Cinco De Mayo Supermoon

I have a group of girls that I consistently get together with for a Book League.  We did so well at the beginning, choosing books, reading them, discussing them . ..

Then summer arrived.

We spent the summer rotating between pools, throwing together pot -luck lunches and letting our kids swim all day while we sat and talked, pulled kids off the bottom of the pool ("If you go in the pool without your bubble you're going to sink!"), and settled minor childhood disputes, (I don't want to hear it!  Work it out amongst yourselves.  Just let her have a turn!").

We've got all the best parenting techniques down.

It got to a point where we had the brilliant idea that since we women all got along so well, it would stand to reason that the men that were our better halves would have to get along just as well too.

So we started with a family picnic and all of our predictions were true.  The menfolk enjoyed each other's company just as much as us womenfolk did!  That family picnic blossomed into couples only nights out - which are few and far between.  In the Fall and early winter, that meant a few outings to North Country Brewing.  Then in February, our neighbors hosted a Sweetheart's Dinner at their home.  It was a delicious pot-luck with a Valentine's theme.  After that, life kind of got in the way for a while so nothing new happened until I decided to invite everyone over for a Cinco De Mayo Fiesta!


Erik's grandma gave me the best green chili gravy recipe and it makes the most amazing taco meal.  The girls that were able to join us for the night filled in the sides and appetizers and we had a blast.  Not everyone was able to come, but it couldn't have been a more perfect night.  It was warm with a slight breeze (that turned into a pretty steady wind by the end of the evening) and we had the advantage of the SUPERMOON, which ironically didn't rise from behind the woods until after everyone left.

It was a great night and it gave Erik and I a chance to get some stuff cleaned up around the house and patio.  The only task we weren't able to accomplish was getting the pool uncovered, but it would have just been for looks anyway.  I used my Amish clothesline to hang some banners and other fun decorations above the fiesta area, used all of the old candles around the house and put them in old spaghetti jars and then got out the tiki torches I bought on clearance last year (as well as some small ones I found on Saturday morning at the Dollar Tree).

Our dessert smorgasboard.  I forgot to take pictures of our dinner spread which included tortilla soup, green chili tacos, beans, rice and yummy dips!

I used varying heights of candle sticks to put taper candles down the centers of the tables.  It's amazing how much light candles actually shed.

I used old food jars to put tea lights and votives on the steps around the hot tub.  Those yellow paper lanterns I got at the Dollar Tree.  Unfortunately, one didn't work very well.  Can you take stuff back to the Dollar Tree?

Everyone is enjoying some lively conversation!

It was an absolutely lovely evening and aside from the wind kicking up blowing smoke from our fire all over the place, it was a relaxing evening with wonderful friends.  

Hope we can make this an annual tradition!