It’s Eleanor Roosevelt who said that she tried to do something risky every day.

Maybe something new or different, or even something uncomfortable.

Maybe that something “new” is hosting your first Easter Dinner in your home this year, and you’re scared to death …

Join me over at Simple Mom’s today, for the rest of the story … ==> HERE.

But I’m happy to announce the winner of this beautiful appliance by KitchenAid.

The winner is …… Michelle, from One Ordinary Day. Congratulations, Michelle!

I also want to leave you with a meaningful post from last year. If you’re looking for something to do with your kids this month, or a group of girls, here’s some information about Pillowcase Dresses for Africa.

You can read all about it, here.

Our desire last year was to make as many dresses as we could for orphanages and poor little girls in other countries. It’s called Little Dresses for Africa.

While our girls were able to earn community service hours for school, at the same time, we learned a lesson of gratitude and love.

Last year I asked these questions to stimulate conversation:
What do you think about “stuff” and materialism?
Does it make you happy?
Did you realize that even adults fall into materialism and “wanting more?”
How does it make you feel to help the poor?

Email me if you have any questions, and November is a great month to start a Balcony Girls group (BG Ebooks 1 and 2 available, HERE.)

Have a great weekend, friends. See you on Monday!

Today I’m prolonging the last days of summer.

Even though it’s officially fall, one of the touches I love bringing into my kitchen is displaying the fruits of the season.

Simple and elegant.

I recently canned peaches with my friend (a post to come in my 31 Days series) and we left a few out for “eating.”

Even though they don’t last long on the counter, they are so beautiful.

Peach season is coming to an end and we’re moving on to apples and pears.

Are you a lover of summer like I am, and do you ever feel melancholy as the season draws to a close?

(I hope you’ll join me for 31 Days of Warm Connections coming Oct. 1. Here are the winners to my Balcony Girls 2 eBook post: Sheila, Ann (no blog), Debbie, and Kathy.)

Hey, Friends. Look what Rachel, Kelly, and Cindy are up to? CHRISTMAS IN SEPTEMBER!

These ladies are posting every day in September and encouraging readers to start preparing for your handmade holidays NOW.

“If you “bake, craft & sew along” with us, by the end of the craft-along, you’ll be VERY prepared for the upcoming Holiday season… hopefully eliminating just a wee bit of stress.”

Join me at A Southern Fairytale’s where I’m sharing with you a childhood recipe that my Mom made every year.

As far back as I remember as a little girL, Snowball cookies were a part of our Christmas diet. These cookies melt in your mouth and they definitely provide comfort, if you know what I mean.

A little treat inside a big treat.

Here’s a new version with a little secret inside … Dove Chocolate-Covered Almonds. Oh, boy!

And speaking of nostalgia, I also want to show you something I did to remember my mom after she passed away.

Stencil a memory
I took Mom’s handwriting off of an old Christmas box, and I copied it over onto beautiful plates for myself and my sisters, so we could remember this beautiful woman who raised us and taught us so much about the true meaning of Christmas.

You can read more about this craft idea, HERE. But in the meantime, ENJOY the Christmas in September posts!

Have you thought about homemade Christmas gifts yet, even though it’s only September?

One thing I love about the sweetness of summer is homemade jams and jellies. You may have followed my 5-day series on canning your own jam, and I love the variety of ways that you can use jams. Of course our family favorite is on pancakes, waffles, French toast, or peanut butter and jellies.

Another way to use jam is for a last-minute appetizer.

I can’t tell you the times I had to scramble to put an appetizer together, at the last minute.

How to Make a Last-Minute Appetizer

Using cream cheese or goat cheese, place on a plate and pour homemade jam on top.

Toast nuts in the microwave for 2 minutes (stirring half-way through the cooking process), and place on the side of the cheese.

Serve with small crackers.

The sweet and savory effect is mouth-watering and also perfect for if your guests drink wine.

A tasty treat.

And homemade all the way.

What’s your go-to, last-minute appetizer that you reach for?

Tomorrow on RE you’ll have a chance to win a $100 giftcard from REI! So exciting! Come back for more details …

Taking a meal to another family is easier than we think. Even for working women, it’s easy to help another family out when there is a death, crisis, new baby, or surgery – or whatever the need may be.

If you have the mindset of cooking double, your family’s evening meal can be made at the same time!

But when you are in a hurry, there are quick and healthy options at the grocery store. This past week when my friend had surgery, Costco saved me! My favorite is to take ingredients to make a big chicken salad, along with bread to bake in the oven.

