In high school, there were the kids who did and the kids who didn’t. I was somewhere in between with a strong propensity for doing more rather than not doing at all. There was the promise of getting into college far from home that encouraged the taking of AP classes, the joining of sports, working on the school paper, delivering A+ group presentations and assuming leadership roles in after school groups and clubs. I did do all these things and quite efficiently, too. Because somewhere along the way, and much to the chagrin of my planner-type parents, I learned the skill of pulling last-minute miracles.

And although I have learned so much since then, it’s good to know that some bad habits skills stick with you for life and haunt you kick in to high gear when you need it most. Like when you are a co-hosting a bridal shower. Even if it is bridal shower #2.

The night before the shower, Nathalie and I sit down to discuss our plan of attack. Actually, we are already sitting down because we are driving back from a shopping trip to find her a new party dress for her birthday. Our discussion is less of a discussion and more setting a time for the next morning to meet up and get everything we need at the store. We decide to meet at 8:30 a.m. the next day which will give us a semi-tight, but not cutting it too close, 3.5 hours to get groceries, drive the half-hour to get to the shower’s location, wrap prizes, cook, set up, and do some moderate decorating before guests start to arrive at noon.

At 9:30 a.m. the next morning, Nathalie calls me and the first thing I hear is, “SOBRINA! THE SHOWER!”

I think she is playing a joke on me, the one where she pretends I have overslept and forget to give her a wake up call as she herself is prone to oversleeping. She doesn’t tell me the time but speaks with an urgency that makes me think the success of our shower hangs by a thread. I hang up and note the time and remember that I was supposed to have written a story for the Left Right game, one of the three games we will be playing today. I remember the night before thinking, Oh I’ll just wake up early and do it in the morning.

With 2.5 hours left before shower time, I decide we are cutting it quite close.

By the time we arrive at the house to start putting everything together, it’s 11 a.m. With so much left to do and being tight on time til noon, we stop to unbotton the top button of our pants to help us breathe easier.

As I’m reading the recipe for how to make the chocolate fondue, about 8 aunts, uncles, brothers and cousins show up to help us. Good thing no one has much faith in our shower throwing skills.

By the luck of last-minute miracles, we get everything done and even impress ourselves with our mimosas at the ready for arriving guests, served out of a giant oyster shell punch bowl.

The spread.

One of the games we played was the Create a designer wedding dress for your model with only 2 rolls of t.p. The fashion show was my favorite part.

You can catch a glimpse of the giant oyster punch bowl on the right.

And in case you’re wondering, the other two games we played were the Purse game and the Left Right game. I believe it’s also called the Mr. Right game. It’s a very good game for customizing to your particular bride-to-be. Here is the generic version, just in case you are preparing to throw your own shower soon: http://www.tealited.com/games/brideleftright.htm