traditions and 9 year olds!

I have much to post on!

But first, yesterday was my Emilie's 9th birthday! A few of our birthday traditions include a visit from the birthday fairies (a.k.a mommy & daddy) who decorate and prepare a birthday breakfast. In our house the celebrating begins the moment you wake up! The birthday breakfast is always served on your plate.
When each of the kiddos was born i went to Color Me Mine and painted them each their own plate. Noah's says "We Are Blessed, " Emilie's says, "We Are Too Blessed," and Josie's says, "We Are Sooo Blessed."

It is a rule in our home that you are not your new age until the moment of your birth (this is a rule because it helps this mommy to not become overly emotional, i feel that i get a few more hours of keeping them just as they are). Everything stops at that moment and everyone surprises you singing, "Happy Birthday" (thankfully all my kiddos were born in the afternoon).

You get to choose whatever you want for dinner (i recall making spaghetti and bbq'd hot dogs for a 3 yr old Noah).

And we ALWAYS give birthday blessings. We all share our favorite memories or qualities we see in the birthday person.

Blessings and favorite Emilie moments- her confidence and personality as she portrayed Harriet Tubman in a wax museum night at her school, seeing her grow and challenge herself on the piano, her kindness, helpfulness, and thoughtfulness, we love that she is a very good friend, we love how she plays with her siblings, her creativity, her art, skiing, her willingness to try new things, back packing, worshiping with her at church, her love of reading, her love of her family, her love of Jesus.

Tomorrow we are having a swim party to celebrate her birthday with a handful of friends. How do you like our invitations!