Whether you have a lot space or hardly any, here’s some entertaining elements to consider for your last outdoor summer party.

Think Environment

Do you want it dark and moody or bright and vibrant? String Christmas lights around the outline of a balcony or place floating candles on every table. Litter table tops or serving trays with flower pedals.

Use What You Already Have

Re-using old items can be very satisfying. Turn large, everyday plates into serving trays and small, fine china saucers into hors d’oeuvre plates. Tall, plastic cup-ware can be turned into individual flower vases at each place setting.

Creative Food

Add a new twist to old burgers by using Portebello Mushrooms instead. Offer a variety of mustards and even salad dressings for your guests to add or dip. Grill onions instead of serving them raw.

Remember The Fun

Offer a large supply of adult and kid-sized water pistols for plenty of excitement. Or mix music and a limbo stick for an adventurous competition.

Still not sure what kind of party you’d like to throw? Try one of these themes:

Water Party

Required: plastic pool or large buckets full of ice and drinks; flip-flops for everyone; water balloons; bathing suits; plenty of water for splashing; adult and kid pools for wading.

Wine Tasting Party

What you will need: three white and three red wines; complimentary cheeses; loaf of bread for cleansing pallets; pitcher of water; dump bucket for discarding wine before the next pouring; tasting cards for describing and recording each wine tasted; optional prize for a blind taste test winner.

Remember Safety

Before you fire up your alfresco big bash, do a quick construction check of your porch, deck or balcony. The International Code Council (ICC) suggests you look for loose, missing or rusted hardware; porches secured to buildings with nails rather than attached with anchors or bolts; splitting or rotted wood; and unstable porches – for starters.

Swimming pools with more than 24 inches of water need to have a four-foot fence around them. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching.

When grilling, keep away from siding, deck railings, eaves and branches. Remove old grease from gills and check propane hoses for any leaks. Don’t move grills while they are still hot and of course dispose of charcoal in its proper place.

Have a plan and have a party!

Look up building and fire codes on the ICC Web site.

The Melting Pot offers completely fondue meals. On every table you find a small burner for the fondue pot. Having never been to this type of restaurant before the choices were confusing and overwhelming! Once our servers explained it to us, we were on a roll! We opted for the Big Night Out, a special they were running which included a Cheese Fondue, salad, main course choice between lobster tails or filet mignon accompanied by teriyaki steak, chicken, tiger shrimp, and pork, and a chocolate fondue. Pricing for this was either $90 or $85 per couple, depending on whether you chose the filet or lobster.

Given we were a party of four, we had only one burner on our table, which means you have to have some group agreement! You may begin with a Cheese Fondue, you may select from quite a few choices we went for the Cheddar Cheese. Your server prepares the fondue at your table! You are given a selection of raw veggies, apples and several types of bread for dipping! The Cheddar Cheese was excellent.

Salad selection is individual; everyone selected differently and was quite satisfied. The salad portion is a generous size too! When it comes time for your main course the group needs to choose a cooking style. Basically this is going to be what it is in the pot on the table for you to cook your main course in. We chose the Coq au Vin and it was very flavorful. Some of the items take on more flavor than others, the lobster after cooking was heavily flavored and in my opinion excellent. Everyone has two very long cooking forks with which to cook. It can be a little time consuming as each piece takes between 1 and a half to four minutes and you can only place a bit size piece on the fork. This is not the place to go if you are in a hurry. However, if time is not of the essence and you can afford to have a nice leisurely meal it is perfect. There is plenty of time to chat while cooking. Our only suggestion would be for the restaurant to put a clock on the table and give a list of recommended cooking times. No one was wearing watches and we all had to take our cell phones out to make sure everything got cooked enough! Although our servers did tell us the times, given we had so many different items, it was hard to remember. We did have a tremendous amount of fun though!

Lastly, but certainly not least is the chocolate fondue! We went with the special Tropical Coconut Rum Chocolate Fondue; it was prepared tableside and even flambéed! While it was not hot enough for some of the guests in our party, it was very tasty! We were given a selection of items to dip, including strawberries, pineapples, bananas, marshmallows, pound cake and brownies!

It is worth mentioning the extensive wine list, we did not drink, but it seems that if you are looking for selection they have it! All in all we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. It seems to be a great place for an intimate date, as they have special two seater « love bird » booths. There is plenty of time to get to talk to your companion and still enjoy a comfortable dining pace!

Although, some might be turned off by the cost, it is definitely worth it if you are looking to splurge or treat yourself to a great night out. We had early reservations and had a nice quiet restaurant for most of our meal, however, by the time we left it was very crowded. I highly recommend a reservation, and going early. I think we got a lot more one on one attention because we were there before the rush! Happy dining!

How many of you can remember back to old summers as a child? Did you ever use to play with an item known as a slip and slide? Slip and slides are just as popular today as they were in the past. If you are a parent and your child has never used a slip and slide before, what are you waiting for? A slip and slide is a fun outdoor toy for just about any child.

