This weekend I was blessed to be able to open our home and co-host a beautiful shower for my sweet cousin that is getting married in July. For this party, we did all things purple, gray, mason jar, chalkboard, and Pinterest. Even down to the invitations!
I used to be all about balloons. Balloons say, "Let's Celebrate!" But, as I've gotten older, they say "Children's Party." I still think you need a way for your guests to identify that they are at the correct house though, and these fun chalkboards definitely do the trick!
I used to be all about balloons. Balloons say, "Let's Celebrate!" But, as I've gotten older, they say "Children's Party." I still think you need a way for your guests to identify that they are at the correct house though, and these fun chalkboards definitely do the trick!
Food is top priority in my book when it comes to parties. People remember bad food, not enough food, and good food. My cousin is all about Hawaii and loves pineapple flavored things, so I focused the food around that idea with some staples mixed in. We had between 35-40 people attend the party, so I wanted something that wouldn't take forever to make. I settled on these yummy sliders that I found on Pinterest and then created my own "Hawaiian" sliders as well (recipe at the bottom). It took about 1.5 hours to make 36 mini burgers including prep, bake, and serve. As sides, I served potato salad, Hawaiian chips, tortellini pasta salad, fresh fruit, and veggies with hummus. Everything turned out great!
I had left over popcorn bar supplies from last weekend, so I threw that together for this party too. Who doesn't like to snack on popcorn!?! Oh, and see the sign to the right? I went snooping on my cousin's Pinterest page and saw that she pinned that saying, so I whipped out my Cameo Silhouette and created that little sign for her to take after the party.
My mother-in-law did an Italian Soda Bar for a baby shower that she threw for me a few years ago, and it was a hit. So, my co-host and I put together an Italian Soda Bar for this party. It was a hit again! The thing I love about this type of bar is that it is great for all ages! And see the shelves that the glasses are stored on? My hubby built those for me using these directions. He is a rockstar!
What's a party without yummy desserts!?! A friend of the bride-to-be created 4 fresh flavors of cupcakes and placed them on these gorgeous stands. They were enjoyed by ALL of the guests!
When we moved into our home, the former owners left this giagantic chalkboard behind. That was 9 years ago. This year, I finally refinished it with chalkboard paint and have been using it to put little personal touches on any party that I host. These are lyrics to the song that will be played for the bride-to-be's first dance with her future hubby.
Cousins! On the left is Sydney, my co-host extraordinaire and sis-in-law to the beautiful bride-to-be. Next is Lindsay, my cousin, the gorgeous guest of honor, then me, and my sweet little cousin, Miss Maddie, who will have flower girl duties come July!
It was truly such a special day. I started to thank everyone for coming and got all choked up. I have known Lindsay since she was 2. The truth is, we are related by marriage, not by genetics. Over the past 20+ years though, I have been there with her as she's grown from toddler, to Pink Power Ranger lover, to double digits (10!), to face paint twins at Emerald Downs, to mature teen (Is it weird to date a Kyle after I just broke up with a Kyle!?! Ummm... Not since he is obviously marriage material!), to the big 2-1, and now to becoming a wife. I am so incredibly proud of the young woman that she has become. She is funny, kind, loyal, and has wisdom beyond her years. I love her so incredibly much and when it comes to family, for me, it rarely has to do with genetics. Life is better together, and who better to live a life worth celebrating with than the people you love!
Hawaiian Turkey Burger Sliders
2 lbs. Ground Turkey
2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp Onion Powder
9 Slices of Swiss Cheese Halved
Teriyaki Sauce
1 Can Crushed Pineapple
18 Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
Mayonnaise
Combine meat with seasoning ingredients and knead together in bowl. Form into small to medium sized balls.
Place balls evenly onto non-stick sprayed broiler pan (I fit 12 per pan), and press down on each patty to flatten. Put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set shape.
Preheat oven to 400'.
Brush each patty with teriyaki sauce, and then bake for 20-25 minutes.
Once burgers are done, scoop about a teaspoon of crushed pineapple onto each patty and place cheese over the top of each. Place pan back into oven to melt the cheese. Once cheese is melted, place patties into lightly mayo'd dinner rolls and serve.
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