Lindsay Denninger

My now-husband and I have been together for over seven years and we’ve navigated our way through a number of stressful situations. But holiday planning, namely for Christmas, has never been one of them. Between family distance and work obligations (he’s always traveling), we settled the issue by each going our separate ways: He went to his family’s celebration and I went to mine.

I don’t have any children, but as my friends start having babies, I begin to (sort of) understand the pains of parenthood — sleepless nights, spit-up all over your clothes, and, perhaps the worst of all, the pressure of planning birthday parties. If any of you are in this predicament, I suggest you lean on this cute fall picnic party that Camille Styles put together for Oh Happy Day. I’m all about a picnic (have to enjoy the nice weather when you can!

To say that I’m obsessed with long communal tables would be the understatement of the year. In my book, the longer the better. Unfortunately, it’s not like I have a ton of 12-foot tables on hand. But thanks to style maven Athena Calderone and this fall farm dinner party she hosted with lifestyle blog MyDomaine, I have a new great idea. Can you guess what it is? It’s simple: Build a table out of sheets of plywood and some sawhorses.

I’m always looking for new ways to entertain. I hate making the same roast or the same salad because I dread that someday my guests will get bored and not want to hang out with me anymore! That’s why this get-together from Simple Bites caught my eye. Picture this — there was a backyard party planned, but no table long enough for the many delicious dishes to be served.

For many, tailgating is the best part of the game. But with football season just getting started, there are a lot of games to come — and personally, I can only eat hot dogs from a folding table so many weekends in a row. Luckily, Waiting on Martha has heard my plea for a nicer tailgate. And I mean way nicer. For starters, instead of a keg or a cooler filled with ice and canned beers, why not get fancy with your drinks?

Mason jars have come a long way from their humble canning origins, and it’s not hard to see why. These glass containers, which come in a variety of sizes (and even colors, if that’s your thing), are just inherently useful. In fact, if you have a kitchen that’s in need of some organization, they can be your best friend. Here are eight ways you can lean on these household staples to keep your kitchen in order. Do all of your spices fall out of the cabinet when you open the door?

Besides nurseries and retro bathrooms, pink isn’t a color you find all that often in the home. It’s often seen as too girly or too feminine, but that’s totally wrong! Pink can be a chameleon. Pair baby pink with an inky blue to lighten the mood, or combine magenta with gold accents for a contemporary look. Pink is even great in the kitchen. See how these 10 kitchens saw the potential in pink — maybe you’ll find your own blush inspiration.

Maybe it’s Olympic fever, or perhaps it’s just the shine, but we’re really into a gold finish these days. There’s something about gold that immediately enriches a room — it’s warm, neutral, and always looks luxe. Like the look yourself? These gilded pieces prove that actually, everything gold can stay. 1.

I have always pretty much insisted on putting dinner on the table myself. Even though my husband is a capable cook who, thanks to odd work hours, is often home to cook, I like doing it. I like dreaming up dishes on my commute and stopping at the market across the street from our apartment for the accoutrements I need for dinner. I like coming home at the end of the day and working out my feelings through chopping and stirring. I like the whole process of cooking — I always have.

Ah, the s’more — it’s a campfire treat that’s as essential to summer as sunscreen and flip-flops. The combination of charred marshmallow, crunchy graham crackers, and melted chocolate seems like a no-brainer, but where did this little piece of sandwich heaven come from? Like all great foods, the origin story of the s’more is disputed. The first published recipe appeared in 1927 in a Girl Scouts handbook called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.

The French – they just really seem to have it all together, don’t they? They eat cheese and drink wine without feeling guilty, they have perfectly mussed bedhead, and they look effortlessly chic cruising down the road with a long loaf of crusty baguette in their bike basket. Short of denouncing your heritage or moving to Lyon, one cannot just become French, but you can inject some Francophile style into your kitchen.

If you’re anything like me, you’re pretty much always thinking about your next meal. Or snack. Or nibble. Or just a little taste of something. Because food is such a big part of my life, I don’t think it should be kept just to the kitchen — it should be everywhere! This summer, I’ll be showcasing my love of all things culinary with one of these hunger-inducing swimsuits.

Besides digging your toes into the sand and splashing around in the pool, the snap as you bite into a sausage or hot dog is one of summer’s most satisfying feelings. I eat my share of hot dogs in the summer, and I can tell you one thing: They’re a blank canvas waiting for you to create. Sure you could leave their garlicky, salty goodness alone, but why would you? The truth is, sausages and hot dogs are perfect for decorating as you see fit. Not into spicy foods?

Inexpensive and comforting, French’s yellow mustard is the perfect topper for just about everything. These are my five favorite ways to use this classic condiment.

If I learned anything while reading The Baby-Sitters Club series in my youth, it’s that minding a gaggle of little ones can really work up an appetite. Babysitters need to be just as fueled as the kids are — after all, they’re the ones taking them to Little League and soccer practice and cello lessons. Here are seven of the best snacks for babysitters, as inspired by this iconic book series (they’re probably all hidden in Claudia Kishi’s bedroom).

The road to lunch is paved with good intentions. You pack a gorgeous, veggie-filled salad for your midday meal, only to find at noon that it’s soggy, sodden, and completely unappetizing. But it’s not the salad that’s the problem — it’s your container! These salad holders keep greens crisp, dressing unspilled, and your plans for a healthy, homemade lunch unspoiled. 1.