Birthday Celebration

Last year our school started going to State Line's Fine Arts Competition, which, incidentally, has been on my birthday two years in a row. Last year the children and I stayed home but this year we went along to spend some time with Grandpa and Mikayla. I think Chad and I communicated less this year than we did last year, though we were technically together--at least in the same general location. Anyway, due to that event, we did not celebrate my birthday on my birthday. Saturday the 14th (my birthday is the 13th), the kids made me a special little lunch and decorated. Meagan colored me a little book; Elisabeth made a crown; Brian warmed up pork chops, and Budge made me a chocolate malt. Lauren, Derek and Tyler just hugged me extra :D. It was very special because they thought of it all on their own.

Friday, the 20th, Chad and the kids had a little party for me. Chad bought me three dresses from Dress Barn. He and Elisabeth made my favorite meal, Beef Stroganoff (and I have to say they did a better job than I normally do!). They decorated and even got me a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. I felt like a queen, too. So sweet...


The children were fighting over who was going to hold my hand while walking downstairs (They made me hide in my room while they cooked and decorated); Budge and Meagan finally won out while the others pouted. In fact, Lauren didn't even come downstairs for about 10 minutes because she felt so badly about the whole thing.

The chocolate deliciousness!

Tyler enjoying the party

Lauren helped me blow out the multitude of candles (actually they were very kind and did not put all of them on the cake) :)

This is what happens when a baby boy has three older sisters

Quick little tidbits ;D

Okay, I am committing to doing better at keeping up with my blog. I really do love it; we have just been so busy lately. But, things are never going to slow down, and I definitely want to make this a priority--for the grandparents' sake, especially! Besides the fact that I just love to talk no matter who may or may not be listening! :D

I am on my way to children's choir in just a few minutes.

Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls are in the oven.

Brian and Budge have their friends the Griffins over for the last time before they head back to the Philippines tomorrow. They won't see them for several years. Budge and Matt will be teenagers the next time they meet. No more little boys. It makes me sad to think that far ahead. So, the boys got out of chores for the afternoon. Elisabeth griped a little bit, but I told her that the next time she has a friend over that she won't see for several years she won't have to do chores either!

We are just returning from spring break. We were actually home most of the time--spring cleaning. But we sure do feel good about the majority of the house now. Just a few more things to get done.

Please pray for my first midwife, Lynda Hitchcock. She brought my first two babies into this world and recently found out she has cancer in her breasts and bones. She is in the hospital with only 15% kidney function. We are unsure of her salvation. Please, please, please pray for her to be saved.

Now a few recent pics of interest. Tyler is so cute right now that most of my pictures tend to be of him. I'll do better here in the future with trying to get all of the children in.

Budge and Tyler

I always wanted a baby who played with their feet!!!

Derek helped me make Peanut Butter Blossoms. (Yes, I have taken the pacifier away completely now!)

The focus isn't good, but isn't his pudgy little hand so cute rolling the dough in the sugar?!
This is how he arranged them on the cookie sheet. (After he left the kitchen, I rearranged them. I just couldn't help myself.)

I have so many things to share, so many thoughts swirling around in my head. I'll be back tomorrow!!!

Ramblings...

Pictures will come tomorrow - at least that's what I am planning. We had my birthday party tonight, and Chad went out of his way to make it extra special. Having grown up with only my dad, I did not get much in the way of birthday parties. I remember one birthday in particular that my dad tried so hard to make special; he even went to the grocery store and bought a Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake. To our dismay, when we tried to cut into the cake, it turned out to be an upside down decorated baking pan. What a shock! We still laugh about that birthday today!!

What a week! Two entire days spent at the school helping a new teacher, who has really not graduated from college yet, get her feet underneath her a little better in the area of teaching. We want everyone to succeed and feel good about what they're doing!

Derek is still not feeling himself, and I'm not sure what the problem is. Since he had the flu, he has been extremely clingy to me and cries the minute he cannot see me. He does not play but sits by me all day and follows me from place to place. He will only sleep in his own bed for short periods of time and then wakes up crying and comes into our bed. I'm not sure if this behavior is somehow related to his having the flu or if there is something else wrong with him. We're not big on taking the children to the doctor, but I'm seriously considering it. I wish we had a naturopath near here. I don't know of one at all. My dad found a medical doctor with a bent toward natural things. Wouldn't that be wonderful?! Please pray for Derek.

Next week is Spring Break at the school, and we are going to sneak away Monday to a little hotel with a waterpark about an hour away from us. The lady Chad spoke with said that there were no other reservations that night (at least not yet), so we will have the whole place to ourselves! Yeah!

I haven't posted in such a long time....the children have been taking turns having the flu (not the stomach flu, but the actual flu with the fever, headache, congestion, cough, the whole nine yards). During the midst of it all, our church had its annual Teen Spectacular, which I am not involved in but did watch three children during, while having sick little ones. Then Thursday and Friday we made a quick trip down to Toledo so that some of the students from the school could be involved in the Fine Arts Competition. I should never have taken the sick children on that trip, but I had already made a commitment to play the piano for some of the kids to sing, so I had to go. The children were able to spend some extra time with Grandpa Murray. The boys even got to shoot a little pistol with him.

I will still not be able to go to church tomorrow because the two little boys are still running fevers. Tyler is the most sick. He is still running quite a fever (for the 5th day in a row now) and both of them are coughing quite a bit. If he's not better by Monday, I am going to take him to the doctor. Tyler had to sleep in his car seat so that he could breathe okay. Derek has thrown up three times now from coughing too hard. Poor little men.

Life at the Vest house is certainly never dull. There is always something exciting going on. Always something to do. Always someone to spend time with. Always someone to eat with! ;)

If you get an extra minute, please pray for my little ones who are still sick. Budge once again has a dry, hacking cough, which always concerns me because he has had pneumonia so many times that his lungs are weak, and he is always susceptible.

Oh, one more thing. We left our little dog in the garage with food and water and a place to do her business while we were gone overnight. When we returned, she was nowhere in sight. She is not at the dog pound and has not returned, so we're not sure what to think about what happened to her. Of course, none of us are too terribly broken up about it, just mildly bothered at the most. Chad is ecstatic that she is gone because she has been quite a pain lately, never having mastered the art of letting us know when she needed to go outside!

I'm thinking about starting my spring cleaning in the next week or so. I like to get it done before it actually warms up so that when it's warm (which takes quite a while to happen around here) we can immediately enjoy the outdoors and have a good time. But for now, I think I'll just think about it and try to put together a plan. ;)

Have a wonderful day!

If You're Happy and You Know It...

...Clap Your Hands!

Sunday night after church I had just finished feeding Tyler and was kissing one of the girls goodnight. As I looked back down at him, he was just lying there clapping his little hands! This is his first time, and we were so elated with him. He is so cute!