Dancing with the Stars at a Party in the USA!

My cute little niece, M loves to dance (and now so does her little brother, H)! So, awhile back I taught her some moves to the Miley Cyrus song, "Party in the USA" (simple moves, people - not because she is little, but because I don't have quite the rhythm that she does and I needed it simple!).

Anyway, I taught her these moves and since then she asks if we can listen to "our song" (aka: "Party in the USA") anytime I see her.

Last night I went to babysit M&H and had a mostly enjoyable night. The only non-enjoyable part was when H had a bit of a tummyache and ended up pooping through his clothes - and I happened to be holding him on my lap, in white capris, it was gross. I felt bad for H...and for my white capris... they are soaking!

There were more enjoyable parts of the evening though, like:

Reading books about Spring and Easter (We always read books and if you know me, you know why!)...

Making Easter eggs for Uncle B. We wrote notes on tiny post-its and put them inside the eggs. The cute things that M came up with on her notes! (I can't wait for you to read them, B!)...

While we were "writing," she asked me if I was having fun, and when I told her "yes," she replied: "I am having fun too. This is fantastic, Kirsten! Brian is going to love these notes!" Know what, she is right, B IS going to love these notes!

Having a puppet show with the book: Bark, George (and now a note from your friendly elementary school librarian: this is a book to checkout if you have kids who like funny stories because George is hilarious!)...

Making a new friend named Charlotte (She is a ladybug and now she lives in Maddy's front yard)...

and we danced!

A lot.

It was a dance party!

It was my exercise for the day (and since I was holding H for a lot of it, I am counting it as weight training too!).

I was tired this morning, but it was so much fun!

So, how lucky am I that last night I was Dancing with the Stars!

Being an Aunt (part 4 of 4)

Many, many moons ago, I was introduced to MG Power.

What is MG Power, you ask? Well, it is a special power that fills you with happiness, joy, laughter, and giggles. Not to mention, it boosts your ego, your energy level, and your own super aunt powers - but only if you happen to have MG Power yourself!

So, what is MG Power, you ask again (because I haven't really explained it!). Quite simply, MG Power is Murphy Girl Power, and in our family it's MG: Power of 3!

My first dose of MG Power came with the Power of 1. As in one small cutie, who at the age of 2 called me, "Turten Turtle" (pretty good considering that my maiden name, "Kirsten Sturgill," is a mouthful for grown-ups sometimes, much less a 2 year old!).

I had been dating B for awhile when he told me that his older brother was coming into town with his cute little family - at the time this was just Joe, Christi, and Em. I remember being nervous about meeting them because they seemed so grown-up to me (side note: I was just a 17-year-old kid!). Pluse, B had talked and talked and talked about them so much and I really hoped they would like me (I know, I know, of course they would like me, who doesn't! If only I had known at 17 how awesome I truly am! But who knows that about themselves at 17?)

Seriously...They were grown-ups....They were cool grown-ups...B looked up to them...I was nervous. And then I met them: Joe, Christi, and Little Miss Em. Yes, they were grown-ups (well, not Em, she was just a baby!). Yes, they were cool (especially Em!). But hey, I wasn't nervous anymore! I loved 'em and they loved me back.

Now, fast forward many, many moons to the time when I am no longer "Turten Turtle" (although I think I still have the turtle mug I was given to represent that unique pronunciation of my name by that super cute 2 year-old back then!), I am now an official part of "the family", and the MG Power in Joe's little family has grown from 1 to 3. And what power it is!

Now, Murphy Girl Power is strong with 1 dose (love you, Em!), but when it is doubled (love you, Sarah!), or Tripled (love you too, Rach!) it cannot be contained and you can't help but be affected by it! It makes you happy, brings you joy, makes you laugh, and causes giggles!

I love a good dose of MG Power and I love these nieces of mine. They are amazing young women who are striving to live Christ-centered lives and who seek to be examples of righteousness to others, and I am so proud of them!

They boost my own levels of MG Power and I love them tremendously!

So, enjoy some MG Power for yourself and remember, if the player doesn't pop up you can either hit the refresh button on your screen or visit this link: http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=dce8b7b250219d4406b096&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

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Being an Aunt (part 3 of 4)

Introducing... "The 6-Pack!" Filled with energy and guaranteed to keep you moving and grooving, "The 6 Pack" includes:

• J = The Leader of the Pack, The Big Cheese, The Big Brother... the only boy! J takes his role of big brother very seriously and despite a skirmish here and there (natural in any pack, no matter the size), he loves his sisters incredibly and always looks out for them. Not only is he a great big brother, he is also a great athlete, he's musical, and he's smart. Seriously, this kid has challenged my knowledge of child development and kept my perspective as an educator open about how children learn at different rates and how we, the adults, shouldn't assume that just because they're young, they aren't capable of higer level thinking and learning.




