Christmas Eve

Dear Friends and Family,
Just a quick hello to tell you all Merry Christmas. It is Christmas Eve and ready or not, Christmas will be here tomorrow. We will be having a White Christmas and are happy about that. It is just sort of "expected" in Bear Lake.
We love you all and love to hear from you. If you do not want to post a comment, but would rather email us, Marty is martybaker@dcdi.net
and I am glcb@dcdi.net
Merry Christmas. Love, Marty and LaRee

Dear Family & Friends,
Thank you (you know who you are!) for all the kindnesses extended to Marty and I as this Christmas season rolls around again. We are grateful,

Love Marty & LaRee

December 8th, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,
Wow, this is a neat date---12/08/08. Today is the "sandwich day" between Holly's Birthday on the 7th and Brandon's Birthday on the 9th. How can it be that our little Bicentenial babies will be turning 32 this year???
Tomorrow marks our 36th Wedding Anniversary, also. I am so grateful to get to celebrate this day with him. I have meetings followed by more meetings, but we will be able to spend the evening together.
We have really been trying to have Sunday dinners every other Sunday. It does take work and planning, but we have both really enjoyed it and I think we are getting a little better at the getting out and putting everything away game. It was fun this Sunday, as we had the tree and decorations up and everyone got to see them. We had a mini program put on by the Grandkids and it was fun. Marty was the cook and I was mainly the helper. When everyone left, we were tired, but both felt it was a wonderful day. We thought alot about the Boltons----having their fun adventure at Disneyland.
We feel very unready for Christmas, but that will be our focus for the next while and as usual, ready or not, Christmas will be here before we know it.
Marty thought of 2 homemade gifts that he could do and hopefully can have the energy to accomplish his plans. I am rooting for him to do them. I always feel people appreciate homemade gifts and coming from him will make them very special. I, as usual, have some pretty fun ideas, but money and time (2 very endangered resources) may make them ideas for "next" year.
No matter how much I may whine if you see me in person or talk to me on the phone, please KNOW that I have a very grateful heart for all the wonderful people in my life, all that I have been blessed with and the knowledge that I have about the purpose of our time here on earth.
We are so grateful that Esther has done as well as she had going through surgery on Marty's birthday. She is a good patient and although she cannot return to work yet, she is healing and getting stronger. Marty made a comment after all the kids left yesterday that his boys are just like him in that they all chose beautiful women to marry. I thought it was a very sweet comment. And, it is no secret that we agree that our own daughers are beautiful women as well.
We hope all is going well in your world. Thank you so for checking in on us and for all you have done in any way to help us, be kind to us or entertain us.
Love, LaRee, and of course, Marty

December GOOD News

Dear Family and Friends,
Well, after another day at the Huntman Cancer Hospital, we have the good news that Marty has passed another check up with no new cancer. We still need to schedule some further tests at U of U hospital for hearing and fitting for hearing aides and then the scheduled MRI and Chest X-ray with his next visit to Dr. Sharma. Dr. Hitchcock was not at all concerned with the new black lesion on his neck and said she felt it had "nothing to do with the surgery or radiation". Oh, my.
We are so grateful for how things are in 2008 compared to this time last year. Our prayer is that things stay this good or get even better as Marty figures out how to get around and through the many physical obstacles he faces every day. He is amazing and strong and courageous------oh, and SIXTY !!
This is a fun time to be in Salt Lake City. Everything is all lit up and beautiful for Christmas. We will stay tonight at the new Hampton Inn in South Jordon. It is only 6 months old and I have to say, it is one of the nicest Hampton Inn's we have ever seen.......and that's alot of Hampton Inn's!!!
Last night we attended a wonderful Christmas program and dinner with many of our Baker relatives at the Desert Star Theater and that was really fun. Tonight we will go to a belated Birthday Party for him with the Baker side at Doug and Carolyn's. We will show the DVD that was made for the party at home.....and have dinner and cake. I think he feels sufficiently "Birthday'd" for this milestone 60th birthday.
We are starting to get the Christmas Spirit now and hope to have the time and energy to follow through with getting ready before the big day arrives. I have to work Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, but will have Christmas Day off. We will have a dinner and get together at our house on Christmas Eve with all the kids and grandkids that can come and hopefully get out and do some visiting / and have some visitors-----on Christmas Day. It is time to get my Christmas Cards with a yearly newsletter in the mail. I haven't even composed it yet. I may compose it on this blog and see how that goes-- but, later. For now, my mind is too tired to sum up the year and spell words correctly. Marty is back in the room taking a rest so he can enjoy tonight.
Love and Happy Holidays to all of you,
LaRee and, of course, Marty