All by myself | A vlog

[@exvangelica4271]

I graduated high school in 2016, and all our grad parties were either in the garage/front yard or the back yard. It was an open house, and there was a buffet of snacks/desserts and some drinks. My best friend and I did a joint grad party at her grandma's apartment clubhouse because neither of us had a good house for hosting people. Costco cake was always the best thing to find at the parties.

[@exvangelica4271]

You don't have to decorate unless you want to! I think we just had a PPT slideshow playing on repeat with pictures of us growing up, maybe a table with some high school memorabilia.

[@RJyn83]

First off, Congrats to you and Ava🎊🎉 High school and college, that’s amazing!! An aunt of mine did a 3 hour open house style party at her home for her daughter. She provided light catering (mostly charcuterie boards and drinks) and set up one wall with balloons, streamers, and banners and made it a photo booth type thing. She put a tripod up for guests to put their phone on to take pictures with my cousin. Also she set up a board with sharpie’s so everyone could write well wishes & congrats. It was simple and fun!

[@ItsJustKelli]

Thank you! I love all of these ideas!

[@RJyn83]

@@ItsJustKelli You’re so welcome, I’m sure whatever you do will be fun and memorable ♥️♥️

[@lisapoulsen5452]

“There’s a dead baby in the street”…WHAT!!?? Oh Kelli, you are too funny

[@ItsJustKelli]

Sometimes I don't think I should be allowed to communicate with the outside world lol

[@princessintower1]

Awesome Congrats 🎉!! It's amazing how fast they grow up. Kelli we as moms and matriarchs of our families have to sacrifice and do whatever is necessary sometimes to make things work. We are the only ones that need to get it, if others don't then 🤷‍♀️. I myself have been a stay at home wife and mother for so long, that now I want to get back to working but feel lost. I've been doing a lot of research and seriously considering a business opportunity as a Notary Loan Signing Agent!! Do a little research and see if it's something that could possibly be a good fit for you. Just a suggestion from one mom to another. Thank you for always being honest and sharing part of your life with us. I feel it comforting and inspiring at times.

[@ItsJustKelli]

Well said!

[@RLSCS]

John looked so happy to be home again.

[@ItsJustKelli]

He was definitely very happy to be home and we were happy to have him home!

[@loveBows333]

You are me, I am you “not a joiner” 😂 poor kids

[@ItsJustKelli]

lol

[@RG-rx7cy]

This is what worked for us! Open house…. Guests will most likely stay entirely but there’s no pressure about time. I bought a Polaroid camera so I could get pic of guest and then instantly glue their pic on a black 8x11 cards stock paper where they could write a msg next to it using metallic sharpie pen. Then stick those completed photo in oversized photo album. Do Appetizers you can refresh throughout …. Video of snippets of Ava during her school years on repeat. Cupcakes galore instead of a cake. You got this!!

[@labsareperfect]

As far as decorating I think a few 2023 graduation specific themes are cute, dollar tree usually has cheap options but also party city does decent things too. For mine it was at a restaurant but my sister’s was at a club house. Honestly both were just about saying hi to your relatives, hanging out and eating. Most important is just to have fun to relieve the stress of completing your parent mission.

[@ItsJustKelli]

Great idea!!

[@krystalg3228]

Congratulations, Ava!! What a great accomplishment, you should be very proud of yourself. I remember when you shared the corn Moussaka recipe years ago, we still make it to this day. We also make the bang bang chicken and what my son calls "pink chili" ( cream cheese chicken chili) So thank you!! 😊 Thanks for another great video, I always look forward to them

[@ItsJustKelli]

lol, I love that! I was eating the casserole for three days because I'm the only one who likes it. Next I should just come eat with you guys :)

[@krystalg3228]

@ItsJustKelli If you ever find yourself in Canada in or near the Toronto area, I would absolutely have you over for dinner!! 🙂

[@samrly6253]

For high school graduation we did a smaller party with just family and friends. No real end time we just told people to swing by after graduation, we had snacks and dinner and a cake. We had some graduation balloons and a banner and we took some pictures with a backdrop. It was tons of fun and chill.

[@andreaberezowski998]

I graduated in 1995 and we just went out for supper 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@ItsJustKelli]

different times, I was throwing a baby shower.

[@MyLifebyJuliaIRL]

im 36 and i only graduated high school, my brain couldent do collage and when i graduated in 06 i dont think my parents even did a party even though i was the only one to graduate, i think music and food and drinks are fine but then again im a very relaxed person. i have no children yet sadly , i do want children it just has not happened yet, good luck on the party !

