Toddler Birthday Party Tips - Fun Without Tearing Your Hair Out

This article has some tips to make any toddler birthday party as easy as possible to organise. Everything here is tried-and-tested advice that really works.

General Tips

Make it as easy or as hard as you want to. Never feel pressurised into some over-the-top party if you don't feel like it. It is easy to impress a toddler, and you are the one who creates the expectations that they will have about it.

1st birthday party celebrations don't mean a thing to the child - so make it your celebration of the first amazing year  with your little one. Don't feel obliged to have a party at all - a trip to the zoo might be more fun

2nd birthday parties are not likely to mean much to the child either - you can definitely still dispense with the party altogether. Remember that tantrums and so forth are at a peak at this age. If you do invite other children, go for less rather than more. 2-year-olds are quite happy without any organised games.>

By their 3rd birthday, toddlers have more idea what is going on and will probably have been to a couple of parties. Some organised games are  appropriate, but make sure that the kids have free play time as well - a 3-year-old cannot cope with 2 hours of games.

Hiring a village hall or community center is a cheap solution to possible behavior (and mess) problems. Boisterous toddlers behave far better in a more  spacious venue, far away from your furniture and carpets!

Party Games

Party Games should be non-competitive - children this young cannot cope with them. You can still play musical statues and other similar games, but alter them so the children are never out. Instead, everyone has a go each time for the fun of it.

Spread games out. A good idea is to have free play for a while at the start, then one or two group games, then free play, followed by  a couple more activities. This is easier for both you and the children to cope with.

Get the guests to bring things to play with. If you have the space, ask people to bring ride-on toys. They are a great way to use up all that  excited energy, and there will be less arguments over who goes on what.

Party Food

Simple finger food is the order of the day - forget jelly and ice cream. Sandwiches, pizza, crackers, breadsticks and cupcakes are easy to prepare and popular. It's worth asking on the invites whether any of the children have vegetarian or other special restrictions. Small portions are all that your highly exciteable party animals will require!

Prepare and put onto individual plates each toddler's party meal before the party. This is one of the most important toddler birthday party tips.  -  you will have more than enough to do leading the games. In fact, delegate the food preparation to someone else! Don't serve too much either.

McDonald's - Colors of Summer 08 Kitty TVC

McDonald's - Colors of Summer 08 Kitty TVC



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJoalo5j81I&hl=en

Po VS Tailung Happy Meal

The opening of Po and Tailung Happy Meal, an epic battle. After hunting over 10 McDonals, I finally found Kunfu Panda and his arch Enemy Tailung.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLvYAD_gvsk&hl=en

Coleman Tents

When it comes to camping there is always a sense of adventure that comes to mind. This is why for you to enjoy your magnificent adventure you mustn't forget to carry the right necessities with you. One such necessity or equipment you can't do without is a tent.

There are several different types of tents available in today's market. But if quality is what you are looking for then you should try Coleman tents. They provide with easy to assemble tents and even if you have never put up a tent before you are sure to put these tents up in no time.

Tents come in a variety of sizes. Usually you will find that they start from tents for one person to tents that can hold up to eight people. Buying Coleman tents you will get the manual that helps you understand how to rise up the tent. You will find that there tents that do not even need to use nails to pin them on the ground. Nowadays once you arrive at your camping site all you will have to do is pull the tent from the middle and it will make up the tent in an oval shape with the littlest of effort required.

Getting Coleman tents is easy, all you have to do is get online and search through the camping websites that are available or just go to the Coleman website and look for the necessary tents you need or any other equipment. If you do not have the time to do that you can always try camping stores where you will find all the necessary Coleman equipment provided there.

Buying Coleman will give you a guarantee that the equipment if you take care of it will work for you for a very long time.

Taking Care of Your Pets As They Age

Just like people, as pets get older, they start to slow down. There are certain steps you can take to help make the transition throughout old age as happy as possible. Regular trips to the vet are essential to their overall health and well being, as well as a few other things.

Pets need to stay trim to stay healthy. Just like humans suffer from a wide array of medical problems due to obesity, dogs do too. Overweight dogs are subject to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney and liver problems and painful joint conditions.

One easy way to keep your pet's weight down is to not give it too many treats. As hard as it is to resist the begging, treats load up calories on dogs like crazy.

Feeding your pet should be kept to one big meal a day or otherwise just give it a few small meals a day. To keep food fresh, make sure to clean out the food dish after each use, and try not to let others feed the pet between meals. This will help it maintain a healthy weight and boost quality of life.

Keeping fresh and cool water available at all times will also do your aging pet wonders. Be careful to notice if they are having trouble drinking from their bowl. This sometimes becomes difficult with age.

Aging dogs will benefit tremendously from regular exercise, and walking them does wonders. They love the change of pace, and getting out refreshes them. They also benefit from the bonding as well as keeping from getting bored.

As dogs get older, many of them have a hard time digesting dry food, so introducing moist food into the diet will make it easier. Dry food can be hard on teeth as well, and there may come a time where dogs will not eat properly because it hurts to chew. Wet food will ease their discomfort considerably.

The most preventative thing any pet owner can do is take it to the vet regularly. Consistent visits will ensure the overall health of your pet, but also help to discover problems early.

Regular vet visits and small modifications will help your pet live a happy and comfortable life as they get older.

