It’s Women’s health week, and beyond the obvious things we should all be doing, like getting checkups and taking better care of ourselves, here are a few great things I found for better mental and physical health:

I think I remember reading about this, but it has new life. The 1997 Glamour magazine article “30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by the Time She’s 30” was so popular that Glamour created a book that included some advice from celebrities along with a Pamela Redmond Satran‘s advice on how to live alone. It all appeared on Huffington Post.

Great workouts that you can do at home: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/video/a-pound-melting-pilates-routine#/video/fitness/created/d/1

You can join the 2012 Woman Challenge – regardless of how young or old you are. It’s a free government site that allows you to log your activity and reap rewards.

Celebrate women’s health week.

Pam Parker is an award-winning writer and editor for Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

I’m not into cooking, but I had to share this because I will make these graduation caps, and there are dozens of recipes out there. This yummy one from Bakerella sounds easy — they put the cups on lollipop sticks and use Ghirardelli as the hat tops. Mmm.

Another recipe from Taste of Home uses thin mints as the cap tops. And Taste of Home has recipes for similar caps … with brownies, cupcakes and more.

Graduation party ideas abound. Check here for some themes. We’ve had our share of graduation parties for teens and young adults. Here’s what we have learned. Kids love to eat, but they want to be able to eat and talk without making a mess. Just keep it simple:

Girls will eat salad. With every party we’ve had it’s the one thing we ran out of first.

Cookies disappear faster than cake. Those cakes with pictures of your grad’s face and school on them are cute, but cookies are easier to grab and go. We never had leftover cookies.

Subs sliced into small sections will disappear. Gone … with the salad.

Hot dogs and hamburgers beat roast beef sandwiches, chicken and meatballs.

One final word of advice: Do not serve alcohol to your graduate and friends. (Unless it’s college graduation of 21-year-olds.) Ever. They are underage, and it puts them and you at risk. If they leave your house, you are responsible for serving them. This is not a wedding reception. It’s a graduation party. If you serve alcohol to adults, then make sure that YOU are serving only the adults.

Pam Parker is an award-winning writer and editor for Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

If you live near water, you want to make sure your kids can swim as early as you can. How early is too early? It depends on the child.

Some kids can start as infants — with you in a Baby and me class. Some can’t. My oldest son was a fish in the YWCA and Millcreek swim classes at age 3, but my daughter wasn’t keen on the whole thing as a baby. She liked saying and doing the “kicky, kicky, kicky” part, but that was about it. We started her again when she had friends she could hang out with.

My youngest son battled ear infections and every time we signed him up for swim classes, he never made it through the classes. But when neighbors installed a pool, he became a great swimmer at age 5. The main thing: Give your kids the opportunity to learn, but don’t push too hard. Just like all kids learn to talk and walk at different ages — they’ll take to the water when they are ready.

What I learned: Unless you are a professional, sign your kids up with a pro — it’s much easier and more fun for you and your child.  And be prepared for them to fail at some things. They may never get the breathing down on the crawl but master the butterfly or backstroke with ease.

Encourage them at every level. Remember, It takes a lot of endurance for little kids to swim across the width of a pool let alone a length of the pool. But before you know it, they’ll be swimming lengths … and loving it. Click on the link for an age by age guide from Parents magazine.

Pam Parker is award-winning writer and editor for Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

We all have moms, but some of us lost our moms a long time ago. I lost my mother Arlene Menold Strosser 25 years ago. I lost my dad the same year my kids lost their dad when they were age 7 to 12, so I needed a lot of momming myself over the years. I have many people to thank for momming me in ways they may not remember.

Thanks to friends and family. There were times I felt lost, but family members, friends and even friends of my parents often sent notes of praise to me. I saved those notes, and I still read them on a bad day. Thanks for handwritten and heartfelt messages.

My tennis buddies, some older, some younger but always my friends and advisors. One told me there would be times my kids needed me to be a friend — not a mom. Another shared a story she had never shared with anyone when she knew how down in the dumps I was about one of my kids’ blunders. Thanks, ladies.

To all the men and women I’ve ever worked with who know how hard it is to juggle careers and kids. Thanks for saving me.

To my husband, Kim Parker, who made me a better person and a better mom. And to my kids, who without knowing it, often mommed me. Here are some funny words of advice I’ll never forget:

Howie Eckert: “You might want to lose some weight before you wear that.” (It was a peach colored suit, and I rounded it out like a peach. I did lose weight, and I did wear it.)

Kelly Eckert: “Mom, get your own friends.” (I wanted my kids to go to a high school football game with me. They had reached that tween age where hanging out with Mom was not cool. It stung, but I branched out and met a lot of new people.)

Ryan Eckert: “I wouldn’t wear that raincoat. You kinda look like a mushroom.” (He was right — it was long and beige and so was my hair. I returned the coat to the store.)

