A Busy Mom's Guide to Entertaining

                         Give Me a Break!

     As I started to prepare my usual stuffed mushroom caps for an impromptu dinner party for a few friends, I turned on the Food Network. A calm, perky, glamorous, Italian woman was chopping fresh mint and parsley for her "old world" crostini. Surrounded by perfectly matched cooking utensils, pristine white mixing bowls, and a kitchen that looked like it came from a magazine, this young chef was whipping up a dinner for eight of her friends in an hour. She chopped, diced, sprinkled, and baked a cake decorated with special lavender flowers for dessert while adding her own special cooking stories handed down from her great grandmother, Estonia.
     Fast forward to my kitchen, where my kids were balancing on top of the countertop, trying to reach the Fruit Loops for a snack before dinner; their macaroni and cheese was bubbling over, and a solicitor who wanted to know who we were voting for in the upcoming election was ringing the telephone. "Gee," I thought, "wouldn't it be wonderful to actually prepare for a dinner party in total peace?" No phones ringing, no children sitting on the potty screaming, "Mommy, I'm done!" Just pleasant elevator music would be playing softly in the background, while I calmly sip an ice-cold glass of Chardonnay...
     For the busy mom, preparing for any type of event, no matter how small or large, is a little more hectic than it looks on TV. I have yet to meet a mom putting together a dinner party who has all of the ingredients in premeasured, petite bowls, ready for the frying pan, or one who has more beautifully matched gadgets than a Pampered Chef's catalog. Most of us moms are lucky to clear off a foot of space on our countertops in order to prepare a meal while watching our children. Most of our countertops are littered with things like our kids' macaroni projects and the latest PTA materials. With all of the demands of caring for our children and managing their activities, just putting a meal together for our own families is almost a Herculean feat, let alone preparing a meal for guests.
     When I planned to host my first few dinner parties, I realized that the meal didn't need to be perfect, but I needed to get organized. Not organized to the degree that you see on the cooking shows, but in the timing of preparing for an event. I realized that I could start early to plan a guest list, shop for the main ingredients, and precook a few dishes, so my life would be easier on the day of the event. I could clean the house in segments, rather than trying to compress everything into the same day.









Themed-Party Favorites for Ladies

        As a mother of two boys, I have found myself surrounded by baseball, football, fishing, wrestling, bugs, frogs, and my eldest son's new pet lizard, "Guizzi." Needless to say, getting together and organizing outings with my lady friends is a necessity. For mom's, catering to the needs of our children and families is paramount. Going out with a group of girlfriends or hosting a "ladies night" at your house full of giggles and stories is not only a shot in the arm but is, in my opinion, necessary for mental health. Whether you join a ladies club in progress or start your own "ladies night out" tradition, put it on your calendar, arrange for child care, and go for it. Here are a few of my favorite ladies parties that I have attended as well as hosted:

1.     Bunco: Grab the dice, score cards, and some good
         friends. Ask your friends to bring an appetizer and  five
         dollars to  throw into the kitty.  Winner takes all.
        (You can buy bunco kits at any toy , department, or
         craft store). Bunco is a very simple, fast-paced game
         that doesn't require a lot of skill. The fun part is gabbing
         with friends and sharing a few coctails together. When
         hosting Bunco, make sure you have (or borrow); two to
         three card tables with enough chairs to seat everyone.
         Generally, a bunco group consists of around eight to ....