hydrangeas

on my agenda this week

was to start the drying process of the hydrangeas for our home

sometime in very early spring when I was dreaming of spring and summer

I mentioned how I wanted to dry my hydrangeas for our home...

well it's about that time

however as I thought they were all going to go in our bedroom

I'm having to nix that idea

just because pink does not go in our bedroom

my so-called white hydrangeas turned out to not be white

so next year...I'll just make my pink ones blue!

or go get me some white ones:)

In any event I have two excited girls because they now want them in their room

I think they will be perfect

I was going to dry them right on the vine

and actually most of the work has already been done on the vine with drying them

but some started to turn brown

so I'm making some slight adjustments and will try the water drying method to finish them up

but first meet my fantastic helper Madison

she snagged an itty bitty hydrangea for her hair

I couldn't help but love her perfect placement above her ear that she did with it

as I was cutting them she asked

"are these going in my room mama?"

well I hadn't actually quite thought about it

but that's when it clicked...

pink...

you bet you!

they'd be perfect!

how could I turn down this sweet face

she's the one who convinced me to let her have the chandi we got for our room

she utterly fell head over heals for it

and asked for it...

so to slide that one by Bobby

I said "what a great birthday present for her Bobby!"

she loved it and it made me smile to see her so excited over it

especially when it just got hung about 3 weeks ago

when we are home

she usually always has it on...

okay...

so this is what I did after reading online

I cut the stems to be about 12-18" like it said

peeled all the leaves off

{but looking at my next picture I missed a few tiny leaves}

I then filled my pitcher half full of water

organized the hydrangeas

Right now I have a beautiful display of hydrangeas to enjoy in the meantime

Once the water evaporates hopefully they will be completely dry and

ready to decorate the girl's rooms

thank you my sweetie for your help

speaking of baby boys...

well here you have it...

I decided to throw another shower for a friend expecting a baby boy

{her second child}

I come from a family that is known to have a party when a child uses the restroom which was literally once said....but not literally true...

my mom used to host several get togethers growing up

so I was used to having celebrations at our house growing up

I loved it and I am guessing that is where I get it from

so...I know many people don't believe in showers for the second child

but....oh....I do
absolutely and no doubt about it

a celebration for every new arrival

I've thrown a couple showers before...

 

so I offered again because I love that...

because I love to do this sort of thing

even though I stress myself out over the littliest details

but that's okay...it's good for me

I had a different idea for this one

I didn't want to just make it a typical cake and appetizer deal with shower games, etc.

I wanted it to be a celebration, luncheon...
a true {girls only} celebration

that was until I jokingly volunteered my husband to serve all us women drinks and food

I said I would call him "our waiter"
 in which I said I would tip him later...

but he didn't go for it

I tell you

he missed out on a good tip ...

he very quickly declined that offer even with me bribing because he knew I was deep down joking

if you know me...it is hard to pull a joke off

smiling while you are trying to act serious doesn't work I've learned

bribing usually works for him

because then later he forgets I actually bribed him so it is win-win for me

but this time was a no-go

oops...I really said that...

now he knows my ways

between us...he probably already caught on

now I'm off track here...

okay now

so even though she was having a baby boy this time...

{she has an adorable little girl already}

I wanted to have lunch served and make it extra pampering experience with no focus on games but just celebration and socializing...

what we women do best right?...

I had a couple of obstacles though...budget and time

first...I wanted to use white plates...check...had found some for $1.75 a piece

second....I needed around 12 placemats because you know how everyone doesn't rsvp these days anymore

so I wanted to be prepared

my yellow ones weren't working because they don't even go with my decor anymore

I've had them for 8 years now

just not somthing I've not changed yet
I didn't have enough linen napkins so I decided to dress up some nice paper ones

but what I did have was yards and yards of burlap that I had a vision of asking my mom to make some pillows for me...but I hadn't asked yet...

so I had plenty of burlap to make some placemats

and I even had some scrap clearance white linen on hand that I was bound and determined to make rosettes with

yes...me the girl who is unable to even sew a button wanted to make rosettes...

but I did it...

I'm not quite sure how technically correct they are...

but I figured it out and pretty impressed with myself

my mom had the most difficult part with the placemats...

