2012: A Year In Review

A look back on some of our favorite posts from 2012...

January

We kicked off the New Year by sharing some of our favorite 2011 Holiday Party trends.

We also celebrated a the wedding anniversary of two of our favorite people, Bob and Marilyn Faulkner.

And we heard from Christine about some of the fun January parties that were taking place.

February

We celebrated the month of love with some Valentine's themed projects such as our Roll In The Hay Coupon and some Cupcakes in a Jar.
We also shared our favorite country love songs, perfect for a rustic, outdoor wedding!

March
In March, we got the inside scoop from Christine on all of the projects and parties going on at Faulkner's Ranch.
We also drew the winner of our donation giveaway for a free pony party.

April
In April, our ranch got fancy around Prom time.
Just in time for company picnic season, we shared some super fun and clever picnic snacks.
And we threw a rockin' mother/son party for Pembroke Hill.

MAY

In May we launched a special series of company picnic planning tips where we told you all about:

Beating The Heat

What To Bring

Food Safety Tips

Creative Ways To Serve Food

How To Show Guest Appreciation

Fun Games For Everyone

How To Choose Awesome Game Prizes

How To Select Music That Will Please Everyone

How To Generate Buzz and Increase Attendance

Creative Decor Ideas

We also introduced you to a few of our new babies.

July

In July, we told you all about why we love America.

We also wished a big Happy Birthday to the one and only, Bob Faulkner.

We met Jessica, our new director of youth programs.

Sarah shared with us all about her favorite things of Pony Camp.

Speaking of Pony Camp, we wrapped up another wonderful season of summer sessions and couldn't wait to tell you about all of the fun that we had!

August

We kicked off August by telling you all about the tremendous success we had at our Ponies and Pancakes to benefit SIDS Resources.

Richard shared with us how he restored an old mechanical horse.

We hosted a victorious watch party.

The four Faulkner siblings were once again reunited.

We shared with you all of the creative ideas that we get from our birthday mamas and papas.

We said a sad goodbye to our loveable Tex.

And we found out that Kelly Jo and Ben were going to have a little girl at their western-themed gender reveal party.

September

We kicked off September by announcing our Fall Contest.

We celebrated with an adorable couple at their very Pinteresty wedding.

Despite losing power, we had a blast at the Boilermakers Annual Picnic.

We even had a Nashville star make a special guest appearance at the ranch for one of our events.

Oh, and did we mention that we were on the news?

We partnered up with Cameron's Home Furnishings to host a class on decorating with real pumpkins. 

We had another beautiful rustic, fall wedding.

And Lisa, our creative genius, told us all about the new worm farm she made for the ranch.

October
In October, we once again kicked off an exciting Pumpkin Season!
And did we mention that we celebrated our one year blogiversary?
This month we dove into all things pumpkin, from teaching you how to choose the perfect pumpkin to using melted crayons to decorate them and using items from around the house to turn them into awesome decor. 
We also gave away some fun prizes for guessing the weight of our record setting pumpkins and sharing the Story of YOUR Pumpkin.
We even did another donation of 5 $100 gift certificates for pumpkins to some very special groups!
And did we mention that we made the news again?

November
November started off by giving a great big Faulkner's thank you to all of our awesome pumpkin season fans!
Then it was time to give back with another Ponies and Pancakes to help raise money for 4 Paws for Ability.
We reminisced on Throwback Thursday by sharing our family's history in square dancing.

And after sharing what we were all thankful for here at the ranch, the Faulkner's got together for their big Thanksgiving family dinner.

December
December began with a shout out to our amazing scarecrows.
Then we celebrated the amazing success of our most recent Ponies and Pancakes.
We shared with you the beautiful decor from the BOTAR party at Benjamin Ranch.
And speaking of Benjamin Ranch, we gave you the lowdown on just what goes on there.
We gave away another free pony party to the winner of our Fall Review Contest drawing.
We wished a Happy Birthday to Cowgirl Christine!
We got the Word From the Herd on all of the fun Country Christmas parties that were taking place.  From special guests to wacky tacky decor to wild weekends, you got to see everything that goes on behind the scenes.
For those that didn't have a party during the holiday season we shared the benefits of a post-holiday holiday party.
And of course, we wished everyone a very Merry Christmas!