Quest For Happy Meal

Our light night Quest For a Happy Meal, well 4 of them. Got pretty messed up, so we decided to record it at about 6 mins in, we missed a lot of god stuff but its still an okay video :)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szeZVMPYjmI&hl=en

My First Happy Meal

May 07, 2008: Lawrence's first happy meal



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_a8GhH1td0&hl=en

Lafuma Sleeping Bags

These kinds of bags are perfect when you're thinking of going out for a night out during your summer outings or excursions. These bags have the kind of workmanship that gives you the definite right amount of value for your money. As we all know you're going to want to make sure that anything you spend your hard earned money on is worth it's price. These live up to their price tag. These are known for comfort as well as their ever lasting durability. These particular bags come in khaki or gray in color depending on what your choice of is. This means that you get a certain amount of choice of style in an already amazing and functional product.

The fact that these particular products have even this amount of choice combined with their amazing durability is no short of amazing. These usually come in a height of six feet and nine inches and have a width of thirty two inches. They are extremely light and weigh about one pound and four ounces. That means that they're perfect for hiking as well as camping seeing as being this light means that they won't add a great deal of weight to an already heavy pack. This is perfect for those excursions where your site to camp is at the end of a long hike. Chances are you've already packed enough supplies to make your backpack rather heavy and a heavy bag certainly won't help matters. That much weight would make you exhausted at the end of your excursion and make you far less likely to enjoy the camping that night if you're that tired. This means that this particular kind of bag is the ultimate alternative to other bags that are heavier.

These also have a light insulation to keep warm and have a resistant outer shell so the elements won't manage to get in. This is the same for the inside which has a lining in order to make sure that you stay warm. These also have an inside pocket for your convenience. These also come with a two year warranty in order to make sure that your particular bag does not have any problems. There are various different version of these in design as well.

One of the bags has a synthetic fill that is targeted specifically at women. The outside of this is water repellent and is a blend of cotton and polyester. Another kind of these comes with an insulation that is synthetic. This makes the bag even lighter than other bags which means that you'll be able to carry your pack and supplies as if they were light as air. This one is also water repellent. That means that if you're out hiking and you happen to get wet then your bag isn't going to be ruined for you to sleep in that night. The zipper on these is a two way which means that once it gets too warm in your bag you're going to be able to release some heat.

Happy Meal Toys are the best!

Zoey and her special decoder bracelet from McDonald's. :)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-kp-YqAwJg&hl=en

Hot Weather Camping Tips

I don't know about you but I love hot weather camping trips. They totally rock. As long as there's a lake nearby I like to get in on these. Some people think if the weather's too hot you shouldn't be outside that much, but I just say as long as you are smart about things, you will have a ball.

Going in the water in this situation will really cool you down, but the flipside of that is that water reflects the sun back onto you, giving you essentially twice the exposure to harmful UV rays. That's why it is so essential to bring a couple bottles of sunscreen if you go camping while it's hot out. Rub it on, let it take, and then hit the water. If you're just lying out, you still should protect yourself.

Another thing to think about is making shade if there isn't already a natural canopy blocking the sun. In most areas where anyone would go camp there are trees galore, but if it's pure beach camping, you ought to put up a tent or some other form of shade.

Hot weather camping trips can truly be a blast. As opposed to their cold counterparts there is less suffering to be endured; this is the type of camping where one can relax a little bit more and simply enjoy the summer. As long as you follow my tips and avoid too much sun, I'm sure you'll have a great time. Just remember what I told you!

Alvin and the chipmunks McDonald's commercial

=DDDDDDDDDD I'm getting 2 of each. one to keep for my collection and one to open and play with ^_^ omg I can't wait til tomarrow!!!!!!!!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRGspWFjRsE&hl=en

1992 McDonald's Back to the Future Commercial

Here is a commercial for McDonald's promoting the Happy Meal toys you would get from the Animated series of Back to the Future.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuOGWFOs1ek&hl=en

Making Mealtimes a Priority

During our busy days, mealtimes have become such haphazard and hurried times for many families. Most families eat apart. Mom usually leaves something on the stove or in the oven, and different family members eat at different times to meet their hurried schedules. Most times, family members don't even sit down to eat.

Yet, mealtimes are so important. When families eat together, they seem to stay together, get to know what is bothering them during the day, disclose issues that they fret about and just simply hang out together. There is very little that isn't cohesive about mealtimes in families.

One of the chief reasons why family's don't eat together is because they say that they are busy. But is there a way for families to make sure that they have at least one meal a day together?

Here are a few ways to ensure that your family has a consistent meal together once a day.

1. Choose one meal, either breakfast or dinner, during the week when you will sit down as a family at a table and eat together, regardless of what else is happening.

2. Make a commitment to eat together during that meal. This means, that very few reasons are acceptable for missing a meal with the family. Making sure that your family makes mealtime a priority in this way can really make the family feel much more cohesive.

3. Even if a family member is sick, (s)he should come to the table and be with the family to show respect. Also, even if you have a glass of milk or a glass of water, you could still blend with your family and be there for everyone.

4. To ensure that mealtimes don't always become negative, it is important for family members to make a decision not to argue at mealtimes but only voice their concerns in a neutral manner. That way, whatever is bothering the particular person can be discussed later.

5. Keep mealtimes happy and contented by ensuring that all family members treat each other with respect. This means that, under no circumstances, should should siblings call each names or shout during mealtimes.

6. Parents may also want to instill some ground rules so that manners are maintained at mealtime as well so that all the siblings can feel comfortable to come to eat together. It is important for the kids to look forward to getting together for a meal.

By making mealtime a priority, parents will be helping their kids by having time to hang out with them and by also knowing where they stand and what is bothering them. This is one sure way that parents can avoid conflict and difficulties down the road. And what could be more enjoyable than a good meal together.

