happy~

today i'm finally getting to a fun post about adria's

third bridal shower.

two of my best, best girlfriends cindy and mary hosted this shower which

was for friends of ours and the bridesmaids.

i seriously enjoyed all the parties sooo much.

(more than my own that's for sure- i was 19 and

terrified of being the center of attention).

seeing your daughter in the limelight is a whole lot

more fun, and it makes your heart just swell.

friend leslie always wraps her gifts with a "package tie on". she found these

vintage ken and barbie ornaments on a junkin trip to texas. they were part of the gift.

i know, right?? stinkin cute!

the party was at cindy's. she and hubbie mark have done a big remodel to their

kitchen this spring and everything looked amazing!

this is hostess mary, adria and hostess cindy...cutie patooties 

now....about the food. remember me saying a couple posts back that the

food knocked my socks off at all the parties? well check this table out!

specialty cheeses, almonds, this fruit platter, white chocolate dipped strawberries, quiche, sausage, a whipped sweet potato dish...

omgosh girls, you could have your own cooking show or catering company!

: )

sun dried tomato pesto,  fig spread...

individual bundt cakes, in two different delicious flavors.

citrus water and mimosa's served from mary's mom's exquisite punch bowl...

there was a mixed green salad with maple vinaigrette dressing that cindy made.

she even used lars's homemade maple syrup for the dressing.

& always a crowd favorite, cinnamon and caramel rolls.

(and by the way, cindy is making them again to serve at our bridal breakfast).

giddy up!

 some of adria's oldest friends maggie and christa, whom we used to see almost daily when

these girls were growing up in alexandria, came to celebrate with us.

this is rosie. adria lived with her for over two years... a bestie, she will be one of the

bridesmaids next saturday and her little boy henry is one of the two ringbearer-dog wranglers.

he wore a tie, because he's just that kind of guy! i can't wait to see he and jax in their little suits.

for one more week i can call us the BTB and MOB.
after that, the one on the left will be on a beach somewhere in mexico  with a new title
newlywed~
and the one on the
right will be home with her feet up and she'll just be mom again.

here's the MOG alice, friend cheri and friend leslie. cheri is going to be both my right and left hand girl this coming week,. she's helping me design all the flowers for the wedding and then she's the

wedding day coodinator. (can you say angel)? 

*rumor has it that there's a pretty swell gift

 wrapped and waiting for her (from the bride) to reward her for her hours and 

hours of help. 

mother and daughter leslie and christa

mother and daughter kim and karissa hess.

k-hessa ~as i call her~ she'll be standing

up front with the wedding party as an attendant too.

the hess's know their wine and they gifted a bottle of one of 

their favorites, which just happens to bear their name.

now this. this is what i call a 

LOVE GIFT.

katie leppa is a friend and attendant anita's mom.

well ms. katie sewed adria a quilt and matching pillow case to use

when she is hunting!!!! can't hardly stand it, knowing the hours and hours

of time she spent cutting and sewing this for my lucky girl.

katie drove all the way from glenwood mn. to celebrate with us, even

though her girl anita, who lives in CA was too far away to come.

*over*on the right is jessica d.

 jess is an amazing friend to my daughter and will be a bridesmaid.

girlfriend also hosted her fabuloso bachlorette party a week later.

this group of 4 moms and their girls have a tradition to get together and celebrate

milestones for the 4 daughters. i was thrilled to have them all there that day.

(cept anita, in CA~ her mom held up a picture of her-haha)

that's dee dee on the right, rose's mama.

sweet leslie made cutout cookies as favors for all the guest to take home.

package tie on's and favors are some of this girl's specialties. : )

last but not least, my sister surprised us by being at the shower too!

she had been in the twin cities 2 days prior for a follow up doctors apt. 

for her girl jessie, so since she lives about 3 hours away, we didn't

think she'd be able to make it. 

she said the night before she just felt sad that she'd have to miss yet

another shower and she so wanted to be a part of all the fun, that she

just decided to get back in her car and drive east again!

such a very special part of our day sis~ love you!!

