Bachelorette Thoughts: Week 1

Happy Hump Day!

(Sorry, I know that picture is frightening, but it's hilarious and completely how I feel!).

So, Week #1 of the Bachelorettes-no-more is officially in the books.  I would like to announce that I lied yesterday and only had to waste three hours of my life this week on the show, not four.

Small victories, people.

We now officially have only one Bachelorette (right, ABC??? don't even mess with me).

I can stop being irrationally mad at the "two Bachelorette" concept and move on to to more important things, like...

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How bad do you feel for the law student that just outed his stripper-side-job on national TV and got sent home on NIGHT ONE!!

The horror.

I could just hear him saying "sh*t, sh*t, sh*t" all the way out the door.

Better keep your day night job, buddy.

Thoughts on Night One 

I have to be honest, I fast-forwarded through a lot of the show on Monday night.  The guys were kind of boring me and I was more interested in the interaction between Britt and Kaitlyn because...how awkward?!?!

I really, really despised Britt last season and I was completely #teamkaitlyn going into the premiere. With that said, during the first episode, I thought Kaitlyn seemed bitter to be sharing the spotlight in a not-so-attractive way.

On the other hand...Britt's publicist...she deserves an Emmy. Girl completely cleaned up her act (and her make up!) and actually seemed kind of...dare I say...nice?

I couldn't tell you one guy that struck me in a positive way from night one. Mainly, I enjoyed watching the train wreck that was the token drunk guy and I was left wondering if hot-tub car guy went around with soggy undies all night.

If you haven't seen Tuesday's episode and you don't want a spoiler...better stop here!!!! 

Thoughts on Night Two

Woohoo! They picked my girl.

I think I'm happy?

I did much prefer Kaitlyn's dress over Britt's so maybe the season will be worth watching just for the outfits (and Possessionista's recaps!).

Now we get to know a little more about the guys, and the ones who stood out to me as being strong at this point are:

Ryan Gosling a.k.a. Shawn B. 

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Shawn B. got the first impression rose and she announced that clearly, yes, she is just that into him. 

Mr. Dad a.k.a JJ

(source)

JJ seems super sweet and a lot less desperate than previous contestants who have come on the show with kids. 

Cupcake Dentist a.k.a Chris

(source)

Not sure why I like the dentist on the show at this point, but he seems like a strong contender and I just love the idea of a dentist who shows up in a cupcake.

We get to the rose ceremony and of course whats-his-name (emo song writer) leaves to go chase after Britt (because that's not produced...). I thought Kaitlyn handled that situation well and I 100% agreed with her cast-off choices.

One thing that I literally COULD NOT get over is how long this night/morning must have been for these poor guys. They had literally been drinking for hours upon hours just to get the Bachelorette choice and then they had to do it all over again to get through the rose ceremony!!

I love that ABC doesn't even try to hide the timing anymore with all of the exits in broad-daylight.

I have to give them all major kudos because I did not see one yawn or even a glimpse of anyone appearing tired or fed up. Me...I can barely stay up past 9pm on a Saturday night these days (no really), so thank GOD I met my husband in college like the studious girl I am and did not have to resort to champagne and roses at 5am on national TV.

Finally, I would just like to say that the most exciting part of every episode are the previews for what's ahead. Apparently Nick Viall is still trying to stretch out his 15 minutes of fame and has inserted himself into yet another season of this show to stir up all sorts of drama.

And, boy, does it look good.

Okay, that's all I've got for you on the show for this week! And for the record, I spent my whole night watching the second episode and typing this up, so I am showing great restraint and leaving RHONY on DVR for another night.

If I do a recap again next week, I promise I'll leave out the weird gorilla pictures maybe.

What did you guys think of this week's episodes?  Any early favorites??? 

Have a happy hump fantastic day, people!

xoxo

Jess

Sausage & Veggie Breakfast Bake

Hi there!

Happy it's-not-Monday-anymore!

Did anyone start watching the Bachelorette(s) last night? I wasn't sure I was even going to start this season because I hated the idea of having 2 bachelorettes so badly, but now I'm of course sucked in. Damn you, ABC, and your cliffhangers!

This is 4 hours of my life this week I will never have back! ;)

Maybe I'll share my thoughts on the week's episodes in a separate post, because today, I have food on my mind!

A while back, I was looking for a way to cut some carbs and add more protein into my daily breakfasts, especially during the week.  I love a good egg casserole, but wanted to come up with something a little more waistline friendly so that I could eat it daily and feel good about it.

