Grad Party: Perfect goes out the Door!
I have to admit that I wasn’t very happy when the weather report said 90% chance of rain, and about 25 people were coming for dinner. The graduation party started at 3 and I was running behind. Not a good sign, but the family rallied together; everyone pitched in to help.
I quickly had to move the furniture around to a covered area and “plan ahead.” I was so wanting a day of perfect weather!
Tables under the patio. (Oops! One table cloth got ironed, the other not!)
Buffet style BBQ, so the tables were easy. Simple flowers in wide-bottom low-profile vases.
Some of us sat outside.
And some inside.
And then the sun came out. Go figure!
Which made it more enjoyable for all! The ladies of the group (my tradition when we have a dinner party – get the ladies’ picture!) which happened to be my sisters, cousins, and nieces.
And then we added the younger and the older.
The memories for our graduates started off with this book personalized with stickers (brilliant job, Lisa!)
El and Alex are Moving out, Moving up, and Moving on … (Elliot our son, Alex our nephew)
Which brought us to a great ending for our party. We’re thankful for the 18 years with our sons and pray God’s blessings on many more years. We’ve done our job; now it’s their job to go and make a difference in this world.
Getting back to perfectionism, would you have been okay with one table cloth ironed and the other one not? Or going with the flow, moving the tables around, because of the weather?
(Winners to The Gift of an Ordinary book are Deborah (no blog) and Kathy. Congrats, Ladies!)
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Pingback: Fancy Friday ~ Graduation Parties | LoveFeast Table
Pingback: Nesterize your Boo Boos: Don’t blow the Patio in a Dress!
I sometimes take the time to iron the tablecloth(s), but more often I get out a spritz bottle of water, mist the main creases and wrinkles, pull the fabric a bit, and plop things on top! Probably the lazy way, but it works (mostly!). My nine-year-old loves to be the one to spritz!
Love the pictures of the milestone celebration for your guys and family. Over the years, I find having a Plan ZZ is which when everything kind of falls through, you know flexy flexy! And the people love to be honored by the hostess’s welcome and attention.
Congratulations to all of you!
Linda
.-= Linda @ bushel and a pickle´s last blog ..Lingering with Roses and Friends =-.
First of all, Congratulations to your son and to you. Watching your first child graduate is one of the most memorable passages in life.
I’m definitely a perfectionist when it comes to entertaining, but I’m working on it! Few weeks ago when we had guests: I did not iron my tablecloth. You know what? Nobody noticed, nobody cared. The food was good, and so was the company. Thanks to you I’m learning to be more laid back when it comes to having company.
Even with the rain, your party looks lovely. Love those centerpieces!
Awww – what a great party – rain or shine! (or both!) I decided a few years ago – no more ironing tablecloths. Too time consuming, too many other things to do, so I distract the eye with lots of pretty flowers and shiny stuff! :) Also, does anyone out there use Downey wrinkle releaser? Spray and pull the fabric and voila!! “Ironed”!
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..One Day Out Of The Year =-.
I wouldn’t have ironed either one! :D
.-= Janice´s last blog ..My First Frittata =-.
Pingback: Box of Mint: Share the Love!
I find whenever we host a party/dinner, there is always something that doesn’t get done. I just run out of time. Everytime! I have a huge list in my head….and then I hear someone yell, “They’re here!”, and the list is crumbled up in a ball. LOL! I do what I can….and everyone enjoys the company. The details are wonderful, if you can do it all, but we’ve had great times with friends over pizza boxes, and paper towels. I find so many people are “reluctant” to entertain these days…so I figure if things aren’t perfect, maybe they’ll fell like they can do it too. How’s that for making myself feel better…I’m doing it for them! LOL!
The party looks lovely. Congrats on your sons graduation.
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..Weekend at Moose Lake =-.
There is that cute dress again! You look smashing in it! Love the simplicity of it!
.-= Susan´s last blog ..Being the GrownUp =-.
Looks like a PERFECT get-together to me!
Congrats to all concerned for a perfect evening.
Betty G.
i would stress over the wrinkled tablecloth AT MY HOUSE, but at someone else’s, would likely not even notice or chalk it up to “charming” and gutsy that they didn’t iron. that said, i never iron my battenburg linens–just a spritz of water. i’m in the throes of stress; we are holding a 50th anniversary gathering for a guest list of 200 in three weeks–and i’ve not begun to really get it together yet. TIME FLIES! enjoying your blog. i too am a reluctant entertainer, married to a people-crazy man. i NEED to do more in this area!
.-= april´s last blog ..Wordy Wednesday =-.
Should I be honest or lie?
Honestly, the wrinkled tablecloth would stress me out. I am a perfectionist!
But I will have to say that once the guests arrive, I tend to calm down, enjoy myself, and realize that everything is just perfect.
Congratulations to your graduate!
