Today Anything is Possible!

Published on March 20, 2018April 27, 2019 by Gerri7 Comments

Let your joy burst forth like flowers in Spring!

Spring is a time of new beginnings! The earth is bursting with colorful flowers and the trees are budding out, showing off their new green color. The birds are singing their most glorious song and the sky is as blue as the sparkling color of the ocean seas.

It seems that nature is celebrating the return of warmer days with it’s burst of glorious beauty!

He has made everything beautiful in it’s time.

– Ecclesiates 3:11

Spring makes me feel like anything is possible. The increased light and the warmer air encourages me to get outside more, work in my garden, go for long walks, and just take in the glories of nature. It’s finally time to shake off those winter blues and feel the joy that arrives with spring.

Spring is a time of celebration! It’s the time to kick off your shoes and run barefoot through the dew sparkled grass. It’s a time to gather with friends and family for picnics in the garden and cooking on the grill. It’s a time for planting and starting with new beginnings.

For nothing will be impossible with God. -Luke 1.37

My hope for you for today is that you will relish in the glories of spring and lift your eyes in thanks for the beauty of this day.

Wishing you blessings today and everyday. – Gerri

The Spirit of Holiday Entertaining

Published on November 26, 2017April 27, 2019 by Gerri2 Comments

With the holiday season upon us, many are planning special celebrations with family and friends. Opening your home to share with others is one of the great joys of the season. However, with so much to do this time of year, sometimes big celebrations can create stress.

When planning your holiday party, it’s important to minimize the stress so that you can truly enjoy your guest. You don’t want to run yourself ragged and feel frantic rather than fantastic! When hosting a holiday celebrations, your spirit will set the mood for a successful celebration.

With these thoughts in mind, today I am sharing ideas that I like to keep in mind when I open my home to share with my family and friends. My hope is that these thoughts will allow you to approach your holiday entertaining with joy and avoid some of the stress that can be overwhelming this time of year.

Let Go of Perfection – Setting yourself up for perfection will do nothing but create anxiety and stress. Instead of worrying about creating the “perfect party”, concentrate on the comfort of your guest. When you put the focus on doing for others, you think less about yourself. Nothing is more welcoming than a hostess who really cares about the comfort of her guest.
Set Your Priorities – Remember often less is more. Plan for what you know you can handle with grace and ease. Stick with what you know and are comfortable with. No need to have a multi-course meal. Plan a few amazing appetizers instead. Serving buffet style is simpler than a sit down affair. Keep it casual and fun!
Make a list and check it twice! – Planning is a key ingredient to successful entertaining. Begin planning your party preparations as soon as possible. Try making a manageable daily schedule assigning yourself a small task for each day. Begin with decorations and nonperishable items that are easy to stock and purchase in advance. Order items on-line whenever possible to save time. Shop for grocery items a few days in advance and plan to prepare a few items the night before. Even better, prepare a few dished you can freeze in advance.
Delegate Whenever Possible – Don’t feel like you have to do every little thing on your own. Enlist a good friend or your spouse to help. Consider ordering desserts from a bakery or appetizers from your grocer. Do not feel like you have to prepare all food items from scratch!
Plan a Beverage Station – Consider serving a premixed beverage for your guest like a Sangria or Champagne Punch. Have these drinks in containers in the frig and ready to go. Set out glasses and and ice bucket in a convenient location and have guest serve themselves.
Be Ready! – Prepare the table and all the decorations the night before. You can even do fresh flower arrangements a day or two in advance. Nothing says “Welcome to my home” like having simple fresh flowers and candles burning filling your home with delightful aromas.
Make a time schedule – The day of the party, make a time schedule for whatever tasks need to be completed. Make sure in your schedule you allow yourself some time to relax and refresh!
Relax and Enjoy! – Greet your guest with a smile and a hug! Remember to put the focus on their comfort and enjoy!

True hospitality consists of giving the best of

yourself to your guest.

– Eleanor Roosevelt

Wishing you all great joy this holiday season! – xxoo Gerri

Impromptu Game Day Fun

Published on October 12, 2017April 27, 2019 by Gerri2 Comments

Between baseball playoffs and football season, October offers the perfect time to bring family and friends together for some easy entertaining. Even if you are not a huge sports fan, it’s fun to get together with friends and share in the excitement to support your home team.

Of course the main event will be “the game”, so you will want to keep the menu simple and easy. Choose food and snacks that can be prepared without too much effort. To keep it super easy, you can rely on some no cook items such as chicken wings with chips and salsa. These favorite snacks can be purchased ready made from the store and you are simply “plating” the items. It can’t get much simpler than that!

If you would like to add a little more pizzazz to the menu, stick with some favorite recipes that are tried and true. I usually rely on baked beans that can be prepared early and kept warm in the slow cooker. I also have an easy coleslaw recipe that I have refined over time and can practically prepare in my sleep.

Always try to do as much preparation as you can before your guest arrive. Once your friends begin to arrive, you want to be free to visit, relax and even watch the game.

No fancy china is needed for this casual gathering. I use some colorful melamine plates, bright colored napkins, and plastic cutlery all stored in a tray caddy for easy serving.

Remember. the idea is to bring together friends and family for an enjoyable fun-filled, easy and relaxed day. Save the all day cooking for another time.

Tag: celebrations