Tuesday Talk

Hello! I’m linking up again with Erika and Ashley for this month’s Tuesday Talk. This link up is the third Tuesday of the month, and the topic is always anything you want to talk about!

Last month, was my first Tuesday Talk post, so I wrote about why I started a blog.

A friend recently mentioned the book In Five Years by Rebecca Serle. I’ve heard that this is a really good book, and I’m on the wait list for it at the library. (Side note: I can’t wait for the library to open back up!…even curb side pick up will make me happy!) Anyway, Serle is also the author of one of my favorite books ever….The Dinner List.

In The Dinner List, the main character, Sabrina, arrives at her 30th birthday dinner and is met with three significant people from her past.

So it got me thinking about a popular topic: what celebrities I would invite to a dinner party. Here’s my guest list:

Harper Lee

Hands down one of my favorite books of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird. Somehow, I didn’t read it in high school…but, my very first year teaching, I read it with my English 1 class. (That was 18 years ago, by the way!), and have read it many years since that first year teaching. I know it’s a difficult read for students today and some have trouble making a connection, but I feel like the book spans the ages and is such a meaningful read. I’d love to meet Harper Lee and hear all about her life. I just loved the main character Scout…her sass, her humor, her loyalty. She was just so wise for her age. I’ve always said that my Hadley reminds me a bit of Scout.

A couple of random notes, but I even named our dog Scout, AND I suggested the name Harper when we were naming the kids, but Travis nixed it!

I also read Go Set a Watchmen by Lee and felt content after reading it, but To Kill a Mockingbird is still my all time favorite book. I’ve always loved Scout’s quote, “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”

Kate Middleton

I’ve always been intrigued by the Royal Family. From Princess Di to William and Harry…to The Crown, the family, the traditions, and the scandals…I want in on the details! I feel like The Duchess of Cambridge seems pretty easygoing and would be a fun dinner guest! And…maybe she’d let me in on some family gossip!

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon has always been one of my favorite actresses. She seems like someone I would want to be friends with…and the girl next door type. I’ve always loved her movies and appreciate that she takes on a variety of projects and work. From Sweet Home Alabama (my fave!) to Wild (great book and great movie!) and now I’ve binged The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere. She’s so versatile with acting abilities and takes on meaningful work. Also, her Draper James clothing line looks amazing.

Joanna Gaines

As I’ve shared in my Home Updates posts, I try to channel my inner Jo Jo when making home decor decisions. Of course, I love the Fixer Upper series, and have even purchased bedding recently from their Hearth and Hand line at Target. I love her sense of humility and her reserved nature. Also, I feel like she could really dish out some parenting advice!

Giada De Laurentiis

Giada is one of my favorites to watch on The Food Network. I have so many of her cookbooks, tune in to all her shows, and have even dined at her restaurant in Vegas. It helps that I love Italian food, but her recipes are very accessible and, of course, delicious! I love seeing her interact with her daughter and aunt when they are on her shows. Now, I wouldn’t ask her to cook at my dinner party…that would be rude! But…maybe she’d bring us some cannolis for dessert!

Betty White

I saved the best for last.

Betty. Freaking. White.

Does this even need any explanation?

Legendary. Hilarious. Caring. Animal lover. Did I mention legendary? My love for Ms. White runs deep. I’ve seen every episode of The Golden Girls. I love all the ladies, but she is certainly my favorite friend. That being said, I’ve also seen every episode of Mary Tyler Moore and she was such a refreshing addition to that series too! She’s simply amazing and I’ve always loved when she would share about her work with animals and talk about her love and marriage to Allen Ludden. (I even used to watch reruns of Password on the Game Show Network!) She’s said before in interviews that she never remarried because, “if you’ve had the best, who needs the rest?” So sweet!

I’m sure she’d keep the dinner party conversation moving and the other guests rolling with laughter!

Final Thoughts:

I didn’t mean for it to be a women’s only dinner, but those are the people that popped into my mind first.

In all honesty, if I was hosting a dinner party for anyone from my past or present, I’d actually love to include:

• My grandparents. I’m blessed to still have one grandma (Gma) who has been there for so many milestones in my life, but of course, I wish my other grandparents could have seen me get married and could have met my children. I know they would have loved Hayden and Hadley so much. My mom’s dad passed away right after I got engaged to Travis, and I’ve always been thankful that he met (and approved!) of Travis.
• Trav’s dad. He passed away when Travis was in high school. Of course, I would have loved to have met him. I hope he knows what a great husband and father Travis has been to myself and the kids. Also, I know he’d take pride in knowing what a hard-working, honest, and caring person Travis is to everyone.
• Lastly, I’ve often wondered about my elementary school teachers, but especially the teachers I had for kindergarten and first grade. Mrs. Bartel and Mrs. Scott sure started my educational career off on the right foot. I remember loving going to school when I was little, and they made learning so exciting. They definitely shaped who I was as a learner and now who I am as an educator.

So, that’s who I would invite to a dinner party! Who would you include on your guest list?

Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ Tuesday Talk posts too! (Try saying that three times fast!)

Thanks so much for reading.