How to Have a Family Dinner in an Empty Nest

It's so easy! IF everyone, or even one of them, lives close enough to come by the house. Yes, I've brought back Wednesday night dinners.

Wednesday night dinners are even better now that Baby M takes part!

When I was growing up, we had dinner at the table every night. Even when we were teenagers and brother T had football practice, we all ate together AFTER football practice. It was the same when the lovelies were growing up- we had family dinners every night. I've never known dinner any other way. Until the nest emptied. Not that I don't enjoy eating with Tucker but all he really wants is what's on my plate. He is a bit lacking in conversation. Unless you prefer one-sided conversations...  While it's true that I do love solitude, dinner time is not the time for sitting alone watching television. Dinner time is a time for interacting with one another, laughing, sharing your day...

Be careful, though. Hilarity is likely to ensue...

I hosted these fun dinners after the last lovely headed downtown to attend the College of Charleston and things were, at that time, too quiet around here. Every Wednesday night, the two lovelies who lived downtown would come over with a couple of college buddies to eat dinner. They got a home cooked meal, and I got entertainment. And noise.

Because someone will pick up some junk mail and start the ball rolling by reading a blurb from the advertisement and it's ON! Seriously, it was hilarious, y'all. 

Now that one lovely is living at home and two are living within 20 minutes of home, I decided to bring back Wednesday night dinners. And the ones who live 8 hours away? We rub it in...I mean, we put those goobers on speaker or Skype. Just like we did with Birdie when she was in grad school in Texas. There are good things about technology, y'all!

These two were MIA. But we rubbed it in real good. 

What if your all-grown-up-kiddos live too far away? Try hosting for some college students who are far away from home and could use a surrogate family and a home cooked meal every so often. If you'd rather not have college students, look around your neighborhood or church or senior center for folks who would enjoy having a meal with friends. It's almost like the supper clubs some churches have around here. I like the idea of hosting some college students just to give them a family-feel and maybe give their parents some relief knowing their kiddos have a surrogate family close by they can turn to if needed.

While the ad discussion continued, Baby M showed zero interest in her shape cards. 

Regardless of who comes to these dinners, it's always nice to have a meal with others and enjoy some conversation, laughs, and good food.

Goobers. The lot of them. 

Oh, what was on the menu? I was so busy trying to remember to take pictures of everyone that I forgot to take any of the food. We had breakfast. My grandmother did that sometimes when I was growing up and I loved it! The lovelies enjoyed it when they were growing up, too, so I decided to prepare a breakfast feast for dinner.

Have you brought back family dinners?


Peace, Peeps!