Speed Plan Your Best Ever Life Quick'n Easy

"Life isn't what's on your display screen. 

It's what's on display in life. 

Plan your life here on screen. 

But live your life out there."

What? Not exactly sure what you going to do this weekend? 
Not sure what you're going to do this month?
No sure what you're going to do this summer?

Let's start speed planning your life here and now. Follow the links 
below to start planning your best life ever.

Top Three Day Weekend Activity Ideas


How To Speed Plan A June Family Reunion


How To Speed Plan A July Family Reunion


Happy Life. Happy reunion planning!

#family reunion survey, #FamilyReunionPlanner  #FamilyReunionPlanning #JulyFamilyReunion, budgeting, checklist, event planning, family reunion activities, speed plan a family reunion, speed planning, 

Speed Plan Your July Family Reunion in 20 Minutes

All around the world family reunions will be celebrated from May to September. Family reunions are a haven for nurturing children, mothers seeking mutual support, fathers seeking camaraderie, teens seeking identity and genealogist and family historians. 

While family reunions are vital to the survival of this basic unit of society many career minded people and domestic workers just can't seem to find the time to pull it off.  Do not despair.  I've been there! And what have I learned? The fact is you can plan a successful and memorable family reunion just 6 to 8 weeks in advance. Here are a few tips to make your reunion event a most memorable one.

Speed Plan Your July Family Reunion in just 20 minutes.

What You'll Need.

1. A Mobile Phone (with texting capability and a stopwatch app.)
2. A Note Taking App
3. Family reunion planning checklist (like Fimark's Family Reunion Planner.)
4. A family contact with a large backyard (call them and establish best date and time) or... 
5. An all you can eat banquet restaurant (with a private room)
6. Family History Video/ Slideshow (Consult the family genealogist for content of history video or show pictures or video of all special events provided by each family.)
7. Some no cost entertainment ideas  (see Fimark's Family Reunion Planner.)

Now create a group text message to be forwarded to all family contacts.
"We're speed planning a family reunion this summer
Date - Location - Time." 

If your holding the event in the back yard include the following message. "Bring a dish and drinks to share and also a chair"

Make sure the person on the grill supplies charcoal, foil, meat, bread and condiments. Bring extra drinks early.

Entertainment and Activity Ideas

Create your own outside entertainment with games and perhaps a talent show. (See Fimark's Family Reunion Planner for inspiring ideas.)

Read Set Go!

Synchronize your stopwatch app and hit the start button
Make the phone calls and send a group text message. Those who reply within the next 5 minutes with doable ideas will be considered.

Put the suggested date, location and activities, down in your notes. Ask the family to vote on their favorites within the next 5 minutes.
The first three or four to respond can be considered as members of the family reunion committee. The date, location and activities most favored are written in stone. Now send out the invitation

Calculate the Cost

A wise man once said, "Who would build a tower without first sitting down and calculating the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" If your reunion is at a restaurant consider how much to charge each family member.  Consider an all-you-can-eat food bar to cut down on menu and ordering complications. Within the next 5 minutes send them a menu complete with costs and have them bring the funds to the restaurant to keep things simple.

Want more practical money saving reunion planning tips? Get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app complete with checklists, themes, survey taker, activity ideas, itinerary and more. Everything you need to plan a memorable family reunion.

How To Speed Plan A July Family Reunion

Whether you're in the US of A, Canada, France or the UK, summer is just around the corner. No time to dally. If you're planning a family reunion this year it's time to kick it and get that ball rolling!  Here are a few tips to make your reunion event a most memorable one.

Speed Planning Your July Family Reunion

If you read the last three articles we discussed the process of speed planning. Speed planning is the process of considering the essential elements of planning an event and getting them down in stone within 15 minutes. Here's what you need to speed plan your family reunion.

