Happy New Year, friends!
I hope your weekend was fabulous. Mine was a good mix of busy and relaxing and I'm anxious to kick 2016 off with a bang. The highlight of my weekend was throwing a baby "sprinkle" for my dear friend Marilyn. She is expecting her second baby in early February and I could not be more excited. I had so much fun pulling off a "Baby, It's Cold Outside" theme for the shower and thought you guys might enjoy some snapshots.
So here's how the entire event went down photo dump style!
New Year's Eve & Day 2015/2016
New Year's Eve Day started off pretty awesome when I found out my brother Tommy added a new member to our dog family! Meet Ryder (as in low-Ryder... heh heh) Wunder. He's a dachshund who looks SOOOOO much like Rhett did when he was a puppy. I can't wait to meet him and may have to drive to Charlotte this coming week just to get some puppy snuggles.
I'm so jealous!
The hubs and I went for a walk at sunset to end the year. It was a little brisk, but it felt great to get out of the house.
The final sunset of the year was stunning! I shared this picture and some of my thoughts on New Year's Resolutions this year on Instagram.
Since we've been doing so much traveling lately, we opted for a quiet New Year's at home!
Toasting the New Year at....7 PM..... haha!
I spent New Year's Day getting ready for Marilyn's baby sprinkle. After working around the house, I went to dinner and got some yummy sushi!
Marilyn's Baby Sprinkle
I was so thrilled to be able to throw a baby sprinkle for my good friend Marilyn. I love hosting a good theme party, so I had a lot of fun playing off the "Baby, It's Cold Outside" theme. The good news is it FINALLY was cold Saturday. It would have felt silly throwing this shower last weekend when it was 70+ degrees.
We had sandwiches, fruit, Chopped Kale Salad, Crock Pot Butternut Squash Soup and my homemade Skinny & Southern Pimento Cheese for the savory course. And some killer cupcakes and pretzels for dessert.
I used tree limbs and paper snow flakes to create a wishes for baby tree. All the guests got to write on a snowflake and Marilyn took them home for future holiday decorations.
I also put together a hot chocolate bar with cups matching the theme.
My favorite part of the shower was a headband making station. I found this adorable headband making kit on Amazon that made it so easy. I added a cute sign, tags and glue guns to finish the station.
I'm such a sucker for arts and crafts, so I love doing this!
Marilyn's Mom brought some of the food and the gorgeous flowers. They insisted on leaving them at my house and I feel spoiled with all the roses as I'm writing this.
The favors were some extra chocolate for the road.
The gifts were also a lot of fun and we all enjoyed going all out with pink!
I can't wait to meet Miss Evelyn Janet soon!
The Rest of the Weekend
After the shower I needed some downtime! The Hubs and I downloaded the entire Star Wars collection of movies. I might be the only lame-o in the world who hasn't seen them. We decided to view them in chronological order, not how they were made. So we started with Episode 1 and made it through Episode 3! I was so lost and kept having to ask questions, but I'm enjoying it. At least I feel like I know what the rest of the world is talking about now! 🙂
Have a Marvelous Monday everyone! Here's to 2016 being the best yet!
Thanks for stopping by today! Tomorrow I’ll be sharing a new and easy way to make smoothies. I'm really excited about this one!
I’m linking up with Marvelous Monday.
Your turn!
What did you do for New Year's?
Has anyone else NOT seen Star Wars?
Farrah says
Ahhh, so cute! <3 That sunset is gorgeous, and hooray for sushi dinners! I'm glad you had an awesome new year's weekend! That's a super cute theme!
JulieWunder says
Thank you Farrah! It was fun to do!
Susanna @Zealous Mom says
Oh my goodness! I smiled all the way through this post. That sushi looks delish! What is your favorite sushi place in town? And that baby shower? Those pictures need to be in a magazine. Absolutely adorable. 🙂
JulieWunder says
Our favorite place on the south side closed, but we like Green Tea right now 🙂
Louise @ Travel the Unbeaten Path says
I love your brother's sense of humor haha! Ryder is adorable. And holy moly, what an awesome job you did for your friend's shower - so creative and cute! I'm one of the people who still haven't seen Star Wars, so don't feel badly! hahah Happy new year!
JulieWunder says
Oh yes, my Brother is hilarious :-))) Thank you so much! It was a lot of fun!
Jessie says
You did a beautiful job on your friends shower. I love the idea of making headbands. That's brilliant & so out of the ordinary. Happy New Year! May you be blessed with many wonderful things throughout the year.
JulieWunder says
Thank you Jessie! I'm not a fan of regular baby shower games, so I was trying to do something different! Blessing to you too!
lacey@fairytalesandfitness says
Happy New Year! That is one adorable pup! I have not seen any of the Star Wars and have no desire too. Love all the decorations for the baby shower. What a great idea, a head band Station. Usually it's just the silly baby games.