So there you have it! Our favorite posts from 2012!
We've got lots in store for 2013, including some super fun new weekly segments!
Get ready for a good time!

Until then, Happy New Year's Everyone!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

The Benefits of a Post-Holiday Holiday Party

Christmas may be officially over, but that doesn't mean that the holiday parties have to come to an end!

January is a FANTASTIC time to throw a holiday party for your company!

Want to know why?

Just check out all of the benefits below!

1.  They Help Cure the Post-Christmas Blues

You've probably heard people mention feeling the post-Christmas letdown.  The festivities are done, the gifts are unwrapped, the hustle and bustle has come to a stop, and it's back to the grindstone.  For many, the weeks after Christmas can be a major bummer.  Why not lift their spirits with a fun get-together? Just look at all of the fun that Kansas City Internal Medicine had at their holiday party!

2.  Most People's Schedules Are More Open

For many, the Christmas season can be a busy one with lots of parties, school plays, concerts, church activities, and family gatherings.  All of this in addition to shopping and preparing one's home can be somewhat overwhelming.  By having your company's holiday celebration in January, many of your employees will have a more open schedule and will be more likely to attend.

3.  They Show Employee Appreciation

Company parties are a great way to show your employees that you appreciate all of their hard work and dedication.  By just giving them a night of food, drinks, and fun you can let them know that they matter to your business and you appreciate all that they have done for you in the past year.

4.  They Provide a Great Opportunity for Team-Building

Post-season holiday parties are more than just a fun time for your employees.  They provide a great chance for team-building.  Between group games and getting to socialize outside of the office, employees will be able to better their relationships with each other.

5.  It's a Great Way to Kick Off A New Quarter

Consider it a pep-rally of sorts!  It may be gloomy and cold outside, but by having a party in January you can provide a fun night of motivation to get your team excited about what's in store!  Plus, you can celebrate all of your accomplishments in the past year!

So, as you can see there are a lot of benefits to having your holiday party after the typical holiday party season!

Are you interested in having a post-season holiday party at the ranch?

Just give us a call at 816-761-1234 or visit our website for more information.

Have a great day ya'll!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

Word From the Herd: A Party Filled Weekend

Yesterday we told you all about one of the super fun holiday parties that we had at Benjamin Ranch last weekend.  But did we mention that we were also partying it up back at Faulkner’s Ranch?

Yup, meanwhile back at Faulkner’s we were celebrating with our friends from Overland Park Dentistry for their second year in a row.

Let us tell ya folks - these people know how to party!

They arrived via a party bus which is not only a fun way to get the party started, but it is also a nice amenity if you are providing a host bar.  Plus, you can set the tone for your event.  Just bring along a pre-loaded iPod with your playlist and get ready to jam!

Want to know another great benefit to having a party bus at your event?  After the part is over you can keep the party going!  Groups always love it when after celebrating at the ranch they get to drive through Christmas in the Park or head on downtown to see the Plaza Lights.

This group had a few other fun party add-ons like Saphira the Fortune teller and a caricature artist.  Fortune tellers can be a lot of fun at company parties and caricature artists provide a nice party favor to take home.  The more add-ons, the merrier!

Beautiful dessert table setup, complete with brownies and fresh apple crisp.

Overland Park Dentistry wasn’t our only party at Faulkner’s Ranch last weekend though.  On Saturday we hosted Pinnacle Career Institute faculty and staff.  This was a great party complete with a mechanical bull, roller roper, and a Ranch J entertainer.

The Ranch J entertainer was a great addition since they taught the group how to do some fun dances and even led a game of Build-A-Santa! Have you ever played Build-A-Santa?  It’s super fun!  First, you call up two volunteers.  Then those volunteers must go out into the crowd and find three more volunteers to create their team.  Each team designates a “Santa” who puts on a red union suit (aka long-john underwear) and a Santa hat.  The team is then given three minutes to blow up as many small balloons as possible and stuff their Santa.  When the time is up the Ranch J counts the balloons as they pop them.  The team with the most balloons wins! 