• E = The Sweetheart, The Peacemaker... The Heart and Soul of the Pack! E is a gentle soul who would hurt no living thing. She is a lover of animals, a serious thinker, and is curious to know everything going on in the world around her. Because of this curiosity and desire to learn, she is extremely observant. So you definitely have to watch how you act and what you say when you're around her. Her love for others is pure and true and she gives great hugs!




• C = The Questioner... The Artiste... The Energizer of the Pack! C loves everything from her stuffed animals to playing soccer to dancing around her room at night with her parents before she goes to bed (Waltz Time, to be exact!). She invents games to play and since she is the rule-maker, it's your job to follow those rules. As she tries out her own style, she models some interesting fashion combos the likes of which the catwalks in France have never seen! And if you need a good art piece to hang on your fridge, she's there for you, all you have to know is if you want markers or crayons!




• Next in The Pack is Little G = The Entertainer! This girl has the best sense of humor and can drop a one-liner at just the right time in the middle of a conversation (a skill she has had since she started talking!). She has a great imagination and can play on her own, just give her a toy kitchen built into the stairs and she's good to go for quite awhile (just don't mess with her shopping basket!). She has the cutest giggle and the most intense scowl (which she pulls if you mess with said shopping basket!). She is full of life and loves to be the star of the show.




• Then comes Little L = The Strong but Silent Pack member... at least she's silent until she gets to know you and then you are her bestie (as long as you do what she wants you to do!). She has a strong will, she knows what she wants, and she can hold her own in any crowd (actually, she can quickly own the crowd if she wants to!). She has the most beautiful eyes and a great smile that will warm your heart when she shares it with you. One warning though: if you're trying to keep up with her, you better eat your Wheaties 'cuz this girl moves!




• The last of The Pack is Miss A = The Life of the Pack! Miss A is precious! She's happy, easy-going, loves to laugh, and has the whole Pack doting on her most of the time. Now that she's mobile, she's giving the rest of the Pack a run for their money and chasing them in all that they do! She loves her family - especially The Leader of the Pack (aka: The Big Brother, The Big Cheese, "J") and makes everyone happy.

And now, a look at my favorite 6-pack:

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Being an Aunt, Part 2 (the real deal)

First - a word about technology glitches - they stink! I was having one last night and so a couple of other posts with this same title popped up on Google Reader. They are not the real deal anymore (which you will quickly notice as you read them) and I say darn those stupid gremlins! THIS is the real deal! So read away, and enjoy!

Did I mention before that I wish all my precious my nieces and nephews all lived closer to me? Oh, I did? Well, let me mention it again: I wish all my precious nieces and nephews lived closer to FW!

When Miss E was little bitty she lived closer to me and I really wish I would have taken better advantage of seeing her regularly, but you know, I figured that they would be here for awhile. After all, my brother had started up his own company and was moonlighting for a local company as one of their tech guys, but then he went and moved his family out to the East Coast so he could go back to school for his MBA. The nerve of that kid, I tell ya!

So, when they leave, my brother (love ya, Chrissie-poo!!!! Ha, ha! Take your family away from me, will ya!), my sis-in-law that I love, and cute little bitty Miss E load up and head out of town for two stinkin' years. They get settled in at Rochester University, where despite some amazing experiences and opportunities because of my brother's hard work and dedication, they face some pretty big trials.

Of course, after the storm comes the sun, and in this instance, after the painful and scary trials they faced came the little charmer - WCS - and WHAT A BLESSING! He is so cute, so happy, so easy to be around (well, he was the last time I was around him, that is), and he has one of the best smiles around!

I wish I could jump on my private jet and whisk away to visit these cutie-patooties, but our private jet is currently on loan to the Travolta's 'cuz we're nice like that! Even though my time with Little Miss E and WCS has been limited (which is why I had to lift pics from my SIL's Facebook account for the video at the bottom!), I love knowing what is going in their lives and I am grateful for modern technology that makes the distance seem smaller.

But, you can bet that as soon as the Travolta's are finished using our private jet, B&K will be on their way to the East side of the USA!

And now, for those cuties....

