5 Issues I Discovered From Internet hosting My First Thanksgiving

Effectively, I did it. I hosted my very first Thanksgiving, and it was successful! (If I do say so myself. 😀 ) And I discovered lots about internet hosting, and about what I’ll do in a different way subsequent time. However general, we had a good time, nice dialog, a lot of laughter, a great deal of meals, and a really stress-free day collectively. What extra may we have now requested for?

Right here are some things that I discovered from internet hosting my first Thanksgiving:

1. My New Home Cleansing Plan Makes My Life So A lot Simpler!

A number of days in the past, I shared with y’all that I had lastly found the key to conserving a clear home. If you happen to missed that put up, you’ll be able to click on right here to learn it. Internet hosting my first Thanksgiving actually put my plan to the take a look at.

I’m naturally a really messy individual, so earlier than instituting my home cleansing plan, if I have been to volunteer to host one thing in our home, I must spend no less than two stable days doing nothing however cleansing the home, and that’s along with some other issues that wanted to be achieved, like making ready meals. These days of home cleansing would typically embrace staying up actually late the evening earlier than in a frantic effort to get all of it completed, and generally even waking up early the subsequent morning (on the day that the gathering was deliberate) to complete up. Discuss nerve-racking!

Final week, I had none of that. I needed to dedicate exactly ZERO days to cleansing the home. There have been no frantic, last-minute efforts to get the cleansing achieved. None of that! It was already clear!

I used to be so calm and stress-free that within the couple of days main as much as Thanksgiving day, I had at lteast two moments of panic, pondering to myself, “OH MY GOSH! I’m absolutely lacking one thing!” However all that was lacking was the stress and exhaustion that I’d typically really feel earlier than having folks in our residence earlier than implementing my new plan.

These terrible emotions have been fully gone, and it was such an incredible feeling to know that I’d be internet hosting folks in our residence, and but I felt completely no stress from an enormous record of issues I wanted to get achieved, and no exhaustion from late nights in a frantic effort to get the home presentable.

If you happen to’re the messy kind like I naturally am, I can’t even categorical to you the peace of thoughts that my new home cleansing system has introduced me. That feeling of peace and calm is really indescribable, and it makes me much more decided to by no means return to my outdated messy methods.

2. I Desire A Non-Conventional Thanksgiving Meal

Am I the one one who doesn’t actually like turkey and dressing? It’s my least favourite a part of Thanksgiving.

Effectively, this yr, we determined to do one thing a little bit totally different. Since my sister-in-law works nights, and she or he obtained off of labor very early within the morning (round 6:00am), we determined to have a Thanksgiving breakfast/brunch fairly than laying aside our meal later within the day and pressure her to remain awake simply in order that we may eat at our common lunch time.

And breakfast/brunch meant no turkey and dressing! I used to be very okay with that. 😀 So as a substitute of Thanksgiving lunch, we met at 9:00am for Thanksgiving brunch, and we had a menu of breakfast casserole, bacon, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, fruit, orange juice, espresso, and many others. We ALL agreed that it was an incredible meal, and that we preferred it a lot that this was going to be our new Thanksgiving custom.

A number of days earlier than Thanksgiving, my mother despatched me a bunch of recipes and requested me to slender down the menu. So after going via all the choices, I made a decision on this Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole from The Pioneer Woman, swapping out the bacon for breakfast sausage. (I favor to eat my bacon plain and entire on the aspect.)

I child you not after I say that this was the most effective breakfast casserole that I’ve ever had in my life. I’m typically not an enormous fan of breakfast casseroles as a result of I discover them to be both too dry or too eggy (or each). This one was neither of these issues. It was absolute perfection, and this can be my “go to” breakfast casserole sooner or later.

I prepped all the things and put all of it collectively within the casserole dish the evening earlier than, coated it and put it within the fridge in a single day. Then on Thursday morning, I obtained it out of the fridge about 7:30am and let it sit on the countertop, after which popped it into the oven round 8:30. By 9:30, it was baked to perfection, and after letting it “relaxation” for ten minutes, we dug in.

