Throwing a party is all about organization… and delegation; especially if you’re not at home all weekend, and will be arriving home only 30 minutes before your guests arrive!
Bill and I have a summer kick-off barbecue every Memorial Day weekend and invite about 60 families. It started off about ten years ago with four other families and has grown a little bigger each year!
Back in April when I finally got into a Road Runners Club of America Coaching Certification Course which just happened to be on Memorial Day weekend, I was torn as to whether or not to take it… for about two seconds. I quickly signed up for the course before it filled up, and decided I’d worry about our annual barbecue later!
That night after I got confirmation that I was in the class, I gave my family three options:
- Cancel the barbecue (we hadn’t sent out invitations yet)
- Reschedule for July 4th
- Hold it anyway, but Bill, Joseph, and Daniel would have to do most of the work
We voted unanimously for the latter!
Here’s what we did during the week to make it happen…
- Thursday:
- Deb – Clean basement
- Deb – Shop at Costco
- Friday:
- Deb – Shop at grocery store for items not available at Costco
- Deb – Make baked beans and hotdog chili
- Deb – Set up tables in basement
- Deb – Get out plates, flatware, glasses, etc.
- Bill – Set up outdoor bar, coolers, etc.
- Bill and Deb – Decorate deck
- Saturday:
- Bill – Power wash deck
- Bill – Plan playlist and make CD’s
- Happy Trails – Cut the grass
- Bill and Deb – Attend community Memorial Day event and fireworks display
- Sunday:
- Bill – Final set-up
- Joseph and Daniel – Pick up ice and last-minute items from grocery store
- Joseph and Daniel – Put drinks and ice in coolers
- Joseph and Daniel – Set up games in back yard
- Tammy – Help set up, serve, and clean up
- Friends – Bring appetizers, side-dishes, and desserts
- Bill – Grill
- Everyone – Have a great time!
- Of course, no matter how perfectly you plan each detail, things can go differently than planned:
- You might forget and leave your RRCA Coaching Manual at class, and spend 30 minutes when you get home trying to contact someone to make sure it’s available to be picked up on Tuesday
- Your helper might forget about the party, and show up over an hour late, leaving you in the kitchen doing last-minute food prep as your guests are arriving
- One of your guests might fall through one of your chairs…
Even with minimal things going wrong, we had a great time, and that can be attributed to our wonderful family, friends, and neighbors who attended our barbecue!
- Questions:
- How was your weekend?
- Have you ever had everything planned to the tiniest detail, yet things didn’t go quite as planned?
- Did you attend any Memorial Day parades or community events honoring our Nation’s heroes?
I love your basement rug!! Glad you were able to have your annual party and get your certification. Woo-hoo!
Kimberly Westrich recently posted…Ringing in Hope Race Recap
Thanks, and believe it or not, I got the rug at Home Depot! It had been a special order that was returned, so they had it marked down. I had been looking at it in a rug catalog, but was nervous to order it without seeing it first and didn’t want to pay shipping. It worked out perfectly!
Mmmmm, those cupcakes look delicious!! What a cute idea. Glad you still had the party.
Nicole @ Work in Sweats Mama recently posted…Unfortunate Pool Sightings
They tasted as good as they look!
wow you guys are brave for hosting a party with that many people!! Sounds like so much fun! Those cupcakes look yummy! Did you make them?
And how exciting that you got in for the RRCA certification course!! I keep checking the website for courses that open up near me. I may not be ready for the course, but I would at least like the opportunity to give it a try.
Lindsey @One Mother of a Day recently posted…Whole30 week 4: food prep + meal planning {Bonus: Memorial Day menu}
The cupcakes were absolutely amazing, and they were the little ones so I didn’t feel too guilty eating one… or two… or three! One of my running friends made them.
The RRCA coaching course was excellent. There were people of all experience levels in my class. There were definitely a few with less experience than you.
Good job to the helpers for stepping up. Most of our parties are loosely planned because something always comes up. We got the family together to bbq and do some wedding stuff. All possible because of the wonderful people in our armed forces.
The running schlub recently posted…Memorial Day & Finally Group Runs
Last minute parties are usually so much fun because you didn’t know you were going to have a fun evening, and then it just happens!
Wow-what a party! Next year you need to expand the party to invite all your loyal readers! Ha! Hope you were able to get your book back safely today 🙂
Amy recently posted…Girls Weekend
My son works near the physical therapy center where the class was held, and he just texted to say he’d gotten it!
If you’re in the area next year on Memorial Day weekend, you’ve got an open invitation!
I love the kind of parties with friends who all bring something – they are usually all good with just going with whatever happens!! Glad you were able to get the training in and pull of the party!
Kim recently posted…18 Years Ago
Most of our neighborhood parties are like that with everyone bringing something. It’s a lot easier on the hostess, and we’ve discovered that we get together much more often when it isn’t such a burden on the hosting family. It almost always works out really well.
Wow! You are quite the party planner! Here is what I do. Hopefully remember to send a Facebook invite. Cook some food. My house is how it is. 🙂
Carla recently posted…Wanna Be Startinâ Somethinâ
It’s true, I do love planning things! Next up is our Annual Pancake Run and Brunch on June 14.
Glad it all worked out! I’m so type-A and I love making to-do lists, so I would have been all over this. Your deck looks great! That chair… not so much, haha.
We host Thanksgiving each year. It’s not a lot of people, but it’s a lot more than I usually cook for. I plan everything, and something always goes wrong. You just have to roll with it 🙂
Things not going as planned adds a little spice to the event!
Your party sounds like a blast, and I love how patriotic the deck and food is!! Sounds fun!
And I cannot wait to hear about your coaching class!!
We had a fabulous (two-day) weekend in the mountains!
Abby recently posted…Long weekend & more mountain biking
I love the mountains! I would love to vacation in the mountains along a lake, and maybe pick up water skiing again!
I plan to write about my RRCA coaching class today and post tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Good planning!! Glad you guys still had your party and I hope you write a post about the RRCA course – it’s one I really want to take. Those cupcakes are so cute – love the patriotic theme. 🙂
Carly @ Fine Fit Day recently posted…Fit Mama Friday – Meet Marina G
Thanks! I’m working on the course recap now and hope to have it posted in an hour or two!
[…] home, I moved back into barbecue prep mode, where I’ve spent every spare minute since hitting up Costco on Wednesday afternoon. Since […]
[…] have to keep this post short and sweet because today’s our Annual Summer Kickoff Barbecue. This year we decreased our guest list from 99 families to 44 (and a lot of those are away for the […]
[…] to the summer. In fact, we normally dress up our deck in red, white, and blue to celebrate with an annual Memorial Day barbecue on Sunday afternoon and evening, but sadly, for obvious reasons that won’t be happening this […]