Maira Marie Has Arrived!

Early on the morning of Friday, February 18, my newest niece Maira Marie said hello to the world. Weighing 9 1/2 pounds and measuring 22 inches, she surprised us all. What a girl! And look at all that hair. It's just like her big sister, Malena's, when she was born.

She looks just like Mama Bex did in her baby pictures.


And here's the proud big sister!



Daddy Darell with his girls.


Grandma Scott showed Ella her new baby cousin.


Ella was amazed. She loves babies.



Malena has been staying with us since early Thursday morning. We're pretty close buddies now.


Proud Uncle Jake.



My baby niece. What a doll. Her middle name is after me! I love that.


We're so blessed to welcome another healthy little girl into the Scott family. Congratulations, Becky & Darell. You've got two beautiful girls.

Valentine Sugar High Party

What do you get when you start out with this...


...and add these...


...and this?


A Valentine Sugar High!


To celebrate the special day of love this year, Ella and I dressed in our Valentine red & pink, slipped on the red, sparkly ballet flats (Ella's favorite) and headed to the Second Annual Sugar High party hosted by our dear friends Jake & Diana. Jake provided the decorations but couldn't actually be at the party. Diana was an amazing hostess, providing bowls and bowls of red, sugar-covered everything and fun activities for the kiddos.


Here's Ella in her very own "pirate love hat."


Notice the red something in Ella's hand above? That's a Peep. Quite the popular item in the Johnson/Scott family tradition, no matter the holiday. Let's reflect for a moment on what Peeps are made of...SUGAR! Ella did not have crazy amounts of the good stuff during the party, but it was still enough to steer away her afternoon nap. Oy. Can I tell you how things get around here with a 19 month-old who hasn't slept? Let's just say, it didn't help her overnight sleep pattern. Thus, yesterday's story time at Barnes & Noble was NOT a success. However, the little darling is now sleeping peacefully in her crib and I've had quite the productive afternoon.

Overall, it was a lovely Valentine's Day! I was so glad to attend the Sugar High party, as it was the only celebrating I got to do that day. Pete & I have postponed our own celebration until this weekend when his schedule will be a bit lighter.


A note on my photos: I decided to change things up for this post and use a fun filter for the Valentine photos. (Although I haven't decided how much I like it for this particular post.) I take all of my pictures on my iPhone. It's always with me and usually takes the same quality as my little point & click. For the above pics, I used the Instagram app. It's free and is a simple way to add a little fun to regular photos!

A Valentine For You!

Ella's been working hard on her valentines!

This one is for you!

We've been incredibly blessed in the last year through lots of amazing friendships, so it's fun to take a special day like Valentines Day to think about all the people we really love. We know we wouldn't be the people we are without you, so thank you. You deserve this valentine!

"We love because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19

Recipe: Berry Custard Pie

Feel like sneaking a taste of summer in the middle of a bitterly cold winter? This yummy pie is a perfect way to do just that. I discovered this berry custard pie recipe on Martha Stewart's website a couple weeks ago and have fallen in love with it.
The original recipe called for fresh raspberries, but fresh raspberries are expensive around here this time of year. The first time I made it, I used a pound of frozen blackberries. On Thursday this week I made four more to serve at a class at church and used a lovely triple berry mix of frozen blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Experiment with what you like! In my book, it's hard to go wrong with berries. Yum.

Start with a regular crust. You can use my no-fail crust recipe (follow the complete baking instructions on the bottom of the post) or buy a pre-made crust. I've done it both ways. If you buy your crust, go for the frozen, deep-dish variety and bake it on your own. This was actually the first time I've used a store bought crust, and I was fairly happy with the end result. I definitely recommend making your own when possible, but don't feel bad if you prefer to buy yours. You'll still end up with a pie!

If you use frozen berries, it's best to thaw them first and drain the extra juice. Then follow the recipe below.

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound (3 1/2 cups) berries
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour and 1/2 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Add egg and cream and whisk to combine. Toss berries, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Spoon berries into crust, then pour in cream mixture, filling to just below the rim.


Bake until custard is set but still a bit wobbly in the center, about 45 minutes. Let cool in dish on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Garnish with fresh berries and serve cold.

I can't wait until I can swing in to the farmers' market this summer for fresh berries. In the meantime, this is the perfect taste of summer.

Enjoy!

Uncle Jake's Influence

Today it's his shoes and aviators. I can't even imagine what it will be a year from now when she's talking. I guess that's what uncles are for!

What a Game!

Yay Packers! What a team! We had a blast watching the game with a couple friends and their son, who was impressively knowledgeable about football for being just 7. They're pretty big Packers fans so we were appropriately surrounded by Packers' helmets, blankets, hats, party plates, and, of course, a cheese head hat.


Ella cheered for our team as long as she could. Then she happily settled into her Pack n Play to watch Backyardigans in a neighboring room. She came out for the very end of the game to cuddle with Daddy and see her team win the Super Bowl!

Go Packers!

We're ready to cheer! Ella has been practicing her "go go" all week. This morning at church she was pretty proud to show it off. Hopefully her cheer dress will bring good luck!

In case you're curious, Ella is half Wisconsin/half Minnesotan. Hence the Packer pride today!