Grown-Up Tea Party

A few of my local friends just celebrated birthdays and it gave me the idea to throw a little girls get-together to celebrate. Nothing major, just a little tea party with friends to catch up and have a break from the kiddos. Very casual. The husband took the kiddo to the children's museum and we were in business.

I hosted, but one of my friends contributed many of her fancier pieces for the décor and display of food. While I have a lot of practical and modern kitchen touches, I don't have the tea party-esque type of crystal and fanciness. With some of my items and some of hers, I think it came together nicely.

Don't be fooled. All those leftover Danish cookies were in my belly within a week. Hello pregnancy weight gain.

Drinks: lemonade, French sparkling lemonade, tea from all over the world, k-cup coffee assortments, water with lemon and cucumber. Food: cream cheese/dill/cucumber & PBJ finger sandwiches & cookies: chocolate chip dunkers, Danish cookies, Pfeffernusse (TJ's has the best EVER), Candy Cane Jo-Jos

Some of the lovely tea party pieces and 7 of us 8 (me being photographer).

Really easy to put together and so nice to have time to relax and drink coffee with friends, add in some of that delicious Girl Scout cookie creamer & eat cookies until Claire gained a solid pound in one day. Oh, and me too.

Thirty. It's Just a Number. Right? RIGHT?

How about a post that should've happened two months ago but is just coming around now?

Hey, better late than never.

I turned the big ol' dirty thirty on October 10th while in Canada. The husband asked what I wanted to do for my 30th, and I told him I wanted a road trip. And that's what I got! I celebrated that evening with one of my blogger BFFs in Toronto as we dined at a Thai joint while trying to wrangle our littles. Correction, I was wrangling my little as she and her daughter sat there daintily eating their meal and being overall showoffs. My kid was the one screaming and wanting nothing to do with being in my arms. Or a highchair. Or in that restaurant.

But anyway. Details.

When I returned home, some friends threw me a surprise shindig. They know just the gal I am and knew I wouldn't want a big! huge! surprise! party! but one that included wine and chocolate with a fewer number of people.

Obviously. Champagne and chocolate for president. Like really.

I was picked up and taken to an undisclosed location (my friend Liz's house) by a few girlfriends and we proceeded to indulge the night away with a very creative Suburban Cupcake Tour.

You see, a couple years ago, I saw a Group.on for this cupcake tour downtown and was determined to make that happen. But, I wanted to do it on the cheap and get some girlfriends to head downtown with me and walk some of those fabulous bakeries and share cupcakes while walking off the calories and enjoying the gorgeous scenery that is downtown Chicago.

But, weather sucks and it never happened.

Instead, they made my dream a reality in the form of a suburban tour, with cupcakes from bakeries in our area! Right down to the voting papers, we got down to business eating cupcakes and sharing our favorites all while sipping on delicious vino and getting short massages in the other room by a local masseuse who came just for us. Royalty. It was my kind of birthday.

le menu

Rating the delicious cakes

Made by Jenny... these were yummy!

Local bakery with fun Halloween sprinkles

I think that one in front was the winner. White/Black cupcake. So divine.

It's possible that I visit this bakery a lot. It's possible.

Made by Kim... also amazing. She knows how to bake vegan-- just add more chocolate chips!

Super decadent

Oh happy day.

Some of the people... some of the cupcakes

Kim & Jenny had to leave before photos... but here is some of the crew.

I make it my personal duty to ruin at least one photo in a bunch... that's what happens when I'm forced to take too many!

Danielle will appreciate these last two photos.
I have no idea what they're doing.

You're welcome, Danielle. ;)
I was just minding my own business while showing off my socks (see left bottom). Still don't know what they were doing.

One of my friends above also turned 30 recently, and we took her to a new, fancy bowling, bocce, and cocktails joint in a nearby suburb. Same friends, different party.

Firepit after bowling

Creepster eyes while eating dessert

Happy Birthday to us!

Lots of Yellow + Squirrel Carnage

I'll start with the carnage. Ever since a few days before Halloween, we've noticed some special holes in our pumpkins. We suspected birds. Oh no. Squirrels. Instead of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like they used to eat in Southern California (they weren't normal), they eat pumpkins. I guess it makes sense. They are edible and the squirrels are hungry. They're also not stupid. They know winter is coming and that is a time where they will starve if they aren't on their game. The carnage looks much worse now, but I didn't snap any more photos.

We celebrated our friend Kristi's 30th birthday with dinner and fun at their house. They made lasagna and salad. It was awesome.

We all dressed in yellow to pay tribute to Kristi who loves yellow. Some of us did not have yellow (I seriously can't believe Ray does not own a single piece of yellow clothing. Nothing. Not even a t-shirt.

Here is the some of the crew in yellow...

Ladies in yellow...

Reflective yellow shot. It doesn't appear that I'm doing a whole lot of reflecting. Haha.

Good friends, good fun.