Camp Bryar - Bryar Turns 5!

There are always a couple of things that I take in consideration as I begin planning a party for my littlest of loves. What is their favorite thing in the world right now, besides Mommy of course. How cheaply can I make this theme happen. Also how quickly their years pass by. 

I never realized how quickly years and days pass, until I became a Mother of two. I am uncertain if this was due to Charli Beth starting school, or just having a second child that keeps me busy. Either way, I love celebrating them but most of all I love loving them. 

When I told Bryar that it was time to prepare a party for his big number five, he immediately said "I want to deer hunt." So of course after a lot of dwelling on how hard this party could be to plan, I started planning. 

The shotgun shells were purchased in a box from etsy. 200 of those awesome bad boys for a few dollars. As you scroll through, you can see that they were food card holders, garland and fillers in empty spots. Hallelujah that was easy...

We decided to change the venue up this year and set up at our church pavallion. Even though it was away from our house, we were blessed to have tables already awaiting on us. Except for the main food table, which also happens to be made from an old store door in Allen County and is also my sewing table. This door was been super loved through the years. 

The deer sausage was more of a hit than I guess it to be since I'm not a summer sausage fan. But by the end of the party it was gone. Nice to know that my husbands hunting weekends were made use of. 

The antlers were a combination of mine and Mother in law's. These were all from bucks their family has killed over the years. I'm more than certain that my cute little guy, will be adding his own to the collection before long. 

The food was an easy choice as it was hot, windy and hardly any prep needed. Curtis took over the grilling and sixteen  people are 32 hot dogs. Dude can grill a killer dog apparently...

Did you notice that cake above? 

Amazing, huh?

My talented Mother in law made it from scratch. I cannot even describe the blessing that she and my Mother are. My parties and mostly my life would be insane without their grace. 

"Take a scoop of each to create the perfect deer stand snack."

This is what you call party favors made easy.

But also cute.

The logs were left over from a wedding and once again we used the filler shotgun shells. The greenery inside is from the yard. Cheap, cute and perfect! 

I painted this sign the night before because I loved one that I found on Pinterest. It looked to be commercial printed and I was trying for a cheap, creative photo area. It wasn't perfect. But it worked and made cute pictures.

See? Tytus even made the sign adorable! 

Oh, this boy... How I could eat him and his "senior poses" up! Why does he have to be so adorable, just to grow up SO fast? 

I also sketched this big angry buck out the night before the party. I was trying to be funny (which of course never works) since everyone always says "we always just pin the tail on the donkey" when we were kids. Well folks, here's pin the target on the buck. 

The younger kids actually loved seeing where they placed their target. But were able to catch some major laughs at watching me almost fall down after spinning. 

The kids who wanted to were able to shoot BB guns at targets. 

Bryar checking out his bullseye.

 

Watch out outdoors channel Bryar is coming for you... 

We brought these two targets from home. The one in the top photo was a Christmas gift from Nana and Pa last year. He loves shooting each animal before he climbs into bed at night. 

The buck below was given to him on his actually birthday. How cool is he? 

Inflatable deer that actually stands up. Big props to Amazon for him. 

Yes, an army Swiss knife and a new bow! This kid is all ready for deer camp! 

{All children are safe and the knife is tucked away, until he needs the toothpick of course!} 

That cake! I was just simply impressed. White on top, chocolate on the bottom. Everyone is happy, but most of all Bryar to have one amazing cake. 

The Garland on the food table was made cheaply by me. I purchased this card stock banner at Walmart for $4, and stencils for $2. I thankfully already had the paint and brushes in a stash at home.  Cheap and made by Mom = not so perfect but perfect for us. 

My most proud moment was making this simple appliqué on a blanket to give to Bryar and a shirt. I saved myself over $12 by sucking up my major insecurities and trying my machine once again. After some high blood pressure and through the roof anxiety (yes, I'm exaggerating) it was complete. 

This party was super fun for Bryar and even more easy for me. I'm thankful that I have a family that loves to party. But most of all kids that I can celebrate in years to come. I cannot wait to see how much Bryar grows throughout this year. Gulp.. The year of kindergarten or maybe even his first deer hunt! 

Stop laughing. Start focusing.

I'm really not into Facebook rants or wars these days. I'm more into long nights snuggled up to my squishy newly five year old, and helping my southern belle of a ten year old pick out clothes for the upcoming week. But while watching the famous debate tonight, just after the time searching for perfect attire for the fifth grader in my life, I thought I would read Facebook during a break. 

What a clever little way to unwind and get a feel of cute families ending their fall break. 

Wrong.

Tonight until the Novemeber election our feeds and social media outlets have become wars of opinions. Opinions that we all have, and are all different from one person to the next. But that's the wonderful way that God created us to be. Different. Full of opinions and oppositions. But he also created us to hold respect, and love for our neighbors. 

