• Home
  • Posts RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • Edit
Blue Orange Green Pink Purple

......................................................................................

THE BAKER BLOGGERS!

Where pontificating runs rampant...

Subscribe To

Posts
Atom
Posts
All Comments
Atom
All Comments

Green Side of the Grass

Those of you who know me, you know that I loathe getting my haircut.

Don't get me wrong, I love having a fresh do and enjoy the ability of hearing because my hair is no longer lopping over my ears. I simply hate the process, not the end result.

Allow me to explain.

Normally I walk into a salon and am greeted by this:


Next, he/she (whatever that is above) takes me back to a chair which belongs to Tenequa, The Hair Goddess (at least she thinks she is). This is Tenequa.


I tell her what I want, but I don't think she is really listening. She is completely engaged in a conversation with Opal (the stylist next to her) speaking in a language I don't understand. Not that I could understand anything because the music is so loud I can't hear the whining clippers assaulting my scalp... When they do try to talk to me and make polite conversation, I cringe and pray to find just the right answer that will disengage any need for further dialogue... She can just keep talking to Opal about who is pregnant now...

...just cut my hair.

She completes my "style", I drop a $20 on the counter, and I thank goodness I don't have to do that for another two months (or hopefully longer)!!

Well, today, something different happened.

I took the boys to school, and on the way home I noticed a shop called "Our Barber Shop". It is located on 10907 South and State in Sandy. The Phone is 801-576-5651. My wool had grown quite long and uncomfortable so I decided to give it a try.

The first thing I noticed was how busy it was. Lots of old, old men. The youngest patron was in his 70s. Instead of Tenequa, I was greeted by Harold. He must have been 75. His partner in crime, Raymond, had plenty of life experience as well. There was old fashioned music playing and everything seemed to move just a little slower. It was a breath of fresh air.

I sat down in a super comfy, black chair. Harold inquired how I liked my hair and I told him "just make it look nice" and off he went. It was wonderful! He told me about how things used to be. That you could eat at Chuck-a-Rama for $2.50. He told me about his military days. We discussed interesting things. It was like talking to my grandpa whom I miss dearly.

I knew I had arrived when every new/old comer entered the clingy door with the same greeting from my barber... "How you doin', Harold?" His response, "Still on the green side of the grass!"

And then the haircut... He cut all the normal things when I get my haircut, but then the real fun began. He heated up some shaving cream and began applying it to all those annoying places like my neck and around my ears. With quick, professional precision, he whipped out the biggest razor I had ever seen, and commenced his slaughter of all my pesky, unwanted follicles. At first, my heart began to beat a little faster, after all, he is a little advanced in age and one slip meant my jugular, but after a few minutes I just sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the shear and shave.

And then came the old-man trim. He razored my burns, neck, plucked my ear hair, trimmed my bushy eyebrows, yanked out my nose hair, and he even took care of those filler hairs attempting to bridge the gap between my eyebrows creating my ominous unibrow. Well, not not today...

...not under Harold's watch.

After a final dash of aftershave, I was done.

I felt like giving Harold a hug.

Today, I am definitely happy I am "on the green side of the grass!"


PS... All for $10!
Read More 8 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post

Proud


Last game of the season...

Thirty seconds to go with the score 7-6. We just scored a touchdown, and the coach decides to go for two.

We want the win.

3 months ago, Alex swaggered onto the football field where he knew no one. His coach, Tito, welcomed Alex to the team with his big bear voice. We later learned this team had played together during tackle season for Hilcrest and Alex was not only the newcomer, but the only stranger on the team.

Practices went well and the coach discovered that Alex was a good student of the game and had a pretty good arm. Alex started taking snaps and overnight replaced the former quarterback which so happened to be the coach's son. Alex embraced the QB1 position and became a rallying leader on the fledgling team.

From the sidelines, I watched in awe as Alex did things I never dreamed possible. He took snaps, negotiated runs, drilled passes, and led his team to a 6-2 winning season. From completing deep bomb passes to 50 yard rushing scrambles, Alex did it all.

I know this sounds like a parent dotting over his son and could one be more tainted? Well, if you don't like it, go read seriouslysoblessed or something...

Anyway.

3o seconds to go till the end of the season and our team is going for two and the victory.

