This year Emma wanted to have a birthday party and was very good. Last year was the first and only time I have not let a child have a birthday party but Emma had not been on her best behavior and had been warned that if she didn't improve there would be no party. She didn't get one. So this year she was extra good!!! She wanted to invite all the girls in her class. I counted them out and there are 18 girls including Emma. Wow!! David was out of town when we needed to get the invitations out so Meagan came to my rescue and helped me come up with a simple half sheet invitation. Emma delivered them to the girls and calls starting coming in. She wanted to have what we call a "Board Silly" party. It was a party that revolved around board games. She also wanted all the girls to come dressed in their pajamas. We started at 6pm and served pizza, vegies and dip, and fruit, with some punch.
We had no idea that little 3rd grade girls loved cheese pizza so much. (We ordered more pepperoni than cheese.) We will know for the next time. Then we divided the girls into groups of 4 and go play one of the games. Which were: Sorry, Trouble, War, and Candyland. We played for 5 minutes and then whoever was winning got 5 points, 2nd 4 points, 3rd 3points and last 2 points. Then the girls rotated to a new game with different girls to play against until they had played all 4 games. We added the points together and found a winner. Then we had the girls each take 2 pieces of paper and write some intructions like, "go ahead 2 spaces," "go back to start," "do 30 jumping jacks," etc and we put those on the floor and the girls became the game pieces and they threw a large die to see how far they would go. The time just flew by and we didn't have time to finish that game before we had to have cake and ice cream
and Emma opened her presents.
I made her cake to look like the "Sorry" gameboard.
Emma said it was one of the best birthday parties ever!!!!!! I am so glad she had a great time!! (Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of her playing all the games. Maybe next year I will remember.
and have all the food on the island and just let our family go around buffet style to get it. 
Everything turned out great and we had a fabulous feast. 
We had been writing down things we were thankful for, for the last week or so and went around the table picking them out of the basket and reading to everyone. It was a great day and I wasn't even that exhausted by the end because I had been doing dishes all along and so it only took a few minutes when we were all finished. I am so thankful for my family and that we got to be together in America to celebrate Thanksgiving!!!
She got a little bell to ring when she needed us. After breakfast she opened all of her presents. She got some violin books, a new black velvet, gold organza dress, a cupcake maker
and a new camera!!!! She was so happy! 
She took her camera with her everywhere for the rest of the day. She loves taking pictures. Then we went as a family to see the new movie A Christmas Carol in IMAX 3D. It was pretty scary and not the best movie in our opinion. After the movie we took Emma shopping to spend the giftcards she had gotten at her birthday party. She bought a blue vest at Old Navy and the game Operation, a harmonica, and slime at Target. We came home started putting up the Christmas lights on the house while many friends and family called and sang Happy Birthday to her. We took Emma out to dinner to wherever she wanted to go with just mom and dad. She chose Olive Garden. We went and had a most delicious dinner and even they sung to her. She had on the biggest smile all day that let you know she knew she was very special. Happy Birthday Emma!!!!!
Hope you think they turned out as good as we did!!!
He sat down on the stool and let her cut his hair. 
He looks so handsome now!!!! Actually he always looks so handsome but now he has shorter hair!!!
This year we had Scooby Doo, 
Sleeping Beauty
and a cute witch. 
The kids went to the trunk or treat with their dad
and then came home and dad took Scooby Doo and Sleeping Beauty around. The witch went trick or treating with her friends who were also witches. Dad's work cancelled the trick or treating at work this year due to swine flu precautions and so the kids candy haul wasn't as big as usual. 
They still got plenty though and were very sweet to give mom all the Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Meagan all the Milky Way Dark Mints and other favorites of hers. Dad took his share and everyone was still happy. The night before Halloween the kids carved their pumpkins. They did them all by themselves while David did his rendition of Heidi. The kids did so well that I totally forgot to take pictures while they were carving them so you just get to see the finished product. The year the kids turn 10 David carves their face on a pumpkin. Unfortunately last year when Heidi turned 10 we were in China and there weren't pumpkins to carve so she got her face done this year. It turned out awesome as usual. 
The kid's pumpkins also turned out great too.
Even though I got sick, Halloween was lots of fun overall.
I hope she learns more and gets better and better. Way to go, Heidi!!!!!