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Being an Aunt, Part 1

I love being an aunt and I simply adore my nieces and nephews - all 13 of them! Over the next few days, I am going to do different posts focusing on each family branch from which all of these precious children and youth who range in age from 1 years old to 19 yours old spring.

I am going to start with my niece and nephew that live the closest to me.

Just a sidenote: I wish all of my nieces and nephews lived closer (hint to my siblings and sibling-in-laws that live away: you should move back to FW!).

Some of the qualities I love about each of them include:

• M - extremely polite, loving, kind, creative, and fun
• H - happy, snuggly, fun, and I got to be there when he was born!

I have been blessed the last couple of months to see M & H several times and have had the chance to take them different places and even had a sleepover with my little niece (fun, but exhausting!).

Both M & H make me so happy! I love how excited they both get (or seem to get) when I come around and there are always lots of hugs, kisses, and I love you's!

Check out some of the fun I have had with M & H....

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December Recap

A recap of our December...


Around our house:












Our Christmas Bags:

Remember how B and I have exchanged our gifts to each other in brown bags for the last few years? (If not, you can revisit how that tradition got started here). Well, this year our brown bags got an upgrade, courtesy of my seester!


I had seen the idea for fabric Christmas bags here, at How Does She (an awesome blog that I love to stalk!), so I talked to my seester about making them (she has gotten really good at sewing cute bags) and she offered to make them for us!


We headed to the fabric store, picked out some cute fabrics, and got them done that evening after dinner. They turned out so cute and there was so much room for our presents (even the ones that were huge and bulky)!


Here, see for yourself....


Here's how she made them (with some pinning, turning, and cutting help from me!)...

Thanks Jenny, we LOVE them!




Christmas Eve with my fam....

Maddy...

Hudson...

Both of these cuties...

It was such a fun night! I can't believe I neglected to take pictures of the Phase 10 smackdown that I dealt out to my family! It's a good thing that my memory is like a steel trap and I will NEVER forget the first time I actually won that game!!!

Christmas Day with B's family...

This year my MIL was quite the tricky lady.



I know, I know, she looks all nice and sweet (and she really is), but let me tell you.... she has some wicked tricks up her sleeve!

Case in point, the gift card incident.

This year I thought I was crazy when I opened an old college textbook (make that a CRUSTY old college textbook!) called "The Physics of an Atom." I really thought to my self, "What the French, Toast!" I know I looked completely confused (believe me, I felt confused) and wasn't really sure what to say. I mean I wanted to be polite and all but I wasn't really sure how, it was a PHYSICS textbook, I have never done anything with PHYSICS!

Then, as I turned the book around for B to see the cover, low and behold, a gift card fell out and that nice MIL of mine started to laugh. I admit, it was pretty hilarious and clever too, so I figured I had better watch out for her!

Fast forward to the next surprise present - a jar of dried beans - and again, the total look of confusion. Seriously, how come I didn't learn my lesson from the first time? I was wondering what in the world I was going to do with a jar of dried beans (that wasn't even full) and I was shaking the jar at B, when all of a sudden, there appeared a gift card at the top of the beans.

I told you she had wicked tricks up her sleeve!

We all had a really good laugh but I vow never to look confused again - even if the gift is really, really weird!




And that is a recap of our December! Hope yours was great too!

We miss our family and friends that are far away and want you to know that we love you and think about you often. Here's to a terrific 2011 for all of us!

"Let's stay-up-the-night-away"

December 10, 2010... the perfect night to "stay-up-the-night-away," according to my 3-year-old niece!

Mike and D were hosting a Christmas party at their house and so the plan was for The Cutest Drama Queen Ever to hang out with me...The Most Awesome Aunt!

The rest of the regulars were out of pocket: B (who really is The Most Awesome Uncle) was out of town for work and my seester (who is The Other Most Awesome Aunt) was going to visit a friend in San Antonio. So, that would leave just me with The CDQE, but I knew I could handle it. After all, in my family I'm "The Chairman of the Board" (I love you and miss you, Uncle Bobby!), plus she only manipulates me a little!!!!

So, my brother brought The CDQE over around 5 and in she sauntered with a cute little gift bag proudly proclaiming: "I brought you a surprise!" When I asked if I could open it, she struck her thinking pose (lips pursed, and pushed to the side... finger tapping her lip... eyes looking up) and said, "Sure." Inside I found a great new wallflower scent and a nice little letter that The CDQE had "written" with a little help (Thanks, D!)...

