graze2gather

09/07/2024

It’s Game Day, baby!! 🏈

My favorite boys of fall are ready to take the field!

Let’s Go Coach! Bring it 5 & 10!!

08/16/2024

I’ve truly cherished the summer with a less hectic work load so I can spend time with our four boys, but there’s something so satisfying about getting back into the kitchen, especially with fig season in full swing!

Fresh figs bring such a unique flavor and sweetness to dishes. Love pairing it with goat cheese, cantaloupe, arugula, and a balsamic vinaigrette!

Excited to dive into some delicious recipes and make the most of this seasonal treat. What are your favorite ways to use figs?

07/20/2024

Hands down our favorite anniversary dinner! Thanks for a beautiful and delicious night at your estate! You made us feel so loved and we met the most lovely people! You are gift to Michigan! Chef Dante you are amazing!!

07/15/2024

Left part of our hearts at camp this morning and praying these boys have the best week together building memories, enjoying God’s creation, making new connections, and strengthening their love for Jesus!

Shine Bright Dear Ones!!

07/12/2024

Another hit recipe from !!

Graysen’s love for creating and helping in the kitchen has really blossomed this summer and I am HERE for it!

These Chocobananas are a popular street food in El Salvador! We learned a bit more about the culture, climate, and of course the food of El Salvador! Adding that to our Spanish Speaking Country travel list, but for now we will enjoy these amazing frozen bananas!

If you have a little aspiring chef, who also loves learning about other cultures, is the PERFECT Gift to give! It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

06/11/2024

🌞 Summer Life Skill Squad Activate!

We are diving headfirst into a summer of culinary adventures and character-building activities!

The Emmick boys are getting a little break from Spanish and are going to learn some good ole’ life skills! 😂

Today’s life lessons:

🍳mastering the art of egg making by frying or scrambling
🍉 fruit washing/prepping
🥑 guac crafting
🍓 Strawberry Picking
🎂 Short Cake Baking

These little bruhs need to learn how to cook so they can start making dinner and I really do love the conversations that happen when you are preparing food together!! 😂

Here’s to a summer of laughter, learning, and growth.

What are some of your essential life skills?

🌟🍳

05/11/2024

Happy Birth Mother’s Day to the incredible woman and sister who made the most selfless decision for our son Declan. Your courage and love have forever changed our lives and is a decision we will never take for granted!

Thank you for entrusting us with the gift of parenthood and making me a mom! 💖 We love you more than words can say!

05/10/2024

🌸 Reflecting on Mother’s Day weekend with a heartfelt post to the memory of my birth mom. Her courageous choice made my journey into motherhood possible. From our emotional reunion, to the beautiful adoption of Declan, and the precious private moments we shared in her final days, her influence continues to shape my path as a mother and as an individual. She healed and continues to heal parts of my heart that I didn’t even realize were broken.

On this eve of Birth Mother’s Day, my heart overflows with empathy for all birth moms who’ve made the selfless choice of adoption. Your courage, strength, and love do not go unnoticed. Each decision to give life is a testament to the depth of maternal love and the forever bond!

Not matter what day you to choose to celebrate, or not celebrate, I see you! If you’ve never shared your adoption story and yearn to tell someone I would love to listen! Love and loss can coexist and your story is worth sharing.

My reunion was a precious gift, filling my soul with love, understanding, and a profound sense of belonging. Though our time together was cut short, I am so grateful for our reunification and the opportunity to know my birth mom. Kim was more than my birth mom she was mom, friend, sister, daughter, and her spirit was a beacon of love, inclusivity, kindness, and depth. Since her passing I have had the opportunity to connect with people whose lives she impacted with her unconditional acceptance of others, her open-heartedness, and her kindness towards those who felt rejected and I am proud to be her daughter!

Losing her felt like losing a piece of myself, but her spirit still guides me, often appearing in small signs from heaven. Through our boys, I see echoes of her joy, kindness, and unconditional love daily, a testament to her legacy. I promise to carry on her legacy by supporting birth moms like her and sharing the unconditional love of Jesus. Graze2Gather, which she cherished, exemplifies this, bringing people together just as she did. She always said, “Jill Bear, you were made for bringing people together!” And that’s what I plan to keep doing! ❤️ Thank you to my tummy mom!

05/05/2024

I gouda a feeling today is going to be a great day as we tip toe our way through the tulips!!

04/11/2024

Bagel Boards for the Bridal Party are the perfect thing to graze on before your big day!!

tomorrow is the big day! Let’s do this!



