Happy Birthday, Emiko!

My baby turned eight today. We had a big to-do in the backyard -- the first in the 15-or so years we have lived here. We decided to do a "craft theme" party. We settled on four crafts -- pompoms or "puffles" as the girls called them, flowers made out of coffee filters, origami "balloons" and cranes and party bag decorating. I had three tables set up and they worked in rotations. I really think everyone had a fun time.

I made cucumber/cream cheese sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches which went over like a lead balloon with the girls. Except Emi, of course. Those are her favorites. We had watermelon, pineapple and Asian pears and chips. My friend, aka "Auntie Sheila" brought an ice cream cake and there were a ton of presents. Right now I am so tired I can hardly move. My sister and her daughter came down to help, which was incredibly helpful, they were great. Sharon taught them how to trim their pompoms and Rosie taught the origami. I manned the bag deco table and taught them how to make coffee filter flowers. Emi's got some in the picture above.


Here are the girls posing for a group shot. That's my sister and her daughter Rosie in the background talking to my next door neighbor, Sue. Sue tells everyone she knows that my kids are "the greatest kids ever." Which I just love! I guess somehow she just seems to miss the times when they are fighting like cats and dogs (which I am pretty much sure is always). I keep thinking one day she'll catch them fighting, then have to go back to everyone she has ever said that to and take it back. Well, it's certainly a lot better than having a neighbor who complains about your kids all the time. It's just that whenever she says how great they are, I think I must have a stupefied, surprised and yet somehow pleased expression on my face. However that must look.
There's my baby, growing up faster than I can keep up with her.