Showers of Blessing

Alright, let's count them up. This year, I have attended...at least eight showers and would have attended more, had I RSVP'd "yes" to them all. Some of them I've thrown, some of them I've just attended. I love the anticipation of the event--whether it be an upcoming wedding, the birth of a baby, or seeing a newborn grow into a little person. This weekend, I had the privilege of helping with a baby shower for one of my best friends, Annie. 

I met Annie and her twin sister at that camp that keeps making its way into my posts when someone ran up to me and said, "Come on! Come on! You have to meet these 4'11" twin Egyptian girls! They're the same size as you!" A year later, when I was a freshman in college, I looked Annie up to see if I could ride with her to church. Six months later we were good friends, another six months passed and we were roommates, and four-and-a-half years later we would have still been roommates had I not married and acquired a new roommate. :)

I am really thankful for the many friends that I have and how many of them are sincerely close friends that I can say with all truthfulness really know me. 

It was so much fun to see people I hadn't seen in a long time and to see everyone share in the excitement of one person whom they all had in common. My dear friend looked so cute and received a lot of really fun gifts. Plus, her sister made an amazing centerpiece and another friend planned some really fun and creative games.

I have often offered to plan and make the food for showers or parties. For some reason, that's what I feel most comfortable with. But I never remember to take pictures! Why?! Anyway, I like to do themes when I'm making food for a group--something to connect all the items together. It could be as simple as a seasonal or a cultural theme. This time, I picked a theme of "miniature" or "bite-size". Here's my list:

• Roasted red pepper, sesame, and black bean hummuses with white and wheat French bread cubes
• Baby BLTs (cherry tomatoes with a creamy, bacon-y filling)
• Sliced strawberries with fruit dip
• Mini peanut butter pies
• Mocha punch (why just have punch when you could have mocha punch?)

Unfortunately, my camera died after just a few pictures, so I hardly got any food pictures, and absolutely no people photos! Still, I had so much fun and, as much work as it always is, would do it again in a heartbeat. :D

Roasted red pepper, sesame, and black bean hummuses

Baby BLT's...get it? Baby?