Two weekends ago, Dave and I hit the road to Syracuse for our first baby shower! I was so touched when my in-laws insisted on throwing a party to celebrate baby Kirk, and when we realized that we could drive there and back over Fourth of July weekend without having to take time off of work, plans began to come together. The Kirks’ fantastic backyard and Dave’s favorite barbecue restaurant in Syracuse inspired my hope for a super low-key, co-ed, backyard barbecue shower where the whole family could gather and just enjoy being together, without having to worry about games or gift opening. Especially since we don’t get to see Dave’s extended family too often, I definitely didn’t want him to miss out on time with anyone if we did a traditional, women-only shower, and this party ended up being the perfect solution. My mother-in-law and sisters-in-law crafted just the right number of details to make the party extra special, and I think everyone had as much fun as Dave and I did!