It's either euphoria or devastation, well, at least until Alex's TV time when either feeling will be forgotten.

30 seconds...

The play is given to Alex and it is a fake handoff bootleg pass/run, whichever is available.

Alex takes the snap.

Fakes to Jordan for the run. He bootlegs right (ladies this means he runs right).
Both receivers have double coverage and Alex is facing up to the linebacker. I look in Alex's eyes and they glow with intensity and determination. Alex bears down, tucks the ball and with all his strength and the weight of the teams hopes and success on those little nine-year old shoulders, he rushes for the end zone.
The linebacker closes in. Alex lunges and....

SCORES!

Victory.

Perhaps the best thirty seconds of my life.

After the celebration from the kids and parents on the sideline, the coach gathered the players around him and started handing out trophies and pictures while the kids displayed as much excitement about their Oreos as their tremendous victory. The coach recognized the players for their accomplishments but then I noticed he had four game balls, which he personally purchased (what a stud), laying at his feet.

The first player received a ball for his defensive abilities. The second player as well. The third for being one of the best rushers in the league. And then finally, my heart stopped. He brought Alex to the front. The coach, again in his big, bear voice yet smoothed with compassion said, "When I saw Alex's name on the roster, I wasn't sure what we were going to get. I hope he's good!" He lauged. "But a team is only as good as it's QB, and I believe we have the best QB in the league. Alex, this game ball is for you and it has been a joy to have you on our team!"

The players and parents erupted with applause.

I passed out.

Proud.
Read More 9 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post

Everything I needed to know I learned from my Mom

Go to bed after the news (sometimes six o' clock). Bear your testimony. Hug your children. School projects sometimes last until the early morning hours. Strawberries are yummy. Sunday dinner includes rolls. Get up with the sun. Do your visiting teaching barefoot. Always have cookies on hand. Call your mom. Plant a garden. Go for a walk. Pee before you jump on the trampoline. Don't waste. It's ok to read to your high school Senior. Singing is a form of worship. Don't leave anyone out. Play board games. Visit your parents. Scripture study before sunrise. The car is a good place to talk to your children. Listen to music. Attend as many of your childrens' activities and sporting events as possible. Elvis is still the King. Keep your Mothers Day cards. Feed the ducks (unless the sign says not to). Eat fruit whenever available. Get a job as soon as you are old enough. Go to college. Pray. Plant flowers. Hold your babies. Accept church callings and do your very best. Be positive. Serve others. Be kind to your mother-in-law. Take pictures. Love your husband. Eat leftovers. Shoes are only for winter. You can't take peanut butter on an airplane. Treats keep your kids and their friends at your house where you can watch them. Watch musicals. Keep the laundry going. Live on a budget. Smile often. Wash the dishes. Cold food is nasty. Don't swear. Enjoy the moment. Do your family history. Don't forget your reading glasses. Canning in the fall. Play. Family comes first. Your momma is your momma and you love her no matter what.

Thanks for all you've taught me mom. I love you. Happy Mothers Day!
Read More 5 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post

Pink


3 boys.

Every dad's dream come true. Alex is nine. He loves sports and action. Isaac is six. He loves to wrestle and play video games. Dax is four months and I am sure it will be more of the same.

Pink.

I never thought there would be any pink in my house. I was pretty happy about that. No girly stuff. Only macho, tough stuff. Jenny was a lone woman in our house. For those of you know her, she isn't much of a pink gal.

No dolls. No dresses. No princess outfits. No dance recitals.

All fine with me...

Pink...

Tonight I shot a reception with a wonderful bride and groom. We had a great time at the temple and the party that evening was a hit as well. When the time came for the daddy/daughter dance, the dad walked across the floor, offered his hand to the cutest bride ever, and escorted her to the floor. And they danced....

Now, I am a wedding videographer and I see this all the time, more than 1000 times. But tonight was different. They played a new song that I hadn't heard before and you should all go listen to it. It is called Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. As the dad took his little girl in his arms, I began listening to the music. I watched the dad closely as a tear fell down his cheek. As they rotated, I saw the bride crying as well.

Then suddenly.... I couldn't see.

Yep. I started bawling too! I tried to keep my composure, but holy crap I couldn't see the dance and my eyes were leaking! A couple of the bridesmaids noticed and they started to snicker and I couldn't believe what was happening.

