personality type. Well, turns out according to this test I do not have an expressive personality! Which I whole heartily agree with! ( I only 'scored' 2 points in this area). This made sense to me. This helped me understand why I had such a difficult time writing papers in school, or why I rarely cry, or mostly I just can't figure out what to say until the next day when I've thought it over. I really don't know how to express my thoughts or feelings. So entering this blog world with all you expressives has been a challenge and encouragement! I am learning a great deal!(Please only post positive comments, or you may never hear from me again!)

Random summer pictures

2008-09-14T18:37:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh summer. How I already miss you!

First Day of School

2008-09-08T18:18:00.001-07:00

The first week of school is almost complete! Ellie starts kindergarten this year and is very excited to have Reese with her. Calah was nervous but after the first day she got back ing the swing of things. Charis is enjoying having mom all to herself, plus the toys!

Camping at Lake Wenatchee

2008-09-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

I grew up going camping at Lake Wenatchee and I still love it! It was fun to squeeze in an extra get away and summer sun before school and fall began! We had so much fun hanging out at the campground, taking day trips to Lincoln Rock and Levenworth, and meeting up with friends!

summer blast!

2008-08-19T22:02:00.001-07:00

Not a day went by that we weren't by some sort of swimming area! We all loved our vacations and are glad for the lasting memories they had. First we spent some time in Spokane with family (and some friends) enjoying the HOT weather. Then Matt and I spent a few days at the Coeur de Alene resort for our ten year anniversary! We had a blast! Going swimming, to amusement parks, going out to eat, listening to live music and just being together without kids! Thank you Mom and Dad!

A 'Dark Knight' laugh

2008-08-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

I love action movies! They are my absolute favorite!

Wishing for some sun!

2008-07-29T13:32:00.001-07:00

More summer fun in the San Juan Islands!

2008-07-18T20:38:00.001-07:00

summer vacation!

2008-06-30T22:13:00.000-07:00

Our first trip of the summer was a blast! We loved spending time with family and friends and miss them much! Little Abby is so cute and the girls can't stop talking about her. These pictures are a few highlights.

Cake recipe corrections

2008-06-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

It was brought to my attention that there were a couple of errors with my chocolate frosting recipe. There is 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and a pinch of salt that were both accidentally left out. I updated the recipe blog as well. Thanks for being understanding!

End of the school year!

2008-06-17T19:52:00.001-07:00

Ellie strikes a pose- as usual!

Not only is tomorrow the last day of school but saturday was the last softball game. We are all looking forward to the summer with mini vacations and warm days!

Friends Friday

2008-06-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

Let them eat cake!

2008-06-11T21:18:00.001-07:00

By popular demand here is the yummy cake recipe from Amber's baby shower. Happy baking!

Chocolate cake

2c. flour
1tsp. salt
1tsp. baking powder
2tsp. baking soda
3/4c. unsweetened cocoa
2c. sugar
1c. vegetable oil
1c. hot coffee (it sounds weird, but it doesn't make the cake taste like coffee and makes it very MOIST)
1c. milk
2 eggs
1tsp. vanilla

Sift together all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, coffee, and milk; mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 more minutes. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9 inch cake pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool cake in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert and flip upright. Frost when cake is COMPLETELY cool, about 2 hours. (Other wise the frosting will melt and slide off!)

Chocolate frosting

20 Tbsp. (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 c. confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)
Pinch salt
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 ounces chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

In food processor, process butter, sugar,cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined,5 to 10 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl, them add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Frosting can used immediately or in advance. Let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using if refrigerated.

*Amy's helpful hints
I like to use the Crisco non-stick spray with flour. It's super easy and not messy at all! Instead of using a sifter, place your dry ingredients in your mixing bowl and mix on lowest setting until combined. Also I tend to set my timer fpr a shorter time (22 min.) and check the cake with a toothpick. You want to have a few wet crumbs on it, a clean toothpick means the cake will be too dry.

With the frosting you can use ANY kind of chocolate-milk, dark, semi-sweet. I also thought of using mint extract or espresso chocolate for fun.

Market Day

2008-06-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I realize it has been a while since I've updated! I feel like time (and my camera) is getting away from me! Calah had Market Day at school and parents and siblings were invited to join the fun! Calah made silly putty as her item to sell and it went fast! Ellie and Charis enjoyed 'buying' from the market stores as well:)

Ellie's dance class

2008-05-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

Ellie had her final dance class and recital this Monday. Calah and Charis were anxious to get in on the action!

