Wild Week at the Baird's

We spent most of Saturday in Amarillo running errands, shopping (gag me with a spoon!), eating in the mall, and going to my niece's birthday party at Mr Gattis. Our ETA in Tulia was about 9:15 pm but we were delayed by a storm. What storm? The one that rumbled deep down inside Hunter! Maybe it was more like a volcano instead of a storm, or maybe Jonah's big fish as it spewed him out. Anyway, he projected his meal all over the car! Poor guy. I was actually not that upset about the mess but more concerned for him. We knew something was up (or about to be up) because he was pretty docile at Mr Gattis. I thought it was because he had to go shopping! I have successfully trained my children not to like shopping. I am sure they will be reprogrammed when they hit the teen years.

Sunday was spent with two sick kids, Hunter with the stomach bug and Brooklyn with a head cold. Sunday evening was spent listening to Makayla cough and sputter - yep she was getting sick too. Makayla has always been susceptible to upper respiratory stuff. She ended up staying home from school Monday and Tuesday. Sunday and Monday nights were restless nights for her and us.

Monday was pretty uneventful, except listening to the moans of Makayla and watching out for Hunter because he was back to his old self. Well, almost ... Hunter came to Amanda's side of the bed (thankfully) about 2:00 am saying he felt like he was going to puke and just as he finished the statement ... yep .. another Old Faithful. I got up and helped with that little trauma too. He went to sleep pretty soon after the event. He wasn't running a fever, no aches and pains, no head aches, just the obvious. All day Tuesday was a typical day for him.

Wednesday rolled around with uneventful stuff until I picked Lexi up from school. While on the playground Lexi and two or three little girls put rocks in another girl's ear! What!?!? Where do they get it? I am so proud of Lexi! Not for putting the rocks in the ear, although she let or wanted them to do it, but for admitting to the teacher what she had done even though the other little girls didn't admit to it. That takes a lot of courage, stamina and internal fortitude. GOOD JOB LEX!

I later on, while the kids were doing there homework I sat down with Hunter and Brooklyn in my lap. I noticed Hunter had a metallic object sounding thing in his mouth so I removed it (a penny!) and reproved, rebuked and exhorted as any good preacher/dad would. He took the speech about dirty money, germs, etc... fairly well - or so I thought. After a little bit I got up, took out the trash and picked up the back yard. While doing so Makayla and Lexi come jaunting out the door and say "Mom and Hunter need you! Hunter has a coin stuck in his mouth!" Again, "What!?!?" Not my Hunter, I just lectured him about putting anything in his mouth beside food, drink or gum was a bad idea! Yep, lodged right between his chompers was a dime stuck to the roof of his mouth - that must be the rate of inflation right - from a penny to a dime in 15 minutes! I couldn't get it out, Amanda tried too, so we took him to the professionals - Dr. Cody Culwell. It took a little effort but he got it out.

I have learned not to ask "What's next?". I just wait and see. I am not as anxious or panic stricken as I used to be. I keep thinking, "God has brought us through .... and He will bring us through this too!"

Sorry, no pictures of the last week!

Hunter John Baird - One of a kind!

We are very blessed to have a gift such as Hunter John! He is definitely ALL BOY in spirit, energy, enthusiasm, acting without thinking, jumping before looking, toughness etc...

On the way back from the ski trip, about 15 - 20 miles from Clayton, Hunter began to sing a song. It was his own song and it was his own tune! Nobody knew the song but it wasn't hard to learn it because it only had one verse. The verse goes like this "I wanna a doughnut, I wanna a doughnut, Dance trees dance!" We had been eating little white doughnuts (a tradition of mine when I go on road trips - actually a tradition of mine and Trey's). We wouldn't let him have anymore as Clayton, NM and lunch time were coming up quick. So that explains the first part of the verse. Who knows where he got the second part of the verse! Anyway, the little ditty is ingrained in the brain because he sang it for 20 minutes straight!

There are many more stories about our Hunter but I am trying to write about the cute ones as to not run off any baby sitters or potential baby sitters.

Church Ski Trip

There were 33 of us who went to Angel Fire, New Mexico last weekend for a Spiritual Renewal Retreat. No, we are not retreating spiritually but we're advancing with a renewed zeal!

Several hit the slopes, several hit the inner tubes and several hit the pillows! We all had a good time doing what we wanted to do with the people we wanted to do it with as well. I love and relate to a song in our church song book that states, "I love the thrill that I feel when I get together with God's wonderful people ..." On Sunday morning we spoke of of the church is described as a spiritual building, household of God, family, and a body. All of these analogies demonstrate the need that we have for each other. What role or part do you play in the church? Think about it.

I heard a story about a father driving his family back home after a morning assembly. The father kept going on and on about how poor the assembly was - the singing was too slow or too fast, the sermon was too boring, the prayers were too dry and way too long, the lady sang off key next to them, etc ... on and on he went complaining about everything he could think of. Finally, he calmed and the young boy in the back seat commented, "What do expect for a buck, dad?"

I'm not saying if you contribute more to the collection plate as it passes by then the more you will enjoy worship assemblies. I do believe the more one "invests" in God, His word, His people, His world then more spiritually minded a person becomes and the more he enjoys worship assemblies.

Sorry for the sermonette ~ enjoy the pictures!

Puzzles

Lexi and Makayla like to work puzzles as well as their siblings Hunter and Brooklyn! I think Lexi is the one who really likes to work the puzzles then Makayla gets interested and that interests slowly feigns as the job is more difficult than first imagined. Hunter usually tries to work it, then he chews it then he is run away from the table like a "camp robber" being chased away from a picnic table, then he really does become like the Blue Jay and take a piece here and there when the puzzle is left unattended! Brooklyn is our little Texas Tornado! She causes lots of chaos ~ all done in innocence of course - ha!

Making Valentine Cookies

We made valentine cookies for our ski trip to Angel Fire, New Mexico. We had a lot of fun getting messy, making the dough, rolling it out, using the cookie cutters and cleaning up after the tornado hit!

Heart To Heart Valentine Banquet

The elementary age kids hosted the 50 and older folks to a Heart to Heart Valentine Banquet a week ago. The kids enjoyed serving the meal (Chicken Fettuccine, Salad, Bread, Cheesecake) singing valentine songs, and reading jokes and scriptures. Many folks have sent thank you card for the banquet. I too am thankful for the kids and more importantly for the godly example those they served are to my kids! They are an example in faith, love, hope, speech, joy, peace, service, purity, etc... they are what our kids need.

Here are some pictures of the Heart To Heart Banquet ~ ENJOY!