One of the best parts of being a parent is that we get to share in all the wonders of childhood with our kids. I remember when I had each of my four kids and after they were born thinking, “This is the best stage ever!”
This Is The Best Stage
One of the best parts of being a parent is that we get to share in all the wonders of childhood with our kids. I remember when I had each of my four kids and after they were born thinking, “This is the best stage ever!”
Being so small you can hold them, cuddle them and they are helpless waiting for you to fill their every need. “This is the best stage ever!”
Then they were old enough to roll over, smile at things and laugh, and I thought, “This is the best stage ever”!
Then they were old enough to walk, ride a tricycle, play at the park, and I thought, “This is the best stage ever”.
And every stage they went through was just “the best stage ever!” But seeing your kids graduate high school or graduate from college, has to be one of the best stages ever too!
Let’s Have A Graduation Party
So to celebrate Kali’s college graduation, I decided to have a Graduation Party the night before the commencement ceremony. The university she attends is 6 hours away so I was not familiar with the area. I didn’t know where we should have the party or what was available to rent for the get together. So thankfully, Kali knew a great place in the downtown area where there was a venue for rental. I contacted them and got it reserved.
It was a small space, but we didn’t need a large space for this party. Just a few of her college friends, her grandparents and some other family was going to be in attendance.
I started with a photo op wall for her and her friends to take pictures.
Did you know that these college girls like to have their pictures taken!
They like to take them numerous times and they like to stand different ways each time their picture is taken. I’m being funny!
But I did make them a place to take pictures where it wasn’t just a white wall background. However, I did not coordinate with the graduate on what outfit she was wearing to the party, so most of the pictures she took was with the white plain wall background because my backdrop didn’t match her outfit, haha, so glad she is a smart cookie!
How to Plan Your One Smart Cookie Party
If you want to plan an unforgettable One Smart Cookie Party, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First of all, the best parties are always unique and memorable. Don’t just throw together some cookies and call it good!
You can have fun with this by getting creative with your decorations. If you want to make memories while at your party, then here are some tips:
- I had some special people bring “cookies” as their contribution to the party.
My mom “grandma” makes some really good oatmeal scotches, that I remember her fixing for me after school when I was growing up. So I had her make those for the party.
My aunt Jan every Christmas for the last several years has made home made cookies and shipped them to us from Kansas. She makes the best molasses cookies, in honor of my grandpa (her dad). They are soft and chewy, the best molasses cookies you will ever find!
Then her ma, (Dusty’s mom) has made her classic chocolate chip cookies for the kids for their whole lives, so the party wouldn’t of been complete without those on the menu as well. Displaying them in large jars with their names on them made it special for the graduate and for those in attendance.
- What goes better with cookies than coffee.
Coffee is also popular with the college kids, so a coffee station was a must! My cousin has an online auction service in my hometown where I grew up in Kansas and one of his auctions he had a coffee brewer for sale. The box looked in bad condition but the machine looked pretty good, so I bid on it and won the bid. My mom cleaned it up for me and I was so excited to get to use it at this party. It makes a bunch of coffee!! I got a couple of different kids of creamer, some sugar and sweeteners and to go cups with lids and called that station ready!
- Wal-Mart Pick Up
Earlier I mentioned her university was 6 hours away, so I did not want to pack a bunch of food and haul it across the state line, (is that even legal), just kidding! So I did a Wal-Mart pick up there in town and took the food directly to the venue. I did the traditional charcuterie board with crackers, cheeses, and light meats. Added some breads, jelly’s and nuts for fillers. I did a small amount of fruit for some color but mainly stuck to the meat and cheeses.
- Something to do.
This wasn’t a party to have games and entertainment really, but I did want to have something of interest besides just talking and eating. I had Kali send all of her favorite photo’s off her camera roll on her phone to Walgreen photo lab to be processed. I went by our Walgreen’s here in town in a couple of days and picked up her favorite pictures to put out on display from her last 3 1/2 years of college. I just grabbed some white Christmas lights and strung them up and bought gold and white cloths pins to attach the pictures to the lights. Everyone enjoyed looking over the pictures and her college friends that came loved seeing their selves included in her party!
Fun Had By All
There was lots of friends stopping by to give their well wishes to Kali.
There were parents of some of her friends that came to, that wanted to help celebrate her. There was family that drove from different states to come and show how proud they were of her. Even the dad’s got in on the pictures!
It was a huge success! It was a very relaxed atmosphere where everyone could sit and talk, laugh and reminisce of some of their old college days.
I hope that this blog post has been helpful to you in your efforts to throw a successful One Smart Cookie Party. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out!
Clarie
