Search Results for: blog let the fireworks begin

Baby Blog Month in Review: July 2008

Two of my three children are summer babies. That is, they were born in the summer and had their first months surrounded by sunshine streaming in the windows, the sound of birds chirping, and days spent wearing nothing but a diaper and a “onsie.” I made sure that they had Fourth of July outfits ready, even though one of them arrived a week after the holiday. I guess he just wasn’t interested in the parade. Do you have a summer baby, too? We had a lot of new information to share this past month, such as recall notices and new … Continue reading →

Let the Fireworks Begin!

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Last night around nine o’clock, somebody started in with the fireworks. I live across the street from the local high school and middle school, and there’s lots of open space available between the sports fields and parking lots. Through the open window, I could hear the crackle of the fireworks, followed by a whole lot of hooting and hollering. Right around the same time I was hearing the beginnings of Fourth of July celebrations, a friend posted on her blog about her dog’s reaction to fireworks. Not fear — as is a common reaction to fireworks and other loud noises … Continue reading →

Sparkler Safety

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The 4th of July, what fond memories we have of fireworks, sparklers, lots of good food and running around outside long after dark. It was always so much fun and I don’t remember any injuries. Things have changed and with all the fireworks that you can buy in any store now, the incidence of injuries rises. I learned today that sparklers burn at 2,000 degrees and are the number one reason for firework related emergency room visits. As a child, I didn’t know that, as an adult, I’ve experienced it first hand. When Hailey was little a group of us … Continue reading →

Where to Embrace Your Inner Dragon

It’s Day Four of Chinese New Year and I still keep writing 4709 on all of my checks. Oh, I kill me. Four down, 11 to go. Lunar New Year 4710 celebrations get bigger and better as the days progress. If you haven’t had the chance to immerse yourself in the pomp and pageantry of the Year of the Dragon, check out these travel hot spots where the 15-day celebration is in full swing: CHICAGO On Sunday, January 29th get up-close and personal with dancing lions, elaborate floats and a myriad of marching bands at the annual Chinatown New Year’s … Continue reading →

Where to Rock Chinese New Year

I snapped this photo a couple of years ago as my daughter got up close and personal with a dancing lion at a Chinese New Year parade that snaked its way through Hilo, Hawaii. It’s tradition for parade-goers to feed little red envelopes stuffed with crisp one dollar bills into the lion’s mouth in order to receive a bit (or hopefully, a lot) of luck in the New Year. Celebrating Chinese New Year in Hawaii is a unique experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. While the 15-day celebration culminates on January 23rd, there is no shortage of … Continue reading →

More Fun on the Fourth

Ocean Spray is making it extra easy for you to show off your patriotism this Fourth of July. Actually, if I see the company’s commercial for its red, white and blue cranberry juice drinks one more time this week, I may choke on my pink lemonade. All kidding aside, there is no excuse not to get into the holiday spirit, especially since Independence Day is less than a week away. Besides decorating with traditional red, white and blue banners, balloons and streamers, there are a number of ways you can celebrate America’s birthday in style. For example, you could create … Continue reading →

Ways to Save on a Six Flags Staycation

It’s never a good day when travelers are actually excited to see gas prices hovering near $4. Three dollars and 89 cents for a gallon of unleaded–SCORE!! While the cost of gas has fallen slightly in the last couple weeks, from its highest levels since July 2008, Americans are still paying nearly a dollar more per gallon than a year ago. As a result, families from coast-to-coast continue to restructure their summer vacation plans in order to preserve their household budgets, and still have fun in the sun. That goes double for clans living in and around Chicago. According to … Continue reading →

Tis the Season For Holiday Travel Deals

On this day after Halloween, most department and discount stores are busy putting out their Christmas merchandise, so it stands to reason that the travel industry would follow suit by advertising their top picks for holiday getaways. If you are looking to spend quality time with your family this holiday season, but don’t want to stay cooped up in the house your entire vacation, consider these budget-friendly travel options: ILLINOIS Splash into the holidays at KeyLime Cove Resort and Waterpark, located just north of Chicago in Gurnee, Illinois. The massive indoor waterpark features multiple tube and body slides, a wave … Continue reading →

Thoughts on Reuniting Lost Dogs with Owners

The story about Rocko the beagle who was reunited with his owners after five years got me to thinking: Should a pet always be returned to the original owners? Taking Responsibility In Rocko’s case, the Naranjo family obviously still loved the dog –even though they’d only had him for two months before he’d disappeared and he’d been gone for five years. However, they were willing to fork out some bucks and time to get him back. First they had to fly to Georgia to pick him up, then they had to rent a car and drive (14 hours I might … Continue reading →

My Dog is a Better Man than Most Humans

Just about every night before I go to bed, I take my dogs for a last walk. Sometimes it’s just a short run outside; sometimes it’s a longer stroll through the apartment complex or around the block. Since I’d been out of the house a lot today, I figured the pups deserved a longer walk tonight. I decided we’d walk around the outside of the apartment complex — lately I’ve been avoiding the paths inside the complex since my dog Lally can be skittish around kids. We were halfway around when a large white SUV came roaring by. Someone was … Continue reading →