HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY Michelle

One of my friends, Michelle, turned 40!  Of course, you have to have a PARTY!!!  No matter if they say: I want the day to skip me by, I don't want a party, I don't want anything, I want to ignore the fact that I am turning 40.  


Kathy & I have been planning this deal for several weeks and today was The Day!  I won't go into all the laboring details that will bore you on how we got this to work and obtained a list of fiddle players she knows and plays music with whom we had no connections with, but let me tell you persistence and determination pays off!  


We got the guest list completed of friends and mailed out the hand made invitations.  With 21 RSVPs, we started firming up our plans.

The Menu:

Marinated Grilled Chicken

Cilantro Lime Rice

Veggie Skewers

Roasted Carrots

Balsamic Glazed Asparagus

French Bread

Sweet Tea

Water

Oreo Mud Pie

Strawberry Cheesecake

The plan was for Michelle to meet me at my house at 7pm so that I could take her out to dinner, in this case a restaurant of her choice and she picked Del Norte.  BTW: If you are a local and have not been there, ummm, they have really good food!


I love planning parties, helping with parties and hosting parties...but the one thing that I have not mastered is how to plan the event, cook some of the food, be the host...AND take PICTURES!  Yah, you got it, I can't seem to do all that though believe me I wish I could.  So, the following are the last minute shots I got.  You will have to use your imagination as they are missing all the really pretty, nice finery and details that made this event so special...some of which were white cloth napkins with napkin ring, clear glass goblet sparkling with an ice cold beverage, the individual name place settings with a pink stamped flower, the white plates before they were filled with food, the mix of white flowers with a touch of deep purple, and a picture of everyone with the party girl!

in my backyard, the Guests enjoying the evening and visiting after dinner

Joy, Michelle, and Sherry {L-R}

Joey with the guitar & Jillian with the fiddle

they played us 3 pieces

Joey with the guitar & Michelle with the fiddle

they played us 2 pieces

It was a really fun event and I am grateful to everyone that came and participated for this special occasion for Michelle!  and doubly sweet for everyone that was such a good sport when I burnt the bread when I put it in the oven to get it hot...wow, that was some charred french bread top!!!