She likes it, she really, really likes it!

If you know me well at all, I'm not always the best at trying new things. I kinda tend to stick to the things I like and that's okay with me.
Like going on dates - dinner, movie, bowling, shopping, church events and that's about it... I'm sad, I know. (But I do enjoy all these things!)
My hubby on the other hand - is TOTALLY into trying new things ALL THE TIME!! Almost to the point of frustrating me because I just want a "normal" meal or a "normal" date... I'm so glad he puts up with me and still takes me anywhere fun!

CASE IN POINT...

My sister gave us her tickets she had got to see "Wicked" (the story behind the Wizard of Oz story) because she and Nate had to work and my husband JUMPED at the opportunity!
I, on the other hand, wasn't "excited" about the event (its a musical, you know and it was at the Orpheum - can you say "artsy") - I was just happy for a date night with my hubby. And I still felt this way until after the first song and then I was HOOKED!! (She even had AMAZING seats!)
IT WAS SO COOL!
I'm totally that person that LOVES sequels and prequels because I want to know the whole back story and future of that person and all that surrounds them so this was PERFECT for me!
I grew up LOVING the Wizard of Oz and this was just even cooler (even with most of it being sung) I would TOTALLY go see it again if I had the chance!








So here's to trying new things and YES, I really, really liked it! :)
Thanks Nato & Sessie for the tickets and thank you Fred for always making me try new things! :)

He's the best...

And I'm not just saying that because he's THIRTY-SIX years old today... he really is the best husband, friend, dad, pastor, son and SO MUCH MORE!! I'm so glad that he's in my life and always will be...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRED - I love you more than you'll ever know!

Family, fun & basketball...

We were blessed the other night with tickets to go and see a Timberwolves basketball game (none of us are fans of the Timberwolves - just of Basketball in general) AND one of our junior highers was performing after the 1st quarter (she was AWESOME by the way)!!

My kids had SUCH a ball - Colton cheered whenever EITHER team made a basket...

Here's him in his Timberwolves wig...


We took a fun crew with us!













We had GREAT seats right behind the Wolves bench... well a few rows back! :)


No matter where the seats were - we were THANKFUL (they were free after all) and the kids had SO MUCH FUN no matter what! :)

Some things never change...

I had to go over to my grandparents (my mom's parents) to help deliver their Angel Food basket - which if you haven't gotten one yet, you totally SHOULD - WHAT A DEAL!! :)

So my kiddos got to hang out for a few minutes with Papa-Boo (as the grandkids call him) and Mom Mom (my grandma).

Growing up, hanging out at my grandparents house (which we used to live less than a mile from them) was always fun. They didn't have the "coolest" toys (okay, actually my grandma did - she used to have 10 or so Cabbage Patch Kids - that were hers, a Teddy Ruxpin, a ton of teddy bears and beautiful dolls - but we weren't always allowed to play with them - only look) she had a bunch of toys that were my mom's when she was younger and "People's" (if you're old enough to remember the originals). But we always had fun...

The highlight of going to Mom Mom's house was climbing the big tree in their front yard... my children had fun doing the same thing this afternoon! :)















Like I said... some things never change! :)
What I enjoyed 20+ years ago (no I'm not that old - I just started young!) my kids still enjoy today!

No more clothes wars!!

I love my family so much - they just don't even know!!
For Chayse's birthday this year I asked my family to get her some "nice/cool" clothes for church and outings and they did great! (Just to clear things up - Leslie saved Chayse's day by NOT getting her clothes, but her new favorite video instead... otherwise Chayse would have gotten ALL clothes for her birthday - which she said she was okay with, but she was glad that Leslie got her something "fun")
They have no idea how much they made my weekend so peaceful this last weekend because of it...

Let me set this up... lately Chayse and I have many "discussions" about her choice in clothes, shoes, and how she does her hair - I'm not sure how to define her "taste"... but its usually a little too sloppy for what I want. OR she wears the perfect outfit with her riding boots or "skater" tennis shoes!!

But this weekend was H E A V E N ! !
Here's how the weekend went:

• Friday day (went to the MOA with Israeli friends) SHE picked out a dress that my dad picked out and bought for her (good job Dad!!) and I suggested her footless tights - she even put a ribbon in her hair (which she later took out - but that's okay)
• Saturday night (church) SHE picked out her new black dress from Melissa and wore her golden shoes with it.
• Sunday morning (church) SHE picked out her new outfit from Nana - plaid pants, brown shirt, pink sweater and brown ballet flats... again, PERFECT!!
• Sunday Night (NTHI - church) SHE picked out the brown dress Melissa got her and again wore her footless tights and ASKED ME which shoes to wear with it, I said the golden ones, she agreed and wore it with her HAIR DOWN...

It was like she all of a sudden has taste and wants to look good (like I want her to) - it was amazing! I'm not sure how long this will keep up - but I'm enjoying it while I have it!

Sorry for all the details - but you just HAD to understand how big of a deal this was to me! :)
Thanks family - you are the best!


This is a picture of her at the MOA in the dress my Dad picked out - didn't he do good and doesn't she look SO CUTE! :)

I just love how big my "big girl" is getting! :)

The Real Birthday Party!!!

With the busyness of a "typical" weekend at the Shirley household - we (with Chayse's agreement) decided to postpone her birthday dinner to Monday night (tonight) where she gets to pick the meal and have her birthday cake. However, she did choose to have her presents yesterday (on her real birthday) - but I expected that! :)

Here are the attendee's...
Grandpa, Grandma, Fred (Daddy), Kelly (Mommy), Chayse, Connor & Colton....
(I'm the one taking the pictures...)











So what did my girly want... "breakfast for dinner" - her favorite! :)
We had quiche (egg pie w/ ham), banana bread, biscuits, fruit & OJ... she loved it! :)














But the BEST part of the evening... her birthday cake! :)

You can't tell in the picture too well, but I added blue food coloring to the sprinkle cake mix (which made a funky blue colored cake - being that blue is her new favorite color) with pink frosting, candy letters (ooohhh, what a treat), candles & LOTS of sprinkles on top!
She loved it and I'm happy to make my daughter's day! :)

Nine years ago today...

Nine years ago today, I became a mommy... a little girl was laid in my arms and I cried at the reality of God's goodness to me in the form of my only little girl!













And today she is NINE years old... it doesn't really seem that long ago, but yet it seems like forever ago at other times.

Everyone always tells you to "cherish the days when they are little because they fly by" and I try to - but it still makes you kinda "drop your jaw" when you realize just how big your "baby" really is...














Happy Birthday Chayseeboo! :) Mommy loves you more than you'll ever know! :)