Reuben’s Birthday Celebrations

Posted: March 19, 2012 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays, Reuben | Leave a comment »

We had a full week of celebrating Reuben’s 3rd birthday! I think it is safe to say that Reuben had a great time and feels very loved.

(Be warned: This post has approximately 1,382 pictures)

Reuben goes to Mother’s Day Out on Tuesdays so he had school on his actual birthday. I ordered some cookies from Barbee’s and took them up to share with his friends at the end of the day. Reuben felt pretty special being the birthday boy for the day Reuben was so excited to see me when I arrived that he hit his friend in the face. We’re working on properly channeling our emotions.

On Tuesday night, we celebrated by having Reuben’s all time favorite meal…chicken and rice. Grandma Z dropped by with a gift, balloons, and some cupcakes. So, he got to enjoy a special dessert after he ate up all his dinner.

Nick and I decided that after the 1st and 2nd birthday parties, we would start doing parties every other year. We still wanted Reuben to be able to celebrate with his friends so we asked him what he would like to do. He promptly requested a play date at the park. Besides the crazy wind, we had a nice little get together at the park. Nick was able to take the day off from work and it was really nice to have his help. We played, ate a picnic lunch, opened presents, and enjoyed the cupcakes that Reuben specifically requested (chocolate and vanilla with blue and green icing). Reuben had so much fun that he took a 4 hour nap when we got home! Score!

On Friday night, we hosted our immediate family for dinner and our final birthday celebration. We are so blessed to have our families nearby (Neal and Shannon graciously drove in from Edmond). My children are both very loved and I am so thankful.

(Can we all pause for a moment of silence in appreciation of the beautiful cake I made for Reuben)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Reuben!!!

Posted: March 13, 2012 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays, Reuben | 2 Comments »

What an honor it is to spend today (and the rest of this week) celebrating the 3rd birthday of my son, Reuben Mac. It has been an absolute joy and honor (and the most humbling experience ever) to meet, take care of, and cherish Reuben the past 3 years. From the moment he entered our lives, Reuben has taught us to trust God with both his present everyday life and his bright and promising future. Reuben is compassionate, caring, curious, joyful, sensitive, respectful, cautious, and loving. His love languages are clearly physical touch and quality time. Reuben brings a smile to our face several times each day. Most nights, Nick and I will lay in bed and talk about the funny or cute things Reuben did and said that day. Reuben loves his family and friends. He talks about them and prays for them by name. He loves to read. He wants to talk about everything that happens in the book and discuss why it’s happening that way. Reuben is very observant of everything that is happening around him and gives us a full report of what he sees and his opinion of what he sees. Reuben is honest. If he makes a mistake, he will admit to it and sincerely apologize for what he’s done. He is full of life, energy, and JOY.

Reuben, I’m so blessed to be your mommy. I thank God that He entrusted you to me for this short time on earth. I commit to love you in the best way that I know how and nurture you in a way that allows you to become everything that He has created and purposed you to be. I love you with all my heart! Happy birthday, son

A walk down memory lane…our sweet boy as a newborn, 1 year old, 2 year old, and 3 year old.

We interviewed Reuben last night and recorded his answers. I’m looking forward to doing this each year on his birthday and seeing how his answers change

What is your favorite animal? Bear
What is your favorite sport to play? Soccer
What is your favorite TV show? Go Diego Go
What is your favorite color? Red
What is your favorite song? Jesus Loves Me
What is your favorite snack? Animal crackers
What is your favorite drink? Apple juice
What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Yogurt
What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Cheese, Crackers, Ham, Carrots/Ranch
What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Chicken and Rice
What is your favorite book? Scary Book (aka “Boo” by Robert Munsch)
What is your favorite toy? Car
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play at the park
What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Woody doll, 2 nigh-nighs (blankets)
What did you used to do when you were little? Cry a lot
What do you want to be when you grow up? Doctor
Who is your best friend? Troyer and Diego
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Sonic
If you had one wish, what would it be? Lots of apple juice
What is your best memory? Wrestling Daddy

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Posted: February 22, 2012 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | 4 Comments »

Today is a very special day because it is my mom’s 61st birthday. My mom is a treasure. She is a friend, confidant, supporter, and an encourager. She is honest, trustworthy, giving, loving, funny, full of life, fashionable, hip, gifted, genuine, and caring. She is my number one fan. She loves me unconditionally. She understands me and my complex character. She loves my husband and my children with passion.

