A Pinterest Baby Shower

Just as the wedding shower was a huge hit, the baby shower was not to be outdone!  "You Are My Sunshine" is the theme of the nursery, so it was the perfect theme for the shower.

The gifts, too, were so unique to each person's abilities.  Baby Boy Lennox is due to come to Darryl and Chelsea around August 8.  We are all so excited from them and know they are going to be 

amazing parents to this precious little baby! We wanted to show them how much we love them and are here for them.

I made a "Watch Me Grow" album.  It has each month (along with special holidays) for the first year for them
to put pictures in to see how he grows.

Allison made a teething necklace for Chelsea to wear.

Erin made this bucket full of personalized items.

Don't know why this is sideways, but Ashley made this monster coloring bag.
Inside she can put coloring books.

Keli made a changing pad (above) and rice bag (below).

Sherry made an Oscar hat for Lennox.

Hannah made felt numbers with beads in them. 

Dana made this "I am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!" frame.

Bridget made these burp cloths.

You can see in this picture the "Shhh. . . Baby is Sleeping" sign Ashli made.
She is also in the process of finishing a blanket for Lennox.

We are so excited for Darryl and Chelsea as they prepare for Lennox's arrival.

We are also looking forward to more Pinterest Baby Showers coming up in the future as others are due in the next few months!

Sweets for the Sweet - A Mommy Shower

Our group of friends started giving "Mommy Showers" to those who were having their third baby a few years ago.  Guests were encouraged to bring items for the mommy - to pamper, to help, to let them know we were thinking of them.  Allison chose to have a Mommy Shower even though it is her second because she is having another girl and could use a lot of things again.  We looked and looked for the perfect them and (thanks to Pinterest) came up with the theme Sweets for the Sweet because you can't find many people sweeter than Allison!!!  All the girls brought non-sweet finger foods, and Sandy and I prepared the ice cream sundae bar!!!!!  I thought it turned out just precious!!!!

I found the cutest labels on Pinterest and was able to download them for free from this website.  Once I downloaded them, I was able to make them my own. It was VERY nice!!!!!  I found all different kinds of sundae dishes at Wal-Mart to hold the various toppings and spoons.  I am excited to have these in my collection now! I think we will use these a lot.  Kristen made the precious pom poms you see in the pictures.  Thank you, Pinterest, again!!!!

For the centerpiece on the food table and on the end table, we filled at small vase full of bright colored flowers.  Next, we placed it inside a larger vase and filled the larger vase full of jelly beans and gummy bears.  Note to self, Sandy said the gummy bears were easier than the jelly beans!!!!  I thought they turned out super cute though!

YAY, for good friends!!!!  This had been a super stressful week and that day had been an oh so crazy day, but what a way to end it.  Sitting around talking (and eating) with some wonderful girls!!!!

Allison got some great things for her (and for baby Shelbie), and I hope she realizes how much we love her and he precious family!!!

Showering Walker with More . . . . .

I am so ready for Walker to get here.  The kids and I, along with Mom and Dad, made another trip to Alabama to get ready for Mr. Walker's arrival!  It was a wonderful trip and it has been decided that Mr. Walker is one blessed little boy already!

The family that was able to be at the shower with Amy

Walker's stocking made by Gran

Walker's "Wrapped in Love" quilt made by Gran

 Seeing all the family on the quilt - each family made a square with

their names on it, so Walker can be wrapped in all of our love!

Amy and Gran with the quilt

More and more presents!

Can't wait to meet you! Next time we will be in Alabama it will be to meet you, Mr. Walker!

Just Can't Help Myself!

The area around the shower was just beautiful so, of course, I had to take pictures of my kids!

Welcoming Walker - The First Shower

The kids and I joined Mom and Dad on a very fast trip to Montgomery for Amy's first baby shower for Walker. We had such a wonderful time and are quite anxious for Mr. Walker to arrive!

The home where the shower was
Beautiful Amy

LB and Amy enjoying the wonderful treats!

LB's gift for Walker - a soccer ball rattle and a basketball toy for the bathtub

Richard got U2 and Journey Lullabye CDs!!

We love Uncle Richard!

Did Walker just move?

Amy and Richard were so blessed with many wonderful things! We are all very excited and can't wait to meet Walker!

ABC. . . A Scrapbook for Me

This craft idea has become my token baby gift at church and for friends. I typically will purchase an 6x6 post bound album with one pack of refill pages. I will decorate the front page different ways depending on what supplies I have available. The front page usually will say something like "My First ABC Book" or "My ABC Book" or sometimes I will even personalize it. Each letter of the alphabet has its own page. The pages will include a 6x2 strip of paper that goes down the side of the page along with a letter of the alphabet, the title, and decorations that either go along with the theme for that page or the theme for the book.

I try to leave a lot of room so the new mom can place at least one picture on that page. This has been a hit with moms who do scrapbook. They can crop pictures to fit more than one picture on the page and even add other dimensions to the book. However, it has also been a hit with moms who do not scrapbook because all they have to do is stick a picture on the page and they are done! Here are some examples of things each letter can stand for in your book:

A - awaiting your arrival, airplane that brought you to us, aunts

B - bouncing baby boy, beautiful baby girl, big brother

C - cutie pie, cousins

D - daddy

E - exhaustion

F - footprints, first family, foto

G - giddy grandparents

H - hospital help

I - important information (name, date, weight, time, doctor, we named you _____ because ________)

J - joy you bring

K - kisses

L - love and laughter

M - mommy

N - nursery

O - one day old

P - proud parents

Q - quiet times, quilt

R - relatives

S - splish, splash . . . first bath, showers

T - tiny parts

U - ultrasound, uniquely you

V - visitors

W - welcome home

X - x-tra special

Y - you, you've got mail

Z - zzzzzzzzzz

Of course, you can really personalize it to fit the recipient of this gift. You can also do an ABC book for anything - a school year (what a great gift for the teacher), a toddler, first year of marriage, Bible verses, etc. Just have fun and let your imagination go wild!

Arika's Mommy Shower

Last night we threw my friend, Arika, a Mommy Shower. She is expecting her third boy at the end of August. When she had Lawson, we had a church shower for her. When Jagger was born, we had a diaper shower for her. With Rhett, we brought things for Arika! We started doing the Mommy Shower last year when my friend, Sandy, had her third boy. I told both of them that if the third was a girl we were going to have an all pink shower, but DNA did not work that way, so we showered the mommy instead. Arika received all kinds of things for her (and a few for Rhett). She was given bath items, pajamas, a movie basket, gift cards for clothes after Rhett is born, manicure/pedicure, etc. Being the humble person Arika is, when we were packing her things up, she said, "I feel so undeserving for all of this," but I quickly told her she was very deserving!! We served chicken salad on a lettuce bed with crackers, slices of watermelon and cubed cantaloupe.

Here is the recipe for the chicken salad:

4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

celery, diced (3-4 stalks)

raisins or craisins (2 small boxes)

black pepper to taste

salad dressing - stir in just enough to get the consistency you want

We sometimes add apples or grapes

Combine well and chill.

We also served my Grandmama Whittle's fruit tea to drink. Here is the recipe for it:

Steep 7 regular bags of tea in boiling water 5 minutes. Remove bags and pour in a gallon jug. Add 2 cups of sugar and 1 can of Five Alive (or 1 small can of orange juice and 1 small can of lemonade). Stir well and fill the jug with water.

My friend, Sandy, made these baby rattle cupcakes for dessert. They were a big hit!

3 generations of amazing women!

Arika and Brittany are due within days of each other. I don't think any of us have had to have babies by ourselves. One of the great blessings of such a wonderful church family!