A Baby Shower for Niki and a Quilt

I have been helping around my old stomping grounds at Alaska Dance Theatre this past year.  Two of the people I worked with before Amelia was born are now the Artistic and Executive Director... and one was having a baby.   

I jumped at the chance to help new Executive Director, Chelsea, and Amelia's dance teacher and long time ADT instructor, Heather,  plan for an official ADT shower!  

Niki began as a dancer with the company and has sprouted to be the artistic decision maker.  She will be fantastic.  And I am sure a fantastic mom to her daughter Sophia as well.

Since it was an open invite, we opted for a pot luck.  

Everyone signed her very appropriate guest book.  

I received Chasing Degas for my baby shower at ADT and it has been one of Amelia's favorites.

We planned a few games of "Guess the Number of Q-tips" and "How Big is Sophia" (yarn around the belly):

We had a "Wishes for Sophia and Advice for Niki" board too:

Heather brought some fantastic prizes wrapped up in tulle and pink!

We opted to buy a cake....

and had lots of fun.  With Nik and Amelia is assistant to the AD and ED, Jenny ... whom Amelia idolizes and who was only a student at ADT when I left.

Amelia and Chelsea's daughter Penny (you will recognize her in all of Amelia's Birthday party posts) handed Niki the presents.

Amelia and I assembled a basket for Sophia including a handmade rag quilt that we made.

I was inspired by a blanket that my sister in law, LeeAnn, made Amelia when she was born: 

I found some perfect flannel at Joann Fabrics and went to work on making one.  

 Not too hard and only took me 2 hours to complete!  

I love how it turned out.

Amelia loved it so much ... she wanted one too...the second, even less time to make :)

Congrats to Niki, James and baby Sophia Rose who has a planned arrival in August.

Dinner at Seven Glaciers

We ventured up Mt. Alyeska last Sunday for dinner at Seven Glaciers.

Had to play in the snow a bit.

After a delicious dinner...it was time for dessert. 

After dinner...time to have a snowball fight with our friend Kevin.

Trams run every 15 minutes.

On the way up we had spotted a bear (black dot on path) behind a few hikers (see them on path too down below dot).  No incidents though!

Stopping thru the Alyeska Resort...the sugar rush of the baked Alyeska wore off.

Favorite restaurant and view.

Next:  Baby shower for a friend.

Fairbanks

It has been 2 years since we headed 7 hours north.

We stopped half way so her unicorns could check out the sights as we grabbed our packed lunches near Denali.

It wasn't but a moment before she dropped her bag in the hotel room and sniffed out the pool.

Monday morning, we headed to The Museum of the North.

  

And after a delicious dinner at The Turtle Club complete with escargot...more swimming.

It wouldn't be a trip to Fairbanks without a trip to Pioneer Park.  I spotted the dark clouds so we played on the playground and rode the carousel first thing.

Then it was on to the train ride just when it began to pour.

Luckily, it stopped as soon as the train stopped. Lucky us.

Off to do some shopping.

It was Amelia's idea to head to the steamboat.

  

And then, celebrated the shining sun as we hit the golf course.

for some Alaskan style miniature golf.

Next up... Fountainhead Auto Museum with Dad.

She does not get her love of cars from me.

Later...more swimming.

We were up and out early the following day for a trip to The North Pole...er...North Pole, AK that is, to see one thing.

Amelia will not go up to any other Santa except the one (or ones) at the Santa Claus House.   He made sure to tell us to see the reindeer at the new training center in back.

They weren't officially opened but...

they let us in!  Prancer was a gentleman.  So were Dasher, Donner, Vixen, Comet, Cupid and Blitzen.

Dancer though...not so much.  Santa said Rudolph was in flight school as he was taking landings a bit rough last year.

Our final day of adventure seeking led us to the Fairbanks Visitor Center, where Amelia watched a movie "Alone in the Wilderness" by Dick Proenneke.  If you haven't seen this ... it is a must.  It leaves you humble and wanting to make a spoon out of scrap wood.  One of our favorites...seriously.

Checked out the exhibits. 

Then we headed to the Ice Museum. Where everything was dandy until she had to put on a jacket that wasn't hers and very "boyish" as it was 20 degrees in the exhibits.

I told her to turn around as no one wants to see a grump.

She was a little better when we went down the ice slide.  Sorry no pics as I cannot take photos while sledding.  

She really warmed up after she got to take the jacket off and watch some ice sculpting.  She was feeling generous even.

Time for a bit more shopping and some nutella and banana crepes.

It was time for the long drive home.  I insisted on stopping to take as many photos of Denali as I could ... the Northern and Southern view.  Rob's comment to Amelia:   "Like Mom hasn't seen it before".

Goodnight Fairbanks...see ya next year.