Paper Straws

Memorial Day weekend has come and gone so that means summertime is officially here (hip, hip hooray!) If I wasn't a million months pregnant, I would love to plan a refreshing beverage party completely around these striped paper straws. (Maybe post-baby?) I have had them in my on-line shopping cart several times but haven't been able to pull the trigger!

(Image from here, more affordable paper straws for purchase here.)

Party Planning

Now that we are into a new year, my party planning wheels have started to turn. Especially since I just discovered the new party planning feature on the Pottery Barn web-site, complete with ideas, tips and recipes. If you are thinking of throwing a few parties yourself this year, check it out here.

(The lovely dinner party pictured above is via Dolci Odille)

Dinner Party

I have been wanting to have a dinner party on our screened porch since we moved in and it finally happened over the weekend. I've decided September is a nice month for this type of get-together because it is still warm enough to dine comfortably outside but without the horrible humidity that looms mid-summer. We had a great evening chatting with friends and getting to know some new friends. I decorated with white lanterns above the table and the centerpiece was a store bought bouquet, scattered among Mason jars and bud vases I picked up awhile back at the thrift store. I think it came together nicely. Hooray for outdoor dinner parties!

Peonies

My favorite thing about our new place? Big, pink, floppy peonies. And lots of them. I'm thinking a peony party may be in order at my house next year.

Happy Easter

I hope you all had a happy Easter! We started our celebration with family on Saturday with an egg hunt and dinner. I used our little dinner as my excuse to make the pom poms I've been drooling over for so long! They are actually very simple to make (I'm going to post a tutorial) but have a special way of making any occasion seem a little more spectacular. Also, I forgot to take a picture of my kids before church and Spencer fell asleep in the car on the way home, so an Easter picture of the kiddos will have to wait until next week. (I should make it clear that although I have numerous pictures of the pom poms and NO Easter pictures of my kids, I really do love them (my kids, that is) more than the pom poms. But I tell ya... the pom poms are running a really close second.)

The Perfect Tailgate

Now this is my idea of the perfect tailgate party although I'm sure Jared would prefer something a little less refined and more manly. :) But, regardless of whether you'll be tailgating this weekend, I hope you all enjoy cheering on your team of choice with the official start of college football season. (Go Bucks!)

{Photo styling by Paul Lowe via Frolic}

Summer Solstice

You know those really fun parties I'm always planning but never actually throwing? This is one of them. I really want to have a summer solstice party to celebrate the longest day of the year. I want it to include a big back yard with lots of white lanterns like this, good friends, live music and really yummy food.

(Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn.)

Happy Cinco De Mayo

Jared and I hosted a Cinco De Mayo fiesta at our house Saturday night. It was a really good time. I have been talking about hosting such a party for about three years now but it actually happened this year. I made a bunch of Mexican-inspired fare and asked each guest to bring their favorite homemade salsa to add to our salsa bar. My sister made fancy mixed drinks and we had a pinata for all the kids. Good times!