Summer Storm Survival

This post does not provide tips on how to protect you and your children from lightning strikes, floods or other physical dangers associated with summer storms. Rather, this blog is designed specifically to help moms and dads preserve their sanity when Mother Nature unleashes torrential downpours that force kids to spend the entire day indoors. Some simple yet entertaining indoor boredom busters include: Sing-Off: Grab some ear plugs for yourself, and then let the kids go wild exercising their vocal cords with their own version of “American Idol,” or “The Voice.” Set-up a karaoke machine and a little stage area … Continue reading

Simple Summer Shindigs

Just because you don’t have a summer birthday doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with a monster bash that people will be talking about well into winter. Summer parties typically involve barbeques, backyard bonfires and plenty of beverages. However, if you are looking to spice up your seasonal get-together why not think outside of the box with these fun themes: Go West: Ditch the beach theme and kick up your heels at a western-themed hoedown. Print up invitations on computerized wanted posters and request that guests attend the party in western duds. For those who forget their gear, hand out large, … Continue reading

Summer Fun for Free

Summer is one of my favorite times of the year, not just for the great weather and the easy living but for all of the wonderful free fun that can be had, from free classes to free concerts, free food to free movies. You just have to know where to look. Skip the expense of the summer camp and take advantage of plenty of free fun for the kids instead. Do some research to find free events. Start local and work your way out. Find out if your town or city has a website or cable channel that lists free … Continue reading

Summer Birthday Fun

My birthday is at the end of August. Growing up I always considered it a curse to have a summer birthday. For many years I didn’t have a party with friends because they were either out of town on vacation or they were too busy getting ready to head back to school. Some twenty-plus years later, I’ve learned that having a summer birthday doesn’t have to be a bummer. Rather, there are plenty of ways you can infuse fun into an outdoor bash that makes the most of the season’s beautiful weather: Cupcake War: This year, my daughter is insisting … Continue reading

Fun Summer Food: Sliders Recipes

I love sliders in the summer because they can feed a crowd and keep everyone happy. These small burgers can be enhanced with all sorts of toppings, from the traditional to the exotic. Consider creating a slider bar for your next party. You supply the sliders, the buns and the toppings, and let your guests pick and choose their combinations. Alternatively, have a few of the best selections already assembled and available. Some ideas for your slider bar might include: fried onions, cheddar, american, provolone and goat cheese, condiments, pickles, sun dried tomatoes, homemade sauces and more. Here are some … Continue reading

Homemade Graduation Party Favors

Not for nothing, but these are not the kind of favors I’ll be handing out at my daughter’s high school graduation party. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose controversial or costly items to hand out to guests at a commencement party. Most of the people attending your student’s shindig are there to reminisce about the many milestones they’ve accomplished in high school and chat about what the future holds as they head off to college. The focus of the party should be on spending quality item with one another; not worrying about what types of trinkets should be dispersed at … Continue reading

Making Your Party an Event

It’s one thing to have a party where loved ones gather for some food and fun, but it’s quite another for your shindig to make such a huge impact on your guests that its talked about for weeks, or even months down the road. Maybe you hire a guy to teach your guests how to weave baskets underwater at your next pool party or you rent out an entire petting zoo for your kid’s fourth birthday. Regardless, the object is to make your get-together as memorable as possible. Fortunately, you don’t have to break the bank in order to create … Continue reading

Making Party Planning Fun

My friend’s son graduates from high school next week. Two days later, her home will be filled with no less than 175 of her son’s nearest and dearest pals, thanks in large part to the fact that he created a Facebook page dedicated solely to informing his peeps about his grad party. The ingenious teen is having a blast planning his commencement shindig, including constantly updating his online party page. His mom, not so much. While she is thrilled to commemorate her son’s milestone, trying to figure out how she is going to keep 175 teens and their parents entertained—outside, … Continue reading

Homemade Graduation Party Fun

Graduating from middle school, high school or college is a huge deal for many families. Consequently, commencement ceremonies are often followed by massive parties celebrating a graduate’s accomplishments. Fortunately, all the pomp and circumstance doesn’t have to break the bank. With a little creativity you can create these nifty graduation party decorations and dishes for pennies on the dollar: Decorative Diplomas Materials: Sheets of white paper Ribbon (in your school’s colors) Directions: Write the word “diploma” on one end of the paper. Roll sheets of paper into tubes lengthwise, so the longest dimension of the paper is the length of … Continue reading

Fun Graduation Party Themes

It’s a milestone that screams, “PARTY!” Graduating from high school, college, or even kindergarten is a huge deal for students and their families. So how do you commemorate such an auspicious occasion? Typically, commencement celebrations take place at the graduate’s favorite restaurant or at home with an informal gathering. However, if you are looking to spice up your once-in-a-lifetime shindig, consider the following themes: Reunions: Reunited and it feels so good. This theme works especially well for a college graduation party. Reunite your grad with a bunch of his old high school friends who may have moved to various parts … Continue reading