The Kertson Family: Showering the Bride

This Saturday we showered our friend Brooke Schlameus (soon to be Ware) with lots of love at her bridal shower. A great time was had by all, as usual. We have such a great group of girlfriends and the fact that we have been in each other's lives for eleven years now is crazy. Is it possible that eleven years has gone by that fast? I can still remember the drive over to Pullman, the place where I met nearly all of these women...

As we've aged we've gotten better about understanding what it means to "shower" someone. I feel as though I should use this public forum to apologize to my friends who got married earlier in our twenties as we didn't quite know what it meant to honor a bride at her bridal shower. Nor did we; have the right recipes and experience to cook/bake dishes that guests would rave about, understand what a bride might actually need for her new home or recognize the importance of sending cute invitations that were worth hanging on the fridge well after the big day. I'm pretty sure we can chalk our hosting faux pauxs up to our youth and our lack of cash flow. Regardless, we have gotten much better.

The shower started at 3 p.m. and while it technically ended at 6 p.m., the "showering" continued into the evening as the husbands/significant others and children arrived. While the menfolk headed into the mancave for beers and golf watching the ladies stayed upstairs, wrapped up the shower and spent time doting on the kiddos. (It's normal to think your friends and family have the most adorable children on earth, right? I think so.) By 9ish most people had headed home but a group of us, nine in fact, stayed on to continue the celebration. A game of male versus female Cranium and hours of Beirut later...Brad and I found ourselves back at home cooking a pizza at 2 a.m. It was a marathon bridal shower to say the least.

To my dear friend Brooke, I am grateful to be a part of your wedding, honored that you have chosen my husband to marry you and cannot wait for many more marathon hangouts with the WARES!

P.S. Thank you to the Schlameus' for opening up your home, once again, to us. You throw the best parties!

Getting ready to open presents.

The bride, Brooke, and her "maids."

Ali, Brooke and Lily

Cowgirl Coolers!

The mugs made a reappearance! It's hard to see in the picture but the mug (filled with Cowgirl Cooler) has been accessorized with a cute charm, an engagement ring!