April kicked off with dinner at Wahlburgers and a $5 movie (Silver Linings Playbook) with two of my favorite people. The food, company, and movie were wonderful.
It was then that the extreme swelling of my feet and ankles began. Flip flops were all that fit and any other shoe either couldn't be laced or looked as though I were baking bread. Uuughh.
The first weekend in April marked my college roommate Leslie's bridal shower/bachelorette weekend. I drove to Connecticut to meet up with Katie, another bridesmaid, who was about 4 months pregnant. We road tripped down to Secacus, New Jersey to pick up yet another college roommate and bridesmaid Lora. Final stop: West Chester, Pennsylvania! Saturday was a Parisian-themed shower and a wonderful reunion with all of my senior year college roommates.
That night we enjoyed the bachelorette party at a wine bar.
Back at
her house, we had arranged a lingerie party. We had each picked out
panties for the bride and she was challenged to guess who had picked
them out for her. (It was during this party that Baby Mack hiccuped for the first time!)
The next morning after breakfast and loading up the cars, it was back up north we drove!
That Thursday was a teacher friend's surprise bridal shower at school. It's hard to keep a surprise from someone you see and talk to every day. For the most part it remained a surprise. Her "guestbook" was in the form of thumbprint art courtesy of the Etsy shop InvitingMoments.
The next Saturday night led me to Newport (one of my favorite spots in the world) to celebrate another teacher friend's bachelorette party. I joined them for dinner downtown, and it was well worth the drive.
That Thursday was a teacher friend's surprise bridal shower at school. It's hard to keep a surprise from someone you see and talk to every day. For the most part it remained a surprise. Her "guestbook" was in the form of thumbprint art courtesy of the Etsy shop InvitingMoments.
The next Saturday night led me to Newport (one of my favorite spots in the world) to celebrate another teacher friend's bachelorette party. I joined them for dinner downtown, and it was well worth the drive.
The next day was our Second Annual Favorite Things party. For details on hosting your own check out A Place for Us and A Bushel and a Peck. It's simple. Bring in five of your favorite items (lip gloss, beverage, fragrance, book, candle...). They could be five identical items or five different things. At the party you choose the names of five of the party's guests and you present them with your favorite things. It's amazing the variety and creativity of the guests and the gifts!
As guests arrived they were invited to drop their name in the Swag Bag jar for a chance to win...the Swag Bag!
The following day started out like any other. I was on school vacation and packed up the car with goodies for spectating the Boston Marathon--bump and all. It had become a tradition of mine to cheer on runners with friends and family and enjoy the time-honored tradition unique to Boston. Fortunately, friends and I were miles from the finish line when the bombings went off, but its proximity and the tragic nature of the events left many of us numb. And still does. It leaves me to wonder what next year's marathon will be like, for runners, spectators, the BAA, and our city. We are Boston Strong, but for the families that have suffered, even that seems hardly enough.
These perfect tags I purchased from Tags Ink on Etsy.
a banner from Sweet Rose Studio decorated the mantle
my mother-in-law's favorite things
My favorite things were decorative plates and coordinating oven mitts
from Food Network for my love of entertaining and cooking.
As guests arrived they were invited to drop their name in the Swag Bag jar for a chance to win...the Swag Bag!
contents of the Swag Bag
the favorite things I walked away with
The following day started out like any other. I was on school vacation and packed up the car with goodies for spectating the Boston Marathon--bump and all. It had become a tradition of mine to cheer on runners with friends and family and enjoy the time-honored tradition unique to Boston. Fortunately, friends and I were miles from the finish line when the bombings went off, but its proximity and the tragic nature of the events left many of us numb. And still does. It leaves me to wonder what next year's marathon will be like, for runners, spectators, the BAA, and our city. We are Boston Strong, but for the families that have suffered, even that seems hardly enough.
group shot of the girls and me before our memory of the
Boston Marathon changed forever
On a happier note, the rest of school vacation was spent lunch with a sweet friend and bride-to-be and double-dating with another favorite bride-to-be and her fiance. Wednesday night, several teacher friends and girlfriends got together for a girls' night out at The Paint Bar.
Memorial Park teacher friends and I
Can you tell I'm hard at work?
The baby bump doubled as a very convenient shelf for my canvas.
group shot of our finished products
Voila!
The Washington Monument and surrounding cherry blossoms close up.
The last week of April was shower-filled. Saturday was Sarah's surprise bridal shower. (She had no idea! How did I know for sure? She asked to stop at a yard sale en route to the shower! :) ) Leah did a most fabulous job organizing and hosting the shower. It was a country rustic theme through and through.
centerpieces
the bridal party
Later that week was my surprise shower at work. The love, support, and excitement felt from my school family has been overwhelming.
A very talented second grade teacher made her famous delectable cupcakes.
The last weekend in April marked a good friend's baby shower. The purple/ butterfly-themed brunch shower was in Cranston, Rhode Island, and I was pleased to have been able to attend, swollen feet and all.
A very talented second grade teacher made her famous delectable cupcakes.
The last weekend in April marked a good friend's baby shower. The purple/ butterfly-themed brunch shower was in Cranston, Rhode Island, and I was pleased to have been able to attend, swollen feet and all.
baby shower favors with lip balm inside
The following day my talented sister, Leah, was sweet enough to do a maternity shoot for my husband and me.
What a bump!
And that concludes April! Phew!
Third grade updates will come next!
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