always be ready to have guests

....granted I ordered pizza, but I had a great assortment of wines and some beer on hand. Store bought fresh salsa and chips, plus someone brought a salad!! (Phew!) And I whipped up a Pavlova for dessert with fresh strawberries & blueberries. Its so easy, but looks so impressive! LOVE this goal!

...of having my inlaws a house guests. I had 1 hour notice before they arrived after the October snow storm knocked out their electricity for a week. Thank GOD for this goal.

...as long as I keep coffee on hand, beer and wine in the fridge and lemonade concentrate in the freezer, I can always swing having guests over. I have found guacamole that is sold in two packs that lasts a long time in the fridge—its SAVED this goal for me on more than one occasion. :) And I usually can pull together artichoke dip or onion dip or pull out a frozen app with minimal effort as well. I still want to perfect having surprise guests for LUNCH and DINNER without wasting food that goes bad when we DON’T have guests. OR having to resort to takeout. That’s been hit or miss for me, so I’m still working on it. ALso, my overnight guest accommodations also could use some work….my linen closet is really small, so I need to figure out that overnight stuff better….so I’m keeping this goal on my list.

...friends came to drop off their daughter and I was able to invite them to stay for drinks. I’d been rushing around to kids’ sports things all day and only got home a short time before they arrived. I was SOOO glad to already have wine and beer in the fridge and stuff in the house to throw together some appetizers. Hot artichoke dip is super fast and always a hit. Plus chips & salsa. :)

...last night. Took the leaves out of the table and had a grown up dinner for four with the good china, crystal, etc. So often we have big family groups including kids that it was nice to do this for a change. Need to do this again.

The best part? I was totally ready 20 minutes before they arrived. The candles were lit, the music was on and I made myself a margarita and was relaxed when they arrived. THAT is the best!

...here for 4 nights. It was easy and fun. Had plenty on hand for meals and happy hours. Even when we’d add my parents or my brother and his wife or whoever else was here extra. Sweet.

We had my friend and her family for dinner. She had been on the mission trip with me and knew her hubby would have nothing in the house AND he’d be expecting dinner. So they came here. My hubby had bought rolls and turkey burgers and lettuce and tomato. I had pasta and pesto, chips and salsa, pickles, drinks and ice cream already. A watermelon rounded things out. Impromptu dinner party. Thats exactly what I’m talking about with this goal. LOVED having them over!!

...must be summer! We’ve had a revolving door of kids overnight. I need to replace our mattress on the trundle bed in my little guy’s room…I discovered last night that its really bad!! We had the parents of all of these kids in for drinks or coffee on either end of their kids’ visits, so that’s been fun. Need to branch out and invite my own friends over more (not just the ones that come attached to my kids’ friends!)

I’d stocked up on soft drinks and beer this past week. Thank goodness for the “overflow” fridge in the basement!! Was perfect since the in-laws ended up coming for lunch, then we had an extra teenager overnight last night studying for finals and watching the Celtics.

Had appetizer, dinner & dessert stuff on hand so when we had extras this weekend it was effortless. Really. Building a dessert and an appetizer into my shopping list each week is a good idea. So if we don’t have company, my family gets a treat.

I do needed to stock up on more drinks this week….waters, iced teas, capris suns, plus beer, lemonade and iced coffee fixings.