Baby Shower

A couple of weekends ago our pastor's wife, Kim, her daughter Laura, and our other friend, Brooke hosted a shower for me and Jensen. They had already planned it for a week before my scheduled due date when I went into labor with Jensen. Not knowing when Jensen would be coming home I decided that I would like to go ahead and keep it scheduled so that I would have something positive to look forward to if Jensen was still in the hospital. He ended up getting to come home 2 days before, but it worked out great for Ryan to get some daddy time with him while my mom, Eva, and I went to the shower. I know lots of people do a "sip and see" these days where people can come and see the new baby but since Jensen is not supposed to be around a lot of people yet we decided to just do a normal shower. 

The decorations were so cute! Kim made a banner that looked a lot like the one I have hanging in Jensen's nursery. 

She also made some adorable and delicious cookies! 

We really didn't need a whole lot but were blessed with lots of diapers, giftcards, and cute outfits! I always love coming home and looking at all those fashionable baby clothes over and over :)

Here are just a few photos from the shower....I am kicking myself that I forgot to bring my good camera. I blame it on the lack of sleep. 

I am so grateful for these ladies and the love they showered onto my family. 

Thank you so much to everybody who came

Baby Lunch

Last Saturday my best friends and I went to lunch to celebrate baby Jensen. We decided to go to The Chestnut Tree in Denton. I have not been there in years, probably since Ryan and I lived in Denton, so it was really nice to get to go back to an old favorite. My lunch was delicious, but my friendship with these girls is even more wonderful. We have been friends for 10 years now and I am really thankful to have each of them in my life. 

To make lunch extra special they brought in a vase of sunflowers - my favorite!- and ordered a chocolate raspberry cake for us all to split. 

They also spoiled me and Jensen with a couple of presents....one of which is supposed to be arriving in the mail soon. I can't wait to see what it is and open it! Nothing like lingering suspense.... Thanks so much friends!

Proof of our forever long friendship :) Before real life, husbands, or babies. I probably posted this on my MySpace page back in the day.

Getting our PARTY on {MOPs and Small Group}

Thursday was a day of holiday parties for me! It started with our MOPS party. I joined MOPS this fall and love it so much. All the women are so friendly and it's a great way for me to get time to be encouraged and talk with friends while Eva gets to go play with her friends in their MOPPETS program.  I would definitely encourage any mama out there to get involved in a MOPS group because it's so much fun!

Instead of a white elephant gift we did a favorite things exchange. We each spent about $5 and brought something we liked and drew names for who should get it. I liked this a lot more than white elephant because you got something you actually liked and you got to share why about the favorite thing you gave away. I meant to get a picture of our table group for the semester but forgot so this will have to do. It's most of our group - we missed the few that weren't there yesterday! Merry Christmas MOPS friends!

Thursday night we hosted our small group holiday party. We were supposed to wear tacky Christmas sweaters but it was rather tame. I just wore regular a sweater and pinned mitten ornaments on it. I did have a moment where I couldn't decide which pair of festive earrings to wear - and then I remembered that my ears are actually double pierced! I haven't worn an earring in my 2nd piercing in many years but I was able to easily get a pair in. I guess those piercings really are permanent! 

We played holiday Minute to Win It games. First up, the nutcracker game, where you stack nuts in a tower.

Then some cup stacking into a Christmas tree shape. There was much controversy over this round. Don't let any of the fellows lie to you, Laura definitely won. The coin flip decided it all and the coin doesn't lie. 

We did a "snowball" toss using giant marshmallows and a wreath. 

Action shot! We raced cheerios back and forth using chopsticks. I lost.

Family shot. Not quite as cute as the year we were all matching, but a close second.

I love all my small group friends so much! {Ashley we missed you} Thankful for their friendships, their prayers, and their goofiness!

Next stop....Christmas!

Rustic Glam 30th Birthday Party

On Saturday night I celebrated my 30th birthday. I came across the idea of a rustic glam party theme on Pinterest and fell in love with it! The decor was lots of burlap and lace along with rich browns and glitzy gold.  While doing decor planning I realized how much of my home is already like that (oh, that's why I was drawn to that theme....) and I was also able to borrow a few extra touches.

The table spread! My mom was so awesome and offered to do all the party food. Our menu was beef tenderloin, salad, caprese bits, bacon wrapped little smokies, and spinach artichoke dip, plus a tray of easy foods for the kids. She did the most amazing job and I am so thankful for her!

I made the ribbon garland behind the table so we'd have a sparkly backdrop for the food. I cut up an old piece of burlap and used Eva's Crayola finger paints to paint on a "30." It worked! 

