The Bridal Shower

First, a picture of my Baxter...

Because he's so cute! 

Now, on to the good stuff!

My great friend Sharon is getting married September 2nd.

(You may remember the bachelorette party in South Beach)

Today was the Bridal Shower and it was awesome.

We had it at a hotel nearby and the Maid of Honor did an amazing job setting everything up. 

The cake and prizes for games.

Another view of the cake.  The bride's last name will begin with a "C", if you were wondering - ha!

Olivia had a birthday party but Sydney came with me and was so excited to be a part of Aunt Sharon's "grown up" party.

She looked A-DOR-A-BLE!!!

She was such a helper and everyone raved about her.

She got her own little flower - a left over from the rehearsal dinner "bow bouquet".

She felt so special....

A few artistic "Sydney Shots".

The flowers that were on the cake.

Mommy and Aunt Sharon serving cake - from Syd's point of view.

Sydney made this poster for Aunt Sharon and then asked everyone to sign it - she even brought colored markers.

She just melts my heart....

Congratulations Sharon!

We are SOOOOO looking forward to the wedding and hope that you and Justin have many, many happy years together.

We love you!

Sheesh! Am I behind or what????

So, blame it on summer.

And 100+ degree days.

And two young girls.

And a trip to Hershey Park.

Along with a trip to the beach.

And cheer practice starting, middle school orientation, braces for baby girl number 1, a wedding shower, followed by a wedding, summer parties, birthday parties, another charity event, pool time and most of all...

Laziness.

July was so crazy busy, that I was looking forward to August and thinking about lazy weekends at home or lounging at the pool.

And then I checked the calendar. 

Alas....it's not to be.

The sitting room…continued….

Well, now that the sitting room is "done" (for the most part), I need furniture!  So I traveled over to my trusty Goodwill and found this.... 

Ten Buckaroos - BONUS!

OK, OK...it needed some help. 

But it was perfect for what I had in mind.

I had bought this material at our local fabric outlet, and had originally intended on using it to reupholster my Nanny's couch  - I'd been searching for material like this for.... well,years actually!

When I found it I was thrilled!

Until I saw that it was $50 a yard - and I needed nine yards for the couch. 

Not happening...

Onto Plan B.

 I painted the coffee table...

And since I was terrified to actually cut the material myself since I had NEVER done anything like this before, I did what any 40 year old would do.

I called my mommy.

We brought the painted bench upstairs and attached the foam and batting to the top and started with fabric - stapling and pulling and pulling and stapling. 

When it was done, I loved the top.

And I hated the bottom.

The green didn't look the way I thought it would (couldn't have anything to do with the fact that I picked it out without a swatch of material and painted it in my dark basement.....)

I went back and tried to find something similar to the green in my Great Aunt Pearl's chair but couldn't.

Isn't that chair adorable?

So, I picked another color from the fabric....

.......taped up the upholstery with thick black garbage bags and SPRAYED.

A little oil rubbed bronze on the handle, which was refastened and I was done.

And since red is one of my favorite colors, I love to have something red in just about every room.

The bench will sit in front of the couch when I get that reupholstered.

I have an idea in my head, but haven't found what I'm looking for - yet.

I love that the deep purple in this room allows me to play with so many different colors!

So, there you have it.  

Furniture piece numero uno.

Oh, but there's more.....

41

I opened my eyes this morning and thought - no freaking way. 

 I can NOT be 41.  

I was 30 just last week.  

It seemed like last week anyway - how did 11 years pass in the blink of an eye?

*sigh*

When my mom was 41 she was...well, old!

Old to me at the time anyway.

I'm not old. 

At least I don't think I am.

And then I got up. 

My back cramped up, my joints all cracked and creaked, and I had to stretch.

OK, so maybe my BODY is 41.

But in my mind, I'm 30.

Here's hoping the next decade doesn't goes as fast as the last one.....

Ah, South Beach - how I Heart thee....

Well, I'm back.

What an amazing time.

When you take 7 women who don't all know each other well and throw them into two hotel rooms hundreds of miles from home for five days, you are SERIOUSLY taking a risk.

I was Ner-Vous. 

I didn't need to be.  We had the best time.  We all got along.  There were no personality clashes. 

We made a pact that there would be no bathing suit pictures and no pictures taken on the night of the actual Bachelorette party in order to preserve our sense of dignity.

(Turns out THAT was a good call...)

We ate a lot of good food, sat in the sun all day, visited a few bars....drank a few drinks......

All in all a very wonderful weekend, although I REALLY missed Brian and the girls and I think Brian REALLY missed me.

(I'm totally taking more trips away by myself if my reception when I got home was any indication of how much my family loves and misses me when I'm not around.  Nothing like a little absence to make the heart grow fonder, right?)

And now it's back to business.  I have pictures and projects and life events I've been meaning to post about but before we do that just look at what I got to look at every day for five days.....

And of course - the one picture from the Bachelorette Party that can be shown....it's not too humiliating....

Yes.  I'm a sassy bitch.