bakestain

School, House, Kids. Same Old!

2012-04-26T20:37:00.001-07:00

Not a whole lot of excitement lately, but a couple things of note to blog about.

1. Last month I completed my last course at the university. What does that get me? A post-bach certificate. I will also receive a certificate from the Manitoba Department of Education in Special Education. What does that get me? Opens a few doors, I guess. We'll see. Don't know if I will try to open those doors or not. Time will tell.

2. The sale of our house has long been finalized. In fact, we have been told that they should be digging the basement by the end of the month. Getting really excited about the upcoming move. We have spoken to the electrician and the designer. I think most things are put in place. I just hope things move along smoothly, and we can move in by the expectant date in October. We might already have our first house guests lined up for shortly after that!

3. Can't believe summer is just around the corner. Ally will be going back to work soon, and Charlie will be turning one. I will be playing the role of Mr. Mom.

4. Trying to rekindle the golf league. Got a few takers so far. Hope to at least get a few rounds in this year.

5. Will be running in the Spring Sprint 2012. Looking to raise a few bucks for brain tumour research while maybe getting in a little shape. Thanks to all of you that have supported the cause!

Support The Cause

That is all for now.

Alright, alright...

2012-03-09T17:16:00.009-08:00

I'll post.

I know it's been a while. I vowed I wouldn't post until Brad did, but he has outlasted me. I feel it is now time.

Now let's see. What's new? Since July 2011, here are some highlights:

August - we headed down to Grand Forks. Charlie got to experience his first car accident. Lots of family time.
September - Keane turned two. I started a new job. Lots of time with the boys.
October - Official return of the Jets. Many games since. Playing with Keane and Charlie.

December - The usual holiday madness. Visits from Marsh and Benny. A great month for the Jets. No DVD exchange this year. (sad emoticon) Christmas with the family.
January - Trip down to NYC. Saw SNL. Daniel Radcliffe was the host. Great time. More Baker clan moments.

February - I headed to Calgary for teacher conference. Boozin'. Visits with Marshes, Ben, and Stangherlins. Enjoyment with my offspring.
March - And, here we are. Biggest highlight is that Ally and I found a new venue for the DVD exchange for next year. Hope to have lots of family fun there starting in October.

That is all for now.
Speiss wins.

Photo Evidence

2011-07-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say.
We are all home safe after Charlie was born last week.
Things are going well.
All I do want to say is that Alison was absolutely amazing over the last 9 months and during the delivery.
Excited to have another little boy, and a little brother for Keane.

Here are some photos of our newest family member....

CHARLIE KAI BAKER

Charlie looks forward to meeting you all soon!

Stuff

2011-06-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

First off - Congrats to Marco and Kareen!

Last week I ran in the Manitoba Marathon. Started out small. Just did the relay with some people from work. I actually enjoyed it. I also reached my goal; I didn't die! Actually when I started out, my goal was to do my leg in under an hour. Then as I started training, I saw that I could do that. My goals got loftier. I wanted to run 10 minute miles, and not walk any part of my leg. I was able to do this. I had the shortest leg of the relay. I ran the entire 4.38 miles and did it in a time of 33 minutes and 49 seconds. The highlight was seeing Keane waiting for me in Assiniboine Park. I hope to run in it again next year. Maybe I'll even try to tackle that half marathon. Could be a different story though, if the weather is any hotter.

Couple deadlines coming up. School is out this week. Can't wait!! Started packing up my stuff last week. Looking forward to the move. It will be QUITE different. I'll miss the staff at RDC though.
Other deadline is baby is coming quick! Due on the 14th of July but I think it is going to be early. We'll see. Had an ultrasound on Friday. Everything looks good. Hope it stays that way. Nursery is just about ready...I am not!

JETS are back. Was pretty surprised by the name. I can't wait to be in that arena for the atmosphere. It is going to be wild. I was lucky enough to get some season tickets. We have our group of 8 dividing up a whole season, and Ally and I bought a half season for ourselves. We just really want to get to that home opener. I really want to get it now that it is against Montreal! We'll be looking for some babysitters next winter, I guess.

Big Announcement

2011-05-31T19:09:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it. It's finally happened. I never thought it would. There were all the rumours,, believers, rallies, and more. I just can't believe the return has finally happened. Brad is back on IceBakes!

