I am having another wonderfully busy week getting my girls all settled in Washington (oh happy week for me!) so I’ve asked my good friend Sandy from Reluctant Entertainer to share some beautiful life inspiration for us today — which of course for her involves entertaining! If any of you are slinking out the back door right now thinking entertaining beautifully is only for people like Martha, stick around.

Through Reluctant Entertainer, Sandy inspires her readers to find beauty in connecting with people rather than focusing on impressing them. Once we make that adjustment in our thinking, we are free to care about our neighbors and get to know new people in spite of our imperfections, busyness and whatever else stands in our way!

A beautiful life is about the authentic LIFE we live and how we share it with others!

So, as we head into another weekend, please welcome Sandy to inspire us with her idea of a perfect summer evening! I love that it involves inviting me over to dinner!

{the rest of this post was written by Sandy, Reluctant Entertainer}

Let’s imagine that my friend Melissa Michaels and her family is coming for dinner tonight!

For several years our families only lived 4 hours away from each other.  That 4 is now 7 since Melissa has moved to Seattle, so our chances of getting together have become slim.  We regret that we didn’t try harder when we lived closer to each other!

Yes, entertaining does take effort.  Yes, you have to make it happen. It just doesn’t happen FOR you!

So I’m going to pretend …

It’s beautiful in southern Oregon right now.  Cool nights and very warm days.  Perfect for entertaining.

I’m setting the table with one of my favorite oilcloth tablecloths made in France. Can you imagine a table cloth you don’t have to wash?  These beauties are made to wipe off with a wet sponge – and then they look like new!  They’re nothing like the old vinyl or plastic tablecloths that our mother’s used to use.  They are gorgeous and so practical for entertaining. You can find oilcloth tablecloths here (no,we are not paid to show you these!)

So I’m setting the table for our family, and for Melissa and her husband and son. But if her daughters and son-in-law happen to pop in later, that would make our dinner party even more fun! I can be spontaneous! The more the merrier!

Simple table set - a few votive candles and snips of iris’ from our yard.

Food prepared – halibut that melts in your mouth and fresh salad from our garden.

Melissa’s bringing dessert (power of delegation!)

Backyard ready for guests – easy ambience.

Kids ready to hang and play with Melissa’s son.

Music is playing.

The night is young.

More than the ambience or the tablescape though, what makes entertaining real for me is the connection.  The conversation that will take place, relationships that will be forged, and the intimacy that is shared.

It’s how we make a difference in this world — by reaching out to new families that come into our lives.

It’s called real entertaining for real people.

When is the last time you invited a new family over for dinner?

Please share YOUR thoughts in the comments and your beautiful life links on Mr. Linky!

{photos: Paul Coughlin}