Twelve

Twelve cupcakes on her twelfth birthday picked up at twelve noon! 

Happy birthday, Grace Elizabeth! Thank you for making our dreams of becoming parents a reality and thank you for making the world a sweeter and more lovely place every day! We love you to the moon and stars and back and cannot wait to see what amazingness your next trip around the sun holds! xo 

Emma's Birthday Gathering

On Friday, we gathered with Emma's friends at one of our most favorite places, Serendipity, for an afternoon of fairy garden building. The girls and I had attended a fairy garden fundraiser at Serendipity in the autumn and they loved it so much that Emma asked if perhaps a fairy garden building birthday celebration at Serendipity would be possible. A quick email to Miss Serendipity Lori (as we call her, since there are a total of three Lori's in our world) and a bit of chatting with Miss Laura, the fairy garden queen, set the wheels in motion for another wonderful and unique (and "very Tscherne") birthday celebration! 

Many thanks to Miss Lori and Miss Laura for being willing to make this happen, and to everyone who joined us! It was truly a magical day and the perfect way to top off Emma's tenth birthday! xo 

{This Moment} Nine Trips Around The Sun

{This Moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you are inspired to do the same leave a link to your moment in the comments section for all to find and see. Wishing you a lovely last weekend of February! xo

Happy "Give Emma A Sparkly, Red Dress" Day!

February 19, 2011 

(almost three years old)

February 19, 2017
(almost nine years old)

Evidently, February 19th is "Give Emma a Sparkly Red Dress Day". Six years ago, before her third birthday my mom gave her what became her "first favorite fancy dress" . She wore that dress to her family birthday celebration that afternoon and pretty much daily after that. The day that dress no longer fit was a a very sad day for our sweet Emma. Fast forward six years, and as I was walking through Target one afternoon in January (while the girls were at ski team) I noticed this sparkly red dress and was instantly transported back several years to my sweet second-born daughter and her love of a certain red sparkly dress. I snapped a picture, texted it to my mom and a plan was set in motion. "Sparkly Red Dress the Sequel" would given to Emma for her ninth birthday as her gift from Gramma Terri and Grandpa Gene. It was perfect!

So, last night, as I was thinking about all that needs to be done for Emma's birthday this Tuesday I realized that it might be wise to see if my mom would like her to have her dress a couple of days early. "Yes, give it to her to wear to church tomorrow" my mom replied. A bag was found, the dress placed inside and the card my mom had sent (along with the new addition for the birthday ring) was placed on top. I put it on the china cabinet and waited for it to be discovered in the morning.

And then, as I was scrolling through Facebook this morning my "memories" popped up. I can't ever pass up the chance to look back and reflect on our many adventures and am especially happy that I did so today because it was then that I saw that six years ago today she had received her first red sparkly dress! What an absolute treat to know that six years later on this very day she was being given her next red sparkly dress. It just made this day all the more special!

And so, when our soon-to-be nine year old saw what was inside the bag today she was over the moon!

"It's like my first red sparkly dress, mama! How old was I when I got that one?" she asked.
 "You were almost three years old! And what's even more interesting is that Gramma Terri gave you that dress on this very day six years ago! So, clearly, February 19th is 'Give Emma a Red Sparkly Dress Day!"

And as you can imagine she has totally run with that one!  xo

At The Lake

Today was our first trip to the lake this summer! It's hard to believe that we waited this long to go, but we thought it might be wise to wait until after the initial summer rush was over (i.e. after the 4th of July). Our dear friends Jennifer and Abigail met us there, and since Abigail will sadly not be able to attend Grace's birthday celebration this weekend she brought a little something for her to the lake today. It was such a lovely surprise! xo

Eight Is Great!

Since we weren't going to be giving Emma her birthday present until after church we decided to give her some very special cards before we left for church. She was so excited to have a lovepop of her very own, and to receive cards from her Gramma Terri and Grandpa Gene and from her Grandma Joan and Grandpa Ron! 

 

 After church was over we asked Grace and Victoria if they would be willing to give Emma the first clue to her birthday scavenger hunt! The girls were thrilled to help out and Emma was so excited to be doing a scavenger hunt for her birthday gift! 

Headed home to get this scavenger hunt started! 

 "A new bike for me! In the bathroom?! Thanks, mama, daddy and Grace!"

 To celebrate her birthday this year she asked for a "teeny tiny party" and we were happy to oblige. We were even more thrilled that Lori over at Serendipity was willing to do such a small gathering! Beading (and singing) in that lovely space with friends this afternoon was such a perfect way to celebrate eight years of Emma! 

Grace's bracelet in progress. 

 Our gorgeous bracelets!

Rather than a birthday cake after dinner she asked for ice cream at our favorite place. 

What an absolutely stellar way to celebrate her eighth trip around he sun! We all had such fun, and everything about today was simply divine! Thank you, Mother Nature, for the most glorious February weather this weekend (which made the new bike for her birthday present that much sweeter) and to everyone who celebrated with us (both in real life and virtually)! All the cards, Facebook and Instagram messages, calls and texts really did make her day that much sweeter!


Happy Birthday, Emma Faith! We love you to the moon and stars and back and cannot wait to see what fabulous adventures and experience await you on your next trip around the sun! xo