[@aWilson41]

Hey! You still use your Gardyn?

[@ItsJustKelli]

we did for years until just last month. We took it down and are going to pass it along to a family member, only because we don't need as much produce as what the gardyn is capable of growing! I found myself filling the water a lot and maintaining the empty spaces more than I needed because the lettuces and herbs grew so fast (which obviously is NOT a bad thing!). Now I am on the hunt for a smaller system for just herbs and lettuces because that's all I really need at this point in my life. It remains an amazing product however and I think my family member who lives on a large property and produces his own food will love it just as much as I did when I needed it.

[@sarah-beautyfreckled9811]

Congrats Ava! Could you share the corn moussaka and the bang bang chicken recipes? They look so good!

[@CarolMarieReads]

I graduated in 2008 which is a lot longer ago than I realized 😆 but .. we did open house and a lot of people I know did that too. You put “open house” on the invite and then people know they can come and go within time frame you list on invite. If it’s open house and people are coming and going you may not need as much food and/or people won’t expect a full on meal.

[@ItsJustKelli]

I have no reference of time anymore lol, I feel like we went from 2010 to 2023 overnight

[@Grahamcracker6366]

Graduation party? With invitations? We were in the woods with Zima. I sent graduation invitations to family and they sent money back.

[@ItsJustKelli]

2023 is very different

[@janelawrence95]

I think a open house would be great and probably don't need to go over board with decorations. Maybe u could look on marketplace too see if someone has some left over from their own party? Sorry about ur job situation. When the time is right it will all work out. I'm the one working out of the house hold my husband works from home. It does get a little annoying cuz it's still expected of me to do all the "house wife "chores..🙄

[@stephaniemiw]

Oef, I can relate to being in your late 30s and not be where you want to be or have "something" to call your own. I try to stay positive and remind myself that it's not too late to start over 💕✊🏾🇿🇦

[@ItsJustKelli]

Love that!

[@dianaibarra8404]

The open house seems like a nice idea. For my high school graduation myparents surprised me with a party at home. They set up a canopy tent outside. They decorated with school color balloons and streamers and got a grocery store cake. Super laid back which was nice since I had to get up so early for the graduation itself.

[@mindyb2015]

For grad party you can do like poster boards of Ava throughout the years with fam and friends. Even every year school picture is fun to see. & having something active set up like corn hole, volleyball, disc games is also a huge hit!

[@raquel6124]

Thank you for making this video! I needed the inspiration to organize the house I just moved into. Love your videos ❤️

[@ItsJustKelli]

lol, I am always here for organization Inso :) Congrats on your move!

[@cel3378]

I’m helping a friend plan a grad party for her daughter. We are doing a taco bar, which is what her daughter wants. Super casual, at their house. I think we’re going to do a few decorations in school colors and a photo wall. If there’s a cool east way to make it ‘doubles’ themed I think that would be awesome since she’s a double grad. Like double dice if she’s into games, something like that.

[@nhouse7962]

Love this! Taco bars are always a hit, and include vegetarians as well easier than other options.

[@ItsJustKelli]

That's a great idea!

[@nhouse7962]

I love all the suggestions, I did send some ideas on Instagram, but I went to a party a few years ago and they had a bubble tea bar, with some pitchers of tea, lemonade and then some different flavor bobas. It was pretty fun and different. Open house always is the best in my opinion, taco bar would be really easy or the sandwiches too, decorations could be pretty simple, balloons maybe some other grad things, and of course pictures of her through the years.

[@kimberlyk1502]

For my grad party (in 2008 lol) my parents rented a pavilion at a park and we sent out invites to all our friends and family. My mom ordered a sheet cake from a local grocery store with my picture on it and then we had stuff for walking tacos. The invites were just some cute graduation theme card stock from Walmart, put a wallet size picture inside and then a print out of the directions to the park (it was kinda tucked away and hard to find). I think we had some balloons and streamers for decor, nothing crazy. I think they spent maaaybe $250 total? Granted, prices are way higher now lol. But you don’t have to get fancy! You could send out Facebook invites to the majority of people and physical ones for family members that want the actual card. ETA: We did a park because we lived in an apt at the time and there was NO way to host a party. But even so, idk if I’d want a big party at my house because I don’t want to clean up afterwards 🫣

[@carolynyangas8851]

we did college shower/bbq?? combined with my cousin bc we graduated from same school same year especially since we were both going away. but it was just family and a few close friends, ours was late in the summer bc I was working out of state at a camp lol

[@alissaheimer9766]

I'm right there with you on the career. I had my oldest at 20 and have always supported someone else's career instead of developing my own. I tried teaching for a couple years but realized that my kids need me to focus on them when I'm home and not on lesson planning and grading and interventions. I'm in school again for nursing so that when I clock out I'm off the clock and the time is my own, but I'm still worried about those stretches of time when I'm at work. One day we'll get our own thing and have an outlet that we don't have to share with anyone else. In the meantime, I get so much from watching your online content!

