If You Cook BIG Amounts... Help Me!! (please!)

I will admit it - I'm in denial. When I look at the ticker and see that graduation is in "1 month, 1 week, and 4 days," I suddenly feel severe panic. Other than to gather most of the pictures and memorabilia, I have not even begun to put together Nathan's scrapbook. I have never started this late, and I have never had three little "helpers" to assist me . I haven't come up with a menu for the graduation party either. Every time I come up with a terrific idea, it sounds like way too much work or way too much expense.

When we had Danny's party, I made 200 little burritos with fruit and relish trays as well as pop and graduation cake. Most everything got eaten. Six years later, I did the same thing for Sam except I made cupcakes instead of one large sheet cake. People came and drank pop and ate a few carrots. Sam went into the army shortly thereafter, and it left Bob, Nathan, and me to put away about 175 burritos and about 12 dozen cupcakes. We ate burritos until we all wanted to scream. We gave them to the neighbors, we took them to church potlucks, and we froze the rest. They became the food of choice when we had friends over. It was embarrassing when our friends would ask, "So, what would you like us to bring? Something that goes with burritos?" They did, however, become my greatest friend when I wanted to go out to eat. All it took was a quick reminder that we could pull some burritos out of the freezer, and Bob would instantly suggest a trip to town! - lol! (I won't even mention the cupcakes because I think I ate about half of them!)

Now, six years later, it's Nathan's turn. When I suggested burritos, he quickly said that I really shouldn't plan on doing so much. I'd like to think he cared about my well-being, but I know he vividly remembers the burrito summer of 2002! If some of you moms of graduates have similar parties in your areas, please give me some of your suggestions. For that matter, anyone with ideas for large amounts of something that will not cost a fortune or take a week to prepare, I would love to hear from you.

Onto another subject ~ this has not been the best week in recent memory. The transcription job that showed so much potential (and paid great!) fizzled. Too much to try to explain, but I guess office politics rule even when you have your employees working from home. The transcriptionist who has worked there the longest had someone else in mind whom she wanted for my job, and she finally succeeded in a rather underhanded way. When the office manager called to tell me the news, I held the phone for a long time with tears in my eyes. Joanna looked at me and asked, "Momma, why you cry?" I told her that I had just lost one of my transcription jobs, and it made me very sad. She asked if I didn't do my job right, and I told her that yes, I actually had done it very well, but I wasn't able to take on one of the other doctors, so they took away everything. Without missing a beat, she said, "You no cry, Momma. You tell Daddy, and he'll give you money." It brought a smile to my face when I remembered how my dad could do anything and how totally safe I felt just knowing that he was there. (No need to shatter her bubble on this one!) It caused me to appreciate just how far she has come in the last seven months. She is learning to trust and to show sympathy, and it is refreshing to see these traits in my tough little cookie!