As I mentioned yesterday, I used the invites to set the theme for Marissa’s Literary Bridal Shower.

I found them HERE on Etsy. The creator of the invites, Kendra, was an absolute joy to work with.

When I told Kendra that I wanted book-page lined envelopes, she said, ‘No problem.”

After she sent me the proof of the layout, I asked if she could you a date-stamp instead of the typewriter for the two dates on the invite. She did not hesitate.

Once they arrived and I began addressing and stuffing them, I discovered that she accidentally sent five less than I ordered. I let her know and she cranked them out and I had them in my hands a couple of days later.

Did I mention that each invite was handmade, one at a time, on a 1970s typewriter? So cool! I love Etsy!

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After a long hiatus, as promised, the next week will be filled with photos, crafts, recipes, and details from my daughter’s beautiful bridal shower. But before I begin, I want to let you know that I’ve missed creating and sharing recipes. I’ve really missed blogging. I’ve missed posting. I’ve missed you! It feels good to be back, even if only for a week.

Today will be mostly a pictorial, giving an overview of the party. Tomorrow, the details will begin.

As any good invitation should do, this one set the theme.

Marissa is a voracious reader. She loves books. Her degree in Journalism with a Creative Writing minor, so a literary theme fit her to a tee.

Immediately upon entering, guests were greeted by a table filled with library bookplates with their names on them. The bridal party’s bookplates had a little bling tied to theirs.

A chalkboard sign instructed them what to do with their bookplate. Marissa’s maid-of-honor, Kaley, used her perfect penmanship and artistic flair to create all the chalkboard signs for the shower. Thank you, Kaley!

When guests walked into Barbara Fenzl’s beautiful backyard, this is the table where they had their choice of seats.

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Recently I read something that has given me the renewed strength to say “yes” to something that I’ve said “no” to for far too long.

Before I share the article I read and before I tell you my “Yes Thing,” let me tell you a little back story about my first encounter with the Power of Yes.

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For Sunday appetizers, Dave wanted to serve shrimp cocktails. He had the shrimp and assumed that I’d have cocktail sauce among the dozens upon dozens of bottles and jars of condiments, olives, pickles, sauces, and relishes I have in that fridge!

He was wrong. I told him he could easily make his own cocktail sauce, just go online and find a recipe.

He did, and then he zipped it up and called it his own!

The secret ingredient? Heinz chili sauce. Instead of all ketchup, like you’ll find in most cocktail sauce recipes, it was an equal combination of each.

Attaboy! I’ve trained my family well.

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My sweet sister, Sloane, along with my dear friends, Barb and Kim, are throwing Marissa a bridal shower in May.

They are the dream team of hostesses. Barb and Kim, the talented cooking instructors, are handling the food. And Sloane is an event and wedding coordinator. Dream Team, indeed!

Sloane asked for my help with the theme and decor. Since Marissa has a degree in Journalism and is a voracious reader, I decided on a literary theme.

Sloane and I are meeting each weekend between now and then, working on decor for the shower. I wish I could start sharing it with you now, but of course, we want it to be a surprise for Marissa and her guests.  Let’s just say, there is a lot of crafting involved!

Since they have been mailed and received, the one thing I can share now is the invite. I knew exactly what sort of invite I wanted to set the tone and theme, so I insisted on ordering and paying for the invites. It’s the least I can do for my gracious and generous sister and friends!

I ordered them from HERE on Etsy. Kendra was a dream to work with, I’d order from her again in a heartbeat.

Let me show you all the sweet details of these unique and one-of-a-kind invites.

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Yesterday was my mother’s 80th birthday. My sister, Sloane, and her kids threw Mom a birthday party at her neighborhood clubhouse.

Sloane sent out the invite which included one of Mom’s old modeling photos.

I’ve mentioned before that my mom has Alzheimer’s, so the party was for family and a couple of her closest friends.

Mom started out sitting up and was pretty alert… but as the family arrived and the minutes passed …

… she faded fast and was slipping down in the chair. That is… until “Elvis” arrived!

Then she was wide-eyed and as happy as a clam while Elvis serenaded her and entertained the guests.

Now, I’m going to be 100% honest.

When Sloane said she hired an Elvis impersonator, I thought, “Really? How tacky.”

I could not have been more wrong! He was very talented (no lip-syncing for this guy!) and everyone loved it, especially the Birthday Girl.

Thank you, Sloane. Baby sister knows best!

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Day 2 of the “San Francisco to Austin Adventure” found us waking up in a hotel in Fresno at 6:00 AM, eating breakfast in the lobby together by 6:30 and on the road by 7:00.

Our destination for the day? Home in our own beds in Scottsdale, AZ!

The drive through California’s Central Valley, also known as “America’s Fruit Basket” was especially beautiful this time of year, with all the rows and rows of fruit trees in bloom.

Along the way, we passed the Smokey Bear Road exit and soon after that, we drove along with Pyramid Lake Recreation Area, which seemed to go on forever. It was a beautiful drive south through California. Soon after we turned east, not so much. Ugly desert for most of the rest of the day.

The best part was when we finally saw this welcoming sign! Dave and Marissa were in the car and arrived home about 90 minutes before Jeff and me, since we were driving the truck, and towing the VW Bug. It was such a treat to sleep in our own beds, especially with the knowledge that we still had two long days of driving to go!

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Dave and I arrived in San Francisco on Wednesday night. Marissa picked us up from the airport and we went directly to her apartment to help with some cleaning (me) and spackling (Dave).  After that, we spent our last night (at least for a while) at our favorite Pacific Heights hotel, The Hotel Drisco.

Bright and early on Thursday morning we hit the ground running.

Dave and Jeff went off to pick up the Pensky moving truck, while Marissa and I took apart the bed and kept on cleaning.

Once the boys returned, the real work began. Marissa and Dave went up and down two flights of stairs dozens of times with boxes and furniture, while Jeff packed it all into the truck and I … continued to clean the apartment.

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My posts for the next week to 10 days will be sporadic.

For good reason! Twenty-five+hours and 1757 miles of driving will be the reason.

Dave and I fly to San Francisco today to help Marissa and Jeff pack their lives into a U-Haul truck.  Then on Thursday, we’ll drive with them to their new life and jobs in Austin, Texas. We’ll be driving the southern route, shown on the map above.

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Marissa’s childhood friend, Lindsey, is getting married in March.

Marissa and Lindsey’s other bridesmaids and maid of honor threw Lindsey’s bridal shower here at our house on Saturday.

The girls (Abigail, Kaley, Alyse, and Marissa) did a fabulous job! The shower was a huge hit!

Lindsey and all her guests were rightly impressed.

We set up the “savory” station consisting of cheeses …

… Italian meats…

… breads, crackers, and salads.

Then there were the wonderful Essence Bakery desserts! Oh my!

We set up the bar down in the pool kitchen.

We used my vintage milk bottles – along with the necessary signs to keep guests from being scared off by the beat-up bottles.

Yesterday, I made dinner for the first time in more than a week, to the delight of my family. It had been an unusual, difficult, and busy week. The recipe follows.

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