Retirement Party

I love throwing parties, mostly so I can meticulously plan the menu and cook for days in preparation .  I enjoy the actual party too, but the process before the party is a big draw for me as well.  I haven't had a real party in years (though we've had plenty of dinner parties), so when I knew I was quitting my job and would have free time to cook up a big feast, I immediately sent out the evites.

Somehow I got it in my head that my retirement party should be a BBQ, but the kind without a grill b/c that requires John to do the heavy lifting.  My friends were willing to loan me their slow cookers, so I made two slow cookers full of pulled pork and one slow cooker full of pulled chicken.

Naturally we had potato salad and cole slaw as sides - along with fruit salad, tomato salad, and guacamole.  Natalie made an enormous amount of brownies and I made a batch of whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. It turns out, we made enough food for double the amount of guests, but I tend to err on that side.

Lots of our friends, including my buddies from work, were able to make it down to Mountain View for the party.  Harper was the hit of the party with the toddler set (she and the sidewalk chalk I bought).  My swollen ankles reached record size that day, but it was well worth it.

I'm thinking our next big party will be in about a year when I got absolutely nuts planning our daughter's first birthday party.  Pretty crazy to think about that now!