OtterPops: Birth Day & Holidays

We have been so fortunate to have Jared's brother and his wife living near us for almost a year now! What makes it even more exciting is that they just had their first baby. We have been pretty excited to have our own niece/cousin in town. In February I hosted a baby shower for Maren and the soon-to-be-arriving baby girl. Jocelyn and Lillian were very excited to help decorate and prepare gifts, food, etc. It ended up being a really fun night and people always astound me with their generosity!

While Jonas, Lillian and I were en route coming home from Virginia (but stuck in the airport for 12 hours) we got the news that Greg and Maren had had their baby! Everything went well and she is a sweet little thing! When Jared called me from the hospital while holding the baby I immediately started crying thinking I would miss welcoming her. Luckily we made it home and I was able to sneak over to the hospital for a quick visit with Claire the next day! The kids were not allowed at the hospital but were so thrilled to come meet her during her first night at home. Emma especially loves "tute little baby Taire"

Greg Maren and Claire

Cousins meeting Claire for the first time

Meeting Claire at the hospital

Proud Uncle Jared showing off her long fingers

We have also enjoyed the last couple holiday celebrations. For Valentine's Day Jared and I went out a couple nights before to a new local bistro downtown and really enjoyed our meal there so that on Valentine's day we could host the date night swap at our house while the other couples went out. We helped all the kids decorate heart shaped sugar cookies and we also had the Valentine's lamb visit us that morning.

Lillian heart happy!

Jocelyn's heart hairdo

On Sunday evenings we have made it kind of a tradition once a month (sometimes more, sometimes less) to invite another family over for dessert. Usually we invite a new family that has moved into our ward at church, or friends we haven't caught up with in a while, etc. And, since I really like cooking and eating desserts this gives me an opportunity to cook and not have me eat the leftovers all week because we can share most of it! This was a fruit trifle we made one week. But we've made all sorts of fun things (basically whatever I am craving and have the ingredients for that week :)

Fruit Trifle for Sunday dessert

For St. Patrick's Day we had green pancakes for breakfast then invited our neighbors over for dinner since Jared was going to go straight to help out with teaching a merit badge for scouts after work. We had shamrock shaped green pasta (thank you costco for bailing me out), and some green veggies, a fruit rainbow and some limeade. The kids also went on a short treasure hunt to find some chocolate coins and andes mints. It is fun to have kids bring joy into a simple holiday! Lillian was thrilled to take her leprechaun trap to school and find the shenanigans that the leprechauns did to her classroom.