Party Planning Musts

Okay so I LOVE to plan parties.. it’s in my DNA. My mom and grandma are both fabulous hostesses so I have grown up always loving to host and have people over. I can remember as far back as to when I was a little girl when my best friend Joanne and I would plan these pretend parties ( for um literally nobody but ourselves...) but we would have so much fun just making decorations, pretend making food and so forth. 

Each year around Christmas I throw an annual Christmas party with all the trimmings.. I love to have my family and close friends gathered around the living room with a yummy cocktail and good conversation. 

Parties are my favorite.

With that said.. parties are also ALOT of work and depending on the type of party, amount of people, time OF the party ( meaning are you going to serve dinner or hors’ dourves) you have to plan carefully and ahead of time. 

Here are some of my tips for planning a successful party or event. I am not party planner but I have thrown several fun and successful events in my own home and have learned a trick or two about budgeting and partying in style!!!!

1.  Decide on your date and theme first: For Jaxie’s birthday I decided four months in advance I wanted to do the nautical theme ( actually lets be real. I knew at birth what his theme of party would be. I know.. ) After the theme is picked then you can pick a date. The date is important because it gives you X amount of time to plan and budget. 

2.  Have an allotted budget and STICK TO IT!!!  The first birthday party is really such a gimmick. I went all out on Jax’s first party but only because I wanted to. Parties do not have to cost thousands to make them successful. What makes a party successful is organization, time management, and creativity! I had a budget for Jax’s party and I knew that instead of splurging on everything the month before I could break it into chunks and start shopping 4 months before..that way it was budgeted into our monthly expenses. 

• Each week I wrote in my planner my to- do list ( for example: Monday: call cake lady for a bid,  shop invitations, and shop for linens) 
• Each week I gave myself 2-4 things to do so that I was not completely overwhelmed the month of the party. I started with bids from the cake lady and florist.. it is wise to call around because most of the time SOMEONE is going to have something cheaper. My cake and smash cake cost 80 bucks...all these other crazy people wanted 300 bucks!! WHAT!! CALL AROUND.
• Go to stores for paper goods ( cute napkins, straws, plates) are Tuesday Morning, Hobby Lobby, Home Goods and Target. Etsy always has the theme you want BUT they want about a dollar more than any of the other places. Shop smart! 

3. Decide on the time of your party: Deciding on the time of your party gives you an in or out on whether or not you want to serve a full meal or just heavy snacks. I decided on 2-5 because it is after lunch ( most people will have already ate) and just set out heavy snacks. If catered food is not in the budget then get busy in the kitchen! We opted NOT to have anything catered and I provided crock pot pulled pork sliders, veggie and fruit trays, chips and dip and cake and cookies. Easy and not much to work on!

4. Decide on how many people you want to attend your event: The amount of people you invite has a lot to do with how much food and drinks to provide. Some things to keep in  mind are the size of your house. As fun as it might be to host 50 people it may not be the best idea if everyone is just standing around crammed like a bunch of sardines. If you are hoping for a large party then a venue might be the best option. To me, the perfect number stands around 20-25 people. Jax’s birthday was mostly family with a few close friends.. it was the perfect amount so that there was group conversation going on, Jax was NOT overwhelmed by the amount of people, and I was able to talk to each person without feeling like I could never sit down.

5.  Decor: Themed parties are SO much fun.. some of the fun decor items that I feel add just a little extra to any party are:

• Name plate cards. You can almost find these in ANY theme and they are just so cute to add to the plates of food. 
• Florals: These can be custom and arranged or simply hand picked and put in a cute mason jar with a pretty ribbon tied around. They are easy centerpieces and compliment any setting. 
• Linens: If you haven’t already invest in a WHITE table cloth. They are sooo versatile and you do not want any of your guests spilling their spillage on your pretty dining table.  You can also add themed runners or for instance, at Jax’s party I added an anchor runner with  a cute fisherman’s net on top for some nautical detail. 
• Drink station: These are so versatile and create a very organized station where people can serve their own drinks. The hostess already has a lot going on so grabbing a guest their drink is a little inconvenient. For the majority of my parties I have a signature drink set out in a dispenser with cups next to it so guests can accommodate themselves on beverages. For Jax’s party I did a themed “ Ocean Water” and had a bucket of ice and cups alongside the dispenser. In the same station I also had juices for the kids, a plethora of wine, and water bottles so guests could enjoy different drinks. If your budget doesn’t allow for alcohol simply have two dispensers ( or pitchers) and home make some yummy iced tea and some spa water ( slice lemons, limes, and cucumbers into iced water to give it a citrusy spa flavor. EASY!)
• If your party includes gifts, always have a ready to go notebook and pen to write down any gifts or cards so that you can send out your thank you notes within two weeks. 

HAVE FUN!!!!

My number one rule about hosting a party or gathering is to have some fun! Don’t make SUCH a fuss that you forget what the party is truly all about.

for fun....

A few holidays and parties I have hosted throughout the years

My first Easter as Mrs. Frankhouser!!!! I was SO excited to have Easter as my “ given” holiday. Here I am with my freshly set table. I was so excited to have the family over!!!!

