Seattle: A shower for Whitney and Tagg

The main excuse for our getaway to Seattle was to throw this shower for Whitney and Baby Tagg with my mom. We had so much fun! Thanks to our friends who helped and congrats Whitney on your beautiful baby! We love you both!

the theme: Baby bird/eggs in a nest


We originally talked about making these with those little colored chocolate cadbury eggs that are so conveniently in stores for Easter. However, my mom found these delicious belgian chocolate eggs with the bird charms at a chocolaterie in Telluride. Good find mom! They were perfect.

finished favor

the yummy desserts! cupcakes, cookies, chocolate cake, and "egg" treats- cadbury colored eggs (we picked out the blue, white and yellow ones) and almonds dipped in chocolate and rolled in cocoa. mmmmm. 

eggs in a nest mini cupcakes, baked by a friend, decorated by Mackenzie (my little sis). They are vanilla with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut shavings for the "nest" and little chocolate crunchy candies for the "eggs." 

Karen Chambers made this insanely delicious chocolate cake with chocolate ganache (sp?) frosting and nuts. We added a nest made out of spun sugar and the eggs were extra chocolates from the favors.  I will be sure to share the cake recipe as soon as I get it~ it was seriously decadent. 

the food- salads, cheeses, stuffed mushrooms (amazing by Nan!), and shrimp skewers  

My mom is amazing at Brie. I looooove it! This is an easy one, it's scraped, covered in honey, nuts, sliced pears, baked, and then covered with raspberries. I'm telling you, mom can do no wrong in the kitchen!

beverages- sparkling blueberry juice (Britt introduced this stuff to me in CA and I am in love with it!) and Jones Soda (berry lemonaide). 

So here's the part where I lost my mind. I took like two random pics of guests,  put the camera down, got the shower going, and didn't take another picture until it was all over! No pics of Whitney, Tagg, the party planners, nada. So presents, nothing. Duh! I did however take a pic of this so far beyond amazing quilt Mari (W's mom) made for Tagg. She also made the most gorgeous couch sized one for my mom  week before! I was totally coveting my moms- it was the most amazing colors, fabrics everything. I literally slept with it every night. 

Then, after the shower was over, Mari pulled out THIS!!!!!!!!

The most fabulous beautiful quilt I have ever seen! Her quilts are art. She pics out fabric that is so amazing, but surprizing. Combinations I would never think of, but that are GORGEOUS! On the back, she made a little Tag with a picture of my mom and Max as a little chub, and below it she wrote, "For Max: a traveling quilt to visit his Nana." I was so excited I could have cried. My mom did cry. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Mari!!!!! We love it and we take it everywhere. Max sleeps with it every night too!

Since I am crazy and didn't take any good pics at the shower, here is a little sneak peak at some of the pics from my session with Whitney and Tagg. Have you ever seen more a more beautiful pair?

baby shower

 the invite! This is for you Chrissy. haha!  

so the whole reason for going to CA was to throw Brittany's baby shower for her little boy, due March 22nd! It was crazy to try and get it all done just a few days before the party, and poor Britt had to run all over town with me so I could buy flowers and treats and pick up all the odds and ends. Poor pregnant girl! I swear I thought she was going to go into labor at Target. Thanks to Leslie for having it in her beautiful home and for friends and fam who brought salads and helped set up! Couldn't have made it without you. Seriously.  

the fooood

the favors, cellophane bags of chocolate dipped pretzels tied with twine and the cutest little tags we made on Brittany's cricket (seriously the coolest little invention)...

which WERE given out, thankyouverymuch! Wasn't going to forget that again!

a little banner I made for Britt's baby. "mon petit" is french for my little one (or something along those lines). we chose french because Joseph's whole family is french. it will go in the baby's room after this!

the tables outside

flowers in Brittany's cute  antique bottles

one of the tabes with a pic from Britt's maternity shoot!

the cake Leslie got from this little boutique in Dana point. AMAZING!

me and Britt with Max, who was NOT having a good time at the shower. in fact he pooped up his back just as guests started arriving. just a taste of the fun he was during the trip. poor baby!

I realize this isn't the best picture of us, but you gotta love a baby bump! In this shot you get the full effect. SO cute! Only six weeks to go!

some of the guests. I was so glad to see Chrissy and Naomi, and THRILLED that my best friend since 8th grade Tracy (far left) could come up! We got to go to dinner at Pomodoro in Laguna later that night. Max threw up on me at the table. Other than that it was sooo great to catch up!

Chelsea and Niccole. THanks for all your help girls!

Max. He did this alot during the trip. =( notice he is clutching my sweater for dear life??

Max's big day

the setup

So I thought I was going to do some big elaborate theme or something. So not the case. We decided to throw a party old school. It was pretty traditional. Pizza, salad and treats, presents, cake, play. That was pretty much the  gist of it. The "theme?" It's Max's birthday? He's a baby? Really, I just picked out things that I liked, because who knows. Next year he might INSIST on a Wiggles birthday party or something [shudder].

 Max's BIG cake (he ate a different mini one with the number 1 on it). It was yellow cake with my great grandma's recipe for chocolate frosting. mmm. I was happy that I didn't totally biff the big "M."

I made this banner by covering chip board letters with fun scrap book paper, modge podging like a good 'ole relief society gal  and attaching them to some twine. The picture doesn't really do it justice, but I think this baby will making appearances at subsequent birthday parties. 

The party hats. Made by cutting half circles out of heavy duty paper (two fit perfect on a 12x12 piece of paper), rolling them into cones, attaching curly paper and elastic on the inside. Lots of scotch tape was involved. of course their were GIRL hats and BOY hats.  

a few of the guests

Poor Hadley. She got slimed by Max but was such a good sport. Sorry Haddy.

 

Uncle Jordan feeding Max some pizza. Notice the sauce all over his face. I am pretty sure that it was intentional on Jordan's part. =) Thanks to all our friends who made his day so special by coming. It was a long drive for some of you!! We appreciated it. 

the festivities

we sang. 

she blew, and we cheered and laughed (minus max).

  He did this. . .

[are you hearing the tune "it's my party and I'll cry if I want to"...]

until we gave him this

he started out just picking at the frosting, but before long...

after cake, Max  and his buddies played with some of his new toys. 

here his is riding his cool new car from his mom and dad, and wearing an AMAZING hat my neighbor Natalie made. 

Then we said goodbye and thanks to our guests.

Do you think he was TIRED??!! HAHA! Needless to say, he slept well that night. 

my boo boo of the day. I can't believe I forgot to hand out our party bags! Hadley is the only one I remembered to give one to! Some hosts we turned out to be!! I will be delivering the ones I can to neighbors etc., but I was so bummed! They were brown paper take out boxes filled with bubbles, toy cars, candy necklaces (for his girlfriends), playdough, and those old school little plastic soldiers and cowboys and indians. So cute! Such a waste. Sorry guys!

That night we let him stay up way past his bed time and the three of us all snuggled on the couch. It was such a fun day. We can't believe our baby boy is one! Happy birthday! Thanks to all our friends for their love and friendship (and party help!). You made this day so special.