Always leave a note with instructions, in case the kids or whoever is helping with meals in the home:

1. How to bake the bread (temp and time)

2. How to make the salad

3. How to cook the corn

4. And then how to ENJOY the brownies

When’s the last time you took a meal to a family in need, and what did you take?

How many times when we entertain do we forget something? Most the time it isn’t anything huge or essential, but it would have made the “entertaining moment” more special if we had only remembered.

I recently came across this very cool Entertaining Cheat-Sheet by Lulu Powers. I am including it here, to encourage you to either print it out or to come up with your own list that works for you.

Then, tape it inside your kitchen cupboards for easy access when you want to make sure you have “done everything.”

I do think entertaining is like a muscle, the more you do it the easier it becomes. So eventually you may not need your little list. Which, by the way, if you are a reluctant entertainer, don’t forget you can print out my 10 Commandments that can also be hung in your kitchen to help remind you that entertaining is easy! It has meaning and lifelong rewards that come with it.

Do you have a hard time remembering everything when you entertain, or what is your method?

I’m guesting over at Tidy Mom’s today. Little tips on how to make your kitchen feel larger. By the way, what does the front of your refrigerator look like?

While you’re over there, take a peek around Cheryl’s amazing blog and check out all she has to offer = A LOT.

I got to meet Cheryl this last year in Napa Valley where we got to cook together in the Culinary Institute. (Recipe HERE for Seared Scallop Tacos – Yum!)

Fun memories! Now go say hi to Cheryl at Tidy Mom! And tell us what the outside of your refrigerator looks like!?

Thanksgiving is two days away! I’d be really dishonest if I said I wasn’t scrambling this week to get everything done. Hosting dinner in our homes is much different than being hosted by others, isn’t it? Not only do we have to plan out every detail, we have to clean, organize, and pull it all together.

The weight of Thanksgiving DOES fall onto the hostess, but as I said in Week 3, it’s so important to include our family members, children, spouse … whoever we can get to help.

Let’s say you need extra chairs this week. Can you delegate this duty to a family member?

You need to make your centerpiece. Can you go on a family walk and ask your children to help bring the outdoors in?

The kids’ rooms are a mess. Can you give the kids a “timeline” and tell them when you expect their rooms to be picked up and vacuumed? (Yes, this can be done at a young age.)

The sweet potatoes are baked, but now what? Ask one of your kids to peel the potatoes and then store in Ziploc bags.

The table needs setting. Again, when given clear instruction (one task at a time, IE, put the water goblets by each setting) children can help!

This week … DO NOW:
1. Table: Set the table early.
2. Turkey: Thaw and prepare your turkey for roasting.
3. Groceries: Make ONE shopping run to get your last minute groceries.
4. Food prep: 1-2 days before, get your food prep done, baking sweet potatoes, making pie crusts, et.
5. Organize your cooking: Write in your notebook a cooking schedule, what needs to be done when and how you’ll use the oven.
6. Clean the house: Write a list of chores for every family member and start cleaning/checking off the list 2 days in advance. It will save your bacon!
7. Include the family: Music play list, table set, house clean, butter on the table, conversation starters if needed.

The week of Thanksgiving should be a Family Affair. Doing everything by yourself means one word: STRESS. Making all of the desserts by yourself means one word (backwards): STRESSED. My husband has helped me become a better planner. I used to wait until the last minute and would be so harried all the time, raising my voice at my family because the things “I wanted done,” had not been done.

My advice for this week is to WRITE OUT everything that you can, making a chore list for the family, including yourself.

Give everyone a timeline for when you expect it all to be done. Get your husband on board with you and make it a goal to be organized and to enjoy this beautiful day.

Thanksgiving Day is a day of gratitude and thankfulness to God and for the people who are coming to your home.

I know I am excited. More than eating the turkey, Paula Deen’s Potatoes, Parsnips and Rutabagas, and Faye’s Pecan Pie – I am excited to sit and visit for hours with my guests. To enjoy their company, to see the glow of the faces, to hear the murmuring of conversations, to smell the delicious turkey, to be gathered together around the table. A reminder of the plaque (and available to purchase if you’re interested; click on the link) that is hanging in my dining room:

The fondest memories are made gathered around the table.

What do you look forward to the most this week of Thanksgiving?

If you missed the last 3 weeks and you want a tiny bit of inspiration, you can catch up here!
Week 1: Invite, Plan, and Delegate
Week 2: Organize your Recipes and Shopping Lists
Week 3: Space, Table, and Turkey

When it’s time to shop for a party, make a list of what you need to buy.

