#FitFlyFab is now an agenda of mine. I have been working hard watching what I eat and getting more active so I can be physically fit. I have lost a little bit of weight so far, but it’s also been hard maintaining a healthy lifestyle when I travel so much. Luckily, there’s FLOTUS Michelle Obama, who looks so amazing—every time I see her, I am reminded just how fly I can be if I practiced good eating habits and worked out on a regular basis.

Recently, Michelle O shared her workout playlist with Women’s Health magazine. This playlist gets Michelle inspired while working out. I must admit, as a music junkie, I am quite impressed with her playlist. Check out the tunes for yourself:

1. Stevie Wonder: Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)

2. Beyonce: Move Your Body (Let’s Move Theme)

3. Jonelle Monae: Tightrope

4. Sara Bareilles: Love Song

5. Michael Jackson: Unbreakable

6. Willow Smith: Whip My Hair

7. Beyonce: I Was Here

8. Chubb Rock: Treat ‘Em Right

9. Ledisi: Thank You

10. Jennifer Lopez: Get Right

As you can see, Michelle Obama’s musical tastes are diverse! I love the way she blends pop, soul, R&B, hip hop, and old school.

In honor of National Women’s Health Week, Michelle also wrote an article for Women’s Health magazine called ‘Taking Control of Our Health’. She discusses how she became more concerned about her health after a chat with her family pediatrician when her girls were younger. The discussion made her realize that there were some changes that needed to be made as it related to the foods that they were eating. It was from then on that Michelle made it a point to make health a priority in their lives, so they began eating out less, watching their portions, and being more active.

That’s what being fit meant to me: feeling good inside and out, and taking control of my health.

Kudos to the First Lady for making being healthy the IN thing to do. She is a great example for all of us to follow!

Doesn’t seeing Michelle’s devotion to health and fitness make you want to be fit and fly and fab too?

Photo source

When I was a teenager, I lived for Saved by the Bell. The show came on the scene around the same time that I was entering high school, so it was a program that I watched every Saturday morning like clockwork. Even after school ended, I still found myself watching the reruns on USA. My favorite character was always Lisa Turtle, played by actress Lark Voorhies, the supposed BAP (Black American Princess) of the group. With her curly hair, fresh gear, and amazing life, I wanted to be Lisa. She was everything! I didn’t like how they didn’t have a romantic interest for her on the show (you don’t think Screech counts as a “romantic” interest), because I thought that her character really could’ve brought an interesting dynamic to the show if they showed her dating and such. Such a waste!

Anyway, I am getting away from the topic at hand. Lark Voorhies who played the Lisa Turtle character was fly and fabulous. In my head, I thought I was the Lisa Turtle of my high school. After a few acting roles during the late 90′s, Lark kind of faded away in obscurity. The rumor mill had her engaged to comedian Martin Lawrence (until he broke it off publicly by marrying someone else) and I think she even acted in a soap opera or two. It was if Lark fell off the earth—-then, she appeared online last week looking quite…different.

Internet personality Michael Yo caught up with Lark and interviewed her about her life since Saved by the Bell. When I saw the link of the video appearing on my social networking feeds, I couldn’t wait to catch up with my old BFF (in my head of course). But I was shocked to see that Lark’s appearance had changed so drastically over the years.

I am not sure it it was the makeup or the lighting or plastic surgery, but Lark looked…WHOA. Her whole appearance was alarming to say the least. I didn’t recognize her at all and most people were online commenting about how bad she looked.

Lark, girl, what happened to you?!

Lark and I are only 1 year apart, and I understand that as you grow older, you may want to try to hang on to your youthful looks for as long as you can. But, her appearance was one of more astonishment than anything. Her whole look aged her and it was hard for me to watch the entire video because she looked so weird!

I mean, at this point, I don’t think her high school crush Screech would touch her with a 10 foot pole.

The wonder that was Lisa Turtle is merely a memory now.

I know being a celebrity has us mere mortals thinking that they are held up to a higher standard than we are. But really, seeing Lark heavily made up to look like she looked was more sad than anything. Whatever is going on (and I hope it’s not a medial condition as some are stating), I hope Lark is well. And I also hope she fires whichever makeup artist did this to her face.

I would love to see Lark Voorhies make a comeback, and I am rooting for her.

What are your thoughts on Lark’s “new” appearance? Were you shocked to see how different she looks?

