Outdoor Country Party

Ever since we moved into our little rental I've wanted to host an outdoor party. The patio between our back porch and garage serves as the perfect little place for stringing up some lights and having a party. So finally......after living here a year and a half.....we did just that. :)

Meet my "Little Big Sis", Grace:

She just turned the BIG 3-0,...but you'd never know it. She knows how to rock a 3-inch wedge and could be the cover girl for paper drinking straws. :)

I call her my "Little Big Sis" cause she's shorter (though older) than me....and she calls me her "Big Little Sis" cause I'm taller (though younger) than her. If you ask me, her nickname sounds waaay cooler. I've always been the "tall" one in my family cause all my sisters are just so short!! And I'm not even tall....I'm just an "average" 5'6"!!! :)

{Goofballs :) }

Gracie turning 30 provided the perfect opportunity to use our little patio for the party. It was so fun to put the party together for her (with the help of her family and friends) and to {hopefully} show her just how much she means to all of us.

{Flowers in a canning jar on the food table}

{Little guest at the party-my sweet little nephew, Levi}

{Drinks were served in jam jars}

{The beverage table:

peach tea, lemonade & water}

{Vintage fabric flag banner above the

food table}

{My sister Glenna}

{Sisters Gwen & Glenna with

Cole}

{The seating area. Old quilts were used as tablecloths

to create a more country feel}

{Grace & her husband, Aaron}

{8 years later and still going strong! :) }

{Gracie with her little man, Johnathan}

{My incredibly beautiful sisters,

Glenna & Greta}

{My Dad being, well....Dad :) }

{Gotta hydrate!

Paper straws source here}

{Dad & Cole....with his "deer in headlights"

look}

{Gracie's favorite: Angel Food Cake}

{We made the birthday girl cut her own cake.....

JK.... she wanted to!!}

It was a very casual evening but couldn't have been more fun. After the guests finished eating & drinking, we headed on inside to open gifts and look at old photos of Grace strung all over our living room using jute string & clothes pins. Ooohhh....the memories!

I've known my sister my whole life....so I barely have a memory of my childhood that she isn't also in. We shared a room together, told each other secrets, went through "awkward" phases of our growing up years together, saw each other with braces on, squirted pimples together, had silly sister fights, fought over boys, shared clothes (she wore my hand-me-downs cause I was taller :), and saw each other grow up. When she went to college I bawled my eyes out cause I had lost my best friend. Then she got married to the love of her life and I was her Maid of Honor. Then I went to college and she called me up and told me she was pregnant. We've shared a lot in our years together....marriage stories, unhealthy pregnancies, losses of children, healthy pregnancies & babies, moves, homemaking....and the list goes on. I could write a novel about all the little things I love about my sister....Gracie, are you listening?

I love my sister so much. You know they say, "you don't get to choose the family you are born into". Well....that may be true, but if I DID get to pick out the perfect older sister to "look up" to...

I would have still chosen her. :)

Happy 30th Birthday, Gracie! {again!}

Hugs,

Gail