I asked her to sew them for me
she had a great time doing it {wink, wink}

I also requested my mom's help with some recipes...
and plating the food the morning of...

so here we go...

of course I had to start with flowers
to me the most essential part
but that's just me

I had plenty of hydrangeas and daisies in my yard
it is soooo exciting to be able to walk outside and cut your own flowers
not to mention these fuchsia beauties I forgot the name of
{I'll have to ask my mom again since she gave me them}
and my honeymoon wine bottles that I've been saving came in handy:)

{Hayley's cross she painted at VBS made it into the picture somehow too:)}

I had a flower bouquet picked up from Trader Joe's that had an assortment to use as fillers in with the other flowers since i didn't have quite enough of my own

I had the flowers as centerpieces on the larger table of 8
with a few bird and butterfly cut outs...
birds because cardinals reflect the baby's room decor
butterflies because well you know my blog title and they so happen to signify new life

{my cute little {empty} measuring bowls that did have lemon wedges in them
but realized I took the picture before I put them in there}

I used this bouquet below as the centerpiece for the smaller table of 4 

Since I didn't have enough white plates I used 4 plates of our "normal" dinnerware

I think it turned out great and having the tables different was fun

hope you all are hanging in there...I know this is a long post...
but my very favorite thing was the placemats my mom sewed for me
and I figured out how to do the rosettes...
loved them!

I didn't have linen napkins...well at least enough so I did use paper napkins but rolled them with twine and cut out mini tags with a world map pattern

for the favors I found a candle vendor on etsy...
and she is newer with her shoppe...but I loved the look of her candles...
I purchased the white tea scent because I wanted them to be as close to white as possible

 I found wooden engine pieces at Michael's
{one of the only boy themed wood pieces they had}
and my love {Bobby} spray-painted them for me with chalkboard paint and
voila...
easy peasy favors and they were within my budget!
{not to mention the candles were on special too}

for the chairs...I already had some tulle I use in my business so I tied bows around the back of the chairs to make them more inviting...

I wanted to have a little memory keeper for the mommy-to-be so I ordered a mini scrapbook in which she uses all kinds of different papers with different textures, pictures, words, etc.

I coffee-dyed notecards for the guests to write a special message
I glued the notecards in the book and on the opposite side of the page from the message they wrote I glued a picture of each guest with her

I inserted some tags I had from Angela Harris' shoppe Your Angil
that said...baby, family, cherish, etc.
and I had a few baby scrapbook stamps I stamped some baby things in there like hands, feet, etc.
I also used some vocabulary cards {such as friends} in there too

I was so thankful for Sarah with the scrapbook...I had ordered from her before and was really impressed and asked her that I was doing this for a boy if she would have any ideas She came up with the bird on the front since the baby's room will be in the cardinal mascot...
she was fantastic and had super fast shipping to me to have it just in time!

silverware went into these glass ball jars I got for 50 cents at the flea market the Sunday before

since I was on a budget...
most of the decor i already had...I just reinvented the use
and for the surprise gifts for people
I put two tags under the placemats for the winners...

one of the gifts was a flower pot
I already had the pot and flowers {flowers left over from a gift for
my mother-in-law's b-day}
and I had the burlap and tag to decorate it

second gift...
a galvanized bucket...check had that too
and a left over sparkling lemonade and extra votive candle because they smelled so good

for beverages I offered lemonade
my intention was to make fresh but I ran out of time so I used all natural lemonade
added about 3-4 lemons and sliced strawberries to make strawberry lemonade
peach tea, and water with lemon

{icky wall plate in the background...sorry}

for food...I wanted it light, fun, healthy, and fresh...

my favorite apricot cheese from Trader Joe's

{that is also fantastic grated up on salads too:)}

but I had Trader Joe's pita crackers because they are soooooo good with the cheese

Spinach salad with mandarin oranges, avocados, blueberries, strawberries,
dried cranberries with lemon pepper salad dressing

Chicken salad croissants...my mom so lovingly made the chicken salad because she has a great recipe

the morning of...I whipped up the cucumber sandwiches on whole wheat bread because they are my favorite and so thankful that are quick and easy to make...

and finished with some fun fruit kabobs...

of course we had some dessert...I used my burlap table runner I already had
from Tara's Vintage Kitchen
and picked three desserts...

I made my Grandmother's lemon cookie recipe

vanilla bean cupcakes with vanilla bean icing

my favorite part about the cupcakes was the ruffle paper cup holders

My mom found a recipe for 3-layer chocolate cake

however, I decided to borrow her bunt cake pan for it instead of doing 3 layers

I used a chocolate glaze recipe from a completely different recipe for the "icing" for this

it turned out great and quite good and that's coming from someone who prefers vanilla cake anyday over chocolate! {I still do even after this cake}

and that was the shower...along with gift opening
a special day to celebrate a new life arriving...

whites...

i'm addicted to beautiful wine labels...

last weekend we were in of course my favorite store and this bottle stopped me in my tracks on the shelf...

it sure did...

what a beautiful, beautiful label this is

this is how I try new wines...I look at the label or the bottle first...
I love the art that goes into creating the label...or the simplicity of them too

I'm no wine connoisseur by any means
but I'm guilty as charged for purchasing wine for the labels...