We also play another version of this called Build-A-Snowman using toilet paper.  Team members are encouraged to "borrow" items from the audience to decorate their snowmen like hats, scarves, gloves, etc.  When time is up, the snowmen have a dance off!  The winning snowman is chosen based on audience applause.

Pinnacle Career Institute definitely kept their guests entertained with all of these activities.  Plus, they gave away raffle prizes every 15 minutes throughout the party.

We weren’t done partying for the weekend just yet though!  On Sunday we celebrated with Anthony Plumbing Heating and Cooling!  This year they added some super fun flair to their party with some special ranch entertainment.  The kicked off the party by having Too Tall Terry outside to welcome everyone as they arrived.

Too Tall greets the guests as they arrive.

Once the guests were settled in, Sheriff T. Texas Terry dazzled the crowd with his 30-minute interactive cowboy show.  It has everything from rope spinning, to gun twirling, to showing off his bullwhip cracking skills.

Sheriff Terry chose a trail boss volunteer to risk his life while he cracks a delicate little daisy out of his hand.

A favorite part of his show is always when he calls up four volunteers to become the “Ding-A-Lings,” his amazing cowbell choir!

The Ding-a-Lings

Overall, it was an AMAZING weekend filled with lots of fun! We can't wait to celebrate with these groups again!

Are you interested in having your company's holiday party at the ranch?

It's not too late to book one!

Post-holiday holiday parties are a great way to kick off the fourth quarter.  Plus, you're likely to have a great attendance since most people aren't as busy as they are during the holiday season.

Just give us a call at 816-761-1234 to find out more information on our January party packages or visit our website.

Until then, Merry Christmas!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's

Word From the Herd: A Wacky Tacky Christmas Party

Can you believe that Christmas Eve is tomorrow?

For us, it seems as if this holiday season has flown by! We’ve had so many wonderful holiday parties here at Faulkner’s Ranch and at Benjamin Ranch.  We feel truly blessed to be able to celebrate with such wonderful companies and groups.

In fact, just this past weekend we had several great parties, each one unique in its own way!

On Friday night at the Benjamin Ranch we celebrated with Kansas City Internal Medicine.
As always, this was a really fun group!

Every year they vote on a theme.  Isn’t that a great way to get the entire office involved?  By allowing everyone to have a say and contribute their ideas, it not only makes them feel like a part of the plans, but it also makes them more likely to attend and encourage others to attend as well.  Plus, when you pick a great theme it creates some party hype!

We have hosted Kansas City Internal Medicine’s holiday party for the last three years.  The first year their theme was Western (of course!).  The second year it was Hollywood Red Carpet and the third year it was a Hawaiian Luau.  All wonderful themes! This year though their theme was especially fun - it was Wacky Tacky! 

Guests showed up in some really great costumes ranging from characters from Christmas Vacation to the Christmas Story! There were also some really hideous holiday sweaters being sported!

They transformed the barn from classic rustic western to wacky tacky by purchasing different table coverings for every table so they didn't match.  Then everyone from the party planning committee brought tacky decorations from home for the centerpieces.  Aren't they lovely?

Oh, and did we mention that there was LOTS and LOTS of tinsel?

That’s one of the things that we LOVE about both of our locations.  While they always lend themselves to the western theme, with a little bit of creativity and decorations they can be transformed to fit any theme your party planning heart desires!

But back to the KCIM Party!

One of the things that we really enjoy about this group is that they have traditions that they do every year, another great benefit of having a yearly holiday party.  For Kansas City Internal Medicine, they have a tradition of a huge musical chairs competition.  We’re not joking when we say that these people mean business when it comes to musical chairs!  The winner receives a trophy and of course, bragging rights for the year.

Each year, they also take the opportunity to hand out the bonuses based on the number of years that they employee has worked for the company. If you plan on doing this at your party too, then it’s always a good idea to remember to save these to the end.  Same goes if you’re having a raffle drawing.  Save the biggest prize for the end of the party to ensure that your guests stay the entire time and mix and mingle.

As you can see, this party was a lot of fun!  They even had a photo booth, which is a great way to not only create lasting memories, but also provide some fun party favors!