- Stock up on little notebooks at the Dollar Store or start a list on scrap paper
- Go through your recipes and write out what you need to buy
- Keep the list out on the counter where it’s accessible
- Make sure and take the list to the store with you

One thing I’ve done when entertaining is try to only go to the store once for each event, so it pays to be organized. I just don’t have time to be running from store to store. Another little tip is that if I don’t have something, I try to improvise.

With the internet now, did you know that you can Google what you are trying to improvise? I find so many great tips through “Google” when I’m short or run out or I just don’t have a certain food item.

How are you with improvising? And do you find that making a list before a party helps you to stay on task and organized?

Join my lovely, talented 31-Day friends …
Chatting at the Sky, Nesting Place, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, My First Kitchen, Life With My 3 Boybarians, Remodeling This Life, The Inspired Room

One of the things I love about my friend, Faye, who’s a former kindergarten teacher, is her love for kids, her no-nonsense approach to young people, and the sparkle in her eye!

And a few years back, Faye hosted my Balcony Girls group in her home, and the lesson went like this … (click, HERE.)

I wanted to share with you a much earlier sample Balcony Girls Lesson! I’ve been hosting girls in my home for 5 years now, and you can read all about it, HERE.

Balcony Girls is now available in E-Book form, with 8 lessons. I’m currently working on Book 2, which will have 8 more lessons. This book will tell you how to get started, and each lesson will guide you along.

If you know of a Mom who’s looking for something meaningful to do in her home, please send her to RE! It’s rewarding and special, and my prayer: life impacting! Thank you already for so much support!

(By the way, I just found out that Alli Worthington has extended The Reluctant Entertainer GIVEAWAY on her blog to tomorrow! You still have time to enter for a FREE COPY! Thanks, Alli!)

Hello friends. My Balcony Girls E-Book 1 is now ready for purchase!

Happy Dance! Happy Dance!

I have to apologize for the amount of time it’s taken me to finally get my first Balcony Girls E-Book complete, and ready for purchase! I want to thank Deanna Garretson, who put up with my busy schedule and did a fabulous job on this project. I’m hoping to have E-Book 2 complete the beginning of 2011.

For those who are wondering what “Balcony Girls” is all about, 5 years ago I opened my home once a week during the school year to a group of elementary-aged girls. Since I talk so much about hospitality here at RE, this little BG program might be exactly what you are looking for, especially if you have a daughter.

Click here to purchase my E-Book right now!

The Chapters in Balcony Girls E-Book 1 include:

{Lesson ONE: What is a Balcony Girl?}
{Lesson TWO: The Good Gift of Words}
{Lesson THREE: The Value of Trust}
{Lesson FOUR: Being a Confident Girl}
{Lesson FIVE: Barbie, Beauty and YOU}
{Lesson SIX: Growing Teamwork}
{Lesson SEVEN: Dangers of Two-Faced Girls}
{Lesson EIGHT: Open your Circle of Friends}

What is Balcony Girls?
I started Balcony Girls back in 2005. My daughter was in 3rd grade when the idea came to me to teach her and her acquaintances? about virtues and friendships. Now 4 years later, I am still working with young girls and loving every moment of it. It takes supportive parents and a love for the girls to invest into their lives, but it’s so worth it.

Balcony Girls is life-changing lessons and activities that help adolescent girls become “balcony girls.” These are young women who build others up rather than pulling others down, a growing problem within our negative pre-teen culture. A philosophy of encouragement, strength, and courage permeates the stimulating lessons and activities, which reinforce time-honored virtues such as honesty, trustworthiness, respect, confidence and compassion.

Balcony Girls teaches pre-teen and teen girls about the deeper meaning of friendships, how to grow their faith, and how to stand by their friends during these difficult years as a growing girl.

Each Balcony Girls afternoon consists of a lesson, craft or snack idea, a game or object lesson that goes along with the study, and tips, ideas and instruction on how to make it all personally impacting for the girls, whatever their life situation.

Thank you for your interest in this program. Five years ago I looked everywhere for a book that had a lesson, a craft, a snack … I was a busy mom and in my heart I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I just wanted it to be easy. I could not find a program like this anywhere, and thus Balcony Girls came to be. I am very excited to be working on BG E-Book 2 now as well. Please keep in touch by email!

I’d love to hear how many years you’ve been following my Balcony Girls posts, or if this is the first you’ve heard of it?

The last few days have been very exciting, to say the least – almost like a party! Thank you friends, for all of your comments over at Nesting Place.

Now on to this party.

No party is out of reach! Even a simple luncheon party for 4. I recently had a few ladies over for a yummy green salad. Perfect on a hot summers day.

Rotisserie Chicken
Salad greens
Red onion
Feta cheese
1 orange
Fresh raspberries
Your choice of toasted nuts
Add a light amount of your favorite dressing!

