Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Mommy's Birthday

I had a wonderful birthday today with the help of my sweet girl, dear friend Lisa, her daughter Belen, another friend's daughter Isabel, and my sister Julyn.
Making mommy's birthday cake

Last night JuJu helped Emily make me a cake after taking her to the store to pick out the mix and frosting. Also, she took Emily shopping and helped her wrap my gift, which was hidden in Emily's nightstand drawer.

This morning Emily crawled into bed with me and wished me a happy birthday! We had a good morning with her giving me her card and gift! She gave me a new music CD that she picked out herself with a card that told me she LOVED me!

We were taken out to lunch by my dear, dear friend Lisa and the other two girls to a very nice lunch at Stanford's.

Then, this evening we had pizza and the yummy cake that Emily helped make! It was so sweet to have Emily and JuJu sing Happy Birthday to me! I do believe there is nothing sweeter than listening to Emily sing! Brings a tear to the eye!

Overall, it was a great day and a marvelous birthday filled with lots of wishes from friends and family!
Love,
Kathy

Oh, YUMMY!!!

Adding the final touches

Belen, Emily, and Isabel at my birthday lunch!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Day 2011

Yummy suckers...how did Santa know??
Our day started with JuJu and Mommy getting up before Emily, having some coffee, and getting the cameras all ready for the little darling to awake! Emily finally woke up around 7 a.m. and wanted to know right away if Santa came??? She headed right for the table and saw that the big guy had eaten the cookies and drank the milk, yum! Next came stocking fun!!! She loved everything Santa put in her stocking from the Pez, pencils with her name, tiny Beast, to the recorder...yes, you read that right, a recorder, or as Emily says, "A horn." She has been playing it a lot today, and yes it is loud; but after a while one can just kind of tune it out, AND she is having SO MUCH FUN!!

Next came the gifts that Santa left...THE CAT WITH BOTTLE!!!!! She has been saying she wanted Santa to bring this since the beginning of November! Her face was priceless when she opened it! Next was Belle with music and moving roses on her dress. Then came a purse, lipstick, money, key fob, and more all PRINCESS! The last gift from Santa was her Beast doll! My girl LOVES the Beast!

When the activities moved out into the family room, she was somewhat overwhelmed. She LOVED everything, but got tired of opening and wanted help, which was fine! She had fun helping mommy and JuJu open as well. She LOVED her new puppy that she named Happy, that has a cold and is sick. He sneezes, blows his nose, drinks from a bottle, and has a stethoscope, thermometer, and shot to take care of him. He also has a special tissue that when she wipes his red sick nose, he will blow his nose! TOO CUTE!!

Mommy loved the sign that says LOVE with a heart that Emily picked out herself with JuJu! It will be hung right away!

After some play time with all the new toys, it was on to Nana's house to see more family! She had a good time with her loving Uncle Mike, Nana, Aunt Carol, and Christi and Jessica. Her new school toy is super fun, as is Princess Chutes and Ladders. Emily also got her first gift card, which she doesn't really understand, but will be allowed to spend however she chooses.

A great time was had by all, and then it was time to head home for a nice lunch, nap, and then onto dinner with Grandpa, Grandma, and everyone from Christmas Eve. We dined at the Red Lion at the Quay and had a marvelous time.

We ended the day by chillin' on the couch watching Winnie the Pooh before bed! Yes, Emily is sleeping in her new "sleep mask" that goes with her new PJ'S!! Too cute! She knows that mommy is going to sneak in when she is asleep and put the sleep mask on her side table! All in all it was a very Merry Christmas seen through the eyes of my darling girl!
Love to you all, and a very Merry Christmas!
Kathy

Santa even gave Emily a Red Envelope


GUM

What a musician

THE CAT!!!!!

Love you cat...

Haven't you heard of grocery shopping with Beast??

Emily made us the BEST cake today!

I love you to the sky and back baby!

