Can a back yard party be just a back yard party? Ask Nana!

June 7, 2012

It’s not like I’m the first person to ever throw a party. It’s even less likely that I’m the first person to throw a birthday party at their house. But I may win the most crazy one while doing so.

I’ve already been baking for weeks. The requirement being that everything must be “Gabby friendly.” Fortunately in the world of baking, its not that hard (no dairy). The pressure in the baking arena comes from the fact that my mentor is none other than Nana (aka my grandma). Some of you may feel the urge to pipe right in now about how great a cook or bake your relative is, I promise you there is no one to rival Nana.

For the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, my 80 plus year old grandma makes 13 different kind of cookies. We are not talking “slap on a cookie sheet and call it a cookie” kind of cookies. We are talking about rolling dough, assembling just so, a certain moistness that most people can’t grasp day of let alone after freezing.

And it doesn’t just end with baking, she is the best cook that has ever existed. The lady has never even cut corners and surrendered to bagged salad! She does everything from scratch. Some people may have thought that gefilte fish originates from a jar, not Nana’s.

My grandma is one of my strongest supporters and there’s no doubt that she will be thrilled with the party I throw and the baked goods I serve. The problem lies in the fact that what has been taught me the “bare minimum” is so much, so exhausting and so time consuming that it could drive an already nutty person such as myself crazy! My mom recently said that I didn’t need to make the party so elaborate, I tried to explain that I was just doing the bare minimum! I guess it’s all about perception.

I expect this one day, my kids’ joint 4 and 2 year old birthday party, to be the best. I want the weather to be gorgeous, I want the house to look its best, I want the activities to be well structured, I want the food to be delicious, I want the baked goods to be perfect, I want my kids to look great (in non-sports clothing), and I want everyone to have fun. That sounds like perfection to me and we all know that there’s no such thing as perfection. So how do you teach a perfectionist that everything could just turn out fine. It could be a little cloudy and chilly, and the party will still be good. The activities could be a little disorganized and the kids will still have fun. Yadda yadda. How do I keep a little backyard party as a backyard party? I think I can thank Nana for that, right?

3 thoughts on “Can a back yard party be just a back yard party? Ask Nana!

  1. I am so happy to hear that you are actually having a house birthday party. In this day and age, everyone tries to outdo everyone else with super expensive parties in all sorts of party places and restaurants. It shouldn’t be all about how elaborate a child’s party can be or a competition. I’m proud of you for having an old-fashioned party. This is where the real fun is, and much more intimate. Hope you have a wonderful party.

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