First Christmas gathering in our new house. This is my famous Banana Foster Bundt Cake...

Trying it..

Friends, Family, and FOOD!

I hosted my grandpas 80th Birthday party!!!

Here I am with his dog Max

Hosting my SECOND Easter 6 1/2 Months preggo

Table the second year..

Baby Boy’s Baptism November 2016

mama and her table

Third Christmas Gathering!! Baby is here for this one :)

 My yummy Cheese Platter

Omg he is SO cute

Family gathered around playing our white elephant game

Baby’s Party!!

XOXO!

Lunch Rut

Happy Monday Friends!!!!

Today’s post is mostly centering around our ( or at least mine)  LEAST thought out meal of the day. Many times Lunch is just ...inconvenient?? For me anyways lunchtime falls around the baby’s nap time so as I am finishing feeding him, changing his diaper, fixing a bottle, and getting ready for our nap time routine MY LUNCH is literally the last thing on my mind. Most days I will shovel something in my mouth just so I can spend more of the time doing something productive ( like write on this blog :)) rather then fix myself something nutritious. For many of you moms I am sure a NAP or cleaning the house is more on the priority list rather than making a mess in the kitchen...am I right?? I spent this weekend meal prepping a few meals so that even on the busiest of days when I am strapped for time.. I can eat something.. fueling. 

Here are some EASY ideas that can be prepped before hand 

 Brandon’s Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken off the bone and chunked

1 apple, peeled and chunked

2 stalks of celery chopped

3 boiled eggs chopped or sliced

8 oz of dill relish

s&p

Mayo to your liking

Stir and refrigerate!!!

This chicken salad is great on Ezequiel Toast or just plain by itself:)

Tuna Stuffed Avocados

Make exactly like the above chicken salad except substitute the chicken with Tuna. Stuff in an Avocado and you have yourself a protein packed easy lunch

Turkey Roll ups

I buy Boar’s head Turkey and roll it up with light baby swiss cheese.. Sometimes I stuff it in a lettuce wrap and call it a day. EASY!

Pasta Salad 

This takes some prep work..

Usually on a Sunday I will make this but it lasts ALL WEEK!!! It is simple, easy, and delicious..your kids will eat it too :)

1 package of whole wheat bow tie pasta.. cooked and drained

1 bunch of basil, torn into small pieces or chopped fine

shredded mozzarella cheese

2 grilled chicken breasts cut into chunks

1 small bottle of pesto 

1 box of cheery tomatoes sliced

olive oil 

salt and pepper

toss all of the ingredients together and enjoy!!! 

xoxxoo

One Pot Broccoli Chicken & Cheese Rice

Happy Sunday!!!!

This weekend has been so much fun..we went to a big fun birthday party, spent time with my parents, went to church, and I got a whole lot of exercise in.. but real life I am EXHAUSTED! Brandon has been gone all weekend to his annual Green Beer Open golf tournament and I opted to stay behind mostly because I didn’t feel like hauling my daycare down to Conroe :) I know you moms feel me on that. Sometimes when Brandon is away on a work trip or a golf/hunting trip I secretly enjoy just the special Mommy/Jaxie memories. I did a few things this weekend that were special and I really enjoyed the simplicity of the weekend. 

 I knew that after today, which was quite eventful I might add, I would need something easy to stick in the oven and just eat.. something that could be made into leftovers and possibly a lunch and dinner for the baby. Did I mention my dog ate an entire batch of chocolate chip cookies?? Yes friends, I spent my sunday evening inducing my dog to vomit the chocolate chip cookies that he inhaled while I took one second to pee. *sigh*

So now the dog is in his kennel, the baby is fast asleep, and I am showered ( FINALLY!) and in my PJs. I am too tired to even have a glass of wine.. yeah I’m THAT tired! 

Here is my fabulous dinner that I know some of you tired mamas need on your menu this week!

Shopping List:

4 bone in chicken thighs -skin on

one small onion - chopped and set aside

one head of broccoli chopped into florets

1 1/2 cup of rice ( I used organic brown rice)

Freshly grated yellow cheddar cheese ( or buy the bagged cheddar if you like)

3 1/2 cups chicken broth 

salt and pepper

olive oil

Procedure: Preheat Oven 375

Start by throwing your broccoli in a deep skillet ( preferably with a lid)  with about 1/2 cup of water. Turn to medium high heat and place a lid on top. Cook for five minutes until tender. 

Drain and set aside. 

Next salt and pepper your chicken to taste, then add some oil in the pan and sear the chicken on both sides until browned - about 6-7 minutes on each side. 

Remove the chicken and add your onions. Cook until translucent and then add your rice. Cook your rice with the onions for about one minute then add the chicken back in the pot and pour in the chicken stock. 

Place the lid on top and pop it in the oven and cook for 35 minutes. 

Remove the chicken once again and add the broccoli in with the rice along with the shredded cheddar. Place back in the oven for five minutes until the cheese is good and melted. 

Serve along side the chicken! SO SIMPLE!

Here is a picture of my sweet pea because he looks beyond cute in his new jammies:)