Christmas 2013

Here are a few highlights from our family Christmas, 2013.

 

Every year, Kayla helps me decorate the tree. Her favorite part about the tree is getting to pick off a candy cane after dinner every night.  

 



 

Central Child Care Center is where Kayla has attended daycare since she was about 18 mos. old. They do the same production, "A Long Journey" for Christmas annually. For this Christmas production, Kayla was in the Star class and was a shepherd. This was Reagan's first "performance" and she was in the Lamb class and one of Santa's elves.

 

 

Reagan is on the right. She is four months old.

 

Kayla is by Mr. Adrian's feet. She is four years old.

 

 

 Reagan has a knack for being bright-eyed. I think she enjoyed her first performance!

 



 

 

 Ms. Diana and Ms. Trisha were Reagan's first teachers. They were WONDERFUL and showed her so much love her first six months at the daycare.

 

 

 

 Kayla, one of the Murhpy triplets, and Elizabeth

 

 

Kayla wanted a Princess castle for Christmas.

 

 

Before the Shirley clan arrived on December 23, our house was clean. It only took about 20 minutes for it to be destroyed. The picture above is proof of that truth.

 

Reagan and Uncle Sam

 

 Kayla got to open one gift on Christmas Eve.

 

 

Rhyan and Christina helped me lead worship on Christmas Eve for the candlelight service. It was a beautiful and peaceful service. They sang "O Holy Night" at the end of the service while I fed Reagan.

 

Christmas for musicians is such a stressful time of the year. However, this Christmas season was particularly unstressed and special. I was reminded to relax and enjoy my loved ones while they are still here. I was reminded the true "reason for the season," as cliche as it sounds. I was reminded that despite the chaos surrounding Christmas, there is peace where there is family...even one as crazy as mine. I was reminded of the importance of savouring EVERY moment...big and small. I was reminded that God has truly blessed me and my loved ones, and I am so grateful!

 

 

 

Our Last Thanksgiving with NaNa

It's been about four months since my last post. As usual, life gets busy, and much has happened since then. So, without recapping everything, I'm only going to mention the most significant moments of the past four months.

The first meaningful event was our family's last Thanksgiving with my Mom's mother, NaNa. NaNa raised me for about a year when I was about 4. She took wonderful care of me and put up with quite a bit because believe it or not, I was nothing short of an AWFUL child during that period of my life. NaNa was a loving teacher, mother, grandmother. She loved Janet Evanovich books, shopping, and jewelry. She always looked put together even if she knew she was just going to be around the house. She lived in Houston, TX and was dearly loved and taken care of by Roger whom she was together with for about 20 years even though they never married. She took care of a little boy the last year of her life named Josh and she loved him like one of her own grandchildren. She would always send the girls Christmas cards if we couldn't see her and she would always give us money even if she couldn't afford it. She had a laugh that I always thought resembled a cackle, but it always brought me comfort because I remembered hearing it as a child. She was naturally brown headed and had curly hair, but she started bleaching it blonde and straightening it in her later years. Some of NaNa's mannerisms reminded me of Mom, even though they were no blood relation. NaNa had a gentle nature and a great sense of humor. She always spoke her mind and had NO filter whatsoever. That's one of the things I'll miss most about her. We lost her to cancer on February 10, 2014.

Below are some of my favorite pictures from Thanksgiving, 2013 which we celebrated at Mom and Dad's house in Sherwood.



The night Rhyan and Sam arrived, one of the first things Rhyan did was serenade Reagan with the children's classic "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." This was the first time she met Reagan.

 

We had not one, but TWO turkeys!

 



 

Mom's favorite part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is the "Rockettes."

 

Kayla loves to help with "the dumping stuff."

 



 Four generations

 

 

 

NeNe's girl #2

Rhonda, Rhyan, Christina, Shannon

NaNa, Kayla, Mom, Reagan

 Rhonda, Mom, and NaNa

 

 

 

One of the last times NaNa held Reagan.

 

After we spent some time at Mom and Dad's, we headed over to the Wicker's for some time with Brian's family. Here is Jerry, Patty, and Reagan.

