Day 122
05/09/09 13:44 Filed in: Diary
Did you do anything to mark the children returning to school? Did you go out for a day trip or shop for last minute school clothes? We had a bbq for some of the children and their parents. It worked great despite the weather. Who says you need sun!
Well, it was not really bbq weather, but who cares. My partner put up our gazebo, (its second outing already!), and I put the cloth on the picnic table in readiness. It was just grey with a threat of rain, but we carried on regardless. We thought if it does rain we could all huddle under the gazebo. Or at least the adults could, the children wouldn't care, they probably wouldn't even notice.
Usually whenever we have any sort of party in the afternoon or early evening I neglect to buy something for our lunch. I am usually too busy concentrating on making it good for the guests that I don't have time to make food for the family beforehand. Either that or I think I have bought sufficient batches and fillings for the day only to find there is no spare for lunch. Today I was more prepared. I had pizza's for them to eat and decided I was going to make some pasta and sauce for me, (I hate cheese!). Sounds good? The trouble is because I don't eat pizza I always think there is loads there only to find they eat it in seconds and then look for more. I then had to stop them from eating the goodies I had bought for later.
The kids played nicely whilst they waited for their friends, for a couple of hours anyway. Then the impatience started. I can always tell when it is getting closer to arrival time as they get more excited and more noughty with each other. They squabble and winge as they struggle more and more to occupy themselves whilst they wait. Its funny really because when nobody is visiting they can play for much longer on their own without any trouble. It is like the anticipation makes them all irritable.
They each had a disproportionate number of friends arrive. Our son, not going to school here, only knows the two boys in our road. Youngest only had the younger brother of one of her sisters friends, (It is a good job she gets on well with him). Our eldest daughter had about six friends. Some of the parents stayed, some didn't. So it wasn't a major event. The numbers were quite small. But I think it worked well.
My partner, in traditional male fashion, cooked the bbq food. Whilst I prepared and brought out the accompaniments. I didn't look too prepared when the guests first arrived as I rushed to put garden chairs out on the lawn for everyone. I had asked the boys to do it for me but they only did a half hearted job by leaving them scattered and unopened all over the garden. Talk about if you need a job doing, do it yourself. I soon got into the swing of things though and I was actually able to sit down and eat at one point!
Surprisingly there were only one set of tears on the day. Youngest cried because one of the other children accidentally broke an old water pistol. They had been chasing each other with it but, abandoned on the floor, it had been crunched in the rush for some goodies when they emerged from the kitchen. I don't know why youngest was so upset. I don't even think it was hers. But I promised to get her another one tomorrow. She couldn't understand why I couldn't go and get another one straight away, but eventually accepted tomorrow would have to do. Oh, to be a child again where the biggest problem is a broken water pistol!
Everyone enjoyed the food and thought the get together was a great idea. I will have to see what next year brings in terms of weather, time and money. I may do a bigger event. After all youngest will have some friends of her own then. Not more little ones, says my partner. He can't wait!
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Usually whenever we have any sort of party in the afternoon or early evening I neglect to buy something for our lunch. I am usually too busy concentrating on making it good for the guests that I don't have time to make food for the family beforehand. Either that or I think I have bought sufficient batches and fillings for the day only to find there is no spare for lunch. Today I was more prepared. I had pizza's for them to eat and decided I was going to make some pasta and sauce for me, (I hate cheese!). Sounds good? The trouble is because I don't eat pizza I always think there is loads there only to find they eat it in seconds and then look for more. I then had to stop them from eating the goodies I had bought for later.
The kids played nicely whilst they waited for their friends, for a couple of hours anyway. Then the impatience started. I can always tell when it is getting closer to arrival time as they get more excited and more noughty with each other. They squabble and winge as they struggle more and more to occupy themselves whilst they wait. Its funny really because when nobody is visiting they can play for much longer on their own without any trouble. It is like the anticipation makes them all irritable.
They each had a disproportionate number of friends arrive. Our son, not going to school here, only knows the two boys in our road. Youngest only had the younger brother of one of her sisters friends, (It is a good job she gets on well with him). Our eldest daughter had about six friends. Some of the parents stayed, some didn't. So it wasn't a major event. The numbers were quite small. But I think it worked well.
My partner, in traditional male fashion, cooked the bbq food. Whilst I prepared and brought out the accompaniments. I didn't look too prepared when the guests first arrived as I rushed to put garden chairs out on the lawn for everyone. I had asked the boys to do it for me but they only did a half hearted job by leaving them scattered and unopened all over the garden. Talk about if you need a job doing, do it yourself. I soon got into the swing of things though and I was actually able to sit down and eat at one point!
Surprisingly there were only one set of tears on the day. Youngest cried because one of the other children accidentally broke an old water pistol. They had been chasing each other with it but, abandoned on the floor, it had been crunched in the rush for some goodies when they emerged from the kitchen. I don't know why youngest was so upset. I don't even think it was hers. But I promised to get her another one tomorrow. She couldn't understand why I couldn't go and get another one straight away, but eventually accepted tomorrow would have to do. Oh, to be a child again where the biggest problem is a broken water pistol!
Everyone enjoyed the food and thought the get together was a great idea. I will have to see what next year brings in terms of weather, time and money. I may do a bigger event. After all youngest will have some friends of her own then. Not more little ones, says my partner. He can't wait!
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