Mom, I love you. I’m so thankful for you. I’m honored that God chose me to be your daughter. I celebrate you today, and everyday, for who God created you to be and the gift you are to me and so many others. Happy birthday!

I love this picture of my mom (and dad, too). I love the way she loves my kids. I love how young at heart she is. And, I just love the way she has maintained her fashion sense!

Since Shannon and Neal were already in town for Brynlee’s party this weekend, we decided to celebrate my mom’s birthday on Sunday after church. I had everyone over to my house for lunch. I asked Shannon and Neal to come over a little early to help me keep the kids entertained while I cooked. Well, I don’t know who had more fun…Shannon or Reuben

We had Pioneer Woman’s lasagna, garlic bread, green beans, salad, and a delicious apple crumb dessert.

After lunch we headed into the living room to open presents.

Neal kept Reuben (and himself) entertained with a little Netflix on the iPad

My mom wasn’t surprised by any of her gifts, but I’m thankful we were able to get her exactly what she asked for. I also love that a sweater from Loft was top on her list. My mother is so fashionable!

Cards are a cherished part of any holiday in the McNamara family. It’s so fun to give and to receive the perfect card.

My dad got my mom an iPad! She gonna be so techno savvy! We also got her a super cute cover and an App Store gift card to go with. She’s all set!

Brynlee’s 1st Birthday

Posted: February 21, 2012 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | Leave a comment »

We had so much fun celebrating my niece Brynlee’s 1st birthday this weekend! Rachel and Chad put together a wonderful celebration at my parents’ house that was very well attended and enjoyed by all.

Rachel’s friend designed this super cute invitation that did a great job setting the theme of the party.

The Cameo came in handy when it came to cutting out this super cute banner that displays a picture from the first 12 months of Brynlee’s life! I just downloaded the film strip shape and adjusted the size so that the inner slot was big enough for a 4×6 print. Rach made it even cuter by tying them together and adding the pictures and numbers. I think it turned out great!

A closer look…

Rachel ordered Barbee’s sugar cookies in the shape of a 1 to hand out as favors for the guests. She also included a photo prop (mustaches and lips) glued on a popsicle stick.

The tag says, “Thank you for making my 1st birthday a picture perfect day.”

The beautifully decorated food table.

A delicious cake from Merrit’s Bakery!

Rachel served ham and swiss sliders, veggies and dip, and grapes. How adorable are the Brynlee sandwich toppers?!?

A seat fit for a princess!

When I arrived, Rachel and Shannon were getting the princess all ready for her big day. Her outfit was our big find at the OKC craft show last weekend.

SO precious!

Rachel even decorated Brynlee’s bedroom door for her!

My loves arrived to the party dressed like twinkies

Speaking of loves, here’s my sweet girl all dressed for her cousin’s party.

Brynlee took the present opening very seriously. She was blessed with many wonderful gifts and more adorable clothes to add to her wardrobe.

I love this picture because it looks like she’s getting the biggest kick out of what was written in her card.

Singing happy birthday and getting ready for a sugar rush!

Her first taste of sugar did not disappoint!

Rachel set up a photo booth in the office for guests to take pictures with props. Once again, the Cameo was a champ when it came to cutting out all the lips and mustaches. I love this one of my parents…

What a fun day! Rach and Chad made a great team and pulled off a wonderfully memorable day for their sweet little girl.

Shannon’s 25th Birthday Celebration

Posted: February 7, 2012 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | 2 Comments »

My gorgeous little sister, Shannon, turned 25 on Sunday! We took a mini road trip to Edmond on Friday night to celebrate. We had a great time eating dinner at Kaiser’s in downtown OKC and afterwards went back to Neal and Shannon’s house for dessert and opening presents. We had a wonderful time! It’s always a really nice reminder to see how easily we can drive there and back in one night so it makes Edmond not feel so far away.

Happy birthday, Shannon! I love you very much and I’m very proud of the beautiful woman you have become. I’m thankful that you are my sister and one of my very best friends! I love our phone conversations, crafting dates, and hanging out at family events. I’m also thankful for the auntie you are to my babies. We all LOVE YOU!

The newlyweds at Kaiser’s.

Having some fun while waiting on our food.

Getting her first taste of sweet potato fry…and being pretty gangsta about it.

After SEVERAL attempts, this was the best we could do.