I had to explain to guests at Madison's party when my lower cupboard was opened that the empty bottles I plan to save for flowers...were over several months period of time
{seriously}...
all the same bottle...because I loved the word honeymoon on it...

my mother-in-law and mother laughed when I said that...but it's the truth

can you imagine picking flowers in a beautiful dress like that?
maybe I can...maybe I can't at the same time...
but it got me to purchase the wine...
{I got to tell you it's a bit too sweet for me...but lovin' the label}

and it makes me dream of having a

lush

and

flowery back yard

where I can take my basket and load up some flowers to take inside for the table...

I did snag up almost the last of the white hydrangeas at the store...
and that did just the trick to make me smile

oh to dream...

have a great weekend everyone!

the sun shining has my mind wandering today...

The sun is shining bright today...

thank goodness ~ because it has been so dreary ~ and I love the sunlight...

When it is cold and dreary and the first sunlight appears again...it gets me itching for spring...

okay I know I should be saying "I am enjoying each day"

Lets be honest here...

I don't okay...

I am a spring/summer girl

I love fall and winter when they first come

But then my mind wanders

About the next spring and summer

Mostly because I love the sunlight

I love flowers

...especially my hydrangeas...

I know by now you are probably tired of hearing about my bedroom...

But I found something I love...

and I am trying to figure out a way to tell hubby about it without him rolling his eyes...

because I have all these ideas going...

and it is not "new" things I am wanting...

so it isn't the price or anything like that...

it is finding those old but new things in my home...

I have a problem with creating in my head

and then I can't seem to find a match to it

But did I mention I am in no rush...

I don't want to fill just to fill...

So right now...

I am thinking about those small little details

that don't necessarily need a match...

So as the sun is shining today...

I'm dreaming of my hydrangeas ~

 {here}

Did I tell you how much I love them?

Well if not which I am sure I have ~ I DO!

Even so much as I had them entirely in my wedding

on Bobby's boutineer...

In all the bouquets...

On our cake...

{I know that is a big no-no these days ~ fresh flowers on cakes...but I loved it that way}

I love them so much

All someone has to do is say "Hydrangea" and I'm smiling...

especially the blue ones...

and the white ones

and the pink ones

okay...I bet you are getting my drift now...

So since I love them so much ~ I came up with an idea...

This spring I am going to plant 5-6 more hydrangea bushes because I want them

in our house daily

In our retreat bedroom

And I even looked up how to dry them properly so at the end of summer

I can add them to our room

So I WANT

{I would typically say need but hubby has been correcting me a lot with the word need lately}

So I guess I have to say, "I want"

Plus it adds pretty to outside my home...

So today ~ I thought all about hydrangeas as I was doing things today...

and I'm so excited about it

I want to have all kinds

EVERYWHERE...

inside and outside my home

So I am not going to pretend that from January to March I am happy about the weather

I am going to be honest...

I'm not ~ I just prefer spring and summer~

So here is to making it through till next month when I am taking a week break

to be at the beach again

courtesy of hubby's job this time...

And then after we are on the home stretch of hydrangea planting...

Can't wait!

Wonderful Day! ~ the sun is shining bright!

Wedding Highlights...

The wedding we went to was a beautiful wedding...of course the bride and groom just made it fantastic...but we enjoyed it!

Here are some pictures of highlights...it seems like I couldn't get one of the bride and groom together without it being blurry...but still thought this picture was neat...(I tried to get more but literally everyone I took someone would step in the way unknowingly and at the reception they were all too dark)

The ceremony was beautiful...we ended up being a bit late and had to sneak in because we got lost...but we weren't the only ones thank goodness...of course I had a few tears and had to hold back most tears...happy ones...wedding always are happy cry times...I just LOVE them!

Flowers were beautiful...I thought the bright colors transitioned from summer to fall so beautifully...(like I am wedding expert or something...absolutely not...but I loved the colors...she did black and white and then with the flowers...they accented everything wonderfully...I thought:)!)

The reception was just as pretty too....(it was neat to see the same caterer that did our wedding because it was a friend of the family too....so needless to say the food was terrific).

