Tiburon

We drove out to Tiburon and had lunch at a restaurant there. It was a good meal (I had crab cakes benedict - yum!) and a relaxing afternoon.

St Patrick's Day

In the past, we haven't done much to celebrate St Patrick's Day.  Some rainbow toast, a green shirt, that's really about it.  But in Dublin, California, St Patrick's Day is kind of a big deal.  They have a parade and everything!

A leprechaun visited Rachael's second grade classroom on Friday the 15th - there were little green footprints everywhere!

Saturday the 16th was the annual parade.  We were babysitting my adorable nephew Zach; the three of us went and watched it.  It was a fun parade!  We even saw the 501st. (Darth Vader and some stormtroopers - Zachy kept saying Darth Vader! Darth Vader!) And Ryan got home from his trip to Japan about 20 minutes after we got home from the parade.

Sunday the 17th - we had a leprechaun visit! He turned the chairs over in the kitchen and left all the kitchen cabinets open.  His name is Fergus (which will be important again next year I'm sure).  He left us a few chocolate coins and a real shamrock plant. We have never had a leprechaun before, but all the kids at school have one - they even make leprechaun traps - so now that we live in Dublin I guess it was easier for a leprechaun to find our house.

Some families do green eggs and ham;  this year we opted for a fruit rainbow for breakfast.  We are looking forward to more years of celebrating St Patrick's Day!

Pi Day

One of these days we are going to have a great Pi celebration.  Maybe when Ryan is not in China.  Or in this case, Japan.  But Rachael and I still had a great day!

Rachael asked if we couldn't just put bacon and eggs in a pie - so we had quiche!

For lunch I sent her with a homeade beef pot pie and a pocket apple pie.  I should have taken a picture. 

Dinner - chicken pot pie.

And dessert! French silk chocolate pie, small apple pie and small cherry pie.  Yum!

Cousins

My adorable niece Anika was baptized in 2011.  I snapped this picture of Rachael and Anika on the front steps of their house. 

And here they are on our front porch for Rachael's baptism.  I love that the other has a blue dress - that is a total coincidence.

The kids table after the baptism.  

Rachael with Braden and Ryan

 Zach wanted his picture taken too!

Showing their true personalities - what a bunch of goofballs.  Love those kids.

Rachael's Baptism

We couldn't be more proud of our girl. And we are thankful to all the friends and family that helped make her day so special.

Rachael got to ride in Daddy's Corvette to her baptism

Grandpa and Nana Jensen

Grandma and Grandpa Ricks

In their whites

Family Picture

 

Family Visit

Lots of our family came out for Rachael's baptism. My sister Lesley and her daughter Anika stayed at our house as well as my parents. I picked up Lesley and Anika at the airport while Rachael was in school on Thursday, so I took Anika with me to pick up Rach at school. Notice that both of Rachael's feet are completely off the ground!

We took Rachael out of school on Friday and went to San Francisco.  Anika wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge, so we went.  (I like to be a cool Aunt like that.)  A huge thank you to my sister-in-law Lorie who let us borrow her minivan so we could all (safely!) fit in one car. 

We drove over the Golden Gate bridge, then I took them to one of our favorite restaurants in Sausalito for lunch. 

And for dinner - In N Out!