Rewind: Baby Shower

Books & Blessings baby shower for Rayne & James in June. 

Considering my lack of cooking skills, I planned the menu early and secured promises from those with cooking skills to deliver. Thank goodness for gifted friends!

Intimate dinner gathering. Nibbling began with Bradford's cocktail pimento cheese.  The main course was chicken, artichoke & spinach lasagna served with a wonderful blueberry avocado salad and some crusty bread. Beth's gourmet cookies for dessert. Also, primarily to please James who prefers fruit deserts, I made a sour cream apple pie.  Needless to say, from beginning to end - delish!

I finished cleaning the house about thirty minutes before start time. I was enjoying a lovely glass of wine with Pie, who seemed to be "glowing", when we made a horrific discovery for any Alabama hostess in June...the air conditioner was not working.  Literally, during the shower, there were clusters of people throughout my entire house holding conversations while standing over vents to catch the wee bit of cool air managing to eek out. I am not certain how many guests believed that the air was not working properly. Why? Because they know Paul. Figured he was just refusing to lower the digits on the thermostat. Seriously, when my family gathered at my house last June for several days immediately following my grandmother's death, my father told Paul straight out "I am going to set this thermostat on 65 and will pay your power bill this month if you do not touch it for the next three days." I still giggle. The children and I have acclimated pretty well (hence the reason I was able to clean my house prior to the shower without realizing the air conditioner was defunct). 

Usually, I am all about taking some photos but this particular night only took a few. Upon review, realized most of them were not of the guests or even the guests of honor - yikes!  So much for winning the sister of the year award.

As you can tell, the baby theme paraphernalia was kept to a minimum. A few blue balloons on the mailbox, blue O for Osborn on the door wreath, highchair with baby, wire carriages filled with a few flowers in the foyers along with blue hydrangeas in the front entry, blue poofs in the den with Bradford's Stieff collection in the fire place. Of course, it can not be an official baby shower until you and/or your friends pull out the sterling baby cups, toothbrushes, rattles etc. 

Dinner is Served

Maggie 

Meredith, Angie and Julie

Only pic of the guests of honor ...
Maggie and the Bobos

The Russells & The Stewarts

Baxter and Bradford who so graciously "volunteered" to be chief kitchen operators for the night. I would greatly appreciate it any night but on this one in particular since they sacrificed standing over vents for standing in front of a hot stove. God bless them!