# #

03/20/2024

Thank you Miss Butler for all the love, patience, and respect you have shown to our dear Declan! You have taught him more than just great art skills, you have ignited a passion for the arts in him, and have helped him channel his energy into creativity! A great teacher inspires a love for learning and leaves a lasting impression on their students! You will be a teacher D will remember forever!!

Declan’s smile and style say it all! He was so proud of himself and all his peers AND so are we!

What a fun and beautiful art show!!

Also, got to spend the day with my handsome 4th grader exploring the Grand Rapids Public Museum!

Mother Life has been a bit hard and heavy lately but today was a great day and for that I’m grateful!

02/28/2024

As a small biz owner and busy mom of 4 boys, I wear many hats and on vacay Après Ski Instructor is one of my favorites!!!

First we ski and then we Après with Charcuterie!!

Thanks for this divine assortment of cheeses!!

02/13/2024

Getting ready for ’s Galantine’s Charcuterie Gathering and prepping some galantine boards for some dear friends!!

The gift of charcuterie is always a great idea!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20

02/09/2024

Everything is better with cheese 🧀 (especially from ) and sunshine☀️.

We were feeling extra springy today with our cracker arrangement!

Loved seeing those blue bird 🐦 skies this week! A gift when you live in Michigan!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

01/22/2024

One on one time is pretty rare with four boys and when it happens it is pure magic! 🧞 ✨

Lennon may not be as much of a theater lover as his brother Gray but still enjoyed his special day at Aladdin on Broadway!

01/07/2024

Another year and another Dia de Los Reyes Celebration!

I was planning to skip it this year because I was a tad burnt out from the all the fun celebrations BUT the boys had other plans!

Since it was a last minute thought, we kept things simple.

Attire was pjs and robes and instead of the usual Rosca de Reyes cake we had cinnamon rolls laid out like a crown.

Linc found the baby Jesus and gets to be the king for the day. He is thrilled and excited to exert his power!

We dined by candlelight and had some great discussions about Jesus, the wisemen, and what myrrh is. Isn’t it amazing what conversations can be had around the dinner table??

Glad the boys convinced me we couldn’t skip this tradition!

Feliz Dia de Los Reyes for those who celebrate!

12/16/2023

Oh what fun we had today with Culture Cheese Shop!!

12/13/2023

“Creativity is essential to wholehearted living, acting as an outlet for emotional expression and a generator for innovation”

Thankful for moments of peace in this season! These moments of rest have allowed time to play and have fun with food! By prioritizing my mental wellness, I have found an increased capacity to gather with others and figure out how we can bring about change in our community!! AND this is why I love what I do!

Rest, Play, creativity, faith, and authentic connection leads to healthy minds and bodies!

12/11/2023

Tis’ the season for grazing and gathering!!

We are so appreciative for all the orders this holiday season AND are grateful for the grace and understanding when we have had to decline orders. We have been a bit more protective of our time this season so that we can fully enjoy and be present as we graze & gather with the ones we love!

We have a great list of other catering businesses that we love to refer to! So even if we cannot meet your request we will do our best to connect you with another small business who can!

We hope and pray that you find your peace this holiday season!

12/05/2023

This is the heart of Graze2Gather! Using food to make people feel seen, loved, valued, and oh so appreciated! The staff at the CAC are the hands and feet of Jesus to children and families who are in need of so much healing and hope!! Glad you all enjoyed your special lunch today!

Also, so grateful to be part of the incredible and generous church community BLVD Church!! Love that our church has a heart for serving and connecting with our community!

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." – Coretta Scott King

Thank you to our community for taking compassionate action and making us felt extra supported and encouraged today! We have over 120 CAC kids sponsored for holiday presents - members from First Presbyterian Church in Holland brought in gifts for 1/3 of sponsored kids! Next Jill from Graze2Gather treated staff to a beautiful lunch in gratitude for their hard work. This year we are offering a stocking stuffer workshop for parents to put together stockings for their kids. The workshop is overflowing!! Thank you BLVD Holland for the large donation of stocking stuffers today!

11/21/2023

It’s Thanksgiving week, and I am beyond grateful for this amazing night and opportunity to work alongside the staff at La Crême Cafe! Ready to start planning our February Galentines/Valentines Event! Stay tuned for details!!

11/12/2023

Living our best brunch life!!

Thanks to the grandparents for watching our kiddos while we grazed on tasty bites and sipped on bottomless 🍾!

