Tips For Hosting A Successful (and Fun!) Party

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Whether this is going to be your first official gathering or you’ve had so many you’ve lost count, it’s never too late to try to impress your friends all over again. Over the years we've hosted guests for everything from a small gathering for happy hour to 30+ guests to celebrate a special occasion. I've learned a thing or two about how to entertain so your guests feel special and welcomed in your home. Here are a few tips hat are sure to impress your guests at your next gathering!

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5 Ways To Rock Your Teenager's Birthday Party

If you are the parent of a teenager, you know how difficult it can be to plan a birthday party for your teen. When children hit teenage years, they start to grow out of all the childish things they used to love. They begin to develop their own tastes in sports, music and movies and what you thought they once loved, no longer applies.

When your prince or princess was little, it was easy to make them happy with a cake, balloons and a a few toys. It was also a lot easier to plan their birthday party – everyone loves to play pin the tail on the donkey, right? Well, your teenager is coming into their own now, so birthdays are changing. They need to be cool and fit in with their friends. Teenagers have a lot of pressure upon them to do well at school while maintaining their social circle, so it’s only fair that they have a birthday that they will be high-fived for!

If you have a son, it’s time to look at the best gift ideas for men, as he’s not a little boy anymore. If you’re looking for a gift for a girl, hunt for the best experience for her, a visit for her and friends to a nail salon, a favorite restaurant, or a movie, show, or concert. Race cars, ballet slippers, and electronic gadgets won’t have the same effect as adrenaline-fueled and high energy experiences. 

Here are a few ideas for a birthday party your teenager will never forget.

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Fun Outdoor Summer Party Ideas For Kids

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Everybody loves a good summer party, and if your child is lucky enough to be born in the summer, you havw the ideal situation for an outdoor party. Although intended to be a good time with family and friends with great food and lovely gifts, planning and executing birthday parties can be stressful. Particularly for the parent who is responsible for throwing the party as well as making sure all of the guests are safe and entertained.

The more you prepare for the party, the less stress you’ll experience. Here are a few ideas for throwing the perfect outdoor party and feeling confident about it enough to relax with the other parents.

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Celebrating Valentine's Day: Thinking Outside the {Heart} Shaped Box

It's not too late to pull together a plan for a fabulously fool-proof Valentine's Day. Whether you'll be celebrating as a family or as a couple, I've got some off the beaten path ideas that will have your heart fluttering.

For the Family
Indoor Picnic
Get a roaring fire going and spread out a big blanket on the floor. An indoor picnic is the perfect option for any budget or number of people. Go high-end by serving a nice wine, gourmet cheeses and crackers, grapes, and fancy Belgian chocolates. Or for a more wallet and family-friendly picnic, serve heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit, whole-grain crackers and pretzels, and a fun dessert. Cupcakes are a big hit with the kiddos. A picnic is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and is a great way to celebrate with the family or alone.

Celebrate with Breakfast
My husband and I stopped going out for Valentine's Day dinner a long time ago. The restaurants are over crowded, serve overpriced, prix fixe meals, and service is fair, at best. Once we had our children, we wanted to include them in the celebration. So, we started going out for breakfast or serving a special morning meal at home. Heart-shaped pancakes served with red fruits (strawberries and raspberries) are perfect for this occasion. Adults can enjoy mimosas or bloody Marys (or other Champagne cocktails) while lingering over a relaxing meal. Celebrating early in the day with the kids allows time for mom and dad to have a quiet celebration after the kids have gone to bed.

For the Two of You
Spa Day
If pampering and relaxing with your Valentine are your thing, then check out a spa near you. Most now offer couples' packages for the day including a light lunch. Hmmm....sounds nice.

Wine Tasting
I've noticed this year, that many local New Jersey wineries are offering special Valentine's Day weekend tastings...complete with chocolate. Hello. Did someone say wine and chocolate in the same sentence?? If you are lucky enough to live within a reasonable driving distance to a winery, check it out. The tastings are very reasonably priced at about $10 per person and often include a tour of the cellar.

