Birthday Wishes for Emma

One of the many things I love about Facebook is all the reconnecting and catching up with old friends I can do. On Friday evening, I posted that it was Emma's birthday weekend. She has received many birthday wishes, so I thought this would be a fun way to share all of them with her.

Here are a few people who saw Emma when she was just hours old:Kristin: Happy birthday Emma!!! It feels like just yesterday that you were teeny tiny!!! Time flies...Mishel: How fun! I'm sure you'll have a big party! Maybe Chris can do his Aussie impression. hee hee! (A little inside joke from our infamous White Trash Party)SuzAnne: Happy Bday, Emma

Here are some more greetings from friends Emma has made since then...

Jessi: Happy Bday Emma!
(A dear friend from college who surprised us when we were in Iowa for Emma's baptism!)

Nya: That's right, happy bday Emma! Aidan's is in two weeks. Can u believe it??

(Emma and Aidan were best buddies at the Ikego Child Development Center!)
Maggie: HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA-CHAN!!! We're heading to Nozawa Onsen this weekend for the fire festival!

(Playing in the snow in Nozawa Onsen in January 2007)

Shannon: Happy Birthday Emma!!!!

(Emma checking out baby Isabella, who was born just a few weeks before Camden).

The Sparlings: Happy birthday little Emma! You are one fun loving little girl! We are
sending hugs and sweet wishes across the Pacific pond. Did your dad go to sleep before you blew out your candles? (Another inside joke, and great jab at Chris, from a few Kasparek parties... Here's Emma with babies Camden and Avonlea all dressed up for the summer festival in the Sparling's neighborhood. Boy, it was hot that day!)

Kathleen: Happy Birthday Emma!!!!!

(Emma and Sydney during our last night in Japan.)

An extra special wish from one of Emma's favorite people:

Jessi: Happy Birthday, best buddy! I can't believe you are 5!!!

Princess Emma's Party

Last night we celebrated our favorite girl in the whole wide world! Emma's birthday party requests were as follows:

1. I'd like to have a princess party.

2. I want Daddy to make me a castle cake.

3. I want Mommy to make chicken noodle soup for dinner.

4. My friends and I want a pinata.

Here are Princess Sophia, Emma, Audrey, and Claire (with the court jester in the back).

All of the party guests lined up in the garage waiting their turn to take a whack at the pinata.

Are adorable "under 5" guest: Alison, Camden, and Hunter.
Emma taking the first swing at the pinata.
(I convinced myself that I was going to make a pinata. It was a little odd looking, but it worked!)

Emma and Claire ready for present time.

I don't think she could have opened the gifts any faster...

Chris's first masterpiece of the new decade: Happy Birthday, dear Emma

Prince Logan and his 2 favorite princesses.

Enjoying cake and ice cream.

The happiest princess on earth!

A Future Window Display on 5th Avenue?

Last night Emma was very excited to show us what she had picked out to wear to school:

Check out the headband on the pumpkin pillow (and she even had her underwear inside her jeans!)

Fridays are show-and-tell days at school. Can you guess what she took?

Orange Bowl Cheerleaders

We hurried home from school yesterday and put on our Iowa gear to cheer on the Hawkeyes in the Orange Bowl! What a great game!

Emma's Laugh and "The Fish"

We hope you enjoy two new classic videos from the Kasparek family:

Chris has some very fish like moves on the Zipfy sled.

Emma's laugh of sheer joy would make anyone smile (not to mention Camden sandwiched in between Claire and Emma during the ride)!

A Happy New Year in the Snow!

We couldn't think of a better way to start a new year than a trip to the mountains to play in the snow. Emma and Camden were so excited to see the rain turn to snow as we traveled up Snoqualmie Pass and by the time we got them bundled up and outside, they were ecstatic!Chris, Chris, Claire, and Emma riding on the snowcat sled to the Trollhaugen lodge.
Whoa! What a ride for Chris and Camden!

There were a few inches of fresh powder that flew up in your face as you were sledding downhill, so unfortunately we saw this...
...and this a few times yesterday. Emma looks like an old pro on her new Zipfy sled. She liked starting about halfway up the hill and had a blast on it!

Here comes Camden! Alison LOVED sledding in the tube!

We had a fantastic run down the hill!

The last trip down the hill for Emma and Claire!

Good-Bye 2009!

2009 where have you gone?!?! Another year has come and gone and we had to get in one last dinner party with the Warthens. We had fun reminiscing about our New Year's Eve celebrations at the beginning of the decade, but all enjoyed our relaxed celebration to end the decade.

Here are the 2 biggest party animals:Chris, Chris, and adorable Alison ,hanging out in the backpack, loved the cheese fondue... ...maybe not as much as me! This was my permanent spot for quite a while! :)
After dinner we tried playing Rock Band for the first time
(yea, we stink). At about 8:30, we rang in the New Year-thanks to some footage of the Seattle Space Needle's celebration from last year! The kids didn't know any different (and we have to get away with this stuff while we still can!)