In other news, The Jets are indeed back as well. I can't believe that either. Working out the details on season tickets. The big question now is what they will be called.

My other big announcement today was that I am getting a new job. I'll be heading back into a regular classroom next year. I will teaching grade 7 and 8 at Frontenac School.

Back in the start of May, Ally, Keane, and I went to Denver. I have wanted to go there for a while. I could never decide whether I wanted to go in the winter or summer. So, we went in the spring. It was really nice. Did lots of family stuff. Zoo, Children's museum, and lots of walks. Vacations sure have changed! The Zoo was really cool though. Only there for a weekend though. Hope to go back and spend some more time there.

Moose and Trina's wedding. As Darryll mentioned, Andy's speech was the highlight. Darryll himself was a close second though. Following that, the best part of the night was when the 80 year old waitress at Sals told me she would rail me unless I had a paper bag on my head. Shot Down!

#Congrats Moose and Trina#. #Welcome Back Brad#. #Go Jets Go#.

Boring but Neccessary Post

2011-04-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

I guess it is time to post. I don't want my face to turn into a Dink.
The first topic is my trip to Vancouver. Yep - Louis Riel decided to send 6 yahoos to Vancouver this year. It was good to get away, but unfortunately I was sick for a good part of the trip. Luckily I was well enough to get to the Canucks game. Wearing our Jets jerseys we were treated like celebrities. People staring, pointing, even stopping us to take our picture. Really funny that they were playing the Coyotes.
I actually had a good chat with one guy staying at our hotel about the possibility of the Coyotes moving back to Winnipeg. He seemed very knowledgeable and interested in the topic.
A week after Vancouver, Ally, Keane, and I packed up and headed down to Hawaii. Ally's mom and brother came along with us. It was awesome. Beautiful weather, awesome scenery, lots to do, lots of time to relax...good times. We rented a house so that made it quite convenient as well. Had our own pool and a beach right across the street.
Keane loved Hawaii as well. Lots of swimming and first of many trips to the beach. The only times he was unhappy was when he couldn't swim anymore. Pretty cool to see. Also awesome that he traveled so well. Long days of flights, but he adapted well.
Some other highlights were:

snorkelling (seeing tons!)
more surfing
another brewery tour
all the good food (especially eating beachside)
a couple of days at The Fairmont Resort

This was our second time in Hawaii. Last time we went to Maui. This time we were in Kona. Both were beautiful. I would go back to either. I can't say which was better. Same, Same but Different. Hopefully we get back to Hawaii soon. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it.

In other, non-travel news. Our next baby is getting closer to it's arrival. Went to go see him/her on the weekend. Don't know the sex. Don't know the name. Feel free to weigh in on either. Boof and Spalding are still options!

Brrrr. It was cold out there.

2011-02-21T16:54:00.001-08:00

A couple of months ago Ice called me and asked if I wanted some tickets to the Heritage Classic in Calgary. I really wanted to go, but knew it wasn't that easy. There were a lot of logistics to figure out. I didn't want to go without Ally or Keane, but knew Keane would not be able to go to the game. Ally agreed the family would go to Calgary, but she would stay back and she would watch Keane while I go to the game. While searching for someone to go with me to the game, Marco offered up his and Kareen's services to watch Keane. That way, Ally could go to the game.

So this past weekend, we all packed up and headed to Calgary. The weekend consisted of visiting, drinking, and a lot of restaurant food. But the real event of the weekend was the big game. The game was on Sunday afternoon/evening. Steve had two tickets as well for him and his dad. We all bundled up, dropped off Keane, and headed to the game.

We got there with plenty of time. It was pretty cool. In more ways than one. The atmosphere in the stadium was neat to see and hear, but it was cold! 3 periods of frosty temps. We froze! I didn't know if Ally was going to make it at times. Thank goodness for hot chocolate and heated bathrooms. Worst part of the time was that not only did Montreal lose, I didn't even get to see a goal. Montreal lost 4-0. Boo. Like I said, really cool to see though. However, I don't know if I would do another outdoor game. Been there, done that, bought the toque.

Really, it was a great experience. Thanks to all the people that made it happen. Thanks to the Zorns for getting the tickets. Thanks to Steve for offering me the tickets. Thanks to Marco and Kareen for watching Keane so we could enjoy the experience. Thanks to "Grapes" for allowing us to take this photo this morning at the airport!

