The Only Thing I Forgot Was 1/2 Cup of Flour

Do you want to know my favorite part of throwing a party? 

Right as the guests arrive; I'm finally coming up for air after working on the mechanics of the affair. 

I've remembered every detail, or if I did forget, I've let go of the expectations realizing it doesn't have to look a certain way. 

At this Fiesta, I didn't forget margarita glasses lined up like little soldiers waiting for ice cold berry lime bliss.

And I didn't forget:

1. Tissue paper flowers in festive colors potted in dry black beans and a vase.

2. Matthew and I made these place mats by weaving Mexican flag colored strips into paper bags.

3. Bowls of candy including: boston baked beans, jelly belly beans, and  hot tamales.

4. Disposable cameras for the girls to capture the candid moments I miss because I'm fretting in the kitchen over tomorrow's cinnamon rolls.

 

After everyone arrived, I added tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, and queso cheese dip for snack to the decorated table above.

The rain was coming down in sheets creating a nice mud puddle below our proposed pinata location. So, my dh, "d" standing for dedicated in this moment, created a spot out back under our canopy.

Did you notice she isn't holding the traditional bat or wearing a blindfold? The girls had the option of breaking the pinata with a stirring spoon, plastic knife, or the coveted 6" plastic ninja sword. 

One girl was a little distraught about not getting as much candy as the others. And interestingly, the girl with the most candy was also the girl who sucked the most helium.

Girls, that is enough helium for now, I argued to get them to stop as I was cooking carne asada, pollo asada, and tortillas for tacos. Here is what I found after dinner was served.

The girls played bean MASH and had a dance off right before I served frozen berry, lime margaritas. (I did forget to move the scissors before snapping the picture. Too bad my photoshop is on the fritz.)

They sang and danced in the rain soaking all their clothes and making me realize my towel shortage.  I deserve to have new, clean, fresh towels overflowing the cupboards and baskets.

For dessert I created a cinnamon-sugar fried tortilla filled with ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream on top, and a drizzle of chocolate. Although they looked fabulous, I declined eating one because my mouth was full of the boston baked beans. Sadly, the girls turned their noses up at these nostalgic treats. I might have eaten every last one of them.

I did forget to take a picture of how the girls finally fell asleep around 3am. Or maybe I didn't forget, maybe I was already asleep. 

The next morning I woke to ruined cinnamon rolls. In counting the 7 1/2 cups of flour the previous day, I have to admit I was interrupted by my 6 year-old and after demanding he leave the kitchen I argued to myself:

4? 

4 1/2? 

no it was 4 

I'm going to go with 4 1/2. I didn't want too much flour, right?

Luckily or maybe it wasn't luck I picked up hash browns this week at the store, although I NEVER buy hash browns. I quickly made eggs, bacon, and hash browns for the girls. 

They ate the rolls anyway, and they wanted to; unless they were just impeccably kind.

This huge pile of girl things didn't look familiar to me at all, and amazingly it took the girls only 2 minutes to sort and collect their belongings. 

They didn't want to gather their things or leave. 

I took that as a compliment to my wonderful party planning and home-made food. Or maybe it was the margaritas and helium.