I got online and made notes about ideas that stood out but then I realized that I didn't want to do someone else's idea this time. I wanted to see what I could come up with on my own. So I thought about past activities I've been to and what I did and didn't like about them, what seemed to get the best turn out, etc.
In the end I decided on an adult progressive dinner where we would stay in the gym and switch tables and groups instead of houses. I knew this would take some planning because it would be the little details that made it run smoothly. I originally scheduled the building for March 13th, which is also Friday the 13th so I went with a black and white theme. Sadie has black round table cloths that I knew I could get my hands on and all the silver sparkly decor for centerpieces that one could want. Decor? Check. Though the sisters and I have seen this decor time and again I reminded her that it's new to Heber! In checking with the bishop he said the 20th would be better because he would be out of town on the 13th but at least it had gotten my brain juices flowing.
I've spent time over the last three months coming up with menu ideas and settled on an Italian four course meal: Course 1. Appetizer-Cheese Ball and Crackers. Course 2. Salad-Caesar. Course 3. Main-Lasagna (meat and vegetarian) and Bread sticks with dipping sauces. Course 4 Dessert-Black and White Brownie. How perfect that there is such thing as a black and white brownie?? I went with my mom's suggestion and invited everyone to come dressed in black and white. This seemed to peak people's interest and they all did come dressed accordingly except for one guy in a blue and white striped shirt. I don't know what he was trying to prove!
I passed sign ups around through march not only asking if people would be able to come but also if they could bake a lasagna and bring it hot to the church that night. I did the grocery shopping for the party the Wednesday before and my kids took all but two lasagna's and a brownie mix around for me. I went with Ava that night and we delivered invitations around to my assigned area (I had four others on my committee who took the rest). It felt like I was back in my RS presidency days in Orem as I put flyers on doors. It was a good feeling. I felt like for the first time in a while I was doing exactly what I was suppose to be.
The high priests were assigned to set up the tables but the high priest group leader said he wouldn't be able to get there till the day of at 4pm. Yikes! I was hoping to be done by then. Soooooo at 9 pm the night before I brought my six babes over to the church and we had it done in an hour. It was good for the kids to help I think, especially little Callie. (As you can guess, Matt was conveniently out of town...again).
That night I had so much adrenalin running through me I could not sleep. I tried to pinpoint, Was I nervous? Excited? Maybe a little of both. I knew I could lay there and get nothing done and run every worse case scenario through my head or get up and act. I spent from 1-3 am getting the table rotations ready and then went to bed. I didn't feel tired at all the next day and was in pure robot mode. I knew that no matter what type of planning I did beforehand there would be something holding me up at the end. It turned out to be that I decided to sew a bow tie that morning for one of the greeters. I had gone to Provo to get one from Lindsey the day before but I decided I needed another one.
Both my committee members that were possibly going to help set up both called with other obligations. They wouldn't be able to be at the church till about an hour and a half before it started. I wasn't disappointed just a little overwhelmed. I mean, I knew it was a lot for one person to set up, but at the same time I didn't want a bunch of other kids running around and decided a peaceful long set up was better than a crazy fast one. And it was a long one. I started when I dropped Grayson off at school at 12:30 and finished at 4:30 but I was really pleased with how it looked. The big time-hog was trying to get the wrapping paper strips to not pull off the wall and take the twinkle lights down with it. For this reason I was SO glad I had ironed the table cloths beforehand. Each table had a centerpiece as well as the appropriate amount of utensils, plates, and napkins for the evening. It also it had three envelopes which read; To Opened During Course (one, two, three) as Directed. In addition, each table had the rotation numbers hidden somewhere. I was kind of glad I was by myself cause how could I have explained all that to the committee? Oh, each table also had a menu and a couple of battery operated tea lights. 
I had loaded Graham's bike in the car and Callie's exersaucer and so they were pretty well entertained. The kids came straight to the church after school and thought it was fun to see it all set up. I had enough time to take them home and give instructions for dinner and to change into my own black and white before heading back to the church. I also ate because I knew I wouldn't be able to at the party. That was also some advice from the former chairman. 