What Will Help in Preventing a Dog From Barking?

Train Your Dog to Stop Barking

Dogs usually bark because they are bored. Dogs want a lot of attention and they don't know how to behave when alone. Unfortunately, we have usually set this situation up ourselves. You want your dog to be happy, so you spoil him: you give your dogs treats and pat him whenever you wish. It is entirely normal for you to act this way and entirely normal for your dog to complain when he feels neglected.

You must teach your dog that barking for your attention doesn't work. If he is unhappy outdoors and he barks and you eventually bring him inside the house, he will learn that barking gets results. If you yell at him when he barks, your dog also sees that as reward. your dog thinks, "I'm bored so maybe I can get my owner to yell at me again." When you yell at your dog it just doesn't work. If you use negative reinforcement, it can still be useful. Here is a little story that will help explain what I mean:

Many years ago, I owned a young dog. There were times when this dog barked at night for no apparent reason. My dog was warm and well-fed, and he had plenty of water. His kennel was clean and dry. All he lacked was entertainment, while I sat inside and watched TV to keep me entertained. When I yelled at him to be "quiet", it made no difference and he kept barking.

Let me tell you what did work:

I put a small amount of water in a plastic cup and quietly stood in front of my dog, without saying a word. When my dog started barking again, I would quickly splash some water in his face. I would then turn around turn around and go back inside and watch TV - all without saying a word. I did this about two or three times during the first night, once or twice during the second night and maybe only once the night after that. After doing this I ended up with peace and quiet.

It is important that you say the word "Quiet" and repeat saying it calmly and clearly once or twice in a normal voice. This will teach your dog to associate the word "Quiet" with water in his face and not with the barking behaviour. What you must do later, in situations where he would normally bark but he stays quiet instead, is you calmly praise him.

Barking and Growling

If you have a dog that barks and growls and shows his teeth in a threatening way, it means he is getting ready to bite you. Please do not squirt water in his face or up his nose and do not threaten him. You should consult with your veterinarian or dog psychologist.

Barking When You Are Not Home

You need to make sure that you have done the all basic things:
Make sure that your dog has food and water,
Make sure he has a comfortable place to relax where he can't see people or other pets,
If necessary, bring him indoors.

The chance are high that if your dog is problem barker, he has never learned to be alone. He has become accustomed to your lavish attention without him having to earn it. He thinks he is the center of the world and when he finds himself abandoned he becomes distraught and then he starts  barking. This is a natural behaviour for all dogs.

You Should Be a Good Role Model

Your dog only hears, "blah, blah, blah", when you talk to him. The important thing when communicating with your dog, is the way you say the words and the body language you display when saying the words. If you make a big deal of things by repeatedly reassuring your dog that everything is ok and you'll be back soon, then you really are making things worse. If you then excitedly greet your dog when you arrive home, it reinforces the idea in your dogs mind, that when he stays alone all day, it really is a big deal.

Only Praise and Pat Your Dog When He Deserves It

This is an important thing that is not easy to do. it is important that you do it and that the whole family follows this rule. In order to train a  more obedient dog, you should only touch your dog when he has responded correctly to a command. Teach your dog to sit and when he sits praise him with a simple "good dog" and a pat on the head. You can gradually work up to longer sit times and eventually your dog can be relied upon to sit and stay in all situations. The bonus is that your guests will appreciate this obedient behaviour. You often see dogs jump up to greet their owners. A lot of dog owners believe that since they enjoy this type of greeting then other people enjoy this greeting also. Unfortunately, this is just not true.

How To Practice "Being Out of Touch"

Now that you are not patting, stroking and fondling your dog all the time, he will be learning now that it's ok to be "out of touch" for a short while. You should get him some good toys he can chew, such as Nylabones and Kongs. You should let your dog become distracted with a chew toy and then calmly and quietly leave the room, closing the door behind you. After a few minutes, preferably before your dog has become distraught about your absence, you can come back into the room and resume what you were doing. You should move calmly and not say anything. If your dog races over to greet you, you should ignore him completely not say a word. Don't even look at him. You need to teach your dog that your separation was completely unimportant and natural to you. This will then train your dog to think the same way.

Stop Saying Goodbye To Your Dog

When you are about to leave your dog alone for the day, you should start your morning schedule about ten minutes earlier than normal. Make sure your dog as been fed and try to get him settled in with a chew toy. You should get completely ready to walk out the door and then just sit down with the newspaper or a magazine. Make sure you just ignore your dog completely. After you have had several minutes of calm separation you should quietly walk out the door and go to work. Make sure you do not say good bye, to your dog and do not even look at him. Even though you are leaving for the day, you do not want to make this is into a big deal. When you return home later in the day, you must be equally calm and not make a big deal. Just ignore your dog and do not pat him. Do not get excited about greeting him. Go inside and change your clothes or whatever you do when you get home. Once your dog has settled down then you can acknowledge him by telling him to sit. Only after he sits does he get a pat on the head and a simple "good dog". It is no big deal, you were only away for the day.

Dogs Need Toys While To Play With

If you leave your dog alone during the day, then he is in an unnatural situation. He is all alone with nothing to do. If you want to avoid having a dog that barks and tears up your house, then you need to keep your dog busy.

There are many great toys on the market such as Kong chew toys with hollow and openings at both ends. You can put food or dog treats inside these toys. You can try putting a dog biscuit in there at first, then later you could try packing it with canned food and freeze it, so it takes your dog a long time to get the food out. This is a great way to keep your dog busy while you're gone and at the same time your dog must work to earn some food. You can buy several Kongs and hide them in different places. In order for this exercise to work, your dog must be feeling hungry.