Enter the Sausage & Veggie Breakfast Bake!

I will mix this recipe up on Sundays, bake, then slice into good-sized pieces to take in Tupperware to work.  Pop in the microwave for about a minute, add some salt & pepper or hot sauce/ketchup if that's your thing, and you're good to go!

I also make this dish every time my Mom comes to visit, she loves it! Since she was just here for the weekend, I'm sharing it with you now.

Sausage & Veggie Breakfast Bake

Spinach (about 1/2 of a large bag)
2 red peppers, chopped
1 lb sausage of your choice
10 egg whites, 5 whole eggs
1/2 cup milk of your choice (I use almond and it tastes just fine!)
1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
PAM

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2) Brown up your sausage in a large pan or skillet.

3) Once your sausage is done browning, use the SAME pan to cook up your red peppers over medium heat. Add in the garlic powder, pepper, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, keep stirring and try not to burn.

(Make sure when you chop up the peppers you take off that sticker. This time around, I had a major blonde moment, forgot to do so, and was playing where's waldo picking pieces of stickered-slices out of the pan burning my fingers. Good times).

4) Spray a 13x9 inch glass dish with PAM or any cooking spray.

5) Lay down your spinach on the bottom of the pan (as much as you'd like, I used 1/2 of a large bag):

6) Add in your sausage as the second "layer."

7) Next goes the red peppers.

8) In a large bowl combine eggs + egg whites, along with your milk.  Whisk this together until all the yolks are mixed in. It's very important to use a WHISK, okay? :) This makes things fluffy.

9) If you're using cheese, you can either spread it as another layer over the red peppers, or mix it in with the egg mixture. Your choice.

10) Pour egg mixture over all of the other ingredients in the pan.

11) Use a spoon to lightly combine ingredients in pan so it looks "even."

12) Pop in the oven for about 40 minutes.

13) Slice up, and enjoy!

Sometimes, I even through a little avocado or guacamole on top of my slice.

You can easily make this recipe without the sausage if you want to do a vegetarian option, or without the cheese if that's not your thing.  I often omit the cheese, but this time I was cooking for company and, let's face it, company really enjoys cheese! :)

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

xoxo

Jess

Friday I'm in Love

Hi friends!

Happy freaky Friday! We made it!! :)

Today I am linking up with my good friend Mary Beth and some of her favorite bloggers for the Friday I am in Love series.  Basically, I'm just going to share with you some of the things I have been loving this week.

1.  Vega "Viva Vanilla" Protein Smoothie

In my quest to get my healthy-ish lifestyle back on track, I have added green "alkalizing" protein smoothies into my morning routine.  I needed a good protein powder, and was searching for something soy and dairy free (I am eating some soy & dairy, just limiting it).

I found this protein powder on Kristin Cavallari's iPhone app (also love that app!), and decided to give it a try.  It is seriously SO good.  Super good flavor and none of that "gritty" consistency that you can taste in a lot of other plant-based proteins.

You can buy this protein powder at Whole Foods or online (see Amazon).

If you don't want to commit to a whole bag, I believe they have some individual serving packets on display at Whole Foods too.

For two smoothies (one for me, one for my husband), I throw into a blender:

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I like Silk brand the best), 1 small banana, 1 cup raw organic spinach, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 scoop of the Viva Vanilla Protein Smoothie mix, and 1 cup lemon water.

Blend and drink up, buttercup! :)

When I started making these smoothies I'd pour a little extra into a cup for my husband.  He got hooked fast and now requests full cups daily.

2.  SATC

Okay, I know 100% of the female population has loved Sex and the City for all of time.  Trust me, I own that huge, pink, coveted book - the one with every single episode on CD.

Lately, when I have felt like I need a little pick-me-up, I have been re-watching Sex and the City in marathon quantities. Something about that show just makes everything seem okay!!

I had a sick day where I watched all of Season 6 from bed, and last Sunday I was ecstatic when the Sex and the City movie was on E!

Rumors there may be a SATC 3 on the way?

Love me some Carrie Bradshaw. Forever.

3. Costco Easy Dinner Finds

I love Costco for TP & PT (toilet paper & paper towel), but it's also good for some super easy dinner finds.  On an impromptu Tuesday night Costco run this week, I found these babies:

Buffalo Chicken anything is a huge hit at our house, so I thought a few of these in the oven + a little side salad would be just perfect for some dinners.  We tried them out this week and I have to say, they were pretty damn good!