Photo source

Mommy Wars: (term) a divisive tactic that is used by the media and pundits to push a particular agenda where moms are concerned. By putting moms against each other, it not only creates polarization, but sells magazines, antagonizes political sides, promotes page views, and takes away from the real matters at hand.

During the last few months, I have witnessed a lot of judgment, name-calling, and soap box talking as it relates to moms. I first saw it in the political arena where “stay at home moms” were pitted against “working moms”. You may remember this happening when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, was countered by Democratic strategist, Hillary Rosen. Ann basically said that she loves “stay at home moms”, while Hillary fought back on behalf of the moms who work. I have seen it for years in the breastfeeding debate (those who do and those who don’t breastfeed). And most recently, I’ve seen it with the Time magazine “Attachment Parenting” article in which the cover shows a mom whose three year old son is sucking on her breast.

Basically, it’s who is the better mom?

The stay at home mom or the working mom?

The breastfeeding mom or the mom that chooses formula?

The married mom or the single mom?

Homeschooler moms or moms who send their child to traditional schools?

{See a pattern here?}

This type of argument is ridiculous, of course. In real life, not everything is black and white. I have been both a stay at home mom and a working mom and there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Children being brought up by stay at home moms don’t always turn out to be “perfect children”. And when we place these labels on moms, then there is sure to be people who have issues with it—me included.

Being a mom isn’t easy, no matter what circumstance you are in. I know moms that have never worked outside of the home who have kids that have had issues with the law, etc. Despite the fact that they have been there for their kids (and some moms have given up their careers and jobs to be a stay at home mom), their children may have turned out not the way they expected. And I know moms who worked 12 hours days and have children who are now going to school to be doctors. To make everything either or based on the “type” of mom someone is quite silly to me.

And while us moms should be encouraging one another and having each others backs, outside forces via magazine articles, blog posts, and other propaganda are asking us if we are “mom enough.”

Where are the articles asking are men dads enough?

Where is the public outcry over the term working moms? Do we refer to dads as working dads?

These mommy wars are straight up ridiculous. I am not one who uses Attachment Parenting, but if another mom wants to, then I am all for it. If they like it, I love it. I have my own children to raise—I can’t be worried about the methods another parent uses to raise their kids.

And I won’t let someone else who doesn’t know me or my situation judge how good of a mom I am.

For years, when my son was younger, I wanted to be a stay at home mom. But reality said otherwise. I was a single mom and had to work. My son was in daycare when he was just a few months old because I had to work full-time to take care of the bills. I didn’t have a choice. Did that make me any less than a mom who could stay at home? I certainly think not.

There are women who choose to work outside of the home, who do it because they want to. This choice doesn’t make them bad moms. But for some reason, we are always looking to play the blame game by identifying the “hero” and the “bad guy”.

Moms, don’t fall for the okie doke. Do what you need to do as a parent. Do what you feel is right. Yes, statistics may say that those moms who do X,Y,Z, may turn out to be healthier, stronger, etc. But if you aren’t “built” to do it, don’t feel pressure to. You deserve much more than to be judged about how you choose to raise your children. And I’d like to think as moms, we all do the best we can.

As long as you are not breaking the law (and of course within reason), I say, parent the way you want to parent.

Women, we tend to be harder on each other than men are on us. Why is that? We tend to look down on each other, show cattiness and judgment. But when we learn to support each other, despite our differences, then we may be able to move further ahead.

So I say, just say no to the Mommy Wars.

Do you, Boo!

What is your take on the Mommy Wars? Are you engaged in the discussion? Are you frustrated at the way moms are being pitted against one another in the media?

On Saturday night after a busy day with my little girl, I decided to relax and unwind by finally purchasing the controversial book, Fifty Shades of Grey, written by E L James. I used the iBook feature on my iPad to download an electronic version of the book and even tweeted that it was time for me to see for myself what the buzz was about.

I first learned about Fifty Shades of Grey during a Today Show segment that discussed how downright “nasty and sexual perverted” the book was. It seemed that all of America already knew about the book and it was heralded as porn for the Desperate Housewives sect (otherwise coined as Mommy Porn by the media). I found it puzzling that some people were up in arms over a book written by an adult for adults that included graphic sexual situations. I could see if it was a book written for teens or children, but it isn’t. Not sure what the big deal was, I made a note to read the book myself.

