How To Plan An Intimate Family Night

It was an enchanting evening. A night where friends bond with family and actually become family. Over 30 friends and family attended. Hot dogs on the grill, The sweet and tangy scent of baked beans and buttery popcorn fill the air. Smiles all around.

The movie was a look back at how the family has grown. Scenes from special events over the past three years including reunions, showers, wedding receptions, talents shows, outdoor activities, achievements, we fondly remembered those gone but not forgotten and enjoyed a special video = celebration of new life and those privileged to act as host.

32 lounge chairs spread across the lawn under the stars,  Hot spiced apple cider warm our hands as the movie of our lives plays on the outer wall of the shed in the backyard. A gentle cool breeze blows as we nestle under the stars  It was one of the most cozy intimate scenes I have ever enjoyed and I encourage all families and family reunion planners to put this on their family activity schedule. Movie night under the stars. A night to remember.

What You'll Need
1. Video of all special events over the last three years or so
2. Video projector and amplified audio device
3. Movie screen
4. Plenty of blankets
5. Grill and cookware
6. Hot dogs, sausage, grilled fruit, chili, beans, popcorn and warm cider
7. Condiments and napkins
8. Cups plates, saucers and flatware
10. Outdoor lounge chairs

The key to making this a special night is simply to plan a movie night in early autumn.out of doors in simply dishes like spicy chili, baked beans with bacon and onions,  pineapple slices right off the grill and hot apple cider as well as an intimate family video. What could be better for a warm and cozy family movie night.

Fun November Activities

Incoming! November 2013. One of the most beautiful months of the year. Crimson gold maple, emerald green pine, vivid amber and copper leaves. Beside being awestruck by the autumn scenery how do you plan to enjoy the month? Get you plans down quick, November will pass as quickly as it has come. Consult the activity calendars of local community groups online.

Activities may include local fund raiser bake sales featuring the season harvest. While you're attending grab not one but two sweet potato pies, a gallon of apple cider and caramel candy apples on a stick. During the month of November trees pass from green to brilliant tones as if each tree was kissed by the fiery sunset sky.

Soon every leaf will find it's way to veritable ground. That said, it's time to plan a fun family leaf raking party. In the neighborhood I grew up trees were a plenty so there was always work to be done stuffing scores of leaf bags until you drop. And drop we did... canon balling right into a mountainous pile of leafs.

Throwing fun leaf raking parties was also our specialty. It was a fun but practical way to get all the kids together, organize games and races while getting a big job completed in little time. The biggest task was feeding the masses of energetic helpers. Pizza, grilled hot dogs and hamburgers washed down with apple cider easily gets the job done. Getting inspired? When planning your Leaf raking party consider the following:

Things you need:

1. A big yard with leaves galore!
2. Rakes and whisk brushes
3. Leaf bags
4. A grill
5. Food and drinks
6. Camera for photos and video
7. Lot's of kids and those young at heart
8. An activities and game itinerary
9. Two food tables and chairs
10. Waste containers

Activities:
1. Biggest Leaf Pile Contest - Form teams and try to rake the biggest pile
2. Leaf Pile Dome Jump - Try to jump in the center of the pile and remove the dome
3. Leaf Bag Relay Race -  Fill as many leaf bags as possible
4. Leaf Bag Filling Race - Try to find remaining leaves and fill your bag as high as possible
5. Leaf Bag moving -  Move as many leaf bags to designated spots

Recording The Event:
1. Take photos and video of each event
2. Use video as play by play documentation
3. Make a sports cast game video just for fun
4. Create a slideshow of the event
5. Use photos for scrapbook keepsake

When making your video consider using creative ways to present it. Many video and slideshow applications contain filters and motion settings just like the professionals use. Use grey-scale, slow motion and fade in and out sequencing. I like to start out with normal motion, then cut to slow motion and fade into a still life scene and turn it grey-scale as a way of capturing and holding the memory in time. The presentation really comes to life when background music is added.

Promote November's Family Reunion Planning Month.  Family is a big deal. Support and nurture our most precious resource the Family as only family can. Have a Family Fall Fest or plan your next family reunion.Get more information and ideas in the reunion event planning book, 'Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Guidebook and Keepsake'

 You'll find great deals on family reunion cruises this time of year at http://bookcheapcruises.fimark.net.  Looking for ideas for gifts and awards? http://prepaid-gift-cards.fimark.net

Planning a family reunion? To get  more information about Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app click on the link on this blog page or access the profiles page.

