I'm Back!

Okay.  I think I'm back in the groove of things.  Kinda.  :)

My holiday was pretty amazing and it came at the perfect time.  I was definitely in need of a break from work and the real world.  My grandfather passed away five days before Thanksgiving.  He had been very sick for a really long time and it is good to know that he is no longer suffering.

I threw myself into planning the perfect menu {Paula Dean helped}.

Caleb made the turkey.  This has become tradition and it is always delicious.  Knowing that he is going to make the turkey allows me to put extra effort into the other dishes which I think really makes our meal special.  I'm thankful.

I decided to go with the simple centerpiece of wheat and pumpkins at each place setting.  I loved the way it turned out!

Yum!

We were lucky to have Caleb's sister and her boyfriend join us for the holiday.  You'll notice there aren't any pictures of people... Caleb hates having his picture taken so I didn't do my usual begging for pictures since I know he doesn't like it.  I could barely stand it, but I think it was the thoughtful thing to do.  :)  No promises for Christmas though! 

I've really had an amazing Fall.  I'm excited to start this new season full of hot cocoa, lights, and time relaxing with a cozy blanket and family.  

Holiday Entertaining: 5 Tips for a Successful Get-Together.

In honor of the upcoming holidays I have yet another post with advice for entertaining.  I know that over the next several weeks I will have a ton of guests in and out of my home.  Some family.  Some friends.  Some neighbors from down the street.  Regardless, I always take my entertaining duties seriously and today I am going to share with you five tips that I think are crucial for a successful get-together!

Me with really long hair... crazy!

1. Think Simple.

So I'm pretty new at this entertaining thing.  I've only been married for about 3 1/2 years which means prior to our blissful nuptials I was in college.  Meaning entertaining consisted of setting out a bag of chips and a case of beer.  Okay, so maybe I have always had a little bit of the Martha Stewart gene running through my veins, but it has definitely taken some practice and good old trial and error to realize that simplicity if usually better.  Its easy to try and do too much and it is just within the past year that I figured out that creating a simple menu with a few special touches makes for a better party.

Preparing only one homemade dip and adding store bought items to the menu enabled me to
be able to keep things simple, but still have a great spread of food at my crafternoon get-together.

2. Plan ahead.

When I am having people over I try to do as many things as possible in advance.  Obviously this doesn't always work out and sometimes I am scrambling to hide the last of the clutter in the closet, bake a cheesecake, and change out of my work clothes just as guests are starting to walk in the door, but if you combine this step with step #1 I think it is the best way to ensure that you also get to enjoy the party.

I try to start thinking about the details of a get-together at least a week in advance.  At this point I will make out a grocery list, do my shopping, and make sure that I have everything on hand that I need.  If possible I will set the table beforehand to ensure that I have plenty of time to prepare food.  This is especially helpful since I almost always am running behind to finish the meal.

I set up this table the night before which enabled me to cross one thing off of my to do list.
P.S. If you are reading this Chad... don't judge my wrinkled table cloth!  ;)  

3. Remember Ice.

Someone told me once that the most important component to any party is having ice.  Wise advice.  So true.  If people have good food and a cold drink they are usually pretty happy.

4. Set the Mood.

Although it is always best to keep things simple, I also like to add special touches.  Is it a Christmas get-together?  Pick up a pack of holiday napkins.  Are you having a rustic Thanksgiving dinner?  Drink out of Mason jars.  Is it your friend's birthday?  Invest in some fun straws to sip your cocktails.  I live in the South now, so what better way to greet a Northern visitor than with a glass of ice cold sweet tea when they walk in the door?!  Its the little things that really make for a special time.

It doesn't have to be elaborate to be special.  A few small touches can go a long way.

Adding sprinkles to the rim of martini glasses really added fun to a birthday celebration.
And it was so simple! Just dip the rims in icing and dip in sprinkles!

5. Be present.

There is nothing worse than planning a get-together, investing a ton of time, and then being stuck in the kitchen the whole evening.  Truthfully, your guests don't want this either.  I have learned that company would rather spend time with their host than have them holed up in the kitchen preparing an elaborate meal.  If you are able to stick to the previous four steps this should be a little easier.  Also, guests can tell if they have a stressed-out, unprepared host and it probably doesn't make for a relaxing evening for them either!  You want the atmosphere to be fun, not frantic.  At the end of the day who cares if you burnt the bread and the cheesecake didn't turn out quite right?  The most important part is spending time with the people you care about.

Also, wouldn't it be nice to join in on the fun?!

My fabulous Muncie friends and me at my Mardis Gras party last spring.  

Holiday Entertaining: Always be Prepared.

This is my absolute favorite time of the year.  The holidays.  Every year, as soon as Halloween is over, I go into super holiday freak mode.  I think its important to note that the when I think of the holidays I consider Thanksgiving equally wonderful.

I went into Hobby Lobby today to pick up a few items for my Thanksgiving centerpiece (yes, I'm already planning this ;)!) and people were already buying their Christmas decor!  I went to Starbucks and they are already using their red holiday cups which to me screams Christmas.  But the biggest shock of all was when I ran in the mall and Santa was there!  Shouldn't he still be in the North Pole on vacation for at least a couple more weeks?!  What happened to Thanksgiving people?!

Source: Simply Recipes

Anyway... one of my favorite things about the holiday season is entertaining.  In honor of the upcoming holidays, and my love for hosting get-togethers, I am going to do a series of posts about holiday entertaining.

Today I am going to talk about rule numero uno: Always Be Prepared.  For anything and anyone to stop by.  The best way to earn holiday brownie points and the reputation of world's best hostest is to always have the basics on hand.

Source: Natasha in Oz

Just picture this...

You and the hubby are sitting on the couch watching t.v. and you hear a knock on the door.  It's your next door neighbor/Great Aunt Susie/Co-worker and they have stopped by to drop off a tin of holiday cookies fresh out of the oven.  Wanting to return the holiday cheer in true Martha Stewart fashion you dash to the kitchen and realize that you don't have a thing to offer.  No cookies.  No coffee.  Nada.

Source: The Old House

How can you avoid this you ask?  Easy!  Between now and the holidays pick up a few simple items each time you go to the store.  You'll always be prepared for anyone that might stop by or for an impromptu get-together of friends to watch National Lampoon's Christmas vacation!

Here are a few of the items that I have started stocking in my pantry:

Just think... you'll be the picture of holiday cheer when you walk out of the kitchen with your tray of Biscoff cookies and hot cocoa! 

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