My daughter turned the big 2-0 this year and wished to have a party for her closest friends. Who am I to say no? How long will my ‘baby girl’ be asking me for a party?

Her thought was to have an all day fun-fest poolside, starting at 10am going through the evening. So, for brunch, we started off with festive mango beverages, fruit salad and homemade GF scones. 

As you can see, the chairs emptied quickly when I brought out warm chocolate/cherry scones!

Once they ate, I started on fixing hearty snacks. The temperatures were in the upper 90’s, so any desire for ‘food’ was minimal. Instead, with the help of my dear friend Dalia, we fixed up some hearty snacks that all go well with the heat. Such as Tuscan White Bean Dip with fresh cucumber ‘chips’:

Homemade and hearty Guacamole, with hearty tortilla chips. (Thank you Miss Dalia for all your help churning out food!):

Of course, a veggie platter is a must!

Here is the table spread of goodies that were gobbled up. That salsa in the yellow bowl was AMAZING. Homemade, hearty and smokey with fresh grilled corn and black beans, topped with cotija cheese. 

Again, clean up of lunch and then we began dinner preparation. Chicken Cesear Salad with grilled french bread. It is perfect for a gaggle of girls all hungry but watching their figures. (Some boys stopped by, so I threw out some grilled dogs for ‘filler’. Good thing, they were gone in a heartbeat!)

I feel like a mouthwash commercial: rinse, repeat. Next up, a birthday dessert fit for a birthday celebration, but one that will go down well in the heat. Voila! GF strawberry shortcakes! 

Happy Birthday was sung by all and based on the smiles and laughing, it was a successful party. Yes, it was a lot of work for me, especially following a graduation party. But really, how many opportunities will I have left to shower my love and attention on them this way? Yes, it was a whole day spent cooking and cleaning up, but it was completely worth every ounce of effort. The cost of food, beverages and my time for these things are not always easy on the budget, but watching my daughter and her friends enjoy themselves to the fullest – is priceless.