Where to Begin

2011-01-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011! I haven't had a post in a while, but it is not to lack of things going on. Now it is just a matter of not knowing what to talk about. Let's see, since my last post, here are some things that have happened:

Movember ended - Stache ended up looking pretty sweet. Happy to shave at end of it. Won best mo at my school. Last day of Movember

DVD exchange - purchased and received, "Small Wonder." Watched a couple of episodes. Found that it is certainly worthy of being in a shitty DVD exchange. It is bad!

Hustle and Bustle of the holiday season - School ended with the usual holiday "cheer." Lots of family things. Unfortunately, didn't get to visit with all of the out of town visitors due to other commitments. It was fun to see Keane actually being a little excited about things. His favourite gift was an empty box. He is so cliche. Keane with Cousin Kennedy

Trip down to Minneapolis - Minneapolis was fun. Not so much fun coming home. Got snowed in in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Spent 3 nights there. Trapped in a hotel. Spent New Year's Eve on a bed with a case of Rolling Rocks on my lap watching, "Best of SNL marathon." Things could have been worse, I suppose.
Ally celebrating New Year's Eve with our gourmet dinner in the hotel lobby

Random 2011 - Back to school. Keane has recently been sick with croup. Like Ice, we also have gone to the museum and Bodies exhibit. Planning a couple of getaways in the near future.

Ally's pregnant - Yep. Here we go again. Actually found out in November, but kept the news quiet. Surprised the grandparents on Christmas with the news. Due July 14th. Really excited, but a little nervous of getting even less sleep.

New Face - New Vehicle

2010-11-20T05:45:00.000-08:00

I've only got one full week left of Movember. I have to say it's blooming nicely. I have been called many names; Redneck, Porn Star, Creeper, Cowboy, and the list goes on. My favourites were when I was told I looked like an extra from an episode of Dukes of Hazard. I'll post a couple of pics at the end of the month. Can't wait till Alison lets me back in the bedroom. Sleeping on the couch is rough!

Other news - Ally and I decided to purchase a new vehicle; A Lexus RX 450h

... is what I would have like to purchase.
What we actually purchased is a 2007 Honda Odyssey.
Yep, I have joined the ranks of a van owner. The funny thing is, I have always wanted a van. With the arrival of Keane, I have wanted one even more. Having to to transport strollers, wagons, car seats, and all the other stuff that comes with Keane, made it necessary.
We only picked it up yesterday, so I haven't gotten a good feel for it yet, but I think we will all enjoy. We'll see.
Now I just need a reason for a road trip!

Hope to see you all at the DVD exchange.

Random Photo for a Random Post

2010-10-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

There seems to have been some tension amongst readers and bloggers on IceBakes lately. I think we all need to relax. Some things I have found to be relaxing are:
Drinking Beep
Watching shitty movies
Shooting pumpkins with guns
Masturbating till your dick falls off in your hand

Anyway, back to my usual blog.

Keane and I spent our first weekend alone this past weekend. Ally flew up to Churchill to hunt polar bears and left the two boys at home. Went well. By going well, I mean we both survived! We were busy. Kennedy's first birthday, gymnastics, and a couple of trips to St. Vital Park. Keane almost got eaten by an angry goose.

I found out today that I will be leaving Ally and Keane alone for a few days in March. I have been approved for another out of town teacher conference. This year's destination will be Vancouver. Not quite as exotic as Austin, but I'm still looking forward to it. I haven't been since I was 14 years old. There are a couple of Canucks games, so we are hoping to catch at least one. Looks like we'll see The Coyotes. Jets jerseys will be out in full bloom.

Not much else to report. Work is work, school is school, and my Habs are a couple games over 500. Not a great record, but still better than those Oilers. Seriously Moose...C'mon Man!

12 months? Where? What? When?

