Amelia's Baby Shower

It's been a few weeks since we threw a baby shower for Amelia but . . . better late than never, right??

Kim had asked months ago if we could throw a Garden Tea baby shower and . . . since that's right up my alley . . .  of course I said yes!

We hadn't counted on all the other things going on though. Or thought about the fact that summer would be rapidly approaching, so the day of the baptism found me scrambling to find a date that would work for as many people as possible.

 Which turned out to be only four days later.

Oh my. The garden hadn't been properly cared for in weeks and weeks and it had been raining much more than we were used to here on the prairies. It was desperately needed mind you, so no one was complaining,  we just aren't used to getting rain nearly every day.

The weather held though, and I spent 3 days in the garden, weeding, pruning and primping.

The shower would never have happened without my dear friend Joyce's help, because by the middle of day 2 in the garden, I was pooped beyond belief. (Joyce and I have organized countless events together over the years and it was such fun to work together again.)

Joyce and I brainstormed the menu, decorations and games and Joyce did the majority of the shopping, leaving me more time to work in the garden.

She also made some lovely, delicious cookies! (I must admit I hid most of the leftovers from Henry and Jesse so I could eat them all myself!  ;D)

 On the day of the shower Joyce got here early and we went right to work, decorating the garden and setting up an extra canopy (thank you to Linda A for lending it and bringing it to the house!) and arranged seating for 25 guests. There was a chance of showers but we figured as long as everyone was under cover we'd be alright.

We did make one big concession to possible bad weather. We had originally intended to have food and seating areas sprinkled throughout the garden but decided to decorate the covered deck that leads into the house and have all the food served there, just in case.

The weather held until the guests began to arrive.

It started showering, but that was okay, this was a baby shower after all . . .

More guests arrived.

It started raining a little harder and the skies just kept getting darker.

The wind began to blow. There was some quick rearranging of the food tables as the end closest to the edge of the deck was starting to get wet.

 There's nothing fancy about soggy food!

I held out hope that it would blow over and we would still be able to get into the garden.

The rain showers turned into a deluge. So much rain came down, that even if it did blow over, the gazebo, which is on the lowest spot in the garden, would have water coming up over the floor.

So . . . we crammed into my teeny, tiny house. All 25 of us. Just like sweaty sardines. The clever, brave ones sat out on the deck where it was cooler, and damper.

And yet. . .

We all had a wonderful time. Because in the end, it's all about the people. Pretty decorations are wonderful, but if all you have are family and friends to visit with . . .

That, really, is all you need.

*(Of course good food and some fun, funky drinks help too! ;D)

So, without further ado, I give you Amelia's baby shower:

It's wet out there!

Kim's sister Jaclyn made this beautiful baby carriage with her wonderful cupcakes.

The brave ones . . .

Crystal helps Joyce with last minute preparations

It's present time!

Close friends of the new mom.

Great Grandma checks out the loot.

Great Oma and Mrs.V check out the loot as well!

Once a secretary . . . Joyce keeps track of the gifts and gift givers.

Kim's mom and sister-in-law do some ooohing and aaahing as Great Grandma and Aunt Evelyn look on.

Kim's niece, Miss O, approves of this one . . .

Amelia hangs out with 'Aunty' Brienne

25 people will not fit in my living room. Some of us hung out in the hallways . . .

A fabulous time with family and friends

 And of course, once Grandpa got home, he had to have a little Amelia snuggle time too!

The guest of honour's ready for bed . . .

God has richly blessed us with this new, darling addition to our family.

*****

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 NIV

Housewife Fail . . .

When you forget to thaw your meat the night before . . .

Something's cooking in the kitchen for back to school week!

Going back to school can be pretty crazy and hectic for everyone, parents and kids alike! All the rushing around making sure lunches are made, back-packs are packed, and kids are ready in time to catch the bus can make even the most efficient and organized super-mom feel a little frazzled. And we can't forget the homework, sports practice, and various other extra curricular activities that happen after school! Who really wants to make a super fancy dinner with all that going on? I know I wouldn't! Which is why we've done a little research and found (and tested!) a quick and easy meal idea!

Scrolling through Pinterest counts as research, right!?

Introducing the Chicken Pot Pie Braid!

What really appealed to me about this recipe is that besides being quick it's also a really good grab-and-go dinner, and it doesn't make a ridiculous amount of dishes dirty so its relatively easy on the clean up! Another added bonus is that there are plenty of short cuts you can take to make it even more hassle free. For example, we used a pre-roasted chicken from the grocery store instead of cooking our own, and we used pre-shredded cheese.

I would add some salt and pepper to the filling when I make this recipe again, but I like my food to be thoroughly seasoned, so that's just my preference!

All in all,  I have to say that the simplicity and tastiness make this Pinterest recipe a winner!

Click the find recipe Here

We'd love to hear what you think of this recipe!

Kim

A Valentine Party using my Printables

With Valentines Day fast approaching I thought I should do something to celebrate this year.

We don't normally do things for Valentines, as Henry assures me that everyday is Valentines Day . . .

Uh huh . . . 

However, I am a romantic, and I love a party, and I just made some printables that cried out to be . . . printed.

I had big plans.

Lots of pretty little details. The use of things that had to be ironed. Recipes for fabulous cakes were perused.

I love a party! Even when it's just my immediate family.

And then these two got engaged . . .

Photo: Danielle Lucier Photography

All the more reason to have a fabulous party.

I planned my dinner for this past Sunday evening.

I woke up Saturday morning exhausted. Argh! I had so many things I wanted to do. But I was too tired to do them. I wasn't too tired to ask more people to the party though.

I woke up Sunday, still just.so.tired. Nothing was done yet. But I asked more people to the party.

Thankfully my kids/guests pitched in and we still had a great party.

I still used my printables but I didn't iron my tablecloth or bake a cake (I bought one from Costco) 

Dinner itself was a simple one. Baked Ham, garlic mashed potatoes, cauliflower and white sauce, beans and homemade apple sauce. (And gravy. Lots and lots of gravy. Because, as Kim says, with Morgan, gravy is a way of life not just a nice sauce.) I didn't bake my biscuits or start with appetizers.

You know what? None of it mattered in the end. We all just enjoyed the good food and good company. There were still pretty details even if they weren't quite what I had planned.

And that's okay. Because after all, Valentines Day is all about the love, not about the pretty details.


I hope you all have the loveliest of Valentines Days!

playing Nintendo DS together . . .