For three rolls, it's 180 calories, which isn't too bad! See here for the full nutritional deets.

They were also sampling some gluten free pizza (2-in-a-pack!!) at Costco. Nothing brings the crowds like some free pizza samples, right???

(Blurry as I tried to hide my creepy picture-taking and, let's be honest, I needed to get in that line!) 

4. National Restaurant Show

My brother, the chef, is coming in from Seattle this weekend and we are all heading downtown to the National Restaurant Show.  While we are on the subject of free samples, this event is like a free sample frenzie.  Pray for my hips, please! 

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Last year my favorite find at the NRA show was this Shock Top Pretzel Wheat Beer.  

To die for.  Literally drooling just thinking about it. 

(source)

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find this stuff in-store.  

I'm convinced they aren't distributing it?? 

If anyone finds some, please deliver to Arlington Heights immediately. 

5. Sketchers GOwalk Sneakers

The shoes I will be wearing to gather all of my free samples in this weekend!! :) 

Because I commute to downtown Chicago on the train every day, I actually spend about 40 minutes walking.  In boots, even in flats, my feet KILL by the end of the day.  

I just hate the way that my lace-up gym shoes look with work pants/dresses/etc. 

I have been eyeing the GOwalk line of shoes from Sketchers for a while and finally bought myself a pair just to wear to and from the office. 

These feel like walking on a cloud (hello, memory foam!).  

They have tons of color/texture combos, but these are the ones I got for now:  

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That's all I have for you today, Friday friends! Have a fantastic weekend! 

Go on over to check out Mary Beth, Kendra, Misha, Amanda, and Laura for some more "Friday I'm in Love" fun. 

xoxo

Jess 

Grocery Guide 5/10/2015

It's miraculous that I didn't leave the grocery store today with chocolate covered strawberries, pink champagne, and a dozen roses.  Mother's Day exploded all over my grocery store.

I was so jealous of the Mom's who had obviously sent their adoring husbands to the store with their lists today.  I wonder how many will end up at home with the right things? I joke that the few times I've sent my husband to the grocery store, he purposefully got all the wrong stuff (think: generic ranch dressing...yuck!).  He's smart, ladies, he knows now I won't ever send him back.  Maybe that's what the chocolate covered strawberries are for! ;)

Anyway, I digress...what I really came to do was to share what we are eating this week, in case you need any ideas!

This Sunday it's been cooler and rainy in the Chicago suburbs.  I guess that's why my list is on the warm-up-the-belly side this week!

SUNDAY: Chicken Potato Skillet

File this one under: Cheap & Easy.  And #sorrynotsorry :)

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MONDAY: Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have been wanting to come up with a great recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup that isn't super acidic or spicy.  I may tweak the above recipe a little bit.  If it's good with changes, I'll try to share it on here!

If you are someone who works all day and you haven't started making crock pot meals on Monday, I would highly recommend it! Because...Monday.

TUESDAY: Leftovers of one of the above.

WEDNESDAY: Sausage & Corn Chowder

We've had this before - I use my favorite Jennie-O turkey sausage and use almond milk instead of regular and it's still great and super easy to make.

THURSDAY: Wing it or left overs.

FRIDAY: Pizza delivery - my Mom & Grandma will be here! We'll get Lou Malnati's - their favorite.

SATURDAY:  Going out to Topolobampo in the city with my family after the National Restaurant Show.

I'm hoping to get this blog back up and running on a regular basis.  Believe me, I have a lot of things right now that I think are worth sharing, I just haven't quite worked out the order to go in or what I think the 5 people who may still check this page would like to hear.  I think the whole blog needs a face lift and maybe even a new name (eek!).  It was on my list of goals for 2015, so I better get moving.  Any feedback would be appreciated!

xoxo

Jess

Come On Into My Kitchen: Family Chili

Come on into my kitchen!

The counters may not always be 100% streak free, and there are always at least a few crumbs on the floor, but it's a warm, happy place that smells like a mixture of hazelnut coffee and whatever Bath & Body Works candle I just picked up on a 2 for $22 deal.

It's a place of no judgment, where I'll let you hop up onto my counter for a seat, like I do most nights when I get home from work.

If it's morning, I'll offer you a cup of coffee from the Kuerig, and maybe even some of that deadly lemon creme cake!

If it's night time (or past noon), I'll pour us a glass of wine and offer you some of the BEST cheddar cheese and crackers.

We'll sit down at our kitchen table, gossip a little (because we like to keep it real around here), and I'll hope you stay for "just one more glass."