.-= Traci´s last blog ..Wednesdays with Wanda =-.
Great celebration and yes I’ve used wrinkled tablecloths. Love the photos of the little boys playing…that would be my grandson, Mason….all over the place!
Connie
.-= Connie´s last blog ..Grandma Day and the Beach!! =-.
Wrinkly tablecloths make me crazy for about 30 seconds. Then I forget about it, and it’s covered in dishes and flowers and silverware and elbows and no one ever notices, except me.
It looks like a pretty perfect party, from where I’m sitting! Great job!
.-= Adelle @ ready…GO!…get set´s last blog ..A Perfect Day =-.
I think that I would be the type that wouldn’t worry too much. Often the people we have over are young teens/young adults and they don’t notice much except that there’s food on the table (C:
I think I’m pretty laid back so it would take a lot to cause panic…probably something burning, or not turning out right, or not having enough food….
We all have to let go and just enjoy the moments. This past March our best friends youngest daughter got married, we have know this family for over 20 years, they are our “family”. Our kids have grown up together and now as they get married we all chip in to help. Well as we were setting up the reception area the chair covers arrived and they were not ironed, there were 225 of them and we had only 5 hours to get the whole room set up. So we all laughed, yes laughed about it, stretched them over the chairs and told each other that if anyone said anything we would hand them an iron and tell them to iron their chair cover….. it was a memory that made the day more special, and yes we brought an iron just in case, and you know what?? Not one person said anything the lights were low the bride and groom looked wonderful and we even had the photographer take a picture of all of us who set up the room with the Iron in hand… We all need to let go of the Martha Stewart ideals that everything needs to be perfect in oder for it to be great, we need to celebrate our imperfections and enjoy the moments, because they all too soon slip away and if we are worrying about the little things we miss the importants ones …. the people who we are choosing to celebrate with… blessings to all Curtis and Sherrie
.-= Curtis´s last blog ..Seasons and the weather…. and worry ….. =-.
FYI, I was there and never noticed the unironed tablecloth! Had a great time, so apparently wrinkled tableclothes really don’t adjust the atmosphere much. LOL
I love this post!
After planning two weddings and stressing over the small stuff, I realize that only I noticed the little things and everyone else enjoyed themselves…I really am trying not to sweat the small stuff. Your post was a great reminder!
I think you are awesome for having tablecloths, napkins and place settings! Who cares about a little wrinkle here or there. I’m lucky if I get the table cloths out, usually we have an assortment of different aged little ones, and I’d hate to have someone pull everything off the table.
At our wedding last year, we had a last minute glitch with the linens not matching the table size. We had to re-arrange at the last minute, get different sized linens at the last minute…and no time to iron.
And I had to just let it go. (Seeing as we were doing it all ourselves, and I had bride things to do!)
And I’ve never seen that Boyton book before. I love Boyton!
.-= Lori @ In Pursuit of Martha Points´s last blog ..The Day We Didn’t Become the Brady Brunch =-.
My brothers graduation party is this Sunday. I think that you pulled yours off wonderfully. The picture of you and all of the other ladies in your family is precious. I didn’t know about the Sandra Boynton, I will have to go and see if I can find one for Blaine.
Thanks so much for sharing.
.-= Tickled Red´s last blog ..Tidbits about Dad =-.
Love this post because this is a BIG weakness in me. I spend so much time wanting things to be perfect… which for me they NEVER are…
That’s the major reasont that I started following this blog. Your title “The Reluctant Entertainer” describes me perfectly. I WANT to do more. It’s that stupid perfectionist monster that gets in my way. UGH.
So the answer? I would have stressed about the tablecloth.
And probably POINTED it out to guests.
What a dope I am.
Because it didn’t have the slightest effect on your party at all, did it?
.-= Debbie´s last blog ..Adventures in the Fiery Furnace =-.
one thing i can say is the older i get the more important the who, not the what/where/how. Life is too short to spend it with an iron in my hand.
I notice that children never care when they go to a playdate if laundry is piled in a chair in the family room, or there are glasses in the sink….or sigh… a newspaper in the potty. ( i will say, THAT does grate on my nerves as gross ). All they care about is who they’re coming to play with and what the snack is going to be….so I choose to be child in this area :)
.-= sheri´s last blog ..Inspired by the sun =-.
We need to get okay with things like this, don’t we?
I’ve found that the little things like that over which I stress myself AREN’T EVEN NOTICED by my guests. Then I end up feeling silly for having wasted emotional energy on such inconsequential things. Maybe it’s better that I just admit that I tend to fuss with little things and resolve to do it less!
Your party looks wonderful. I love the pic of the ladies–y’all look like you’re having so much fun. And you’re wearing that dress that you showed us, aren’t you? Looks great!
Congratulations to your son and nephew. And thanks to YOU for being such a great example. :)