A Bridal Brunch

My mom and I hosted a bridal brunch on Friday for my cousin, Sally, who was married this past weekend.  Hosting parties is one of my most favorite things to do, especially fancy-shmancy girlie parties.  This one wasn't so fancy-shmancy, but it was girly; and a lot of fun!

I love how Liliana popped into this picture!

I wanted the party to have the feel of a tearoom so we decided against buffet style.  The original plan was to serve home-style, but only my largest table could accommodate so many dishes.  We ended up plating all the food with the exception of the hash-brown casserole, and each table was given its own dish.  Each table also had its own pitcher of Watermelon Lemonade (made with fresh lemons and melon) and cold coffee.  Both drinks were served over Sonic ice.  Yes, you can buy it by the bag for $1.99!

I really enjoyed making Key Lime Pie filled cupcakes. They were yummy and tasty and rich.  I don't think anyone was able to finish the whole thing.  A loud shout-out to my friend Suzie who is the cupcake queen!!  She set me up with the recipe and tools to make them look as good as they tasted.  We baked a test batch and I was schooled in the art of cup-cake filling.  I didn't even know people did that!!  Suzie helped me plan the menu as well, and her suggestions were spot on.  

I also had help from another friend named Suzanne.  She spent the day with me on Thursday and squeezed more lemons and limes than you want to guess.    She pitched in here and there and saved us hours of work.  (I think it's kind of odd that three of my favorite people are named Suzie, Suzanne, and Susan-- what's up with that?!).  Looking back, I should have snapped a few pictures, but my brain was pretty much mush. 

We ended up with 5 adult tables (1 seating 8, 1 seating 6, and 3 seating 4), and one kids' table seating 5.  We have a large eat in kitchen so we weren't too crowded.   A mix of antique dishes made all the food look especially yummy!  Here are a few pictures...  

Seated here is the Bride's grandmother, aunt, and grandmother-in-law.
The lady sporting the super cute hair cut (back view) is my lovely mother (also an aunt of the bride). 

Sally!  I really hate to even stand beside her!!  She's tall, toned, and tanned.
I'm the polar opposite.

The smallest of the 5 tables.  Cozy, cozy!

Here's a table after the fact.
It was interesting to see what people ate and what they didn't.

This is my pantry and I LOVE it.
The door was closed and the mess was hidden.
Notice how high my garbage is stacked.

Simone, sister of the Groom, and Henry!
He was the only guy in a house full of beautiful ladies.

Some of those beautiful ladies...
The Bride's Maids and flower girls. 

The Bride with her flower girls.  My Liliana is on the left.

One girl whose dream is coming true surrounded by
three little princesses who are just learning to dream.

 It was a crazy-fun-busy weekend!  Congratulations, Sally!!  Thanks for letting us be a part of your special day!   We hope your future is filled with peace, love, and several red-headed children!!   And since red hair is on both sides...  

Groom, Groom's lovely Mom, and my Dad (Bride's uncle and the minister).
This is a "Red Heads Unite" shot!  Where was I??

Adoption? Me?

My girls and I were shopping one day this week and were recognized by a lady we had never met.  She told me she visited my blog (and recognized us from the pictures) and was encouraged by one of my posts on adoption.  Not only is she a believer, she is also an adoption enthusiast.  I was delighted to learn she and her husband are six months into their first adoption journey.  We shared our stories and chatted for maybe 20 minutes before exchanging numbers and praying together.  Although Liliana wanted very much to sing the "God our Father" song she learned in pre-school (which she can adapt to any prayer need), she reluctantly held hands with us and remained fairly still and quiet.

Together we prayed for the baby that would one day be hers.  We asked God to bless the woman who was carrying her baby with peace and good nutrition.  We prayed that God would bring encouragement and life to the woman who would do what so few women have the courage and self-less-ness to do.  We asked for the perfect child to be added to her family and that the days would fly by until that happened.  We asked this all in Jesus' name, for His glory.

This is one of the reasons why I started this blog.  There are so many people who are contemplating adoption, but just need a little encouragement.  They need to hear someone's story to finally say, "I can do that."  My new friend is excited, and she very well should be!  She's expecting a child.  She's "doing" something about her family and her future, and she's trusting God all the way.  