So, come on in, and today, I'd show you how we do Chili in this little yellow kitchen!

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There's nothing quite like starting a batch of Chili in the crock pot in the morning, having those smells swirl around the house like a warm blanket all day, and curling up on the couch in front of the TV with a bowl ready to watch some football.

Chili was never really one of my very favorite things.

The Chili obsession didn't really start until I met my husband.

If you know my husband, you know he loves him some Chili.  Every restaurant we go to, if they have Chili on the menu, you better believe he's getting a bowl.

I know for a fact that Justin's Chili obsession came from his mom's Chili (so good!), which is where I got my recipe started.

What you need to know is that every year, Justin's mom and one of his Grandmas get together and can a bunch of tomatoes in mason jars.

The canning extravaganza results in a surplus of mason jars full of tomatoes, which I can't wait to get my hands on to make us some Chili!

I have tweaked the original recipe over time, probably mostly to fit my taste, but it still makes my husband very happy.

Miller Family (new generation!) Chili 

1 pound of lean ground beef, browned & drained
1 pound of sausage (your choice!), browned & drained
(if I don't have the mason jars) 3 14.5 ounce cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes (try Muir Glen)
1 15 ounce can of spicy chili beans, undrained
1 package of taco seasoning  (low sodium)
1 package of chili seasoning (low sodium)
1 6oz can of tomato paste (low sodium)
1 8oz can of tomato sauce (low sodium)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil

Red pepper flakes - only to taste! I start with 1/4 tsp.

Fixins': Fritos, shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream.

Combine all of the above ingredients, minus the fixins', in a large crock pot and stir until combined.

Set crock-pot to low and cook for 8 hours, or as long as possible to be heated through. The longer the cooking time, the better.

Low and slow wins this race!

As it's cooking or near the end, taste test for spice level and you can always kick it up by adding more red pepper flakes and/or Tabasco sauce.  It's easier to start less spicy and add more heat as you go.

When you're ready to eat (game time!!), serve up chili in bowls and top with Fritos, cheese, and sour cream to your heart's desire.

Don't forget the Fritos!! This Chili recipe is not complete without them! 

And, because everyone knows I'm a sucker for products, I have to share with you the most perfect Chili bowls on the planet!!

Noritake Colorware Handled Bowl

We registered for these bowls for our wedding, and Justin's mom got them for us, because she obviously knows how they were just made to be filled up with some Chili!

These bowls are the perfect size for Chili (and all soups for that matter) and they have a HANDLE.

I repeat, a HANDLE.

Perfect for couch dining, because that's where Chili should be eaten.

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Well, I'll let you go, because you've got some grocery shopping to do, right?! :)

xoxo & enjoy!

Jess

If You Ain't First, You're Last

I did something very out of the ordinary this week.

I grocery shopped on a Saturday.

Now it's Sunday, and I don't even know what to do with myself.  Yes, I lead a very exciting life.

So, I decided to blog.

Is anyone else out there as OCD as I am about the grocery shopping process?

Maybe it's a product of where I live.  Grocery shopping here is a competitive sporting event.

Trust me, if you ain't first, you're last.

First things first, you must make your list in order of the sections of the store.

Enter store and go to the produce department, where I pick up two bottles of freshly squeezed OJ.

(We are addicted.  This will hardly get us through the week.)

They used to have the date and time stamped on the OJ bottles.  This was perfection.  I'd just push through the old bottles for the ones that were just made.

Score.

Now they've screwed the whole thing up and only have the dates on the bottles, so all bets are kind of off.

Next, it's on to the deli counter.  Ohhhh, the deli counter.  That place is pure misery at my store.

But wait, before you get to the deli counter, you have to go through a booby-trap.  The baked goods section.

DO NOT stop to look at those gorgeous, fluffy, sugar-coated blueberry muffins.  Don't even go there.

Don't even think about that heavenly, glazed, lemon creme coffee cake.  Remember what happened the last time (entire cake eaten by yours truely in 5 days).

Ok, you made it.  The deli counter.  Pick your number, and you might as well leave for at least 4 more aisles of shopping because your number ain't gettin' called for at least 20 minutes.

Walk over to the butcher counter, by way of the cheese department.

Oh no, here we go. They are sampling brie.

I wonder if anyone will notice if I just loop through a few times?

Sample one.  Sample two.  Sample three.

I now have a $10 wheel of brie in my cart.  Great.