2010-09-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

I would like to start off by congratulating the Whitneys are their new arrival. So exciting! It's cliche, but I'll say to enjoy your time, because it really flies by. I know that, because I just finished the fastest year of my life.
Keane turned one yesterday. I can't believe that it has been 12 months since he was born. It really has flown by. It has been tough at times, but really, it has been the best year ever. It is so fun. Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the big day.
The fun continues with Keane. Today was his first day of gymnastics. He and I had a ball - literally. Keane was a little hesitant at first, but then got in a groove. He was already having a great time climbing all the apparatus, when they brought out a big inflatable tub of balls. It was then that Keane really fell in love with the class. He dove into the pit, and would not get out. It is possible that he could not get out. The balls were all the way up to his chin. When I did take him out, we would just crawl right back to the ball pit. Fun to see. Already looking forward to next class.
Again - congrats to Darryll, Angela, and Little Ryan!
Off to go have a big glass of BEEP.

Better Lake Than Never

2010-08-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my last post, our summer trip didn't end in Chicago. From there, we rented a car and headed to Torch Lake.
3 years ago, many of you made it out there. Unfortunately, Ally and I were not invited. Since then we have heard many wonderful things and stories of the beautiful cabin at Torch Lake. 3 years later, we were invited. We figured we better get there. All the stories and rumours were true. It's absolutely fabulous!
We were really looking forward to some relaxation after our fast paced time in Chicago. That is exactly what we got.
Having an entire guess cabin to ourselves was great - especially since the guest cabin is bigger than our home in Winnipeg. Keane was able to get back on some sort of schedule with his meals and naps, and not really disturb anyone during the nights or his early mornings. (I hope)
Amongst the relaxation, we were able to have lots of fun.

Boating
Tubing
Crazy campfire conversations (sometimes in French)
Horseshoes
Dockside Burgers
and lots more!!
(many of which were firsts for Keane)

We stuck around for about a week. Hopefully not overstaying our welcome. In fact, we are hoping we can overstay our welcome again soon! (We'll have to come to get more Miracle Blend)

Keane, Ally, and I want to thank The Zorns for their hospitality. It was very much appreciated. We had lots of fun! Hope to see you soon!

SIDE NOTE:
I have now made 3 posts myself in the month of August. Time for some of you other boys to step up.
Speiss - that is more posts than you have made your entire time on IceBakes!

SIDE NOTE 2:
Congrats to Todd and Susan on their new baby boy!

WhirlWindy Tour

2010-08-16T19:07:00.001-07:00

As I mentioned, a couple of weeks ago, Ally, Keane, and I landed in the Windy City. I wasn't lying when I said that they were filming Transformers right outside our hotel and I did in fact get that close to Shia. We were even woken up one night with the building across from our hotel exploding.
I would also not be lying if I said that Chicago is one of the best cities I have visited. Everyone I told that we were going, said I would love it, and they were right.

We were there for just under a week, but we packed in as much touristy stuff as we could.

The first thing on my list to do was to see Wrigley Field. We didn't think Keane would make it through an entire game so we just did a tour.

Other highlights were:
Navy Pier, Millennium Park, John Hancock Building, and Shedd Aquarium.

We also of course just walked and walked and walked. Mostly up and down Michigan Avenue - famous for it's shopping.

Another thing that I had to do was visit the Billy Goat Tavern. You SNL fans will know it as the home of the "Cheezborger! Cheezborger!No fries, cheeps! No Pepsi, Coke!" made famous by John Belushi. Although it was only about 10 minutes from our hotel, it took me much longer to find. It is quite hidden. Worth the search though. Not for the burger (it's pretty simple) but the atmosphere and experience was really cool. I even sat beside Bill Murray. Well, his picture anyway.

Other local meals I had to have was to eat at Haray Caray's. I was hoping to have spare ribs, but they were not on the menu. Keane, Ally, and I also enjoyed a fine deep dish pizza. Had to have it, but will not be having it again!

Keane was a trooper. We pushed him to his limits many times. Going without naps, regular scheduled meals, and baring the extreme heat and humidity.

After 5 days in Chicago, we decided to rent a car and head to Torch Lake for some R&R by the lake. (I'll post about that soon)

Chicago - More Than Meets the Eye

2010-08-09T14:28:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Ally, Keane, and I landed in "The Windy City" - Chicago. As we were driving to our hotel, my first impressions of the city were not all that great. Smashed cars everywhere, roads all busted up, we even saw another cab on the side of the road on fire. It started reminding me of the time the boys and I drove through Chicago and saw what must have been the roughest part of town. All that being said, we decided to drop off our things at the hotel and go explore the city. As we walked the wreckage seemed even worse. I decided to ask someone if the city always looked this way. I stopped a guy named Shia, and he explained that they were just shooting a movie. I think it was called Transformers of something. What a relief. Happy to hear that Chicago wasn't falling apart.

