Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’” I must agree!  In fact, Spring is my favorite time of year in Bakersfield. I am reminded of how lucky we are to have such weather here. When I get Snapchats from others who live in colder climates, where there is still snow on the ground, I forget that people live in the snow during Spring. A friend in Idaho recently sent me a video of her grandchildren jumping on the trampoline in puffy coats with a cold, winteresque landscape in the background. You could even see ice on the trampoline springs. Growing up in Idaho, we had more snow-filled days in April than not. In fact, one year, my older sister and I made the local newspaper for building a darling, supersized snowman with giant, floppy ears in our front yard for Easter: an iconic Snow Bunny.

My youngest son has been living in Kansas his Freshman year of college and has weathered some cold, WAY below-zero temperatures. When he came home for his Spring Break, he was in heaven shedding his winter gear for shorts and t-shirts. He is a true California boy at heart. We are so lucky to live in this desert climate; let’s just remember this when it turns hot, and we’re drenched in sweat.

One of my favorite events in April is the Bakersfield Women’s Conference, held this year on Thursday the 24th at the Dignity Health and Convention Center. Over the years, I have heard some inspiring speeches from local movers and shakers, and national figures like Tyra Banks, Joan Lunden, Vicky Lawrence, and others. This year’s theme is “Embody the Royal You” with the keynote speaker Lisa Nichols, entrepreneur,  philanthropist, and author. The best part of the event is networking and meeting new friends who are passionate about empowering others.

In this month’s Hello, Happy Mama, Callie Collins features some career advice from the leaders of this landmark, annual event. In the article, “Hello, Happy (Networked) Mama: Five Networking Tips from the Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference Board Members,” on page 12, she interviews the following women: Angel Cottrell, Janelle Capra, Christina Springstead, and Lizette Gomez Patterson. To learn more about this event and these women, check out https://bakersfieldwomen.org.

In this month’s Humor at Home, “Grouchy Grins and Growing Pains,” Julie Willis writes about her daughter’s new mouth accessory and rite of passage into adolescence: braces! She writes about the pain cycle of adjustments and how it affects her daughter’s eating habits. To read all about how her daughter is navigating this journey and where she falls on the grouch-o-meter, turn to page 21.

For this month’s Readers Respond, by Lisa Keosouphanh, on page 10, KCFM asked parents of teens for date ideas for this younger crowd. The question, “What are some affordable and appropriate date night ideas for teens in Bakersfield?” garnered all kinds of fun answers. Some ideas included everything from bowling to board games and included the family for BBQ and paint nights. As we enjoy this time of year’s beautiful weather in Bakersfield, take a moment to appreciate all the benefits of living in a place that has almost 200 days of sunshine each year. And, remember that Spring really is a time to PARTY!

Happy Easter!