If your dog is overweight and getting too much food, you can find adjustable feeding balls that also work with dry food. In order for your dog to get to the food, he just roll sthe ball around so that the food falls out through the holes in the toy. You can make sure that getting a full meal takes a long time. Another method you could try, is try leaving the TV on for entertainment while you are away.

Stop Your Dog Barking by Distraction

You need to make something mysterious or unsettling happen or something so puzzling that your dog forgets to bark for a while. If you make a short sharp unidentifiable sound, it should distract your dog. You will have to use your own ingenuity, but here is a suggestion:

Head off to work as you usually do in the morning and calmly ignore your dog. get in your car and drive away then quietly return, approaching from downwind. If your dog barks you should make some sharp noise. You may have to repeat this over several days.

If you are at this point and still having difficulty, a citronella anti-barking collar is probably your best solution.

Wellness Cat Food Coupons Helping Cat Owners Save Money

Wellness believes that the first step to a happy and healthy cat is to provide healthy and delicious nutrition because our pets depend on us. The premier line of cat food is CORE. CORE is based on the philosophy of raw feeding that provides meat that is rich in nutrients and of very high quality. Every recipe used by is grain free and packed with premium protein sources such as chicken, turkey, turkey meal, whitefish, whitefish meal, chicken meal and chicken liver. All this blended with oils, vegetables and fruits to give your cat the ultimate taste sensation. CORE is available in canned and dry and can be used alone or with other foods.

It used to be that any cat product was very expensive. But now thanks to cat food coupons cat owners can give their cats the highest in nutrition while also saving money. This is a great comfort to any cat owner that is concerned with all the filler and fiber found in other foods for cats. They can rest assured that with cat food their cats are getting the proper balance of meat, fish, vitamins and minerals necessary for a happy healthy cat.

The easiest way to get cat food coupons is by going directly to the Wellness site. Once there be sure to register for coupons and select whether your cat prefers canned or dry food. Some cat owners like to mix both since that is what their cat prefers. Others prefer to use one or the other. You can also mix cat food in with other foods that your cat enjoys. This gives them the variety they enjoyed and mealtime is never boring.

You can find cat food coupons at other coupon websites however, it's difficult to find those websites since there aren't many of them available. Another great place to find coupons is by going to any pet supply website that sells pet products. One of the more popular pet supply website is PETCO that offers a wide variety of food for cats, both canned and dry. Once on the mailing list you will receive the email newsletter that has additional savings on various cat products such as treats and toys.

Vietnam Family - Family Meals

In Vietnam, the family meal is very important. It is one part of a happy family especially when people become more busy with their business. In some big cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, parents are always busy, they have to get up early in the morning to take their children to school before going to work. In the past, a wife often prepared breakfast for the whole family but this tradition or habit has been ignored somehow due to limited time.

Children study and lunch at schools, parents work and lunch at offices or restaurants or somewhere else which is convenient to them. Dinner is an opportunity for them to share a meal and talk together after a hard day. Some dads or moms do not meet their children for days because when they come back home from offices, their children have gone to bed and when they get up in the morning, their children have gone to school. This situation has become more popular and often happens at some families with busy parents who often come home very late or are always on a business trip. Restaurants have still been strange to many people and families in Vietnam. The reason is simple, eating at restaurants is more expensive than at home. However, there are some changes, young families (young wife and husband) prefer eating at restaurants for both of them do not want to involve cooking.

In general, the value of family meals has been still highly appreciated. For many people, the family meal is one way to keep their family happy. The meal is not simply understood as lunch or dinner, it can be understood as feeling and sympathy, sharing and care. In many Vietnam families, the wives know which are their husbands' or children' favorite dishes, they try to make those dishes as frequently as they can or at least on special occasions. At a moth test, a young pupil writes on a topic: What is success? She writes: "Success is simple, more simple than you often think, success comes when dad and son try to cook a favorite dish for mother on Mother's day or International women's day even if it is not as delicious as others do. How significant a dinner is when members of family have not met each other for a long time.

Vietnam is on the move, changes happen daily, life becomes faster so family meals are nothing if everyone ignores its traditional values. Some men do not want to come back home after work, the dinners and atmosphere of the dinner prevent them doing so. Preparing a daily meal may be simple but its result is great. Unfortunately, many young women forget this faction and try to find happiness somewhere else. They think that success in business brings them everything but if they have a happy family, they will be more successful.

Some foreigners want to explore Vietnamese culture, they often come to families, go to local markets and buy things for a meal. Is this the way to learn how to cook? The answer is "Yes" but the result is more than that.

Safe Spring Camping

Camping can be a great activity, no matter what the season. But, to fully enjoy the wonders of nature that surround you, you need to be prepared for Mother Nature's little hazards. Novice and experienced campers alike should always be aware of seasonal hazards when going out to enjoy a weekend of solitude and comfort in nature's beauty, and so, should plan ahead, to avoid problems that range discomfort to disaster.

In the spring, the view of nature can be magnificent. This time of year the world is in bloom and beginning to green as nature awakens from its hibernation. This natural beauty could not occur without spring rains, which pose many of the problems campers may experience in this season. Many campers discover, by way of a leaky roof, that, their tent is no longer as water proof as it may have been a year before, and cannot withstand the spring rains. This situation can be both anticipated and solved with a can of Camp Dry, or any similar waterproofing and starching agent. These agents should be applied in advance to any planned outing, according to the manufacturer's instructions, to insure that the water resistance of the tent canvas is maintained. Also, spring campers should be especially careful to pull their tent's stakes and guy wires tight, and to keep objects inside the tent from touching tent walls. Walls that are not stretched tight enough, or which are making contact with objects on the tent's interior fail to maintain the level of surface tension necessary to force water to run off, rather than running in.

