Owlets and BFFs

This past weekend, I gave my friend Jessica a shower to welcome her little "owlet" on the way. (The theme of her nursery is owls and forest friends.)

The menu was simple, but quite yummy. I had said that I would be trying the chicken salad recipe from Panera for the shower, and I did, making a few small additions. It's very easy: 3 cups chopped chicken, 1 cup celery, 1 cup sliced grapes, 1 cup chopped apples, 1 tablespoon tarragon, 1/2 tablespoon thyme, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, plus more for sprinkling on top. Mix it all together, and there you go! I also served my mom's wonderful Chinese chicken salad, fruit and dip, and de-licious cupcakes from our local Frosted Muffin. Seriously, they were amazing.
I made these favors after seeing something similar on a website. The owl-shaped fan kept us cool (although the weather definitely was kind) and the origami box was filled with boy-colored taffy. By the way, try as I might, I could not get this photo to go the correct direction.

My mother-in-law kindly gave me a huge assortment of plants and flowers to use for little bouquets. I was so pleased with how they turned out!The shower was fun, and Jessica received lovely gifts from her friends who came. Personally, the day could not have gone better for me, not only because everything turned out so nicely, but also (and mostly) because my wonderful bestie Kelly surprised me with her "sneak attack" visit. She tells the story so well, so you'll have to click here to read about it and see a few photos.