Trip down Memory Lane
Once you have children, it's often difficult to remember the couple you were before the kids came along. Put the the kids to bed. Crack open a bottle of wine or pop the cork on some bubbly and turn on your favorite channel on Sirius. It's time to chill with your Valentine and reminisce about why you fell in love in the first place. Recall details from your first date or when you first met or maybe even your first fight (lol). Break out the old pictures and remember special trips you've taken and special occasions. It's an opportunity to reconnect in our otherwise busy worlds.

However you choose to spend it, Valentine's Day doesn't have to be an over-commercialized holiday filled with cliches. It's never too late to start a Valentine's Day tradition by doing something new!

This post is an updated reprint of one that was originally published on February 8, 2011

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Step-By-Step Guide To Hosting The Perfect Kid's Birthday Party

Hosting a fun kid's birthday party for your little ones can be stressful, but it can also be a lot of fun and very rewarding. With a little forward thinking and organization, it can become a more straightforward task. Whether you are throwing a small party for your baby or something more extravagant for an older child, this step by step guide will ensure the occasion goes off without a hitch.

Step 1: Recruit helpers

If you are hosting a big bash, enlist the help of others. Ask your spouse, your kids, family, friends, and even other parents to help. They can be of assistance with ideas for the party and can help out on the day.

Step 2: Decide on the theme

Deciding on a theme for the party will make organizing the event a lot simpler. It will help you make quick and easy decisions on what food to provide, which decorations to buy, and the music and games that should be played. If you think costumes will make a fun addition to the theme, save yourself money and time by purchasing these online from stores such as www.hollywood.uk.com. The theme does not need to be complicated, however. Even “summer” would make a good kids’ birthday party theme with outdoor games and a BBQ.

Step 3: Create a guest list

The next thing you should do is create a list of invitees to the party. A rule of thumb used by many party planners is that the number of guests should be the same as the age of the birthday girl or boy. If this works for you, then that’s ideal. However, if you find the number too limiting or too much, just focus on a number of guests that you are confident you will be able to manage.

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Step 4: Send invitations

Send out the birthday invitations at least two weeks in advance so that the guests have plenty of warning and time to RSVP. There are many options for designing and printing invitations from online printers to local ones in your town.

Step 5: Go shopping

At least a week in advance of the party, buy or order all the party food and decorations you need. By doing this in advance, you ensure that everything you need is available and in your possession. Decorations can be bought online, delivered to your door and stored until the party. The food can also be bought in advance and frozen or delivered to your door a day or two before the party to ensure it is fresh. If you can, try to buy everything from the same store to avoid multiple deliveries.

Step 6: Throw the party!

Give yourself plenty of time to set up for the party to avoid a mad rush at the last minute. If you have a lot to do, ask your family and friends to help out with putting up decorations and preparing the food. Now relax and enjoy your child’s birthday party. Pat yourself on the back; you’ve done an excellent job!

Do you have any tips to add?

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Entertaining Essentials

Summer is coming, and for many of us that means increased opportunities to entertain friends and family.

Whether it's an outdoor dinner party or merely cocktails and appetizers on the patio, it's important to be prepared with the necessary entertaining essentials.

Platters
I like my food to take center stage not the platters, so I opt for neutral colored or marble platters that are perfect for showcasing the delectable treats.

Here are a few of my favorites:
White rectangular serving platter
Marble server
2-tier serving platter

Drinkware
Every good party starts and ends with great cocktails. But what good is a cocktail if you're not serving it in a great glass? Save the red Solo cups for the kiddos and stock up on some inexpensive drinkware. Whether you are serving wine, beer, or cosmos, make sure your drinkware makes a great impression.

Here are a few of my favorites:
Cylinder champagne flutes (only $1.95 per glass)
Pilsner glasses
Old Fashioned glasses

Mood Lighting
Ambience can mean the difference between a party that's drab and one that's fab. You want enough light to be able to see who you are talking to, but you don't want to be blinded by flood lights.

A touch of soft lighting creates a friendly vibe. If indoors, place a few candles strategically throughout the rooms where your guests will mingle. If outdoors, lanterns are always a big hit.