I mean, as a pop culture enthusiast who makes it a point knowing everything that pertains to the latest buzz, I needed to read it for myself and make my own judgment.

The book has been banned by several public libraries across the United States and that also made me snicker. Erotica and sexually explicit has been in our libraries for years (see Lolita, which was written about an underage teen girl  having sex with a grown man). Again, a book written about sex between two consenting adults isn’t something that is for the prudish, but should definitely not be banned from the library.

As a teen and young adult, I read books that went into great detail about sex and included some pretty graphic scenes. Urban erotica author Zane came to prominence in the early 2000′s, and her books were very explicit as well as graphic, and was even turned into a cable after dark series. I don’t recall and cries about banning Zane, so I still couldn’t fathom what the big deal was about Fifty Shades of Grey.

I am more than halfway through the book, and while I have blushed at some of the graphic details in the text, it’s nothing to get anyone’s panties in a bunch about. Yes, there are scenes of dominance and submission, but nothing inhumane or graphically violent, or downright OMG worthy.

I think Fifty Shades of Grey is embarrassing for some because it’s key demographic (Caucasian women who are housewives) may not be having the type of sex that Anastasia (the lead female character) is having in the book. Doing whatever it takes to please a man sexually (and consensually of course), may cause some people in this group to raise their eyebrows. Even in this day and age, sex is still a taboo subject in some circles, and because of this, some are not comfortable discussing (or reading) about a couple who enjoy their sexual pleasures.

There is also the theme of the female character submitting herself wholeheartedly to the male character. If anyone should be speaking about this book, it should be the members of the feminist movement. But the Today Show, and all of these other talk shows and entertainment shows speaking about how taken aback they are of the book. Puh-leese!

{Much to do about nothing…}

The tone of the book is somewhat condescending. The main female character is a virgin and is swept off of her feet by the male lead character who is rich and powerful. She succumbs to the male, allowing him to project his will onto her. In doing so, she actually finds out that she enjoys sex and the emotional and physical bonding it brings. Yes, it takes this guy for her to see all of this. He is her savior, and she should be glad that she met him and he gave her the opportunity to discover good sex.

I can see why one would have a problem with the overall “tale” and how it’s spun. But the media is focusing its energy on the sexual trysts in the book more so than the theme.

With me being midway into the book, I am still waiting for the page that is going to make me say, “Yeah, now I see what all of the hub bub is about”. So maybe it’s still too early for me to speak out on my thoughts about the book. But I am rather disappointed so far about the controversy against the actual text I am reading. It’s like the pundits are talking about a different book.

Is Fifty Shades of Grey a good book? Hells yeah. It’s sexy, provocative, and I am enjoying it thus far. Does it deserve all of this media attention? Perhaps, not.

Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey or the other two books in James’ trilogy, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed? Were you totally grossed out and appalled? Let’s say you!

Photo credit: EW

I must admit, I am a bonafide conference junkie. I love attending conferences, especially the ones that are highly regarded and offer a lot of workshops and empowerment sessions. When you are a business owner (and I do consider my blog my business) you not only need the skillset and the tools to produce quality work, you also need encouragement. Attending conferences are a great way to get your encouragement supply, and I consider conferences a great investment for my blog and my business.

This year, The Niche Mommy Conference caught my eye, and I knew it was a conference I wanted to attend. Described as “the first conference for the diverse and multicultural mom active in social media and those bloggers that embrace diversity (all are welcome, even men)”, and founded by acclaimed blogger Justice Jonesie, the first inaugural conference will be held in New Orleans, August 23-26, 2012, at the beautiful Roosevelt Hotel, A Waldorf-Astoria Collection (the conference hotel rate is $145 per night). The conference has content and growth in mind, and the agenda will include hands-on blogger workshops for new and veteran bloggers.

Since some of my readership actually are bloggers, people who want to blog, or social media enthusiasts, I am proud to offer the opportunity to give one of my readers a full conference pass to Niche Mommy 2012. Currently, a full pass to The Niche Mommy Conference is $199.00, so it would be a great savings to you to enter the contest and win a pass.

To enter this giveaway, do the following (each is one (1) entry):

• Like The Niche Mommy on Facebook  – www.facebook.com/thenichemommy  – leave a comment and say you followed (1 entry)
• Follow The Niche Mommy on Twitter- www.twitter.com/nichemommy  – leave a comment and say you followed (1 entry)
• Facebook Like, Tweet, or +1 this post  — one entry each, leave a link and comment and say you did (1 entry each)
• Follow TheCubicleChick on Facebook (1 entry)
• Comment below and let me know you’ve entered (1 entry)

So as you can see, you have 8 ways to enter and up to 8 entry methods!

