My friend, Elena is lucky her 15th birthday is this summer. She and her mom have more time to do the final plans for her Quinceanera. The scheduling of her Corte de Honor rehearsals is much easier for her to put together, since it stays lighter longer and everyone has more free time.

I know for myself I feel safer traveling when it’s light out. My parents don’t seem to worry as much either. When I’m out with friends and it’s still light out they just seem to have a different clock they go by. Everyone seems to be happier during the summer.

My friend Elena, is going to have the flowers for her Quinceanera donated. She has an aunt who has a beautiful garden filled with exquisite flowers. Elena and her mother bought vases for every table at the reception. Her aunt is going to fill the vases with flowers from her garden.

Another benefit Elena has: in Los Angeles it usually doesn’t rain in the summer. So Elena and her Corte aren’t concerned about having to deal with umbrellas and other extra things. Us… Damas are happy, because we know our hair styles won’t get ruined either.

I think everyone looks better in the summer time, because they can relax more. Maybe that is my own idea, but that is my opinion. Do you agree with me?

Maybe, I just wish that my Quinceanera was in the summer. It would be now not next winter. I feel like a ‘bridesmaid and never a bride‘. Really a ‘Damas and never a Quinceanera’.

My mom says…’before you know it your birthday will be here’. I just wish it was this summer.

What do you winter Quinceanera gals think?

Happy days,

Let me know.

Your friend,

Michelle

At this time in our lives there is lots to think about. Yes, as you’re planning your Quinceanera celebration I’m sure from time to time you also are bugged about guys. So, I’m sharing what I think most girls our age need to think about and talk about before making a big mistake.

When you love someone it’s like magic. You think of them 24/7, you just want to talk to them all day long. You feel like the afternoon is passing by so slow because you just can’t wait to see him the next day at school. And you feel like you would do anything just to keep him right there for eternity. Well, that’s how lots of girls feel at a very young age. But, the thing is how do you know if he feels the same way about you?

How do you know what his true intentions towards you are? How do you know if all he wants is to take you to the nearest motel or a friend’s house just to have sex with you?

No teenage girl really knows what a guy’s plans towards you really are. The best way to figure it out is by being patient and by just saying NO to him if he asks you to have sex.

Guys at our age are very immature most of the time. They feel like the greater number of girls they hit on the cooler they are. What most girls really look for in a guy is someone who is sweet, funny, handsome and a true gentlemen. While other girls on the other hand don’t really care if the guy is a total player. Just as long as people see them with the hottest guy at school, then they are willing to give everything they have to the guy just to keep them by their side.

Those kind of girls don’t really realize that all they’re doing is making people talk about them behind their backs, about the kind of girl she really is.

People laugh at them and sometimes even decide to stop being their friend, because of the kind of fool they truly are.

Girls at a young age need to start to realize that things don’t have to be that complicated. When the right guy comes, you will immediately know he is the one, but sadly we can’t tell if that right guy is the one at our age. That’s why everyone should wait and teenage girls should NOT RUSH IT!

Hope to hear your thoughts.
Your friend,

Michelle

It’s now five months before my Quince celebration. We need to choose the perfect Quinceanera invitation. My family and I decided that we wanted a formal invitation. First I was thinking of making my own. Then a sponsor came through and donated the invitations for my special day.

It’s amazing everyone has a different idea on what they think would be the best invite. One relative said she liked a scroll in a plastic container. I thought about it and decided it wasn’t just what I wanted. It was difficult to tell this relative, because I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I will discuss this problem at another time. There is a lot of dealing with feelings when you are planning your Quinceanera. Everyone you talk to has their own ideas regarding what is perfect for you.

Anyway, I checked out the invitations on this Quinceanera Connect site. My mother and I are reviewing them over and over again. We started to rate each of our choices. We have made it into a game. At the end we probably will agree on the same one, but in the mean time, it’s a lot of fun. I think it’s because we have turned it into a fun game.

Check out the invitations.

Have fun.

Your friend,

Michelle

Sometimes I think planning for my Quinceanera is easy compared to all the other things I have to deal with everyday. It’s tough being 15. If I don’t get the grades my parents expect me to get they look at me like what’s wrong. Am I sick? Are my friends a bad influence on me? Or what ever????

I finally realized that the problem was mine. I wasn’t handling my time correctly. In fact I wasn’t managing it at all. I spoke with my counselor and we discussed how I needed to manage my time better. Since then life is much easier and better.