Here are a few of my favorites:
DIPTYQUE Bougie Eucalyptus Candle
Things That Make Scents soy candle in "Under the Boardwalk"
Nautical rope lanterns

Good Music
You'll need some good music to go along with that mood lighting. I love Pandora for parties. You can set up any number of stations that will appeal to your guests. In fact, ask your guests what kind of music genres or favorite musicians they like when they arrive. Add the stations in Pandora, and your guests will be pleasantly surprised to hear their favorite tunes. It's definitely a nice touch.

Some of my favorites of the moment are:
John Legend
Bastille
The 1975
Ellie Goulding
Passenger

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What To Wear To Casual Holiday Gatherings #FashionFriday

'Tis the season to party! But not all holiday parties are black-tie affairs.  We've been invited to several small, informal and open house-type of gatherings this holiday season.

And, well, all those invitations have gotten me to thinking about what I will wear!

Before I rush out and make a quick decision on an outfit, I decided to do some homework and put together a few outfits that are perfect for casual holiday gatherings.

Dress Up a Pair of Jeans

Casual Holiday Gathering by sheila-coleman-hill featuring crystal earrings

Lola red shirt, $130 / Etro blouse / Ted Baker jeans / Rihanna For River Island black sandals / Calvin Klein Collection suede boots / Moyna clutch / Black purse / Sara Designs wrap bracelet / Eddie Borgo dangle earrings, $270 / KENNETH JAY LANE bracelet / La Vie Parisienne crystal earrings / Hunter green nail polish / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics nail polish

The key to dressing up denim is the shoes. Add heels and you've stepped up your game (no pun intended!)

And here are a few more blouses that would pair perfectly with dark denim.

Giorgio Armani Sleeveless Tops · Nordstrom Sleeveless Tops · Elie Tahari Tops

Black Pants Are Always A Good Choice

Black Pants for a Casual Holiday Gathering by sheila-coleman-hill featuring 3.1 Phillip Lim

Diane Von Furstenberg blouse / Roland Mouret cashmere sweater / Monsoon black pants / Giuseppe Zanotti leather boots, $1,155 / Tory Burch leather boots / 3.1 Phillip Lim shoes, $295 / GUESS by Marciano green patent leather purse / Ten Thousand Things sterling silver jewelry / Ben Amun statement necklace / J by Jasper Conran stud earrings, $42 / KENNETH JAY LANE earrings

Dresses for Casual Gatherings

You can't go wrong with a wrap dress. They are perfect for just about any occasion, especially a casual, chic one. Here are a few festive ones.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Day Dresses · Diane von Furstenberg Day Dresses · Ann Taylor Petite Dresses

What will you wear to your next holiday gathering?

Are you still in the throes of holiday shopping? Check out Mommies With Style's fashionable gift suggestions from Lands' End.

I'm joining in on the Fashion Friday link up this week! Be sure to visit other participants for fashion inspiration.

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Friday Fun: GNO Mom's Wine Tasting

Two weeks ago the moms from Harper's kindergarten class got together for a wine tasting. It was the first time that we came together as a group outside of school activities or birthday parties.

What a fun way to get to know each other and get to know wine!

Our organizer and hostess, Whitney, asked each of us to bring a different type of red wine. If we had a particular favorite, we were encouraged to bring it. Otherwise, we could randomly choose a wine from her list of varietals.

We decided on a blind tasting. Whitney kindly provided a printout with tasting notes for each varietal, but the contents of each bottle were top secret!

Ladies who wine!

Laughter was plentiful.

The big reveal!

It was unanimous. We had 2 favorites.

Wine #2 - Simi Cabernet Sauvignon, more info here.

Wine #8 - DaVinci Chianti, more info here.

If you're looking for a fun way to get together with a new group of friends, a wine tasting is perfect. Whether you are a wine enthusiast or a novice, a blind tasting is can be fun and educational for everyone.

Check back next week when I'll be posting tips on organizing and hosting your own wine tasting.

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Friday Fun: This Week's Top 5 "Pin" Picks

This week while frantically searching for a recipe for turtle cupcakes on Pinterest, I was easily sucked in. Before I knew it, I had pinned about 30 items, none of which was the turtle cupcakes. Oops!

