BLOGGERS WHO BRUNCH..............or how to have fun on a Sunday afternoon!

I Have Never had a party before.....not in 61 years!!

Oh I have had the ladies over for lunch but with limited space over at the old

Homestead

Six was about my maximum...and that's counting ME!!

So when I moved on up to Here......

The first thing I wanted to do was have a party and of course who else would I invite

But the Bloggers.....and the New Neighbors!!

So this past Sunday I hosted my first official party and I think it went pretty well....

Come on inside and join us......All twenty one of us.

When we first moved in the Boss wondered what we needed with a big dining room.....

He doesn't wonder that any longer......

I tried to have as much seating as possible and this table

was able to hold 7 of my guests....

Of course if anyone knows me you know that this is an "after party"

Staged photo because I forgot to light the candles

on Sunday....

Hey...I'm allowed I cooked straight for two days...

I was bleary eyed......they looked lit to me!!

I did find these adorable paper place mats at

Anthropology and I placed them all over the house where seating was available....

I had my menu decided weeks ago and only needed to

figure out how much of each thing to make....

So I called upon my Best Friend in the entire world

Nunzie from Jersey

And with us both being Italians our Motto is....

"You Can Never Have Too Much Food"...

we had salads and ham and quiche and I even had a big crock pot of

Tomato Basil Soup....and muffins and chicken salad and more things then I can remember...

There was enough food to feed a small army

And I forgot to take a picture of the dessert bar.....

Thanks to whoever brought those delicious Rocky Road Brownies.....

I got to use my "Rue Mouffetard" plate that Ellen the blogger in Michigan painted for me....

My attempt at a "cheese board".....

those little wedges were really good...

One was cranberry...the other apricot...

I had the island decorated with pots of fresh herbs....

I thought it was a very Frenchy Touch....

I loved that all the ladies mingled even though a lot of them were meeting for the first time...

That lady in white and black with her back to the camera

is my Realtor....

She schmoozed the entire room.....

Being the best realtor in Atlanta I hope she picked up

some business....

After all she did find us this fabulous house....

Thank goodness for the Pottery Barn over sized couch.....

the Ladies sat there to eat and chit chat with each other...and there was a

Tremendous amount of laughter....

That would be left to right....

CCCatherine.....Debbie the Plate Addict.....Rose the Santamaker and Luwanna.....

back to the refreshments....

I did make this really good punch using Tropicana Peach Orchard Punch

2/3rds of it to 1/3 of the Mountain Valley sparkling water...

I added a few peach slices to the pitcher so the peeps would know what it was.....

Rose thought the peach was a lemon so

I don't know how successful I was....

And in true Sue Fashion....

I had two more containers in the fridge and I forgot to refill the pitcher when it was

empty....I wish someone would have said something.....

I'm surprised I remembered to unlock the front door to let people in.....

After we ate and I gave out door prizes.....because every good party should have

"Door Prizes"

we moved outside to get some pictures ....

The weather was gorgeous and I wanted a group shot

before all the ladies started to leave...

But not before we caught Rose trying to run off with the Boss'

new set of wheels....

Speaking of the Boss he managed some how to get in on the picture and

Once again it was Rose "the true life of the party"

who dubbed this picture....

"The Boss and his Sister Wives".....

is this not the perfect back drop for a group picture....

I had to get into at least one picture....

And have I mentioned they came bearing gifts!!

Ex-Neighbor Necie brought this fabulous box of French soaps

They smell as good as they look....

Cheryl of JoJo's Joys brought this

magnificent orchid plant....

and a delicious blueberry cheese strudel....

Thank You Cheryl!!

I just have to figure out how not to kill it.....it truly is beautiful...

Totally out of order picture.....

these were the party favors I made for everyone....

I had to explain NOT to light them as some people thought they were candles...

No.....white chocolate....

I had a lot of fun making them....

And then Blogger Cheri from Commerce made everyone an adorable felt

flower pin.....they came in all sorts of wonderful colors....

Thanks Cheri for making them for the gang!!

and Cheri almost didn't come......Hey Lady...I'm glad you decided to join us!

Back to my personal "stash"

Now let me explain just how brain dead I can be at times.....

when the ladies all arrived they handed me these wonderful bags and bottles and I

placed them down in the Library in a nice little pile....

I suppose I should have opened them before everyone left???

I didn't.....

Okay you know where this is going don't you.....

With the memory of a Flea when I went to open them after the fact

I forgot who gave me what.....

a few of the bags had names on them but the rest did not.....

SO.....I apoligize to all you wonderful women who brought hostess gifts because I

have no idea who gave me what!!!!!

I do know that this came from

Miss All Things French....

that would be Debbie of Confessions of a Plate Addict....

Thanks Debbie....I love it!

CCCatherine

brought me her beautiful note cards and some edible goodies....

Thanks CC....

Bonnie....The Artist"......framed the portrait of Boo that she painted for us last year

and included a great chocolate cookbook....

So the party came to an end and with very very sore feet I climbed this very

long staircase to retreat up to the sanctuary.....

I would like to Give a Huge thank you to all the ladies for accepting my

invitation and for all the lovely gifts you brought...You know who you are....

DENISE....ANET.....BONNIE....DEBBIE.....SUSAN.....KATHY.....LUWANNA..

STEPHANIE.......STEPHANIE'S MOM.....CHERYL

DEBBIE......ROSE......CCCATHERINE.....LYNN.....KIM.....BABS.....KELLY..

AMY.....CHERI.....AND SANDIE.....

WE MISSED YOU LINDA!!! and we hope you'll be back home from Texas real soon...

Watch for the Staircase in my next post as you'll finally get to see the

Finally finished being decorated

second floor of the house....