[@ItsJustKelli]

Thank you. I appreciate you being able to relate! It's hard bc I feel like I'm constantly explaining myself and my choices to everyone in my life and constantly feeling like they are all judging me. Would I love to have a career that makes a stable living and has benefits, of course! But I was raising a kid at 18 while her dad did whatever he wanted, and then raising more kids at 23 so my husband could build his! The stereotypical family life we see on tv, or how we were raised just isn't the same anymore with inflation and child care costs being more than what companies want to pay their workers -_-

[@MzMineFind]

Congrats on Ava’s graduation! My son is graduating from HS this year so I know the feeling. Haven’t really thought about the party planning yet. Been need deep in planning for college. I am sure she will appreciate whatever you got planned for her. How you described Wyatt and procrastinating exactly describes my son. Teachers always knows how much potential he has if he just tried harder.

[@ItsJustKelli]

Thank you!

[@OK.Graycie]

We did my daughter's grad at the lake. That is what daughter wanted. She had the more "formal/structured" party on her dad's side and wanted the fun one with me. So we took the portable small charcoal grill out to the lake, we grilled food and had lots of non-alcoholic drinks. We had family friends and other people that had wave runners and she said she had a blast just hanging out with friends (and then stayed into the night with her close group of friends just hanging out). We had a special location we used to go to, we (us parents) got there super early to, well, basically take up the whole area (sorry to anyone who wanted to be there that day, lol) and didn't worry about decorations. It was food, fun on the water and laughter. Lots of pics of her smiling. Eta: we had mostly her friends (few family friends on our side) because my family is too small and wouldn't/couldn't have shown up to any kind of party anyway, nothing against daughter but more I don't like my family (I sent out lots of graduation announcements and like noone on my side even bothered sending her a card which I knew would happen). Her dad's side is a HUGE family so a more structured party was needed for that bc more chances of money. I think a couple of family friends gave money to her from our side so it was more about having fun with her friends before she moved away that weekend.

[@KH-nq1dv]

My niece a couple years ago had an open house in the back yard/garage. She catered with Chipotle, had a graduation cake. She had balloons in her class colors tied to the tables and just had random seating around. It's not formal and people could come and go. And they had like some nuts and some mints and some little candies that if you didn't want cake or Chipotle you could snack on. My other niece this year is having a double graduation party with her friend at my brother's house so that's getting quite out of control. Lol I'm going to celebrate her this year but also to watch my brother deal with the chaos J/k but not really lol. Try not to overthink it, try to make it easy, you can have help from a restaurant without being too overpriced maybe even subs? Make it easy, she's going to want to see the people and talk and cherish the moments that she's still around your house. Yes it's a celebration but it's not about the food or decorations. ❤️ I have been through My three sons high school graduations and two college graduations of theirs. None of them wanted parties. They would have rather gone around to all of their friends houses, which is what they did. I did not have a graduation party either. I went to everybody else's open houses and hung out with friends.

[@MrsClintA]

My mother in law did oriental trading for the decorations.

[@jennieshumaker6807]

💗

[@seedylee]

what's the corn dish called?

[@ItsJustKelli]

Corn moussaka!

[@chicmommaplants9692]

Omgoodness~ how long has it been since I watched cuz kaya is a lady!?!?!😅

[@ItsJustKelli]

lol, she is sprouting like a weed!

[@iskarmareal]

Do an open house for Ava! 3ish hours. Your plan for food is perfect. I always feel open houses are the best thing so people can just pop by if that’s all they have time for. You don’t even need much decor besides like a banner (maybe.) lol. It’s a huge milestone and I’m so happy for you and her! But ultimately most people won’t even remember it in like 3 years. Lol

[@ItsJustKelli]

Thank you!

[@CoyCoca]

Open house with a set time Ava will be there

[@CoyCoca]

Photos of Ava thru out the years and certificate and awards she earned

[@nicajo5050]

I just think it’s so funny that you used to show your literal period blood but you’re self conscious about going to a school even lmaoooo

[@ItsJustKelli]

I know right? I'm a complicated human. :)