A Parisian Sweet 16!

A couple of months ago I had the pleasure of being invited to my friend Alyssa's sweet 16 party. It was so lovely! When she told me ahead of time that she was planning a Parisian theme, I knew it wouldn't be your run of the mill, black and pink, fleur-de-lis and Eiffel Tower decor. Instead, it felt like we were in an elegant Paris flat, snacking on fresh baguettes and cheeses that I can't pronounce. Alyssa and her family just exude elegance, and it is so peaceful in their home, I absolutely love being there. The party was inspired by the Parisian themed party in Jennifer  Shea's book: "Trophy Cupcakes and Parties" Which, btw, is an awesome book. Here's a shot of the inspiration:

Isn't that just gorgeous? Ugh. I wish I could just plan parties all day every day.
Alyssa and her mother outdid themselves with delicious foods, we enjoyed French music in the background, and since all of the guests were older than Alyssa, we went around the table and shared advice that we would give our 16 year old selves. Some funny advice, some serious advice, lots of motherly warnings to stay away from boys for a while, haha. I think I rambled about trying to keep her sweet, positive spirit no matter what life throws her way. Because sometimes life tries its hardest to take that from you. Oh dear. Hopefully I didn't sound that depressing when I said it! As a gift, we all pitched in and bought her a beautiful blue KitchenAide mixer. It hadn't arrived yet, but we showed her a photo on the iPad and she was so excited! She is a wonderful baker, so of course the gift came with the stipulation that she would have to make us all brownies when she received it. Only fair.

My goodness. Alyssa was just 11 years old when we moved here. (And about 11 inches shorter, I think!) She has grown up in a blink of an eye to be one of the loveliest young women I've ever met. Makes me wish I had a teenage son...oh wait, no boys for a while, that's right! ;o) I look forward to seeing where she takes her life and in which ways she'll show God's love to the world.

Happy (late) birthday, sweet Alyssa!

And happy regular day to you! Love you. :o)

-Disney