Back to the butcher department - you guessed it...pick another number.

Now it's decision time.  Do I wait around patiently for my numbers to get called?

No, of course I don't.  This is not the time, nor the place, for patience.

Move on to the next task, praying they don't call either of my numbers while I am taking care of a very important step...the beer buying.

I hope you are wearing your North Face.  You may have been sweating through the baked goods aisle, but now you're in Club 32 (the beer fridge).

Text husband re: what IPA does he want today?  Pick up said IPA.  Avoid hypothermia.

Back to the meats.

Sh*t!!!!  They are calling number 86 at the Deli counter! I'm number 85! Run to the front, scream out 85, get the evil eye from about 10 soccer moms, flash a quick !whoops! smile, head down...order turkey.

Next - the butcher.  Ah, thank God!  They're on number 43.  I'm number 45.

Today is my lucky day.  Who calls out number 45?

Nacho!

Nacho is famous at our butcher counter.  He is THE BEST guy to select, weigh, and wrap up your meats.  No chicken juice on the packaging.  Perfectly gets me to one pound of that BBQ chicken on the first try.

Score.

Next, we need to get bread.  There is also a bit of science to this.  Everyone knows that they hide the freshest loafs of bread at the back of the shelf.

We're talking a four-day difference.

Grab the freshest loaf and get out before you consider the possibility of adding a bag of large, white-flour bagels to your bag.  This would inevitably require you to purchase cream cheese, which would take you back to the land-of-brie, and we know what happened the last time.

Moving on to the yogurts.

Husband is hooked on Chobani strawberry-banana Greek yogurt.  He requires one per day.  This might be the most popular flavor of Chobani yogurt at our store, and they put it all the way up on the top shelf.

There they are - five (Monday - Friday) of the coveted strawberry-banana yogurts.  On the top shelf - all the way at the back.

I look around, contemplating whether I can stand up on the bottom of the shelving and reach up to grab my prize fast enough to avoid making a fool of myself.

On second thought, I see a very tall-looking teen aged boy stocker, putting away some other reject yogurts.

Score.

Flash a pretty smile and ask him to help.  Get my yogurts.  Move on.

Now, after all of the most important things are taken care of, I will move through the other aisles picking up my coffee, canned goods, highly-expensive and salty wasabi-soy almonds, and we are on to the check out.

Time to analyze the lines for what will be the shortest wait.

It's not always the line with the least amount of people.  You must avoid the talkers.  You know, those people who will want to discuss every. single. new and exciting grocery item in their cart with the 15-year-old bagger.

Get into selected line.  Flip through an US Weekly.

My turn.

Now, it is very important that you instantly advise the checker-outer that you would like PAPER bags for everything, EXCEPT for the meat.

Don't even start putting all my stuff in your crappy plastic bags because God knows it will take me 85429 trips to get all of my precious goods in my house.

Also important, the order of the loading.

Heavy things (i.e., my giant OJ bottles) must go first.  Followed by cans.

At the very last second, I will put the bread on the conveyor.  I do not like squished bread.

And, we are almost there.

Jaw drops at the total.  Never ceases to amaze me.

That could have bought me those beautiful brown moto-boots I've been eying at Nordstrom.  But hey, a girl's gotta eat.

Bags are loaded, and we're off.

Stop on the way out to admire the piano player.  Think to self - where the hell am I that there is a man playing piano in my grocery store?!

Also, take one last free sample from the demo counter.  Scalloped potatoes for the win.

Back to my car, which just so happens to be parked right next to the cart put-back area.

See how I did that?

Load bags.  Drive home.  Call husband to help with bags.

Who needs a glass of wine? :)

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So, as you can see, I am completely out of things to do today.

I will instead resort to prepping meals for the week, which, if your curious, are as follows:

Sunday: Crock Pot Beer Beef

Monday: BBQ Chicken

Tuesday: Mix & Match Mama's Beef Enchiladas (make. these. now.)

Wednesday: Left-overs

Thursday: Movie night? (i.e., popcorn & candy for dinner??)

Friday: Chili - I may or may not share my top secret recipe with you at some point :)

I know this week is heavy on the crock-pot usage.  But hey, we now have snow here and we all know there is nothing better than a crock-pot meal on a cold, snowy night after I've just schlepped myself to-and-from downtown for a long work day.

If you can relate to my grocery-shopping mania, or if make any of this stuff this week, let me know! :)

xoxo

Jess

Christina's Garden Baby Shower

Hi friends! :) 

Happy Saturday!

