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Party Planning Advice

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: September 2010 ~ December 2010: Party Planning Advice users admin

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Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 8:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
LOL, that's about it, Serate! That's a very serious hobby.

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the vacation idea. It's been 3-4 years since we've been out of town (and that was for a family funeral and we weren't alone.) Between his work and school and me taking care of my aunt, not to mention the kids, we just haven't been able to do it. I wasn't planning on mentioning a gift to him, but if I'm thinking vacation I had to to make sure he could tell his boss there is no way he'll give up the vacation days.

He got home from work and I asked him about it, his face lit up and we got down to details. Mini vacation to Vegas, Sun, Mon, come back Tue night (er, Nov 7-9.) Dinner out Monday night somewhere nice, maybe a show and some quiet, alone time. He has a four day weekend that week (Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue) so it's a good time to go, plus we'll be here for the girls games that Sat and nieces party Saturday afternoon. Sis is going to keep the kids and there's no doctor appts, shopping, banking for my aunt that needs to be done those days so that's clear and bil will get Kota to practice.

We made the reservations and I've already talked to sis about the kids, aunt, and PJ (Harvey will stay home.) Oh and funny, Darren pointed out that we're going right between our anniversary and his graduation so now it's an anniversary (for both of us) and graduation gift. Works for me!

The kids think something from the UoP store is a great idea, especially since they'll be able to find something they can afford to pay for themselves without mom giving them more money. And they're very excited about a grad party. Not too excited about having to dress up for the ceremony though, lol.

Countrydaze
Member

11-07-2003

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 9:37 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Countrydaze a private message Print Post    
Who ever has tickets to go, perhaps they could video tape highlights of the graduation and show it to the family who can not attend and then give the video to him as a keepsake. Just an idea. The mini vacation really sounds great.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - 10:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Countrydaze, I can't believe I didn't think about that! I'd thought about my camera and know I'm not going to get any decent pictures of the ceremony itself, but hadn't considered the camcorder. I know the rest of the family will definitely want to see it if they can.

Countrydaze
Member

11-07-2003

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 4:33 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Countrydaze a private message Print Post    
Glad to have helped.

Jmm
Moderator

08-15-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 5:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jmm a private message Print Post    
War, For what it's worth, I found that the best pictures taken at my daughter's graduations were when the flash was turned off. Something about the lighting in those places and the fact that your flash can't reach that far ......... Ok, Dra gave me the explanation and I didn't understand much. Something about fast shutter because camera thinks the flash is supposed "fill in the light space". I smiled and said, "Oh, ok, thanks, sweetie".

All I understand is that with the flash I got pictures so dark you couldn't see people and without and zoomed as close as possible, I got pretty good shots.

Sia
Member

03-10-2002

Thursday, October 14, 2010 - 6:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sia a private message Print Post    
The university from which I graduated sold counted-cross-stitch kits of a popular landmark on our campus. I did the cross stitch myself and framed it; still have it today and like it as much as I did in '83.

For the past 10 years or so, for high school and college grads in my family I've bought antique-looking crocks from a local gift shop. The crocks feature hand-painted scenes and the name of the town in which the person grew up. When giving them to kids heading off to college, I suggest that they use them as pencil holders. I use mine in my kitchen for cooking utensils.

Not exactly the greatest thing for your hubby, but a gift idea that is different.

Allietex
Member

08-16-2002

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 10:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Allietex a private message Print Post    
I know a lot of people do not like to give cash or gift cards as a gift, but for someone just out of college, having some cash to spend on what they like is usually very welcome. I have always given cash as graduation gifts to everyone.

As for a meal, I definitely would not do a sit down dinner party. I would have it very casual. One idea is to provide pizza breads and a variety of pizza toppings and let everyone build their own pizzas. I did this once for a party when my sons were in high school, and everyone had a blast. We put the pizzas outside on the grill to cook and they were great.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 12:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
The pizza party idea sounds like a lot of fun, Allie!

We'll be doing a non sit down dinner. We've already decided to set up tables in the back room for the food and drinks, but the weather mid November around here is normally pretty mild so people will be in and out of the house. Bil offered to smoke a roast, and sis and little "adopted" sis and me will do the rest of the cooking, but we haven't decided on what that will be yet. I'm thinking probably pot luck style...a mix of salads, appetizers, and main courses.

