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8 Quick Entertaining Must-Haves for the Impromptu Guest

Always be prepared for the unexpected guest. Whether it is a friend stopping by after work or neighbors gathering on the front porch for an impromptu drink, here are a few tips so you are always party ready.

15 Items Every

Powder Room

Needs

Whether you are entertaining overnight guests or friends just dropping by, the powder room is the one area all will ask to visit. Have you taken inventory of this part of your home lately? Make your bathroom boutique beautiful by implementing our top points below. 

Gifts Ideas for
the Mom in Your Life

May can be a crazy month with the chaos of end of school activities, home projects, and travel plans. But we need to hit pause for one day to celebrate the special mom in our life. With hearts of gold and putting others before themselves, we have gathered a list of ideas to help you honor the special lady in your life.

Gather Around the Table this Easter

A few years back my husband and I attended a play that was an adaptation of the classical movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which originally starred Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy. It was a beautifully written, and quite comical, story based on the difficulties families faced in the 1960s with inter-racial marriage. The scene that stood out the most to me was when the son was trying to bring both families together for dinner. In the last line of the last act, he turns to his father and says, “Dad, we need you at the table.” With that, the father joined the others, and the audience was left with the understanding that healing had begun.

My 10 Favorite 
Hostess Gifts

Giving a party requires a great deal of work. If you have been fortunate enough to be included in a festive soiree, it is nice to arrive with a gift for the hostess. The typical present will cost anywhere from $15-$100. What you spend will be determined by your relationship and the type of event. Is it a formal dinner? A backyard BBQ? Also, when possible, know the likes and dislikes of your hostess. If she is allergic to flowers, you probably will not arrive with a bouquet in hand.

How to Create
a Tablescape
in 8 Steps

1. Choose the table. Will you use a round that seats four or a rectangle that seats twelve? This decision will determine your centerpiece.

12 Tips on Dog
Etiquette

Warmer weather will be arriving soon, and I am seeing more of our four-legged members making an appearance in the dog parks and on walking trails. With pets taking more prominent roles in our lives, I thought it would be good to brush up on basic dog etiquette and ownership responsibilities.

Let's Celebrate

Meeting friends for dinner after work, grabbing coffee with your girlfriend or just ordering pizza on a Friday night with neighbors. We all have a deep desire to be connected in a world that often forgets the importance of relationships. Many of us have the desire to entertain, but we let our circumstances keep us from extending hospitality. Often it revolves around our lack of confidence in our ability to host events. I get this!

The Art of
Toasting

A toast may be offered in any setting and made to an individual or a group. Increase your confidence at your next social gathering by learning the ins and outs of this ancient tradition.

A Party Idea
for Each
Month of the
Year

A perfect entertaining year for me would be hosting a different themed party each month! Will I do that? No. Will I dream about it? Yes! If I cannot have a party every 4 weeks, I can at least help my Lisa Lou family with ideas so hopefully a few of you can carry the torch of hospitality for the rest of us.

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  • Writer's pictureLisa Lou
    • Oct 5, 2021
    • 2 min read

Be Your Partner’s Ally



“It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18 NIV).


The original meaning of the word helper in the Bible is azar, which means ally. As spouses, we are to be each other’s ally. This means in everything! When I first married my husband, I did not understand the financial business world in which he lived. If I am honest, it did not interest me a great deal. Yet, I knew when I married him, we were to become allies.This did not mean in just areas in which I had an interest, it meant in all areas. How can I be an ally, though, if I have zero knowledge?


When it came to his career, I needed to develop a basic understanding so I could effectively be his partner not just at home, but also at work. How did I do this? When we would attend business events, I did not sit there like a bump on a log, I would participate in the conversation. When I did not always understand, I would deploy my active listening skills. When we returned home, if there were discussions at dinner I did not grasp, I would ask him to explain. Over time, I developed a basic understanding of his 9-5 world, which made me a more effective partner in my marriage. As my knowledge grew, my interest grew as well.


Whether we enjoy all aspects of our spouse’s life or not, we do need to step up our game and become active participants. I vowed to be his partner in all life, which often means taking an interest and learning about things that matter to him, regardless of what I think. Afterall, if it matters to him, I want it to matter to me. That’s what best friends do!


Together with you,

Lisa Lou

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