Spring rains also work to keep temperatures relatively low, and skies, at least to some degree cloud covered, increasing the risk of sunburn to those who would be outdoors. It is easy to assume that if you are not hot, you are not burning, but this simply is not the case. In fact, studies have shown that the UV radiation which reaches the earth on cloudy days may actually be more damaging to human skin than full sun. Campers should be prepared, regardless of the season and weather conditions to wear a high SPF protection, water proof sunscreen, to protect their skin from potentially harmful rays.

Finally, those going camping near water should always be wary of wading, and never go alone. All natural bodies of water have a current below the surface, which is often disrupted and accelerated by spring rains. The risk of drowning in the spring is extremely high because of the raised water levels, and increased current activity. Rivers, creeks and lakes should all be approached with extreme caution, and should never be entered without an appropriate life saving device.

Pet Birds Require Daily Interaction to Keep Your Bird Happy and Healthy

Owning a pet bird or birds, whether they be a parrot, dove or canary, require daily interaction from you, the bird owner. Birds are highly intelligent creatures who are very social beings. They give unconditional love and need to receive the same unconditional love back to them.

Alex the gifted parrot proves to us that the idea of a " bird brain" is completely wrong. In fact the study that Dr. Irene Pepperberg did with Alex an African Grey parrot for 30 years of research, shattered scientists understanding of the Avian brain. Alex eventually learned enough speech elements to identify 50 different objects, 7 colors and 5 shapes. He learned to count quantities up to 6 including 0 and was able to articulate certain desires and could even express frustration with repetitive scientific trials. Alex's emotional development was similar to that of a 2 year old human child, , and his intelligence was that of a 5 year old child.

This evidence about Alex tells us that birds definitely need interaction. My experiences with my cockatiels and one parakeet (little parrots) also prove that pet birds need daily interaction and affection. Affection is highly important as well and the interaction. They ask me with their body language to pet them every day. They also like me to stay near them as if in a flock. They may ask to get on my shoulder or lap. I take my birds for a ride in the car about once a week to my Mom's. She loves to see them, and they love going for a ride in the car as well as visiting my Mom, sister and their dog. I don't let them out of the cage when I am there because of too many dangers. I take them in one bird cage which I bundle up in blankets for protection. The thickness I use depends on how warm or cold outside it is. Birds like to feel safe in their cage so the blankets covers all sides except half of the front part to look out of. I completely cover the front in bad weather or too much sun until we get into a more comfortable environment.

Great care must also be taken when feeding your bird. Each species requires different nutritional needs. If you put any bird on an all seed diet, he will get very sick or die from malnutrition. My cockatiels for example are given organic parrot pellets, Dr. Lafeber's Nutriberries for Cockatiels and some oatmeal, flax seed meal and a little millet seed. There is a nice variety of nutritional bird food in their dish which they can forage through. Foraging helps stop the boredom of your pet bird's meals. Even fresh fruits and vegetables are highly recommended and necessary for your bird's diet. I give my birds a little piece of berry from my frozen berry medley every day and some soybeans that were previously frozen and heated. But when I can get fresh vegetables and fruit, I give them apple, cooked broccoli, chopped carrot, sweet potato, white potato and corn. First thing in the morning, I give them a couple of Trader Joes O's which are almost like Cherrios. I will also give them little pieces of Spelt bread which has whole grain goodness.

My 2 cockatiels require attention from morning till evening, and I do enjoy spending the time with them. They love to be petted and have their little heads scratched. They love being talked to and like to spend play time on the floor with bird toys, ladders and special wood for birds to chew on. Their cages require daily cleaning as well as the bird dishes. Birds are messy. Water will be splashed around with seed husks, loose feathers and droppings that require daily clean up. When I go out, I put them in their cages, one in each cage if the younger bird is pushing the older bird around too much. Some times they like to decide which cage they want to stay in. I also turn on the radio with soft music or cartoons on TV. They enjoy very young childrens cartoons.

Birds may create allot of work, but the rewards of unconditional love and companionship from your feathered friends are priceless.

HAPPY MEAL de McDONALD'S - TBWA\PARIS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ_bT0H8Xxg&hl=en

How to Keep Your Dog Happy While You Are at Work

One of the greatest moments of my day is walking through my front door and having my dog run up and greet me. No matter what kind of day I have had, my dog is always happy to see me and helps lift my spirits. New York City jobs, however, rarely allow us enough time to spend at home with our dogs, which is a challenge because I have to keep my dog in the apartment all day. Dogs are pack animals and are happier with company and with access to the outdoors. Sometimes dogs can experience depression or separation anxiety if kept away from social situations for too long. Keeping your dog happy can be a challenge, but by following a few suggestions, you can make life for you dog and yourself much easier and less chewed up shoes.

A tired dog is a happy dog

Dogs need exercise -- and lots of it. It is important to consider this fact when deciding on the type of dog to have. You need to make sure you are able to exercise your dog in the way he needs. The more exercise the dog gets before you leave, the more likely your dog will just lounge around a take a long nap while you're away. Dogs who do not exercise properly are the ones who tend to make more mischief while their ownerss are away at their New York City jobs. If you cannot exercise your pooch, hire someone who can. The dog walking business is a part of New York City culture. You can find a reliable, relatively affordable and close person to exercise your dog when you can't.