As The CDQE got settled into what she calls "her room" (it's the one with the toys and most importantly: The Treasure Chest!), the phone rang. To my surprise it was The Other Most Awesome Aunt calling to tell me that she had barely gotten out of town and realized she was way too tired for a 4-hour drive to San Antonio, had rescheduled her visit to see Megan, and was heading over to hang out with us.

When she got here, we loaded into my car and hit the town for a total "Party in the U.S.A.!"

First to dinner (Pizza Inn) where The CDQE kept us entertained, then to Target to do some shopping (all hail the $1 spot), driving around looking at Christmas lights (with shouts of "Wow!" "Look, on your side Jenny!" "Wow!" from the back seat), then back to the house for a bit of Dora the Explorer (Thank you, B for setting the DVR!), and on to the showdown... aka: bedtime!

Now, you must know that The CDQE has always been a master sleep procrastinator! She has many tools and tricks to help you see that she needs to "stay-up-the-night-away" (her words and the catch phrase for the night). Tonight there were a couple of tears because she missed her parents, but after reading, singing, praying, and talking with both of The Most Awesome Aunts, The CDQE finally fell asleep.

Now, I would like to tell you that I was wise and went to sleep at a decent time to prepare for the next day... but that's not me! Instead I stayed up late and when I heard the little voice down the hall telling Jenny around 7 am, "let's go wake up Kirsten," I knew that I had done myself no favors by staying up so late!

We played, watched Dora, feasted on cereal, donuts, and chocolate milk (sugar 'em up and then send 'em home, is what I always say!), and played some more until it was time for The CDQE to head home.

I think we had a good time at our "stay-up-the-night-away" sleepover and I am so glad to be loved by The CDQE (even though she does give this "Chairman of the Board" a run for the money!).

Family and friends make life better

Life gets hectic for all us, right?!?

Fortunately the chaos seems to rolls in waves so that when your life is hectic (aka: me... right now), you have friends who rush in to help you with your madness because their life is "less hectic" (face it, "less" is probably the best we get 'cuz nobody I know ever feels completely hectic-free!).

Then, your crazy, hectic sprint in life slows down a bit (P.S. I'm looking forward to that!) so that you can step up and help your friends who are now experiencing their own crazy world.

Tonight I realize how blessed I am to have good family and good friends and I feel fortunate to KNOW I am cared about by so many different people!

The list of amazing people that I have cheering for me and supporting me right now in a crazy transition time could go on and on, but tonight before I go to bed (I know, Mary, I should already be there!), I would like to say a special thanks to these people specifically:

• My sister for being my project manager!
  
  
• My mom for saving the day when printer issues threatened to sink me!
  
  
• My dad for bringing me the paper delivery I needed so desperately.
  
  
• My friend Laura for checking on me.
  
  
• My friend (and blog stalker!), Mary for being my "go-to-sleep-earlier" phone call as well as my "'time-to-wake-up-earlier" phone call (GOTTA start that routine!).
  
  
• My friend Rachel for patroling my Facebook status to make sure I'm not on there instead of sleeping so that I can actually get up when Mary calls!
  
  
• My awesome hubby whose love and support for me has no limit!

I'm serious when I say that this list could go on and on - I know I am blessed that so many people care about me and are watching my back so that I can be successful.

I LOVE YOU ALL and thank you all for caring about me and for helping me to KNOW that whatever I am called to do, I can succeed. After all, I am blessed with good friends, a great family, and a Savior who truly gave His life for me so that I could live mine.

Life may be crazy - but it is good!

(and now I'm going to bed.... really, Mary... I promise! Well, after I update Facebook... but I won't be on there for long, Rachel... cross my heart!)

Summer 2010 - Lots of Fun in the Sun!

"Summer 2010"

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Spring is all about new life!

I love Spring!

Winter is coming to an end, warmer days are enjoyable, the sun stays out longer, people are outdoors and wave or smile (or both) when they see you, blades of green grass start to appear, the birds are chirping, flowers bloom,windows are open, there is a smell of lemony freshness that comes with hurculean efforts of cleaning the house, the world just feels happy. Of course, I also love that I still have Spring Break (see previous posts) - a benefit you get when you stay in school ALL your life!

Spring just brings a new sense of life to the world.

This is also the time of year when we celebrate Easter and remember the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave all of us a new life by conquering death for each of us. What a gift! One for which I am truly grateful.

This spring is extra special with a new little life, my nephew Hudson, joining my family.

(7 lbs 6 oz & 20 inches long with LOTS of hair and a killer grip!)

