Hockey Games & Baby Showers

We finally went to a Penguins (Pens) game this week and absolutely LOVED it! Pittsburgh really is a fun sports town and we feel lucky to have been able to go to a Pirates MLB game, Steelers NFL game and now a Penguins NHL game. Jaden and I both commented to each other that we could really get into hockey. I also don't understand why it isn't a bigger sport in Utah. I would think that with all of our winter sports we should have a better hockey presence. But suffice it to say we had a blast with Tanner and Amanda and figured it was probably a good thing Taylor and Keile didn't come and bring Emie because the siren that blared every time a goal was scored would have sent her right over the edge. 

Then Saturday morning the girls and I hosted our second baby shower of the group for Amanda and baby boy! If you know Amanda you know she loves a good pun so our theme was "Baby it's cold outside" and we did a hot cocoa bar. Since her mom lives in Ohio she came down (post Lasik surgery) and it was so fun to have her there to celebrate with all of us. I always get a little overwhelmed at baby showers hearing everyone bombard the new mom with advice and horror stories I always go home feeling like it was a good dose of birth control however I loved when Amanda's mom Kate said in the middle of the story swapping "Don't worry Amanda everyone has different ways of doing things, you will figure it out and be a great mom." I thought it was such an important reminder and so so comforting. We have been lucky to be surrounded by both friends and family who are figuring out their different ways of parenting and raising a family. Jaden and I get to reap the benefits of sitting back, watching, taking notes and talking a lot about our goals, opinions and perspectives. We can't wait for baby Jones to get here so we can snuggle a new baby for a few months before we all move. Selfishly Jaden and I are hoping he likes us more than Emie does because she still won't sit and play with us.

 

Later that night after Kate left for home we met up to go try Guy Fieri's new restaurant downtown called Chicken Guy. It was honestly really good, there were dozens of different sauces to dip chicken tenders in. Our favorites were the house sauce, the honey mustard and bbq. Since the restaurant was right downtown we walked through some lights and an exhibit highlighting Santas from around the world. Every passing day I get more and more excited for Christmas and despite what the haters say I've been listening to Christmas music since the beginning of the month.

Peaches

• A little elf named Jaden knocked on my window and left me a fresh wreath and burnt almond torte cake. Apparently it's a Pittsburgh classic and after seeing the giant one ton cake at the Light Up Night I really wanted to try it. I have to admit I have not been impressed by other Pittsburgh "classics" like Primanti bros sandwiches with fries piled on it or pierogies (potato raviolis) but the burnt almond torte really took the cake. I'm not usually a big cake lover but this one is really yummy. It's pretty expensive because it's rolled in shaved almonds but Prantl's bakery does a good job. And that fresh wreath made our apartment smell like Christmas. Jaden is so good at surprising me, and I sure love him!

• Jaden is growing out his hair until we go home and his sister Amanda can cut it. It's getting to the point where flips out behind his hat which I think is pretty cute 

• Put together Amanda's baby shower gift basket and may or may not have shed some tears reading the book Love You Forever. Such a sweet one and reminds me of my mom. She loves that book and loved reading it to us. I love giving a diaper caddy as gift full of diapers a book or two and a face blanket. Also Amanda has been saying she loves the smell of Johnson and Johnson baby lotion so I had to throw that in there too. I have heard from so many friends that they love having baskets with diapers on each level of their home and so I think it's fun to give a basket that can turn into a diaper caddy, kind of my go to baby gift. 

Pits

• Had a little pipe leak under the sink. Grateful for a father-in-law with a plumbing supply store that I can FaceTime from across the country to learn how to fix