Today, the three little Eckerts (pictured above with my husband and me) always offer some tender advice, hugs and kisses when I really need them. The memories of their quotes make me laugh. Happy Mother’s Day, everyone. I’m eating Ghirardelli brownies for breakfast.  I won’t be wearing a peach suit or a beige raincoat today.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

This is one of those weeks that House to Home offers great decorating tips, and we see them in action throughout the magazine. In my homefile on a home for sale in North East, homeowners Joe and Ann Lizotte blend colors and decor in expert style. The cover of House to Home shows off their apple green kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counters.

The first time I saw apple green in a kitchen, the venerable Betty Crandell, who died a few months ago, used it in a dynamite lakefront home. It pops in a dramatic and welcoming fashion.

Color is in style, so don’t be afraid to use it. Expert Mary Carol Garrity’s column in House to Home focuses on the hottest decorating trends. She suggests orange, turquoise and apple green make a statement in everything from small appliances to pillows and fabrics. Coffeemakers and mixers are big on color lately.  A little goes a long way, so all you need is one accent. Go for it. Add color, sparkle and more. Check out House to Home for ideas.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

Big news for Fashion Friday. Sassy Peacock, a consignment store on West Eighth and Pittsburgh in Erie,Pa., will open an additional store in downtown Erie with new and used clothing and other fashion items. Owner Sabrina Fischer hopes to open during Celebrate Erie in late August inside the Renaissance Centre close to Isaac Baker.

Final fun find for Fashion Friday: 8 ways to wear your jean jacket from Jessica Quirk whose “What I wore” blog is great stuff.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

I never thought of paisley for anything but ties and blouses, but it is stealing the scene and fast at Banana Republic and on the runway. Connie Wang writes a great article on how paisley is pushing leopard prints right off the fashion page.

I remember this style from the 90s and it is surprisingly flattering. Here’s a dress from Banana Republic. Fun prints and styles — something new for spring and summer!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

With graduation, shower and wedding season sneaking up on us, we just have to share a gift registry that puts the fun into Internet shopping. MyRegistry.com combines the best of registries into one convenient place. It does some things I’ve never seen: You can add gifts from any store on the Internet, sync store registries you already have and scan bar codes with your phone to add them to the registry.

And it finds some goofy gifts. How about a pop-up hot dog toaster, Star Trek electronic door chime, IRobot Scooba vacuum, ThinkGeek Pop Art Toaster, Kegorator Beer Keg Cooler, LED Faucet Lights and more.

Something for everyone. Happy giving!

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

It’s that time of year.

School activities seem to be at a frenzied pace  with plays, concerts, presentations and ice cream socials. Add in some spring sports, and it’s a full plate. But don’t let the frenzy take the fun out of it. Emily Harmon offers ideas for how to share the activities with your kids in a countdown that uses math skills and other skills but keeps it enjoyable.

It’s also a time of year filled with stress for parents and kids. A lot is happening for everyone. Stay on top of it and organized with these tips. Remember to start and end each day with calm, and hand out praise.

Keep an eye on everyone’s health. Too many projects and too little time can have kids staying up too late. You can’t do your kids’ work for them, but you can help them with time management.

Enjoy this last bit of the school year — it’s an accomplishment. Look at how far your kids have come since September. Remind yourself and your family that you all did it together — whether it’s mastering the times tables or surviving chemistry. It’s done! Bring on the summer.

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.

In my case, I just want healthy, happy kids and a relaxing day — not one fraught with hurrying to get dressed up, and sit at brunch or dinner with hundreds of other moms.

I’m not alone. An article in the Chicago Tribune posed the question to moms of all ages. Women with babies wanted to sleep. Other moms wanted shoes — now there’s one of my favorite requests! And some women loved the gifts kids made in school. I remember a paper teacup decorated lovingly by my kids, and it held a real tea bag — it was wonderful. So were little plants that I could watch grow.

In a poll on Lifetimemoms.com, it was an even split between no mom responsibilities for the day and a nice relaxing day with family. For another take on what to do, here’s a first-time dad’s efforts on a very thoughtful Mothers Day.

For stepmoms …

If you’re a stepmom, God bless you, sister! Some of the Internet articles are just downright depressing, so read them at your own risk. Stepmoms wrote about being insulted, unappreciated, disrespected and more. As a stepmom for nine years, my advice is to let it go. Over the years, stepkids have repeatedly told me that I’m not family. On the other hand, I’ve also been thanked for advice and shown appreciation.

Here’s a great stepmom article by Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine. She noted that Sunday, May 20 is Stepmothers Day — something one thoughtful little 9-year-old girl invented 12 years ago for her stepmom. The Stepmothers Day website includes hugs you can send to other stepmoms. Even Oprah recognized it. If you really find yourself stressing over this and other holidays, visit Stepfamilycenter.com

Pam Parker is the editor of Lake Erie LifeStyle, Her Times and House to Home at the Erie Times-News in Erie, Pa.