I Saw Things Going Differently in My Head . . .

So, for a long time I've been thinking of having some gals together for lunch. While visiting Ohio, I was invited to a "lunch bunch" which consisted of 5 gals who rotate homes for a gourmet lunch every week. It was fun, classy, delicious, and the kids just seemed to do really well too.

So, I thought, no big deal, I can do this.

Plus, one of my friends is due to have her 3rd child, so I thought it would be good to combine a lunch or "brunch"--which sounds more fancy--with a little shower for her. Turns out she didn't want the attention of a shower. So that idea was partly nixed, although I still thought I'd try to make it more for her with her friends, etc.

In my mind, I envisioned a nicely set table, people arriving to piping hot food. Interesting, fun conversation, with all our children playing together in a quiet, nice way. The food done at the exact hour that the brunch should start. We (as in the adults) eat, with kids in and out. And then the second half, the kitchen gets clean super quick (by itself) while we chat and make these cool bracelets from soda tops. So, I called some friends and we set it for 10 today.

This is how it went:
I wake up at 5, toss and turn for 1/2 hour and get up at 5:30 and work on the computer for about an hour. Then realize the kids aren't getting up anytime soon and fall asleep on the couch til 7:45 when I hear Sierra calling out from her crib saying that she pooped. Good thing: sleeping in. Bad thing: sleeping in and not ready.
Get that all cleaned up and try to read my scriptures while giving S her milk. S keeps wanting me to read her books instead. I try to clean up the kitchen and straighten the house while Bella still sleeps (she never sleeps this late!!!) which I figure is good since it's her first day of afternoon preschool with no nap today. Finally, I wake her up at 8:30 since Sierra waits to eat her breakfast til Bella's up and she just can't wait longer. Bella is in a grumpy mood and puts a pillow over her head for a half hour while S plays in her room and I try to throw myself together. No shower. No time to do hair. Just trying to make myself look presentable at this point.
By 9:15 B is at least up and getting dressed and has a meltdown because she wants her braid down and I tell her I need to redo it. She won't "come here" so I can do it. Crying continues until she looks in a mirror and decides she likes it. Well, at least I'm pretty much ready at this point although I still have a pj shirt with no bra.

I start clearing off the counters and mixing up the crepes which then have to refrigerate. Finally at 9:25 the kids are having breakfast and I'm starting the dishwasher and figuring out the Kisag for whipping cream. We say a prayer for breakfast since I've already lost my temper twice with the kids and am a little stressed at this point. The kids finish up breakfast surprisingly quickly (in 10 minutes) and I look out the window to see a friend pulled up in her car! It's only 9:35! I run downstairs and throw a shirt (and bra) on and joke with her at the door about telling her a half hour late next time. :)

Of course, the table is not set with nice plates or glasses, the crepes are not cooked, the fruit is not cut up. I haven't had a chance to run a hot iron through my hair, so it's a bit crazy. And there's still milk all over the table from breakfast. I come up to the kitchen to find that Bella has spilled a pint of cream all over herself and the floor. Ahhh!!

Needless to say, things did not go as planned. I think Sierra had a few fits during the time frame. In fact, at one point she was screaming so loudly over a string cheese in her hand that she didn't want me to open for her after I had already opened it, and I just decided to tune her out. Luckily, the other moms have multiple kids, so they seemed to understand. In my mind, I thanked them. Plus, I have never made crepes before. I don't think we even ate til 11.

Oh well. Welcome to reality.
I think people had fun. At least I hope they did, even if I was a bit self conscious about everything going smoothly. And I'm glad that this was not a shower for my friend or I would have been embarrassed.

But, I guess this is a learning experience for next time and how I should plan ahead and lower my expectations. . . :)