Sprinkler Fun!

2008-05-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

The sun is here at last! Here is a glimps of what is yet to come! I can't wait. Warm sunshine is one of my most favorite things. Hope you all had a fun -filled sunny day.

LASIK update

2008-05-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all for your prayers in regards to my recent surgery! All is well and I can already see 20/20! It is so weird to wake up and actually be able to see things. When I was a kid (I've been wearing glasses since the 3rd grade) I used to dream that in heaven I would be able to see with out wearing glasses. So I guess you could say LASIK is a dream come true!

The four things about me that you may or may not have known.

2008-05-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

Four jobs I have had in my life:
lifeguard at a water slide park
preschool teacher
barista (at many locations!)
bank teller

Four places I have lived
Spokane (south hill)
Seattle U-district
Bellingham (Fairhaven)
Portland (near Beaverton)

Four TV shows I watch:
House
The Office
Lost
Heroes

Four places I have been:
Mazatlan, Mexico
Hawaii (Oahu)
Chicago (the furthest east I've been)
Princess Louisiana Inlet, BC (you can only get there by boat)

Four blogs you read regularly:
Anyone who has updated that day...

Four favorite foods:
Thai food
fresh lime margarita
Caesar salad with extra lemon
salmon prepared any and all ways

Four places I would rather be:
any place warm and sunny
my moms house
gardening
going out with friends kid free!

Friends I think will respond:
Everyone else already has!

Things I look forward to next year:
seeing my sissy and meeting my niece for the first time!
SUMMER!!!!!!
camping
10 year anniversary

Now if you read this you have been tagged!!! Now it is your turn!

Friends Friday

2008-05-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Eight is Great!

2008-04-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

Wow! Eight years old. Calah had the best birthday ever! (Her words.) I asked her what made it the best and here are her reasons. Her second grade class went on a field trip to the Museum of Flight, and Matt was a chaperone. He named his group "team strike force". They all thought it was the coolest thing ever. After school we ( just momma and Calah) went to build a bear where Calah made a bunny, dressed it in a pink and glittery silver outfit that says 'Girls Rule', and named her Pola. Later we made a birthday dessert from her kids cook book and opened presents. Dinner of her choice was cheesy pizza. Good thing she had softball practice to run all her sugar energy out!

Calahs first softball game

2008-04-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

It was such a nice and sunny day for the first game. Calah was so excited and nervous. Here are some pictures in action and Ellie and Charis were into it too!

Ellie turns 5!!!!!!

2008-04-11T19:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! Where did those five years go!!! They flashed by in a blink of an eye. Today Ellie went to Build-A-Bear to create her own stuffed animal. She chose a bunny and named her Snow White. Later we celebrated her birthday with dinner of her choice-Hot dogs and strawberry cake:)

My top Five ?????

2008-04-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

1. 5 things I couldn't live without under $5.
coffee
mascara
lipgloss(since its a $5 dollar limit I guess wet and wild will do)
dessert!!!
sunshine

2. 5 favorite movies
A Lot Like Love
Star Wars ( the originals)
Emma
Lord of the Rings Trilogy (they are essentially one story)
Anne of Green Gables

3. Baby name you love but won't use.
Josiah
Avery
Elijah
Josephine
Isabelle

4. 5 songs you could listen to over and over again.
Barney theme song
Fruit Salad (Yummy,yummy)
HSM2
The Sound of Silence (litraly,it's a rare commodity in my house!)
(I'm just kidding, I don't really have a bunch of favorite songs that I could listen to over
and over again)!

5. People who influenced your life in a positive way.
Jesus
Matt
Chris Muller (teaching pastor at the church I first became a Christian at)
Tierre Pieper (mentor in high school)
Chris Kopp (mentor in college)

6. 5 things that stay in your purse at all times.
lipgloss
Kleneex
cell phone
library card (I'm an under cover nerd)
tampon (a girl must always be prepared for the worst!)

7. 5 moments that you knew would change your life forever.
Becoming a christian
Going to the UW for college
Getting married
Becoming a mom
Matt accepting a pastors position at Grace

8. Obsessions you have right now
Researching LASIK eye correction
Gardening ( more like weed patrol)
House ( our new favorite TV series)
My new book called ' With All Their Heart'
My new computer!!!!