This is what I do now. I figure out what is the most important thing I have to take care of for the day. First comes my academics. Then after school, I might have to go to a club meeting or a practice. I need to work around these commitments to get everything done.

Becoming an adult requires many responsibilities. We teenagers need to learn to take on these responsibilities and be able to handle challenging situations without getting all stressed out.

Hey, just a couple of more years I’ll be off to college and on my own. You also have to remember that one of the meanings of the Quinceanera is the transition from childhood to womanhood. Of course, being a woman means being an adult.

So now you know Quince girls - we have to learn how to handle our time wisely! And by the way, getting a ‘F’ doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. It should be like a lesson to teach you reality that getting an ‘A’ isn’t so easy, but you can do it. Just manage your time correctly.

Your friend,

Michelle

Well, if you do then you should read this. Many teenage girls feel as if their energy has run out. Do you feel tired when you come home from school? And, the first thing you do when you come home from school is to go to sleep or take a nap?

In the morning when your alarm sounds and you can’t even wake up, because you are too tired. If you feel like this you might be wondering why this happens. One reason this could be is that you are staying up too late. But, that is only one reason. More than likely you need more proteins and vitamins and less sugar in your diet.

As a girl’s body grows, especially between the ages of 13 to 17 our bodies change and develop. We need more rest and more proteins. That’s why it’s important to take care of yourself and your body. Check out on the Internet how to eat healthy. Go to the library and check out some books about nutrition for teenage girls.

If you are planning your Quinceanera it’s a good time to start eating better. We all want to look our best on our special day, but why not start with your health now. So, as you plan for your Quince celebration set out your own personal eating-right plan.

You will be happier, feel better and you will like what you see in the mirror much more. Plus you will have more energy. You will be ready to jump out of bed when your alarm sounds off in the morning.

Your friend,

Michelle

I’m trying to decide who I should choose to be in my Quinceanera, Corte de Honor. I’m so confused, because I don’t really have the courage to ask someone I don’t know well, but I think I have a crush on him.

I see him everyday at school and other places around town, but I only react with a smile. Oh well this is probably the high school crush that everyone talks ablout.

Have you ever felt like you have a crush on someone, but you don’t speak, you can’t move and you just day dream. You day dream, about you and him hugging each other and to just kiss?

He might be the most popular guy at school or not. All that’s in your mind is how you feel about him and the desire to spend time with him.

You see him and he walks by you. You just hope that he will notice you or just bump into you accidentally. Then he will have to say something to you like…excuse me. That way at least he will know you exsist.

Do you have trouble concentrating on your work? Do you have thoughts about him popping into your head all the time?

Do you have the same problem as I do having to choose my escort for my Quinceanera celebration, but the person my parents want me to invite is sooo boring. I just think about the guy at school. I think of his face, his smile, his eyes and then I wonder if I would be good enough for him.

Thinking about this day dreamy guy is not healthy for me. When I started to think, maybe I wasn’t good enough for him that was my message to myself. These aren’t good thoughts and feelings for me.

I will just have to choose the boring guy my parents want me to invite to be part of my Corte de Honor. Boring, but there are so many other things to think about. Especially the fun thoughts of bumping into the dreamy guy in the hallway at school.

If you have ever felt this way about a guy; you just pass in the hallway and can’t stop thinking about. Send me a message and I will be glad to hear from you.

Can’t wait.

Michelle

I have a friend who will be having her Quince very soon. So right now she is panicking, as to whether her dress will fit her? If she will find the right pair of shoes on time? And whether she will be able to have everything else done on time. When I look at her panicking and worrying, I kind of understand her. Like every girl she wants everything to be perfect.

One day I decided to ask her if she wanted her Quinceanera to be the best for her to enjoy, or was it to give everyone that was going to have something to talk about. And when she answered…she said, ” Oh well, I just want my Quinceanera to be the best. I want everyone to talk about it for a long time. I want it to be the party of the year. Plus, everyone at school is talking about it and how awesome it’s going to be’.

When I heard her talk about it like that, it made me realize that the purpose of a Quinceanera celebration was not too impress people, it was to enjoy the celebration of the beautiful tradition of when a girl takes her first step as a young woman sharing the love and blessings with her family and friends.

No one outside her family members and close friends will remember how wonderful her Quinceanera was after it’s all over. It’s about trying to impress people, it’s about enjoying your special time and enjoying every moment.