Let's talk about this cake. Oh, WOW. A friend from church made this and she did a phenomenal job. I was originally planning on doing my own cake but this turned out a million time better. I showed her some photos of what I was thinking and she interpreted it so well! It was dark chocolate with a white chocolate filling. She even put flecks of decorators gold on top to add some extra sparkle. She also had the idea of hanging sparkly gold earrings on the cake stand.  I have never had a cake this amazing!

I decorated the bar top as well. I made a matching smaller garland and added some lights, candles, and flowers. 

We moved ALL of the toys out of the playroom except for one small box to make room for tables. I forgot how big that room is when it's not covered in toys. 

One of my favorite touches. I draped one of my late grandmother's pearl necklaces over one of her crystal goblets. She would have loved to see that.

Somewhere in life I picked up two lady's etiquette books. These a worth a giggle to read. I draped them with a lace napkin, some more pearls, and topped with a candle. 

This beautiful candelabra was borrowed from a friend. It was exactly what I was picturing when I asked her if she had anything that would fit the theme.

I turned an old plastic planter upside down to elevate a vase of flowers and added these two white bottles. I think I got the bottles for 25 cents each many years ago and have used them in various places. The planter used to be what we used as a door stopper in the playroom. You never know what could be party decor until you start looking around your home! 

I also borrowed these lace place mats from the same friend that had the candelabra. Doesn't she have amazing taste? I love how vintage-beautiful these are without looking old lady-ish. 

I knew I wanted to use different jars for candles and flowers. I didn't realize how  many old jars I had stored away in my home! Typically when I buy a food that comes in glass jar I rinse it well and set it aside. I always figured I would want these one day. I had plenty of jars and just used left over ribbon and twine from the garlands to fancy them up. 

On to the party! This night wouldn't have happened with out my husband! When it comes to my birthday I am usually really excited but too timid to try to plan anything big. I think last year we ate at Fuzzy's Tacos and I had a crafting day with a couple of close friends. I hadn't had a party in like 8 years and he was the one who encouraged me to make it special. He and my mom planned a lot so that I wouldn't have to stress about things. That was probably the best gift I could have received! 

The cutest party guests! Eva, our 3 nieces, and 3 kids that belong to our friends. They were all so well behaved. I love each of these kiddos sooooo much!

I had to go through the line first since it was my party and then the moms fixed plates for the kids. Since we were the first ones eating I decided to join them. I guess 30 isn't too big for the kids' table! 

After dinner it was time for some dancing! We moved our furniture out and two-stepped all around. 

With sweet church friends.

"Happy Birthday" to me?!?! Soaking up the moment.

Why is Eva kissing me? Because I finally let her have a bit of cake. When the cake got dropped off that afternoon she said, "CAKE! CAKE! CAKE!" and couldn't wait to try some. Me, too, little girl.

 Opening some presents!

With my best friend Marianne. 

 With my Bradley family. There are a lot of us!

With my parents. 30 years with them has been good. I am so blessed to have such wonderful parents. I love them so much! 

Nana out on the dance floor with some grandbabies! 

Dancing my heart out with the love of my life! 

One last shot of the world's best cake. I wish I could share a piece with everybody who is reading this blog :)

Little Boy Baby Shower

Saturday some friends and I hosted a baby shower for our friend Rachel. Rachel and her husband Alex as having a little boy in October. I wish I could take credit for the amazing decorations but our friend Melissa did most of it. I loved the color scheme - so modern for a little boy shower. 

One of Rachel's other friends made the diaper cake. I love that she cut out cards to put the Bible verse on the front. 

Melissa made the banner with baby Grayson's name on it. I really like the card stock she used. 

M&M party favors all set our for the guests. 

Plenty of yummy good. I made white chocolate dipped rice crispy treats and pretzel sticks. Both are so delicious! I had never made "dipped" rice crispy treats and couldn't actually dip them, I had to spread the coating with a baker's knife. Regardless, they were tasty! Other cute ideas: pigs in a blanket with little faces drawn on them to look like "babies in a blanket" and a watermelon cut out into a baby carriage.

A friend from church made Rachel's cake. So cute with the elephants on it! 

Rachel's gift from the hostesses - a baby bag stuffed with goodies! You can't seem but our friend Elishia made super cute burp clothes from fabric and wash clothes. I can't believe I didn't get an up close photo of them!

Okay, check out this amazing gift. Our friend Kim gave Rachel a laundry basket that had baby hangers, some laundry soap, and this super creative clothesline full of baby gifts. Wow. This is the most creative shower gift I've ever seen! 

Happy Baby Shower, Rachel! We are all ready to give baby Grayson tons of kisses!