This giveaway is open to all of my readers and ends on Monday, May 21st, 2012 at 6pm CST. The winner will be announced via my Facebook page. The winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize or an alternate winner will be selected. Void where prohibited.

I would love to see you at The Niche Mommy Conference in August, and I am looking forward to networking and learning with all of you!

To learn more about The Niche Mommy Conference, click HERE.

Now, who’s going to The Niche Mommy Conference in New Orleans?

I was 19 years old in this picture. My son was 7 months (1994)

Eighteen years ago this past April, I gave birth to my wonderful son, Codi. When I tell you that I was not prepared for motherhood, I couldn’t be realer. I was 17 when I got pregnant, and 18 when I gave birth. I was still wet behind the ears, I was a child myself. And here I was, now caring for someone else. I was frustrated. I was distraught. I was through. And yet, every time I saw his face, I knew that it was bigger than me.

I owed it to him to give him the best life I could, regardless of my age. We struggled a lot, but we always had a roof over our heads. I maintained steady jobs and later went to school. I wasn’t the June Cleaver that I felt I should’ve been, and yet, in each picture of my son when he was younger, he was always smiling and happy (don’t mind the picture to your left, LOL). God helped me so much during that time, and without him, I don’t know how I would’ve made it. My family was also supportive, especially my father who was instrumental in being a great dad and grandfather emotionally and financially.

Me, my daughter (age 4), and my son (14) his freshman year

I was a Teen Mom before the reality show, before the After School specials, and before the Lifetime movies. On one hand, I had no idea what I was doing. But on the other hand, I did what I had to do for me and my baby to survive. I was single with virtually no help from his father, and yet, we made it through. I kept following that light at the end of the tunnel until it was so brilliant, I had to squint my eyes.

Now that little boy is 18 and graduating high school in just a few days. It was me and him against the world for years. And now he is going on his own and making his own way.

When my son was 9 and a half, I gave birth to my daughter, The Chicklet. I got married and we became one big family. But the bond that my son and I had remained strong, despite him becoming and teen and sometimes rebelling. He gets that I haven’t been the best mom, but he also appreciates everything I have done for him despite the obstacles that were before me.

I was supposed to be the woman with a whole bunch of kids with several baby daddies, on welfare, living in public housing. This was what people told me I would amount to as a teen mom. I wasn’t told what I could do, what I could be. There were times that I didn’t think I was going to make it.

Here he is all grown up!

Faith is amazing. When you have it, you understand those can’ts, but you try anyway because you know that you can. Faith allows you to believe in something greater than you. And with that knowledge, there is no limit to what you can do.

So, I wasn’t (and I am still not) the perfect mom. But I love both of my kids more than anything. And despite being a statistic, I challenged it and made something happen.

Now my son is getting ready to soar on his own. And I am so freaking proud!

I went from Teen Mom to Dream Mom. There’s a lot of us out there that took a negative and made it a positive as it relates to being a parent. And to all of you, I salute you. If no one tells you how special you are, let the facts show that you are.

YOU ARE A GIFT.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, no matter the circumstances, the consequences, the roadblocks, the bad days, the stress, the worry, the fear, the lack of appreciation, the heartaches, the letdowns, the tears. Being a mom is the best job on the earth. And you are a DREAM MOM.

Pass it on…

Ugh. The last week hasn’t been a good one for me in my plight for #FitFlyFab. As you may know, I am on a quest to lose about 30-45 lbs, and I was doing quite nicely—working out regularly, keeping my calories under my intake goal, and simply, living a healthier lifestyle. But last week came into existence, and I got off track. I missed working out on both of my workout days due to having to tape a show for a local channel here at my house (more on that later) and playing chauffeur for my dad who had a doctor’s appointment. And add to that, traveling to Key Biscayne, Miami for Mom 2.0 Summit and I didn’t watch what I ate. I almost gave up.

But knowing that I came so far made me want to stay on course. And so now, I am back on my workout plan and eating regimen. With 15 pounds lost, I have come far, but I still have a long way to go. And I can’t give up because there are a few roadblocks in the way.

