I have a major phobia of commitment. Not the “til death do us part” type of commitment, but I am terrified of obligations that do not involve my children…in particular, I am referring to my Sayla girl. Having a special needs/medically fragile child means anything could change in an instant, and then she becomes priority over all. Therefore, to avoid the immense stress, guilt, and hassle of canceling events and/or prior devotions, I tend to shy away from them all together. Unfortunately, this causes me to miss out on a lot in life. I have recognized this about myself and I am slowly working towards remediating the phobia. So, I decided what could be a better way to kick start this transformation than to host a partayyyyy? While some are getting geared up for all things fall, I am hanging on to summer for dear life, and decided to throw a Bunco Night Summer Soiree. That’s right, we brought bunco back, and I think it made my mom proud. I had so much fun planning this event, creating some of the décor, and setting up for my friends to enjoy.
I arranged the outdoor table place settings with melamine plates and gold chargers that I already own. I purchased the placemats at Big Lots on sale, and found the napkins on Etsy which tied all of the colors together. My girlfriend Jordan, helped me create the balloon table runner. I got the balloons on Amazon as an arch kit which included palm leaves. I also bought a different type of palm leaf packet on Amazon for additional décor, and we stuck those around balloons. The balloons were attached to portable flower shape balloon clips to create clusters and we taped the clusters to a long tree branch laid over a white linen table runner…all while chasing two toddlers and a baby.
My bar cart is from Walmart, and it was the most fun decorating! (Items listed under photo) Our signature drink was prepared by my dear husband, who found this Rose ‘Rita recipe last minute, and it was delicious!
Light Up Box Sign: TJ Maxx
Wooden Tray: Antique Shop
Palm Leaf Wood Banner: Hobby Lobby
Clear Acrylic Plastic Drink Tub: Amazon
Framed Palm Leaf Print: Hobby Lobby
Silver Ice Bucket: Frontgate
I was taught a long time ago by my best friend, Kellye, that every party menu should include the four S’s: Salty, Sweet, Savory, and Spicy. For the soiree spread, we had chicken salad scooped into pastry shells, buffalo chicken dip with pita chips, Gigi’s cupcakes with tropical flavors, and a charcuterie board full of fruit, crackers, cheeses, and meats. There was also La Croix sparkling water, water bottles, and White Claw available to drink.
Playing bunco was the highlight of the night, and it was so much fun to relax and laugh with other mamas. I created the score sheets on Canva, with the same palm leaf template used for the invitation. Each player put $5 in the pot, and the winner took all!
While this one party has not cured my fear of planning and committing to something other than Sayla, it was a fun stepping stone in the right direction. If there is a personal challenge or struggle in your life right now, I encourage you to face it by taking action. Even a small step will remind you that you are always stronger and more capable than you give yourself credit for.
A special thank you to my friend, Jordan, for helping me decorate and gather supplies from her home, and around the neighborhood. I also want to thank my loving and supportive husband, who pushed me to do this, and made sure everything was perfect from the landscaping to the outdoor speakers! I love you.
