one last big party before we move

Hold tight, friends, cause this may be a long one.  So grab a snack, drink, get comfy.  Go on, I'll wait.

Ready?  Okay.  So as you may have heard, we're moving!  So of course it makes sense for us to be organizing, packing some things we want to make sure make it okay, sorting through the clothes and items we'll need to get us through the next 2 weeks before we actually make it to the new house.  So since that makes sense, we do the opposite.  We throw a huge party instead! 

My very awesome and adorable babysitter/nanny, Annie, is getting married in October and we're gonna miss it.  Boo.  So I threw her a wedding shower with the help of one of her friends to make up for missing her wedding.  I got a lot of help from my parents, too.  Brian took the kids to his parent's house, and we got to work!  My dad helped clean the house and deck, and made runs to the store for last minute items we forgot.  Thanks dad!

My mom helped with the decorations and all the cooking.  Thanks mom!  Here is the kitchen counter while we were working on both.  And maybe drinking some wine in the process too.

I wanted to make pennant banners in the wedding colors for decorations. My mom helped me cut all these out, and then she stamped some of them for me. Annie loves skulls and Gothic details, so we went with that.




I wrote on a few and my mom threaded the pretty black ribbon through.

And here are a couple shots of them hung up.  I think they're cute.  I'm obviously obsessed with pennant banners.  I have a pennant banner problem.

I made my tomato pie recipe into little tartlets, which turned out better than I thought they would.  They were all gone, so I guess they were pretty good!

Annie requested "cute" little finger foods, so we also made cucumber sandwiches, caprese kabobs, veggies and fruit with dip, and small cheese sandwiches.  Also made was a big ol' punch bowl of sangria that we kept refilling all day.  Annie's friend, Boo, also contributed lots of cute decorations, all the dinnerware, door prizes, favors, and really yummy homemade blueberry cupcakes.  She was an awesome co-host.

I stole pictures off of Annie and Pete's wedding website, and made a photo garland for them. 



Here's Annie and her adorable niece checking out the pictures.

We all ate, drank, and were merry.  And then Annie opened presents!  She got quite a good load of loot to take to her new home.

Uh, notice that I made her sit in my awesome new chair that Brian hates.  Brian, just an fyi, I got LOTS of compliments on it.  It's staying.  Anyway, Annie was so sweet, making sure to thank each person, and commenting on what she loved about each present.  And she may have cried just a little.  Her friends seemed almost as sweet as she is.

Annie's family seems great, too.  Annie's sister, mom, aunt and soon to be mom-in-law.

Annie with her Grandma and sister.  Generations of beauty!!

And here is Annie with her two maids of honor.

These girls worked hard writing down all the gifts and making this lovely bow bouquet. 

And here are all the brides"maids" that were present.  I think there are two more out there that couldn't make it.  Annie is blessed with a load of good friends!

I wish I had taken a picture of the spread before it was attacked, but here it is more than half way gone.  My mom found this perfect fabric to use as a table cloth.

And to leave on a sweet note, here is Annie's niece enjoying those great cupcakes!

It was a party filled with:

Annie, I wish for you and Pete a life time of love, health and happiness.  Always be on each other's side, and the rest will fall into place.  God Bless!