Most adults are familiar with a slip and slide, but not everyone is. A slip and slide is an activity toy that often spans a number of feet. Most slip and slides span at least fifteen feet in length. When attached to a garden hose, the slip and slide surface will become wet and slippery. The object is to slide down as fast as you can go. What is at the end of the slip and slide will all depend on what type of item you purchase.

If you are interested in purchasing a slip and slide, there are a number of locations where you can buy one from. Most individuals end up going to their closest department store, but there are a number of other places where you can purchase this fun toy from. What many individuals do not realize is there are a large number of slide styles that are not available in most retail stores.

To find the best selection of a slip and slides, you should consider shopping online. This is because most online retailers carry more items in their online store than they do in traditional retail stores. If you are a looking for a unique slip and slide, you may have better luck shopping online or specially ordering one.

The cheapest type of slip and slides you can find will be the most standard models. These are ones that just are usually just made up of a slide. A garden hose will make even the most standard models a lot of fun. For additional fun, there are slip and slides that have a miniature wading pool at the bottom. The slides are ideal for slip and slides that are used on a hill. The wading pools often prevent a child from being injured. Other fun slip and slide activities may include a basketball hoop or a soccer goal.

In addition to slip and slides with fun add-ons, there are also slip and slides that come in certain colors or have images of a popular cartoon character on it. Popular slip and slide cartoon characters include Sponge Bob Square Pants, Dora the Explorer, and more. These character slip and slides, as well as ones with small wading pools, are likely to increase the price of a standard slip and slide. Despite the small increase in price, most slip and slides are still easy to afford.

A common misconception concerning slip and slides is that they can only be used on a hill. It is true that slip and slides will work best on a hill, but when they are wet a slip and slide can be used just about anywhere. If your child is looking for a fun way to spend their summer, you should consider purchasing them a slip and slide. Don’t let you children spend too much time inside, especially when they can be having so much fun outside.

The 5th Annual Disneyland Half Marathon spans Labor Day Weekend; Friday, Sept 3 – Sunday Sept 5, 2010. Participants in the event navigate 13.1 miles in and around Anaheim and the Disneyland Resort. The race has grown in popularity every year, understandably, as with everything Disney puts its hands to, this entire event is extraordinary.

Half Marathon Weekend is fastidiously organized. Disney does know a thing or two about crowd management. This is key, for though in its relative infancy, the Disneyland race is already one of America’s 13 largest half marathons. From transportation to parking, from refreshment to the finish line, every detail is addressed and every contingency considered.

Predesignated starting corrals, water stations, mile markers, course timers, medical aid, bag check, a « Reunion Area » for families: many races have some of these amenities, and some races have them all, but only a Disney race has them all clearly marked, defined, stocked and accessible.

The race courses through Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure Park, and Angel’s Stadium, and is lined with Disney Characters, dance troops, marching bands and a wealth of photo opportunities. From first timers to seasoned Disney enthusiasts the opportunity to run into the park while it is closed to the public, and through backstage areas that are otherwise off limits carries with it a Siren-like allure. Enter this race once, and you’ll likely be back to experience it again.

Only a couple hitches to this otherwise perfectly designed and orchestrated event. The race itself begins at 6am Sunday morning. Participants are instructed to be in their designated corral an hour before the starting gun. That’s 5am. Yeah, early. And given the success of this amazing endeavor, the race draws tens of thousands of entrants and four times as many spectators and well wishers. The organizing powers have done a masterful job of arranging accommodations, but with so many attendees, negotiating Anaheim and Disneyland itself throughout the weekend can be arduous.

A fair amount of the marathon participants are a bit ambitious, or perhaps not entirely honest, regarding their split times, and the first few miles is less a race than a traverse through the walking and cumbersome. Nothing against walkers, the Disneyland Half Marathon invites and allows for sprinters and plodders alike, but it would be a significant courtesy to all those keen on running if those who know they are not would gravitate toward the rear.

By all accounts the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend is as magical as anything, as everything that bears the name Disney. If you get a chance, attend the event. If you get the gumption, enter the race. And like anything, everything Disney, once you’ve experienced it, you will want to, you will have to come back.

Follow all things Disney with Jodi Jill, and Walt Disney World Travel Expert, Debra Peterson.

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Vidéos humour

Morris Gleitzman creates lots of humour in « Two weeks with the queen ». This essay will explain the humour Gleitzman uses.

One of the first humours that Gleitzman creates in the book is when Colin thought « The doctor lived on the side of town where people had brick houses with front lawn and sprinklers and two toilets… Colin reboned that if were clever and successful and important it was OK. As long as they didn’t show off about it, like inviting 2 people to the toilet at once. » This is funny because it is unusual to invite 2 people to the toilet at once in real life.

Another aspect of Gleitzman creating humour is when the writer expresses ‘ … Colin has persuaded Alistair that it was OK to go to the shops. « Mum doesn’t like me going, » said Alister, hanging around the front gate.

« What? » said Colin « Does she think a bus is going to mount the bert, wave through all the other shopper, carefully avoiding rubbish bins and brick walls, and flatten you? »

« Well, once could do, couldn’t it? »

« OK, » said Colin, « You stay here »

« I’ll come, » said Alistair.’ This shows that it is humour us because of a bus goes through all of those and it is strange and unlikely to happen.