The Nutcracker

One of our family traditions we began when Christina, Rhyan, and I were children was going to see the Dallas Ballet Company's production of "The Nutcracker". Mom would purchase these giant, matching Christmas dresses and dress us up. All three of us were mesmerized by the music and graceful way in which the dancers moved across the stage. There is something so captivating with the art of ballet. We decided this year would be a perfect opportunity for Kayla to attend her first performance of "The Nutcracker". The Moscow Ballet's performance was on Sunday, November 24 at 3:00 in the afternoon. Of course, the Shirley family showed up fashionably late, but we enjoyed what we saw.

 Kayla and Aunt CiCi playing a game on iPhone during intermission.

 



Reagan (3 mos. and 2 days old) and Aunt CiCi

 

The first thing Kayla wanted to do once we got home was put on her pink tutu and twirl. I took a video of her twirling, but it wouldn't upload. Suffice it to say, she now wants to be a ballerina!! She starts ballet in January, 2014.

 

 

Princess Tea Parties, and Other Mommy-Daughter Things

I love being the mother of two girls! It is so much fun and Kayla is at the age where we can do things together on the weekends. We have these days we've aptly named "mommy-daughter" days. We'll go to the farmer's market, or walk around Lake Bella Vista, or Barnes 'n Noble, or the movies. I love getting to spend time with both of them-although it is nice that Kayla can walk and talk!!

Here are some pics from some of our most recent adventures:

Every time we have a Princess tea party, Kayla has to have everything lined up perfectly. She also does this with her bath toys. Can we say, "Like mother, like daughter?"



 

Riding around Lake Bella Vista.

 

 



Checking out the fish tank at Cabella's.

Photo of Reagan (and her three chins) taken by her big sis Kayla.

 Horse shoers working down at the Farmer's Market one Saturday morning.

 

Pretty fall day on the Bentonville square.

 Walton's Five and Dime - AKA the first Walmart

 



Kayla loves to play with the trains in the kids' section of Barnes and Noble.

Kayla's iPhone version of her self-portrait.

 

 Playing at the playground during Owen's fifth birthday party.

 

 

 Outside our favorite movie theater at the promenade. We went to see "Free Birds" this past Saturday.

 



She always wants to throw coins in the fountain.

 

Kayla insisted on wearing her princess shoes to church this past Sunday.

 



 

Every time one of our mommy-daughter days have ended, I ask Kayla what her favorite part of our day was. She always responds, "Getting to spend time with you, Mommy." It makes my heart melt.

"Toyland, Toyland..."

I absolutely LOVE where we live! Northwest Arkansas is such a beautiful area and there are many perks to living in Bentonville where Walmart originated. One of those perks is an event they have the first weekend of each month called "First Friday". The theme for November's first Friday event was "Toyland". At this event, different venders for Walmart came in and set up tents. Each tent had a different theme-Legos, Disney Princess, Hello Kitty, Tonka, etc.- and the kids could play with all of the toys inside the tent. After playing with all of the toys, they could go tell Santa what they want for Christmas. GENIUS!!

 

On our way to the tents, we came across a pony.

 Look out!! We have a four year old on the roads!

 



"Mom, I just want to play with these cool cars! Stop taking my picture."

Making a crown for a true princess...

On our way back to the car, we ran into a horse-drawn carriage. It was a good day!

 

McGarrah Pumpkin Patch

We've made it a family tradition to go to a pumpkin patch that is on the other side of Pea Ridge called McGarrah Farm. We've taken Kayla the past couple of years, but this was Reagan's first time there.

 

Kayla made it a goal to climb to the top of a hay pyramid.

 

Out in pursuit of the perfect pumpkin...

Of course, we HAD to stop by the princess carriage!

 



 

We found one!!

 

 

This was Kayla's first hay ride. She loved it!

 

 

The hay ride took us around the perimeter of the farm. There were a couple of HUGE mud puddles I was sure we were going to get stuck in.

 

Once we finished the hay ride, Kayla hitched a ride on a plastic horse train pulled by a tractor.

 

Our big helper is helping daddy put the pumpkins in the trunk of the car.

I'd say it was a very successful trip and we'll be coming back next year!