Now that you've been appointed, how will you celebrate?

SunshineMom

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Mar 8, 2015
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For our DS's graduation party, we'll be celebrating not only the great high school career but an upcoming military career. Instead of focusing on the high school colors, I'm looking for blue and gold plates and napkins plus anchors and other nautical touches for a USNA theme. But I can't resist the U.S. flag-themed cupcake papers at the base exchange -- and we can do lots of red, white and blue with flags for a patriotic theme. Or, if the USAFA comes through and that's his decision, I'll be hunting for blue and silver -- I guess that will mean a trip to the bridal aisle at Party City to get some silver touches. Anybody ever find a good AF-appropriate cookie cutter?? I'll be hitting Pinterest for some helpful hints -- and if anyone has a great lead on some fun party favors, post, post, post!! And ideas for graduation presents for these great kids who can't bring anything to school with them!! Yikes!! Let's swap ideas!
 
So still haven't received any word from any of the SA's yet, but for my 18th birthday my Mom made me an AF themed cake and it was great!
Lol, maybe your DS wants money, because then after Basic or Recognition he can use it to go have some adventures or something lol!Or you know, to buy all the expensive books!
 
We ordered custom M&Ms ( http://www.mymms.com/ ) in Blue, Silver, and Yellow (2011's class color at USAFA) with airplane pictures and his name printed on them. We had Gummy Planes on the tables, too. We also got pre-printed envelopes (plain white) with his Basic address at USAFA and put packs of 10 at each place setting so that everyone had a reminder to write to him during BCT. Included with the envelopes was a card explain a little bit about what he was going to be doing because a lot of our friends and family had no idea what USAFA was all about.

Stealth_81
 
I love the idea about the envelopes!! I've been writing to the sons of friends who have been in basic training for the Marines at Parris Island, so I hope they'll return the favor when our guy is doing BCT.
 
We ordered custom M&Ms ( http://www.mymms.com/ ) in Blue, Silver, and Yellow (2011's class color at USAFA) with airplane pictures and his name printed on them. We had Gummy Planes on the tables, too. We also got pre-printed envelopes (plain white) with his Basic address at USAFA and put packs of 10 at each place setting so that everyone had a reminder to write to him during BCT. Included with the envelopes was a card explain a little bit about what he was going to be doing because a lot of our friends and family had no idea what USAFA was all about.

Stealth_81
Did lots of people write to him? Did the envelopes work well as a reminder?
 
The pre-printed envelopes and stationary was an idea we stole from here on the forum. For our family/friends party it worked great!
 
Did lots of people write to him? Did the envelopes work well as a reminder?

Yes. It worked very well and he had mail nearly every day of BCT.

I wrote to him every day myself, and I always included AF cartoons and pictures that I copied and pasted right into the middle of the letter. That way he knew that I was thinking of him, and the pictures gave him a little bit of a way to get away with something since the cadre didn't take the letters away because the pictures weren't "personal". We had discussed this prior to him leaving so he knew that each picture or cartoon meant "I'm still here for you". In the end the cadre got used to him getting an AF cartoon almost every day and had him share it with the squadron at mail call.

Stealth_81
 
DD has not yet decided between USCGA and USNA and she is still waiting to hear from USAFA but with such a short summer (high school graduation on 5-28 and report day 5 weeks later) we have started to plan her graduation party.
Love this thread for sharing !!!
We are planning an all American theme:
red, white & blue decorations on each table; r-w-b balloons down the drive way; flags on each of the serving tables
as far as food: - popcorn machine - peanuts & cracker jack before the meal - meal of hamburgers; hot dogs; baked beans; potato salad; corn on the cob and mac & cheese - desert of apple pie, chocolate chip cookies & make your own strawberry/blueberry short cake.

We know it seems alittle 4th of Julyish but she will be at basic during the 4th anyway & we can get double duty out of the decorations!

If she decides Navy I am also considering having "In the Navy" play each time someone steps into the yard (the kids tell me they can "rig up" something to make this happen)
We are also going to have envelopes preaddressed for any of her guests to take home & write to her during the summer.

Keep the ideas coming - graduation will be here before we know it !
 
Great ideas!

I honestly can't remember anymore if we did anything once I choice CGA. I don't think so. I think I just started wearing the CGA sweatshirt.

I remember some kind of get-together back home in Nashville, TN, but I can't remember if it was before I went to CGA, or after I graduated. I'm leaning toward "after I graduated." I mean, family celebrated in New London after graduation, but we had a little party once I got home too.

I REALLY love the idea of having addressed envelopes for people attending the party.

The first summer (and really first year too) is pretty miserable. It was nice to get letters from home. Now, I think a lot of people want to write about how proud they are and all of that.... but the letters and photos and newspaper clippings I appreciated the most were about home. I like updates about friends and family. I like newspaper clippings with news on my favorite hockey team, the Nashville Predators. It was nice to see that, while my life had changed, the rest of the world was still "normal." It anchored me a bit, I think.

