The Baby Shower

I was treated to the most beautiful shower I've ever had the pleasure of attending. My mom and her friends are absolutely amazing when it comes to planning. The decor was gorgeous and the food was delicious. I'm lucky enough to have cousins who bake like professionals and they provided the most amazing cake and cupcakes.

Myself, my mom and my sister.

The shower theme was nautical. We love living on Whidbey Island, we love the ocean that surrounds us and we love our boat. We are so excited to introduce the northwest island life to our son and nothing fits us better than all things nautical.

The afghan on the left with the anchor was hand made by my cousin, Rachel. She did an amazing job. The quilt on the left was made by our close friend and neighbor, Uschi. The quilt was one of my very first gifts for the baby. I completely skipped a bedding set because of this quilt. The rocking horse is from my friend, Alison. She stained it to match his bedroom.

Poms, eyelet lanterns and stars hung above the food table. They've all come home with me to hang in his bedroom. The giant frame was held chicken wire - I took photos early so you don't get to see all the adorable photos that were attached of his ultrasounds, my weekly belly photos and a few of me as a child.

The shower was at 11:00am, so we had a brunch spread. It was delicious. Mini crustless quiches, strawberry spinach salad with the most amazing dressing I've ever tasted and fresh bakery bread.

There was a great sparkling fruit punch along with lemon water. We drank from mason jars and each little straw had the cutest little striped red and blue flags on them.

The cupcakes were made my the Cupcake Queen herself, my cousin Rachel. She knows how much I love fondant and she made marshmallow fondant star toppers for each cupcake. I'm also a frosting girl, and she totally outdid herself on the frosting for these cupcakes. I was in heaven.

My cousin, Brynn made the blue velvet ruffle cake. I'd come across a picture of one on Pinterest and had to have it. This is the absolute best velvet cake I've ever eaten in my life. The frosting was cream cheese and sadly didn't like the sun. But I don't care, it was delicious! My sister came across this adorable whale topper and my brother colored it for her. It was pretty sweet of him!

The blessing table was incredible. Each guest wrote a sweet note to our baby boy and hung it on the line. At the end of the shower they were collected in a small album for me to take home. I'll get to read each blessing and prayer to him as he grows.

Pinwheels made the center pieces on each table and were the favors for our guests to take home. My mom let me help with these, which I loved. I'm a crafty person so I was happy I got to help with something!

The little guy was spoiled rotten!

Carrie, Jennifer, Mom & Lisa

These are the ladies that made it happen. Carrie hosted in her gorgeous back yard, making for one heck of a garden party. They all helped my mom collect and implement ideas. They set up and took down the entire thing and also helped prepare the food. They're amazing and my mom is so lucky to have the best friends.

There are more pictures floating around on other cameras. When I end up with those I'll post more of the fun. A big thank you to everyone who made the shower so incredible special. I felt beyond blessed. From those who helped plan and put on, to those friends and family members that attended. It was an amazing day I'll never forget.

Receiving is the sweetest thing.

This post is so overdue. On Thursday I received a package on my doorstep from none other than my blogging BFF, Ashley! I was so excited.

I found it on my way out the door, so I put in the car and opened it at work with in front of my coworkers. They were just as excited as I was. I wish I'd had the patience to remember to take pictures before I tore in to it, but I didn't.

She made this! I was beside myself. I love it so much! It fits perfectly with my love for all things yarn, my love for traditional Christmas colors, yet a fabulous vintage touch. Man, this girl knows me!

I've wanted this Asker from Ikea since she first showed it in her kitchen. Super clever to hang on the wall for your sponge!

Two gorgeous nail polishes. Hidden Treasure on the left, Chinchilly on the right. I wore Hidden Treasure on my nails to a Christmas party on Saturday.

Thank you so much, Ashley! I love this little blogging community and the friends I've made. Can't wait to get the next package out in the mail to you!

Blogging BFF's

I mentioned sending gifts to my dearest blog friend, Ashley from The Thing About Daisies last week. I was so excited putting the package together, I didn't snap any photos for myself.

However! Ashley snapped a few of her own to share on her blog and I can't tell you how dang excited I was to see the stuff in her home. So fun to know that just a few weeks ago I was putting it all together by hand and here they are gracing her home!

I sent a few glossy black refurbished candlesticks, just like my white ones I made earlier in the summer. I ended up liking the black much better so she's lucky I still sent them!