Doggies to go with the new playhouse

New fun playhouse

Cat and Happy the doggy

Thank you Nana

Princess Chutes and Ladders...Uncle Mike was Snow White

All ready for dinner in her new outfit!!

Yummy chocolate from the chocolate fountain

There are no words!

Yes, we know it is upside down...

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Operation Santa Claus has been accomplished...

Stockings were hung by the chimney with care
Well, the wee one is sound asleep, and mommy and JuJu have finished filling stockings and setting out presents, and all is well in the Schroeder household!

Today we just hung out around home as mommy knew that tonight would be enough excitement for the darling. After her nap...yes she did take a two hour nap on Christmas Eve...we got all dolled up for church, where Emily had the best time with her friend Jaycee. I love the Crane-Williams family! I just have to say a side note; that entire family is one special bunch of loving, caring people! The love of their family is the true meaning of Christmas!

After church we headed to grandpa and grandma's for dinner and gifts with Sandy's side of the family; my step sisters and their families. Emily had a great  time with her cousins and ate a pretty good dinner amongst all of the excitement!

Emily had a fun time helping my niece Makena hand out presents, and an even greater time opening her gifts! She did a wonderful job trying to "read" the tag and thank the giver!

After much fun and family, we headed home to prepare for the big guy's visit! Emily helped mommy put cookies on our Santa plate, helped pour the milk, wrote a note to Santa that said she loved him..., and best of all...wait for it...helped mommy sprinkle reindeer food (oats) to help the reindeer find our house and sparkles (glitter) to help Santa see our yard.

Emily was in bed by 9 and asleep by 9:40. She was one excited little munchkin when I put her to bed, and tomorrow is going to be full of joy through the eyes of a happy five year old!
More to come tomorrow!
Kathy

Makena and Emily

Linsey loving on Emily

Thank you grandpa and grandma

New Dora pillow from the Wunder family

Thank you Sherry and girls

Pie with Auntie Sherry

Sprinkling reindeer food and sparkles

Look JuJu...

Getting Santa's cookies just right

What a good helper

Writing Santa a loving note

SO EXCITED!!!

Writing her own name

Emily set this up all by herself!

All ready for the morning

Christmas with Kingsella's

Emily and my sweet Sugarplum
Last night we had our annual Christmas with the Kingsella family! Our day began with our tradition of making cookies for the big man himself...SANTA! We have done this every year, and I couldn't have said it better myself than when my Sugarplum said, "I just love our traditions," as she busily decorated a cookie! Belen, we love our traditions too, and now that Emily is here, she loves them too!

After cookie decorating, we watched a little bit of a Christmas movie and then sat down to a yummy dinner, Belen's favorite! Delicious, Titi!

After we enjoyed a lovely dinner together, we all gathered for some gifts! Uncle Larry and Titi loved the gifts that Emily picked out for them all by herself, as did Belen! Belen loved her PEACE sign table we gave her and couldn't wait to put it in her room!

Emily was a little overwhelmed, but tried her best to be polite while loving each and every gift that Belen, Titi, and Uncle Larry gave her! In fact, as I type, she is busy playing with her book of 500 stickers from Titi, as well as her pastry decorating kit from Grammie Wanda! Yes, Titi, you were right. Emily LOVES the frosting decorating utensil, and uses it as a Dr.'s shot...my girl does love to give people shots! :-)

We had a fantastic evening as usual and look forward to next year already! Spending time with the Kingsellas is just like spending time with close family! We love you all!
Love,
Kathy

Let the decorating begin...

Sweet girls

Yummy!!!

Emily loves her Titi

Love you Sugarplum

My two favorite girls

Belen and Titi's creations

Emily, JuJu, and Mommy's cookies

New cute PJ's

Emily sure is getting the ripping paper down

Love the new umbrella Titi

Uncle Larry with his gift from Emily

New Belle bathtub toy!

Belen and her new cool table!

Emily loves the new pastry kit!

Emily and her Titi