Saturday

Saturday
Bryce and I went through OUR house and took inventory of what we would need to make it a home for US. Grace and I arrived around 9:30, and we went through every room and looked in all the cabinets, closets,and drawers, dreaming about how our house should look and what we would need for everyday life as well as some comforts. We even went through the shed and barn... that didn't take too long.

Around noon we ran in to Morton to Culvers and grabbed some lunch and Mom came and got Grace, then it was off to Peoria for us. We took the truck(!) which is the date vehicle of choice.

We went through Bergners, Bed Bath and Beyond and Sears. Bryce got the esteemed priviledge of operating the scanner. :)

This picture is for those in our family that dislike aviator sunglasses....:P you know who you are!

don't mess with this guy! <3

This here is the man I Love.

All in all it was a fantastic day, TONS was accomplished, we had lots of fun, and we were dead tired when it was all done. We are greatly anticipating the wedding and settin' up house.

In the Bible it talks about how Christ told his disciples that He was going ahead to prepare a place for them (and us). It was a like that back then, the man would go and prepare a house and home for his bride, and when he was ready, he would come for her. Up to this point, Bryce has been preparing a place for a wife and family, and now we are both ready to share this life together and establish a home together. Though it is far from the mansion that Christ has prepared for us, I hope this earthly dwelling will be a place of comfort, of refuge, a place that people will want to come to and feel comfortable in, and one we can live out our days and raise a family for Him.

Have a fantastic day!!!

Cinnamon Rolls!!

Friday, My dear friend Rosa Lou was home from college and  came over and we made cinnamon rolls together!! She hadn't experienced it yet, and I would share with her the secret art of roll making. :) We were well energized from our Starbucks stop and ready to tackle the project.


Rosa and i have been friends since 6th grade. She was the lone girl in her class until I came along, and we went through school together.



We are ready to start!!!!

let me mention that it is nigh to impossible to make cinnamon rolls without a mixer such as this...Of course there are those that Bosch... but i prefer these.... and they have to be the 6qt ones!!



This is the dough hook: you need this for the dough... or to do an excellent 'Captain Hook" impersonation.




This is a whisk. We did not use this, but i'm sure it comes in handy...



beat those eggs!!

Good cinnamon rolls need good cinnamon... so you take a cup of brown sugar, a half cup of white sugar and about a tablespoon and a half or more of cinnamon.



Waiting for the dough to rise



Roll 'er out flat and make sure there's no bubbles....

Ooooh.... yummy... ready for the oven!

ahhh.... the fruits of our labors.. and yes we did have a taste test!!!!!

Mom had requested the rolls for my birthday party on Sunday... They were delicious!!!
Thanks for visiting!!
~em~

Happy Birthday Emily!!!

Today(well in a few minutes), March 21st, 2012 is Emily's 20th Birthday!  It is a special day indeed for a very special woman and all of the people who have shared in her life and that she has been a blessing to in these years.  Here is a short post in honor of her!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Emily from last summer :)

Emily is a very dilligent worker.  It is a wonderful characteristic she posesses to complete and work to the glory of God at whatever task she has set ahead of her.  This day she happened to be putting some packets together at Precision

This is a picture of Em and a dear friend of hers at Tanners Orchard last fall

Back in August, I was able to go to a wedding with Emily and her family.  It was a great time, and little did we know at that point that in less than a year we would be having our own wedding!

I hope that lots of people will be able to comment today for Em's birthday!  She definitely deserves a special day!

Goodnight to all-Bryce

Getting the House ready for Mrs. Baker :)



Bryce here.  Today while the women were out enjoying dress shopping, Olive Garden, and whatever else they are finding to do, I worked on the house some (not a ton) but thought I would share the current state since the place is going to be transformed in less that 3 months (and I could not be more EXCITED!)  So here are some pictures of the house as it is today, and today's project. (along with cleaning, vacuuming, and organizing!)

The house that become mine on November 14th, 2009, and will become ours on June 9th, 2012 :)



Kitchen-somewhat John Deere ;)



Dining room....changes will come here




I have spent 26 years collecting farm toys



I even made a case to put them in during shop class in high school

The really neat bannister in the living room

Warmth for cold winter nights

The catch all that MUST be cleaned up!



Something exciting for me-the picture frame at the landing that has pictures of people who I do not know will most likely be filled with pictures of people Emily and I know!!  (it was a good sale :) )



This is the location of the closet for Mrs. Baker (when Mr. Baker gets it built!!!)  Something I look forward to doing for Em

Ok, so today's project on the house-attaching downspout extensions (so they don't blow off in the wind)
Before

After

A project that Emily and I look forward to working on when we are married is putting some flowers and such in this flower bed I started last year!

Our Barn

The Mr. and Mrs. Bryce Baker-to-be swing :)

And to end....a picture of Emily and me on thanksgiving day last year when my family was in town for the celebration.  Little did we know then that God would bless us with marriage and that where we sat was our future front porch!

When this house was bought, it was one that I knew would be fantastic for a family, a wonderful wife, children, and raising children, but I did not know if that was in God's plan-I did know that it was a place with some acreage, a shop, and a front porch-things I wanted in a place for just me.  Now that I know the rest of the story, I am beyond elated and so blessed!  So as the house transforms and becomes less "John Deere" inside and more like a setting for a family, I will think back to the day that it became mine, and be thankful, while being thankful for the day it becomes ours :)

A passage that is my prayer for our home, for Emily and me, for our children, Lord willing, and for anyone who visits our home:

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace;

   the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
   in secure homes,
   in undisturbed places of rest.

Isaiah 32:17-18

The Dress

On Saturday, Mom and I ran to Morton to do some preliminary dress scouting before our big outing with Mom,Carol,Brenda,Sarah,Rachel,Grace,Michelle,Megan,Brooke and Gramma next Saturday. I was excited, never been wedding gown shopping before, all new experience!!!
  So, our first stop was to Adore Bridal Boutique. It' a little shop located on Main St. I didn't know what to expect, but it was a really neat little place. The consultant i worked with was wonderful to work with and very fun. She thinks her sister went to school with Bryce too! :)

We were put into a room to put all of our stuff:coats,purses,cameras,etc...such a pretty set up! there were couches so if you were to bring your entourage they would have a place to sit, a little 'stage' with a platform and mirrors so you could view your gown, a big screen tv, a table covered with bridal magazines, a changing room, and they even offered coffee and wine!

So off we went to find the perfect gown.I had told the consultant that i was looking for something with a ballgown style, modest, and simple.So she went to look and Mom and I were able to look through the racks as well. That was exciting!!!!

well,she pulled a few and mom and i picked 2.... I tried on the first one which mom found and i kinda liked...

and all I can say is, i fell in LOVE with that dress....

I tried on the others, and they just didnt even compare to the first one.

We had another appointment at Country Bridal that afternoon, but i wanted to make sure that the dress i liked wasn't sold if i decided to get it, so we begged the lady to hide 'the dress'

Long story short.....

I decided to cancel the appointment at Country Bridal, and i bought the dress from Adore! I love it!!

But i can't give you any details until the wedding, because Bryce can't see it until then!! hehe!

If you want to see it, email me.

Here is the only public view of The Dress!!!!

Welcome to Bryce and Emily's Blog!!!

We are a just recently engaged couple and are planning a wedding!!

This blog will be an attempt to keep ya'll informed and see what is happening in our lives until our wedding in June. (and beyond!)

Praise the Lord for His goodness!!!!