Furthermore, Gleitzman creates lots of humour in the story, an additional example is when ‘The driver of the night buss gave them a suspicious look as they got and paid their fares… It was probably just that not man kids caught the 3:50 a.m. bus into town.

« It’s a real pain to start work at 4:40, » Colin said to Alistair. « Still that’s the price we have to pay for owning our own milk bar. »

« Eh? » said Alistair.’ This part of the story is amusing because out of the blue Colin said they own a milk bar and they have to start work at 4:30 to make the driver not suspicious.

Gleitzman uses the story plot to make the story hilarious. The writer uses a lot of ways to make humour. The jobs are frequently unusual in real life.

Personally, I think that Gleitzman succeeded in his purpose because he has used lots of humour in the story and created mood and tension. Also in a way the story was also sad which created mood. It will have you crying and laughing in no time!

The house of Praxedes

Woe is a prison with a jailer’s daughter who is blind…
She would have eyes golden like the setting sun
should one sun find her setting…

Valentinus you priest,
Goth as I be,
as towering an empty
as echoing a block
beaten and stoned is no way for a passage

keep them swatting at bees.
keep them smelling roses
and singing with birds…
I tremble like a holy roller
at the Flaminian Door…
as it is much the way a priest is to an emperor
you my dear priest it is closed for you
a mere conversion waiting
you must open it

Me the reason for your conversion
give up your silly pursuits of marriage rites and Christ

your head will be a stopper, keeping the gate ajar
for poor pocketed travelers and running away beggar thieves
i am Claudius II
and you are my Valentine

Travelling with kids to any destination by any mode of transportation is not an easy feat, but with preparation, a sense of humour, and plenty of bribe material, it can be done. A driving holiday is as ideal a choice as any when you have children to entertain. They have easy access to all their stuff, you can have as many loos stops as you please, and you can choose when and where to travel.

Every parent is looking for optimum flexibility, which is guaranteed with a hire car. You can travel in safety and in style, with pick up and drop off points in central and convenient locations. The goal is to spend time together, travel to amazing places and have fun at the same time, which is possible even with a lot of kids.

There are a number of points that will help you maximize your family driving holiday:

1) Firstly, keep it simple. Factor in enough time each day to ensure that children have ample rest and relaxation. If your itinerary is so jam packed with trips here there and everywhere you won’t enjoy yourselves. There will be plenty of great photos but you will all be exhausted and cranky. It’s better not to visit as many attractions and save some time for relaxation and chilling out with the kids. Children do not have as much patience as most adults, and trudging from one place to another every hour of the day can stretch the family to breaking point.

2) Pack well. If you are prepared, you will enjoy yourself more on your holiday. Plan, write lists, stock up and always pack an extra amount of clothes and food supplies in case of emergencies. Its great to travel light, but another bag does not take up a lot of room, and that spare tracksuit or muesli bar may come in handy.

All children get the munchies, so a few extra treats for those long drives will instantly help the trip become more enjoyable. Don’t pack them in the middle of your largest suitcase furthest away from you, rather have them easily accessible at the front. Your handy bag should always include sunscreen, hats, insect repellent, small first aid kit, bottle of water and a washcloth. And of course the treats.

Don’t forget the favourite travel games, perfect for children who are bored and have had enough of endless scenery. The old fashioned notepaper and pencils will always come in handy, and for teenagers you may have to give in and allow some extra technology. Another great idea is for the older kids to have their own camera and travel diary to record their own holiday moments.

Your children may never fight for their space in the back seat, but for most of us who endure this generational curse, some simple masking tape will ensure that boundaries have been set in place. Simply stick in a straight line to mark out each child’s ‘territory’ and they should keep their fingers and toes to themselves.

3) Remember who’s in charge. This point seems obvious enough, but it’s amazing how the rules can bend when one small child is screaming loudly in the back seat sending another into a small frenzy resulting in instant travelling chaos. The solution would seem to be to pull over (again) and sort the kids out, but if you are only half and hour from your destination, you have tried everything and their needs have been met, sometimes it is better to just keep pressing on and put up with the high noise levels. The good news is that it will soon be over.

You will also be requested time and again (from the back seat) to stop at a lookout or pull over at another service station. It’s ok to stop for a stretch and a run, but if you stop every time they get bored you will never get to where you are going. They will have a great holiday, but you will be frustrated and behind schedule. The simplest rule is, stick to your schedule with adequate stops, and remember that you don’t have to see everything that everyone in the family wants to see. Your kids will soon realise that it’s as much your holiday as it is there’s, and will sit back to enjoy the rest of the trip.

The aim of a family holiday is to create lasting memories and relax at the same time. To do this well you need to plan a simple itinerary that includes all the main attractions and places you want to see, pack carefully and stay in control. You will find with some strategic planning that your holiday will be all you could imagine. You will have time to enjoy adventures together in plenty of fantastic places, and have such a great time you will be soon be planning to do it all again next year.