Grease

Last night, my girlfriend Marie and I, went to see Grease at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.  It was sooo good!  The time just whizzed by.  I had heard that Taylor Hicks (the American Idol winner) was in the production.  It opens and I don't see him as any of the "Thunderbirds" (Danny, Kinnicki etc.).  Bummer, I thought, he must not be in it tonight. We really enjoyed the music, singing, dancing and the story.  Then Beauty School Dropout starts and the ice cream cone (different from the movie) opens and there is Taylor Hicks!  All that hype, star billing and he is on stage for 3 or 4 minutes!  He did a great job, but I would hate to have all that hype and only be on stage for such a short time!

Tablescape Thursday - Just Beachy

Please join our hostess, Susan, over at Between Naps on the Porch for more awesome tablescapes!

Welcome to tropical paradise!!!  Today I'm doing a tablescape over at my friend Marlene's house.  She has this beautiful mural painted on her dining room wall.  
Her table is always set up with the hurricanes with sand, candles and shells and the grass as the centerpiece.  Today, we added the bamboo table runner (which is 3 placemats from the dollar section of Target).  
The placemats and napkins are a home goods find.  They are so calm.  The dishes are from JCPenny.  Really inexpensive. I bought them online, and they are so pretty.  The blue starfish is from Advantage Bridal.  I got six for about $19.00

We added some glittered up seashells and starfish and some blue votives.

Marlene got these cute starfish glasses from Home Goods.  They match perfectly!
I found two sets of napkins:  Shells and Sanddollars.  I was hoping for starfish, but no luck.

We set this table up in about 10 minutes.  It was so easy.  Everything just fell into place.
Here is another look at those cute starfish glasses.  As you can see, she also found a pitcher.  So cute for by the pool or patio!  I  don't know if I'll get any more tablescapes done for the rest of this month.  The wedding is only 3 weeks away and I have a lot to do.

Making Progress!

As you can see, the daybed from Ballard arrived last week.  For $70 worth of extra shipping and handling, they deliver it just inside your front door.  Luckily for me it was in three very light boxes and I had no problem carrying it upstairs.  After lunch with my friend Cynthia, I began to put it together.  Easy, peasy!  I think there were 20 screws that I just had to attached everything with.  I had it together in 30 minutes!!!
I knew I wanted some monogrammed sheets, so I started looking at Horchow.  I could get a twin set monogrammed for $5.00 more each piece for about $150.  Whew!  Did I want to spend that much?  So, I headed over to TJ Max and found some soft 300 count sheets for $16.99 and took the top sheet and pillow case over to "Monogram Magic" and for $16 they monogrammed the top sheet and pillow case!!! Score!!!  
Home Goods has practically become my one stop shopping source.  I found this bedding there, ultra cheap, I mean inexpensive!!!  It is so soft and soothing, I love it. 
I found this cute little nightstand there, $99.00.  Fits perfect in this small room.  It also comes in green.
Accessories also found at Home Goods.  The lamp I found there a couple of years ago and it goes in Katies room.  I'm going to have to find either another one for Katie or another one for this room.  So, I'm making progress.  I just have to find a place for my big, bulky, ugly treadmill (where I will use it).  For now it is on the opposing wall - UGG!

More Shower!

For some reason, I get all choked up when I look at this picture!

Barbara (Greg's mom) made the veil and the bouquet is, of course, from all the ribbons on the packages.  To be used at the rehearsal.

That night, Alyssa and her bridesmaids went to the melting pot for some bonding time!

Shower Part Two: Our Guests

Almost all the Gore women:  Sharon, Stacy, Delaney, Grandma Katie, Alyssa, Me, Emma, Cindy and Katie.  Jessica, Sharon's daughter is missing.
I should have got more pictures of each table, but I get so caught up in everything, I forget.  Tina, Marlene, Annette and Cynthia enjoying all the food.  We had sandwiches, chips, pasta salad, strawberry spinach salad, banana bread, lemon fluff, cupcakes and blue berry punch.

