my baby sister is having a baby

My big sister and I hosted a shower for our little sister last night. She is due with her second little girl in just a few weeks, so it was fun to celebrate with a few of her dearest friends.

While laying in bed fighting off a breast infection a few weeks ago, the theme for the shower came to me:

A P R I L S H O W E R S B R I N G M A Y F L O W E R S

We wanted everything to be really flowery and springy with a yummy salad, crusty bread, special sweets and time to honor the mommy-to-be.

{invitations}

{flower pin favors}

{garland}

{gifts}

{fresh flowers}

{the food}

{me, amy, mom, audrey}

{me, audrey, the guest of honor}

And just because I think they are some of the cutest maternity photos, here are a few that were taken last week of my sissy, her husband and the most darling soon-to-be big sister {hope you don’t mind, Hillary!}

egg hunts, easter finery and great-grandparents

I like Easter. I like celebrating the resurrection of my Savior, but also the spring weather, the blooming flowers, the emergence of color. I have great memories of our family Easter celebrations. My mom {a talented seamstress} made my sisters and me fancy dresses, but never finished until the night before. I remember waking up on Easter morning to find our dresses hanging finished right outside our bedroom door. Very exciting for three little girls who loved dresses. My dad hid our easter baskets and wrote elaborate clues for each of us girls to find them. We ate baked blueberry french toast and listened to Second Chapter of Acts before heading off to church, then to some enormous family gathering where all my cousins would be wearing equally fancy pastel clothes.  We did egg hunts and ate peeps and smiled a lot. Easter is a good day.

This year, we had two egg hunts to go to. The first was at our neighborhood park.

There are A LOT of kids in our neighborhood, so it is a mad dash to grab the not so subtly hidden eggs.

It’s a little sad to see all the kids in their winter coats and hats on Easter weekend … it was so cold!

After our  neighborhood hunt, we were off to the fire department’s annual celebration. Again, lots of kids {still in winter coats} and more candy than we had from trick-or-treating.

………………………………..………………………………..………………………………..………………………………..………………………………..

In my mom’s honor, the night before Easter, I made some little embellishments for the kids’ outfits.

I wanted them to all coordinate, so I made some sweet little flowers for boutonnieres, shoes & a headband.

Before I was pregnant, and certainly before I knew I would have a girl, I made this little linen dress.  It was my first attempt at making a dress, and is pretty amaturely sewn, but it really looked sweet on my Audrey-girl and I was so glad she could wear it.

……………………………………………………….……………………………………………………….……………………………………………………….

I love that our kids have lots of grandmas & grandpas. Ryan’s grandparents {otherwise known as Mook & Pop} came up from California for the holiday and we were so happy to introduce Audrey to them. They adore the boys and are just the kindest, wisest, hard-working people you could meet.

              

How special to have the oldest patriarch with the newest little one.

   

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!

the wedding

My mom got married yesterday.

                                                        {the bride & groom}

It was such a perfect day … the weather cooperated, the park was blooming {SO early for around here}, the family was there and the bride & groom were glowing.

This was a simple wedding, but so classy and special. The ceremony took place in a park in Seattle. The reception at a local restaurant overlooking the Puget Sound. My mom’s dress was this gorgeous silvery grey tiered thing that looked so amazing on her.

                                                                                                                                     {the family}

 

My sisters and I were the bridesmaids and wore a black dress of our choice.

                                                                                                                                     {me & my beautiful sisters}

I’m so glad all the kids were part of this special day too. Grandma & Grandpa just adore them {as they are equally adored}

                                                                                                                    {Grandma & Grandpa and all the kids}

                                        {the cousins: caroline, ethan, grant, mason & brady. Missing isabella & audrey and one more to come in May}

 

Highlights of the day:

 

 

                                              {my niece, isabella}                                                                                                                                        {my No. 3, Mason}

   

                                                                                                                                              {isabella and her daddy}

      

                                               {our new family of SIX, oh my}                                                                                                                   {my No. 2, Brady}                                               

 

 

    

                                                                                                            {best buddies, my nephew, Grant & my No. 1, Ethan}

                                                                                                                                                     {mud}                                                             

                                                                                     {sweet Audrey with her new grandpa}

 

    

{my big sister & family … perhaps the most photogenic people I know}

 

                                                                    {how I adore this little two year old whirlwind}

  

                                                                                                              {the ring bearers bearing their rings}

                                                                                                                                             {climbing trees}

{See that bruise on my arm? That is from the i.v. that didn’t work while having Audrey. }

It was a wonderful day and will always be a special memory for our family.

Congratulations Mom & Walt