Fun Things

I just started throwing crappy dinner parties. Since we moved to our work-in-progress home, I have always felt self conscious of having people over to our house. We always have some kind of project going on in addition to having two small children wrecking havoc and my husband and I working full time. Last week I decided I was bummed I didn’t get to see my friends as much as before kids so I invited everyone over even though there was a mountain of laundry on the couch and our kitchen cabinet doors were off because we were in the middle of painting them. I just made sure we had enough toilet paper in the bathroom and ignored the toys all over my daughter’s bedroom. My friends came over and we prepared a great dinner together and had a fantastic time. I’ve accepted at this stage of life my house will never be perfect but that shouldn’t stop me from enjoying my friends’ company. Crappy dinner parties from now on!

Um, isn’t a crappy dinner party just having friends? I do this almost every weekend because we are the only one of our friends with kids. They all have standing invitations and come over maybe with a bottle of wine and we cook whatever or order food and often watch The Bachelor or something on demand. I think you’re 100% happier if you forget about the plans for a perfect dinner party.
(I do always rush to the bathroom to make sure it’s not disgusting though. Haha)

New Yorkers are so funny. The dinner party sounds like something you’d do with old friends you’re super comfortable with – I want to have occasions where it just comes together & is easy. With lasagna!

The whole “crappy dinner party” idea seems really strange to me. It makes me reflect on my childhood in a way I never have.

That was just what life was like when I was growing up. Our home was always clean and ready to accept guests–for an hour, a day, a month.

There was always a simple wholesome meal to share and enough drinks to go around. Probably why we had two refrigerators and a deep freezer.

Friends were family, always welcome. Many had keys and the alarm code.

Of course, if you called first, my mom would say “c’mon, baby!” It was never a bad time. If you came unannounced, you knew to take of your shoes and make yourself at home.

It was warm and easy, full of shouting and laughter.

It never occurred to me before that this was unusual. Maybe it’s cultural? As one of the only Black families in a predominantly White, Midwestern suburb, we stuck together. I’d never thought there was another way to be.

This made me grateful in a whole new way. Thanks for sharing!

I so wanted to love One Mississippi. I love love love Tig, but after experiencing a series of losses I just couldn’t make it through the show. I quit halfway through the second episode. I do think what I saw of the show was well done, and Tig was as amazing as ever, but it’s really raw and it was just too much for me. Just a warning for anyone who had lost a loved one recently!

That clothing collection on the other hand is AMAZING. I want it all!