It's Free and It's Fun

2010-07-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

School is out....ahhhhhh.
Time to relax. It is going to be a great summer. Having lots of fun with Keane and having the whole summer with Ally at home. We already have lots of fun things planned.
The biggest plan of the summer is to spend a lot of time in Grandma's pool. We have already followed through on this plan a few times. It wasn't till September 4th that we had our first swim last year. We already have been in at least 7 times this year, and it is only July 15th. On Friday, we spent about 10 hours in the pool. I looked like quite the prune by the time I was done. The next day I looked like quite the tomato. I guess I should try that sunscreen that I hear everyone talking about.
It's awesome to see Keane in the pool. Even before he gets in, he gets a huge smile on his face and just squirms to get out of our arms to jump in. Most of the time we just hold him and swim and float around, but he also has a little floating device that he goes in on his own. Last week, I even dunked him completely under this and there were no tears. I think he is going to enjoy his time at the lake this summer.
This past weekend we got to see Johnathon Toews basically drive right past our house with the Stanley Cup. We actually had to walk 3 doors down, but quite close anyway. We then followed Johnathon to Dakota CC for his big rally. I guess I should say the Johnathon Toews CC since it was renamed that day. It was Keane's first brush with the Stanley Cup. It was also his first brush with fame himself, since he made CTV news at the parade.
These past two days, Ally and I have been busy trying to renew our mortgage and interviewing daycare providers. We are so grown up!
Golf league continues - so does my brutal play.
Next big plans are off to the Windy City - Can't wait.

Thanks Pfief!

2010-06-19T14:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while. I was hoping to hold out until I had something funky placed on my face. I also didn't have much to talk about.
I recently have noticed that I am all grown up. I used to post all my drunken adventures on here, or wild trips Ally and I have taken. Those have seemed to have stopped, or at least slowed substantially. I wasn't sure what my next post would be about. The exciting things in my life have become a new fence, and new windows. Don't get me wrong, I love my new windows, but I don't think there is much exciting to write about. It is fun to have windows that both open and you can see out of. We haven't had that in a while.
Then Brad Pfiefer came along. Thanks to him, there was some adventures to be had.
Firstly, we headed out to his cabin for our golf weekend. We golfed both Granite Hills and Pinawa. I had golfed Granite Hills before, but never Pinawa. Both are awesome. Unfortunately, my golf was anything but awesome. More like brutal. The time out there was great though. It was nice to get out golfing since many of our league nights continue to be rained out. We actually even got rained out after nine holes at Granite Hills. Got a rain cheque though, so I guess that just means we need to head out again.
Last weekend, Pfief decided to continue the party ways. He had a little house warming shin dig. Another good time highlighted by Moose throwing the Maple Leafs wall plaque into the fire pit. So, thanks to Pfief for the good times.
I don't want anyone to take this post the wrong way. I am very happy to be a dad. Keane is awesome. He is growing up so fast, and becoming quite the little comedian. He makes me laugh constantly. He is also getting primed to walk. He is walking with assistance now, and although it scares the hell out of me, I think he will be walking on his own in no time.
School's out very soon. Looking forward to spending more time with the little man, maybe a little more golf, and planning a trip to The Windy City and Torch Lake. See you soon Marshes and Zorns!

Nice AZ

2010-04-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

For Spring Break, Ally, Keane and I headed down to Phoenix, AZ. It was our first real holiday with Keane, so needless to say it was different. No more sleeping in, a little more regimented schedule, and certainly no pub hopping. That said, we still had a great time, and were able to do and see a lot.

Whenever I told people we were going to Phoenix, I got the same response; "What's in Phoenix?" I couldn't really answer the question. I didn't know. I just knew it would be warmer there than Winnipeg, and I would have a chance to relax poolside. That is all I really had in mind when we booked our flights. We were able to do that, and with the help of Nat, and we found some other things to keep us busy.

