How I Keep Large Groups of Guests & Other Tips

It may be quiet here on Treasuring the Moments but that’s because I’ve been busy this past week entertaining.  I slipped in here to write this post while everyone is catching up on lost sleep over the past several days.  One of the curses blessings of being a early riser is you cannot sleep-in even when your body wants to! 

We had special church services this weekend, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Friday night there were 27 people (including my family) staying here at the ranch.  Our house is about 2700 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms.  Many of them were kids and one of the great things about children and young people is you can place them anywhere.  So all the boys were piled all over the boys’ bedroom floor, the girls stayed in our travel trailer and we married folks each had a bedroom.

Bedding

I always encourage any boys or girls that come to stay overnight to bring their own sleeping bag.  It makes things so much easier when you are entertaining as often as we do.  I don’t have to worry if…

#1 we have enough bedding

#2 folding a gazillion blankets when everyone leaves

#3 wondering if our sleeping bags are clean (my kids are constantly using them, so you never can know)

#4 washing sleeping bags after our guests have departed

If we have one family coming to visit, I don’t ask them to bring bedding but if I’m going to have quite a crew staying over, I do like to suggest, promote, encourage, foster, endorse… you get the picture? 🙂

So Saturday we had a BBQ at our place with about 110 people here.  Not wanting to worry about preparing a big breakfast, cleaning up and then getting ready for the BBQ, I opted to make it very simple and have a fruit bowl.  Blueberries, strawberries, bananas, grapes, cataloupe with vanilla yogurt on top and a sprinkling of granola.  You can see what I’m talking about here.

With many willing hands, you can make things happen!

I just love these girls.  They are always ready to assist even when there’s nobody watching, or when they’re tired, ready to do jobs that aren’t glorious but just plain old hard scrubbing.  I can’t say enough about them, they are the best!

Tips for Girls Who Like to be Helpful

Single girls here are some thoughts from me to you on what to do with yourself when you go visit someone else’s house.

1.  Always ask if there’s anything that you can do.

2.  If you see a job that needs done, jump in and do it.  Maybe the trash needs emptied or food was dropped on the floor and you can pick or sweep it up.

3.  Look for jobs to do, don’t wait to be asked.  This is sort of a repeat of #2 but what I’m meaning by this is to think ahead to what needs to be accomplished in order to serve a meal.  From my own experience, I have seen girls that seem willing to help but sometimes there will be a job right there in front of them that could be done but they fail to recognize it.

4.  If you are given a job, stick with it to the end.  Be dependable.  Once the hostess has passed the job to you, she doesn’t want to have to think about it any longer.

Let me say I don’t put or expect all my guests to work when they come for dinner but if I have a large crowd, it always nice to have some extra hands. 

I have lots of pictures of our weekend but as I still have guests… it’s time for me to prepare some breakfast before we go see beautiful Sedona.