My original plan was to make my own muffins the night before, but I ran out of time! (Time is always the magical word, isn’t it?)

I had to give myself a pep talk and remind myself of what’s important: Less is more. Less time in the kitchen means more time with my guests, enjoying their company, creating deeper friendships, and forming stronger bonds. So it was okay that I bought already baked muffins from the store!

I also picked up a few desserts – only 79 cents each. All you need is a tasty bite for dessert, right?

The ladies who came were previous co-workers whom I’d worked with for over 25 years. We had a lot of catching up to do!

Simple times around the table are sometimes the beginning of beautiful friendships, or they’re a gift in nurturing what you already have.

When’s the last time you had friends over for lunch or to just be together? And what’s your favorite summer salad?

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.)

I’m over at SC Johnson today with a great visual laundry lesson for our kids. Would you join me there today and leave me a message? I’d love to hear what laundry system works for you.

My kids are wrapping up the school year and are already thinking about summer! One of the things I’ve taught them is to do their own laundry, and when they see a stain … read the rest of the story – HERE.

Sometimes hospitality is as simple as peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Sometimes that may be all you have in your cupboards!

Or sometimes it may be the only thing that your “little people” will eat.

I love days where life is as simple as a P&J.

Running around.

Enjoying the sunshine.

Helping in the garden.

Two brothers just wanting to have some fun.

I’m thankful that hospitality doesn’t have to be complicated.

Peanut Butter and Jellies work for me!

Do you always keep peanut butter stocked in your pantry?

(Above photos: My darling great-nephews!)

I have to admit, I was scared to death when I was asked to speak to a group of young mommies about hospitality.

But I knew I couldn’t say no.

When I arrived, I just couldn’t picture myself standing at a podium and delivering my message.

I am NOT a podium girl!

So I begged the leaders – puleeeez can we sit in a circle? So the tables were set in somewhat a circle format. But I still wasn’t happy.

I begged again … puleeeez can we move the chairs and form a circle with those?

Ok, Sandy. (I could tell they were hesitant.)

Each mommy picked up her chair and moved it in FRONT of the table, forming a circle (about 20 ladies).

And then I began … Hospitality is not about you …

I was so blessed to be a part of this hour-and-a-half time with mommies and darling babies. Mommies just learning about motherhood and being wives. They were young sponges that need nurturing. And as almost every woman in the group spoke up and shared in one way or another, I thought to myself – Wow! This group really knows how to engage!

They shared heartfelt worries, anxieties, fears, frustrations – all that had to do with expectations or the lack of hospitality!

After our session ended (and I was relieved!), I found out that the leaders had never seen such “engagement” or liveliness in the group. Now, it’s possible that the subject was relevant and hit home with each lady. But I like to attribute it to the “intimate circle” that we formed.

There’s something about feeling safe within a circle, where you can let your guard down and be real with one another.

Do you feel you can open up and share in a smaller, more intimate group setting?

Today I got off the phone with a very dear friend. We talked about changes in life, our homes, and what makes a home.

We could live in places where we really don’t want to live, but as long as we have each other … friendship … we can be happy.

It’s not our homes that define us. It’s who we are as people.

I was able to share with my late Auntie some precious words – in writing – before she passed away. And as I was sharing this with my friend, Meredith, I so appreciated her insight.

Thank goodness you were able to share what she meant to you while she could still hear it. You remind me of the great gift of our words, so easy to share if we only take the time.

And, dare I say it, even more meaningful than a meal?

Sharing a meal together is worthwhile, but realistically our words also count for much!

Can you recall a situation lately where words had an impact on you?

I’m posting over at SC Johnson today, if you’d head over and leave me a comment – I’d really appreciate it! The Family Economics page is awesome, as it features bloggers like myself. You can browse around their site, and you can also read about the Johnson family and how the business has evolved over the generations.

I wrote this post when it was still officially winter, and I had on my jeans, my warm socks and my pink dingle-berry apron from my friend, Anne. And as I was cleaning out my freezer and pulling out Ziploc® bags of frozen strawberries from last years’ crop, I knew I needed to get my jars sterilized and ready to make strawberry jam … read the rest of the story, here.

Yesterday was a special day because my friend Dee came over. I love spending time with Dee, who’s a huge blessing in my life!

Not only did we share a bite to eat, using leftover Easter napkins.

And drank refreshing lemon water.

But we got down to business working on the “galleys” that were delivered to my house a little over a week ago.

What are galleys, you might ask?

Galleys are proofs or preliminary versions of publications, in this case the uncut and unbound version of … The Reluctant Entertainer!

