If your kids are involved in athletics, you know how all-consuming it can be. It basically dictates your calendar for months or most of the year, leaving little time for much else.  Watching and cheering on our kids and their teammates has been a huge part of our lives. For us, our kids sports involvement, is our social time, our vacation time…it is basically everything….and we love it.  If you’re feeling like there’s not much time for anything else, with weekends games and practices, here’s an idea….how about a pre-game potluck!

Our son is 20 and is still playing competitive hockey. A lot has changed over the years, the biggest being when he started driving himself to the games.  No more arriving at the rink 90 minutes early and killing time, we just drive up ourselves shortly before start time. Noah’s hockey team has a regular Saturday night game slot at 7:30pm, and between our family, grandparents, his girlfriend, her family and some friends…we usually know a lot of people heading to the game. Instead of always just waiting all day for an evening game time, we occasionally invite our friends and family to a pre-game potluck…so we can have time to socialize…and eat…beforehand. It’s a lot of fun!

I typically make a pot of chili, or a batch of sweet and sour meatballs, and a pot of vegetable beef and rice or cheesy chili soup, and then put out some veggies, chips and cookies. Everyone else brings something along for the table and we all dig in….there is never a shortage of food! 😉

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy our pre-game potlucks. I crank some tunes and give the house a quick clean and tidy, then put some coffee on and wait for our friends to arrive. Even if our weekends are filled with the kids activities, it makes us feel like we still have time for other things as well.

I can see carrying this on, even when our kids are done playing. I’m sure we will still be heading the rink to cheer on our local teams…so what fun to have a tailgate or potluck beforehand. You gotta eat anyway….may as well do it with friends. 🙂

I love it when our house is filled with family and friends. Hosting events doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Simple celebrations like a Pre-Game Potluck, a Holiday Coffee- Bailey’s Optional or a TGIF Chip n Dip Club, are fun ways to host a gathering without feeling like you need 3 days to prepare. Social connections are so important and with so much of our “social” time now taking place online….it’s so nice to put the phones down and make the time to connect face to face. Sharing a meal…a conversation…a laugh….these are the times we look back on and remember. I love it.

Have you hosted a pot luck or simple celebration lately? What’s your favorite dish to make for a gathering? Leave a comment and let me know!