Grad Party planning:

  This week has been pretty dedicated to getting things ready for youngest son's graduation party. I spent a couple of hours yesterday getting photos together for the trifold boards I purchased for that purpose last week. I also hunted for the saved decorations out at GF's house over the weekend and then here as well. No luck. I beleive GF may have tossed these out while basement cleaning in prep for putting his house on the market and now does not remember doing so. <sigh> It looks as if a stop at the local craft store is on my morning schedule (all grad stuff is 60% off). Yesterday I got out to GFS and picked up plastic tablecloths, 14 deep foil pans, 12 sterno cans (we have frames for a set up of 8 but will only need 7, using one pan to hold water, the second to hold food in each frame with sterno underneath), the frozen hash browns and cream of chicken soup for the cheesy potatoes (oldest son is going to put these together & bake at  his house then transport them to the park), two #10 cans of cut green beans (for a green bean/bacon dish oldest daughter is going to assemble and cook before bringing it to the park), two #10 cans of tomato sauce & 10 lbs. of penne pasta for the penne with meat sauce (I will make this ahead of time and then reheat over sterno), two gallon sized storage containers to hold sauce, and a 5 lb. bag of broccoli florets (for the broccoli salad I am making). Total cost: $109.21  My second stop was Aldi where I purchased 3 pints of sour cream (for cheesy potatoes & today's kolachky dough), 3 bags shredded cheddar (for cheesy potatoes), 3 packs of organic bacon (for green beans & broccoli salad), a bag of dried apricots (to make one kind of filling for kolachky) and some frozen treats for our freezer (popsicles & eskimo pies). Total cost: $ 31.88  ($27.90 for party, $3.98 for regular grocery expense).
I have budgeted $200 for the party. I am going to have to return to Aldi today because I forgot the frozen raspberries ( another kolachky filling) and cornflakes (for cheesy potatoes) I need, should be under $5 this time. I also need to stop at a local baker's supply place for blue and yellow sanding sugars for the mortar board cut out cookies I will be baking today. Both places are right near the craft store so it should be quick and easy.
And then it will be baking cut out cookies and making kolachky filling until I have to go and sleep over with my grandson's tonight since Papa is out of town and Mom is working.
Tomorrow I will be hitting BJ's with middle daughter to pick up a large brisket which she is going to make for the party as well as the ground beef for the pasta. These purchases will top me out of my budget. GF has offered to help out and has purchased all the paper goods, he will also pay for the fried chicken we ordered, and all of the drinks. Other family members have offered to bring dishes (DIL's mom is doing potato salad, a neice is doing pasta salad, sister & another neice are doing veggie trays) to round out the meal. I will be making baked beans (already purchased) as well as the pasta, all the cookies, and one kind of cupcake (GF's SIL is baking two other kinds). I am feeling pretty good about how everything is coming together.