Reluctant Entertainer

I am so happy to announce today that I will be participating in a NEW series in the month of October, inspired by The Nester and a group of very talented ladies.

What will this mean for me and for those reading here at RE?

In the month of October, for 31 days, you will find me posting about Stress-Free Entertaining!

Let’s all do the happy dance! Yay!

I’m very excited because each post will have meaning and inspiration, which I hope will be helpful with the holidays right around the corner. Some posts may be short and pithy, some may be longer and more thought-provoking. Nevertheless, I’m committed to this and look forward to 31 days in a row together.

Some of the posts may be as simple as an inspiring picture.

(Yard sale finds and Dollar Store Glasses – they don’t have to be expensive or complicated to be enjoyable!)

Now this 31 Days series is not just about me! Nope! A group of my friends are also joining in and you’ll be able to click around in the blogosphere the month of October and learn a lot from them, too!

31 Days to a Less Messy Nest – Nester, Nesting Place
31 Days to Grace – Emily, Chatting at the Sky
31 Days to More with Less – Jen, Balancing Bedlam and Beauty
31 Days to a Better Photo – Darcy, My 3 Boybarians
31 Days of Autumn Bliss – Melissa, The Inspired Room
31 Days of Living Simply – Emily, Remodeling this Life
31 Days to an Inspired Table – Kendra, My First Kitchen

I want to thank The Nester for her brilliant idea, and for inviting me to be a part of this inspirational month. My hope is that women will be excited about Fall, about the upcoming holidays, and will jump on board in the areas in which they want to improve or learn.

Hey, and no worries if you miss a day, then just come back the next! And have fun browsing around!

What do you think, will you join us?

(BTW, if you haven’t seen my brand new book that is out this month, The Reluctant Entertainer, please read about it, here. It’s full of ideas and practical advice for anyone wanting to learn more about gracious hospitality!)

Hospitality is all about making one feel warm and welcome. That’s what my 1st Commandment to hospitable living is all about. And that’s exactly what Jyl (Mom it Forward) and Rachael (Todays Mama) did this past weekend in Park City, UT when they coordinated the EVO ’10 conference. It was a fabulous time with incredible speakers. I just felt so welcomed by all.

What an amazing place to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation! My wonderful husband, my daughter and her friend, came along, and we explored the mountains and the great outdoors together the first day.

I was inspired, to tears, with the Make A Wish presentation about online social activism with a personal and inspirational story. We learned how an organization uses social media to raise money, build strategic partnerships, and share its message. It reminded me of this large group fundraising event which I was a part of planning a few months ago. Another cause saving lives today.

Giving. We walked away with a better understanding of what it means to be a part of a community. What it means to give. And how we bloggers can be a part of this by giving back ourselves to what we believe in.

One of the blessings for me was hanging with this group of gals, some new and some old friends. (Jane Maynard, Helen Dujardin, Katie Goodman, Kristen Doyle, Maria Lichty, me, Amy Johnson, Aggie Goodman, Tina Butler.)

And the wonderful Bush’s Beans family who brought me to Park City, who we enjoyed several intimate meals with. I can’t say enough about our time together …

Grappa.

350 Main.

“Mm-m-m … what to order?”

Of course we analyzed the meals we ate as “Foodies” do, discussing what kind of beans and other ingredients were used, but more importantly we engaged as a family, getting to know each other on a more intimate level. (Thank you Bush’s Beans, for caring about and encouraging eating together and family life! Your example of how you did this for us says a lot about your company.)

Come back Tuesday to meet a very special guest here at RE while she talks about entertaining when on vacation. Also stay tuned as I’ll be sharing a recipe that I personally created for the EVO ’10 Closing Event.

Yes, they served one of my recipes at the Bush’s Beans sponsored western-themed closing dinner for almost 500 people Saturday night! Very exciting!

Were you at EVO? I’d love to hear your thoughts about the conference, or just a quick hello!?

(I have entered into a partnership with Bush’s Beans, as they paid for all my expenses while at Evo ‘10, but I’d cook with their beans anyway, because we just love beans! They did not pay me or tell me to write these nice thoughts today; I was inclined to on my own.)