Birthdays and Waiting Games

What better way to pass the time waiting for a baby....

...than to celebrate a birthday?

Ours has been an uneventful but special weekend together as a family.  We started the weekend with the Lent penance service at our church and finished our Saturday evening with candles and cake.  Both were treats, in different ways, of course.  :)

G-Bear worked hard on her new Brain Quest preschool workbook, a birthday gift from cousins Sparky and Tobi.  It is awesome to see and share in her excitement over learning.  One of the best parts of the present is that it will give the her a special activity all her own to work on with T and me once the baby comes.  I think the world of this book already and highly recommend it.

Contemplating the matching instructions.

G-Bear, hard at work at the learning table.
(E-Bear had vacated his Cookie Monster coloring page long before)

 G-Bear wasn't the only one who enjoyed her gift this weekend.  T got me a fabulous new cookbook called The Indian Slow Cooker.  He knows me so well.  It combines my favorite ethnic food with my favorite kitchen cooking appliance -- talk about good timing with a new baby approaching!  We were so excited to try the recipes that we ran right out to the best Indian grocer in town to buy new spices and lentils.  

On Sunday, we had a great time enjoying GranMo and Papa's gift, a Zoku popsicle maker.  I was ecstatic to open this present.  I have been thinking about one ever since our first post-church popsicle treat last summer as a family.

Thanks, GranMo and Papa!

When properly frozen for 24 hours, the Quick Pop Maker makes 3 homemade popsicles in 7 minutes, and can make up to 9 popsicles at a time without refreezing.

So, of course, when we got home from church we just had to give it a try.

We decided to make two flavors to start:  

Chocolate (using chocolate milk)

Pouring the chocolate milk into the frozen mold

and Strawberry Banana (using a Bolthouse smoothie drink)

No joke, in 7 minute the pops were ready to come out!

I don't know who had more trouble waiting, me or G-Bear.

G-Bear, placing dibs on a popsicle.

Yum!  They were so good!  

These were a hit.  They tasted great, and they were so easy.  These will be a very cost effective, immediately gratifying and deliciously homemade treat for us.  I can't wait to try more flavors ideas, layers and combinations.

Coooold, says E-Bear.

The weather better warm up soon so we can enjoy them on the front lawn together!

Thanks to Baby Bear for making all of this possible by delaying the big arrival for one more weekend.  We are having a great time waiting for you, sweetie, and we are ready when you are (I hope) !