When my oldest child completed pre-K, the school held a graduation ceremony, complete with caps and gowns. Parents, siblings and grandparents were invited, and there were refreshments, along with song and dance. After the school party, a group of parents arranged for the kids to meet and play at Chuck E. Cheese. This was not just a celebration, but also a goodbye party of sorts, for many of these kids had been together since the early years of daycare.

My youngest will start preschool in September, but because we have moved, she won't attend the same school that my oldest did. In this new preschool, there is no graduation ceremony or class party, which is their choice, and one I won't protest. After all, I can just throw my own preschool graduation party, and invite her classmates to celebrate in our home instead.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of things, contemplating graduation when she hasn't even had her first day of school (I've already chosen the theme). But it's the end of the school year and graduation is in the air, whether friends and relatives are planning commencement or cap-and-gown merchandise is greeting me from the seasonal aisle of the supermarket. I guess I can't help but always be inspired to plan a party, even if it is only in my mind.

I've discussed the preschool graduation topic with other moms, and the opinions vary. Some think it's too much, too soon, and that graduation should be celebrated only upon the completion of high school. Others agree a ceremony is a nice way to mark the milestone, and would prefer to have some kind of party to attend. But for me, one mom's opinion won the debate, hands down. She told me her sister passed away two weeks prior to high school graduation. And so we should celebrate every occasion, no matter how small, because we never know if we'll be around for the next one.

Read more about my preschool graduation party plans: Preschool Graduation Party - ABC Theme. Image courtesy of Clipart.com

When a reader wrote asking for help planning a Barbie and the Diamond Castle birthday party for her soon to be seven-year-old, I was momentarily transported back a couple of years, to the time when my own daughter was enamored by the same movie. She watched it so many times; I swear the theme song just stopped playing in my head. And now, finally, after two long years, my vast knowledge of all things diamond castle was about to pay off.

Or so I thought. Turns out, the song still rang clear, but the rest of my memory was fuzzy. And so I watched it again, but this time I watched it all by myself. And I'm glad I did, because even though my vague memories would have been enough to plan a party that touched on the highlights, the elements I'd forgotten actually inspired some pretty cool ideas as well.

This is what I love about planning kids' parties. To take a child's favorite thing and incorporate it into a celebration that truly makes her day is one of the best things about my job. Because as a parent, I know a child's happiness is a gift that trumps anything that comes in a box -- even the really big one topped with the pretty bow.

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Barbie and the Diamond Castle Birthday Party Ideas

When I was a kid, glue and macaroni made up most of my Mother's Day gifts. Gone are the days of the picture frame covered in pasta shells, as crafting has become a mega industry that offers a plethora of project ideas for a variety of occasions.

As a mom, most of the gifts my kids have made came from the classroom, where thoughtful teachers helped my children bring lovely keepsakes to life. As much as I appreciate a fancy coffee machine or shiny new digital camera, nothing beats the gift of my child's beaming face as I open the treasure she made with her own little hands.

Ideas for Mother's Day crafts vary according to age and skill level, so even toddlers can have a hand in creating the perfect gift (with a little help from Daddy, of course).

For kids, homemade Mother's Day gifts are an opportunity to work hard at creating something for the person who works hard for them every day. And for me, as a mom, the value of the pride my children take in making something from the heart just can't be matched by anything on a store shelf.

One of my favorite things about late spring is our annual trip to the strawberry festival in Bucks County, PA. Unfortunately, another engagement on the same weekend means we have to skip it this year.

Sure, when our schedule clears, we'll find a local farm and spend an afternoon strawberry picking, but it just won't be the same without the music, crafts, games, contests and fare, all in celebration of this sweet, red berry. Unless, of course, the farm we choose doesn't mind if we host an impromptu parade or pie-eating contest, right in the middle of the berry patch. Better yet, maybe we can have our own strawberry themed party, right in our own backyard.

A party with a strawberry theme can be hosted just about anywhere, actually. An indoor strawberry patch, created with paper decorations, guarantees the celebration will go on, no matter the weather. Of course, real strawberries are a must have, indoors or out, to guarantee sweet smiles on the faces of your party guests.

Read More: Strawberry Theme Party Ideas

Image courtesy of Clipart.com