Thunder and Lightning

Our daughter Jennifer and her friend Heather have been friends since kindergarten. Much of their time together was spent in the pool, starting off on the Tiger Sharks, and finishing their swimming career in high school. They also showed cattle together, played Barbies together, were junior high cheerleaders together, and explored Harsh Road together. Not sure I want to know about that one. Heather was Jennifer's maid of honor in April, and Jennifer will be the maid matron of honor at Heather's wedding in just a couple of weeks. It has been fun to have the girls both planning weddings at the same time!

As matron of honor, Jennifer was responsible for planning the bachelorette party. Now I don't think many girls of my era even had a bachelorette party, but it seems that the young women of today see it as an opportunity for an event.

Jennifer wanted to start off the weekend with a dinner and wine tasting at our home. It's always good to enlist your mom to help. :) I looked for ideas for fun wine-themed favors, and found the idea for wine glasses painted with chalk board paint on Pinterest. There were several versions and methods, but the one I used was most similar to this one.

I found great wine glasses at the dollar store, wrapped the bowls in plastic wrap, and taped the stem to the point where I wanted the paint to stop.

I used chalkboard spray paint that I had left from an earlier project. I gave them two coats of paint in an upright position, then turned them over and sprayed the bottoms just to even it out. I let it dry thoroughly (overnight) between coats. Of course, I didn't paint them on my kitchen table! They were dry by the time I took this picture, and ready to have the plastic and tape removed.

I tied a bow on them, and they were ready for the party.

Jennifer wrote her name on hers before the guests arrived. They were quite fun and festive, and a big hit with the girls.

On the day of the party, Jennifer wanted to decorate cookies, and asked Darci to help. Darci is the cookie expert of the family, and brought icing and equipment to make the job go smoothly.

With a little guidance, Jennifer was off and running with the cookie decorating.

A sparkly diamond ring.

A crown for the bride.

And the finished tray of beautiful and delicious cookies. Great job girls!

                                    

I contributed a tiramisu cake. I found the recipe here.

Jennifer also made place card holders using wine corks and wire. I'm guessing Pinterest. :)

A pretty table all ready for the party.

We also used corks in the hurricanes with the candles.

 All ready for the bride.

Dinner is served.

The beautiful bride to be.

The bride with her cousins, aunts, and mom.

After dinner, it was time for the wine tasting. Jennifer had attended a similar party at the home of a friend, and scheduled a consultant to come to the house to teach us about wine. He also provided samples. :)

 The party continued the following day, with a photo scavenger hunt, a downtown hotel, dinner, and a night on the town.

It is just hard to imagine these two little girls all grown up and married. This photo was taken on New Year's Eve. Jennifer had experienced a little mishap with our young horse just a day or two earlier. Good to see she was smiling! They were 13 in this picture, enjoying their sparkling grape juice.

At Heather's bridal shower earlier this summer.

Together in the pool. Their coach always called them 'thunder and lightning.' Competitors, teammates, and friends.

They also spent 10 years in 4-H together. You know, raising livestock, playing cards, and checkin' out boys.

They're all done with that now, and on to the next phase of their lives. I pray that God will bless each of their marriages, and I am thankful for the memories of those sweet and spunky little girls and the days of 'thunder and lightning.'