It’s been a very exciting process! One that I’ll forever be indebted to several amazing people: My husband, my friend, Barb, and my editor, Natasha.

And to Dee.

Dee has helped me organize and get my recipes ready for this book. And in the process, we’ve shared many laughs. There’s been something very steady about Dee’s presence when she’s come to help. I told her today that she’s kept me grounded and sane. She’s given me good, wise advice and I’ve so appreciated that.

In return for my hospitable, loving friend giving me so much – I decided to bless her with a Hip Hostess apron, as a little thank you!

So here are the galleys, my friends! In a few short months (August 2010), The Reluctant Entertainer will be available in book stores. It’s been an amazing process … and thanking Dee is just one of the many girlfriends who’ve offered their gift of friendship and support to me … just like adult Balcony Girls!

I’d love to hear about one particular friend in your life who always seems to be there when you’ve needed them?

Ladies, bring your Easter Memories back here tomorrow! Link up for Home Is … Day here at RE! Here’s a little teaser post – one that I hope this blogger will link to and share on Wednesday! Check out Ginger’s fabulous post! If you want to see how we did it last week, you can read about it, here.

At our last Balcony Girls time together we talked about what it means to give a compliment.

You really are an encourager! I love how you look today! I like how you stood up for that person! You make me smile! Thank you for being a good listener! I appreciate your courage! I love your outlook on life! You always look so pretty!

Why give one? What does it feel like? How does it make the other person feel? What if you’ve never given a compliment?

I asked my friend Kay to come and help me out, because last year she shared something with me that I felt I really needed to share with these girls. Kay and I worked together for over 25 years, and she shared with the girls that years ago, a person came into her life who would give her compliments. She found it made her feel special, but also uncomfortable, because she realized that she had never learned how to compliment others in her growing up years!

Kay changed the way that she viewed others. And it made her look inward to evaluate why she wasn’t a more complimentary person! Kay changed her ways and a whole new world opened up when she started genuinely looking for positive things in others, and words to build them up with! Kay began to take on the trait of a Balcony Girl, building others up with complimentary words.

Reasons we don’t compliment people:
1. Jealousy
2. Simply being unobservant…too caught up in ourselves.
3. Emphasizing the physical (clothes, hair, shoes, etc) that can be perceived to be of greater value than true character traits like generosity, loyalty, honesty, sincerity, etc. This could lead to an over-inflated opinion of ourselves based on appearances rather than deeper integrity issues.

Sincerity also plays a factor. If you can’t be sincere, then it’s better to say nothing unless you can see that what is keeping you from speaking the “truth” is jealousy….and then face your jealousy…rise above it…and compliment the person so that “jealousy” can’t get a foothold in your character. Jealousy can hold you hostage!

Reasons we might not receive a compliment well:
1. We feel unworthy.
2. We feel self-conscious.
3. The pressure to “live up” to the compliment.
4. Living with the expectation that a compliment can sometimes bring…always needing to be the winner, whether with shoes, hair, talent, etc. We don’t want people to expect too much from us!

You have to be secure within yourself to be able to take a compliment and graciously say, “thank you,” and just let it be. By not being gracious in accepting the compliment you invalidate or diminish the giver’s kindness, generosity, and “truth” by rejecting it or feeling the necessity to “qualify” it. A simple “thank you” is sufficient and both individuals come out feeling “good” by speaking and accepting a truthful observation.

I then jumped into the conversation and shared with the girls that there have been times that I KNOW I have not been gracious, that there was a time when I had a hard time receiving a compliment. When a person would give one to me, I’d discount it and say, “nah, that’s not true,” or I’d say something silly that would divert the attention away from me, because I was uncomfortable.

It’s freeing to be able to give a compliment and mean it. Focusing on the positive is a great way to not only become a better friend, but it makes you kinder as a person.

Easter activity
We went around the table and each girl gave a meaningful compliment to the person on her right, and then on her left.

Then the girls were encouraged to “give a compliment” in a card, by sending an Easter card to a person of their choice.

Written compliments are sometimes just as important as verbal compliments.

I promised to mail out the cards, just in time for Easter!

Easter snack
We made individual cheesecakes for the snack and topped them with cherries and strawberries.

A perfect Easter snack, an impacting Balcony Girls lesson, a gorgeous day, and a meaningful lesson from my friend Kay – I’d say it was another awesome time for the Balcony Girls.

I say this in almost every post, but I love what the girls learn, because every lesson is a reminder for me too!

Was there a time in your life when it was hard for you to give or receive a compliment?

(Not sure if you saw yesterday’s post on how to make the perfect Deviled Eggs!)