The House Entertaining

My house likes entertaining.  As in, it likes keeping its rooms full of people and festivities. 

So, it was very agreeable to invite in Samantha's excited family for her bridal shower. What fun!

Samantha and her Josh will be married this May 17th - very special because that's my anniversary :>)

They met at Dordt College in Iowa (they will graduate May 10th), were engaged in California (Josh's home state), and will be married in Illinois with the reception in Indiana (her residence).   They still are waiting on where to begin their married life, depending where their jobs and the Lord leads them.Oh, to be young and adventurous again!

Her friendly family is obviously quite happy for Samantha; they showered her with happiness, congratulations, and gifts to set up her new home. I had a bit of time to sneak around with the camera to capture some of the fun they had planned.

Wedding Colors

Purple and Gray

Menu

Ham Corn Chowder Soup

Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Olive Garden Style Salad

Teibel's Warm Rolls

Purple Punch

Hot Cocoa Bar

Coffee

Candy Bar

Finger Desserts

Personal touches....

Set out fixings for hot cocoa...

(The hot cocoa was kept warm and ready to pour from a coffee carafe server.)

I didn't get a photo of the punch/coffee/hot cocoa table all put together.

I can tell you it looked terrific, though!

I do have a quick snap shot of the coffee pot and some ribbons hanging near the punch table, that was just to be for my reference.

I'll let you see that, because this rather ordinary photo makes me smile for several reasons...

Smile 1

My coffee pot was happily conscripted into use for the shower.  It belonged to my Aunt Judie, who went to be with the Lord years back; she had died young from breast cancer.  She, like my house, loved to entertain.

Smile 2

The pot is raised up to get taller coffee cups underneath.  Isn't it the perfect "book" for the bridal shower?  It was a gift from my son Steve this Christmas. Actually, it is an opening wooden box - but concealed as a faux book - with 1 Corinthians 13 written on the lid.  Perfect!

Smile 3

The ribbons conceal a last minute attempt to remove a couple adhesive smudges on the wall... that got worse as I tried to clean it off.  Thank you, Lindsey and Kristen for your  brainstorming solutions!

Smile 4

The candle holder to the side is from Leah's wedding.

Smile 5

The little purple flowers and ribbons are from Jessica's wedding.

Smile 6

Who knew an obscure snapshot can produce so many smiles for one person?

Assemble bite-sized sweets for scrumptious desserts.

Top-Notch valet service ~

...to get the guests' cars up and down the hill.

OK, I know you're not supposed to use similar photos in a blog post,

but I am anyway.  The next close up is so nice, though it doesn't show much of the hill problem.

Time to light the candles...

Welcome in the guests...

Gifts are placed around the tree....

Pray to bless Samantha and Josh... and the food,

and let the celebration begin!

Toss in some Bridal Shower fun with the Left-Right game...

And then shower their gifts on Samantha...

(a happy bride-to-be, by the way ~ she must be excited for her marriage to Josh :>)

A Honeymoon Care Package from her sisters... so cute and thoughtful!

It includes beach towels, sunscreen, beach snack food, crossword and word search books for waiting at airports, Tylenol for any headaches, and these awesome shirts!

A little extra fellowship and final feasting to end the celebration...

It was a pleasure to watch the smiles and hear the laughter of Samantha's family sharing in her joy.

Samantha, God has blessed and surrounded you with caring, loving, and fun-filled people.  

This blessing will continue as they watch, pray, and walk alongside you and Josh throughout your married life.  

That is a rare and beautiful treasure to have.