1. Cook

Cook their favorite dishes for them. You don’t have to cook all of their favorite dishes, just pick one or two to make. You can also practice beforehand so you don’t fail on the day itself. Talk to your parents and ask for their help, if you can’t do it alone.

2. Daily Activities

Help them perform their usual daily activities. From placing their slippers by their feet to accompanying them on their daily walks, they will surely appreciate these small things.

3. Take Them Out

Take them to their favorite places, places they don’t get to visit regularly. Take them to the beach, the mall, an amusement park, even their favorite restaurant. Remember, it’s all about them on their special day.

4. Thoughtful Gifts

Make sure to give them gifts that they need or want and will still be able to use. They will appreciate it more if the gifts were bought using careful though and consideration. If they like to go on weekend trips, give them a nice, sturdy overnight bag they can both use. If they have trouble walking or standing still for a long time, consider giving them an electric scooter, a rollator or even a walking cane.

5. Unique and Personalized Gifts

Another kind of gifts they like are the personalized ones because it shows you took the time to show them how much you care for them. Give them framed photos of yourself with them or poems you wrote for them. Better yet, put it in a frame you designed yourself. Or make personalized bracelets that they can show off to their friends or even strangers.

What are you giving your grandparents this Grandparent’s Day? Just remember, it doesn’t matter how much or how little it costs. As long as you put a lot of thought behind it, your gift will definitely be appreciated by your grandparents.

Ours, the Pacific National Exhibition, has all this and more. It’s been held every year in late summer for a hundred years now. While I haven’t been to every one of those fairs (not quite), I’ve been to enough to learn how a family can get the most out of a fair.

• Keep an eye out for discounted or free tickets — not just the ones that may have come with the kids’ report cards. You may be able to get them with travel or loyalty points. If nothing else, you’ll probably save by buying tickets in advance.
• Read the fine print on the fair brochure — it’s boring, but it may save you from being held up at the gate because your stroller’s too big or something.
• Take your own beverages (unless the fine print says you can’t). Fair food is unique, but the drinks are mostly just the same as stuff you can buy at the store for a fraction of the price.
• For food that’s not quite so overpriced, try a booth run by a charity instead of a business.
• Plan for just a couple of non-free activities, like rides.
• Split up once in awhile. Not everyone will want to see the monster truck show or the prize home. A parent or a teen can take a group to something they’ll enjoy more. You’ll still have plenty of time together.
• Head home while the kids are still happy — or at least awake.

Invitations

Try to be as creative with your invitations as much as possible, to get your guests really excited for the big day. Write down all the information in a small paper, frayed at the edges if possible, and insert it in a bottle. Cut your paper into the shape of a palm tree or sea shell. Put the invitation in a plastic bucket with a plastic trowel. The list is endless!

Decorations

It’s best to have this outdoors as much as possible. Place sand around the edges of the venue. Buy inflatable palm trees and place them all over the venue. Separate the venue from the rest of the place with tiki curtains. Provide flipflops or leis for all the guests.

Food and Drinks

Serve grilled everything. Burgers, corn, mushroom, hotdogs, basically any food that can be eaten with just the hands. Prepare beach blankets so people can sit on them while munching their food. Or maybe patio chairs. Hand out drinks in colorful tumblers, preferably with little umbrellas on it.

Costume

You can if you want to. Have the girls come in swimsuits, sarongs, sundresses, shirts, shorts and flipflops or sandals. Have the men come in shirts, sandals and Hawaiian-themed shirts perhaps?

Games

Have a pinata and fill it with candies or anything else you can think of. Do the newspaper dance with beach blankets. But start off with smaller blankets or the game will take forever to finish. Hide seashells all over the venue and have a seashell scavenger hunt.

When it comes to beach parties, just be as creative and imaginative as possible. But most importantly, make sure you’re having a lot of fun.

The event started, in August 1995, as a tribute to the 50s and 60s and Woodward Avenue, America’s first highway. Everybody went to Woodward Avenue and supported the local establishments located along the highway mostly because these were the places to see and be seen. These were Ted’s, Totem Pole and the Varsity, Hollywood, Wigwam and Suzie Q’s and Big Boy.