I am doing this because I want to be a healthier person. I want to be around for my children and for my children’s children. I want to make healthier decisions and be someone that both of my kids can look up to. So if I give up, what does that say about me? About my willpower? About my dedication?

{I’m not a quitter!}

I also know I am not the only one who goes through the peaks and valleys of dieting. This isn’t just a diet, but a total lifestyle change. And the only way that we will keep the weight off is by seeing it through. For now, for next, for always.

Here are 8 Reasons Why You (We) Should Stay On Your (Our) Diet:

1. We’ve come so far to go back now. We’ve made progress. And yes it’s been tough. But the feeling we get when we go down a dress size is reason to keep going.
2. We are getting healthier, stronger. We are moving and being active, which is good for our bodies.
3. Because we’ve tried to do this before and we never were able to keep the weight off for a long period of time. This time, let’s do it the right way so we can make a permanent change.
4. Because we are worth it. Period.
5. We are having fun finding out what we can do. Zumba, bootcamp, belly dancing. Losing weight and keeping it off can be fun.
6. Because we have an accountability partners who are also trying to lose weight. If we give up, then what does that mean for them? Aren’t we in this together?
7. Simply put, we don’t like being overweight. We don’t like not being at our best.
8. Because we can be saving our lives.

Whenever you want to stop. Or give up. Or not try. Please refer to this blog post to remind yourself why you need to keep doing this. Our bodies will thank us later.

Let’s do this!

Recently, I asked a few of my friends to describe my personality for a self discovery exercise I was working on. One of my friends said I was “happy go lucky”. Another said I was “loud and boisterous”. And a very good friend that I have known for over 15 years said that I was “amazingly addictive”, whatever that means. While assessing my virtues that were described by others, I was mostly in agreement of the adjectives they used to define what I am like. But, I was shocked by one of my friend’s critical answer—she called me “prudish”.

Me? Prudish? Like, really? I am so not a prude at all. I have a sense of humor, I love to laugh, and I can get downright nasty when it warrants it. So I was very taken aback by that title.

I asked her why she said I was prudish, and she told me this: “You don’t curse. You’ve never smoked a cigarette or tried drugs. You don’t drink for the most part. You don’t have any tattoos. You are very dainty and Southern Belle-ish. Simply stated, you are a prude.”

I wanted to slap the heifer (and I use that as a term of endearment) but she may have had a point. There may be an air about me that is standoffish or prudish because I do carry myself in a certain way, especially when I am first getting to know you. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, that is true. And I have never experimented with drugs—I never inhaled or exhaled pot. I never wanted to. And as for tattoos, I never wanted one (here’s why). But does this really make me a prude?

{Look at me, I’m Sandra Dee, lousy with virginity….}

Let’s stop there. I was a teen mom. Pregnant at 17, gave birth at 18. So as far as that whole virginal thing until marriage, I left that a long time ago. And I would think that being a mom at the age I was would make me far from being a prude.

Not that being a prude is a bad thing. I mean, prudes aren’t bad people, are they? No. I just think of a prude as an ice queen, someone who doesn’t show emotion or one that gets embarrassed by sexuality or nasty jokes. I’ve never been one to get out of sorts when someone is brash or crude.

But I do have values. I do not curse, simply because I want to be a good example for my children. I always thought cursing was overrated, anyway. But if one doesn’t curse, or do drugs, or drink heavily, does that make them a freaking prude?

Hell, I love hip hop music, laced with profanity and misogyny. Would a prude listen to Kanye West, or Jay-Z, or Drake?

So, Liz, I have to disagree with you. I am 36 year old bombshell diva. And I am not a prude. If you have any complaints about that assessment, please address them to the manager.

PEACE!

What constitutes being a prude these days? Do I sound like a prude? Am I guilty of prude shaming? Am I in denial? Are you proud of being a prude? So many questions, so little time! Comment below and sound off!

I would like to think that I am self assured, confident, and worry free type of gal.  I am all of the above, but in reality, there are times that I question my thoughts and actions. No matter how much of a Digital Debutante I am, I sometimes worry about fitting in and gaining the respect of others. And I have also dealt with the whole “why not me?” complex that has sometimes showed itself when another blogger is given an opportunity that I am not. Instead of wishing that blogger well and congratulating them on their success, I have gotten into the whole, it’s all about me phenomenon. “Why not me?” “Why wasn’t I chosen for this?”

