A Weekend Away.

Susie (my sister), her husband (Dave), their twins (Flori & Ollie), and their two dogs were moving back to the states. Dave is in the U.S. Air Force, and they have been stationed in Okinawa, Japan for the last 3 years. So mom invited me to join her in San Francisco for the weekend to help with their transition back.

Here are some of the highlights of the trip (before Susie & family arrived)...

After we stood in line for 1.5 hours for our rental car, I drove around in circles trying to find the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company. It was in a very small alley in the middle of Chinatown. We could take a picture inside the factory, for $.50. It wasn't much of a factory about 15 feet wide, and 100 feet long, but a very cool machine to make the cookies, and yes you could try samples. I also got their contact info, because they will make personalized fortune cookies.

Of course I had to ride the cable car. I choose the Powell-Hyde line, which is the most scenic, and has the steepest descent down to the pier. Mom wasn't sure what was worse, being on the cable car or driving around the city with me.On Friday morning we went to the San Francisco Flower Market. The market is a florist's dream. In the morning only badge holders can go to the market and purchase their floral needs for the day. Later in the day it is open to the public. This pictures do not do it justice. Here are a few of the flower stalls we walked by. Flowers as far as the eye can see.

Mom & I had fun exploring the city. I sort of know my way around town, after driving around in circles.

Jessica & Andrew

This past weekend Jessica & Andrew were wed at Sweetwater Branch Inn, in front of the Gazebo. Here are some of their highlights. The gorgeous Gazebo.

Bride's bouquet of hydrangea, roses, orchids, hypericum & gerbera daisy.
Guest table centerpiece, with limes floating in the vase. Hydrangea, roses, alstromeria, hypericum & statice.

Here is a close up of one of the corsages.
Bridesmaids and their bouquets.
One of the buffet pieces.
Best wishes to the FSU bride and her groom.

Ceremony & Reception: Sweetwater Branch Inn
Photographer: J.S. Photograpahy
Florist: The Plant Shoppe Florist
Cake: Melaine Judge

Caroline & Charles

Angela at A'vie called to ask a huge favor......."We have a bride, who is getting married next week and needs a florist, can you help?" I said sure, floral miracles are our specialty. So, after talking with Caroline, who lives in Chicago, I can up with a floral game plan. I called Larry our flower guy and set the plan into action. I wouldn't meet Caroline, until 6 days before her wedding, so I had some guess work to do to figure out the perfect flowers for her wedding to Charles. Here is what we came up with. The bride's bouquet of roses, mini call lily, freesia, & hypericum.

Here is Caroline with all her lovely ladies in front of one of the cottages at Sweetwater Branch Inn, where they got ready for the ceremony.
Angela had her hands full with just a few of the bouquets, just before the ceremony.
A close up of the altar arrangements...roses, carnations, spray roses & hydrangea.
Here are some of the centerpieces waiting for Erin at Celebrations & Amy from A'vie to prepare The Thomas Center for the reception.
The Spanish court decked out with linens & chairs from Celebrations.
A wonderful cake from KB Kakes was the highlight of the room.
And of course my assistant patiently waiting for us to go home.

From what I have heard, Caroline was very please with her flowers, she has even asked me to be her friend on Facebook. Thanks for the opportunity.

Ceremony: Holy Trinity Episcopal
Reception: Thomas Center
Photographer: Mark Pennington
Florist: The Plant Shoppe Florist
Caterer: Celebrations
Cake: KB Kakes
Planner: A'vie

Abbey Update, 1st Day of school

So, Abbey told me at lunch yesterday, that she was going to sleep when the sun set. Well she didn't quite make it. When I picked her up, I had a flower delivery to make. She told me she was hungry, so we called Terry and she asked him to make crunchy pizza (Stouffer's) for dinner. Well he did, but she never ate it. She feel asleep in the way home, and would not wake up for more than a second. Other than crawling into bed with me, she slept the whole night. Here she is, in car seat, with her blankie, which was not taken to to school.