I found some really fantastic stuff and just had to share.

1. Party Decorations
This is a must for my next party!

2. Lands' End Canvas dress
How fabulously casual is this dress. I. Want. It. Now!

3. Fabric Magnetic Board made from a cookie sheet
OMG! I seriously think I'm going to try to make this board this coming week.

4. Stone Fruit Sangria
Yeah. I'll be mixing up a batch of this over the weekend.

5. Banana Split Bites
These are the perfect treat for a summer barbecue.

Are you on Pinterest? If so, stop by and follow me, and I'll follow you back!

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The New Trend at Baby Showers: Gender Cupcakes

Move over fancy baby shower cake. There's a new kid in town: the gender specific cupcake!

I love this idea. I wish my hostess had thought of it 10 years ago when I was pregnant. Oh, God, was it really ten years ago? Anyway...

Rather than a cake, you serve these adorable and inventive gender-specific cupcakes to surprise your guests with the baby's gender (if you care to reveal it, of course). I COULD NOT keep a secret when I was pregnant. I wanted to tell everyone that it was a girl...both times! I wish I had done it by way of a cupcake. How stinkin' cute are these?

On the outside they look like any other cupcake.

The inside, however, is a completely different story. A creamy pink or blue filling is added to the center to reveal the gender of the baby!! Love it! Love it! Love it!

Did you have a fun and creative way of revealing your baby's gender to family and friends?

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A Whirlwind (and Exhausting!) Weekend

It's been a crazy week. In fact, it's been a crazy month. I'm sure you'll agree. December is hectic. We try to jam our weekends with all sorts of fun holiday activities, and eventually all the activity catches up with us.

It eventually caught up with me last Thursday when I woke at 3:30 am with a fever of 102 degrees F. I promptly took some Advil and tried to fall back to sleep. When I woke at 6:30 to get the girls ready for school, I felt no better. I called my doctor's office and was able to get an appointment for later in the day.

By 2:30 I learned that I had bronchitis and an ear infection. I was put on an antibiotic and a narcotic cough suppressant and was told to take it easy. Yeah. Three days before Christmas. Like that was gonna happen.

I came home and slept for most of the remainder of the day. But the next day, I plugged away. I still had some shopping to finish and all of my wrapping to do.

By the afternoon of Christmas Eve, I had no choice but to kick it into high gear. We made it to 4 pm mass with plenty of time to snag a seat. I love Christmas Eve mass. It's short but meaningful with lots of pretty music. Then we headed to Bay Head to spend some time with the Hub's cousins.

We came home to find a big mess on the floor made by Jolly Holly, our elf. She wrapped a few gifts for the girls while we were out. They unwrapped the gifts, and we posed for our annual Christmas Eve pic.

Emma and I...

Harper mixed up some food for the reindeer; oatmeal and glitter.

The girls sprinkled it in the backyard in hopeful anticipation of Santa's arrival.

Evidence that Santa was here.

Opening some favorite gifts...

We finished off the day with dinner at our house with family. So much good food and good times. But I was exhausted by the end of the night. My niece spent the night, and she, the girls, and I had a sleepover and watched Frosty the Snowman. It was the perfect way to end the night and to end the wonderful weekend.

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25 Days of Christmas: Day 21 ~ Classroom Holiday Parties

Do you remember the excitement you felt when you woke up and knew that you'd be celebrating a classroom holiday party that day? Ahhh, I remember it well. The joys of childhood...

Today, Harper celebrated Christmas with her classroom, and parents were invited to attend. It was a fun morning of crafts, songs, and fun, seasonal food.

The first craft was the cutest thing! It was a Santa Claus ornament created using clam shells. Clam shells are a dime a dozen here in Jersey. I thought it was such a fantastic idea.

The final product. Seriously cute, right?

The second craft was a personalized photo frame ornament. You've got to love these! She's surveying her work.

The finished product. Super cute!

The last craft was a Christmas Tree treat. Do you remember making these in kindergarten? They've been around for a while, but they are always a good time. Of course, the kids ate more supplies than the put on their trees, but that was to be expected.