Oh, and we can’t wrap up until we tell you about the specialty drink they had called “The Elf.” This delicious drink was a HUGE hit!  To make it, just mix together:

1/2 oz Malibu rum

1/2 oz light rum (like Bacardi)

1/2 oz Blue Curacao

1/2 oz Melon Liqueur

Equal parts sweet and sour and pineapple juice

Garnish with a cherry, serve, and enjoy!

Overall this was an awesome night!  It was wacky, tacky, and full of fun!  Great job, KCIM!

Are you interested in having a holiday party at the ranch?  It's not too late! Christmas may be in just a couple of days, but some of the best holiday parties take place after the holidays. Not only are people's schedules usually more open, but they serve as a nice fourth quarter kick-off!

For more info on our holiday party packages, click here or give us a call at 816-761-1234.

Happy Holidays Ya'll,

Your Friends at Faulkner's

Happy Birthday Christine!!!

Today is a very special day!

Not only did we survive the end of the world

(that was a close one yesterday, right?)

but it is also the birthday of a very, very, VERY special cowgirl here at the ranch...

CHRISTINE LONEMAN!!!

Most of you probably know Miss Christy Rose.  After all she is one of the friendliest people you'll ever meet!  Plus, she is also the creative genius behind everything here at the ranch.  But for those of you that don't know her, maybe the following will give you a better picture of this fantastic gal.

One of the first things that most people notice about her is her contagious smile!

When you are around her you can't help but have fun!

She's a loving wife...

A wonderful mother to two beautiful kids...

And a thoughtful and sweet sister and daughter...

She is also an extremely hard worker and always goes to extra lengths to make sure that the guests at Faulkner's Ranch have an amazing time...

She's a little crazy when it comes to pumpkins in case you couldn't tell...

And did we mention that she is probably one of the most fun people you will ever meet?

Basically, she's Superwoman...

And that is why all of us here at Faulkner's Ranch would like to wish this Christine a very Happy Happy Birthday!

 

 

Happy Birthday, Christy!

We love ya!

~ Your Family at Faulkner's

Word From the Herd: A Country Christmas with Sprinkler Fitters

It Tis the Season for Holiday Parties!

It goes without saying that we always have a jolly good time at our Country Christmas parties and the Sprinkler Fitters Holiday Party on Saturday, December 8th was no different!

This party had 150 joyful guests, plus one very special guest.  Can you guess who it was?

Santa of course!!!

Yup, Mr. Claus was a huge hit as he sat onstage in our old antique sleigh.  All of the children at the party came up to visit him and each one even received a yummy candy gift.  It was so much fun to watch their reactions!

Afterwards, while the children were enjoying the Wild Western Playground and Ranch Recreation games, their parents mixed and mingled the afternoon away.  

Of course everyone enjoyed our Holiday Buffet complete with smoked sliced turkey, brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed green tossed salad, skillet corn and warm yeast rolls with butter.

For dessert they ate fresh baked apple and cherry fruit crisps served with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream.  

By the way, did we mention that they had a toasty fire going the whole time? ;o)

After lunch it was time for awards and recognition.  They also generously gave out raffle prizes consisting of gift certificates to all kinds of amazing restaurant.

And to top it all off, all of the families mosey'd up to the pony place where they took pony rides and fed the animals in the petting farm.

They also had a blast with the cow milking station, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, stick horses, the wagon wheel game, and the rockin' ropers!  It was just too much fun!

All in all, this party was an absolute blast for everyone involved!  

It's always a delight to see companies that provide great entertainment not only for their employees, but for their employees' families as well!
And Faulkner's Ranch is the perfect place to do that.  
We have so much to offer when it comes to family friendly Christmas parties. In addition to everything mentioned above, guests can also enjoy magic shows, face painting, horse drawn sleigh rides, cookie decorating, and more!
For more information on what we offer, click here!

Anyway, stay tuned for more fun holiday fun!

And remember, it's never too late to book a party of your own!  Having a holiday party after the holidays is a fantastic way to kick off the fourth quarter and boost everyone's morale!

Have a great day ya'll!

~ Your Friends at Faulkner's