1. A Phone (preferably with texting capability)
2. A notepad (digital app or paper and pen)
3. Access to a family reunion planning checklist (follow suggested link in this article)
4. A few family contacts (three or more will do)
5. A large backyard or available park or outdoor recreation area
6. An all-you-can-eat banquet restaurant (preferable with a private room)
7. Family History Video/ Slideshow movie (Consult the family genealogist for content of history video or show pictures or video of all special events provided by each family)

Now create a group text message to be forwarded to all family contacts.
"We're speed planning a family reunion this summer
July 20__." Where, when and what activities would you enjoy?

Synchronize Your Stop Watch App

1. Those who reply within the next 10 minutes with doable ideas will be considered.
2. Put the suggested date, location and activities, down in your notes.
3. Ask the family to vote on their favorite date and activities within the next 5 minutes.
4. The first three or four to respond can be considered as members of the family reunion committee.
5. The date, location, and activities most favored get written in stone.

Calculate the Cost

A wise man once said, "Who would build a tower without first sitting down and calculating the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" That said, consider if the suggested activities are financially reasonable and feasible for all households involved. Read previous articles for more speed planning ideas and methods.

Checklist, Activities, and Ideas

Need a family reunion planning checklist? Looking to get inspired?  How about some ice breaking jokes and activity ideas. Get the Fun Family Reunion Ideas Book

Fun Family Reunion Ideas

In Depth Family Reunion Planning Book

Want practical money saving reunion planning tips? Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Keepsake and Guidebook. Family reunion planning at it's best. Everything you need to plan organize and manage a family reunion event. Scores of fun family activities. This complete family reunion event planning guide is a workbook and keepsake heirloom for generations to come. The reunion guide includes a timeline planner, checklists, budget list, themes and associated itineraries and dinner programs. 

The keepsake features include a signature of ownership page, an event details page, an event planning journal and a family recipe compiler complete with sections to record the history behind the family recipe. Other keepsake features include an heirloom record, family tree worksheets, and other genealogy worksheets. The reunion planning workbook includes planning tutorial for individual planners, groups, and committees. There are recommended games and activities, itinerary, survey letter and luncheon/dinner programs. Worksheets also include site evaluation, possible locations and activities, committee organization and departmental worksheets. Recommendation: Get the print copy for keepsakes, recording recipes and notes and the PDF copy to print the digital worksheets.

Family Reunion Planning App

Get the complete family reunion planning checklist and vital event planning tips using Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. This app has everything you need to plan a memorable family reunion. Themes, activity ideas, itinerary and more. See details here.

#family reunion survey, #FamilyReunionPlanningSoftware #FamilyReunionPlanningApp #JulyFamilyReunionPlanning #JulyFamilyReunion, checklist, budgeting, event planning, family reunion activities, speed plan a family reunion, speed planning, 

Family Reunion Activity Ideas

When the subject of planning a family reunion comes up among family members many find it hard to agree on the location or activities. Does this dilemma often delay the planning process? Don't be dismayed. When the well runs dry of good ideas for your next family reunion here are a few suggestions that will get your planning off and running straight to the finish line.

1. Choose a Theme
2. Choose Theme Related Activities
3. Choose the Ideal Location
4. Create your Itinerary and Luncheon/Dinner Program
5. Event Planning Software

Choose a Family Reunion Theme

The first step in planning the event is choosing a theme. Your theme will help you determine activities, location and the items in your Itinerary and dinner program. There are a number of themes common to annual family gatherings. Themes are often centered on the family name, homestead and heritage. Other themes may be closely tied to the activities of the event such as the following:

Traditional Themed Gathering
Genealogy Homestead Tour
Family Fest
Family Reunion Cruise
Living Legends Ball

Theme Based Event Planners

Some event planning applications feature theme based planning. Each theme comes with a pre-written itinerary, dinner program and activities we well as logos and even t-shirt and invitations designs.

Choose Family Reunion Theme Related Activities

Now that your theme is established you can better consider activities that would be appropriate for this special occasion. Typical activities may include a visit to the old homestead, luncheon program on the premises, family history recital, story time, presentation of family quilt or other heirloom, honoring of family elders. Some of these activities may be incorporated in a dinner program. If your throwing an outdoor event consider having a sing-a-thon, outdoor games or a bubble master bubble show.