Create a cave

Wild dogs use caves and dens to take refuge from danger or when they just need a quiet place to relax. Training your dog to use an appropriately-sized crate can be beneficial for him and for you. The crate needs to be large enough for the dog to be able to stand up in and to turn around. Placing an old shirt or blanket that has your scent on it will help your dog feel even more comfortable in his "cave" and he may choose to just stay in there while you're away.

Keep them occupied

If you were stuck in a house all day, you would begin looking for something to do. Additionally, if you were stuck in the house every day, you would soon tire of doing the same activity day after day. Dogs are no exception. Having a basket of toys is great, but it is better to hide that basket and just pull out a few each day. You can rotate through the toys which will help bring some diversity to your dog's daily routine. Also, you can hide low-fat dog treats in random places in your house for your dog to find. There are also toys available which hide a treat inside and the treat can only be released after the dog has worked at it for a while. This type of toy will keep your dog occupied for hours and tire him out emotionally and mentally -- which is also a good thing.

Use food wisely

By feeding your dog his biggest meal of the day in the morning, your dog will want to take a nap instead of roaming around creating mischief. That being said, you will need to provide a place for your dog to do his business if you don't want to be cleaning up messes all the time. There are different products available which your dog can be trained to use. Your dog will appreciate not having to wait all day for you and you will appreciate not having to clean up messes all around your house.

Dogs want to please us. They want to give us all the love we can handle. They will be happier and provide longer companionship when we do what we can to help them during those times they have to be alone.

Happy Meal

A journey into one man's discovery of the wonder that is the "Happy Meal."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc9Fgx_u-pA&hl=en

Calm Down Your Cranky Kid With High Chair Toys

High chair toys are a must have, if you have a kid who just cannot stay calm in his or her high chair. These toys have just one single point agenda and that is to keep your child busy. These can divert the attention of your cranky child and keep them busy and happy too. Depending on the age of the kid, there are various kinds of such chairs, which they can play with.

Here are some of the most common occasions that you will need high chair toys commonly:

• Children just cannot stay calm and steady when they are being fed, especially when seated in a chair. Therefore, these toys can be a good diversion for them while they are being fed. Many studies revealed that when a child is happy, they would eat the right amount of food that is right for their optimal growth.

• Imagine you are at a restaurant along with your kid and he did not like the place one bit. That will be a pretty bad situation trying to dine in with an unhappy child seated in the high chair. Toys will come very handy at that point and you will appreciate yourself for bringing in one of those toys.

• Another very common scenario, you are done feeding the kid but have not finished your own meal. Give the child his favorite toy that he can play with on the chair and you can finish your meal taking your own sweet time.

These chair toys attach to the chair with suction cups so that they do not fall off the child's table. Fiddly bits can keep a child busy all the time and that is the reason why most chair toys have lots of them. Anything that makes sounds and music will fascinate a child and that is why there are hundreds of toys out that that can be attached to a high chair and entertain your kid. Bouncing toys and stuff toys with springs are also very popular high chair toys, as kids love anything that moves and comes back to them.

Mc Donalds Toy analysis ( the end of Rex.)

Rex from Mcdonalds happy meal is a character from Night at the musseum We tested his strength against the elments. We did it.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zDb3MwXImc&hl=en

What Can a Hermit Crab Eat to Keep Your Pet Happy and Healthy

You just got yourself a new pet hermit crab and you already bought him a nice home and toys but you now ask yourself "what can a hermit crab eat?"

Land hermit crabs are pets that require low maintenance especially when it comes to their diet because they will eat just about anything, from fruits and fish to popcorn and tofu.

Nowadays, you can buy hermit crab foods from a pet store. Make sure that they do not have too much chemicals or preservatives. This can be bad for your hermit crab's health. However, if chosen carefully and if given properly, commercial crab food can provide your pet with the required nutrients that can keep them healthy and happy exotic pets.

Commercial foods for these fascinating creatures could be in the form of pellets to powder. Some food products have to be moistened while others have to be mad into smaller pieces such as large pellets.

For these small animals, foods should also be given in small amounts and they should also be soft and easy to digest. Overfeeding your pets could be fatal.

However, try to give them a variety of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables so that they will not get tired of the same old commercial foods every day. Crabs are omnivores and scavengers which makes it easy for you to try to give them new foods or tastes such as scrambled eggs, sardines, or chips that can make your hermit crabs' mouth water. Try not to give them too oily, spicy, or hot foods.

It is also interesting to note that hermit crabs love sweet foods with a variety of flavors, especially those flavours that babies usually like such as apples, bananas, pears, mango, kiwi, applesauce, sweet corn casserole, sweet potatoes, fruit medley, guava dessert, mango dessert, and papaya dessert. You can mix 2 to 3 flavors in one meal, just like baby foods.

If your crabitat is in an open area, you can give them fresh fish head. This is only ideal for a large group of hermit crabs. They can finish it off after a few hours. The smell can be strong, though, and you might not want to smell this in your house every day.

Other foods that they love are coconut shavings, natural peanut butte, hard boiled eggs and even shells, and plain, unbuttered, and unsalted popcorn. Raw meat is also a favourite meal for these little creatures.

Provide them with a water dish with enough fresh water in it and another dish with salt water in the aquarium. Saltwater does not mean you will sprinkle in table salt to fresh water. It should be real saltwater that you got from the ocean. Just make sure that the dishes are not so big or the water is not too much to prevent your crabs from drowning, especially the small ones.