It was time for some yummy treats. How adorable are these reindeer cupcakes?

I love partying with my kindergartner!

Did you attend any classroom parties this holiday season?

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Turkey Trot Kindergarten Party

Do you recall the holiday parties from your elementary school days? I can remember only one. It was my 5th grade Christmas party. I don't know why I can't remember ANY holiday parties other than this one.  Maybe they just weren't as fun as my 5th grade Christmas party.

My 5th grade teacher was so cool. She drove a red Triumph TR-7. It was a sports car that I thought was uber cool, which added to my teacher's overall ultra coolness. But anyway, I think I can still vividly remember the party because my teacher made such a positive impression on me. Plus, we made a really awesome tree ornament out of pretzels and crushed hard candy. I loved that ornament.

So, when I volunteered, way back in September, to organize Harper's Turkey Trot party for kindergarten, I knew I wanted the kids to think it was super fun. I wanted the craft to be something that was long remembered after the party had ended, and I wanted to play a game that would be fun for everyone, children and parents alike.

I knew the exact craft that I wanted to do with the class. It's one that I've been doing every year with my girls since their very first Thanksgivings; a hand print turkey. I thought it would be perfect for the children to give parents, grandparents, godparents or a special aunt or uncle as a keepsake.

I prepared the construction paper with the personalization ahead of time so that the only thing we had to in the classroom was paint the hands and stamp them onto the paper. The children then glued googly eyes onto the turkey, drew legs, a beak, and a gobbler. Lastly, I bought some foam stickers so the children could add a final touch to the hand print.

I was worried about the whole painting the hands and clean up factor involved. I thought that maybe the craft was a bit overzealous, but Harper's teacher told me that she loved it and thought it was a fabulous idea. She was even going to do it with her twin sons!

After the craft, it was time for our feast. We had mini corn muffins, pumpkin bread, cranberry nut bread, mini bagels and cream cheese, munchkins, and cupcakes. I love how the little kids just love the simple things. They were so happy to sit with their friends and enjoy some treats.

Lastly, after stressing about which game we'd play, I finally decided on the Pin the Gobbler on the Turkey!!! I drew the turkey on a piece of poster board and cut out red gobblers from construction paper. I labeled each gobbler with the child's number so that we knew who came the closest.

It was Harper's turn...

What a fun and special way to spend the morning with my baby girl and her kindergarten friends.

Did you attend a Thanksgiving classroom party for your child? What was the highlight of the party?

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Drink-U-Lator: I LOVE this app!

Have you ever had a party and ended up with too much of one type of alcohol and not enough of another type? Like the time you had way too much beer but not enough wine? I stress over this every time I host a party. Of course, I don't mind a few extra bottles of wine hanging around the house. However, if you are on a tight budget and want to get the accurate amount of alcoholic beverages for a party, read on.

The Wine Sisterhood's Drink-U-Lator app for the iPhone and Android comes to the rescue for each and every party. You'll never disappoint your friends again. This handy calculator takes into account the number of guests and their beverage preferences. It then tells you just how much wine, beer, or spirits you'll need to have on hand to keep your guests happy.


Drink-U-Lator is super simple to use:

1. Enter to number of people who will be attending the party.

2. Choose the mix of beverages that your guests prefer to drink by clicking on wine, beer, or spirits.

3. Use the slider to pick the percentage of wine drinkers you anticipate in attendance.

Voila! Drink-U-Lator gives you a bottle by bottle breakdown for your beverage run.

Keep in mind that quanitities are guidelines. Save leftovers for your next shindig. Don't forget to be a responsible host by keeping plenty of non-alcoholic drinks accessible to your guests and providing a safe way for them to get home.

For more on Wine Sisterhood's Drink-U-Lator app, check out this video.

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Today's Tasty Treat: White Sangria

When I think of Sangria, I always think of red wine. For good reason, in Spanish the word "sangria" means a red wine sweetened with orange juice, lemon and soda water.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I was introduced to white sangria. My girlfriend Nancy first turned me on to it when she served it at a party she hosted. One sip, and I was hooked. Ever since I've been craving it. I finally asked her for the recipe a few weeks ago, and last weekend I whipped up a batch.

