Sissy's Baby Shower

On Friday around noon I departed for Philadelphia.  I thought for sure leaving at noon would ensure a speedy and uneventful trip up 95.  So I was wrong...as usual when it comes to trying to predict 95 traffic.  All started off well until I hit an accident right before the Baltimore tunnel setting me back about 45 minutes.  Then, when I was 45 minutes from my parents' house, traffic halted to a stop and 2 hours and a near nervous breakdown later, I walked in my parents' front door.   A 4 hour drive took me 6.  What else is new?  

Luckily, well not so lucky for him, Dad was caught in some of the same traffic on the way home from a meeting and walked in the house just as frazzled and frustrated as I was.  Mom immediately put him to work making martinis.  Again-what else is new?  So-we drank martinis, ate Korean take out and watched the Phillies beat the Reds.  Great Friday night.

On Saturday morning, the whole family awoke early.  Dad was off to work the ski club swap sale and mom and I were off on an exercise walk along the river and around the hood before spending the afternoon in the kitchen with andrea bocelli and josh groban while we prepared food for Ashley's baby shower the next day.  We made lavender cupcakes, whipped up lavender lemonade, mixed together the turkey sausage, boiled eggs for deviled eggs, and measured the ingredients for buttermilk biscuits and red velvet pancakes.  When we had enough in the kitchen, we showered and got ready for dinner out with Dad.

Philly is a great, old city and Center City, where mom and dad live is lovely.

Jeff isn't crazy about Indian food and I wasn't sure if I am or not, so I requested a dinner out at an Indian restaurant.  We went to Bindi in downtown Philly in a really fun and lively neighborhood.  The food and atmosphere were great.  I loved every bite.  If you know my parents then you know they love martinis and they love casinos so even though my eyes were heavy, we were off to the new Casino in Philly.  We had lots of fun and won quite a bit of money.  It was a great ending to the night.

On Sunday morning, we were all up early again.  Mom and I had to put the finishing touches on the shower decor and finished making all the food while dad ran a few last minute errands for us.  Guests started arriving at 11:30 to a colorful pinwheel and lavender themed party with a menu that consisted of:

Deviled Eggs Four Ways

Grapes, Apples and Goat Cheese on a Platter with Lavender Honey for the Apples

Red Velvet Cupcakes with a Mascarpone Cheese and Syrup

Buttermilk Biscuits with "Aunt" June's Homemade Fig Jelly (these turned out more like scones but whatev)

Turkey Sausage Patties

Lemon Almond Biscotti

Lavender Cupcakes with Lime Glaze 

Ice Cream Bon Bons

Ash got lots of really great presents and is the cutest pregnant girl I have ever seen.  She is teeny tiny with a large bump sitting right in front.  Ash-I can't wait to meet your little baby and I can't wait to be her favorite auntie.  

When the shower was over, we had some family visit time with Jason, Ash, Mom, Dad and me.  Loved it.  Then it was time to see Ash and Jason off back to the dirty jerz.  Dad, mom and I vegged out on the couch for the rest of the night and I attempted to join them in watching the Phillies game but I got so tired I had to go to bed early.  I was awoken when the game was over by the ringing of cowbells and the sizzling sound of sparklers as the neighbors celebrated another Phillies victory.  

After a 10 hour sleep, I woke up, ate breakfast, packed up and joined mom for a pedicure before hitting the road in hopes of an uneventful drive home and finally, it was.  Such a great weekend with my family showering my sis and Jason with presents and love.  Now we wait for their little tator tot to arrive.