However...I don't have a wedding cake to report on...sorry guys....but did you notice her gorgeous dress on her? It was so fun to see the bride who I played soccer with and her parents...and in between the wedding and reception we had just enough time to stop by at a place downtown to watch the Mizzou game where I spent some time with a friend I ran cross country with and her parents and another girl I knew from high school. So great to catch up all of them!

We parked our car where we watched the Mizzou game in between there and the reception...as we were walking we ended up thinking we were getting lost...we were laughing so hard about it because there was some time in between the wedding and reception that we couldn't believe we were going to be late to the reception...we turned the corner and there we were...we weren't late to the reception...just laughing about something one of the girls I shared...something funny which would be considered "TMI" if I shared to everyone...but all moms would understand:) for sure...Bobby caught the moment on camera...just think it is a fun picture...not too many times do you catch moments like this on camera...laughing so hard...

And as we signed in ~ a fabulous bird cage to put the cards...and we had someone snap a quick pic of us together too...Some other pictures of the room...the table centerpieces...sorry for some pictures turning out darker...

I snuck a picture of the mother-of-the-bride too...a family friend that we have stayed in touch with over the years...and of course I had to get a pictures with the gorgeous bride!!!!

A picture of the bride and groom during the toast...and the father daughter dance...

Hope your weekend was fabulous too.

Blessings to you!

So excited...an old friend from high school, Julie came into town last weekend...she spent Friday with me and the girls....soooo fun...she now lives in Texas...and I haven't seen her for ages...we have kept in contact by e-mail and phone...but her first time to see the girls in person...well she probably felt like she already knew them with pictures that I used to be good at sending out...then got bad about...until I started the blog. Anyway~ it was a GREAT day...and I had a blast for sure.

We made plans for the botanical gardens...the sad truth is that we have been here 4 years without really doing any of the fun local things...so it was about time and glad it was with Julie...we thought the girls would love it too:)

Although the girls were a tad cranky...they did well for the most part...so it was a great day...now just a warning...I have a TON TON of pictures...I cannot seem to help myself when it comes to the girls and flowers...I just keep going and going...so bear with me if flowers aren't your thing...but I have some cute shots of the girls...Now on another note...when viewing the pictures...please don't feel like I have a favorite...it was just easier to try to keep Hayley in the stroller MOST of the time so we could actually enjoy things because we would have never looked at anything if she ran around the whole time...so yes....most pictures are of Madison...it was just easier to have Hayley enjoy her surroundings in the stroller because if she saw me...she would have wanted out:)...can't blame her...I probably would have been the same way...:)

Anyway...here we go...I'll try to go from the beginning...although perhaps I may get the order mixed up...

I am just IN LOVE with greenery with bright colored flowers....

I dream of a day where I have a HUGE backyard where about 1/2 of the size of my backyard now would be a GIGANTIC flower garden with LOTS and LOTS of greenery too...I still have to convince Bobby of that...not too much of a fan of the greenery part...but I think he would be after going here...

that means I have a lot of learning to do...not so bad with outdoor plants...but don't try giving me an indoor plant...it just won't survive...hee...hee...but it would be neat to have one on second thought...well if it lived:)!

Meet Julie...a lovely sweet girl...[well woman]...you all know what I mean...she is taking photography classes on the side so she was super excited to be at the botanical gardens for some lovely shots of her own...I doubt she knew I took this photo...but I just loved it:) I say follow your dreams...she would be great at it:)

As we first walked in a beautiful fountain that Madison just so happened to pose in front of:)

A little wishing pond with a mermaid statue in the center that the girls just loved..."one more mommy" for the coins to throw in..
Just a little botanical house outside of the English gardens...we started there and ventured off...they were just so excited...
We laugh because we think Hayley will be a great runner with that already "relaxed" face as she runs...her run is so stinkin' cute...and her face is so relaxed her cheeks bounce...I laugh because I have those same cheeks that were always youthful as a kid...I love them
You see this little pool area...you have to know that face is up to something right?...well it was...this was one of many...that Hayley would lean over the ledge and wade her hands in the water making splashes...of course....I was with her the whole time and holding on to her...but she loved it...part of the reason...I decided back in the stroller because she wanted to do it to every water area...just wasn't going to happen for every single one...but it sure was cute:)
The little bell area...they loved making the sounds on the bells...yes...you see Hayley trying to climb in for the big one...it didn't happen...but Madison had a good time going around to all of them she could reach and ringing them...these are about the last pics of Hayley...for the day...back in the stroller...Before lunch we headed into the tropical part indoors...one of my favorites...LOVED this...although the girls were definitely getting hungry...we could have went through a million times and notice more and more each time...that is what I loved. [And] the waterfalls were beautiful...the sound is so calming and peaceful! Madison did too...3rd pic down you can see her looking at them.I just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED these bell looking flowers...they were in yellow too...aren't they beautiful...they are so romantic!
After lunch we came across so much...not sure if this was right after lunch...but we came across the Children's place...where it was super neat...a little town hall...huge play gym...Julie helped Madison and went up there with her while I stayed with Hayley...of course Madison LOVED that! I forgot to include a pic of Madison in a canoe right outside of it...that was superneat...but I think I have so many already downloaded in this post...but she LOVED it!