9. 5 places you would like to go.
Any tropical beach
Disenyland with the kids
Europe-Austria especially!!!
New Zealand to walk the long, dark path of Mordor
Lake Chelan (I've never been!)

10. 5 people I would like to see their top 5
Beth
Matt
Pam
Cory
Wheezie

A day at the zoo

2008-04-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa came for an overnight visit and started our spring break with a bang. It was a sunny day and the zoo was not as crowded as I had expected it to be. The bears was by far the best exhibit! They were swimming in the water and wrestling each other. Charis was mezmorized and Ellie made a new friend!

Easter fun!

2008-03-24T13:50:00.001-07:00

We had lots of fun this Easter. My parents came for a visit and got to join us in dying eggs! Charis also got the best birthday present ever! A mega bubble blowing machine! It was everyones favorite.

Charis turns 2!!!!

2008-03-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

It's as her bib says....... drama queen! Happy birthday Charis! We love you!

Siblings at practice

2008-03-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

Ellie played mermaid on the playground and picked dandylions, which are her favorite flowers since she doesn't have to ask to pick them!

Charis insists on wearing her bumblebee halloween jacket to Calah's first softball practice. That girl has a mind of her own!

Ellie's gymnastics class

2008-03-13T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ellie was in a gymnastics class this winter and had a great time. It was one of her favorite Christmas presents!

Posing for the camera, as usual.

Showing off her limber moves!

2008-03-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Calah,Ellie, and Charis looking cute at bedtime.

Charis is infamous for thaking off her pjs in the middle of the night and then waking up freezing cold! Therefore we have to tape her up before bed time!

More fun winter pictures!

2008-03-11T14:20:00.001-07:00

Ellie's gigantic eyes!

Calah is contentedly waiting in line for the

merry-go-round.

snowy days

2008-03-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

I am updating our blog finally! I decided to start with some pictures from the beginning of this year and work my way slowly to be up to date. We had a few snowy days in January so the girls wanted to play and go sledding with some neighbors. Charis had a blast and loves sledding as well.

We have entered the 21st Century!

2007-12-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

So, we have officially entered the 21st C and have started a blog. So, the first message we will post will be our Christmas letter and see if this works. If it does, look out world, here comes the Bayley Blatherings!

Dear Friends and Family-

Hard to believe that we have come to the end of another year! Time really seems to have flown these last few years, more than in years past. Maybe that is just a sign of getting old or something.

The kids are doing great. Calah (our oldest) is now 7 years old and in the 2nd grade. Unbelievable! She loves to read books, recess at school (complete with friends and “chasing the boys” yikes!), making up and writing her own stories, drawing, playing “kung-fu” with dad and bossing her younger sisters around. It is a joy to see that she is starting to ask good, thoughtful questions about Jesus, God, heaven, and the bible. Eliana (our middle) is 4 years old and in preschool. She can’t wait to play dress-up or Polly Pockets, be a fairy princess, groove to daddy’s dance music, rough-house with daddy and her sisters, or tell us another creative story that she makes up on the fly. Charis (our youngest) is now about 20 months old and cute as a bug. Her personality is starting to emerge and she is a ham, goofball, loves to be the center of attention, and will let you know her displeasure if all eyes are not on her J. She is definitely our little “diva”!

Amy is doing great. She is definitely at the phase of life where kids take up most of her time. I have the kids for a few hours and I can barely keep the place from burning down, let alone keeping it relatively clean. Yet she somehow manages to maintain a clean house, make wonderful meals, teach our kids about loving God and loving their neighbors, all while getting more beautiful, ministering to other women in a small group, and growing closer to Jesus. I am a truly blessed husband and we are a blessed family to have her as a wife, mother, and friend.

I am still a pastor at Grace Fellowship here in Lynn-hood WA. My role has been constantly evolving and right now I am overseeing our music and community group ministries, while at the same time guiding our High School group leaders, preaching sometimes, and going to seminary. A pretty full plate! A highlight for me this past year has been the music ministry. I never realized that God has given me a small amount of creativity in this artistic area! I am enjoying using my electric and acoustic guitars to give Him glory, as well as musically arranging my own take on classic hymns and learning how to have our music reflect the unique NW music scene. It has been a real joy to use this untapped gift for God’s glory.

That is about it for us. In this crazy holiday season, may we take some time to reflect on the real reason for Christmas- Jesus was born to inaugurate God’s amazing plan to redeem His lost creation back to Himself through Christ’s work for us on the cross!!

Blessings,

The Bayleys