The Cutest Veggie Tray Ever

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We had a 40th birthday party for a friend recently and I had to share a few of the pictures from her party ~ just because they were too fun! :)

Not sure if you can tell from that picture, but there are {fake} grass mats on the table with veggies on short skewers stuck into the grass. It looked like a little vegetable garden and was just too CUTE.

She loves animal prints and the color purple, so this was her birthday cake.

Just had to share a little bit of fun! :)

Friend Makin' Monday: Best Friends

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With Kasey on vacation for a whole month, Friend Makin' Monday will be popping up at a few different blogs over the month of July. Today Kelli @ Outside My Kitchen Window is hosting and the topic is best friends.

Over the years there have been several ladies that I have had some wonderful and close relationships with ~ and one of them is my mom. Yes, I have other amazing friends {and I'll mention them a little later}, but my mom has been a constant in my life for the last 36 years and our relationship has grown closer over the last ten years or so.

Honestly, I can't imagine life without her. She is one of my strongest supporters, a prayer warrior that I know I can ALWAYS depend on and one to also 'call me out' on issues that others might not be willing to. Her patience overwhelms me. Her love is constant. Her compassion abounds. Her heart for her children {and grandchildren} is one that I hope to emulate for all the years to come. Most importantly, I have learned so much watching her in her relationship with the Lord. She has always been completely transparent in her struggles and frustrations and 100% real through it all.

Even if she wasn't my mom ~ well, I'd love her still!

At the zoo last summer with Hope

As for those other ladies in my life ~ I have three that I talk to frequently. Hope is a friend from college that was in my wedding and has remained a close friend over the last 15 years {can you believe it's been that long, Hope?}. From road trips across the country, experiencing a car break-in in New York City, vacations with our husbands and visits with each other over the years, Hope has been so much fun to have as a friend. Over these last few years our relationship has grown even closer through a phone Bible-study that we are doing together. I have SO much enjoyed the time we've put aside to deepen our relationship with God and each other!

With Christin and Crystal

Christin and Crystal are two other ladies that are my everyday, up close and personal friends. There isn't a thing that I am hesitant to share with them {you two know exactly what I'm talking about}. Thankfully they both answer the phone when there are multiple calls in a day ~ even though they both have caller id. :) Both have been in my life in some way, shape or form over the last 10 years ~ from Bible studies, births of our children, and the many different facets of life. Love you guys!

Before I go on and on....I'd better remind you that there are other ladies talking about their best friends today too! Be sure to stop by Kelli @ Outside My Kitchen Window to see what others are saying today ~ and make some new bloggy friends of your own!

Some Prayer Needed

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My friend Crystal and her family would really appreciate your prayers right now. Her dad had surgery right after Thanksgiving and has been having some problems since. Today they found out that he has an infection in his blood and tests are still out to see what is causing all the problems/infection.

She is on her way to the hospital with all of her kids and will be traveling the next two days. Please pray for safe travel for them and a FULL healing of her Dad. You can read more on her blog, Birth of a Midwife.

Playing with Friends

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Our kids were so excited to have Charis and Selah come over and play (and cried and cried when they left to go home). They weren't here quite an hour, but our kids managed to squeeze in every bit possible before they did leave.

Laughing and giggling.

Taking pictures of Mommy.

Dressing up and dancing.

Twirling.

Just having fun!

Callie Update - 10pm Monday

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Hi all -I talked to Crystal and Kee a bit tonight. The meds arrived this afternoon and Callie has started on them (and now finished). It was a one dose over a set time period and now they are just waiting. The doctors told them to expect her to get a little worse before she gets better, which she has - but they are very confident that she is doing well. She is still breathing on her own. Her breathing has slowed down, but her oxygen saturation levels are good.

Katie, Corbin, and Kimberly were able to visit this afternoon too and see Callie and Kee and Crystal.

Kee and Crystal want you all to know how much they appreciate your prayers for them. They are most anxious to see a smile from Callie. :)

I'll keep you all updated if I hear any more.

Update on Callie (11 am Monday)

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I spoke with Crystal a little this morning. At this point they believe that Callie has infant botulism. They have to wait on lab results, but need to treat it right away. It is very rare - only about 100 cases in the US a year, so the antidote is being flown in from California and they are waiting on that.