I met my committee at the church and let them take the reigns on the food. For how particular I was with the set up I was more than flexible when it came to the food and I thought all their suggestions were great ones. I wanted all the food kept in the kitchen though and only the drink table to be in the cultural hall. They put together the appetizer trays and salads for each table. During each course I asked the table to choose someone to be their server and that person came and got the food with the exception of the main course, which we brought out so that people could cut their piece of lasagna as big as they wanted and have seconds. 
I used Jon and Lindsey's Halloween party as inspiration for the beginning and had a red carpet (paper) for people to walk on as they arrived with classical music playing. The two greeters were in top hats and bow ties. They invited those entering to enjoy punch and to please put their name on their cup (they took their cup with them through each rotation and could fill up at their leisure). 
I let people mingle and arrive for about 15 minutes before beginning. During the first course they opened the envelope and were instructed to discuss as a group something unusual, embarrassing, or something funny about someone in their group and then choose a spokesperson to share it. Then we all guessed who it was. Matt asked me later, "Were they pretty funny things?" I said, "I honestly wasn't paying much attention but people were laughing about something to do with Bro. Barnie having a hole in the seat of his pants." It wasn't until the end of the first course that I instructed them to take a number off the bottom of their chair and move as a couple to the table that matched that number for their next course
During the second course the envelope instructed them to come up with a definition for the word Paraskevidekatriaphobics. A spokesperson from each table shared at the mic what they came up with. Here's an example: A person afraid of jumping out of a plane in their skivvies while being videotaped. All were equally as silly. Then I told the real meaning which actually means: Fear of Friday the 13th. They continued to enjoy their salad while I filled a bowl on each table with fortune cookies. 
At the end of course two they opened the cookie and it revealed which table they went to next. I never tasted the punch but it must have been good because the punch bowls had to be refilled several times (I delegated that to the committee). They used the in-between times to re-fill their cups. It was easier than trying to make sure each table had enough punch and water
Folks dishing up the main dish: LasagnaDuring the third course they opened the envelope and were instructed to add up their ages as a table.
The Bishops table won as the oldest table and they each received a prize of word searches to keep their minds sharp.
The youngest table won baby wipes. For the last rotation they opened a bag at each table that had the number where they went for their dessert. I just let them visit during this round cause people were pretty loosened up my then. Everyone had mingled with most everyone else and I noted everyone talking and laughing with each other. The whole dinner took over tow hours but people stayed the whole time. One couple had to leave soon after we started to go to their daughters event but they came right back, "We found a ride home for our daughter, this was too pretty to miss!" Another lady told me, "I was planning on just coming for the beginning but it was too fun to leave." And a member of the bishopric told me, "I am NOT a party person and I can honestly say I had FUN!"
Needless to say, I was so pleased with how it turned out. I can't picture ever doing an adult dinner now where everyone sits with the same group the whole time. Maybe this will be my annual spring party, we'll see.
Everyone was SO helpful in taking everything down. Five hours to put up. Twenty minutes to take down. One lady on my committee stayed in the kitchen the entire time and kept up on dishes. Another member took the leftovers to ward members. These were both very helpful things. I presented them each with a chocolate rose towards the end of the evening.
The next day I surveyed my house after being neglected for 72 hours straight. Aside from a couple of hours that we attended Mallerie's piano festival I spent the day putting it back together till 11o'clock that night...then I went grocery shopping. I was gone when Matt got back into town. I sort of drug around on Sunday trying to keep myself awake and alert during the Draper Temple dedication but it was hard. That night my months of loafing around came back to bite me as ALL my muscles were so sore! Even my toes ached.
But yes it was worth it.
So you can see why back in November when Matt was one of the people in charge of the Elder's Quorum party and the morning of he was still trying to decide what meat to make, I well...I couldn't even wrap my brain around it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
