I enjoy having groups of people over, especially during the holidays. We always have a large Christmas party for my husband’s staff and their families. We also enjoy having family and/or friends over for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Over the years I have learned what makes these gatherings much easier on me and that is planning, planning, and more planning. We have had our office party at our house for quite a few years now. Each year I seem to find ways that save me time. But the one thing that I always do is to keep detailed lists of things to do and things to make.

Several years ago I read a tip from Martha Stewart about a party planning notebook. I immediately realized this would save me a lot of time. I loved the idea and realized that I should have been doing a notebook a long time ago. I now do a notebook like this each year for the office parties. I also do one for holidays and any other large gatherings that we have.

Not only does this notebook help me keep track of what I need to do, but it helps me keep track of what I have made from year to year. Even if you do not host a large gathering for the holidays a notebook like this would be helpful to use for children’s birthday parties or barbecues in the summer.

So, here is a look at my office party notebook.

I always label the side of the notebook. This tells me if it is my office party book, my Thanksgiving and Christmas book, or my book for other gatherings.

I use dividers to label the years. This way I can use one notebook for several years. I also use page protectors in my notebook. It keeps the pages clean and allows me to write on them. I use a dry erase marker to make any notes I need.

I make a list of the recipes that I want to make. For the office party I start this list several months in advance. When I see a recipe that I want to try I make note of it. Then a couple of weeks before the party I narrow the list down to what I am going to make. I then make a list of the recipes.

I also make a copy of each recipe and make note of any changes I want to make. After the party I make note of what I liked or disliked about the recipe. I also make note on whether or not it was a popular item. I don’t want to make the same cookie that no one likes year after year. But if something is really enjoyed than I might want to make it again.

I also make a list of what I need to do. I do this for each day. Usually I start making some of the candy three to four days in advance. A list like this keeps me on track. I am also able to mark things off. This makes me feel like I have accomplished things instead of getting overwhelmed with what I have left to do.

I also make a list like this for housecleaning jobs that I need to do the week before a party. I have also found it helpful to include grocery lists in my notebook.

You can probably tell that I am a planner and scheduler. I need lists and plans, especially when I am planning for a party or even company. I know most of you don’t plan an office party, but I am sure you will plan some event that this would apply to, maybe a wedding or baby shower, Thanksgiving dinner or superbowl party. A plan like this will save you a lot of time.

A notebook like this works for me.

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Holiday Planning Notebook is a post from: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures ©2011 LynnsKitchenAdventures - All rights reserved.

I did not do much baking or cooking this week. I cooked our regular meals, but I did not fix anything extra. Today, though I made up for it.

I made two loaves of whole wheat bread.

Then I made two loaves of applesauce bread to use for breakfast this week.

I fixed a pan of enchiladas for dinner

and than we had caramel apple bars for dessert that I had made earlier today. I uses whole wheat pastry flour and they turned out great.

Do you think I made up for not baking and cooking much this last week?

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My Day is a post from: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures ©2011 LynnsKitchenAdventures - All rights reserved.

I am reading the book “The Martha Rules” by Martha Stewart. I have not finished the book, so I can not give a full review of it, but so far I am enjoying it.

In just reading the first chapter Martha got my attention. She discusses finding your passion. She is talking mainly about the business world, but I realized this also applies to me and my job as a homemaker

Here is what she says:

I am not alone in my passion for my work, for my life. Other entrepreneurs that I know have the same passion, and their excitement for their work and for their lives is electric and palpable. Whether they work for a large company, run their own business, are raising a family, or are organizing a fund raising event for a charity, they are tuned into anything and anyone that can make their plans and dreams come true. They are positive and optimistic. They always find a way to get the job done better, faster, and more energetically than those around them.

She goes on to say:

Passion is the first and most essential ingredient for planning and beginning a business or for starting and satisfactorily completing any worthwhile project. Without passion, work is just a chore. Without passion, quality the cornerstone of all businesses is simply about minimum standards. Without passion, the people who will benefit directly from your efforts-the customers-seem incidental.

And in the next paragraph she says:

When work is based in passion, it does not feel like work- it feels fulfilling and empowering, far more about creating, building, devising, initiating, leading, and serving than about simply moving through one task and on to another……….I never have housework to do. I have furniture to polish, I have vacuuming to do, and I have ironing to finish.

This really got me thinking. Not as is applies to our business, but as it applies to me and my life right now. The Lord has blessed me with the ability and the desire to be a stay at home mom. I would not want it any other way at this time in my life. Right now my family is my business, and my husband and kids are my focus. They are my employer, employees, and customer, all in one. But do I treat being a wife, mother, and home maker as simply a job that I have to do each and everyday? Has it become a chore or is it my passion?

The more I thought about this; the more I realized it has become mainly a chore. I love to cook; I have a passion for cooking. I find it relaxing, and rarely do I see cooking as a chore. But how do I treat cleaning up spilled milk, doing the dishes, mopping the floor, and cleaning the bathrooms? I treat them as a chore: something I sometimes dread and put off. I do not usually have a passion for doing these things, but I should. They are part of my job, part of what the Lord has given me to do. I need to give them my all, each and every day.

I need to evaluate my focus. I need to be sure my job as a wife and mother has not become a chore, but is my passion. I don’t want to get by with the minimum standard. I want to excel at it. I want to give it my all, my best. I want my business to matter. I want to focus on what the Lord has given me, and serve Him to the best of my ability in the job he has placed me in.

Martha says we need to be tuned into anything and anyone that can make our plans and dreams come true. She says we need to be positive and look for ways to get the job done better. Am I always tuned in to what my husband and kids need? No, I lack in this area. Am I always positive? No, I can be pretty pessimistic. Am I always looking for a ways to run my house more efficiently? No, I need to work on that. I need to see what I can do to make sure things are cleaner, neater, more organized, etc. I have dreams and plans for my family. I need to keep that in focus. They are what matters. What am I doing to make these dreams a reality? Am I doing what it takes to make them come true? Am I giving even the unpleasant tasks, my best, my all? I need to turn my chores into my passion.

I am looking forward to reading more of this book. I thought it would help me understand business better, but I had no idea it would help me refocus my efforts in my job as a wife and mother.

Sarah thought this would make a good post for My Favorite Things Monday. I agree. Visit Everyday Elegance to see more favorite things.

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Making My Job My Passion is a post from: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures ©2011 LynnsKitchenAdventures - All rights reserved.