Simple Summit: Worry Free Birthday Party Prep

The first few parties I've hosted in our home were huge compared to the small get together I'm planning for j. They felt enormous and oftentimes were thrown together last minute. They weren't fancy, but still fun. I worked with it.

But if you have two small children and would like to maintain your wits and sanity, some more advance preparations can really help the process. Normally we would grill out freshly patted and seasoned hamburgers, but our meal, this time, will be a much simpler fare - a one dish meal with some snacks to go on the side.

There is nothing wrong with a wonderfully planned party, but sometimes it's nice to just be able to sit down and be relaxed instead of stressed out before your guests come. I think instead of trying to have a birthday party with a wedding worthy decoration, I will stick to a simpler preparation this time.

And just in case you are wondering, here are some more tips to keep before having guests over:

Decorate early. I mean the night before early if possible. This way you wake up relaxed knowing that part of the planning process is done already. That also goes for dishes and utensils. Maybe not the night before, but definitely before the big wave of guests arrives.
Prepare snacks in advance. I have made my main fruit and vegetable displays the night before and the day of the party just had to get them out of the fridge, take off the plastic wraps and re-arrange a little bit. It worked great for keeping my cool in the frenzied mess that is usually going on at the party countdown.
As stated above, simple meals. Pizza maybe?
Don't sweat the small stuff. Cover what you can and for everything else, go with the flow. I have had it happen that the guest of honor had arrived an hour before the guests for her surprise birthday party. It happens and makes for fun memories to laugh at later.