How to Host a Backyard Party

Troy and I love to entertain, especially in the summer. It is so much easier to setup your backyard for a party than it is to get your whole house picture perfect for a gathering. I like having people in an open space such as my yard than the house. The parties always turn out great and they have a low-key vibe that I really like. We recently threw a nice party with my family (parents and siblings) in our yard with some appetizers, drinks and spent time together hanging out and chatting.

This summer, we will continue to entertain in our yard, especially since we have young kids and getting out of the house is a little bit more difficult with bedtimes and having to bring a million things everywhere we go. I wanted to share some of my tips and tricks for entertaining in your backyard including things we do to get ready for company.

The patio cleaning crew involved these crazy ladies!

1. Clean your patio (or entertaining area)

When we are having a party, we sweep off our patio, wash down the tables, brush off the furniture if there are leaves or twigs on it, etc. Getting this space as clean as can be is key to having a great party outdoors.

Adalyn told me that us ladies needed to wear "beautiful dresses" for "her" party!

2. Make the lawn look picture perfect

My husband is our lawn guy and he takes a lot of pride keeping our lawn looking good. When we are having a party, he makes sure that our grass is freshly cut and looking great. He edges the lawn and does any other kind of lawn maintenance that is needed to make our yard inviting.

3. Get rid of mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can ruin a party. Getting bitten up by bugs is so annoying and can make you want to cancel the outdoor element of your party and go inside. My parents came over a few weeks ago and we were sitting outside and noticed a couple of mosquitoes were biting us (this was in April which is super early for mosquitoes. 

I am glad to have found TruGreen Mosquito Defense which is a treatment to your lawn that helps get rid of mosquitoes and is done by trained professionals. They target areas that mosquitoes especially live such as trees, shrubs, mulched areas and ground cover. By getting this treatment done, you can skip using repellent which I love because I hate the smell of spray on my skin. 

Favorite game ever: chase!

When I was pregnant, I was terrified of the Zika virus especially but mosquitoes can also carry West Nile virus. I want to protect my kids from these harmful diseases and love that our yard is now free of mosquitoes to help keep them safe. If you see biting mosquitoes between monthly treatments, TruGreen with perform a free reservice. After the first application, mosquitoes will be gone within 24 hours. We were really happy with the service and enjoyed a mosquito free party!

The application of the mosquito treatment took no time at all. The staff from TruGreen were super professional to work with. I was happy with the service.

The most chill baby ever enjoying the party!

4. Set the mood

Before a party, Troy sets up all of the lighting that we need to make the space cozy. We often have a bonfire on our patio in the fire pit if we are having a party which is one of our favorite things to do. We may also set up tiki torches and we have some strings of outdoor lights hung up to make the yard look cute!

5. Make delicious food

While Troy gets the yard ready for a party, I do all of the inside work including making the food. I love planning simple appetizers for a party to make it easy. We have also hosted potluck appetizer parties which is my absolute favorite thing because then you get to try all of your family and friend's specialties.


By far my most requested dish to bring to a party is my Texas caviar. Almost every single party that I go to, that is what people ask me to bring. I am kind of known for it! It is super tasty so I understand why. For this party, I made my Texas caviar as I haven't had it in awhile and it is especially delicious one the weather gets nicer because the ingredients are perfectly fresh and tasty!

I also made hummus and vegetables- simple, delicious and nutritious! Sometimes though, I leave the dietitian side of myself behind and just have treats such as chips, nachos, cheesy breads, etc. I very much believe in everything in moderation.


Finally, I finally made buffalo chicken sweet potato nachos and buffalo chicken cauliflower nachos (using my lighter buffalo chicken dip as a base) which I have been wanting to try for quite awhile now. I knew that my family who was coming over would love it and it turned out perfectly. Very easy and full of that delicious buffalo and blue cheese flavors. We also ordered some pizzas.

Other great party dishes include:
Green salsa verde
Buffalo chicken flatbread pizza
The ultimate cheese board
Pepper jack and bacon stuffed mushrooms

6. Have a serve yourself bar

The way that we do parties is by having guests serve their own drinks. We setup a simple bar with wine, beer, a couple kinds of liquor and some pop. This way, we can enjoy the party and guests can have what they like.

Adalyn chasing Auntie Natalie!

The party turned out perfectly! We enjoyed the start of nicer weather in our yard after quite a cool spring here in Michigan. We just hung out and talked which is my favorite thing to do. Nothing like good conversation! I look forward to hosting other small get-togethers this summer with family and friends!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.