Anyway, pretty cool ideas here.
 
I like the All-American picnic theme for a party -- and it is such a short summer! Red velvet cupcakes were really popular at DS's Eagle Scout party a couple of years ago. I want to come up with some sort of cool backdrop for a photo booth, too, so we can take lots of photos of friends for him to have later.

I have also heard that news of what's going on in the world is welcomed at BCT because they really are cut off from so much that they're used to. I have also surfed different comedy websites and culled some jokes to add to letters -- any way to add a smile to a tough time.
 
Still haven't figured that one out.

However, when I found out I did some pushups. Then I purchased a USMMA bumper sticker and another yoga mat. Also realized my car is in the grey and blue KP colors.
 
Awesome ideas!! I might have to incorporate a birthday cake since my son's birthday will fall during BCT!
 
I'm loving the American theme!! I'm having a combined party with my sister who is graduating from college. Luckily each of the colors matches the high school/college left and colleges we're going to; maybe add a little orange in for CGA! But, I don't know if she can convince me to wear matching color outfits...!


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DS is so low key he didn't want any kind of a party or big celebration. We did have a small group of close friends join us at a local restaurant for a farewell dinner. I brought cards and envelopes and everyone wrote him a couple of cards. I then mailed one everyday during plebe summer.
 
The absolute BEST way to celebrate is to cover your appointee in bubble wrap. :D

I believe my sons almost set the house on fire with assorted and sundry fireworks in the driveway, which still has the gunpowder stains on it.

Have fun and congrats!

(I know a cheap bubble wrap outlet. Just call... )
 
I'm perfectly happy hanging out and chatting with everyone, but DS wants there to be something to DO -- he has friends with pools and ping pong tables, so he sees us as coming up short in that department. I suppose we could all fold paper airplanes and see whose goes the furthest?? I thought party "activities" were over once they hit the teen years -- maybe I need to get one of his friends to work up some playlists and get everyone dancing?
 
No huge celebration parties for me--I'm not really the type to enjoy that. However, I do like to wear my USAFA and USNA ball caps to school! :D I wear one of them more often, though, but I can't say which...yet.

Of course, now it's time to really work on :muscles2::muscles2::muscles2: and :zip: so that one day I can :tomcat:.
 
No huge celebration parties for me--I'm not really the type who would like that. However, I do enjoy wearing my USAFA and USNA ball caps to school! :D I wear one of them more often, though, but I can't say which...yet.

Of course, now it's time to really work on :muscles2::muscles2::muscles2: and :zip: so that one day I can :tomcat:.


Once you pick, it's time to give that other one away. Ha!
 
I wanted to do the "dance of joy" when my son's medical status for USNA changed to "waiver granted" (he had an LOA from January), but he wouldn't let me celebrate. Then, when he got a call from Sen. Thune's office, I thought he would be ready to celebrate. But, he said he was waiting until he actually got the BFE. He did give in to his veiled excitement a few days later and order a couple of Midshipmen t-shirts. (I ordered a couple for myself too.) Now that the BFE has arrived, I think our family will just go out somewhere to eat to celebrate.

I don't think I'll do anything special at the graduation party. I've not started planning that at all. It's not something that is done where I come from, but where we live now -- everyone has a party. I come from an area where you're raised not to "toot your own horn," so I don't really feel comfortable with setting out tables with his awards/achievements on it. Maybe I'll just have some of his goofy pictures through the years or something. I really dread planning a party. I don't think I was in line when God was handing out the decorating and party planning genes. I wish some of you other moms could come handle my party planning for me. :) All I care about is having food that tastes good.
 
I wanted to do the "dance of joy" when my son's medical status for USNA changed to "waiver granted" (he had an LOA from January), but he wouldn't let me celebrate. Then, when he got a call from Sen. Thune's office, I thought he would be ready to celebrate. But, he said he was waiting until he actually got the BFE. He did give in to his veiled excitement a few days later and order a couple of Midshipmen t-shirts. (I ordered a couple for myself too.) Now that the BFE has arrived, I think our family will just go out somewhere to eat to celebrate.

I don't think I'll do anything special at the graduation party. I've not started planning that at all. It's not something that is done where I come from, but where we live now -- everyone has a party. I come from an area where you're raised not to "toot your own horn," so I don't really feel comfortable with setting out tables with his awards/achievements on it. Maybe I'll just have some of his goofy pictures through the years or something. I really dread planning a party. I don't think I was in line when God was handing out the decorating and party planning genes. I wish some of you other moms could come handle my party planning for me. :) All I care about is having food that tastes good.

That's what I love about the picnic-y all-American idea -- you just get burgers and hot dogs or fried chicken, a few flags, and let your son get hugs!!
 
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