Baseball Birthday Party (for a 30 year old!)

My brother-in-law, Gabriel, turned 30 on Christmas Day.

He rarely ever gets a big party because everyone is always

so busy around the holidays. But since this was a milestone

birthday, my sister really wanted to do it up big for him!

 

Gabriel and Rebekah live in Louisville, but their

families and a ton of friends are back here in WV.

Since they would be in for Christmas, Rebekah planned

a party for the weekend after Christmas.  She got the word out

months in advance so people could plan to be there.

 

Gabriel said all he wanted was to play wiffleball and eat

hot dogs.  He is a baseball fanatic, so of course, Rebekah

tooks Gabriel's idea and turned it into a whole baseball themed party.

She made the invites using the Boston Red Sox
font (that's Gabriel's favorite baseball team).

The outside of the envelopes

 So Gabriel could remember who all came to the party,
Rebekah asked everyone to sign a baseball... a sports
version of a guestbook!

 

 Gabriel really wanted everyone to fill out a card to describe

what baseball is to them... I thought Anna Kate's answer was cute =)

 

 

Behind the food table, Rebekah set up a lot of Gabriel's own

baseball stuff from over the years.

 

 

Here's Gabriel's dad's glove, and a picture of Gabriel

with his dad... who passed away a number of years ago.

These are very precious memories for Gabriel!

 

Rebekah served all the yummy food that she thinks of when

it comes to baseball.... peanuts, crackerjacks, hotdogs, & chips!

I love the Peanuts and Cracker Jacks sign =)

 

I thought this was so cute - Rebekah highlighted some

of the "famous" hotdogs from different baseball teams!

 

Love the red velvet cupcakes with the #30 baseball

toppers... Thanks for making them Jennifer Duncan =)

And our dad makes THE BEST rice krispie treats.... love them!

 

And what's baseball without some Big League Chew? Rebekah

bought most of these at once, and when the cashier looked

at her like she was crazy, she felt like she had to explain that

they were for a baseball birthday party.... for her 30 year old husband!

 

Coca-Cola (Gabriel's favorite drink) and gatorade

 

Water.... labeled as High Quality H20 and Quench Your Thirst

 

 

So good!!

 

The centerpieces were simple but so cute! Peanuts

in the bottom of the bowl, with moss, then a bunch of

baseballs, topped with an American flag.  A miniature

bat (from the Louisville Slugger Museum) were on

each table, as well as some sunflower seeds to munch on.

 

 

Each table was labeled with its own section.

 

Rebekah made a red, white, and blue pennant to hang on the

balcony in our church's gym.  She also painted lots of signs,

some that are in Boston's stadium, but some that just reminds

her and Gabriel of baseball. 

 

Just some more of Gabriel's baseball stuff.

Loved the inflatable bat and baseballs, for the little

kids to play with. And flags were the perfect touch

to add to the trashcans - you gotta have them, so you

might as well make them blend in a little!

Popcorn was set up next to the movie area - we played

The Sandlot, just to have something else for people to

do if they didn't want to play wiffleball.

 

 

Rebekah even made a Boston pillow, for the red couch, out of an old t-shirt!

 

These numbers are the ones that are retired.

 

Another sign to resemble one in Boston's Fenway Park

 

 The scoreboard, made to resemble the one at Fenway Park.

 So the first game was wiffleball for kids... with lots

of help from the adults! It was pretty cute =)

 

Then it was the adults turn... there were about 4 different

teams (I think) so it was like a tournament. And let me tell you,

Gabriel and his buddies are SERIOUS about wiffleball!

Before the end of the night, Rebekah got a group shot...

Unfortunately a few people had already left, but this was

almost everyone! Gabriel is a much loved person!!

And I LOVE Gabriel's birthday present... a bicycle!

It's funny that everything about his 30th birthday resembles

a little kid's birthday... a baseball theme party and a bike!

But he really does love bike riding!





Great party sis!!!

 

All-In-One Recipe... Chicken, Green Beans, Potatoes

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and finally

got to use it... An entire meal thrown together

so quickly, and it was all pretty tasty!

 

Ingredients:

6-7 pieces of thawed chicken

2 cans of green beans

1 small bag of red potatoes

1 packet of dry Italian dressing

1 stick of melted butter

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Quarter the potatoes, drain the green beans.

Arrange food in 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle Italian dressing over everything,

then drizzle the melted butter over everything.

Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for an hour. Then eat!

 

These amounts would serve 4 people generously...

probably 6 people if there were extra side dishes.

 

Honestly, the green beans were the best ones I've

ever made (and would be close to the best I've EVER

tasted too!). The potatoes were my least favorite out of

the three, but it was all still good.  You just can't beat how

simple this is to make, and it's pretty easy clean-up too!



My Old Kentucky Home, Gala 2013

This past weekend, my husband and I got to

attend a gala for the Paramount Arts Center in

Ashland, KY.  This is the third year we've gone, and I

absolutely LOVE going!

 

The theme this year was "My Old Kentucky Home."

The entrance boasted two life-size horse statues, as well

as multiple carriages that served as seating for people

who needed to step outside (mainly to smoke).

Photo courtesy of Angy Hall Photography
 

 

When walking in, the focal point was a giant

picture of an old Kentucky home, complete with

the white fence that is so common in Kentucky.

The display areas on the sides of the picture were so

beautiful too! It was gorgeous.

Photo courtesy of Angy Hall Photography

 

 

During cocktail hour, there was a small band that played

old country music - a banjo, upright bass, and a couple guitars.
It made for a fun atmosphere!

Photo courtesy of Angy Hall Photography

 

The signature drink was some kind of Peach Arnold Palmer,

served in a mason jar with a straw.... I love mason jars!

 

There were four different kinds of centerpieces on

the tables, each one was just gorgeous! And the

table linens looked like burlap, but were a much

nicer quality. I just loved everything about it!

Photo courtesy of Angy Hall Photography

 

 

 

 

The food was all delicious, but my favorite presentation of food

was definitely the salad - it came with a cracker in the shape of

a horseshoe! So impressive!

 

Isaiah and I had a great time.... of course I love any excuse to get dressed

up! I bought the dress and rented Isaiah's tux, but didn't actually have to buy

anything else.  I did my own makeup and fingernails, a girlfriend did my hair

and toenails (thanks Tiffani!), and I already had the jewelry, shoes, and clutch. 

 

Got the earrings about a year ago from a street vendor in New York!

 

It's hard to tell, but the shoes are an animal print too!!

 

My friend did a great job on my hair... this is

AFTER the gala, and it still looks good!!

 

Love it that Leslie gets to keep coming to this

event too... Isn't this dress just stunning on her?!?

 

And of course, my date was the most handsome one

there!! He looks so good all dressed up, and it's not often

that I get to see him like this!!! 

 

In addition to dinner and dancing with a live band, there's also a silent auction

at the gala... and Isaiah and I won ALL 5 things we bid on! A bunch of

restaurant gift certificates, movie tickets, and Isaiah got some tools or

something. And at the end of the night is the big raffle ticket drawing - first

place wins $20,000!!! Maybe I'll be a big winner next year!!

It was SUCH a fun time, and I already can't wait to go back in 2014!