After all it’s your Quinceanera and if you are having fun, so will everyone else. And after it’s over you won’t remember if you had a $7,000.00 reception hall, a $3,000.00 reception hall or if the reception was at a family members back yard. You would have been to busy having fun and those are the memories you will have with you forever.

What is the most important thing you want to remember from your Quinceanera?

Hoping you will share with me.

Your friend,

Michelle

Wow, ‘My Quinceanera’. When ever I hear those two words, I begin to get goose bumps. It probably is because when that day comes, it will be time for me to change from a girl to a young lady. I know it will be a very beautiful and a unforgettable experience, but there are some times when I’m not sure if I am ready to move on.

A Quinceanera is a community and family celebration full of tradition and meaning but, the true meaning of a Quinceanera is to celebrate a young girl as she makes her journey from childhood to womanhood.

What that basically means is just changing from acting like a little girl to acting like a young mature adult. But, just by thinking of the word maturity; I start to wonder If I’m ready for it.

Maturity to me, means being able to act like a young adult and to me it also means being fully grown up. That’s a lot for me to think about, especially with all the other things I deal with every day. Like; school, friends, doing my chores, family responsibilities and so much more. To me it’s scary, how about you? Do you stay up nights thinking about what will your parents and family expect from you after your Quinceanera celebration?

I know I will be expected to start having more responsibilities and to start thinking before I act. As important as these words might sound, I’m not sure if I am ready for them. It’s not that I don’t want to become a young lady, but sometimes I get scared of growing up.

But, the more I think about it the more I realize the importance of my Quinceanera celebration. It’s a day when all of my family and friends will be there and witness my journey. That means, I will not be alone on my special day, when I change from a girl to a young lady. So really, I shouldn’t be afraid to change. I should free proud of myself as I take my big step at my Quinceanera celebration. When my Quinceanera finally comes, I know that it’s going to be a very emotional, happy and unforgettable day. All of my beloved family will be there with me and all my friends as well.
How do you feel? Are you scared of your journey? Hoping to me hear from you. Please share your thoughts.
Your friend,

Michelle

P.S. Dear Mellissa - I’m sorry I lost your email, please leave your email under comments, so I can send you a free copy of Quinceanera Connection: Your Dream Celebration On Any Budget, by Priscilla Mills. You won a free copy, because you shared and left your comments as we offered. Thanks. Michelle.

Are you ready for your big celebration? Every Quincanera’s dream is to have an unforgettable Quince celebration, so…for the Quince Girl, everything has to be perfect. When you have your Quinceanera, lots of planning has to be made, starting from your tiara all the way to decorations. A Quinceanera knows that you only turn 15 once in your life, so you will try to make it as special as possible. I know, since I’m planning mine. I go through lots of magazines just to try and find the perfect gown. My parents and I have spent tons of hours checking out reception halls. My friends say they spend lots of hours on the web looking for the right tiara and go through hundreds of shoe stores just to find the right pair of shoes to match their gown. Although these things seem very important to a Quince Girl, but are we forgetting the true meaning of what a Quinceanera celebration is?

Let me hear from you as to what does your Quince mean to you. The first 3 Quinceaneras who share with me their comments will get a free copy of Priscilla’s book. Don’t miss out. Leave me a comment!
Your friend,

Michelle

Oh my God! My parents are so unfair. They just don’t understand! For most of the teenagers, those are the kinds of words that we all use to describe our parents. And we do that when they refuse to let us go and hang out with our friends, or when they just simply do not let us do what ever we want to do.

Most of the time, all parents say is, ‘Trust me, I know what’s best for you, so you can’t go!’ Although those wise and boring words sound very lame and boring, they are right. Most teenagers believe that during our teenage years, it is really our time for having fun and excitement. This might be true, but just because we do have freedom, that doesn’t mean that we should take advantage of it.

When our parents tell us something, it’s usually for our own good. We might not want to realize it, but it’s true. All parents want to try and protect us from any kind of harm. However, as usual, we always tell them off or scream at them. When we do this to our parents we trigger their old memories of when they got into trouble when they were younger.

That usually ends up with bigger problems. Then both the kids and the parents lose. So, what should we do? We should all should try and listen to our parents- hear what they say and simply agree with them. Although it might seem like a lot of work, because we think that our parents are unfair and lame, the more you trust them, the more they will trust you.

If you follow my advise, you will find your relationship with your parents just keeps getting better and better. I know mine has.

Let me hear from you. What do you do when your parents tell you no, you can’t do what you want to do?

Your friend,

Michelle