One word: YUM!

WHITE SANGRIA

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups mixed colorful bite-size pieces of fruit. I used cherries, apples, and peaches. You can use just about any fruit including grapes, melons, and pears.

1/3 cup sugar (or simple syrup*)

1 750-ml bottle crisp white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

1/8 cup brandy

2 tablespoons Triple Sec, or other orange-flavored liqueur

3/4 cup sparkling water or club soda

Ice cubes

Mint sprigs, for garnish

Preparation:
1. Wash fruit and cut into bite-sized pieces.
 
2. Place fruit into a large pitcher and add sugar. Mix well and let stand for 15 to 30 minutes to draw out the juices.

3. Add wine, brandy, Triple Sec (or other orange liqueur) to the pitcher. Just prior to serving, add sparkling water (or club soda) into the pitcher. Add ice cubes to 6 glasses. Fill the glasses with the sangria, spooning some of the fruit into each glass. Garnish each drink with a sprig of mint.

*Note: Simple syrup can be substituted for the sugar. To make a simple syrup, heat 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to cool. Cooled syrup can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy it...compliments of my dear friend Nancy!

Please drink responsibly.
 
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Meridian MomTourage Meet and Greet

Let me begin by saying that there's nothing like meeting people in real life (IRL). It makes a huge difference in how you interact. At the end of the summer, I was contacted and asked to be a contributing blogger for Meridian MomTourage, a local, online resource for moms. Meridian MomTourage is operated by Meridian Health, a leading not-for-profit health care organization in New Jersey, comprising of Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel, and Meridian Partner Companies that include home health services, skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, ambulatory care, ambulance services, and outpatient centers.

Although the events listed at Meridian MomTourage are localized, the content applies to any mom, anywhere in the world. It is an excellent health and lifestyle resource with invaluable information.

Last month, Meridian invited the MomTourage Blogger team to a meet and greet at The Downtown, in Red Bank, New Jersey. I was excited to meet my fellow bloggers as well as the team from Meridian Health. It's a strange thing to speak with, tweet, and email people for months without a face to face meeting. So, finally, an opportunity to put faces with names. It certainly didn't disappoint. In a world where I often feel like the only blogger and social media maven, it was a refreshing change to connect with others who share my love of all things social media.

 Fellow bloggers: Jenn Costanza, Brenda Milouchev, and me.

 More Meridian MomTourage bloggers (l. to r.) Angie Hoffman, Stacey Crew, Cristie Ritz-King, and Lori Sawyer.

Jenn Costanza and me.

Members of the Meridian MomTourage team.

It was a fun evening getting to know everyone. And The Downtown is fabulous, too. We enjoyed appetizers, but the word is that dinner is excellent. You can't go wrong in Red Bank.

I think I speak for all of the MomTourage bloggers when I say that we are looking forward to the next outing!

And don't forget to check out Meridian MomTourage!

*All photos appear courtesy of Meridian MomTourage.

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Denver, Part 1 (The Wedding)

Denver. Wow. It was an amazing trip. I LOVE visiting new cities. Just love it! And to finally see my family in Denver...their home, their city, their favorite places...Could not have been better. And to see my niece get married. Priceless.

So, we started off our 5 days in Denver with the rehearsal dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to take pics at the dinner because I had a four year old asleep in my lap. Hey, we were up before dawn to catch our flight. What more could I expect of her?

My niece was married on a beautiful Friday evening in downtown Denver.

The bride and groom...so happy for them. Congratulations, Rory and Ross!!

A proud moment for the father of the bride...

My family...

The hubs with two of his three sisters (Beverly is on the left and the mother of the bride, Susan, is in the middle)...

My nieces with my daughters...

My girls were ready to get the party started...

The mother of the bride with my nephew (who, btw, was the maid of honor!!!)

Tired, after an incredibly fun night filled with dancing!!!

It was awesome! Emma and Harper danced all night long. I am not kidding. They loved it! We thought we'd had all the fun that could be had, but the entire weekend was in front of us.

Tune in tomorrow for Denver, Part 2 (The City)

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