Memorial Day Inspiration

"I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor place it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did."

-Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President of the United States

As you enjoy the long weekend over which we celebrate Memorial Day and mark the unofficial start of summer, take the time to appreciate the enormous investment of human life that has helped secure our freedoms and privilege as Americans.

This Memorial Day, remember those that died serving this nation to secure freedom and opportunity for others. If you are reading this in the USA, you are in a land of opportunity and access. You are fortunate to have access to public education, libraries, social services, and many other programs and institutions to help you find your path to independence and success. If you are reading this, you are alive. If you are dissatisfied or struggling with anything, you have a chance to ask for help, make positive changes, learn, and grow.

Be proud, but respectful. Be humble, but inspired. So many men and women in the armed services valued your rights, human dignity, and the promise of our nation to make the ultimate sacrifice. Do not squander your freedoms nor the opportunity to do good in this world. Be inspired in gratitude to live your life fully. The fallen gave their all so that you may enjoy life. The challenges that they faced can put everyday frustrations into better perspective.

Get out there and celebrate life! Travel safely, and give thanks and remembrance to those that gave their lives for our nation. Happy Memorial Day, and thank you to all who serve.

Party Planning Made ez

If you have ever been the person in charge of organizing a get-together for a group, it can sometimes be a hassle to keep track of what everyone is bringing and to collect the money everyone is supposed to contribute. To address shared contributions to a party, you can easily create a 'cover charge' for your own party, sell tickets or collect donations, and manage attendees with ezEvent®.

This is a great solution for events such as family reunions, local fundraisers, camping trips, tailgating parties, graduation parties, and bon voyage celebrations. For camping trips and events where one person may shop for a whole group of people, ezEvent® can be used as a tool to plan the event in advance and collect contributions.This eliminates the hassle of chasing everyone down after the fact to collect the money to pay for groceries and supplies.

Any event that that involves a group of people chipping in on supplies or donating to a cause can be better organized by a single person with vision. College parties can easily offset the cost of a keg and other refreshments by selling tickets in advance. For various celebrations and fundraisers, you may even have an event catered so everyone can relax and not have to worry about cooking and transporting food. You can simply divide the cost of catering as the ticket price for your event!

Whatever event you may be planning, try it the ez way! Create a custom webpage to share with your attendees and organize a party everyone will enjoy. 

Brunch and Beyond: Celebrating Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a chance to celebrate our moms and the maternal figures in our lives.

Restaurant workers often must plan to celebrate this occasion on an alternative day, as going out for a meal is one of the more popular ways families choose to celebrate the day. Mother's Day brunches and family dinners at mom's favorite place to eat are common - especially in households where mom is the one that typically prepares the meals.

If you would prefer to avoid busy restaurants with excessive wait times and hassled staff on Mother's Day, a great alternative is to plan an event at home with food and games for the extended family. Take some time to plan a menu including the favorite dish of each mom in attendance. You could do a home-style brunch, formal sit-down dinner, or even an outdoor cookout.

In fact, a big family gathering in honor of mom is a great way to kick-start outdoor party season. When spring weather cooperates, you can include fun games like croquet, bocce, and badminton to keep everyone entertained. Just be sure to do the planning and cleanup so the guests of honor can relax and enjoy!

Mint Juleps, Mock Juleps, and Good Times

This weekend will be a lot of fun for many people as the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby is Saturday, and Cinco de Mayo is Sunday. Times to get together and celebrate are always welcome calendar events. Even if you can't attend a major event like the Kentucky Derby, you can still plan or attend a Derby party at home or at a local bar or hangout. Cinco de May celebrations at Mexican-style restaurants will be the hot ticket this weekend, and you can also plan a get-together at home with your family and friends.

While most people have a favorite recipe for the Cinco de Mayo-classic Margarita, many people have never even tried a Mint Julep, the official beverage of the 'most exciting two minutes in sports'. In case you'd like to give it a try, we're including a great cocktail and mocktail recipe for the Kentucky Derby classic Mint Julep. Enjoy!

Mint Julep
                                                          
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon
1 tablespoon Simple Syrup (see below)
Fresh mint sprigs
Crushed or shaved ice
Silver julep cup (chilled) or substitute a glass tumbler

Simple Syrup for Mint Julep
Boil 2 cups water with 2 cups sugar for about five minutes. Combine with a handful of fresh mint sprigs and refrigerate overnight.

Muddle a few mint leaves in bottom of julep cup. Fill with ice and add 1 tablespoon simple syrup and 2 ounces Kentucky bourbon. Stir rapidly and garnish with a sprig of mint.



Mock Julep

10-15 sprigs of fresh mint
1 liter ginger ale
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Crushed or shaved ice

Rinse mint leaves and separate any thick stems. Chill ginger ale. Mix lemon juice, sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat until sugar completely dissolves, then chill the mixture. Combine sugary lemon juice mixture and mint leaves (reserve some for garnish). Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Mix ice, ginger ale, and lemon-mint mixture in a large pitcher. Garnish silver Julep cups (or substitute a glass tumbler) with mint and serve. Makes 4-6 servings.