Fancy Girls in Their Pretty Pearls

Ava's best girlfriend Violet came over today for a play date wearing her "little black dress" and finest pearls, so Ava decided she just must show off her pearls as well.

Can't you just see these two as old ladies going out to tea or something, Ava plump and jolly and Violet slim and proper?

Two Years Ago Today

We celebrated our anniversary in Napa on Saturday, so today (on our actual anniversary) we spent a low-key evening at home cooking a special dinner together. We cook nearly every meal at home, but it's usually something fairly simple (salad and/or sandwiches for lunch and rice or pasta with chicken or meatballs, or steak or salmon if we've done grocery shopping recently). We love cooking more elaborate meals together, but we don't normally take the time and effort unless it's a special occasion. So we loved having an excuse to spend time together in the kitchen tonight, and we agreed it was the best meal we've made together. We made the most amazing Lamb Chops with Mint-Mustard Sauce, Sweet Peas with Red Onion and Mint, and couscous, all from the Bride & Groom First and Forever Cookbook my mom gave us as a wedding gift.

We ate so well we didn't even have room for dessert, so we'll have to save the strawberry shortcake bears for my birthday, which, incidentally, is tomorrow.

Celebrating Two Years in the Vineyards

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary (which is actually tomorrow) with a day trip to Napa. We made a pact to visit the little mission chapel among the vineyards where we exchanged our vows every year to reminisce about what a perfectly beautiful day it was.

Ava contemplates her macaroon order while we wait in line at the Bouchon bakery.

For the new little cowboy on the way...

Tiffany referred to her now-fiance as "Cowboy" when they first started dating because he spent some time working on his uncle's cattle ranch, so I thought it only fitting that the shower to celebrate the product of their union (which was held at my house on Saturday) have a country flare. It was a blast planning and preparing for the party with some awesome ladies.

The party-planning crew and soon-to-be grandmothers serving up some pulled chicken sliders, baked macaroni and cheese, cornbread muffins, and lots more country fare.

The cloth banners took a lot longer than I anticipated. My poor mom spent hours cutting out the triangles from the eight yards of fabric (way more than we needed, we realized later). But I'm happy we went through the effort because I love how they turned out and we can use them again for summer BBQs and birthday parties for years to come. 

I framed the invitation and displayed it on the mantle along with some cowboy themed wine bottles (given as prizes) and a vintage musical rocking horse.  

The little cowboy boots on the fireplace belonged to my little brother and I found the vintage children's books at an antique fair.

I made the drink tags with blue denim-looking scrapbook paper punch-outs in the shape of stars alternated with a printed cowboy design to match the invitations. Then I just strung them through some twine and tied them around the rims of mason jars.

The mini chocolate pies were surprisingly easy to make and I topped them with some more printed punch-outs attached to toothpicks. The favor bags were also made to match and filled with homemade chocolate chip cookies. (I guess it's a good sign that they disappeared before I could get a picture of the whole display.)

Thank you, Tiffany, for allowing me to be a part of this special event.