Prom…..

It seems like it’s been at least ten years since I’ve been to one. Rightfully so, since it HAS.

When I started dating DW, his baby sister was seven years old. From the very first time I met Kelsey (which I will never forget), I loved her. Soon after our introductions on that first day, she took, “Bubba” (what she always called DW), into the kitchen to announce that I was “perfect and he should marry me.” Hello, how could I NOT love her?!?!? She was a tiny little thing with thick curly red hair (that I’ve always hoped one of my babies would get one day) . It’s hard to believe that she’s a JUNIOR this year and this past weekend went to prom… with, might I add, the BEST prom hair ever. :) 

It has been my great privilege to watch her grow up and be a part of all of her big milestones. She is like a little sister to me, too, and DW and I are both so proud of her.

I don’t know who was more excited about Prom this year…Kellee (my MIL), Me, or Kelsey (who was actually GOING!) ha… We’ve been counting down the weeks for months!

Since Kelsey was on prom committee, we were asked to do a fruit cascade and decorate the food tables. SO FUN, and right up my ally.

I’ve done a few fruit cascades in the past, and carved on a few melons for different things, so I was up for the challenge. :)

The prom theme was “Almost Paradise.”  This is how the fruit table turned out…

My FIL took some pictures of some fruit displays on a cruise they took a couple months ago. One of the pictures was of a monkey made using an egg plant, bananas and oranges. I knew we had to try the monkey when I was asked to help! 

I also googled to get some more ideas, which is where I saw the palm tree made from pineapples and ferns. It turned out so cute.

DW built the stand at 9:00 the night before. Such a good big brother & the best husband ever.

Saturday morning we did all of the setting up and decorating the food tables. Then it was time to come home to get Kels ready and then everyone met at the lodge for pictures. There was a group of her friends that all went together and the limo was picking them up there. So fun!

All of their families came, so it was a huge group taking pictures and oohing-and-ahhing over how beautiful ALL of the girls looked! I didn’t take many pictures, there, but did get one of AB & Kels. (The one of all of us with her is on my FIL’s camera… ) AB & “Aunt Kels” in her “tincess dress” as AB calls it.

we had an “Emergency Kit” in the limo for the girls… Stocked with mints, bobby-pins, hair spray, shout wipes, lip-gloss, etc…

Once the girls (and a few boys) were on their way, we headed back to do last minute touches before anyone arrived.

The fruit/chocolate fountain table:

We did the fruit, chocolate fountain and then lots of different dippers…

Little miss was excited to be at the “pa-ty” and walked right up to the fruit display and helped herself to a strawberry. Ha… She also named the Monkey, “Elmo”--- I’m not going to lie, I was so proud that it actually turned out looking like a monkey! If yall can’t tell it was suppose to be a monkey, don’t tell me, okay? I was a little worried at first… “Elmo” was also nearly the cause of a heart attack when I was pinning grapes that morning and he decided to get all top heavy and topple over! Thankfully, I caught him and we weighed him down (along with doing some serious praying over him) before we left! I was so worried he was going to on the floor in pieces when we got back that afternoon, but he held up and made it through prom…whew…

We also decorated the cupcake table. One of the mom’s made the mini-cupcakes, and they weren’t there yet when I took this pic… I made sand using organic raw sugar mixed with brown and regular granulated sugars. Then we just scattered some shells around to make it look like the beach. Easy, easy, easy!

I loved seeing everything all decorated and ready for the prom go-ers! The junior class did such an awesome job putting on a prom that I’m sure the seniors loved.

They decorated the main ball room with lighted palm trees, had a photo booth with all kinds of silly props, and the centerpieces were tall vases with floating candles and goldfish! So cute… (I didn’t take any pictures of that…dern…)

I threatened to try on the prom queen’s crown, but thought better of it. :)

We hurried to get gone before anyone showed up, and spent the rest of the evening hoping they were having a great time… which Kelsey said they DID!

I cant believe one of her two proms is over, and next year she’ll be a senior. Time flies, and I know it’s going to be this girl in the blink of an eye…

I’m sure we’ll have to put DW on the prayer list when that time comes. :)

~amw~