Well, here I was preparing myself for the new ‘job’ of being an empty nester when this little bundle of cuteness came in to our lives.
No, not expected.
No, not planned.
But I believe in Divine Providence and the Spirit, and both were working overtime in this instance.
Say hello to Ruger.
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.
If you’ve wondered where I disappeared to, I haven’t. It’s just been more than a little crazy around here getting ready for my seniors’ graduation party, hosting visiting family, birthdays and horse shows.
Now that the dust seems to have settled, I have a few moments to put some thoughts to paper…or, whatever this is called. (Think about the coolness factor of just that statement, because 20 years ago, I’d have to write a book, submit an opinion piece or be hired by someone who would publish me. The freedom of the internet is truly marvelous. Moooo-ving on…)
I have a HS graduate!
For my oldest’s party, I did all the food AND decorating, AND there was a horse show the day before, AND I had family in town. It was a bit too much. With this child, it had to be Gluten Free AND yummy food I’d be proud to put on my table, but I also needed to reduce some of the stress. This year we also had family visiting, but also a horse show and 20th birthday party for my oldest, right on the heels of the Graduation Party. Enter my dear friend Dalia. She is Puerto Rican an AMAZING cook and she also does a little catering on the side. So I asked for her help, and the food was simply amazing! We had an entire feast of delicious, gluten free food that people gobbled up. Some came back for 3rds!!
I was so busy that day, but it was not stressful because I knew I could count on my friend to take complete care of preparing and serving all the food, as well as keeping it stocked. I even had time to sit down and have a plate myself! Granted, I was so hungry I started to munch before I thought: “I better take a pic of this!”
We had Arroz con Gandules, Pernil, Puerto Rican black beans, Cilantro rice, Pollo Guisado and a soft serve ice cream machine with hot fudge sundae fixings, root beer floats, along with a Tres Leche cake. It was a great party and seemed to be enjoyed by all. We even had Sangria at the ‘adult’ bar to fit with the latin theme.
It was a perfect day, the Good Lord gave us beautiful weather to be able to set up and sit outside on my beautiful patio.
The pool was used by lots of kids, then when the little ones left, the teenagers played volleyball.
What a blessing to be able to entertain and love on our family and friends. It is a bittersweet time, but with much joy I say: Congratulations baby girl!
Rockin the Mom Role 