Ya know, sometimes I wish we could use two emojis. 
I used the "Wow" emoji because I was blown away by this:
"I love throwing parties with 25-40 guests so DH & I host several over the holidays plus a couple during the year"
That you can do it and likely do it very well is amazing. I can't even imagine hosting that many people! Well, they wouldn't fit in my apartment anyway. But just thinking about doing that gives me anxiety! 
Diva, If you lived nearby, you'd be on the invitation A-list.
You'd fit right in!
Our parties are very relaxed and include people from infancy to their 90s, and there are usually a few well-behaved, small dogs in the mix. Lots of noise, chaos, and a casual: here's where everything is, please help-yourself, there's a stocked toy room down the hall, we all keep an eye on everyone's kids, so make yourself at home. Oh, and I want you to meet XYZ. I know how you love old cars - he's just restored a 56 Chevy...
At a party last Christmas season, about 6 feet away from where I was making pizza, I noticed a group chatting intensely, some had never before met, the rest barely knew each other: my teacher son-in-law, the CPA wife of an old friend, a computer analyst for a school system, a graphic artist friend visiting from Texas, and a solar astronomer friend visiting from New Mexico.
Seemed an unlikely group so I wandered over. Turned out to be an in-depth, serious discussion/debate about the powers of various members of the Marvel Universe.
My friend from TX gave me a hug and said, "I love your parties. From the moment I walk in, I feel like I belong."
That right there is why I love throwing parties.
