Caroling and Chaos

Every year, our junior high and high school kids along with some parents go caroling to the homes of some of the older folks and widows of our church.  A few years ago, I began inviting all of the ones that lived near us  over for dinner in order to save them some gas and time.  This year was the same.  We had about 14 people come and eat and enjoy the voices of the young.  It sounds so simple as I write it down....and it was everything but.  If you had been a fly on the wall, you would not have believed it.  I was here and I don't believe it. There are just some events that leave you speechless.
Amy and Clint were supposed to arrive at 4:30 with the youth.  We waited awhile, but that was ok, because busy things were happening in the kitchen.  I had decided to serve the young people brownies and little bottles of water.. Sounds easy enough.  However I doubled the brownie recipe and did not allow for extra time cooking.  When the timer went off, I put the brownies on the counter, thinking they would set.
The carolers arrived close to 5:00.  Everyone went outside to listen. In my corner were George, Margaret, Kristen, Corey, Mom, Shirley, Anna, Bruce, Susan, Leonard, Leon, Tamrynn, Tommy, and me. There were 20 young people and about 5 adults singing.  It was great.
As they neared the end, I ran in to dish out messy, undone brownies, top them with Cool Whip, and serve them in cups.  Kristen came in to help me. (Chocolate and Cool Whip go together anytime, anyway.)  I could only fit 15 on my tray so I headed outside while Kristen fixed the rest.  As I was handing out the desserts, one of the young ladies - Elizabeth - stepped in dog poop and then in ants.  I turned and gave the tray to Tamrynn, grabbed her shoe and went in to wash it in my bathtub.  Ants were crawling on my hand as I used baby shampoo - the handiest thing - to wash the shoe.  Susan comes in the bathroom and says, "George is eating the potpourri."  She is laughing.
I say, "Stop him, please!" and I go to check on George.  Kristen meets me in the kitchen and says, "I just dumped my tray of dessert all over the floor."  I told her to make more.  Margaret is asking me why George is spitting stuff out into the trash and I am looking for shoes for Elizabeth to wear - thankfully we wear the same size.  Her legs are ant bitten but she says she is fine.
The garlic bread is burning in the oven and Shirley (my mother in law) grabs a knife and begins to scrape all the black off the bread. Finally, we sit down to eat.  That's when I realize it.  Older people are really fun.  They are not phased when chaos happens.  The do not "lose it"...they laugh.  I love children...and that is what they are...big children.
The conversation at the table was quite note worthy.  George told us all how to clean Pampered Chef stoneware. Margaret and my mom told how to get rid of squirrels in the attic. Margaret and George explained how to cook squirrels.  Anna told us how to do everything.  She is one of those that has a remedy for everything...like putting castor oil on eyelids for dry eyes.
All in all it was an eventful, unforgettable, informative evening.  If I had not been here to witness it all, I might not believe that it all happened in such a short period of time.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!