Along with relaxing and swimming, we surprisingly did quite a bit.
1. Baseball game - Cactus League Spring Training. We saw the Cubs and The Giants. Beautiful park. The outfield is just that. A field. We found a nice patch of grass and some shade and enjoyed the game, drinks, and popcorn.
2. Day trip to Sedona and Jerome - With the help of our rented Camry, we drove North to a couple of other little towns. Very cool. Neat landscapes and views. A little outlet shopping, and lunch in an old insane asylum.
3. Shopping - Phoenix is full of shopping and malls. We spent one day shopping. Didn't buy anything, but Keane updated his summer wardrobe.
4. Visiting with the Zorns. Prior to heading down, we had arranged plans with Nat's Mom and Dad for a visit. They graciously invited us for a dinner at their place. A beautiful home, and great company. Heidi also joined in the fun. During our visit, we mentioned that we were heading out for dinner to a recommendation of Steve's; The Roaring Fork. That conversation led to another meeting with the Zorns. Dave wanted to join us for a "Big Ass Burger." Again the company was great. So was the burger!

After getting back from Phoenix, I again was asked the same question; "How was Keane?" Luckily I am able to answer, "Great!" On all of the flights he was awesome. No tears. No noise. No complaints from fellow travelers. He adapted to the time change, and was able to sleep in a strange bed which led to Ally and I also able to sleep. Dave and Kenna actually saw his one bout of fussiness at the restaurant when he hadn't had a nap all day. Other than that, he was an awesome traveler. Thank goodness. Hopefully, that will continue. Certainly the trips now are different, but as long, as he flies well and is able to sleep, I won't hesitate to travel again.

Lone Starr

2010-02-21T19:01:00.000-08:00

No, this isn't a post about SpaceBalls, it's about my time in Texas.

Austin was awesome. Thanks to Louis Riel, I was able to spend 5 days in the Lone Star State. The weather was brutal, but it didn't slow us down at all. We landed on Superbowl Sunday and began partying right away. We didn't stop till Friday when we left.

The purpose of the trip was actually to visit a technology conference for educators. We went to the convention during the day to listen to people tell us about new technology and how to use it in the classroom. In the evening we spent time exploring the night life.

6th avenue is the big strip of bars in Austin. We spent a lot of time there. Just hoping from bar to bar. Being the middle of the week, it was pretty quiet, but we made due. We walked around Thursday night and just got a taste of what 6th would be like on the weekend. Probably better that I wasn't there when it was too crazy.

Also saw some good live music. We went to Antone's, The Continental Club, and Austin City Limits. All very famous hot spots in Austin. The night at Antone's just happened to be Marc's birthday, so that was a wild night. 7 drunk Canadians getting all the Texans up dancing to some good blues music. Austin City Limits was put on by the conference. 25 bucks got you into the show, shuttled there and back, and all you can drink while you were there. Sweet deal. Again, the Canadians became the sideshow to the music. I guess that's what happens when you offer free beer! The Continental Club was our last night, so it was much quieter, but it was a really cool place to see. I highly recommend all of these places to anyone travelling to Austin.

Not only did we drink well, we also ate well. Every meal seemed great. Good BBQ, Tex Mex, Brazilian BBQ, and Ruths Chris; an awesome steak house. Fogo de Chao the Brazilian Steakhouse was amazing. All the meat you can eat. They just keep bringing it out. Ruths Chris was also awesome. Much like 529 Wellington. We all stuffed ourselves there being our last meal out on the company dollar.

The other highlight I have to talk about is the Longhorn basketball game. Went and saw Texas take on Kansas. Kansas was and still is ranked number one in the country. What a scene. Unbelievable how big college sports are down there. A packed house of over 16 000 fans. People never sit, there is constant yelling, chanting, and singing. Just a little different from the games I have watched at the Duckworth Centre. Makes me really want to get to a college football game now. Final score: Kansas 80, Texas 68.

So, I would have to say Austin was awesome. Especially since it was paid for by Louis. I was really happy to get home and see the Little Guy though. It was awesome to see him waiting for me at the airport. We then rushed home to watch the opening ceremonies. Since then, the olympics have not left the TV set and I don't know if I have left the couch!

GO CANADA!