Make sure that the water you give to your pet hermit crabs is free from chlorine. Chlorine is bad for them. To remove chlorine from water, try using dechlorinator. You can also just get bottled water for convenience.

Democracy on a Silver Plate

Democracy is like a good meal, a satisfying meal that makes you burp. If you feel happy with your meal it is most certainly that you want more of it. This good food makes you sit straight and get excited. A good meal is made of all the organic and quality raw ingredients. The taste of your food would be the most appetizing one, still this food should culturally be digestible.

It is not only preparing this meal, it is about serving it and it is about how people see this food being adequate to their cravings of that day. One of the major points of going to a restaurant is that you are being served properly. Having your food in a nice plate makes the food look tastier, a silver plate, well; it gives the food more of a cultural value.

In contrast to how food on a silver plate can increase the value of the moment, democracy can not be served on such a plate. The all-you-can-eat version of this meal, if it is called Democracy has to be cooked accordingly to each nation taste and aptitudes. A real buffet gives you the option of choosing your own favourite meal. You can eat all you want if you desire. Still, you enjoy that food when the look and the taste are more congruent to your culturally based values.
A real problem is that when we have aptitude for food, but we do not have the good components or we do not know the art of mixing ingredients together. Another challenge is that when we tell people to cook the same food as we did. With all the best cook books and the instructions for how-to-cook your-own-food, sometimes our recipe is not accordingly to the social context of the individuals.

We have to consider the right tools for our cooking instructions. What is significant is that a meal and the details around preparing that food, has to be established and rooted in a culture.

Democracy can neither be served on a silver plate, nor will it taste good when it is not an internalized, familiar, and known taste.

We can not burp on an unfamiliar taste because we are not really digesting that food. We digest a food and we enjoy it, when we have been part of providing for all aspects of preparation and completion of that food. We value things that we are part of creating it. This is our human nature, we are born to create our own food and destiny.

In every culture we use various spices and flavours. No one would enjoy a food that is not having the culturally appropriate texture, consistency, and nutritional properties. Once you are a good gardener and you raise your own vegetable, cooking your own food with your own ingredients is the most enjoyable activity.

In our new world and the new trend, we talk about healthy and nutritious food. It is perhaps healthy to first learn to create your own unique recipe that can result in a good food based on your reality and expectations. This is the only way we can have appetite for Democracy as food.

Poran Poregbal
July 29, 2008
Vancouver, B.C

TVC "Mc Donald's - Happy Meal"

TV Commercial for the Happy Meal from Mc Donald's. New extra: fruits and vegetables



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUWlr6nEUHw&hl=en

Easy Camping Recipes - Camping Guide

If you want to go camping and you are not necessarily the best of cooks, do not worry; you will be able to spoil your family with good and easy camping recipes. Even if you are a very good experienced cook adored by your family, but you are afraid of the lack of possibilities that a camping trip will offer you, do not worry; those camping recipes available will help you deal with cooking and feeding your family on the trip. People who have made it a habit going camping, have learnt to manage the cooking problem on a camp fire or cooking gas lamp.

They have come up with wonderfully camping recipes that they are always eager to share with other people. Therefore, if you search the net you will find lots of websites providing you with countless camping recipes to make your camping cooking experience simple, enjoyable and effective. Why are they called easy camping recipes? Well, they are supposed to be as simple to prepare as possible, since you do not have all the utensils and the comfort of your kitchen at home; yet you have to feed your family.

What makes these camping recipes easy? Generally it is the fact that the preparation focuses on combining different ingredients, fruits and vegetables together to obtain some very good meals, snacks and desserts, fast and with not much difficulty. If you get equipped with some easy camping recipes and the necessary ingredients, you will not need to overburden your luggage or car with too many pots and pans, forks and spoons and the rest of the stuff.

Resorting to easy camping recipes will enable you to make all cooking and eating phenomenon during the camping holiday quite easy as you will be able to make use of plastic or paper dishes, cups and cutlery. Besides the fact that these are disposable, they are also easy to carry as they are small, compact and light. With the camping recipes and disposable dishes there comes another benefit; you get rid of doing the washing up.

The easy camping recipes you can find on the countless websites dealing with camping, are usually provided in an organized manner. You will find the camping recipes by name, by main ingredient, by the type of meal it pertains to, etc. So finding the right camping recipes should not be a problem for you. Anyway, carrying a camping stove with you on the trip will only add to the possibilities that easy camping recipes offer you and you will end up being even more appreciated by your family.

What Makes Kids Happy?

I was just reading a journal article about what makes kids happy. No, I'm not talking about an ice cream cone! The article talks about what factors in a child's life show a relationship predict that the child will test high on surveys of happiness. This shows us as parents what factors we want to have in a child's life.

This study was done with 9-12 year olds. Now, as a scientist, I cannot say that this is true for 2 year olds and 4 year olds. But as a parent and an experienced educator, I can say it is pretty darn close. There is also no promise that a happy 12 year old will become a happy adult, but here science can tell you that many of the same factors that made 12 year olds happy also make adults happy. So all-in-all, I think we can learn a lot from this article.

What is a little surprising is that happiness in the kids was not related to how many siblings they have (so if you chose to stop at one child and feel guilty, you can stop!) Happiness was also not related to parents age or marital status (again, you can now shed some guilt.)

So what makes kids happy? The same things that makes adults happy! Mostly, we and kids are happy when we have good relationships with family and friends.

Kids who felt close to their parents were more likely to feel happy. Also, having good relationships with peers made kids feel happy. Those kids who didn't feel that their friends were mean to them and didn't make fun of them were more likely to feel happy.

