I have some ideas but would like some more. Ds is turning 8 next month and wants me to throw him a military party. I have reserved the clubhouse in our complex and I am working on the invititions-dog tags. I will be making him a Marine cake kinda like this one (I made that one too!) out of the Wilton Little Hero Pan.



And I have gotten little USMC emblem molds that I will be making chocolate candies out of. Any other ideas? I thought about having dh set up a little obstacle course for them.

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 12:35 pm:

Its too big. I've got to find a way to make it smaller.

By Cat on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 12:37 pm:

The obstacle course is a great idea! How about some camo face painting. Can you find little camo hats or bandanas fairly inexpensive? Check these out. Do a search for CAMOUFLAGE on that site. There's a bunch. Can your dh gets some MRE's? Sometimes the commissary has them, or you could make some of your own using brown lunch bags. It sounds like a fun party! Good luck.

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 12:54 pm:

Cake

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 12:57 pm:

Glow sticks, Canteens, tents, rucksacks, they could all be used as "props". Grease paint for their faces, cut out cardboard boots and have the kids decorate them. Sounds like a great party, I'll keep thinking for you!

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 12:58 pm:

MRE's are a great idea. I'll have to see if dh has some at the office. I'm going to check out that site now, Thank you Cat!

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 12:59 pm:

See I knew you guys would have some really great ideas! Keep the ideas coming Crystal, he's gonna love this party.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, September 21, 2005 - 02:35 pm:

"Dress the soldier" game. Split the group in two, and blindfold one from each group as the soldier. Lay out a uniform for each soldier, scattered over a small area. Maybe spin him around to get him a bit disoriented, then the other kids have to direct him to each piece of the uniform. He has to put on each piece as he finds it, and then they tell him where the next one is. Group who gets dressed the fastest wins.
Freeze tag with a military twist. Split the kids in 2 groups, and give one group red bandanas, and the other group blue bandanas. (You can buy them at walmart for less than a dollar a piece.) Have the play freeze tag, each team has their own "base" where they are safe. If someone get's frozen, their teammate has to "rescue" them. You'd have to decided what ends the game, and that team wins.
A scavenger hunt could also be fun, make it like a mapping exercise. They have "points" they have to follow to find each thing, like 20 steps to the right, look up".
Have them make their own "ribbons".
Make nametags for each of them, like "Pvt. Jason", that they put on when they get to "inprocessing" (arrive at the party) I'm assuming all of these kids are military-related, so they have some understanding of the Corps. Let us know what you decide, it sounds like so much fun!

By Insaneusmcwife on Thursday, September 22, 2005 - 07:45 am:

Actually, most of the kids don't know much about the military. Ds is in a school in town. This unit is not very family orientated so for all I know we just might be the only "family". We haven't met anyone, I hear there is a Key Volunteer unit here but I have never heard from any of them or any wife for that matter. Dh has filled out all the paper work so that we can be contacted, they just haven't done it......So unless these kids parents are military this might be their first experience.

By Jackie on Thursday, September 22, 2005 - 07:57 am:

Kristie-sounds like you are going to make him a great party. Sounds like alot of fun. I have no ideas(Im not very creative LOL)

By Kym on Thursday, September 22, 2005 - 09:35 am:

Do you have a Surplus Store? We just re did or boys room Army motif ( we are civilian, but live near a base) And they are now collecting pins, badges etc, they would make some nice party favors. Sounds like a lot of fun, the dress the soldier game would be a hoot!

By Crystal915 on Thursday, September 22, 2005 - 12:20 pm:

Kristie,
The sad thing is it's like that here. I've been here since May, been to a ball already, and met a few people there, but have NOT been contacted by the FRG, have not be contacted by any of the officer's wives who might be overseeing the family groups, nothing. I'm feeling pretty lonely and ignored, I realize a lot of these families went through a deployment together, but it's not my fault that we weren't here! **Sigh** The changes I'd make if I was the FRG leader!!

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, September 23, 2005 - 06:42 pm:

Jackie-
Haven't had a chance to email you an invite yet but if your not busy on the 14th at 3 we would love for you to stop by. I don't know what time your kids get out of school but ds will be off track. You can always come late if the kids get out later

Kym-
I'm not sure if we have a surplus store around here or not. We probably do, I'll have to look. We were planning on looking at thrift stores and the like tomorrow in search for some military stuff for the party, so I will be on the look out for a surplus. Good Idea!

Crystal-
It is really sad that the units aren't welcoming in the new arrivals like they should. I know when I had a new wife added onto my roster I made it apoint to contact her and introduce myself. Dh said the other new SSGT that started when he did just brought his family here this month so I'm going to have him invite them over for dinner and see how that goes.