SHOWER!

My mom has four little brothers. The four brothers have four wonderful wives (my aunts). Those four great women offered to throw me a little shower in the Dallas area, and I was thrilled. The shower was actually on April 10th, but I just now got some pictures from my mom. Sorry for the delay!!

My four aunts, a cousin, my sisters, me.

They hosted a luncheon at Mama Emilia's, an Italian restaurant in downtown McKinney, Texas. The food was soooo good, and we got our own cute little upstairs room. About 25 of my closest family members were there. It was perfect.

Left to Right: Jeff's Grandma, Jeff's Mom, Me, my Mom, my Grandmas

Three generations of rings!!

Two of my bridesmaids made the four-hour drive with me (thank you girls!!!!). My sisters (also BMs) met us there.

BM Kristen, BM Pilar, Me, MOHsister Kristen, BMsister Karoline

The bridesmaids, the moms, and I all wore our bridal party pins from Hobby Lobby. They were a big hit! It was really helpful for everyone to know who everyone was, and people kept asking me where I got the pins. Plus, I felt special wearing my white dress Bride one! :o)

After everyone arrived and said hello, we went around the table and everyone said who they were, how they knew me, etc. Then we ate some yummy Italian food. It was really good. Then....it was time for opening the gifts!

I was a bit worried about the present-opening part. You know, being the center of attention and all. It's not my thing. But, it turns out it's not hard AT ALL to be excited when you're opening amazingly generous gifts, and I did just fine!

Aggie tumblers! We had four Texas A&M ones and four USC ones on the registry. It was kind of like a little contest between Jeff and me to see whose school's cups were purchased first. The Aggies won, of course!

This is the face I make when someone gives me TWELVE WHOLE PLACE SETTINGS OF CHINA! Yes, my grandma bought us all of our place settings. Oh. em. gee.

Fondue set. Yesss. I knew I could count on my 9-year-old sister to get me something as awesome as this!

I wanted this really bad. BM Kristen must have noticed. Hehe.

KITCHENAID MIXER!!! Thank you Mommy!

I was really, really excited about that mixer. Haha.

My Aunt Tracie made the cutest ribbon bouquet out of all the bows. I'll be saving ribbons from the other showers and giving them to her to finish off the bouquet!

After all the opening and squealing and hand-clapping and such, it was time for CAKE! This cake:

Beautiful, right?

The cake had a strawberry-champagne filling. I thought I might die of happiness. These ladies obviously know me well!

It was a wonderful day. I felt so loved and supported, and I was so overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who came that I finished my thank-you notes within 48 hours. Sometimes being a bride makes me absolutely, incandescently happy, and that shower was one of those times.

Anybody else dying to own a KitchenAid mixer? What's your dream gift?