So maybe you have a heart for adoption, but it's not jiving for your family right now.  Maybe your spouse just isn't there.  Maybe you're bone broke and can't afford the kids you have.  What do you do?  What can you do?

Pushing the issue aside can't be done, although it's very easy to do just that.  We don't like to think about the millions of kids out there who need to be adopted, it's depressing, I know.  So don't.  Don't think about the millions.  Think about the one.  Think about the ONE little boy who needs adopting and pray for him until that happens.  Then thank God for answered prayer and start the process all over with another child.  If you don't know of a child, I do.  His name is Matewos.  Pray for him.  He's a beautiful boy with an infectious smile.  He lives in Africa and wants to be a doctor when he grows up.

Do this because Jesus loves the little children.  All the children of the world.

A Few New Rooms

As my "droppin' in" friends will attest, my house is ever changing.  My oldest daughter is now on her 5th room and my youngest daughter her 3rd.  Our living room was once a dining room and the original living room is more of a piano/reading area, although it served as a dining room one winter.  Loved eating that formal dinner by the fire place.

A few months back, in an effort to slow down the endless mess-up-cleanup-mess-up-cleanup cycle, we moved all the children upstairs.  Ahhhh.  I had 3 extra bedrooms to call my own.  So I've been busy, and although I'm not done, I'm well on my way.  Thought I'd share my progress so far.

What was once Zeb's bedroom is now the kids' closet.  You can see all of their clothes because that's the way I wanted it.  It seems that with a chest of drawers the kids only wear what's on top.  I wash that and put it back on top and the process repeats itself.  So I called an old friend of mine and asked if he'd build me four sets of deep shelf book cases.  Apart from being an old friend, he's also in his eighties; and he did this for next to nothing.  I just love that man!

I had originally painted  a starburst design on the ceiling with an army green and a mustard yellow.  It looked very cool for a kid's room and Zeb loved it; but since we're moving on I had to repaint.  So now we have a shiny white ceiling and beautiful sea foam green walls.

I have an ironing board that I bought for $5 at the Habitat Restore.  Made a cover for that booger and it makes me want to iron every wrinkle within a five mile radius.

   

Although I haven't used the chair in this room it serves the grand purpose of being beautiful.  I can see into this room from our master bathroom, so there ya go.

 

Other than the kitchen this is the BEST room imaginable for a family with more than two or three kids.  It makes my laundry less of a headache.  And it makes purging clothes easier.  Too many clothes can be a curse to a laundering mama.  Trust me on this one.  

Another room that I'm down right in love with is my new sewing room.  I LOVE THIS ROOM!!!  This room started out as Lee's office, then it was a guest room, then Michal's room, then Lili's room and finally a work out room (which is the joke of the century).  Now, it's MY room.  And I  L-O-V-E it!!  It smells nice and no one is allowed (under any circumstance what-so-ever) to fart in this room.  It's the only area in the house that is solely mine.  Ahhhhhhhh.  Lest you label me selfish, Michal's sewing machine is in the corner and she uses it often.  I share.

We bought this massive tiger oak desk when we built the house because every home office needs a desk.  We didn't need the office OR the desk, but now they are both serving me nicely.  Lee built two boxes that I covered with material.  We hoisted that rhino up on those boxes and now I have a wonderful work table.

I can go on and on about this room, but if you don't sew you'll think I'm certifiably nuts, so I 'll spare you the gushing.  The room and my sewing abilities don't entirely line up, but I know plenty of sorry cooks with gorgeous kitchens so no finger pointing!  Maybe soon I'll have the walls prettied up and I'll post more pics.

As for the third room, it's a TV/game room for the kids.  Our only other TV in the house is in our bedroom, and sometimes I just don't want those children all up in my grill.  Thus, a space of their own to watch and Wii.  No pictures until it's done and seeing that I can't stay out of my sewing room, it may be awhile.  Can't do much anyway until I find a couch.  If you know of a used one that's completely awesome and fairly cheap, message me.  Here's a couch I bought at Goodwill a few months back, and I adore it.  Paid $40 and spent a day sterilizing it.  I'd use it in the TV room but I just love where it is now.  If you know who it belonged to and think they're nasty, please don't tell me.  Ignorance is bliss when it comes to used furniture.

Projects!  Projects!  If idol hands are the devil's workshop then he's busy somewhere else.