Nick’s HILARIOUS attempt at taking a picture while driving. What a responsible driver…keeping his eyes on the road at all times.

Shannon’s dessert request…Barbee’s iced sugar cookies and Oreo Dirt.

Just a little excited about the Oreo Dirt

Brynlee loves to attack Reuben while he’s on the floor. She thinks it’s hysterical.

Auntie Shan and her niece that’s asleep and nephew that’s unamused.

A Reuben sandwich…HA!

Opening presents! I got Shannon a sewing basket with a few necessities inside. Love having crafty sisters!

Brynlee entertained herself with some tissue paper.

Apparently Gabriella though something was FUNNY.

Reuben needed to make sure he hadn’t been forgotten as a part of our family.

Uncle Chad and Reuben got a little tied up after a wrestling session…

Reuben’s all tucked in, got his movie on, and ready for the ride home. What a fun night!

Happy Birthday, Nick!

Posted: November 7, 2011 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | 2 Comments »

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. It’s a whole day to celebrate the birth of my amazing husband. This is a big year for us as we’re both turning 30! So, in honor of the big 3-0, here’s a list of what I love about Nick (in no particular order).

An ever growing relationship with God that infiltrates every area of his life
A passion and anointing for leading people in worship
Excellence in his career as a Database Analyst
Providing for our family so I can be a stay at home mom
Being STEADY despite life’s many ups and downs
Enjoyment of wrestling sessions with Reuben Mac
Taking the time to “jam” with Reuben AKA playing the guitar and singing worship songs while Reuben drums, sings, and plays his guitar as loud as he can with a BIG smile on his face
Encouraging me to take the time to pamper myself
Teaching me how to relax and enjoy life
Laughing with me about the silliest things
Effortless connection with people in all walks of life
Confidence to be himself no matter the company
Willingness to watch reality TV with me, including several pauses to process the dynamics of what we’re watching
Desire to be a Daddy who is heavily involved in our kids’ lives
Commitment to quality family time
Contentment with simplicity balanced with an enjoyment of the finer things
Dedication to maintaining a debt-free lifestyle
Appreciation of his Trinidadian culture
Love for and celebration of the holidays
Consistently asking if there’s anything that could make our lives more relaxed or enjoyable and working hard to make those things happen
Commitment to maintaining and growing friendships, old or new and near or far
Ease of connection with my family
A developed fashion sense and sense of style
An overall positive attitude and outlook on life
Skill in unique sports…table tennis and cricket
Taking time to enjoy life and vacation well
Desire to see our marriage flourish
Seeking out and pursuing accountability with godly men
Being a very hands-on Daddy, interested in the little details and ready to help in any way
Loving me unconditionally no matter how difficult I might make it

I love you, Nick!!! So blessed to do life with you by my side!

Reuben’s Rockin’ Roadshow

Posted: April 27, 2011 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | Leave a comment »

We celebrated Reuben Mac’s 2nd birthday with our family and friends on Friday, March 11th. Reuben had a rock star birthday and he definitely looked the part!

We hired our friend, Nicole, to take pictures at Reuben’s 2nd birthday party. She did such a great job! Here are some of my favorites

Celebration #5: Reuben’s 2nd Birthday

Posted: March 16, 2011 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | 1 Comment »

Reuben’s 2nd birthday was on Sunday, and we had a weekend full of fun celebrations! On Friday night, we had a birthday party AKA Reuben’s Rockin’ Roadshow. I hired our friend, Nicole of Lyrics Photography, to take pictures for us. This was a GREAT decision because it totally took the picture taking pressure off of me and allowed me to enjoy the party. The party will have a post of its own when we receive our pictures from Nicole. We spent the rest of the weekend spending quality time with each of our families. We ended Reuben’s birthday with a BANG by taking him to see Sesame Street Live at the BOK Center. Reuben seemed to really enjoy it! I must admit, when Elmo entered the building, and Reuben’s face lit up as he pointed and screamed, “MELMO!” Nick and both found ourselves a bit teary-eyed. There is just nothing that compares to seeing your child’s face light up with pure JOY.

Grandma Zal gets more excited about giving Reuben gifts than Reuben does about opening them We went to their house last week and she just had to give him a few early presents. She gave Reuben a Home Depot tool set just like his Grandpa Fred!

Reuben was pretty fired up about his new outfit, too!