Stop judging me, and the millions of times I've not been ever so loving and just read this sinners thoughts...

Today is the day. The day to STOP saying how much we cannot stand each candidate. Or how we wish we could have a do over. We did this. Our parties picked these two, no matter how big of clowns they each are. These are the two major party American candidates. 

We can no longer stand on the side lines watching the train wreck. Standing back, laughing at the damage, and awaiting your next Facebook famous status. That is the issue among all issues - social media. We've let it become our voice, rather than listening to our own inner voices. We've become derived from thoughts that we had because of falsified characters of a comment from another. 

To feel secure and safe with your decision, stop watching the train wreck moments. It isn't funny. It's sickening and part of the problem. Do your research, pick your topics, write them down if you need to, and be ready to listen to what the answer to your passion questions may be.

I know mine. Do you? 

While you all were laughing tonight. I found some of my answers. Answers that were in the midst of the train wreck moments. But I listened and surprise they were actually there. I figured out the ending to the scenarios that I was hoping to clear. I hope you did the same.

Last Novemeber, I was able to work an election booth but did not partake in the ballot myself. An elderly man was disturbed when I told him this and wanted to know my reasonings. I told him that I had not researched enough on the candidates and did not feel comfortable in making a solid casting vote. We agreed that my choice was correct and he then informed me that this should be the only reason to not cast a vote. I still agree with this choice that I made and plan to always do my research to make my vote. It doesn't matter if you live in a large delegate state or not, every vote matters and so does every voice. Even if it's different than my own. 

Stop laughing. Start focusing. We need change in our beloved America. Wether it be left sided or right sided. In some way or form, you must pick one on the Election Day to clear your heart and mind to spend the next four years until the next tormenting ballot say arrives. 

Until then... I'll leave you with this.

Love What You Do.

 Our parents smoked, cursed, attended church, watched tv, birthdays with cake and a piñata, they gave us kool-aid and we all survived. I learned how to swim by my dear Mother tossing me in and saying, "sink or swim child" after many times of refusal. I'm sure you all can guess how that experience worked out for my 29 year old breathing self. We were spanked, and given a hard time when we stepped out of line. We didn't have someone giving us a medal or trophy to work hard. As we were told that it was a way of life, and you either sink or swim. We learned to cope and we survived. But, sometimes a few things change in the world and that shouldn't always be considered a bad thing. We grow to love a few different things. Then we earn stripes of parenthood through the accomplishments we survive through.

Lately, as I'm planning yet another birthday party for my son, I am consistently being told that " parties were much simpler when you were a kid."

Yes, so was adding on sunscreen to a child. It didn't have to be organic, non-chemical, non-spray. It just had to say sunscreen, and BAM it was on. You didn't have to purchase bug spray in the same aspect. Or organic foods.

You see some of us may love purchasing the most healthy vegetables known to the whole foods market. Some of us may love attending every sport our children play, running marathons, taking selfies or serving on the PTO for ten years straight.

To an actual surprise some of us may just actually just love throwing parties. They don't have to be pinterest worthy of an event. It just has to be worthy of what you love to do. This has nothing to do with a failed birthday as a kid or the way I made a success of being tossed into an above ground pool. But it has all to do with a passion and what my family has always loved to do. From the Halloween parties as children with the amazing haunted houses and smell of "chainsaw" smoke fills our memories every Halloween. To the flashlight tag we played as we all camped out in our backyard for a huge sleepover birthday celebration.

Our passions may differ from travel, bjsports to chalk board designs above buffet bars. It doesn't make either of us trying harder, or failing - and boy how I could scream when someone tells me they are failing at parenthood due to an attempt. You put love into whatever you do for your children, and that is by far more of a success than my frantatic mornings of trying to make sure flowers match a table runner, or last minute trips to dollar general to make sure I have enough lemonade.

We choose what we love.

Mine for sure isn't waking early on Saturday morning to run a 5k. Or traveling each weekend to watch my child play a sport.

But it is planning, organizing, staying up too late to finishing super gluing a last minute craft, or sewing a table runner in twenty minutes. I may love to be stressed about not having enough items, or the correct table cloths. So if you want to stay up late applique a last minute birthday shirt. Do it. If you want to sit under a tent in the pouring rain while your son is playing football. Do it. If you want to plan every event for your child's school while on the PTO, do it. If we want to only go out to eat and celebrate your littles birthdays with movie and pizza. Do it! Or chase pokemon around your city limit... please, by all means do it.

I'll never regret celebrating the life of my loved ones in the way that I choose to do so. Most of all, you shouldn't regret loving what you do either.