I would think that we could all agree that this is challenging. We understand the importance of friends in our lives and we love to spend time together. The whole concept looks great on paper but it’s a whole different thing in practice. So today, dear friend, I’m going to help you figure this out. I should perhaps warn you that I’m not really the going out type. I would much rather steal a quiet moment or evening over a meal or a beverage and have a nice long chat. So if that’s the sort of thing you like too, then read on. I have some ideas!
#1 – You must MAKE time…PLAN ahead…SCHEDULE the fun. I know that you are busy and have a million things you should be doing. Put the “shoulds” aside for a bit and make time for fun.
#2 – Be willing to be creative about finding time. You may have a spouse, children a full time job or some combination of those things which means that many hours of your day are planned out for you. When planning some time with friend(s) you may need to think outside the box.
Here are a few ways I carve out time with friends:
- Lunch with a friend while my kids are at school
- Coffee at any point in the day while they are gone
- Wine and Facetime with a friend in the evening (even after the kids are in bed)
- Incorporate your kids…get together with another mom and her children. The kids can all entertain each other and you gals can enjoy yourselves.
#3 – Celebrate something! This is one of my favorite ways to create a fun time for family or friends. Besides the usual holidays there are SO many other great days to celebrate. Go HERE for a calendar of odd holidays and such.
Check out a few of my favorites that are coming soon and would be simple to celebrate:
- Sat. Oct. 25 is World Pasta Day – Invite a few of your fave peeps over for a yummy pasta dinner. HERE is a link to a recipe that I made this week. There are no words for how much I LOVE the creamy goodness of this dish.
- Thurs. Oct. 30 is Candy Corn Day – ’nuff said. Eat ’em up!
- Sun. Nov. 2 is Zero Tasking Day – This is the perfect day for women everywhere to celebrate! I think this calls for us all to order in or go out and just RELAX. Invite a few friends over, order something yummy, pop in a chic flick and put your feet up. Doesn’t that sound divine?
- Mon. Nov. 3 is Sandwich Day and Housewife Day – If you do housewife duties then I think you should celebrate by having sandwiches with friends. HERE is a sandwich recipe I have pinned and intend to try…soon. They are chicken, bacon, ranch paninis from the Pioneer Woman. She’s never let me down.
- Thurs. Nov. 6 is Nachos Day (shut up!) AND Men Make Dinner Day – Oh the glory! In preparation for this glorious holiday, get to the store and stock the pantry with all the nacho fixings you need. Find some special fella to cook you and your gal pals nachos for supper. If that doesn’t work, meet your girls at your local authentic Mexican restaurant and have at it. Melted cheese makes me happy.
Here are a few photos from one of my favorite days to celebrate. This is one of those times that involves kids and grown ups. The donut eating fun is followed by a cookout. The kids run around the yard and the grown ups get to chat. Lovely!
Carve out the time, think outside the box and enjoy your friends. Which of the “holidays” would you like to celebrate?