Madison in the jail...I was surprised how much she really liked "being behind bars..." just cute!

Madison climbed all the way up the hay bales (did I spell that right...looks a little funny...maybe it is just late) ...she did a GREAT job...the first time wasn't sure if she would stand up...but she got there...and I was super proud of her...she wanted to get down all by herself and the last one she wanted help:)
Julie was trying to get a picture of the girls with me...well she captured exactly how the girls are with me...love this picture...because these are my girls and just being normal for sure!

I did get this picture of Hayley...I just couldn't believe it! This is her "WOW" face and her saying it. She loved the waterfall walking into the children's area :)

And this little adorable couple was in the children's area...I just had to take their picture...are they in LOVE or what? I love how she is holding the brochure with her arm around him...just so neat and sweet...exactly how it should be.
These little cups of leaves...definitely caught my attention...then with the pink flowers behind (loved them)...how many times can I say LOVED in this post...have you counted yet:)...I wouldn't either.I had two BIG favorites of the day which we will get to shortly...I promised a lot of pictures and there for sure is...but the Chinese Garden was by far one of them!!!! Absolutely loved it and you can see why...
Wasn't it gorgeous....I just really enjoyed all the detail...the wonderful bridge...the plants right in the middle of the pond...those little bridges are sooo neat...it just made me think that would be great for our photographer to do our family pics at sometime...I don't even know if that would be allowed there...but super...super...beautiful!!! Well...actually for family pictures...I think the wooden one shown somewhere down below in the post in the Japenese garden area may be better...that little olden vintage look...

Have no idea where this picture was at...but how pretty are those bright flowers with that dark, rich green!

Japenense Garden where we headed next...although we didn't know we were in it until we were pretty much passed it...the girls were kind of getting cranky since it was afternoon time by then...just from being tired in the sun...so we didn't spend a whole lot of time...but they had some spectacular and HUGE fish that were neat...Madison definitely enjoyed them...

Japenese garden pics... starting off with the bridge that I was really fond of...
A hop, skip, and a jump...Julie was with Madison here...but she jumped from one rock to the other...it looks like she missed coming back...but she didn't...it is just a lower rock that isn't in water...they had a really neat section with lots of smooth black rocks on the shore...wonderful texture...definitely a great picture too...just not shown.
The English garden was so wonderful...by far my favorite...was this cottage...oh what a great picture place that would make...of course...they had beautiful hydrangeas...my favorite!!! and lillies...my second favorite!!! But these were different...and...these roses...the white ones...so fluffy...so pretty...
Love this picture of Madison...her new friend in hand too...surprise his name is "Lion":)
My other favorite part of the gardens (well I probably liked them the best actually) was how much I fell in LOVE with the lily pads...especially the gigantic ones...and the tropical ones with the flowers coming up with them...it just made you want to go floating on them...so pretty...and these were the water areas that Hayley and Madison had the most fun leaning over splashing their hands in the water...
Have no idea why this picture keeps loading sideways...I have given up:)My very favorite lily pads that curved up...so neat...LOVED them! (Last time saying loved in this post! I promise)
My little butterfly admiring the lily pads too....she enjoyed them
After the gardens Julie came home with me...we spent some time...and Bobby made it home before us...so we took Julie to dinner...another fun time and got a couple of great pictures below...we went to a local Italian restaurant that sure was YUMMY! None of us had not eaten Italian out in awhile so it was nice to do so....plus it gave me some extra time with Julie before she headed to her cousins house...after dinner I dropped the girls off with Bobby...and I drove Julie to her cousins...a very nice time to have some conversation without kiddos...so nice to see an old friend that really just knows you well...we had a neat conversation during the day that I will post about another time...still working on it... I am super excited about it...so can't wait...it'll be a different topic...

Blessings from all of us!

A really nice picture of Julie and I...hopefully it won't be so long until next time but I don't think it will...thanks Julie for spending the day with me!