Proud Big Sister

I need to brag on my baby sister, Rhyan. Here's one of the things you'd get if you "Googled" her: "Video promotion manager/songwriter for Shamrock Media. Lover of Life. Passionate about Jesus. Psalm 139". Rhyan has been in Nashville, Tennessee for the past few years following her dream of songwriting. She's pretty awesome at it, and I'm not just saying that because she's my sister! She really is good.

One of the songs she co-wrote with her friends Jared and Colton has now made it to the radio. I've only heard it on KLRC (our local christian station) twice now, but I get chills when it comes on! I just think it's so cool that my baby sister wrote something that I can listen to on the radio, and most importantly that her songs always convey a positive message!

Here's a link to their song, entitled "You Are". This is the live version Colton and Jared did for KLove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c--GtojoyYQ

If you liked that song, you may also like some of these on the site Reverbnation that she also co-wrote with Jared.

http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/rhyankshirley

Here's just one more video that I just found when I Googled her. David Crowder band actually wrote this song, but this is her singing the cover, and I actually like her version better (shocker, I'm sure!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAUpEsj9BLg

Rhyan has always been a light for me. Her faith in God and passion for life is so inspiring!! If you're reading this sister, I love you! (And I also liked this last picture of you because it gave another glimpse into your awesome personality, and hair!)

"Oh Christmas Tree" and Gratitude

I am a classic case of a "Type A" personality. I like for EVERYTHING to be clean, in order, alphabetized, and organized. I invented up a new type for my husband. He is a Type C personality. The "C" in this case stands for "Certifiably Disorganized" in EVERY way! He decided today that it would be a great idea to put the lights on our roof with a staple gun, Griswald style. For those of you who have not seen "Christmas Vacation", Mark Griswald is the father who knocks out power for an entire block of the city in which his family resides because he has placed so many Christmas lights on his house.

Well...that's Brian to a "T"! I returned from church this morning and he looked down at me from the top of our roof and said, "There is no point in doing the lights if we don't go all out!" Since he decided to attach four or five rows of icicle lights with a staple gun, which might I add is semi-permanent, I decided to work on the interior Christmas decorations of our home. I made note of a few comments Kayla made while I was assembling our tree...

"Mommy, are we going to have the biggest, tallest tree in the world?" When all the tree branches were strewn across the floor she said, "Mommy, you made a mess!"

Here is part of the finished product. Kayla placed the first ornament on our tree this year (with Brian's help of course).

 

"It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it!"

 

I love the holidays if for no other reason than to thank God for all he has blessed us with. So often we overlook the things He has given us freely. So often we take things for granted...our home.., job..., family. Each holiday season, I'm reminded of how blessed I am. I'm blessed with an amazing husband, daughter, and extended family. I'm blessed with friends who understand me and listen, despite the fact I have no blood relation to them, they love me just the same. I'm blessed with a career that I love, and students who remind me every day why I became a teacher. I'm blessed with a church family who is always supportive and ready to lend a helping hand or prayer. I'm so grateful for all He has blessed me with!!!

Saturday..."the best day of the week to play"

So my mom has a knack for picking out these really cheezy songs, and LOVING them! One of the songs she used to sing to us has the lyrics "Saturday, Saturday, the best day of the week to play. We can always find a way to have a lot of fun!" That song came to my mind this evening. This is one of the first Saturdays in a long time I opted out of not cleaning the house or checking things off my "to-do list," and decided to just enjoy myself. And that I did!

My morning began at 5:30 because I had to run a Girls on the Run 5K at 8:30. Since Brian and I are doing Financial Peace University, I took the money for my registration out of my entertainment fund. One of my running partners, Andrea, found that to be hilarious. Here is a picture of us post race. Our time was 32:01 for 3.2 miles.

 

Brian and Kayla Grace met us at the finish line. Once we left the square, Kayla Grace and I decided it was time to get a hair cut. This is significant because this was her very FIRST haircut. I figured it was about time since she's three now. Here is a picture of Kayla and her stylist, Tammy, in the pre-cut stage.

 

 

Yes, I was kind of freaked out by Tammy's purple hair, especially since this was our daughter's very first haircut. However, she came highly recommended by my friend, Emily, and Tammy was in fact, AWESOME! This is a photo of the first few snips.