I was imagining that dance with my little Princess, Elsie.


What will she look like on her wedding day. Which song will she choose for our dance? Will I be able to keep my composure? Probably not since I am bawling at a strangers wedding. How will I EVER be able to give her away? How could I ever expect or hope that another man will ever be able to take care of her or love her like I do? What will our dance be like?

So I pulled myself together, finished the reception, rushed home, and crept into Elsie's room where she lay sleeping peacefully. I reached into her crib and took her little hand in mine...

I reflected again on the song lyrics: Have a read...

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,
Without a care in the world.
And I'm sittin' here wearin' the weight of the world on my shoulders.
It's been a long day and there's still work to do,
She's pulling at me saying "Dad I need you!
There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I'll dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I'll dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says "Dad, the prom is just one week away,
And I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy, please!"

So I'll dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I'll dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone.

Well, she came home today
With a ring on her hand
Just glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned
She says "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
but I need to practice my dancin'"
"Oh please, daddy please!"

So I'll dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I'll dance with Cinderella
I don't wanna miss even one song,
(even one song)
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone"


Pink.

Not too fast, Baby Elsie... Your daddy is suddenly a big softie and he needs some time to build up to this... so please, for my sake...

Take your time.


Click HERE to listen to the song. Better grab a Kleenex...
Read More 12 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post

Lessons in Life

Nine years, 7 months, and 17 days ago I became capable of murder.

This is the day my Alex was born.

I looked into his eyes and I knew I would never be the same. I vowed then and there no one would ever hurt my boy. Ever.

Fast forward nine years.

Today I came into the kitchen and saw Alex sobbing. He told me some older neighborhood kids were bossing him around and hurting him. They'd make him fetch the ball when they kicked it. Then they'd wrestle. One would hold him while the other kicked his legs out from underneath him.

I saw red. I mean blood red. The boys are nowhere to be found. Figures. I'd run if I knew I was coming too.

I want to cradle my Alex's almost five foot body into my arms and make all the hurt go away. I want to promise him it will never happen again. I want to find those boys and... well, I won't go into that.

Herein lies the problem: it will happen again. Someone else will be mean. Someone else will hurt his feelings. His heart will probably get broken. What can I do? No one told me being a mom means sometimes you can't fix it. No one told me my insides would feel like they've been run over by a cement truck when I see my child hurting.

Now how do I teach my son to stand up for himself? How do I teach him to sometimes walk away? How do I tell him it's going to be ok? There is so much to teach him, but so many of life's lessons have to be learned by experience. I want to protect him from all of it but I can't. He has to learn the same way we all did.

So for today I hold my boy. I tell him it's all going to be ok. I tell him he did the right thing by leaving when the situation got out of hand. And I tell him those boys should be afraid. Very afraid.

I'll deal with them tomorrow.
Read More 8 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post

Happily Ever After Video Made The DNEWS! Wahoo!

Check it out!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705299733/Video-biz-is-dream-come-true.html?pg=1
Read More 2 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post

This just happened...

It's Friday night.

I just finished a reception and was feeling pretty good about a long day at work.

I enter the house through the garage door and this is the story conveyed to me:

Jenny leaves the boys in the nursery with crying babies and is in the kitchen frantically trying to put together a bottle as she listens to the babies screaming. After what seems like ages to the boys, she finally accomplishes this task and rushes down the hall. She opens the door to the nursery and this is what she sees:

Alex is on the chair, desperately trying to comfort a wailing Elsie. She has been sick for the past two days and is quite miserable. He's holding her tight. He's covering her eyes (she actually likes this). He's rubbing her head. Nothing is working. Unable to calm his little sister he bursts into tears crying, "she hates me!" Jenny then turns to Isaac and sees him hovering over a shrieking Daxton, doing everything to comfort him, also to no avail. Isaac then loses it because, well, everyone else is crying. He doesn't know what to do.

That's right people, this is the wailing room. Don't enter unless your packing Kleenex.

After a quick assessment, Jenny swoops in as "SUPERMOM" and snatches both babies up, comforts both, holds Isaac as well and talks down Alex, assuring him that he won't lose his status as awesome big brother.

After a few minutes, I enter a peaceful and quiet house.

I just missed the storm.