Now there is a bit of a viscous cycle here. Kids who are happy are more likely to form good relationships with friends and, we now know, that kids who have good friendships are more likely to be happy. So here is where we, as parents, have to step in. If a child does not have a lot of friends, then we have to step in and encourage it. Invite kids over for play-dates and sleepovers, talk to the teacher about friends in class, etc. We can also help our child by modeling good friendships for them with our friends.

How do we help our child form good relationships with us, their parents? Well, what do you want in a relationship? Do you want to be respected? Do you respect your child? Do you want to be valued? Do you value your child?

So right now, please think about this for a moment? Do you model good relationships for your children? Where can you improve? Do you model being happy for your child? Where can you improve? (Come on, give a clear answer!)

And this is how you can help your child to be happy!

Prepare Your Teen For College - 5 Tips For Success

Before our teenagers leave for college, we hope they have the knowledge and skills needed to succeed on their own. We have worked hard to teach them and guide them. Now, get them out there knowing the important basics and get them on their way to success. Read on for tips on teaching teens how to do laundry, be organized, cook, have confidence, and how to become a smart money manager.

1. Laundry: I started my 15 year old out at a young age on this one. She has been in charge of her own laundry for about a year now and has helped sort and fold since she a little girl. I have taught her to not look at laundry as a chore, but as a something that makes you happy. It feels good to pull a fresh, clean t-shirt over your shoulders, and you smell good. People like that. I have taught her schedules such as washing sheets every week and blankets every month. We have talked about stain removal. I have taught her how to sort things into delicates, whites, towels, darks, jeans, etc. and what temperature to wash them in. She knows how to iron, fold the clothes, organize them, and put them away.

2. Organization: This is a biggie. It starts with keeping track of schedules, practices, homework, birthdays, etc. then moves into housework and your career. It really is a way of life, and being organized does make a difference. I like being able to relax at the end of the day knowing that things are in order, the dishes are done, and I know what is happening on tomorrow's agenda. Knowing what is going on keeps your mind from going crazy with information and what you might have forgotten. I have taught my teen that by being organized she will have more time and will feel more peaceful. If our teens learn how to start managing the things in their lives now, college will be a breeze.

3. Learn how to cook: We made this one easy. My daughter picked out a cute binder, some tabs, and clear protective sheets. Then, we went through my recipe books. We picked out our favorites, especially ones that she would enjoy making for her roommates at college. Then, she chooses one recipe a week to make for the family. She makes a grocery list, plans the menu, and cooks the meal. By the time she is 18 years old; she will have a good understanding of the basics and have a really good bunch of recipes to take with her when she flies the coop.

4.Confidence: My sister and I were talking about this the other day. We figured out that confidence is really the thing that makes people popular. Not that being popular is the most important thing in life, but it is an interesting observation. We all know people we love hanging around with. They are happy. They seem to know who they are. They care about people. They have the confidence it takes to express their opinions and seek out help. That is an important trait to have when you are on your own. When mom is not there to help you with those daily problems, you have to know how to take care of yourself. Confidence is also an attractive trait. One of the best ways to teach it is to be it.

5. Finances: If only our daughter could know what we now know about money! I think it is important to teach our kids how to avoid some of the mistakes we have made through the years when it comes to finances. We love Dave Ramsey, and have tried to teach his principles on being debt free and how bright your future can be when you are not tied down with debt. According the U.S. General Accounting Office, 6.9% of college students will file bankruptcy before graduating from college. Imagine having your credit destroyed at such a young age. Teach your teens about the dangers of credit cards and encourage them to save their money.

If we just think about some of these tips on helping our teenagers prepare for college, we will have a good jumping off point to get started. Time goes fast. They will be gone before we know it. Let's get them out there prepared for anything.

Backyard Camping Trip

Are your kids begging you to take them camping, but you just can't find the time to take them on a camping trip? Or would you like to introduce your kids to the fun of camping for the first time, but aren't sure if they will enjoy it, or might get scared? Either way, camping out in your backyard will be a fun way to spend the evening and night with your kids.

Get the kids involved in setting up camp in your backyard. Have them help you set up the tent. Put them in charge of getting their sleeping bags, flashlights and anything else they may need into the tent. If it's an option for you, you may even want to make a campfire in your backyard. Check with your fire department before hand if this is an option in your area. If not, just dig out the charcoal or gas grill. Grill some hotdogs and make some foil backed potatoes for dinner, and of course you'll need some s'mores for desert. If you are roasting the marshmallows over your grill, put some aluminum foil over the grate to keep the melting marshmallow from dripping onto your grill.

Don't have a tent, or even a backyard for that matter? That's no reason not to camp out. Just spread out your sleeping bags, or even just some blanket in the living room. Turn off the TV, radio and video games. If you have a fireplace, build a fire. Otherwise, order some pizza and pop some popcorn and you can even make s'mores in the microwave.

No matter where you decide to have your close to home camping trip, take some time to sit together and talk. Telling stories, whether a campfire is involved or not, is always fun. Your kids' imagination in creating new stories may surprise you. Don't forget to tell some handed down family tales.

Above all, think back about your favorite camping memories and recreate them with your kids. Do you remember any good scary stories? Are there any games you enjoyed playing? What's your favorite card game?

Have some fun with this, enjoy your kids and create some memories.

Happy Birthday Happy Meal!

The McDonald's meals have been entertaining kids for 30 years. For more on this story go to abcnews.go.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL0JntVACWU&hl=en