Last Thursday night I hosted my husband's partners and their wives for a dinner party in our home. Historically, I have been quite the reluctant entertainer. I have been evolving in the realm of hospitality as my children get a bit older and I have the gift of more time. With a couple of Thanksgivings, a dozen or so potluck dinners, cookouts and casual soup & chili meals under my belt, I decided to go for preparing the whole meal...a nice sit down affair for ten people.
My husband took care of the steaks, while I provided salad (pear, pecan, goat cheese and cranberry over mixed greens), Barefoot Contessa's parmesan roasted asparagus, Pioneer Woman's homemade mashed potatoes and my friend Beth's recipe for a delicious warm cranberry apple crisp for dessert (a la mode).
As guests arrived I was remarkably at ease and dare I say confident. I couldn't think of a detail I had left unattended. The tables were set, dinner was almost prepared, my home was decorated and clean, candles were lit, fresh hand towels and holly cuttings were in the restrooms, wine was chilled, Christmas music was playing, children were tucked away...I felt so proud that I was really becoming a grown up. (I confess I had even started writing my encouraging post to young Mamas in my head about how much easier it all gets once the kids are in school and you have time to think and prepare.) Pride always comes before the fall.
A few minutes into dinner my sweet friend Laurie, a Mama of four, emerged from the powder room with a grin on her face.
"You should be glad I was the first one to visit your bathroom."
"Oh no, what happened?"
Her grin widened to a full laugh as she replied, "One of your sweet children left a nice prize in the potty. I knew it was from a kiddo because there wasn't a trace of toilet paper involved."
Children: The ultimate dose of humility. :-)
5 comments:
LOVE this post! You make me smile!
Hilarious! Even with that, it sounds like smooth sailing to me. You did good!
Thanks for the Smiles today. Sounds so familiar. I always warn quests...we have three 6 year olds...you never know what you might find! Gotta love it.
Happy Holidays!
Love this! Has happened quite a few times to be before! With four children under 9, it's bound too! :-)
I have been enjoying your blog for several months, and am just now commenting for the first time. Let me just say that your children are positively captivating, and I so enjoy your words of wisdom, which I often regard as a daily 'devotion'. This most recent posting reminded me of the time we were having a Christmas party, with friends who had become like family, and their own children. I happened to catch one of my four advising one of our guests as they entered the powder room, "Don't use the pretty towels - they're just for special company"!!!!
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