Grad Bash

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Annalisse's FHS graduation was June 20. Annalisse's grad party was July 20. One super, super busy month. A month that included the kids going to work at their camp jobs and our trip to LV, topped off by several days of intense prep and set up (which we could not have accomplished without the help of our awesome neighbor, Morey, and the fact that Mark was home on Thursday and Friday to get the outside ready) for an outdoor grad party on a day that called for rain. Whew.

Well, the party was this past Saturday and everything was perfect! My trusty iPhone told me that the rain would clear by 1pm, just in time for the 2pm party start time. When it was still raining at 1pm I did not panic but remained faithful to my trusty Weather App. By 1:30 the skies had cleared and the sun was peaking out, so we got to work cleaning off tables and putting the table cloths on. All was ready to go by 2 and the party began!

The appetizer table was set with Mom Shiao's much-missed homemade eggrolls (almost 300 of them!), Grandma Pat's yummy corned beef bread dip, and my sister Carol's amazing meatballs, among other things. We featured two types of keg beer and jugs of iced tea and lemonade as I am not a fan of bottle returns (yuck), and we also had wine available. People started trickling in and the kids settled in at tables with their pals, as friends and relatives steadily filled the tables under the tents and on the patio, enjoying what turned out to be a beautiful day.

Around 4pm we put the spread out (catered by Annalisse's old job, Otto Tomotto's) and the food was delicious but there was way too much of it. Carol's boyfriend, Paul made a great antipasti salad and my sister, Mary, had also brought a salad and some great Italian bread from Watertown. I don't think anyone left hungry.

After dinner there was more hanging around and we started cleaning up around 7pm. After that we built a bonfire on the patio and relaxed until we headed into the house for the night.

It was wonderful having a lot of our family and friends there to share the day, and I think Annalisse had a great time, which is one of the most important things. Another important milestone has passed and I'm looking forward to slowing down and having a low-to-no pressure rest of the summer!!

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