Choose The Ideal location

Having established the theme and an outline of activities, choosing an ideal location should be much easier. The locations considered should allow for the enjoyment of most if not all activities listed.

Create Your Itinerary

Once the location is selected it is time to start putting together an itinerary of event. Create a simple list of activities and include the day and time each activity is scheduled.

Event Planning Apps

As said earlier, reunion planning software applications make theme selection and associated activities a whole lot easier. When looking for such as app choose one that provides a theme selector. Theme selectors guide you through the initial planning process by providing theme related activities, pre-written itinerary and luncheon/dinner programs. Other important features would include a timeline planner and attendee roster. Even better, select reunion planning apps that include a supplies and services list with a budget calculation feature. Event planning web apps like Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app feature all the above suggestions along with detailed planning, organizing and management tips as well as printable templates, tools and guides.

So if you're struggling to come up with some fresh and creative ideas for your next reunion, start by selecting a family reunion theme and associated activities. That said, a reliable theme based reunion event planning application may be all that's needed to jump start your next fun filled family reunion event.

Need Help Planning Your Family Reunion?

Click the Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app link found below this article.or visit https://www.facebook.com/familyreunionapps.

5 August Family Reunion Planning Tips and Reminders

1. 

   
   August is the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar. Latin for "sixth month," indicating its position in the early Roman calendar. It means respected, distinguished, illustrious and impressive. For kids of around the world the last month of summer vacation typically ends in August or early September. 

   The last weeks of August and early September are considered the last hurrah when it comes to summer vacation.  When family reunions are scheduled at the end of the month just about everyone wants to make it something special. So here are five August family reunion planning tips you're bound to enjoy.

   5 August Family Reunion Planning Tips

   1. Find a Virtually Mosquito Free Area. Whether you're at home or on vacation, Find out when mosquito season is likely to be at its peak. The website Weather.com has a handy customized mosquito activity forecast, where you can type in a zip code and see a prediction of mosquito activity in that area. If mosquito activity is high consider using organic, natural repellents or planning some activities indoors.

   2.  Dress Appropriately Each Day. While August temperatures are typically in the 80's and 90's with lots of sunny days it's best to find out the daily highs and lows, humidity and barometric pressure well in advance as this will determine what activities are best when planning your reunion event.
   
   3. Genealogy Recital. Family reunions are not complete without a recital of family history and genealogical chronology. It's best to keep it simple and light while adding a few impressive points of note as well as humorous, inspiring anecdotes. 

   4.  Watch a Movie In The Park. If the evenings are cool and the park is open this would be a great time to snuggle up and watch a movie in the park or on the beach. Serve hot buttery popcorn, S'mores and chilled fruit salad cups with a variety of drinks.

   5. Play Water Sports and Games. Cool down with a line of water sports activities everyone will enjoy. Start off with wet dodge ball, which is simply a sponge ball soaked in water. Play water balloon relay or enjoy a variety of activities by the beach or at a pool.

   For more in depth  reunion activity planning ideas read my family reunion planning book featured on this page. For family reunion event planning from start to finish access the family reunion planner social web app. Everything you need to start planning a memorable family reunion.

5 Fun DIY Family Reunion Activity Ideas

Looking at our most resent family reunion keepsake booklet it is commendable that we've enjoyed over 40 years of fun and inspiring family reunion events. I would have to say that commitment to strong family values is the key.

If you're like me you want each family reunion occasion to be the most memorable for everyone involved. Whether your reunion is just around the corner or several weeks away there are ways you can put an indelible mark on the memory of your next family reunion event.  Here are 5 fun DIY family reunion activity ideas that won't break the bank.

This Months Events: So you've planned some activities but still need last minute activity ideas.Something that the children will consider outstanding, fun and memorable. Nothing comes close to  these three exciting activities.

