DD, the pics are of my guests (kids & grandkids) & they served as placecards. My kids tease me because I love to use placecards yet I always seat everybody at the same place @ family dinners. LOL I know that y'all will understand...it gives me something extra to jazz up the table. ;o) Hubby did do most of the cooking...I only made the parfaited strawberry shortcakes. Luvs, that is a poem on teh wire thingamajiggie. It's Somebody Said..... The "pedestal plates" are crystal candlesticks w/ a glass plate set on top. I used a bit of double-sided tape to help adhere them w/out having to permanently glue them. Jay, I've had those curtains for over 5 years. I got them @ either Family Dollar or Big Lots...I think I've gotten my money's worth out of them ;o) & want to switch them to lined black & cream toile drapes. Normally this time of year, I've replaced them w/ white lace to go w/ my spring & summer look but I am determined not to change them again until I get the toile. Don't you think the black & cream toile will work through all the seasons? I'm sorry your kids didn't honor you the way they should Purple! ((((hugs)))) My mother wasn't there this year. I got her last year for a Mother's day brunch so she spent this year @ my sister's lake house. Betty, your husband is a sweetheart! Thansk for all the compliments y'all! Today we had a blog party, showcasing our favorite parts of the house & I featured my table & tablescapes. Check it out when you have time...there's a whole lotta pics. Here is a link that might be useful: Creating Myself blog

Shaun, There's a place here in town that offers Sunday & holiday brunch. The buffet usually includes omelet station, home fries, bacon, sausage, carving station (ham & roast beef), lots of fresh fruits, pastries, 3-4 types of breads, shrimp/cocktail sauce, oysters, waffle station, real maple syrup, some type of fresh fish entree, the always present mac 'n cheese for the kids (or kids at heart!), cheeses/crackers, half a dozen different salads plus green salad, a couple green veggie choices, & scalloped potatoes. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things. Oh yeah, there's also some type of Italian-inspired dish. Then, they have a separate dessert buffet table with 15-20 different choices. The buffet comes with juice, coffee/tea, & water. Sodas and alcoholic beverages are extra. The buffet has been $42.50 per person. But, they've been closed for remodeling since last December (after Christmas) so I don't know what the new prices will be...they're scheduled to re-open Memorial Day weekend. I'm guessing it'll be close to $50/person. A 15% gratuity is added for parties of four or under. More than that & it's 20%. A child's buffet is $24.50 per child with under eight eating free. I'm sorry your Mother's Day brunch wasn't great. Since I'm a grazer...I love a good buffet. /tricia

It sounds delicious to me, I tend to like breakfast for supper. Or lunch. Or breakfast. (grin) Actually, it doesn't sound very breakfast-y anyway, other than the fact that it has eggs and bacon. The French toast casseroles seem more to me like bread pudding/dessert than French toast, usually. You could also use tiny cream puffs or gougere in place of bread, although the salmon sounds good as it is. If you want to add another choice a salad with some citrus or fruit in it might be nice too. Cathy/Mustangs' salad with dates and prosciutto is awesome, although I use fresh baby spinach instead of arugula and I usually don't have shallot so I use green onions and/or garlic, depending on my mood, or sometimes none of the above. It's always good. Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan 4 tbls olive oil 2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto cut into strips 1 tbls raspberry jam 3 tbls fig balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup dried figs, chopped into pieces 1 tbls finely chopped shallot 5 cups baby arugula 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 2 oz Parmesan, shaved into thin strips 1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium heat; add prosciutto and fry until crisp, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towel to drain and cool. 2. Whisk jam and vinegar in medium microwave-safe bowl; stir in figs. Cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic and microwave on high until figs are plump, about 45 seconds. Whisk in 3 tablespoons oil, shallots, 1/2 tsp salt; toss to combine. Let cool to room temperature. 3. Toss arugula and vinaigrette in large bowl; adjust seasonings with salt. Divide salad among individual plats; top with portion of prosciutto, walnuts, and Parmesan. Have fun, and Happy Mother's Day! Annie

I don't care for most buffets. Once in a while I will go to one when I don't really know what I feel like eating. I avoid all buffets and salad bars during flu season and I absolutely will not go on family nights when parents allow their unsupervised children to run amock touching with fingers etc. I see adults do that too so I am leery and careful where I'll eat. We had a great Hometown Buffet manager who kept a sharp eye out for such things. He's no longer there and they've changed their pricing to attract the gullible so I probably won't be going back. I prefer to be served anyway. When I go out I am not just paying for the food but also the ambiance. Good service is a large part of the experience. We have a restaurant where you grill your own steak. How stupid is that? You pay premium meat prices to stand around and cook your meat with others. If you get it wrong you can't send it back of course. If I want to cook I will go get a good steak at less than half the price and do it at home.