Let the FUN Begin!

Until now Dave has been carrying the weight around here, while I sit and make lists. Sooo many lists. 

Today was my first day of REAL labor.

I ironed. Until I thought I might drop dead.

All the table cloths (7 really big ones) and somewhere around a million bandanas. Okay, maybe not a million, or even close, but it sure felt like it.

I forgot to take the before pic. They were a hot mess, and a much more impressive stack, when they were a crumpled mass.

I did manage to get a shot of the mountain of table cloths. 

After. All under control and safely stored in the guest room closet.

I spent an hour fluffing the tissue pom poms back into recognition. Thankfully, they were not damaged by the Great Basement Flood of 2k11, but they were smushed into two little boxes.

I'm working on gathering all the supplies and decorations in the closet. I'm almost done, but still need to get to the party store for more plates and paper cups for the kids.

I've decided that it might be cheaper, and more green, to buy more bandanas instead of paper napkins. We've already got a ton.

Most of the silverware is clean and ready to go.

16 bottles of (cheap) merlot for the Sangria.

After the ironing and fluffing, I switched over to waffle making. Since we'll have a house full as well as a bunch of campers, we'll be serving waffles with maple syrup and fruit for breakfast on Sunday.

Hey, if you're staying in VT for the night, you should come by for some waffles!!

Franklin was super interested in the waffle making. 

I made 6 batches of Belgian waffles, which sadly only made 42 waffles. I might make another batch next weekend. They're all double wrapped in foil and stored in the bakery freezer.

I got some breakfast sausages at the Farmer's Market yesterday, but I'm sure I'll need more.

Midway through my first batch of waffles, it was time for a drink.

I didn't even think to take a photo of the waffle making process, which probably would have been more interesting than a pile of wrinkled table cloths.

My drink is interesting though? No? 

I got this awesome glass at a thrift SUPERSTORE in Brattleboro a couple of months ago. I also got some cheap silverware there. Some of you will be lucky enough to use it. (not the glass, the silverware)

I lurve my Peanuts glass. Evidently this was made before Lucy switched careers and became a psychiatrist.

Here are some of my lists. A map/plan-o-gram for the tent and table set up, the menu, grocery list, to do list, things to buy list, things to buy online list, and a second to do list. 

I almost forgot!! There are also a few pages of How To Host a Pie Contest!!

I'll be posting the Pie Contest info tomorrow, so if anyone has a super monkey, fabulous pie recipe that you'd like to make and enter in the contest, check back Tuesday!!

We're also looking for Judges for the pie contest.

And just so you know, I'm not making a pie for the contest.

This is my Party Binder. I keep my lists, recipes and receipts in there. I'll be making more detailed lists as we get closer, so detailed they'll have timelines and schedules.

I'm a little bit insane, but I'm hoping this will be the best Hoedown yet, and I'll be able to relax and enjoy  some time with you all.

(those are Dave's Doritos BTW) We won't have those at the Hoedown. Unless I can make them from scratch. NOT.

In case you hadn't noticed, I'm watermark crazy. 

Don't forget to check back for Pie Contest rules and info, the menu and more exciting footage of my crazy party preparations.