Pics from the "Whirlwind Weekend"

By popular request, here are some pics from all my hostessing, cooking, and entertaining I did a couple weekends back.

Here is the Bride to Be, Lauren, and I at the shower. For those of you who aren't familiar with my friends and our little story, I made instant friends with three other girls when I went to college and we have remained close through so much. Lauren is by far my "kindred spirit" ( to steal a phrase from Anne of Green Gables) and she will always remain the closest and most loyal friend I have ever had. I am so thankful to have her in my life.

Here is the food spread Brooke and I created. I made everything you see except for the cupcakes, mini brownies and stuffed strawberries. I was assigned the "non sweet foods" for the shower. The menu included Deviled eggs (bottom left corner of table) a homemade Mexican Cheese ball with celery and tortilla chips for dipping(bottom right corner next to the forks), heart shaped tea sandwiches ( left diagonal from the cheese tray) and Bambinis, which are cheese and peperoni stuffed biscuits with marinara sauce for dipping (to the right of the tall flower arrangement). I was pretty dang proud of myself. I have hosted showers before, but always did the unoriginal fruit tray, cheese and crackers, veggie tray with dip, blah blah blah, boring boring boring. For a special friend like Lauren, I went all out! Plus, I was able to use some heirloom Depression glass peices that once belonged to Dave's grandmother given to my by my mother in law.

This picture is "the gang" minus my husband. We are all connected from lots of angles, but mostly from our friend Laurie who passed away three years ago from cancer. Brooke (far left with the pillow) Lauren and I all met Laurie in college and we were the instant friends I mentioned earlier. Patrick is Brooke's husband, and they dated all of high school and college. I have never really known Brooke with out Pat. Gibby (far right on the couch) is so special to us in so many ways. When Laurie was her sickest, she started to shut some people out and only talked to a few people. Gibby was one of the last people to actually talk to her before she went to the hospital to pass. When Laurie returned to HPU for one last semester, Gibby was her boyfriends best friend and was given strict instructions to "Take care of her" when Brooke and I couldn't. He was such a strong person in her life, and I truly love him for what he did for her in her last few months. He left for a year in Iraq last week. The last two, Kim and Bobby (above the couch) have recently been added to the gang. Bobby is Lauren's brother and we have always knows Bobby as long as we have known Lauren . Dave was Bobby's best man when he married Kim, who was a sorority sister of mine and Brooke's that we set up to go out with Bobby. Little did we know that blind date would turn into marriage!

So that's my gang, my core group of friends, my possee, my home boys and girls, my comrades, my support, the people who know as much about me as my family, and maybe more in some instances. Each of them has a special place in my heart, and I am so thankful for the path the Lord lead me on to meet each one of them. They really epitomize the verse we all repeat to one another....

"I thank my GOD upon every remembrance of thee"