3. I Love That Our Home Is Being Used!!

I can’t even categorical to y’all the quantity of pleasure and satisfaction I’m getting out of our home lastly being USED! I put so a few years of arduous work into this home, transforming and adorning each space myself (typically with assistance on the massive initiatives that I couldn’t do solo), and to now see it getting used and loved by others does my coronary heart good.

And I imply, issues are getting used. Since we don’t have a eating room proper now, and I wasn’t actually certain what we’d do after we ate, I ended up pushing the lounge couch again towards the entryway credenza, transferring the aspect desk out of the room, and organising a folding desk and chairs in the midst of the lounge for our meal.

We truly sat on the desk for hours, speaking and laughing and having nice dialog. However afterwards (round mid-afternoon once we all obtained drained from our huge meal), we pushed the desk over to the aspect home windows to set out some snacks, and I introduced the 2 sitting room recliners into the lounge, and in addition introduced our huge TV into the lounge and set it up on the espresso desk in order that we may watch a film, chat extra, chill out, and even snooze a bit.

Right here’s the aftermath that I woke as much as the subsequent morning, after I had already put the TV again in our bed room and shoved issues round only a bit. (And for individuals who have requested previously, sure, these ottomans that dwell within the entryway do get used.)

Right here’s the view from the opposite finish of the room…

All the pieces was moved and raveled, however you already know what? I completely LOVED IT! I really like having folks in our residence, and I really like seeing them snug and relaxed in our residence. I don’t care how a lot I’ve to rearrange furnishings to make that occur.

By the best way, for those who’re new right here, that is what these areas typically appear to be…

4. A Absolutely-Practical Toilet Is A Should!

Our hallway rest room has some points, and when it’s simply Matt and me in our residence, I are inclined to overlook about them. I’ve simply discovered to dwell with them.

I’ve already defined the bathroom subject right here. And since I completely hate the thought of changing a bathroom on account of issues that ought to be cheap and simply replaceable (however aren’t even accessible, and subsequently, aren’t replaceable in any respect), I’ve postpone changing the bathroom. So for over a yr now, each single time that bathroom is flushed, I’ve to take away the tank lid, jiggle a little bit factor to get the water operating into the tank, after which be certain that the flapper is protecting the opening via which the water goes into the bowl.

Once more, when it’s simply the 2 of us right here, that looks as if a non-issue. I’ve turn out to be so used to it that it’s simply second nature. However when I’ve a home full of individuals, and I’m consistently having to control that rest room to see if it’s getting used in order that I can go in after each single use and “reset” the bathroom for the subsequent use, it’s not nice.

So take my recommendation. If you happen to’re DIYing your manner via your property like I’ve achieved, and also you’re to the purpose the place you wish to begin internet hosting company, simply be sure that the lavatory is absolutely practical. You don’t want a stupendous eating room (a folding desk and stackable chairs are positive), and also you don’t want an ideal household room. However you do want a completely practical rest room.

I’ll be heading to Dwelling Depot this afternoon to get ours taken care of in order that I can begin being absolutely current when we have now folks in our residence, fairly than feeling like I’ve to babysit the lavatory. 😀

5. I Actually Can’t Wait To Construct Our Addition!!

Whereas I completely beloved hosing Thanksgiving, and was happy with our present association, and I’m completely completely happy to maneuver furnishings round to make folks really feel snug in our residence, I need that addition extra now than ever.

Oh, I dream of the day that I can have my eating room (which is presently getting used as a brief sitting room for Matt’s profit) again as a practical eating room. And after I can have a big household room with tremendous cozy furnishings and a big TV that lives completely in that room.

I’m extra motivated now to see simply how rapidly we will make that occur. I truthfully don’t know what Matt will say (he holds the purse strings and governs the timeline in terms of the actually huge initiatives since he’s the price range man), however I hope to plead my case that we have to try this earlier than later, after which hope that he sees it my manner. 😀

So general, I completely loved being the host for Thanksgiving this yr. I’m so glad I’ve taken steps to make internet hosting simpler and stress-free, and I believe with just a few tweaks, it will likely be even higher subsequent time!

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and adorn the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You may be taught extra about me right here.

I hope you’ll be part of me on my DIY and adorning journey! If you wish to comply with my initiatives and progress, you’ll be able to subscribe under and have every new put up delivered to your e mail inbox. That manner you’ll by no means miss a factor!