Emma's Baptism | Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, Spring Inspired Pink Flowers

Click here for more details on Emma's Family Heirloom Dress & Booties!

You might remember that a couple of weeks ago I mentioned we would be going back home for Emma's baptism and to introduce her to everyone. After weeks of planning, packing, shopping, reading traveling with baby tips, packing, decorating sugar cookies, doing laundry, packing, coordinating schedules and more packing, we made it there and back. Whew. During our trip we hit all of our favorite hot spots in KC, had dinner with friends, visits with neighbors and Emma's baptism. Double whew. We were gone a week. We packed for a month.

Emma and here Moo-Moo.

My Mom and I teamed up to put together a brunch for our family at the church for after the service on Sunday morning. And when I say 'teamed up' I mean my Mom did most (ok, a vast majority) of the work ahead of time and I showed up the day before with cookies and flowers.

She made cinnamon rolls from scratch, three of my favorite kinds of quiche (no store-bought pie crusts for her!) and got everything arranged at the church for the service and brunch. If you've hosted a family dinner for 35 people + kids, then you know this not a task for the weak or weary.

As you can imagine, it is not easy to team up with me when hosting a party. Like any insane party planner, I have definite ideas about everything from the cocktail napkins to the placement of the Mac N' Cheese on the buffet. I'm a nut when it comes to parties. If I have a vision, I can't let it go.

Thank you, Mom, for tolerating my 'quirky' (read : crazy) desires (read : demands) and making Emma's baptism so beautiful and special.

We hosted brunch "immediately following" the service in the church basement - old school style. My Mom was shocked that I wanted to have the brunch there in the basement of the church. I actually loved the idea of celebrating where we grew up having Easter breakfast, the Christmas Carol Sing-a-long and Sunday School every week.

Our church is a small church in a small town - it has a real sense of warmth and community within its walls. The families that belong there have been going to the church for generations, nurturing its traditions. The instant I walk into the basement I get hit by the nostalgia of growing up in such a community - rehearsals for Christmas pageants, confirmation classes every Wednesday night and vacation bible school.

On the menu : Quiche (3 varieties), Honey Baked Ham, Spinach & Strawberry Salad, Baked Mac N Cheese, Cinnamon Rolls, Red Velvet Whoopie Pies, Cherry Almond Cupcakes & Sugar Cookie Favors

On each table we placed casual coffee cup arrangements of garden roses, renunculous, hyacinth, magnolia leaves and tulips. More flower details later this week with DIY (here it is - the link to the DIY Flower Arrangements!).