These were the drive-in restaurants that everybody went to show off their muscle cars, convertibles with their over-sized cars, open tops and custom-painted flames. If you wanted to show off your car, make sure you’re at one of these establishments and everybody will see you.

Woodward Avenue became so influential that the Big Three (GM, Ford and Chrysler) used the highway to test their prototypes. Some of these cars included the Mustang GT, Chevy Camaro and Dodge Charger. The Woodward Dream Cruise continues to operate for free through the help of its corporate sponsors. Visit the Auto Showroom, which features exhibitors that include auto dealers, car clubs and auto accessories shops.

Woodward Dream Cruise will take place on Saturday, August 21, 2010, between 9am and 9pm through the 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue in Southeast Michigan. It continues to be a family-friendly, alcohol-free event with police department nearby on foot, horse and vehicle to ensure the safety of the people attending the event. If you’re coming from out-of-state, be sure to book your hotel early.

This year, 2010, Parents’ Day falls on July 25. What will you do to honor your parents on this day?

1. Lazy Days

Do not let them do anything. Anything they want, get it for them. Need something at the store? No problem. You’ll get it. Need to do something around the house? Do it for them. Do the chores without them having to tell you. They’ll appreciate the day off.

2. Gifts

It’s not enough to give them gifts you made yourself. You have to give them gifts they will be able to use and actually need or want. Don’t make a mug for them if they already have a hundred in the cabinets. If your mom has been debating whether to grow a garden or not, go the extra mile and buy the tools and seeds she needs. If you want to go even further, plant them already ahead of time. If your dad needs to practice his golf swing, get him membership at a local driving range. Making the gifts as personal as possible (and not for your convenience) makes them appreciate the gesture more and feel your love even more.

3. Meals

Cook all their meals for them. And if you can’t do that, order the food ahead of time and prepare them at home. Going to restaurant may be convenient but sometimes trying to make it to a reservation and dealing with all the people there is more stressful than cooking a meal. Oh, and be sure to get their favorite foods. It is, after all, their day and it should be what they want.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you do it together. After all, that’s the whole point of Parents’ Day, to show your love and appreciation for them with them.

Enjoy Parents’ Day with your parents!

Go Do Something

As desirable as it may seem, staying holed up in front of the television does not make for a memorable summer.  Next time they ask to go see a movie or to play at an amusement park, say yes and join them! If you’re having a hard time staying cool, why not go for a swim at the beach or local waterpark?   If you want to give your kids something to learn about, you might want to spend a few of your weekends at a museum, aquarium, or zoo.  The point is you need to get out and live a little!

Unleash Your Creativity

If you want to stay home this summer, do something creative and fun.  Surf the web for fun websites like Martha Stewart and Family Fun for ideas including crafts, games, activities, and even party plans!

Volunteer Together

If your children are old enough, you might want to sign up for a family volunteer project.  Check with your children to find out if they’re interested (you don’t want to make them do a project they’re not passionate about), and check your own schedule.   You don’t even have to go abroad, you can volunteer a few hours every week at a local animal shelter or senior center.

If you’re celebrating… anything… this summer, a cookout is the way to go. All cookouts are pretty great, but there are some things you can do to ensure that your summer festivities are extra special.

1) Repel the bugs. A fine summer day can devolve into an itchy bugfest with the onset of dusk. Setting a bottle of Off on the picnic table isn’t enough to protect your guests and your reputation as a host. Prepare your yard ahead of time with a lawn spray. You can generally get a full day of bug free living with one application.

2) Food. Cookout time is no time to worry about diets. The grill is meant to cook meat, and lots of it. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and various sausages are the preferred fare. You can supplement with salads and fruits and such, but don’t neuter your BBQ by taking away the good stuff.

3) Plan for the Weather. You can’t control the weather, but you can mitigate its effects. Consult the Farmer’s Almanac when picking the date. If you live in an area prone to late afternoon showers, move the party earlier in the day. Work around the things you can’t control.

4) Shake things up. It’s easy to plan one great cookout. Planning a string of them over several months year after year requires a little more. You can’t just do the same thing every time. Adjust the theme for each event. Aunt Betty’s 70th birthday party should feel distinctly different from your Memorial Day celebration.

