Individual Strawberry Shortcakes

One of the very first ideas we pinned to the baby shower Pinterest board was a picture of individual strawberry shortcakes in tiny jars. So cute! But I wasn't really sure how to recreate it, and the source of the image didn't provide any instructions (don't you hate that?) Though strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite summer desserts, and I make it at least once a year, I wasn't sure how to make it ahead of time without it turning to mush. After a bit of trial and error, I think I've come up with the best possible method to make ahead individual shortcakes for any kind of party, maybe even for a Fourth of July BBQ? Read on to learn my secrets!

Raspberry Lemonade

Is there a more quintessential summertime beverage than lemonade? It is one of those things that always tastes better when you make it from scratch, especially when you jazz it up with some berries. This recipe works with strawberries too, if raspberries aren't your thing.

Samantha's Baby Shower

I had the honor and pleasure of co-hosting a baby shower for Samantha this past weekend. This was my first time throwing a baby shower, and I could not have done it without the help (so much help!) of my friend and co-host Carolyn. We were both really pleased with how everything turned out. I thought I would share a few pictures from the shower in case anyone out there is currently planning one. Carolyn and I both got a lot of great ideas from the internet; I have no idea how people planned these things before it existed.