Grand Cayman y’all know how to brunch it up!! I think we will consider this a business write off! 😂😂

11/08/2023

Our Tour de France 🇫🇷 event is just over a week away:
November 16, 6-8 and we still have some tickets available!!

Join us as we graze on 5 courses of delicious bites and savor perfectly paired wine! The courses will include:

🎉Harvest Soup
🎉Goat Cheese Green Salad
🎉Roquette Pear Bruschetta
🎉Brie Pastry Pumpkin
🎉Crostini with Sharp Cheddar, Prosciutto, and seasonal preserves
🎉Wrap up with a creme brûlée

Our resident Sommelier has carefully curated 5 pours that will pair perfectly with our seasonal menu!

You will leave with hosting tips and tricks, and a seasonal E-book of recipes so recreate your own fall gathering!

We can promise you will feel like you are transformed to France and will leave with full tummies, friends, and memories!!

Go to the link in our bio to sign up!

Can’t wait to celebrate with you all!!

11/03/2023

We soooo appreciate our repeat clients and love working with them to create a grazing table that is unique.

This spread reminds us of Michigan’s weather lately, a mixture of hot and cold! 😂Was that clever or not?! 🤨

Happy Almost Friday friends!

10/19/2023

We have partnered with our friends to bring you a culinary and wine tasting tour through the beautiful region of Bordeaux, France!

When: Thursday, November 16th: 6:00-8:00

We will be featuring 5 mini, fall inspired courses, each paired with a delicious wine from the region. 🧀 🍷

From start to finish it will be a delicious and relaxing evening spent with friends, family, or your special someone!

Plus, you will have the opportunity to purchase the wines featured at the event AND will be provided an Ebook with fall entertaining recipes so you can recreate the dishes for your Thanksgiving festivities.

Tickets are limited so please follow the link in our bio to sign-up before this event is sold out!

Santé!!

10/18/2023

So excited to be partnering with our friends at La Crême Cafe to bring you this delicious, unique, and fun evening filled with fall inspired dishes and carefully curated French Wines!

Spots are limited, so please sign up by following the link in the post and get your tickets while they are still available!

Santé!

Creamery and crepe shop in charming Zeeland Michigan

10/10/2023

Falling for our new Autumn menu offerings! 🍁 🍂

Mini Brie Baked Pumpkins
Fall Harvest Burrata Board
Roquefort & Pear 🍐 Bruschetta

Love the change of seasons for so many reasons and a new menu is just one of them!

Want to learn how to make your own Autumn Appetizers that will for sure be a crowd pleaser at your Thanksgiving gatherings?? AND, want to wow your guests with your French wine knowledge and how to perfectly pair your menu with your menu offerings??

Then please save date for Thursday November, 16th! We are sooo excited for this collaboration with our dear friends . We have been busy planning and are excited ti bring you a Tour de France Wine Tasting and Cheese Pairing!

Our first region will be Bordeaux, and we will be featuring wines and cheeses from this region. The cheeses will get a little autumn makeover so you can recreate them for all your Thanksgiving gatherings!!

Message if you want to be added to the pre-sale list! We will be releasing pricing and details very soon!! Santé!!

10/08/2023

Game Day + Parade Day= Bloody Mary & Chili Board!

10/04/2023

Opa! October is underway!

For the month of October, we are fully embracing a Mediterranean lifestyle by being mindful of what we are eating, how we are moving our bodies, and placing a strong emphasis on rest and authentic connections!

Tonight’s dinner, was a simple BYO (Build your own) quinoa bowl with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, red onion, feta, parsley, arugula, Greek chicken, and an Easy peasy homemade tzatziki sauce (message for the simple recipe).

Love the little hand in the photo, because it shows how eager our littles were to create their own bowl or wrap. The board went from full to empty in no time at all!

Do you have amazing Mediterranean recipes?? Would love for you to share!! Opa!

Everything looks better on my giant board from our friends at .anni! Thank you!

09/19/2023

I am not taking any more orders for the month of September.

I am allowing myself a little time to breath, get organized, strategize, analyze, celebrate, and spend time supporting others doing great work in our community!

This morning, we helped build a space for someone and their family to call their home!!

Thanks for all the work that you do to support and empower the community of west Michigan through home ownership!

A special thanks to our site supervisor, Mitch for teaching this rookie builder how to block for cabinets and for sharing your heart and passion for Lakeshore Habitat!!

This is something that I hope to make a yearly (if not more) activity! Interested in joining me next time? Please message and I would love to add you to our fun and empowering womans’ team!!