Here are my handmade cozies and the scarf I put together for her. If only she knew that I crocheted and tore out this scarf twice before I got the final product done. It had to be perfect! The little notpads came from my stash in my bill drawer. I have a thing for notepads on Etsy.

Like Ashley mentions in her post, we are truly blogging BFF's. She's fun, sweet and inspirational. She's absolutely worth following and I sure hope you'll give her a visit!

I've accomplished something!

I accomplished two things yesterday that are kind of a big deal to me.

1. I finished the intended housewarming gift for my blog friend, Ashley.

It took me forever. I have no concept of time. I exchanged addresses with her two months ago. Fear not my dearest Ashley, your gift is on it's way TODAY! I hope you like it. Lots of time (ha!) and thought went in to it.

2. I WORKED OUT.

I did. I'm serious. I worked out for the first time in... Oh, I can't even count how many months. Two motivating factors.  My husband started working out again last week and I found all of the cupcakes and gummy bears I've been hoovering down over the last couple of months planted firmly around my middle and reflecting a larger number on the scale. Bummer. I started Insanity which is strongly suggested by  my husband. It was HARD.

All in all, good week for me! Happy Friday everyone!

Sweet Child

Dear Olivia,

You changed life dramatically for so many of us in this last year, and most importantly for your parents.

From the moment your mommy told me she was carrying you, she was glowing to know you were her baby. So many times throughout her pregnancy there were moments we were worried for her health. She did everything in her power to make sure you were healthy and well cared for.

To hold you the day you were born was such a magical moment. You were so tiny, your whole 4lbs 9oz. You were so warm in my arms and smelled like heaven. Sweet child, I enjoyed every moment I had to hold you and watch you live. You made your mommy and daddy so happy and I don't think they could have spared one more ounce of love for anyone but you.

Yesterday, I felt like my world had been turned upside down. To learn of your sudden passing at just 4 days shy of 4 months old, I hurt in a way I couldn't imagine. Your mother is such a dear and true friend to me, enough so she allowed me to be Auntie Cassie. Olivia, my first niece, I already miss your presence. To see your parents hurt the way they do is just heart breaking, so much I feel overwhelmed and completely helpless. It's not right to be with your parents at home, surrounded by so much belonging to you and not having you there. To hear your cooing and whimpers. To hear your giggles and see your smile.

I feel comforted to know you're with God now and knowing you served a very important purpose to so many of us here on earth in your short amount of time. I just hope we find the meaning sooner than later. Our hearts will ache for a long time and our lives have been changed forever.

I love you with all my heart,
Auntie Cassie

{via}

Girlfriends, we all need them. Right?

Maybe we just want them. Either way, I sometimes feel like girlfriends are lacking in my life.

Over my years growing up, I've always felt I'd been burned by every close girlfriend I've ever had. I'd like to credit it to the fact that I was young, trusting, impressionable and naive. It seems as though they've always come and go no matter how much effort I put in to the friendship. At the age of 17, the way I felt caused me to change who I was.

I became honest and outspoken. I began to give up the fear of confrontation and spoke my opinions freely when asked. I've still struggled with caring too much of what people think of me, but not enough to keep me from being honest. I'm not one to just agree if I don't.


I consider the title of best friend to be a little juvenile now-a-days. That could very well be because I easily hold grudges. Though I'd like to say I'm not holding a grudge against my last best friend, when I think about what transpired between the two of us, I still feel like I was wronged. Her and I are still in contact. We talk every few months and travel the hour and a half to see each other once or twice a year, but with the directions our lives have gone our friendship just isn't the same.

I call my husband my best friend now. As I think all marriages should be, he and I love spending time together. We rarely do something without the other and that's simply because we just don't want to. We share the same friends and we feel equally liked as both individuals and a couple. I find it sweet when I mention I don't have a best friend and he inqures to know where his title went. I sure love him.


In the end though, I still wish I had a close girlfriend like I did in my past life. Someone to talk to every day. Someone to run and grab a coffee with just to get out in the sun for a while. Someone to run to the store with just because you feel like ravaging the clearance racks at Target. I still wish I had a girlfriend who I saw every weekend because it was rare that we ever made plans without each other.

I think this just goes to show I'm growing up. I'm two months from 27, I'm married with a busy career. Not everyone has the time that we used to for the same relationships. Instead of taking the women in my life for granted, the ones who care about me and like spending time with me when their schedule allows, I should embrace the fact that I still have girlfriends. Just not the same kind of girlfriend relationship I used to have.


In the end, I think we all need someone. Right?