On Saturday, we got to spend some quality time with Cammie, Paw Paw, Uncle Chad, Auntie Ray Ray, and Brynlee. I love this picture of Cammie with her two grandbabies

On Sunday, Nick’s parents hosted a small family get together to celebrate the birthday boy. Reuben is thankful that Uncle Rickki and Auntie Nancy got him some pants!

How many men does it take to build a toy basketball goal?

Reuben is all dressed and ready to see Elmo! Yes, I know he needs a haircut. Now that his rockstar birthday party has passed, we will be fixing the hair issue PRONTO.

What’s better than seeing Elmo on your birthday? Seeing him WITH your best friend!

Let’s go see Elmo, guys!

Sitting in his seat like a big boy…ready to see Elmo!

The characters have just taken the stage and these two little guys are THRILLED!

Eating some goldfish, clapping along to some tunes, and thoroughly enjoying his birthday

Pure JOY.

When we got home from Elmo, we let Reuben play for a little bit before bed to use up some of his energy. Well, he picked up his basketball and started shooting. Nick and I sat in amazement as he used great form and kept sinking his shots. Now, I know we’re biased parents, but we were so PROUD! Auntie Shan and Uncle Neal stopped by to see the birthday boy before bed, and they got to witness his basketball skills, too Here’s the video I managed to get…he’s only 3 for 5…we’re working on his consistency Look out, Kobe!

Celebration #4: Mom’s 60th Birthday

Posted: February 22, 2011 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | 3 Comments »

On Sunday, my sisters and I hosted a tea party to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday. Unfortunately, my sister, Rachel, couldn’t be there because her baby girl was born the day before. We missed her party hosting skills, but we managed to pull it off without her! We had a wonderful time planning, preparing, and hosting this birthday celebration for my mom. Mom always goes above and beyond to celebrate with us on every occasion so it was nice to return the favor!

We rented the clubhouse in my parents’ neighborhood to hold the event. We also hijacked several decorations from my mom’s house to complete our tea party scene. We joked with her and told her she was on a scavenger hunt to see how many of her own items she could find throughout the party

We used mason jars as vases and set each place with a teacup and saucer.

Shannon and I stopped to take a quick picture in the midst of finishing up a few final things before the party started.

Our guest of honor, my mom. I hope I look half as good as her when I’m turning 60! Absolutely gorgeous.

We served a few dessert items to accompany the tea…chocolate covered strawberries, pretzel and rolo deliciousness bites (name created by yours truly), and apples and heath dip. We also served a cake by none other than Merritt’s Bakery.

Mom and her girls…minus Rachel

I love this picture of Mom and Lori (aka LoLo), one of our dearest friends of 20+ years.

Mom took a moment to thank her friends for coming to help celebrate her birthday. She admitted that this celebration was a bit awkward for her, being the center of attention and all, but I’m so thankful we had this opportunity to shower her with love and lots of attention!

As if the presence of her dearest friends wasn’t enough, she was blessed with several gifts of all sorts. It was so fun to see what her friends picked out for her. This group of friends definitely knows her well!

Today is my mom’s actual birthday. I have stopped several times throughout the day to pray and thank God for what an amazing gift my mom is to me. I am so blessed to have a mom who CARES ABUNDANTLY, GIVES FREELY, LOVES UNCONDITIONALLY, and SERVES WHOLEHEARTEDLY. She serves as a wonderful example to me. What I am most thankful for is having a mom who couples as my best friend. I know that I can call my mom anytime, any day, for anything, and she will genuinely care and show interest in the small details of my life. I hope to one day look back and see that I’ve left a legacy similar to that of my mom.

Love you, Mom! Happy Birthday!

Celebration #2 = Shannon’s Birthday

Posted: February 8, 2011 | Author: amymacagi | Filed under: Birthdays | 2 Comments »

Celebration #2 = a family celebration of Shannon’s birthday on Saturday, February 5th. This family gathering was extra special after being snowed in for a week. We were all desperate for human interaction so this came at a great time! Our family has lots of traditions, but one of my FAVORITES is taking time on a person’s birthday to go around the table and let each person let the birthday boy/girl know what they appreciate about him/her. We all took our turns telling Shannon how much we appreciate her, and the most common comment was on Shannon’s sense of humor and her genuine love for and loyalty to her friends and family. We are all very blessed to have Shannon as a part of our family!

Reuben decided to get all dressed up for Auntie Shan’s birthday party!