Garden of Gifts

In case you're interested in the history of the bridal shower via

The Shower started as an alternative to the dowry. In the 1890's, friends and family put small gifts in parasols that were opened over the bride's head. Years ago, as the story goes, there lived a young Dutch girl who loved a young Dutch miller. The miller was so generous to the poor that he could never save a fortune for himself. Because the young man was not rich, the maiden's father disapproved of the match and refused to give her a dowry. But the village folks, and the young people, had desired their marriage. To make up the girl's dowry, each villager brought some treasured possession of his own until a chest had been filled with all household goods that a bride should bring to her new home. With these contributions, they 'showered' the maiden until even her father was won over. From that day to this, it has been the custom for the bride's friends and family to present her with gifts for her new life. Don't despair over a bad turn in the weather. An old Roman proverb states, "Rain falls in the lap of the happy bride."

Interesting stuff!

Now, on to a wonderful bridal shower in a beautiful garden :)

Great friends!

When there is food involved, you better watch out!

watching some entertainment...

See? plate full and a happy girl :)

The outfit

The fun invite!

via Etsy

my boy and I :)

my mama and I :)

David plotting his getaway from all the women!

Hostess with the very mostess! She worked so hard to make everything

beautiful and special.

emotions were flowing that day...

My aunt Gwen made this apron. She has crazy sewing skills!

A cupcake, of course!

My mom had surprised me with

a wedding album she had been making since the beginning! And I just lost composure.

What a road it has been!

Thanks mom!

Are you still here? What a trooper!

Well, thank you to everyone involved. It was truly a beautiful and touching day. It is so important to take a moment and soak in what wonderful moments God has blessed us with. And I am still in awe of the winding path that led to these very precious moments, with the man that God saved just for moi.

~hugs~

The cherry on top of the cupcake that is getting married- is friends and family gifting the couple with things to help make there house a home, and not a frat-house complete with mismatched plastic cups, chipped Target dishes (I still love Target, though), ratty bedding from our single days, and carpet marinating in years of Old E and PBR. Okay, maybe not that last part...But I'm pleased to see how our kitchen will be coming together, with the help of a small village ;)

I think some of the best kitchens, and homes for that matter, are those that kind of fall into place over several years of living in it, and surrounding yourself with things you love or have collected from far away places.

But lets be real. I'm in bridal mode. And I'm pretending that our home will look like a catalog. Hee! From the gifts we have received, it seems the colors of our kitchen have made there claim. And I couldn't be more pleased! Yellow and aqua. cheery and basically fabulous to cook/drink wine in :0)

Does your kitchen have dominating colors?

Whatya waiting for? Come borrow a cup of sugar already!

~Ta~

Showered in Sugar Land!

What fun to re-live this special weekend! Blessed is all that comes to mind. Blessed to be covered in love and support and David and I start a new chapter : Marriage. Gahhh!

You asked for pictures, and I gave you way more pictures than you ever wanted to see :)

The outfit!

David's "Mimi" 100 years young!

future Mother-in-law!

the moms :)

a gift in itself: having the shower guest self-address "thank you" envelopes.

a real time saver...

of course, yummy, adorable cupacakes!

opening with a prayer of thanks

some of the lovely ladies and hostesses

How can I squeeze all this on my plate hmmm...

Presents!

The bow bouquet

Some of the girls! Anne on the far left is 5 months preggo,

and looks better than I do!

Patsy with her beautiful grandbaby,

in her beautiful homey home:)

My beautiful mama!

Patsy's AMAZING backyard.

nighttime cocktails al fresco

reuniting after a weekend of fun:

Bridal shower, and David's bach party.

And we kinda matched;)

can you tell he didn't sleep all weekend?!

bless you if you bared with me through all the photos!

Next up is my re-cap of the Bachelorette party in Vegas this last weekend!!

~here's to the end of Monday~

~Ciao~

showered with LOVE!

I hope to find a good chunk of time this week to sit down and chronicle my first bridal shower! And I hope you will enjoy the pictures just as I enjoyed the day. It was so lovely andoverwhelming, and just... touching :o)

I could have had a huge piece of spinach stuck in my teeth the whole afternoon, and it wouldn't have mattered. The shower friends would have still treated me as if I hung the moon each night. Because that is the kind of gracious, fun, and fabulous women that surrounded me at this southern soiree. Oh, to be a bride! I could get used to this ;o)

More to come!

~Ciao, loves~

Ahhh bloggy land!

I have missed you my sweet keyboard of blabbering goodness!

I have had so much on my plate lately, it almost makes me queasy :p

The fact that I have invited said things onto said plate makes me....ummmm border-line certifiable!

One major food group on my plate is the new job I have acquired teaching sweet and oh-so-naughty little kiddos! I'm building my future as a teacher, which makes my heart pretty warm and gooey.

Of course another major food group= my position as bridezilla. nuf said. It is coming together though, thanks to the help of what feels like a small nation.

And lastly and most importantly, my sweet little family that has missed their fiance, fur-mama, daughter,granddaughter, and friend!

Why am a typing in this weird style tonight? It's been too long I guess ;)

And I have been praying to the porcelain God allll day. My belly hates my cooking, I presume. I even had to have my mom pull the car over today so I could do my thing. Sorry, I shouldn't be the only one with this gross and funny visual!

So tomorrow. All wrongs will be righted in my rough little world as I make my way to Houston for a wonderful bridal shower thrown by my soon-to-be-mama-in-law's I think 9 lovely friends! Is that not so flippin sweet?! So I can't wait to return with fun photos of the weekend, and to hear how my David's bachelor party went at Lake Charles with the good ol fellas.

But tonight? I am not nauseous (fingers crossed). I am packed early (for once) and I am reflecting on how I have the most awesomest brother of brothers. He brought his doting sis the Holy Grail of Sex and the City.

Read it too!

And I am going to eat up every.single. page.

Love to all 3 of you that probably still read my blog and happy weekend!

~ciao~