**Newest Nail Trend**

So I have GOT to share with you this new nail trend...

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Polish Strips!

Rebekah bought some and we decided to try them out

on her toenails.  She bought the houndstooth pattern for

about $10 at Target (but Wal-mart carries them as well).

The package comes with 16 strips of various sizes, a nail file/buffer,

and a cuticle stick (which I don't think we needed to use).

You start off by making sure the nails are clean - no polish.

Pick the strip that fits your nail the best.  We found out that

it's easier if you cut the strip in half before you stick it to your

nail (unless you have long fingernails and need more than

half the strip). Stick the strip on the nail. We used scissors to

cut the excess strip, and then used the nail file to make them fit

perfectly.  Be careful not to stretch the sticker too much so that you

don't warp the pattern.  And that's it!

Here's Rebekah toes finished =) And they last a long time - the

box says 2 weeks, but Rebekah had hers on for 5 weeks before

they needed to be redone.  But if you want to remove them, just

use regular nail polish remover.

I can't wait to get my hands on the leopard print ones - which

pattern will you choose? Have a great day... God bless!!!

Black & White Bridal Shower

In early January 2010, my sister threw me another wedding shower. 
The color scheme was Black & White... it was very classy!!
She decorated using white columns, black fabric, ferns, black "H" banners

(that she MADE), white feather boas, & white lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

The table settings were a mixture of black and white plates and bowls. 
Black and white candles lined the tables on top of a white satin fabric runner. 
The white boxes trimmed in black lace were the favors, which had a
mixture of candy and candy-flavored chapstick. 

Since the beginning of January is so cold in WV, Rebekah decided to have

 this shower at lunchtime with the hopes that the roads would be all clear if it

snowed. And what tastes better on a cold winter day than SOUP? She served

three different kinds of soup - Chili, Broccoli and Cheese Soup, and Potato Soup.

She made sure to include plenty of cheese and crackers with the soups, as

well as a veggie tray.  For dessert, Rebekah made black & white "mini cakes"

toppped with a strawberry, as well as chocolate covered strawberries.

The dessert plates were even decorated with a black and white "H!" Cute!



We knew the crowd that was invited wouldn't be very interested in playing

many games, so the door prizes (cute stationary) were for the first person to
RSVP, the first person there, and the person who had their dessert plate
marked with a red kiss stamp.  So instead of games for entertainment, Rebekah
set up a projector that looped a slideshow of our engagement pictures.
She also had love songs (think Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole) playing.

I realize that the pictures aren't the greatest - we really didn't take very
many pictures at all, and a lot of the ones taken were blurry! Maybe a
camera battery died or something, because we usually took more
than what I could find. But oh well... I promise, they DO get better the
more we throw showers! Anyways, thanks again to my sister, Rebekah
for throwing this adorable shower for me - it was perfect!
Hope you are all having a wonderful week... and God bless!

P.S. One of the presents I got was a "shoe fairy" ornamental piece...
How funny, and appropriate for me!!!

My Christmas Bridal Shower

Maybe it's because the weather has been so cool the last few days,

or maybe it's because all the stores have Christmas decorations out...

but I'm in the Christmas spirit!! So I thought I'd share with you 

~*~My Christmas Bridal Shower~*~

Isaiah and I got engaged on August 15, 2009... isn't he handsome???

Even before we were "technically" engaged, I knew that I wanted my

wedding to be in January of 2010.  So with only a five month

engagement, it's pretty impressive how amazing the showers were

that Rebekah had for me!  The timing was perfect for a Christmas theme

shower, and that's exactly what I got on December 4, 2009.

I wasn't allowed to help with ANYTHING because Rebekah wanted

me to be totally surprised.  And I was! When I walked in, all I saw were

Christmas trees EVERYWHERE! I think she had set up around 12!!

There were 12" clear snowflakes hanging from the ceiling (compliments of

my soon-to-be husband), ornaments, garland, tulle and Christmas wreaths

everywhere you looked.  Classical Christmas music was playing in the

background, and the room was lit up by candle light and white lights.

Rebekah used a mixture of REAL plates - no paper or plastic for me!

Some were plain white, some were black, others had Christmas holly on them.

She used red and white satin fabric as table runners, and lined tea lights all down

the center.  She served salad, lasagna, garlic bread, Christmas punch (which I

will HAVE to blog about closer to Christmas time!!!) and a mixture of desserts.

The Christmas tree pictured below was decorated with white feather boas

and snowflake ornaments.  The ornaments were the favors, so as everyone

left, they got to take one off the tree... just in time to enjoy it on their own

tree! This is me and one of my bridesmaids, Liz, posing in front of it.

Rebekah bought these fun headbands for the kids that were coming

to the shower... but a couple "big kids" enjoyed them too =)

Modeled by two more bridesmaids - Evie and Bethany.

The entertainment at this shower was HILARIOUS...

Rebekah got 12 people to do a version of "12 Days of Christmas,"

only it was "12 Months of Marriage."  Each one referenced something

particular to me and Isaiah (mostly Isaiah though), but it was stuff that

pretty much everyone knew about us.  Stuff about basketball, rock

climbing, softball, 4-wheeling, hunting, etc.  Each singer had a

corresponding prop as they sang their part.  It was so much fun!!!



The other game, (but I have no pictures of it) was a version of

"The Newlywed Game." Rebekah had interviewed Isaiah and

three husbands and asked them a series of FUNNY questions on

video. Then she had me and the three wives come up during

the shower to answer the questions.  It was nice because the men

didn't have to actually be present to play the game... they were on

video =) AND... guess who won?!? Me and Isaiah!!!

One of my favorite gifts from this shower was the garter that

my mom and Gramma made for me - it was camo, ivory lace,

and crystals! My husband LOVES to hunt, so I knew he was

gonna love seeing this!! Thanks mom and Gramma =)

Isaiah was so sweet to help Rebekah with this shower - he did a

lot of the heavy lifting and the dangerous work of climbing up in the

rafters to hang the snowflakes, and even stayed during the

shower and washed dishes!  He's so cute... and he's all mine =)

This shower was absolutely perfect and I loved everything about it!

Thanks sis, mom, dad, Gramma Gunter, Aunt Donna and Isaiah for

all the work you did - I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

I can't wait to share with you the other two showers Rebekah

threw for me too... they were amazing as well!!

Have a great day, and God bless =)