Callie has little/no muscle control right now. She has a feeding tube and is able to get breast milk via that, so they are happy about that. She is still very weak, not able to cry well at all - and basically waiting for the treatment. The biggest concern and thing we need to pray for right now is that she does not need a respirator. She is breathing on her own right now which is very good.

Kee and Crystal know that you all are praying for their family and appreciate the prayers and care so much. Continue to pray for God's healing over little Callie - a quick, quick recovery - beyond what the doctors might say or predict.

Pray for Callie

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***Update from Crystal (11pm Sunday night)

Keep Praying....

Callie is in the ICU at our children's hospital. The potential diagnosis at this point is so unbelievable that I'm not even going to type it. They told us to prepare to be at the hospital for several weeks but we're believing a different report. :) We'll hear more test results in the morning so I'll try to update when I can. Pray, friends, pray. My little girl is hurting and it's breaking my heart.

Crystal and Kee are on their way to the Children's Hospital with their little girl Callie right now. They are not sure exactly what is wrong with her, but she hasn't been nursing this weekend, has been lethargic and won't take/drink anything. She has had very little over the last 3 days.

I'll will keep you all posted as I hear/know anything more, but please be praying for all of them.

A Blur of Motion

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Christin and her girls came over yesterday to join our absolute household mayhem (it all seems to kick up a notch when you are PMSing). The kids were running wild (my kids, that is!) and the girls came over with ballet dresses in hand and a great video to "practice" with our kiddos. Since we all know Zachary loves ballet, he was quickly on hand too! Thank goodness for the $4 leggings from Target. :)

Many of the pictures I took are literally a blur of activity. Either the kids were moving THAT fast, or I just need to put the flash on. :) Christin was lovely enough to intervene in my girl's dress war as to "who gets to wear what leotard" and placed Laurianna in the 'teacher' role - and the teacher needs to wear the black leotard. That's it. Appeal to her firstborn, leader-of-the-pack, must be "in-charge" gene.

So, here are our kiddos intent on becoming the next world-renowned ballet dancers. And why, when he is the most active, is Zachary the LEAST blurry?

Happy Birthday to Heather!

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Our friend Heather (above left) had a birthday! And a significant one at that. 3-0. Thirty. Three decades. We celebrated with her and some of her family and other friends last night at one of her favorite local restaurants. Randy, her hubby (below), called us all together so that she could usher in this new era with all of us (and since we were all older, maybe it would make it seem less scary? (hee hee). And Randy, I saved the really good picture of you as ammo for future use. You just never know when those things can come back to haunt you.... *grins*.

I don't really recall a time in the last 4 years or so that Rick and I have ever taken all of our children out to a place that involved someone serving us (for real), involved taking an order and waiting for food. Golden Corral is about the closest that it's come. So that said, I think our children did remarkably well and am very proud of them. And I, being the mom that didn't think about this fact, didn't bring a stitch of ANYTHING to occupy my children in the restaurant. You'd think after 4 kids that perhaps something might have triggered in my brain. But no. Thankfully Heather came prepared to the max and the kids had stickers, magnets, and there was LOTS OF FREE BREAD.

And by lots I mean that Kaleb ate 4 pieces before dinner showed up (along with dropping a fork, knife or other object on the floor about 100 times) and McKenna we later found out (after only one bite of her hamburger) had eaten SEVEN. Yes. 7.

Back to the party.

Friends. Family. Food. Truly what more could you ask for? Gifts - yes, she had those too!. Lots of cards from all the kids and even the family dog. :) After we finished up at the restaurant, we headed back to our place for some cake and coffee so we could put 4 of the restless kiddos to bed....and hoard the sugar ourselves.

Before leaving the restaurant I had taken pictures of everyone else, and realized I wasn't in any of them, so decided to take some of myself. Yeah. Bright idea. Despite the fact that they are truly comical in nature and well worth deleting, I figured I should at least share them to prove that I did not send my husband out alone to dine with 4 children. I was there too. Hopefully this is not how I truly looked all evening. And I promised Heather that I would at least post them so everyone could have a good laugh.

Take 1:

Take 2:

So Heather - Happy Birthday again. May this year coming up be one filled with more fun, family and a deeper revelation of who God is. :) I'm praying that God will just knock your socks off and surprise you in so many amazing ways - because He's a God that likes to do that! Dig deeper into Him and let Him show you new things, especially His heart for you.

Love you, Heather!