We played a lot of games all of which Courtney was in charge of.  We played a missing lyrics game (really hard, I could hum the melody, but did do so well with the words. I music person, not so much a words person.) We played another game based on luck and points and then we played Bingo as Alyssa opened her presents.  The squares were based on the presents Alyssa  and Greg received.  Fun!

Here is a picture of the gift table.  Everyone did such a great job wrapping their gifts, very creative.
Here is a picture of the punch and the cupcakes! (I know these pictures are out of order, I had difficulty uploading them and now they won't cut and paste into the position I want them!)

Some of the very pretty presents.

The Gore girls: Delaney, Stacy, Alyssa, Emma, Cindy and Katie.

Friends that are like family:  Annette, Cynthia, Alyssa, Tina, Marlene, Katie and Delaney

The girls Alyssa spends most of her day with: Karen and Mary.

Family shot (okay, what is going on with my hair?  I hate this picture of myself, but love the girls!
Here is a picture of Courtney before the shower started and her pretty game and present table.  She did such a fantastic job!  I can't thank the Ricks enough for all they did!  

How well do you know your husband?

Someone sent me this little questionnaire. Usually I receive questionnaires about myself: 25 random things about you or What are your favorite things.  This one intrigued me because it wasn't about me, it was about the Handsome Husband.  As I read through the list, I knew some things immediately and a couple I actually had to ask HH!

1. He’s sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Poker, sports or political program.

2. You’re out to eat, what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?

Blue Cheese is a favorite, but if they throw something unusual in, he might try it!  He is an adventurous eater.

3. What’s one food he doesn’t like?

He doesn't like heavy pastas.  

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?

Never know what he will order to eat, but if he is getting a drink it will be a 7 & 7 or snowshoe!

5. What size shoe does he wear?

12

6. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
Watches and cufflinks

7. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Hamburger, pastrami, hard to say a favorite!

8. What would this person eat every day if he could?
See's Candies

9. What is his favorite cereal?
Blueberry morning mixed with frosted mini wheats

10. What would he never wear?

Being the fashion diva that he is, I would say:  a gold chain, white pants, and polyester shirts. (We're talking about a man who has his clothes made for him...)

11. What is his favorite sports team?
Tiger Woods
Loves sports but doesn't really have a favorite team.  He likes a good match up and a close game!

12. Who did he vote for?
Conservative Republican

13. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?

Just 1 thing? 

14. What is his heritage?
I dont know, sort of undefined - typical American!  I hear rumors now and again, little italian, swedish...

15. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Chocolate is always high on the list, but every now and again he makes noise about Carrot Cake!

16. Did he play sports in high school?
Baseball (which he was good at) and basketball (which he wasn't).

17. What could he spend hours doing?
Riding his mountain bike (he does spend hours) and riding his Harley!

18. What is one unique talent he has?
He has the ability to reason with teenagers!

It all starts with the details! Part One

On Sunday, the day for the shower was finally here.  We started going at 9:00 for the 12:30 shower.  We finished putting up the decorations just in time for all of us to go change and get ready to Party!  Barb made these yummy candy treats!  We also had the party in the park like setting on the Rick's back garden.  It is so tranquil and it has a wonderful waterfall that I will show you eventually!
The theme we used to decorated and keep our focus was "Feathering the Nest".  After all, isn't that what we were helping Greg and Alyssa do?  This little welcome wreath directed our guests to enter through the side gate.

We used these little love birds and bird houses throughout the party representing our theme.
Each table was covered with a white tablecloth and had these little feather centerpieces on them.  Votives are given as party favors.
Courtney hung a congratulations sign for Alyssa in keeping with Ricks family tradition.  We strung the garland I made on this side of the tent.  (By the way, the tent was way bigger than I imagined it would be).

The tables looked so pretty.

We decorated the tent to give it a more personal feel.  Greg and Floyd were up and down the ladder for about 3 hours that morning.  I must say, they did it all with a smile on their face.

And finally, the bride to be.

I will show all the guest having fun tomorrow!