(pics of the trip to come)

Couple of Mini Getaways

2010-02-06T18:04:00.001-08:00

I thought I better make a post before my head turns into Bubble Bobble.
Last month Ally, Keane, and I took a couple little trips.
The first, as I mentioned in my last post was to Brandon. We went to meet The Bryants. They hadn't seen Keane yet, so we thought we would meet them half way. Ally and I also wanted to stay at a hotel so we could get Keane into the swimming pool. We did. He seemed to enjoy it. Up until Monelle jumped in and scared him.
Our next little trip was a weekend in Victoria. The reason for the trip was not great (a funeral) but in spite of that we were able to have a nice time. It made for Keane's first time on an airplane; something else we were looking forward to testing. It also went well. No tears. No screaming. No old people upset with us.
I had never been to Victoria so it was nice for me to explore. The weather was nice, so we were able to walk around town. We spent some time with Ally's family. We got Keane back in the pool. I forgot our brand new laptop on the plane. Just some highlights.
Next, I'm off to Texas. I'm sure I'll have fun, but I'm really not looking forward to leaving the family.
Then, as a family, we are off to Phoenix. Looking forward to some fun and relaxation in the warmth of the sun, on the side of a pool.
That is all I have to say right now. I'll leave the random thoughts about shit vs perfume to Ice.

Baby's First...

2010-01-04T19:35:00.000-08:00

1. DVD Exchange:
Went well. Grew in numbers again. Sounds like we may have picked up a few more people that want to participate next year from Calgary. Might even have Ross participating from Asia or Australia or wherever he may be at the time. I don't know what shipping costs on Reba from Sydney would be, but...
And speaking of Reba, I loved the controversy of the Foxworthy Award again this year. Wow. This is serious stuff. Pfief is lucky to be holding such a prized possession. Funny thing was at one of my family get togethers over the holiday, my uncle, who is a very loyal IceBakes reader, was most upset that Reba was in the contest at all, since he likes the show! Sorry Uncle, I had to tell!
Hopefully we don't have the controversy in the summer when the new DVD exchange is revealed. Yep it sounds like we are starting a new tradition. We don't want to step on the toes of the winter exchange, so the summer will be a little different. You must find the best (worst) DVD movie you can find for under 5 dollars. Yep price tag must be left on. Start digging through those bargain bins now. More details to come! Sounds like some of you will start shopping right away, since I know of at least Whitney and Pfief already have their Christmas picks for next year. And to quote Pfief, it's a doozie!

2. Road Trip:
We decided to test Keane out on the open road. Took a little trip down to Minneapolis before Christmas. Luckily all went well. It was certainly a different trip then we are used to, but still fun. No going out late. It was mostly shopping and going out to eat. Then home to the hotel for play time. We had suites in the hotels we stayed at so it was nice that Keane had room to play.

3. Christmas:
Baby's first Christmas was quiet. To him, I'm sure it was a day just like all the others. Except for the strange boxes that would get thrown at him every once in a while for him to open. He tried his best, but still needed help. So Ally and I opened the gifts that we had just wrapped for him hours before.
He got a sled that we are excited to use, and Ally and I exchanged snowshoes, so we are eager to get outside. As soon, as the weather warms up to anything over minus 40, maybe we'll give it a try!
We're also already excited for next Christmas since we are thinking of maybe heading down to Mexico. Anyone else interested?!

4. Rose Bowl:
Keane loved to watch Ohio State win the Rose Bowl. He was even wearing his new Ohio State sweat suit that he got for Christmas.

5. World Juniors:
Let's hope they can pull it off tomorrow night. Keane, Ally, and I have been watching each game closely. Is there any better tournament? Maybe the Olympics in February. I know Ben is excited to watch Drew Doughty.

That is all the excitement that has been going on in Keane and our lives lately. New Year's was quiet. Just stayed home and watched, what else? Hockey.

Planning another roadtrip soon to Brandon to visit with the Bryants and maybe get Keane in the swimming pool.

Back to work and school this week. Yuck. Counting down the days till Texas. Later. Go Canada!

Babies R Us

2009-10-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

Another picture of Ally and I with a baby. This isn't Keane though. It is Keane's newest cousin. On Thursday, October 22nd, Kyra, Ray, and Isabella welcomed the newest member to their family. Kennedy Grace. Everyone is doing great and healthy. We're all excited, and as someone said, Keane is going to enjoy hooking up with her friends in the future!

