Crazy Weekend!

Do you ever have those weekends that don't feel like a weekend because you are "working" the whole time and never really get a chance to relax or unplug?  That is me this weekend.  Holy lord has it been incredibly busy! 


Today is my sister's birthday, she is 30 years old.  Wow, did I just say that?  My baby sister whom I helped raise and looked over almost my entire life is 30 today.  Wow...I'm old.


However her husband and I threw her a 30th birthday party yesterday so that people would stay out later and enjoy the company, rather than the day of her birthday (Sunday) where people would leave early to get ready for work the next morning.  So yesterday was totally dedicated to prepping the(ir) house for the party, decorating and prepping all the food.  I also spent a great deal of time on Friday doing last minute shopping and prepping some of the food and drinks.  I made pre-mixed mason jar drinks with margaritas and John Daly's, thank you Pinterest for the idea!


So yesterday was a total blur and in order to keep the party going, I was racing around in the background making sure things went smoothly = no pictures taken.  BOO HISS!!!  I had my camera charged and ready to go to take pictures of the birthday girl and how everything looked and the great food and drinks that were made to post on here so you all could drool...but the camera never even left my purse.  Le sigh.


Though I need to give shout out's here for recipes that received RAVES last night!  The "Knock You On Your Ass Margarita's" from Brittany Gibbons @brittanyherself were a complete HIT!!  I put them in mason jars and threw them in a bucket with ice and they were the first drinks gone...and people RAVED about them.  So if you LOVE margaritas (I don't, bad tequila story for another time) try this recipe, your friends will thank you and your liver will kick you. 
Then the Seven Layer Crazy Greek Dip, complete with the creamy feta, from How Sweet It Is @howsweetitis.  This recipe made a HUGE batch and people could not. stop. eating. it!!!  Addictive in every way (oh no, you don't need chips, I was attacking it last night armed with a spoon, that's how I roll), I'm savoring what was leftover to top my salads with this week. :) 
Then last but not least, the Grilled Corn Orzo Salad from Iowa Girl Eats @Iowagirleats.  This recipe said it served 6, so I was making it for ~20 people as a side dish and doubled the recipe.  HOLY BIG BOWL BATMAN!!  This made SO MUCH salad and it turned out insanely light and refreshing!  The flavors worked so well together with the cool pasta and tomatoes, with the creamy avocado and heat from the chili in the dressing, it was a masterpiece.  Go make it...NOW!!


Today is my sister's actual birthday and also Family Dinner night (our family gets together every Sunday night for dinner together).  Also, the Family Dinner that follows your birthday is your "Birthday Dinner" where the birthday person gets to pick what they want served for dinner and what kind of dessert they want.  It's inevitable that we ask for dishes that are prepared by my mom and she knows that she will be in the kitchen most of that day cooking.  My dad has actually picked up almost all of the cooking over the past years, so there are distinct recipes that are my mom's and my dad can't make.  These recipes usually aren't the healthiest either, so you just indulge and enjoy on these birthday dinner nights.  Tonight is no exception to this rule!  Oriental beef and my mom's drumette recipe, oh nom nom nom.


So my crazy weekend continues on today with another birthday party for my friends twins who are turning 7...wow, 7 years old.  I remember when they were just infants!  Then Family Dinner after that.  I have a couple of hours until this all starts, maybe I'll go back to sleep and snuggle with the hubby.  Either way, tomorrow is still too soon for Monday! 


Have a great rest of your Sunday!