*thank you from the bottom of my heart mary and cindy for the beautiful,

beautiful party you had.. it was all so delicious and

fun and special, i will remember it till i'm old and grey.

(oh that's right, i'm already old and grey, well, till i'm even older

and quit coloring then.... )

you girls~ all of you, from the bridesmaids and all my precious girlfriends, to

the treasured family on both sides who came to these showers,

it meant the world to us and we love you

big time!

one week from right now, we'll be in the middle of picture taking and

just a couple hours away from seeing our daughter 

walk down the aisle to meet the man who

will promise to love and cherish her all of her days.

it's very obvious she already loves and cherishes him with her whole heart.

they are a match made in heaven and i could not be happier for them.

since i'm doing the wedding flowers, this week will be especially

busy for me and if i don't have time to post again, i'll be back to share

a whole bunch of the wonder after next weekend!
till then~~~

xox, MOB, beth

flowers are my love language

coming off the weekend~

mother's day by the way~ and all around me the trees and

plants are blooming and i can't help myself. i just want to take all

their pictures and share them with you cause they're so pretty~  just 

begging to be shared.

almost all of these are from my yard, but there is a photo of 

gorgeous white anemones and a redbud tree that are from friend mary's yard.

this is luna.

she is an 8 week old golden doodle. 

she's mary's son's new pup and she was at

mary's visiting so a bunch of neighbors went over to meet her.

she was so gentle and calm. i was seriously smitten!

why, oh why can't i live with a non- shedding dog?

big rain here last night... over one & 1/2 inches in the gauge this morning!

just what we needed to really give all growing things a boost.

i'm torn between wanting to run to a nursery and start buying

bedding plants, and knowing that until the wedding is over

(in 12 short days), that i won't have much time to keep them watered and tended.

i do have a few blooming things on the deck and my water fountain is

tinkling away and for now i guess i should control myself right?

right??? no? you think i should head to

tonkadale nursery and fill up the back of the jeep?

well, if you saaaay so,

: D

xo, beth

soooo, i really need to get caught up on the happenings around here.

the bridal showers have wrapped up and here's a 

peek at the second party in her honor.

* the grooms family knows how to

celebrate too!*

there are a lot of aunts and uncles, cousins and friends and

they alllll come out to celebrate together when there's a baby or wedding

on the horizon.

:  )

i loved meeting so many of the people that I've heard about.
we tease about big catholic families...(because we are 

lutheran and there is- as you know- a limit on how many kids we can have- 1, 2, or 3 is good, having 4 is pushing it~ ) : D,

but how much fun is it to be part of a much bigger family? 

the two cuties front and center are some favorites... on the left is a grandma

teresa, and on the right is the spunky g-aunt catherine. girlfriend came wheeling in with

her walker and promptly had a glass of wine.

first in line for the amazing lunch

(aren't they cute?)

the fab gifts were such a wonderful part of all the showers, but for me, it was
also "all about" the delicious food!

cindy the hostess, had this cookie jar on her counter and it brought

back such a great memory for me- my momma had this same one when

we were little.

the book got passed around ~

this fab hanger will have the bride's wedding dress displayed on it for photos

this little cutie got to be at the party for a bit.

my heart was so happy after this shower. 

to meet the people that will be the other half of your child's family is

really special. you hope for a great bunch of people and i think my girl

hit the jackpot with this family.

they took turns telling how they'd met her and a little about her and 

before the second one was done, many of us were crying... 

it was so touching and heartwarming for me to hear the kind things

they said about my girl, that i could have just boo- hoo'd!

(like the ugly cry kind of boo-hoo).

there's one more shower to share so that's up next!

i am a year older today and am feeling

love from all directions,

i am older, thankful, lucky, healthy, full, rested,

and so very blessed,

xo b.