Thinking about grad parties

In our neck of the woods it's pretty typical to host an open-house-type party in honor of the graduating senior. My girls have never been ones to turn down a party, so last year I threw my inaugural graduation party, and this year . . . it's a second annual kind of event -- meaning child number two is up at the proverbial graduation bat. These are the types of things that happen when you have kids 15 months apart. 

Last year I searched the Interwebs repeatedly for the "best graduation party ever." Surprisingly, I didn't find a whole lot. I did buy the Martha Stewart Living issue which featured a neon and neutrals grad party. That Martha -- her ideas are awesome, but she always forgets that I'M NOT RICH. Still, we took the neons and neutrals and ran with it.

[Please disregard the orange paint in the dining room. I really need to redo that but I'm too busy ​buying things I don't need from Target.] 

Martha's folks had the clever idea to hang up a giant diploma-like roll of craft paper, leaving space for friends to fill it up with well wishes on florescent-colored post-it notes. This was great fun, particularly toward the end of the night when Jordan's friends went crazy with the post-its, labeling everything in site. The piano was labeled 'piano.' The table 'table.' I got a note reading 'Jordan's mom,' and so on. That's what 13 years of public education gets you.

The tissue poms and tassle garland I purchased from Studio Mucci on Etsy. She let me pick my own colors, and since I didn't want to deviate from Martha's prescribed neons and neutrals, her flexibility worked splendidly. (Repeatedly writing neons and neutrals is making me think of blush and bashful. Movie reference anyone?)​

For food I went completely with desserts. I, along with my mom, sister-in-law, and a phalanx of friends, baked until the very AIR was laced with sugar. I know Texas isn't technically "the South," but we still hold strongly to two southern principles: everything is better with sugar AND running out of ​food at a soiree is completely unacceptable. In response to my upbringing then, I made WAY too many desserts. 

Guys, my girls and I did some serious push pop graduation hat construction. I really hoped that visitors would take a push pop or two home as a reminder of a lovely evening. In actuality people were reticent to mess up the display. When I realized that the pops were essentially abandoned, I started dashing about handing them out like a mad woman. I was a pop pusher. I can't deny it.​

Probably the smartest thing I did was hire Amy's Ice Cream to some set up shop on the back patio. ​Amy's provided three flavors, toppings, and an ice cream man to do the heavy dipping. The ice cream was fun and having an attraction outside kept people moving through the house. Flow, when it comes right down to it, is also a party essential.

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So now? On to Madison's party. I'm thinking I really like this idea. Or maybe a variation of this. Or, if I started preparing right now and worked round the clock until Maddie's graduation in June, I could possibly pull off something like this. Or maybe not. What about you guys? Any graduation ideas out there? 

What's for dinner

Even after 19 years of motherhood I am still amazed at how regularly these kids need to eat. It's EVERYDAY. Sometimes I like a little break, also known as "cereal for dinner," but that never goes over too well and my people are hungry exactly seven minutes later.

I don't really like to cook in the hobby kind of way. If you told me tomorrow that I'd never have to cook again (like you finally got me that personal chef I've been requesting), I would sing hallelujahs to highest hilltops. But I do like to eat. And I like to have dinner parties. And I like to gather with my family round the old supper table. So I cook. It's a forced march, sort of.

Figuring out what to make can be half the battle. So here are a couple of our tested family favorites:​

• Tonight I'm making Pioneer Woman's Chicken with Olives. My kids love this one, and it ranks about mid-way on the effort level. (As a rule, on weeknights I try to stick to meals that take less than 30 minutes to prepare.) This one goes together quickly, but plan on the 60+ minutes it takes to bake.
• Yesterday we had salmon with couscous and sauteed yellow squash and zucchini. I just brushed the salmon with olive oil and sprinkled some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and then baked at 425 for 25 minutes. Delish. Chop up some veggies and toss it around in a hot skillet with just a bit of olive oil. The couscous is just a matter of boil and dump. MY KIND OF FOOD PREP.​
• ​My kids love this fried rice recipe from Our Best Bites. I originally tried the recipe because it doesn't require eggs (I have one allergic). It's quick, easy, and has a whole load of veggies in it. Works great for a busy evening.
  
• Pioneer Woman's Sloppy Joes make for a hearty meal. (It's true I have a slight obsession with PW.)​ Make sure to pick up some Kaiser rolls because regular sandwich bread just won't cut it.

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Even though cooking isn't my passion, I do get geeky about dishes and linens and such. One of my favorite kitchen purchases of the last few years are these organic cotton napkins. OhLittleRabbit has an awesome selection of graphics here.

​I also find that good music helps with my cooking mojo. Have you heard this cover of The Lumineers "Ho Hey" by the Stella sisters? I dig it.

Happy Weekending!​

Martyr avoidance system

We love to host a party or have people over for dinner now and then. For years I was usually the one dashing around in preparation--stirring things, spiffing up the bathroom, getting things all set. Occasionally someone would cruise through the kitchen and vaguely offer help but more often than not I foolishly waved them off, preferring a bit of martyr-flavored control even while the tidewater of resentment rose within me. 

A few years ago I wised up and looked around me. There were four able-bodied people around, now old enough to be perfectly capable and at least semi-willing to dive into the preparations! The epiphany was obvious and overdue: it was time to share the load.

Eventually we devised a simple system that's worked for us. First I brainstorm all of the prep tasks that are crazily swimming around in my brain and put each one on a post-it note (sometimes color coded for longer tasks and quicker ones); they are then stuck to the door or the cupboard.​ 

I let everyone know the jobs are out and let them know how many to choose. We all--G and I and the kids--come in and initial the jobs that we'll do (sometimes you might want to put a deadline on some time-sensitive ones). Since the early bird usually gets the best selections, I usually don't have a hard time convincing everyone to come and sign off. As we complete each job, we take the corresponding note off the wall. ​It's worked like a charm every time. Even early helpful guests can join in if there are still some lingering post-its.

If you're stuck in party-martyr* mode, I beseech you. Involve the whole crew in getting ready. It's no fun for anyone if you are harried and sweaty and grumpy by the time people arrive, angrily banging around pans and feeling unsupported and Little-Red-Hen-like, alone in prepping the party. Not that that's ever been a behavior I have indulged in, mind you.

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* "Party martyr," fun to spell and say! Come to think of it, Party Martyr would be an excellent name for an all-mom punk band. Any takers?