Being jealous is something I try not to be. But I would be lying if I said I haven’t been envious of others for their successes, even if I am proud of them and wish them well.

Am I bipolar?

This all came to me as I was sitting in a session during Mom 2.0 Summit last weekend. Blogger Helen Jane was talking about making a “Jealousy Map” when we started to feel pangs of envy as it relates to others. Making this chart can help us rid the feelings of inadequacy in ourselves. Her presentation called Solutions for A Painful Internet: Drowning in Possibilities? Try these Remedies was just what the doctor ordered. It’s the Who, Why, and What that we first need to identify when we begin to feel that green-eyed monster creep up on us.

There was an instant in the past where I just felt so bad about another opportunity a fellow blogger had because I wasn’t chosen. I felt inadequacy because I had more traffic than her, more “influence”, and I felt that I was cooler. The opportunity was something that really fit the voice of my blog, and the judgmental me part thought that her blog wasn’t. And when I found out she got chosen and not me, I felt low. Lower than low. Why not me? I turned her good news into a pity party for myself. And I tried to congratulate her but it was hard. Of course, she knew that I wasn’t being genuine with my whole “way to go” speech. She was a friend who knew my personality, and could see when I was shucking and jiving. Damn her. Damn me. And damn that jealousy. I never knew what to do with that feeling. I prayed about it. Journaled about it. But after that, whenever we were together, I never felt like I was on her level. She was now in the big leagues and I wasn’t.

{Womp womp. Cue the violins.}

A year or so later, during Helen Jane’s fabulous presentation, it hit me. Jealousy is something that may happen. And if it does, I have a cure. I can talk about it, get it out, make a Jealousy Map, and move forward. I don’t have to wallow in my own self pity. And I don’t have to throw shade to my friend or fellow blogger because of my judgment. And most importantly, I don’t have to feel inadequate.

See this is something that has really helped me in recent months: What’s for me is for me, and what’s not is not. I can’t possibly be chosen for any and everything that others are chosen for. Nor should I. I am not going to be right for every campaign, every opportunity, every junket, every video ad, every paid blog post, et al. My authentic self won’t let me because if I am always keeping it real, I can’t say YES to it all. But what I can do is be thankful of what I am selected for. And be thankful for the fact that I am able to live and eat on my blog—not everyone is there yet. And doing that instead of looking at what I don’t have will get me farther than being jealous of someone else.

Because being jealous won’t get me anywhere.

But being thankful and happy and positive will. Because what you put out in the universe, you certainly get back.

So, let’s discuss it. Does jealousy ever rear it’s ugly head in your life? How do you handle it?

Gen X’ers, do you remember Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms? I thought it was appropriate. Also, it reminds us how really old we’ve gotten!

Guest Blog Written By: Danyel Buie

Spring has arrived! The sun is shining…flowers are blooming and the party season is in high gear. Planning a party is fun and exciting, but it can present a few headaches along the way.

Here are a few tips to remember to keep your P.A.R.T.Y experience a positive one:

• P = Preparation: This is the key element when planning a party. Depending on the type of party and the number of guests attending, preparations should begin between 3-6 weeks of the event date. Location, guests, food, décor and entertainment should be well thought out. Get creative—now is the time to consider all ideas and narrow them down as your thoughts become more concise and focused.

• A = Action: Now that you have your plans laid out, it’s time to take action. Get in touch with the vendors needed to make your party a success (caterer, baker, florist, etc) or enlist the services of a party planner. Party planners are a great resource and have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in this area and can assist in creating your vision.

• R = Relax: Planning a party can be taxing, it is very important to take care of your health and well being. Nothing is worse than a great party and a host who’s too stressed out to enjoy it. Know that with any amount of planning there will be unpreventable hiccups during the process; be prepared to handle those elements that can be fixed and be willing to let go of the small stuff.

• T = Theme: Themed parties are a blast because the entertainment is all in the theme. Discos, luaus, casino nights and murder mystery themes are great for adult parties while westerns, circus, princess and sports themed parties are a hit with kids.

• Y = Yes: Your party is an amazing success-you can be certain that there will be an invite or two to someone else’s celebration in the near future-be sure and RSVP with a yes! Not only will you enjoy another get together of family and/or friends, but you may walk away with some great ideas for your next event.

With these 5 tips, your Spring event, soiree, or party will be a smashing success.

What will your next party be?