Jessica & Wes

We had the pleasure of providing the personal flowers for Jessica & Wes for their Saturday wedding. Coral & Ivory were the colors of the day. We coordinated with The Flower Shop on the flower types, as they were doing the ceremony/reception flowers.

Jessica's bouquet was coral roses, with stephanotis, and the bridesmaids were ivory roses, with stephanotis which were airbrushed coral. Here they are with the toss bouquet, waiting to be delivered.

Here is Brenda Rainsberger, helping me put the finishing touches on the cake. Here are a few photos "borrowed" from Leah at Celebrations over at her blog Catering Crumbs.
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your special day. I can't wait to see the pictures from Michelle.

Ceremony & Reception: Groom's Family Home
Photographer: Michelle Matchell
Florist: Us
Caterer: Celebrations
Cake: Publix
Planner: Brenda Rainsberger

Music: Gosia and Ali

Abbey's First day at JJ Finley

We woke up early this morning to get Abbey to her first day of Kindergarten at JJ Finley. None of us were happy campers about getting up that early. She had to be at school by 7:45. We usually aren't even awake at that time. Here are a few shots of her.
This was at meet the teacher on Friday, on the way into school.

Here she is with Mrs. Grote her teacher. We found out that she already know 4 other kids in her class. Can you believe it.

On the way in today. Doesn't she look all grown up?

"Okay mom, I'm coloring here." in other words, you are dismissed.

I will admit, I got a little teary eyed, even though Terry claims I was balling my eyes out. I had a chance to go in at lunch time today to say hi. We just happened to have a plant to deliver to a teacher for her first day at school, and I volunteered to deliver it. She was so tired this morning, she said she was going to sleep when the sun was setting. I only wish she would go to sleep that early.

Alyssa's Birthday

Abbey's friend Alyssa turned 5 at the beginning of the month. After gymnastics class Alyssa took us & Alison out to Chick-fil-a for dinner. While there the girls meet superheros and got to have their pictures taken.

With all this sass, think about what we will be dealing with when they are 16.

Tampa Bay Rays

So, with Abbey gone for a week to Grandma's house, Terry & I finally went & did something fun, the night before she came back. Emily & Paul invited us to a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game (The Rays won). On Saturday they were having college game day. They invited alumni from various college to go to the game as a group. So we went to represent The University of Florida. This collage is for Emily. She loved the idea you could report unruly fans with a text message.

Here is Paul & Terry when they found out we were going to stay for the B-52's concert after the ballgame.My hero of the game....the cotton candy man. After many attempts to get to stop one, Emily finally got this guy's attention from 2 sections over. Ever have green apple cotton candy, me neither, until Saturday night.

Sorority Rush.

Last week we delivered a gator themed arrangement to some of The University of Florida sorority houses to wish them good luck with rush. Simply elegant spray roses & hydrangea.

Do you deliver?

We are often asked we deliver on a daily basis. The answer is yes. Here are a few pictures of some of the floral gifts we delivered last week. Please let us know if we can be of assistance with your gift giving needs.

Diane & Kevin

A natural, just picked look was the desired look for Diane & Kevin's wedding on Saturday at The Baughman Center. The bouquet was made of Gerbera Daisy, Delphinium, Monticasino, Daisy mums, Solidago & tree fern.
The reception was held at Mildred's and the centerpieces had a similar look. To make the reception more intimate, the table was shaped like a large U.

Katrina & Aaron

Katrina & Aaron surrounded themselves with great friends & family when they were wed on Saturday. Red & white were the colors of the day. Katrina carried a bouquet of red roses and her bridesmaids carried white roses. Here are the bouquets right before delivering them. The centerpieces were red & white with hydrangea, roses, spray roses, cushion mums, alstromeria, limonium, and assorted greenery.
The guests were treated to a candy bar for their favors.
Best Wishes for a wonderful life together.

Ceremony: The Family Church
Reception: Best Western Gateway Grand
Photographer: K-Gallery
Florist: Us
Cake: Cake Classics
Chair Covers: Fancy That


Ceremony Coordinator: A'vie

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Invitations can be viewed in our store or online at http://www.theplantshoppe.cceasy.com/