Nanas “80 1/2” birthday!

 Invitation: 

We ended up doing it a day early because the others I invited couldn’t make it so the day before worked better for me. 

Entryway: 

Dinner table: 

Cake bar: 

The cake was French vanilla with Bavarian cream filling and buttercream frosting! Featuring my little French plates and the mademoiselle I made! 

For food I had it catered by Antonio’s Italian grill. I got chicken parmigiana and tortellini fiorentina with bread and salad. I put my birthday towel on the stove! 

Wine: chilled white Zinfandel! 

The cutest party guest there ever was: 

Carolina June! 

While we were waiting for nana I took her outside to play! Nana thought they were picking us up to go eat so when they got there I said Carolina got dirty could they please come inside for a minute 

We had such a wonderful time! We put together a collage of nana…blessing hearts since 1941 is because that’s her signature phrase “bless your little heart” and little stories. Like when my mom was growing up my nana was making her fish while talking on the phone and meant to use paprika but used red pepper instead.  My aunt says she always burnt the grilled cheese so now she prefers them that way. When my papa and her were on one of their first dates he was interrogating her which she found offensive because he was asking questions like do you ever drink or do drugs or have you ever been arrested and she decided to pull his leg and say something along the lines of “just the one time, for prostitution!” It’s one of our favorite stories. A classic nana is also her being a little ditzy or forgetful. One of the best was when she was trying to say an elephant was cute but instead it came out “what a cute little monkey!” She loves coffee wine dark chocolate and Shirley temple movies…but most of all she loves Carolina June! & when I was little and we were at her apartment before she moved to her big house I was helping my mom pack up her refrigerator and there was a bunch of wine bottles she had just had a dinner party or something like that maybe bunko and I at about 5 years old asked my mom “mommy is nana a winehead?!” & much like Mary Poppins my nana is “practically perfect in every way” 

Carolina was a laugh a minute tonight as my Nana calls her..she ran her little legs off and was our entertainment not just during dinner but all night! Making messes and playing peekaboo 

I just think these photos are LOVELY 

Y’all. Could she be any more beautiful?? She is 80 1/2 and fabulously classy! 

Dane is in Nebraska working so a selfie will have to do! 

Nana, if you are reading this you are my inspiration. You mean so much to us all and your kindness your funny characteristics and your classy mannerisms are a lot to live up to. I cherish our time together and all of our conversations about anything from pasta to Paris to granny to home decor. You deserve more than a silly birthday dinner to celebrate you but I hope you know just how loved you are! I feel so blessed to watch Carolina bond with one of my favorite people. 

“Count the memories, not the calories!”