Party Planning

When I was, oh, about fifteen years old, I told my mom that I never, ever wanted to host a party at a house of my own.

My mom looked bewildered and asked why I would say such a thing.

I lamented that I wouldn’t know what to serve for food and drinks, I wouldn’t know what to do to keep people entertained, I’d just be overwhelmed by the sheer responsibility of being the host that I would lose my mind.

My mom smiled and assured me that by the time I reached adulthood, hosting a party wouldn’t seem like such a big deal.

Alyssa is turning nine next Saturday. We sent invitations to her class on Wednesday for a party. Yes, her entire class.

I felt bad last year when we sent all of six invitation to school for a skating party. Skating is expensive, you see. But having people come to your own house? That’s not so expensive at all.

So that’s what we did.

I assured Tom that not everyone will come, so he can stop hyperventilating about the prospect of 23 third graders converging on our home.

But you know what? My mom was right. This isn’t that big a deal.

There will be cake, there will be punch. We’ll have other salty and sweet snack offerings as well as hotdogs and cheese for the protein lovers out there. (There is protein in hotdogs, right?)

We’ll have a movie playing on one of the televisions and I’ll have a few games planned. There will be prizes.

The three hours we’ve set aside for the party will fly by.

And if they don’t? Well, it’s one afternoon. It’ll be fun no matter what.

And the most important thing? Alyssa’s so very, very excited.

I do so dig being the mom.