 

 

Bye-bye baby hair! :(

 

 

Following the haircut, it was time to return home and take a nap. While Kayla napped, I went to watch the last Twilight movie with my friend Lindsey Prenger. For those of you out there who are not Twilight fans, this movie was entitled "Breaking Dawn: Part 2". Today was the second day it has been out in theaters, and there was STILL a line an hour before the show started!! Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture at this event, but I did have a blast and loved the movie! The books are much better though, so if you aren't a fan yet, I recommend reading the books, not watching the movies!

 

Once I returned home, it was time for us to head down to Fayetteville for the "Lighting on the Square". This was the 19th annual lighting, and I got a video of the countdown.

 

 

 

Following the lighting, there was a parade. Kayla really enjoyed the seeing all the floats and the lights were beautiful!

 

 

 

Of course, the highlight of Kayla's night was getting to see Santa Claus. This is her fourth Christmas, but the first year she's really known who Santa is.

 

 

She tried to get his attention, but he didn't hear her. She was pretty upset that he didn't look her way, but I told her we would take her to see him pretty soon so she could tell him what she wants for Christmas...

 

 

On our way home, Kayla informed Brian and I she wants a purple pony puzzle and a princess castle for Christmas. Those seemed to be pretty typical requests for a three-year-old. However, she's also been on this Harry Potter kick lately, and she wants Ron Weasley and Dobby the house elf to come to our house. I asked her if the stuffed animal versions would work, and she said, "No, I want the REAL Dobby." This is going to be interesting, and we are going to have to get REALLY creative this year!

 

 

 

 

Dinner, a Movie, and Norm

One of the Shirley traditions that my mom and dad started with the Shirley girls about 20 years ago is every Friday night, we would eat burritos and then watch a movie together as a family. Brian and I have tried to continue that tradition. While we may not eat burritos every Friday, we do eat something and then watch a movie with Kayla. Tonight, we decided to eat at Olive Garden which is one of Kayla's favorite restaurants. She's admitted to me now it's not because she likes their food, but because she likes to eat the chocolate mint after dinner.

 

Here's Kayla drinking chocolate milk, which is her favorite.

 

 

Here, she is mastering the art of "coloring in the lines".

 

Like Mommy, like daughter?

 

 

Once we got back to the house, we decided it was time to have a popsicle. Of course, our crazy cat who thinks he's human, thought that was a GREAT idea! He's actually trying to grab Kayla's popsicle from her in this picture, and she's saying "No, Norm!". Yes, our cat is a special one.

 

 

Following our popsicle snack, we decided it was time to furminate Norman. (Furminate is a technical term for brushing our cat's hair because we use this contraption we purchased at PetSmart called "the Furminator".) It was a team effort by Kayla and I, and Norm actually enjoyed EVERY minute. He purred the whole time. After each ball of hair we brushed out, Norm would try to help us out by eating it. Who needs a vacuum cleaner, when you have a Norman?

 

Kayla and Daddy getting ready to watch "Brave".

 

 

Well, now I have to go because Norman just threw up the hair he snacked on earlier. Of course he couldn't do it outside where he just came from. He had to do it right after he came back in. Oh the joys of parenting!

 

 

Jumping Game

Brian and I alternate nights on bathing Kayla and putting her to bed. On my nights, I normally just take care of business. I can have her bathed, teeth and hair brushed, jammie's on, and in bed with in about 30 minutes. On Brian's nights, her bath alone normally ends up taking around 30 minutes. Why is this? Because EVERYTHING they do involves a game of some sort. I took a video last night of one of the games they play. She has to "earn" her right of passage to jump over Brian. For example, she normally counts to 30 (she skips a few numbers in the 20's), says four or five colors, or sings a song. Here is her singing her ABC's. I caught them on the tail end of their game, so after one song, she was checked out and decided she just wanted to jump!!

 

 

 

Hopefully the video will play this time!