1.  Dodge Ball - Water Balloon Slam

2.  Bubble Show - Performing Arts with Giant SUV Size Soap Bubbles!

3.  A Fun Relay Race 

4. An Outdoor Music Concert featuring a family members garage band

5.  A Food Fest featuring the families favorite recipes

For more details on these activities consult your family reunion planner web app.

Future Events:  If your event is months away consider planning a family talent show right now. Talent shows rank high on the most popular family reunion activities list and certainly the most entertaining. The fun part of planning a talent show is the auditions. Take video of each audition and make it a feature of the show. The laughs and awe are unending.  Select clean comedy, well rehearsed music recitals, good singing, cute clown or gymnastics acts, professional puppet shows and other engaging performances.   

Tip: Most families have at least one performing arts professional. Include them. Call the talent show something like, "The Smiths Got Talent!"

Past Events: We suggest sending attendees a newsletter sharing the highlights of your event. The newsletter maker is readily available along with the keepsake reunion booklet maker, genealogy presentation worksheets, a welcome package and so much more using Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. Quick planner access provided at the bottom of the page.

Need Help Planning Your Reunion?

If you're planning to have your family reunion in June, July or August you need to complete all tasks yesterday. Need help completing tasks for your family reunion? Stay calm. Just drop me a line at fimarkhome@gmail.com and I'll show you how to get your event up and running in no time at all.

A great way to start planning the event is using an event planning web app. But not just any app. Some apps are just fancy checklists with a few bells and whistles.  Event planning involves cost estimation, timely and effective communication, access to vendors and familiarity with event task assignments. That said, you need tools essential to performing budget cost calculations, following an event planning calendar timeline and creating a contact database. 

Tools that help you decide on event theme, slogan and associated activities are essential. Tools that help you rally the masses and send out essential event details cannot be underestimated. Enter Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. A reunion planning tool that's been continually refined since 2005.

As a family reunion planner you'll be running committee reports, printing and emailing worksheets for committee meetings as well as reviewing a task check off list. Tasks include surveying possible locations for the event, booking hotel accommodations, creating a dinner reception program, and reception floor planning. Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app helps you do all that and so much more.

Many reunion planners don't realize that Fimark's Family Reunion Planner package comes in three different formats to suite your planning preferences. 

1. The Online application for Google Plus and Facebook users.

2. A spreadsheet formatted planner with attendee contact database, t-shirt order and survey report compiler.

3. The 132 page eBook workbook.

The book includes the timeline planner that allows you to find out what task you should complete month to month. That means family reunion help is now online. Get started planning your reunion today.

Today Fimark is featuring a family reunion planning package that includes the popular Family Reunion Planner software program download with the Family Reunion Planner Guide Workbook and Keepsake eBook. And it's all for just $39. You save a whopping $10!

Even better, you don't have to wait for anything to come in the mail to get started. You order and the web app link is sent to you via email. Is that a great deal or what? This special summer fest reunion planning offer will not last long. Get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app via link on this blog.

5 Life Lessons Learned at Family Reunions

Whenever Brenda and I attend a family reunion we always walk away having learned an important lesson that heightens our spirit, raises our quality of life and enhances our relationships. Over the years there are always five life lessons that  these events cause to resonate in our minds.

1. Take Care of Yourself - Take care of yourself and everything else will fall into place. It is a fact that when you get a good nights sleep your day is bound to go better by comparison. When you are refreshed you are much more capable and competent for the task at hand. We make better financial, academic and health related decisions when well rested, which returns a rewarding cycle of good mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

2. Love Listens - Take time to listen to your family members when they speak. Knowing someone cares enough to listen makes the effort of getting together worthwhile.  Every family should have a support system with a mission to validate each family member regardless of their station in life, education or class. Get to know their interests and likes. Try to relate and find common ground. A good place to start is reading their online profile.

3. Love Grows - Love has no limits in time or space. A person can love hundreds of people simultaneously and still have room for hundreds more. That means there is enough love to go around. It only takes a few seconds to show it and a few minutes to grow it.