I am at that stage in my life where pretty much every {married} girlfriend I have is pregnant or just had a baby.  

It is so amazing to learn all about my girlfriends' pregnancies and even more so to meet these little perfect babies as they are arriving.  

It truly is a miracle and reminds me daily that God is so good! 

Last weekend, I hosted a baby shower for one of my best friends from college, Christina.  

Christina is due in October and the gender of the baby is a SURPRISE...so fun!!

For the record...I am predicting a baby girl! 

When we bought our house, I accidentally inherited a backyard with a crazy amount of flower beds and greenery that I am no where near qualified to care for.  

I decided we should take advantage this year and do a "Garden Party" themed shower from the momma-to-be, Miss Christina! 

Side note...Christina actually does have a green thumb, so this was appropriate. 

Of course, after an unseasonably cool week, it was a ba-gillion degrees the day of the outdoor shower.  I anticipated this and set up the food and gifts inside.  

My dear husband also helped me put up a pop-up tent to help shade the tables.  

I was so happy with how the banner I ordered for Baby Moses turned out - it set the tone for the decor and it was a nice keepsake to give to Christina after the shower too! 

Pinterest tells us it wouldn't be a shower without a cute banner, right?! :) 

{baby moses banner from Etsy - PaperEtcStudio}

To welcome the guests, I found a chalkboard sign at Home Goods.  

A warning to those who have not dabbled in chalkboard art...I had a VERY difficult time keeping this sign from looking like a toddler wrote it out.  

Thankfully, I tackled that task the night before while enjoying a glass of wine or two, which eased the pain a little. 

I didn't get the memo that you can actually buy Chalkboard Pens? Next time... 

I hung the sign on a Shepard's hook (I think that's what they are called?) that we typically use to hang a bird feeder or hanging basket - it worked! :) 

{she's ready to get the party started!}

{tent was a lifesaver!}

We are still slowly piecing together our house, including our outdoor space, and we don't have a patio set that fits 8 people.  

I stressed a little over this and then decided to just go shabby chic and pull out our kitchen table to put along side our 4-person patio set.  

Sometimes, in my opinion, there is perfection in the imperfection! :) 

{table #1}

I got two tablecloths and some colorful napkins from Homegoods to fit the theme and color scheme.  

I added to that: big mason jar vases filled with a random assortment of flowers I arranged from Trader Joes, a stack of garden(ish) themed baby books with a stuffed animal on top (frog & bunny to keep with the garden theme!), plastic silverware in mason jars, and fun crystal glasses for champagne {pink & white!} with raspberries or a lemonade mocktail. 

{table #2}

{details}

{momma to be}

The group gathered inside for a while for refreshments, chatting, and to fill up our plates. 

We then we braved the heat to eat lunch outside and play the games set out at each place setting.  

I totally forgot to take pictures of the food that was set up in our kitchen, but I kept it simple with preggo-friendly wraps (BBQ roasted chicken and veggie), mac & cheese, salads, and asked my guests to bring an appetizer of their choice (quinoa salad, farmers market veggies & dip, tomato/feta salad, spinach dip...).  

I went to the Etsy shop Shower That Baby for chalkboard-themed printables like a Celebrity Baby Name matching game, a customized Price is Right game with items from Christina's registry, and "Wishes for Baby" cards.  

{Mary Beth & Donna at lunch}

{momma to be - playing games}

I also made up a "Who's that Baby" guessing game with pictures of the momma-to-be and all of the shower guests.  

The favors and "prizes" for the game winners were candles.

I don't know about you, but I can't get enough of candles...especially when they are "free" :) 

{who's that baby? game}

{nana & momma to be}

After we were all roasty toasty and the bugs were on my last nerve :) ... we moved inside to announce the game winners, have dessert, and open gifts! 

{dessert & gifts inside}

Dessert was a lemon-poppy seed bunt cake, chocolate covered strawberries, and decorated mini cupcakes...none of which I made, but all of which were delicious :) 

{momma-to-be opening gifts}

{photo op out by our shed}

{wine club girls}

After all the food was enjoyed, the games were done, and many bottles of champagne were popped by the non-preggos, we gathered in our living room for at least a couple of hours to relax and do some serious girl talk.  

I don't think the last guest left until 5pm! 

I know it's sappy, but my heart was so full even going into the next day after spending such a great afternoon with my girlfriends.  

Christina, I love you, and I can't wait to meet baby Mo!!!!! 

xoxo

Jess