 

Beautiful Bride

Today, Christina went to David's Bridal to get fitted for her wedding dress. Here are a few pictures of her in some options...I'm not sure which one is her favorite, but I think she looks beautiful in all of them! I also don't think it hit me that she's getting married, until I saw these pictures. Then I thought, "Oh my gosh! My sister is getting married!!!" I had a short moment of panic that was quickly followed by a feeling of being overjoyed. My little sister is getting married, and I'm so happy for her!

 

I liked this dress, but not as well as the first.

I think Christina looks so angelic in this photo.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4–8"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

Big Kiss

Almost every time Kayla has a question for Brian like "Daddy, can we go play ball?" or "Daddy, can you read a book to me?" or "Daddy, can I jump over you on the bed after my bath?" Brian's normal response is "Yes, but what do I want from you first?" Kayla is now used to responding with "A BIG kiss!" Here is their big kiss tonight at Gusano's.

 

 

They also do this thing at the pool table there where Brian picks Kayla up, and she pushes the balls into the holes with her hands. Then he puts her down and she rushes around to the other side of the pool table to watch the ball go back in its spot. It's really cute to watch them play together. It's awesome how well he balances me out because he's the playful parent, and I'm the "taking care of business" parent. He reminds me that playing with her is just as important as making sure her teeth are brushed.

On our way home from Gusano's, I was listening to Eragon, by Christopher Paolini. (I've probably listened to about 30 books on tape this year.) I was really into this intense moment in the book when Kayla chimed in from the back seat..."Mommy, my name starts with the letter 'K' ". This comment was completely out of nowhere!!! I don't know why I'm always surprised by our child's intelligence. She really never ceases to amaze me!

Cinderalla or Belle?

One of Kayla's favorite things right now are Disney princesses. Her current favorite is Ariel, but that could change at any moment. Since Brave is released today, that chick will probably be the "princess of the week".

Kayla got to practice being Cinderella last night. She helped me cook a broccoli and rice casserole for a Thanksgiving potluck we have tonight at her school.

After we made our casserole it was time to go downstairs and take a bath. Kayla got overheated from cooking so she took her shirt off upstairs. She snuck into my closet while I started the bath water, and she came into the bathroom and said, "Don't I look just like Belle?" So cute!!! I told her she looked just like her, but was even prettier.

 

Kayla is slightly OCD so she decided to take her bracelets off and re-arrange them. She was having so much fun, her brother Norman - AKA "fat cat" - decided to help her.

 

 

I liked this shot just because you get to see how enormous our cat really is.

 

It's on nights like this where I have to pause, tell myself it's okay that my house is a disaster, that my jewelry and shoes are strewn across the floor, and soak in the moment that my three-year-old daughter is trying to look like a princess. This is another moment we get to treasure forever...

Engaged!!

Last night, my middle sister Christina got engaged to Josh Owens!!! I'm very happy for her as she says she's found "the love of her life" and she's never understood what love is until now. Here's a picture of her ring she texted me last night. (Sorry for the poor quality, but it's a picture of a picture.)

 

Here's a picture of the dress she loves which fortunately is on sale (What can I say? It's the Shirley way. We can't buy anything - even our wedding dresses unless they're on sale.)

 

 

A date hasn't been set yet, but I'm pretty sure she wants me and Rhyan to be bridesmaids. I'm also super stoked about getting to plan a wedding. I LOVE itineraries and event planning!!!

Wisdom Beyond Her Years

My sister Rhyan is very wise for her ripe old age of 22. My family - as in parents and sisters - are going through a lot right now. It's been a tough past few years for all of us. I was talking on the phone to my baby sister yesterday afternoon about everything going on and she said "I love the word jouney because is implies a destination." Wow! As Christians, our ultimate destination is at our Father's feet. Ultimately, He is the only one we should be living for. She also advised me to read Ephesians 6, so I did and journaled about it. Here's what I took out of it regarding the armor of God...(and it's okay if you want to laugh at my awesome art work!) :)

Ephesians 6:18
"Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit."

Also, I love nature because it's always a reminder to me of God's creation and presence. I took these pictures on Saturday evening at one of my favorite walking trails in Bella Vista.

 

I always find an appreciation for the tough times, because it is then that I find myself on my knees in prayer. God is always faithful and His perfect love for us, is beyond our comprehension.