4. Success is Setting Goals - Many family members leave the reunion with a set of goals they wish to achieve such as going to college, being a better father, mother or spouse. When attending a family reunion take special note of individuals and couples who have been committed to successfully carrying out their roles in life . Observe and discover the keys to making it work. Set the goal to become what it takes to be a happy committed partner, mother or father in the relationship by setting progressive goals for yourself.

5. Happiness is making others Happy - There is no greater reward than giving someone something meaningful that does them lasting good. While one can give food, money or some other tangible item, teaching them how to acquire and maintain what's most important in life, a loving circle of people who care, goes a long way. That said, giving something that will be of lasting good brings the most happiness. The rewards are beyond measure.

And speaking of happy... How can you aim to please just about everyone at your upcoming family reunion One way is by being as inclusive as possible regarding interests, preferences and likes. That means taking into consideration family members tastes in the areas of music, sports and entertainment. Granted you did this when taking the initial survey regarding themes and activities. But what about the family reunion luncheon/dinner program itself? Here are a few great ideas that aim to please and put a smile on the faces of each family reunion member.

1. Find out music titles each family reunion attendee likes. During the festivities play one or two
songs on behalf of each family member.

2. Make a list of games shows each attendee enjoys watching. Create fun reunion games centered around the game shows most popular among attendees.

3. Determine the sports activities most attendees enjoy and incorporate a few of them the family rreunions outdoor activities.

Fimark's family reunion planner web app includes the Invitees Interest List which lists profiles of friends and family members along with their favorites and likes including music, sports, games, books, movies and more. You don't have to fill in the list. It's all already entered and in place. Just open the list and start reading the likes and favorites for each attendee under the appropriate category.
Find out more at http//family-reunion-planner.fimark.net

Family Reunion Activities and Observances

Here's a shout out to family reunion planners in Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Baltimore, MD and Washington DC.

Have you payed homage to the African American contribution to society yet? If so, congratulations. I hope you were inspired by the courage, insight, wisdom and humanitarian interest reflected in each story. It's not too late to schedule a weekend tour of Blacks 'n Wax in Baltimore MD, The Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum in Baltimore MD or checkout special tours and presentations at the Smithsonian in Washington DC.  

Family Activities Inspired by Black History Month:

• Join or form a Family History Society
• Donate to your favorite cultural charity
• Visit a cultural museum or community art gallery
• Write about your families contribution to history and your community.
• Read a grade level book regarding notable achievements to your children.
• Volunteer in some way to give back to the community.
• Visit sites that focus on contributions from people of other cultures. http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bhm/index.html
  http://black-history.fimark.net

Other Monthly Observances

• May 12 to June 16 - "Family Reunion Month"
• July - National Family Reunion Month
• November - Named November as "Family Reunion Planning Month
• November 21-24 as "Family Reunion Planning Week.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_reunion

Family Reunion Activities
Want to make your family reunion more a historic appeal. Add one or
more of the following activities to your family reunion program:

Historic Skits Reenactments
Highlight pivotal points in a family's history. Participants are
introduced to the art of developing a timeline as well as period
research with a focus on costume design, customs, dialogue and
social, economic and technological developments.

Story Telling
A fascinating art that brings to life tales of ancestors and their
accomplishments. Along with stories of legends of the past, life
lessons are taught. The meaning behind family traditions are shared
while relaying important family history factoids and the ties that
bind.

Genealogy Tours
Take the family on an exciting tour of important genealogical hot
spots including the family homestead, the towns in which the family
settled, the jobs they held, machines they worked, markets they
traded and streets they walked as well as social activities they
immersed themselves into.

Genealogy Presentations
A Presentation of historic documents and vintage artifacts that
identify timelines, economic status, historic events and locations
of ancestors.

Family Reunion Keepsake Booklets
Get more details about these activities using Fimark's Family Reunion Planner at
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net