My seester and I had the awesome opportunity to actually be in the delivery room when The Little Guy was born. It was incredible! I couldn't help it, I cried when he was born. How could I not! And by cry I mean big tears swelling up in my eyes... a huge lump in the throat that I couldn't swallow... I was overwhelmed! Then HE cried and I just joined in!

My sis-in-law was a ROCK STAR... surriously!



It was amazing to see my brother in the role of husband, coach, supporter, and new dad. I can't believe that this guy is MY "baby" brother!

Not only did I get to be there when The Little Guy was born, but his Big Sis stayed with us through the weekend and had Brian and I laughing a lot!






The Madster always makes you feel like you are important ("Helwooo!"as she runs at you full speed to hug you), she's helpful ("Come on, Kirsten. Kirsten, come on!" with her hand out to help you get up so you can play or dance), she's thoughtful ("Want some?" as she offers you the string cheese where she has taken a bite from the middle), she's concerned about others ("You happy?"), and she's loving ("I WUV YOU!" full voice with a big squeeze around the neck).





I think Mike and D are doing a great job raising Maddy and I know that she will help them teach these lessons to "Baby Hudson".



She will be a GREAT big sister!

I know because I'm the expert on being the Big Sis!!!

Welcome to our family, Baby Hudson!

"Hold on, hold on, hold on..."

"...gimme a minute..."

And now, a moment of rambling (brought to you by the overflowing mind of K, who needs a little brain drain!)...

• There is just some music that makes you cry.
• Some days are gloomy, even when you aren't.
• A good book can make a gloomy day much better.
  
  
• I miss my brother (thank you for serving our country)...
• I am so honored that Gretchen has proclaimed me her "best friend!" (3 year olds make being a BFF easy!)
  
  
• I miss my other brother (keep working hard in school)...
• And I miss their families.
  
  
• I am glad my youngest brother is close by...
• I can't believe D would actually want me to be there, but yes, I will be there!
• It makes me happy that Miss Maddy thinks I'm funny and that she "loves that Kirsten!"
  
  
• I appreciate my parents (even when I still act bratty!)
  
  
• I have the BEST sister in the world (but she needs to update her blog!)
  
  
• I miss the San Antonio crew. They are some of the best in-laws (or outlaws!) a girl could have and I LURVE my nieces! They fill my bucket.
  
  
• I have THE best husband in the world!
• I have the BEST husband in the world!
• I have THE BEST HUSBAND in the world!
  

And finally...

• Life passes quickly, don't wait for an invitation to enjoy it. After all, this may be the only moment you have. Don't waste it.

What a week! (and it's ONLY Tuesday!)

Busy... busy... busy... the only word that really fits this week already. The interesting thing to me is that no matter how busy things are, life still happens - literally!

Our family has a new little niece to love, Adelaide Kai, born this morning at 4:30 am (way too bright and early!) at 7 lbs, 4 oz, 20 inches long, and in my brother's words: "beautiful!"

The miracles that happen on an ordinary day in an ordinary week astound me and make me feel a greater sense of love for the blessings God sends into our lives to make those ordinary days something extraordinary!

Congrats to my brother, my sister-in-law, and their precious little ones! I love you all.

Now... what could top that this week?!?

Wordless Wednesday

Create your own story (and add it in the comments!) ...

December comes to a close

With 2010 looming just hours away, I realize that I have neglected to update my blog with some awesome December moments. So, what better way to show these experiences than with pictures!


My brother-in-law retired after 20 years of service in the Air Force...

...so we headed down to San Antonio...







Although it was a quick trip for B & K, we were really glad to be able to go down and be there as Joe and his family were honored in his retirement ceremony (of course, we also get to tease him about being "retired!")


Christmas brought with it some ups and some downs. My dad was hospitalized for an infection in his leg, and I battled a sinus and upper respitory infection. Despite these downs, the ups of the season were greater.

We got a little snow...

Maddy made us smile...








We ate yummy treats...






We gave gifts from the heart...

My gift to Brian was a "Brown Bag Special" (brown bag gifts are a huge tradition in my family) containing 30 cards (1 card to be opened each day for the next 30 days) with each card depicting a characteristic or trait that I love about him:

Brian's gift to me was a "Year in Review" letter with pictures and memories describing the different experiences we had in 2009 that were meaningful to him:
(plus an I-Tunes gift card because he's just sneaky!)






2009 was filled with many fantastic days for B&K and now we look forward to a new year filled with more great opportunities to experience and memories to make.

Happy New Year!