Incoming 2013 - Family Night Highlights

INCOMING 2013
The Fall has passed and winter is upon us. Before you know it, it will be spring again. Can you believe that 2012 has come and gone? It was back in 2008 that we wrote... "Before you know it we'll be sipping a frosty glass of lemonade to the beat of "Family Reunion" on a warm Sunny day while the youngn's laugh and play." Well 2008 thru 2012 has passed but we do have our memories don't we? And that's what it's all about. Even now we are halfway thru the month of January and the rest is about to be gulped down.

NO REGRETS
Don't drink your refreshing cup of life to quickly. Learn how to truly savor the moment. Enjoying the moment is not as easy as it sounds. But when you consider the fact that all we really have are our memories, the present time, and the happiness we hope to enjoy in the near future making memories free of needless regrets has much to do with knowing how to enjoy the moment. 

1. Don't drown out past regrets in bottles of brew and addicting substances. This will only conjure up foolish talk and actions we end up regretting later. 

2. Don't attempt to mimic a pretense of happiness. Why pretend when you can experience the real thing? Give yourself permission to be truly happy. Love, loyalty and commitment make it happen.

3. Don't try to live someone-else's life. Help them live their own life and always live your own.
Learn from mentors example and be an example yourself.

4. Trying to relive the good old days in our present time won't work. Focus on living in the here and now. Only then can you look back fondly and enjoy a memory with substance, meaning and purpose.

5. Much of your success in creating a memory has to do with good planning and keeping things simple enough to enjoy the present. Give yourself permission to enter the moment, the present day and hour and make the most of it with the ones you love rather than fussing over endless details.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
What are your New Years resolutions? How close are you to meeting your goal? Here's are some tips that help make your resolutions a reality.

1. Spend more time with family even if it means writing letters, making phone calls or video conferencing. Not a phone person? Don't worry about it. Set a date to get together and pass it on.

2. Don't just talk about what you want to do. Make it happen with good planning. 

3. Planning an event? Begin by considering the purpose of the event and what you want to accomplish and express. Create a theme. 

4. Put an event planning date on your calendar and think about the features of the event until the planning date arrives.


2ND ANNUAL FAMILY NIGHT

Brenda and I put on a successful 2nd Annual Family Night last month for family and friends. We enjoyed professionally  composed music by close friends of the family. We enjoyed slideshows of our young from birth to present. We even composed our own background music for a family musical movie. Our purpose in doing this was six-fold.

1. Bring our family back together purely to celebrate family values and take pride in our roles as parents and siblings.

2. Teach the importance of putting family first over and above secular interests.

3. Teach our youth solid relationship skills while building character and unbreakable bonds.

4. Provide a positive pro-active outlet to direct all of our creative energy and inspire our youth to think about what they want to do with their life.

5. Fill the need for paternal affection

6. Heal aching hearts needing to confront family loss and provide closure.

7. Learn how to celebrate new life.

This time around their were fewer delays and disappointments. More time for hugs, taking photos and shaking hands. Our 2nd Annual  Family Night event was the most wonderful and beautiful moment that I and most of the attendees had ever experienced.

My most gratifying memory is that 2 years ago the whole thing was conceived by Brenda and I on our family summer vacation.



WATCH THEM GROW

Planning a family reunion is a great reason to come together. Be it to quilt, knit, exchange ideas, photos and recipes or just reminisce. When you think about it the time spent in preparation for a family reunion is as meaningful as the event itself. It's a time to enjoy the moment.

A proverb ways, "Wisdom is the prime thing. Highly esteem it, and it will exalt you. It will glorify you because you embrace it. To your head it will give a wreath of charm a crown of beauty it will bestow upon you. Another says, 
even the ant is “instinctively wise.” — Proverbs 4:7-9, 30:24, 25.

We are all growing and entering new stages of life we once only hoped to enter. Graduation, marriage, business, parenting, grand parenting and great grand parenting. It's a time to take on a new identity and carry the torch. To sit among comrades who share your joy and experience.  To learn how to make the most of it. To gather wisdom, give wisdom and appreciate the good results of applied wisdom.  

Events and ceremonies help us put it all into perspective. When planning any event including weddings, graduation and reunions take the time to use that time to contemplate and plan the future and appreciate the accomplishments leading to entering the next stages of life and most of all to gather the wisdom needed to carry on. When the events have passed you realize just how much it  was needed for all involved.

SHOUT OUT!
Here's a shout out to our new family reunion planners in Main, Georgia and The East Coast. - Welcome aboard.

WE WROTE THE BOOK
Brenda and I wrote the book on family reunion planning. Makes a great keepsake to pass on to the next generation. Get your copy of the The Family Reunion Planner Guide and Keepsake at  http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net and start creating memories, drinking up life and living in the moment.

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Happy Reunion Planning Everyone!