Emily's 6th Birthday

It's hard to believe our little girl is 6 years old already!!! Here she is just a few days old:

Emily has had a big year of a lot of firsts! She started kindergarten, she learned how to ride a bike without training wheels, she is learning how to read, she even lost her first tooth! We couldn't have asked for a more special child. She is an absolute joy. She is so independent that it can drive you nuts at times especially when you pair that with her stubbornness. LOL! She will keep working at something until she gets it, which I guess is a good quality - unless you're in a hurry! She is a very good student at school. She loves to help her teacher and her friends at school. She is learning a ton and seems to be catching on pretty quick. We do a lot of games and reading and playing together at home. She loves to play by herself but also enjoys any time she can get with mommy & daddy.

For her actual birthday, Grammy and I took her to Scooops kid spa in Hilldale mall. It was so much fun! We were the only people there which made it even better.

We arrived to her name up on the chalkboard and she was soooo excited!

She got to pick out a birthday bear while waiting for her day to start

She got a birthday tiara

Getting her manicure

She loved the hand massages!

Our pretty girl

She also got to pick out a sparkle tattoo

She picked a pink heart!

She got a pink hair piece put in

and pink eyeshadow

and pink lipstick

Don't forget the pink sparkle gems she got put on the side of her face

Our beautiful angel!

Mommy and Emme

Grammy & Emme

 Then we came home and hung out for a while and opened birthday presents!!!!

For dinner that night we took her to the Nitty Gritty in Sun Prairie. She even got to give the bartender her name so he could write it on the board. She loved her free kiddie cocktail and balloon too!

We had TWENTY SIX people for her birthday dinner. OMG! What a lucky little lady to have so many awesome people who love her. Thank you all for coming!

Happy Birthday to our sweet, generous, caring, lovable, funny 6 year old. Here's to many, many more birthday celebrations. Love you so much!!!!!

Christmas 2013

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Enjoyed lots of family time and got lots of very nice presents :) We changed up traditions a little bit by opening up our presents from each other on Christmas Eve morning. Here are some pics to enjoy:

It was nice to open them and give Emily time to play with all her new toys that she got. Then in the afternoon we packed up and headed to my sister Cori's in Sun Prairie. It was a wonderful time as it is every year. Food was delicious and it was so nice seeing my entire family plus Mary & Ray who thankfully come and hang with us each year!!

Our almost 6 year old on Christmas Eve!

Audrey trying to climb on the table to get some of Uncle Jeff's food

We tried to get a picture of all 4 girls but Audrey was having none of it. She was a little tired :)

Finally got her to sit up and she gave us this super sad face!

Em loved her Unicorn stuffie from my Aunt Carol & Uncle John

And her super awesome suitcase from the Stampf's!

We got home a  little after bedtime and quickly set out some milk & cookies for Santa. Emily went to sleep like a champ and we woke up Christmas morning to.....

Santa came!!!!!

Every year Santa brings Em an ornament and this is the one she got this year. She said "Mom, I know Santa got me this one because he sees me get up each night and go into your bed." LOL!

After we got done opening presents from Santa we showered and got ready for another fun-filled family day. This time it was at Kory's mom's house in Cambridge. It was so nice to see everyone - especially Nathan who is in college out in Oregon so we don't get to see him more than once or twice a year now and Kristen, Parker and their 2 boys - Owen & Liam. They live in Montana so we don't get to see them often either.

Emily playing with her godfather, Nathan

Em holding baby Liam

Em got another American Girl doll! Her name is Kiersten

Tyler and Tony trying on Ty's new running shorts. LOL!

We had a great time at both families and are so thankful and lucky to have them. We did miss our family who couldn't join us this year and we hope to see you all soon in 2014!!!!