Buckaroo Banquet

Four years ago we moved into our house.  This is the longest we've ever lived in one place and the longest I've ever held a calling.  Well, technically I was a Bear leader first and then later I became the Cubmaster, but I've been in Cubscouts for almost 4 years now. Tomorrow night we will be having the annual birthday party for scouting, otherwise known as the Blue and Gold Banquet.  This is the biggest pack meeting of the year.  We have a dinner.  We have a cake auction.  We have activities.  We invite the entire ward.  We have panic attacks.  So, I thought that while I have a few minutes, thanks to my sweet visiting teacher who is bringing my family dinner tonight, I will engage in the therapy of writing.   Maybe she knew it was going to be "fend for yourself night" again for the 4th night in a row.  Anyway, this is the 3rd Blue and Gold Banquet that I have had the "pleasure" of being in charge of.  May it be the last.  There's nothing like a little power to help you realize that being a peon can be a lot more fun. 

This is what I have done to get ready for this night:
-scheduled the church
-held a planning meeting with the other 6 amazing leaders who are putting this on.
-Delegated, delegated, delegated. Other people got the announcement in the bulletin, sewed aprons as prizes for the chili cookoff, made sign up sheets, made invitations, made flyers, got judges, got an auctioneer, bought tablecloths, put together centerpieces, called people, went shopping for food, arranged for paper products, designed wanted posters,etc. .  .
-created two adorable posters, using only the things I had in my house.  This involved employing my husband's artistic abilities and one long Sunday when we were all home sick with pink eye.  I think it took about 6 hours, or roughly the length of Pride and Prejudice, which we watched while crafting. 
-printed up certificates for the chili winners and the wanted poster winners
-bought a new calligraphy marker and filled out those certificates
-spent way too much time and money and brain power preparing to make and decorate two cakes for the auction
-bought stuff for chili.  Pre prepared as much as possible.
-bought some tablecloths
-had fun shopping at Oriental Trading company for crafts
-did not have fun putting together 7 dozen of the crafts. I never want to see another foam cowboy again.
-got the awards list, convinced my husband to go buy them since I got a ticket the last time I drove down that road.
-found someone to add some western flair decorations to the room
-filled out the award cards and prepared the treat box
-made sure the church has enough ladles, tables, and a working microphone
-prepared an envelope to receive the cake auction money
-prepared judging sheets and clipboards
-prepared cards for chili entries
-prepared cards for cakes
-rounded up crayons, markers, scissors, thumb tacks, a stapler, pens and pencils
-made a schedule for the night
-scrounged the scout closet for extra decorations
-delivered the flyers with another leader and our awesome kids!
-made several heartfelt and cheesy announcements at church
-thought a lot
-had some mini panic attacks

Here's one of the poster. Be kind.  I am not crafty by nature, do not have a color printer, and remember I made this all from whatever I could find in my house.

And during all this fun, in the week leading up the the big night my glasses were broken and I had to have an emergency eye visit and contacts.  I hate contacts.  They bother my eyes.  I feel like someone is touching them! And I took all the kids to the dentist, and took myslef to the dentist for three fillings ( one tooth still hurts. why?), and two separate well child exams (including one where the 12 year old drooled on the MA while getting his shots), and didn't make dinner, not once.  But I did get up at night with the croupy child and also with the baby who has a cold and "needs" to nurse three times at night instead of not at all because of it. I couldn't have been more grateful for my visiting teacher bringing dinner to my kids tonight, cause, they totally weren't getting anything better than cold cereal from me.  Yes, this is what the Blue and Gold Banquet does to me.  And got up at 5:45 to walk three miles with my friend Jenni, in the dark, wearing my sunglasses with the lenses of my old glasses hot glued into them.  Yes, I can actually see that way, but it is not desirable.  I know this post is a major vent, but it makes me feel better and if it doesn't make you feel better, that's okay too, but I bet it will make you feel better because I bet you are glad right now that you are not me.  I know I would be.  But, despite all of my complaining, I am really excited for tomorrow night and I hope that a lot of people come and they have a great time and that we earn a ton of money selling our stellar cakes. I'll be posting pictures of those and how the event went later-after I recoup.