Okay the party is over and it was largely a success. Everyone loved the food. The big hits were the brats and Derby salad.
Daphne, my platter worked perfectly with your salad recipe. It was georgous and everyone was so impressed! I will definitely do this again. Thank you dear, you are a gem.
Jean, your brat recipe was sheer perfection. Really that is the only way I will do brats ever again. Everyone loved them.
The kids had fun brining all day and the weather was wonderful!

And my deck looked pretty good if I do say so myself.

I didn't plan to expect anything, so everthing turned out great. My FIL said a few inappropriate comments, that's how he rolls and you just have to live with that. But I felt prepared and I could handle everything even when one SIL showed up two hours early with her kids. It still went just fine.
-------------------- Laura
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