Keaner

2009-10-15T16:20:00.000-07:00

A couple of Keaners actually, I guess.
Our little guy turned one month old this past weekend. We took him out to the mall to meet Mike Keane. The month has gone really well. Yes, I am tired. I really can't complain though. Keane has really been good. He is not a big crier. (yet anyway) He does wake up in the night, but just to feed and be changed. The hardest part is getting him to sleep in the first place. He seems to like the night life. We are trying to get him into a new pattern now though. So far, so good.
Ice and Nat were also in for the past weekend. A little bit of a different visit for us. We had some nice chances to visit, but no real crazy nights for us. We opted of staying home and trying to catch up on sleep. Steve did help me pick out a new computer though. I guess my next post will be written on a Mac.
Work is ok. After a crazy start, I am finally feeling like getting settled. It is a different world than I am used to though, that's for sure. Smaller classes, but lots of excitement all the time. What's keeping me sane is the fact that I am hoping to go to a teacher conference in Austin, TX this February. I applied today, and am just waiting for approval.
I said this last post, but I would like to say it again. Thanks for all the help and support from friends and family. Keane still enjoys visitors if you want to pop by. Just give us a heads up!
Sorry this post isn't too exciting, but I don't really get out much lately. I just thought it was time for a post. Looking forward to play some curling for the first time in over a year, and then off to Todd and Susan's social.

It's a Boy!

2009-09-14T14:05:00.001-07:00

I will keep this short with more details to follow.

On Friday, September 11, 2009 at 1:26 PM, Alison gave birth to our first little boy.

Keane Robert Baker weighed 7 lbs 2 oz.

We are all doing fine.

Thanks to everyone for their support and wishes. Keane can't wait to meet all of you.

There are some pics up already. Sorry. I'm a proud papa!

Hecla of a Holiday

2009-08-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

Alison finished work last week. She is now on maternity leave. Since we both had some time off of work, we decided to head out of town for some relaxation. We didn't want to stray too far from home or go for too long, just in case the baby decided to make an early appearance. We decided to just head north to Hecla for a night. We drove out on Monday and headed straight there. Well sort of. We had to make a quick stop in Riverton to fix a spark plug.
After our little pit stop we made it the rest of the way. To be honest we weren't that impressed with the resort. It wasn't as big as I thought, and it certainly wasn't as nice as I was expecting. Still a good chance for a night of complete relaxation.
The next day we drove home, but took our time. We drove first to Gimli. We walked around, explored the town, and had some lunch. Then we headed to Winnipeg Beach for some more walking, and ice cream. From there we went the rest of the way home. Of course we drove through and screamed out when we reached CLANDEBOYE!
Schools open tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to that. (sense the sarcasm) I'm trying to do anything to procrastinate going in. I know I have to go in some time this week though. I'm still not sure what my job is going to look like this year. I will not be in Tuesday or Wednesday though. We are having our new floors put in. After that, we will have all new flooring in our house this year. Finally! Then, I will set up the final touches to the nursery. Put together crib, arrange furniture, and hang the awesome paintings that Nat made for us!
Less than a month now till Spalding/Boof arrives! Maybe my next post will be a baby announcement. Crazy!

Rained out in Ingolf...Golf Rained out

2009-07-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, my university course ended. I am now a much better teacher.
Sunday, I left with 3 other buddies and headed to Ingolf, Ontario. I posted before about Marc's cabin there. It's awesome. Totally secluded. We stayed till Wednesday. Had lots of good times, lots of laughs, and boilermakers a plenty.
The weather wasn't great, so we were stuck inside most of the time. So we sat in his screened porch and played a lot of cards. (with penalties)
We did get one nice day. We used the time to sit on the dock and ride the boat. Nothing like just floating in the middle of the lake enjoying the scenery and having a couple cold bevvies.
Back in Winnipeg now and still stuck inside with rain. Our golf was cancelled again this week. Steve, Ray, Darryll, and I are heading to Granite Hills on Monday though, so I'm looking forward to that. I have only heard good things about the course. I was told to bring lots of balls.
Planning on taking a scenic drive up to Matlock tomorrow. Other than that, no big long weekend plans. More work around the house, I guess. Still trying to get prepared for Spalding's arrival. The work is going slowly, the arrival is coming quickly.