Let me share the latest non-argument (between me and Kota, and it's not an argument cuz I refuse to argue about this, lol.) The day Darren graduates will be pretty busy for us. Dakota has her last two games (Darren helps coach the team) and we have to be at the park by 6:30 for the first game at 7:30. We won't be able to attend the second game because we'll all need to come home, Darren and Dakota to shower, and then all get dressed before leaving to go to his graduation.

Don't remember what I was doing at the time, but all of a sudden I told Caleb yesterday, "I have to take you to buy new dress up clothes for the graduation." He's outgrown his last set. Dakota looks up and informs me she's not wearing a dress. No problem, I told her, you don't have to wear a dress...we can find you a nice skirt and blouse to wear. She tells me she's just going to wear jeans and a tshirt. This time, she does not have a choice in the matter, lol. This is a graduation ceremony, she's dressing up dangit!

She's trying to argue it. Yesterday I took her, my nieces, and the twins for the girls team to the batting cages and she brought it up again. They all agreed she had to dress up for the occassion. One of the twins told her that she's a tomboy too, but a graduation ceremony is just like a wedding or funeral, you have to dress up for it. Then she complained to sis and bil who told her she had no choice. I cracked up, here's Kota trying to find support anywhere she can from her tomboy, softball playing friends to her biker uncle and they're all saying the same thing to her, you have no choice, it's an occassion where you have to dress up!

Dipo
Member

04-23-2002

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 12:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Dipo a private message Print Post    
Can she dress up without wearing a dress or skirt, but a nice pair of dress pants? Perhaps is is the dress/skirt part that is the problem.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 12:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Yeah, I wouldn't have a problem with that since that's my dress up style, her thing is just the dressing up in nice clothes. She's far more comfortable in her sports jerseys and sneakers than in anything else.

Jmm
Moderator

08-15-2002

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 1:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jmm a private message Print Post    
Tell her Aunt Jackie said to get over herself and pick out a nice pair of pants and shirt or I'm coming out there.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Friday, October 15, 2010 - 8:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
LOL come on out Jackie and then you can take her shopping and not-argue with her!

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, November 11, 2010 - 10:23 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Ugh, had a long post, lost it.

Took Kota clothes shopping. Wasn't as bad as expected. I'd told her she could buy a pants outfit and she decided that was way better than a dress or skirt and she could live with it, lol. About the only argument, and it wasn't much of one, was over blouses. She picked out several that were far more suited to older teen girls than a 12 year old. To be fair, I don't think she was looking at the plunging necklines as much as I was!

She finally picked a pair of nice black slacks, a grey short sleeve blouse, with lots of frill at the neckline, a black sweater and black flats that have a lot of sequins. I did look for a different color sweater, too much black going on, but I refuse to buy her white and the red wasn't all that cute (no other choices.) She did have her heart set on a pair of dressy black, calf high boots. As soon as I saw them, I spotted the problem with those. Dakota's been playing catcher for close to four years now and as a result has very well developed calf and thigh muscles. Those boots weren't made for someone built like her.

I had to laugh when we got home, other than the shirt, I'd have picked out the entire outfit for myself! I'm not in love with the shoes, but if I had to, I'd have even picked those out. The shirt is really cute, but I hate the frilly neckline, of course, that is what Kota loved the most about it, lol.

Have to check out Caleb's dress clothes tomorrow and see if he's grown as much as I think he has. I'm guessing I'll have to take him shopping. Darren's clothes are laid out and ready to go. If I have time, I may look for a new dressy shirt for myself, if I don't, I'll just wear one of the ones I have here.

We're still discussing (sis and I that is) the date of the big family dinner. Darren's parents are leaving next week through the end of the month, so no time in Nov to do it. And we're thinking people have so much going on in December, it might be better to wait. He'll finish his last class either late Dec or early Jan, so waiting til January to celebrate with the whole family won't be too long.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Monday, November 15, 2010 - 10:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Sis and I discussed Darren's graduation dinner today at legnth. We decided since he'll finish his last class on Dec. 26 that waiting til January will work just fine. He won't get his diploma til he's done with the last class and I'd like to display that along with his offical grad picture at the dinner.

Realized sis and bil are planning more of a party where I was just planning a dinner type event. Figured it out when they started talking about decorations, lol. Oh and bil wanting to know if he could hire a stripper. I'm pretty sure he was joking, but just in case he wasn't I pointed out that I was inviting the in-laws and there'd be plenty of kids there, lol.

Twiggyish
Member

08-14-2000

Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 6:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twiggyish a private message Print Post    
Congratulations to Darren!! wooooooo