5) Piñatas. If you’ve got kids at the party, you can’t go wrong with a piñata. Just remember two important things: Make sure you’ve got a video camera and keep out of the way. Trust me on this one.

I am talking about Free Comic Book Day (FCBD), which is a real holiday that takes place on the first Saturday of May each year. Unlike Christmas, which requires both the giving and the receiving, FCBD involves only receiving.  It isn’t’ like a “Buy one get one” kind of free.  The comics are actually free for the taking.  Not all the comics in the store, mind you, but a nice selection none the less.

The helpful hint here is that you can take the kids to your local comic shop, let them grab comics to their hearts content, and leave without dropping a nickel.  The kids will be thanking you for bringing them for this special treat, even though it didn’t cost you a thing, AND you’re getting the kids to read.  That’s a rare win-win-win scenario for you.

You do not have to be a regular customer of the store.  You don’t have to buy anything.  You can just show up once a year and pick up a variety of comics for free.

If you’re bringing younger children, you might want to do a little bit of research ahead of time.  There are some comics that are terrific tools for introducing children to the love of reading.  There are also some comics that are wildly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 35.  In most cases you can tell by a quick glance at the cover, but not always.  Just keep your eyes open and you’ll be fine.

So, head to your local comic shop on May 1st this year, pick up some comics for the kids, and maybe a couple for yourself.  Even if you hate them, you can throw them out and nothing is lost.  If you love them, you may have found a new hobby.  More importantly, if your kids love them, you’ll be encouraging them to read, which is the doorway to imagination.

Official Website: St. Patrick’s Day Parade – South Boston
Location: Broadway, South Boston, MA
Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010
Hours: Parade starts at 1:00pm
Ages: Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor: Outdoor

Are you getting excited for St. Patrick’s Day? Now that the pinks and reds have been cleared from stores all over the country, the green has started its infestation. As a young girl, I usually tried to catch leprechauns in homemade traps. I must say, some of my traps were pretty ingenious, but I still have yet to capture one!

Myths and decorations aside, an event that Greater Boston Area residents should attend is the St. Patrick’s Day parade. This parade has been making history ever since it started back in 1901, and every year it draws more than 500,000 visitors to Boston. It is a ton of fun for children, teenagers, and adults. Everyone is always so dressed up, the parade is awesome, and there are festivities going on everywhere!

The parade starts at the Broadway ‘T’ Station and ends at Andrew Square, South Boston. To see the parade at its finest, you probably are going to want to watch the parade from a spot anywhere along Broadway. As written above, the parade starts at 1:00 pm. It will feature marching bands and pipe bands from throughout North America, food, drinks, and more. The festivities, of course, are not just during the parade; Boston celebrates prior to the day of and continues after the parade as well. What also helps is that it is the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day– rather than the one after it. However, I doubt that celebrating the holiday would not really be an issue in the city of Boston.

Visit this site to learn more about a couple of events that you should try to attend this St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Some of their attractions include Irish Punk music brought to you by the Dropkick Murphys at the House of Blues, an Open House hosted by the Irish Cultural Centre, and St. Patrick’s Day at the JFK Library and Museum. These are just some of the events that the city of Boston is bringing to you!

But don’t despair – there are some holidays in that stretch that you can celebrate at work. February 5th is Wear Red Day, not to be confused with White Shirt Day, which falls on the 11th of February. Both of those can be celebrated at the office, without the need for time off. If you celebrate National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day on March 24, please be sure to stop by my office to share.

You can ditch your pen and celebrate Pencil Day by writing with lead on March 30th. Enjoy your work a little bit more than usual on National Fun at Work Day April 1st. National Deep Dish Pizza Day (April 5th) is a good day to invite a co-worker out to lunch. National Chocolate Covered Cashews Day and Administrative Professionals Day both fall on April 21st, which is especially convenient if your favorite administrative professional happens to like chocolate covered cashews. April 22nd is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day as well as National Jelly Bean Day. That’s a recipe for a fun work day if ever there was one.

So things are not so bad. You may not have a day off coming, but there’s a lot to celebrate in the coming months. Not all holidays are suitable for enjoying at work, however. Some holidays, like Beer Day (March 1st), Napping Day (March 15th – the Monday after Daylight Savings time begins), and National Goof-Off Day (March 23rd) probably are best observed outside of working hours.