Funny. I didn't see the "Supermom" symbol in the sky. You know, like the one in "Batman". I guess we don't really need one...

She just lives at my house.
Read More 5 comments | Posted by BakerBloggers-Matt & Jenny edit post
Newer Posts Older Posts Home




  • Matthew Baker's Facebook profile
    Jenny Edginton Baker's Facebook profile

    Blog Archive

    • ▼  2012 (1)
      • ▼  March (1)
        • Grandpa Joe's Journal Entry
    • ►  2011 (3)
      • ►  April (1)
      • ►  March (2)
    • ►  2010 (5)
      • ►  December (1)
      • ►  July (1)
      • ►  May (1)
      • ►  February (1)
      • ►  January (1)
    • ►  2009 (33)
      • ►  October (3)
      • ►  August (1)
      • ►  July (1)
      • ►  June (3)
      • ►  May (7)
      • ►  April (4)
      • ►  March (1)
      • ►  February (4)
      • ►  January (9)
    • ►  2008 (115)
      • ►  December (3)
      • ►  November (4)
      • ►  October (12)
      • ►  September (10)
      • ►  August (7)
      • ►  July (12)
      • ►  June (10)
      • ►  May (6)
      • ►  April (17)
      • ►  March (9)
      • ►  February (11)
      • ►  January (14)
    • ►  2007 (5)
      • ►  December (5)

    Our Blog List

    • Castle Adventures
      - Sorensen's might be blogging again!
      4 years ago
    • Sansom Family
      Celeb Sex Trailers -
      4 years ago
    • The Hodge-Podge Blog
      Reunion (Unpublished 08/2008) - UNPUBLISHED! I planned to post this in August 2008. We took the boat down to our family reunion in Fish Lake, Utah. I guess it's fun to sit in a boat even...
      8 years ago
    • Family Memories
      Going to stay warm this winter. - October 11, 2014 Getting wood with the family. Dancing in the trucks to the song black horse and getting rides in the back of the truck. It’s the life t...
      10 years ago
    • sandy lovells
      Lets go hiking - We love to hike in our family. It's such a nice way to get some exercise, reconnect as a family, and enjoy the beautiful state that we live in. Most of...
      12 years ago
    • Nichols Notes and Nonsense
      You Are Enough - There are conflicting trends out there in the blogging/social media world. Perhaps the better word would be "competing" trends. On one hand, you have tho...
      12 years ago
    • Parentis Incompetus
      The Grass Isn't Always Greener - This blog is rapidly becoming a catch-all for my rapidly --> bourgeoning, multi-faceted life. It may be that I am the only one reading this but that's ok. ...
      12 years ago
    • Lewis Land
      V-Day 2013 - When we were first married, and for a few years after, Chris and I took turns planning Valentine's day, as we did our anniversary. I worked out, for a whi...
      13 years ago
    • Musings of a Modern Mom
      Saturday Stalker - After a long and wonderfully uplifting morning at a Relief Society conference today, I. am. beat! Spiritually, I am full. Emotionally, I am whole. Mental...
      13 years ago
    • Crockett Family
      My table tent for Paige - I got this idea awhile ago and decided to do it for Christmas. It took more time than I expected, but that was because I had no directions and had to ...
      14 years ago
    • My Blog
      Hopefully not goodbye to an old friend - Last Friday Heidi and I went out to dinner with some of our friends from our ward and then we had tickets to Desert Star. Dinner was over just after 8 and ...
      18 years ago
    • Motorcycle bloggeries
      I'm ditching Blogspot! - Hello Everyone! I have now moved to my own site.. So you can come see me at www.motorcyclebloggeries.com I have decided to move and get away from the blogs...
      18 years ago
    • What's Shakin'
      -
    • Livin' the Dream
      -
    • Flyin High Hubrich's
      -
    • Douberley Family
      -
    • Marcia's Mommy Madness
      -
    • Hyrum and Kristi
      -
    • The Motorcycle Bloggeries
      -
    • Planet TAD
      -
  • Search






    • Home
    • Posts RSS
    • Comments RSS
    • Edit

    © Copyright The Baker Bloggers. All rights reserved.
    Designed by FTL Wordpress Themes | Bloggerized by FalconHive.com
    brought to you by Smashing Magazine

    Back to Top