JulieWunder says
I didn't think I wanted to watch them, but I actually kind of got into it! Sort of silly, but catchy. I'm not a fan of "regular" baby shower games 🙂
Mandi Korn says
What a wonderful friend you are to throw her such beautiful party. I love all the decorations, and I especially love the head band table, so cute. Hope you had a good New Years, and the newest puppy member to your family, is precious
JulieWunder says
Thanks Mandi!! I adore that puppy!!! My Brother needs to watch out... I may "borrow" him 🙂
Jess @hellotofit says
Okay, can I just say how cute it is that it was called a baby sprinkle?! The party looks like it turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!
JulieWunder says
Totally adorable! Thank you so much!
Nicole @ Fitful Focus says
The baby sprinkle is adorable! You did such a nice job. If you ever need a puppy sitter for Ryder, just send him to NYC ;-P
JulieWunder says
Deal!
Heather@hungryforbalance says
Such a cute theme!!! That is one of my favorite holiday songs! I always love to read about your parties! You are such a good hostess!
JulieWunder says
Me too!! Love that song. Thank you! I take a lot of pride in it 🙂
Runaway Bridal Planner says
Very cute theme for a baby shower! I rarely get hired to do them, because not as many people can afford an event planner to plan a baby shower, but I have been hired to do a few of them. They can be so much fun, I don't think I would have been this creative with a Baby its cold outside theme, love it!
Wow, you've had such a fun past week! Loving the cute new puppy, adorable!!!
JulieWunder says
Thanks! I love party planning! :-))) It's so much fun!!
Blane Sherer says
Looks like a great baby shower ( never heard the term baby sprinkle ).
Is that something new ? I have several women friends of mine in their
30's who have never seen the Star Wars movies. They are now seeing
them with their boyfriends or husbands etc. I was very pleased with
the new movie The Force Awakens ; Episode 7.
JulieWunder says
It's for a 2nd baby! Just a little "sprinkle!" not the full shower 🙂 A way to celebrate the second baby without making people feel like they have to do a ton of gifts. Just a little 🙂
Mary Beth Jackson says
I don't think I have ever heard the term baby sprinkle party, am I missing something? Well it was just beautiful, no matter what you call it! I don't think I have seen Star Wars since the original one so don't feel left out! Cheers to a successful 2016!
JulieWunder says
It's a baby shower for a second baby! Just "sprinkle" not a full shower 🙂 Just a way to celebrate having another baby... without making people feel like they have to go crazy with gifts again.
Susie @ SuzLyfe says
So precious. I feel like you should have been playing White Christmas's "Snow" song in the background!
JulieWunder says
Ahhhh!!! I should have done that!!!
Marcia says
Love the "sprinkle"! Such a cute theme too! Ooooh the puppy! So cute! Happy New Year!
JulieWunder says
Thanks Marcia! The puppy is so cute!
Annette Curti says
Randy and I just watched Stars Wars episodes IV thru VI. We never saw them either, you are not alone. We needed to catch up, as you did, to what all buzz is about. Still need to watch episodes I thru III, the prequels. At least now we can see the new movie and know what going on. Love, love the new puppy!
JulieWunder says
I know! I've now seen them all and actually liked it! Kind of fun to know what the hype is all about. The puppy is ridiculous! 🙂
Annmarie says
Cute puppy, gorgeous sunset and pretty baby sprinkle party! Love it!
JulieWunder says
Thank you Annmarie! Hope you had a nice week.
Jan Lindsley says
The "sprinkle" was so beautiful and you thought of so many lovely ideas for it!! Thank you again for being such a thoughtful friend to Marilyn!! She is blessed to have your friendship!
JulieWunder says
Thank you so much Jan!! It was a great time.
Diane says
So pretty ! Love all your decorations and pink food ! Such an adorable theme and done to perfection in "julie" style. Great job !
JulieWunder says
Thanks so much!!!
Joanna says
Wow, what an adorable shower theme! You always think of everything as a hostess! 🙂
JulieWunder says
Thank you Joanna! I really enjoy it!
Dan Steadman says
awesome on the shower...I had a beer and went to bed at 11..I was ready to see 2015 go, the sooner the better...we also kept our tradition alive of going to Ruby Tuesday on New Year's Eve....I haven't seen the new Star Wars but want to sooo bad...you're about to get to the good Star Wars films Episode 4-6, 1-3 was ok....
JulieWunder says
I finally finished the series! It was pretty good! Hope your first week of 2016 is going well!
Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood says
What an adorable shower! Also your brother's pup - I need him in my life!! So much puppy love!
JulieWunder says
I'm so excited for him. He's a doll!
Shelley Marcy says
Julie, your decorations and thoughtfulness were beautiful. The little "thank you SNOWmuch" parting favors reminded me of when my husband, myself, our two newly adopted sons and our dog Lucy left MI to move to NC back in 1993. Ron's youngest sister and her husband bought our MI home. They hosted a going away party for us before we left so lifelong friends and family could come to say good-bye. Little did they know that I had a little gift for them too. I took our snow shovel, which obviously living in MI had been used many a time, cleaned it all up and painted on the shovel part the words "SNOW-long". I tied a big bow on it and gave it to them. They still have it hanging on the barn wall! You brought back a memory I had tucked away. ?
JulieWunder says
Ahhhh!!!!! What an adorable gift!! So heartwarming!