Thursday, September 29, 2011

Ingested Battery Adventure

My husband and I have over-baby proofed our house (if such a thing is possible), and consider ourselves safe parents. Furniture bolted to the wall and sharp corners covered; you know, that type of thing.


My youngest daughter, Allison, is an adventurer and stinker of high caliber. I once went upstairs for, I kid you not, one minute to use the bathroom. During that time, Allison managed to get her highchair, push it into the middle of the living room floor, knock it over, and climb on top of it. When I came back, she was proudly standing on top, hands on hips like she was the conquering queen of the living room.


Well, on this particular occasion, I came into the living room and noticed Allison's bright yellow toy phone lying on the floor with the battery cover removed. This was not any small feat. That battery cover was firmly fastened with a screw and taped over.

Paranoid parents that we were, we wisely decided tape would be in order just in case.

Well, Allison managed to pry the battery cover off; tape, screw and all. As I was picking up the toy phone and the slobbery battery cover, I saw the batteries had been removed. With a sharp, slightly panicked eye, I began to scan the floor for anything shiny. "There," I thought, "there is one. Two? No, there should be three!" I was on my hands and knees searching the floor when my husband, Jim, came in.


"I'm off to my dental appointment. What are you doing?" He asked.


He watched me for a few seconds crawling around on the toy-strewn floor muttering and cursing. He asked again, "Rose, what are you doing?"


I stood and looked at him. The panic set in a bit deeper and I blurted, "Allison ate some batteries!"


"Batteries!" Allison yelled. Then she began to giggle and crawl around on the floor, muttering and cursing like her mama.


Eyes wide, he asked me, "Are you sure?"


"No," I replied.


"No? No, she didn't eat batteries?"


"Yes. No. I can't find the batteries."


"So, maybe she ate the batteries?"


"Yes."


"Should I stay? Should we go to the clinic?" Jim asked. He was beginning to panic too.


We agreed I should go to the clinic with the kids and call him at the dentist if anything exciting was going to come to pass.


He left and I quickly picked up the phone and dialed the clinic. I explained to the woman on the other end what had happened and that I was going to drive over immediately. Then I figured out I had dialed the wrong number.


I tried again and the perky woman on the other end of the phone was very nice and said, "Yes - come quickly. I'll tell the doctor you are on your way and we can get you into x-ray right when you get here."


OK. Fine. When we arrived, the woman at the desk recognized us. We're regulars, you see, but I'll save those stories for another time. She led us back to x-ray and we waited. Allison and Ashley immediately began to argue over the magazines on the little table next to their seats.


"Calgon, take me away", I thought. Instead, the x-ray technician took me away with my children to get an x-ray of Allison's tummy.


We waited in x-ray and some minutes later the doctor arrived with the films in hand. "Yep. There they are." On the lighted box in front of me was my two-year-old's abdomen. Bright bones and other dense innards were immediately visible, but the most visible objects in the x-ray were the two batteries my baby ate. They were bright like two little moons at night and perfectly round.


The doctor explained that we would need to go to Children's Hospital to have them removed. The removal process would involve a sedative (for Allison, not me) and something akin to a plumber's drain snake.


I called the dentist's office and asked the receptionist to tell Jim to get out of there immediately and come home. "What's wrong?" she asked. I told her about the phone and the missing button batteries. There was silence on the other end of the line, then she said, "I won't ask. I'll tell Jim to get home. I hope everything comes out okay." I think she was trying her very best not to laugh. Rolling my eyes, I hung up the phone.


When we arrived at the hospital, the doctor announced that she had done a bit of research on button batteries while she waited for us to arrive, and decided it would be okay to let them pass.


I won't describe the ending other than to say everything came out okay with little fuss. You will have to imagine the details of that for yourself.


What I will tell you, though, is if you are the parent of a little adventurer and connoisseur of small objects, be wary. According to Safe Kids Worldwide (http://www.usa.safekids.org), in 2004, airway obstruction was the leading cause of accidental injury-related death among infants under age one.


We thought that toy phone was safe, but had we tested the cover, I bet we would have been able to remove the back with a little effort.


Preventing a choking accident is easy enough, so why not take these steps to be sure your home is safe?


Cut food into bite-sized pieces, and be especially careful of foods like hot-dogs and carrots.


Avoid letting younger kids play with balloons. They are easily popped and the little pieces are a definite choking hazard.


Take the time to look for small toys and items that may be on the floor or anywhere your young child can reach. This is especially important in households with more than one child. I am constantly picking up Allison's older sister's Barbie shoes and jewelry. This is a never-ending quest, and my vacuum has suffered greatly. Better the vacuum than my kid.


And, finally, it is always a great idea to bone up on first-aid. Check with your local medical center or clinic to see if they offer classes.


Obviously, I am not a doctor, so this is simply advice from one parent to another. If you have a serious choking accident (especially if your child is unable to breathe), call 911 or seek immediate medical attention.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Explore Islands of Adventure

The second theme park to open at Universal Orlando® Resort, Islands of Adventure® offers visitors the opportunity to live the adventure by exploring five unique islands. Creative consultant Steven Spielberg helped create this park featuring some of the most technologically advanced attractions ever.

Journey to the islands and discover the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss at Seuss Landing(TM). Dr. Seuss' stories and characters come alive at this wondrous island everyone will enjoy. Be sure to check out If I Ran The Zoo(TM) and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish(TM) on your journey through Seuss Landing(TM). A stop by the Green Eggs and Ham(TM) Café for a Green Eggs and Ham sandwich will complete your visit to this island.

The Lost Continent reveals mystical attractions of times past. Witness the live action of Poseidon's Fury: Escape from the Lost City and The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad. Choose between Fire or Ice and battle on the Dueling Dragons roller coasters. A fantastical world of Unicorns, mystic fountains and more awaits you.

Next stop is Jurassic Park®. Steven Spielberg's film comes true as man and dinosaur attempt to live together. Children will enjoy the Camp Jurassic interactive playground, while older siblings and adults will want to experience the Jurassic Park® River Adventure. The whole family will enjoy visiting the interactive Jurassic Park® Discovery Center. Add plenty of dining and shopping opportunities and you will have trouble leaving this island.

Toons from past and present live on Toon Lagoon Island. Young and young at heart will relish this childhood trip through the funny pages. Children will be able to meet all the characters at King's Row(TM) and Comic Strip Lane and everyone will want to experience Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls® log flume ride.

Marvel Super Hero Island is the final island to visit and possibly the most popular. Guests will witness some of the most thrilling and technologically advanced rides Island of Adventure® offers. Lines form early for The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man® and Incredible Hulk Coaster® which have become favorites of returning guests. You will also have photo opportunities with many comic book heroes at Meet the Marvel Super Heroes.

Where ever your journey takes you, be prepared to experience the excitement at Islands of Adventure®.

Quick travel tip: guests staying at Universal Orlando® Resorts onsite hotels can skip to the front of the line with EXPRESS, a free amenity of staying at the resorts.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Adventures of Bass Fishing

Now, there are increasingly people trying to find out and learn what the buzz is all about. Bass fishing is more just catching a fish. Its now almost getting those prized big bass and having the chance to show it off. For novices there are lots more to bass fishing that meets the eye.

1st, try to know the lures that you must have to love bass fishing.

And do you know what the top 3 lures for catching Bass are? Though there was no particular gauge that was presented by the investigators, a survey was performed among the pro bass fishermen and it was felt that plastic worms was the most patronized and ranking on the second and 3rd place were the spinner bait and then the crank bait.

Even so, picking one of these 3 is not enough. Some factors are still needed to be believed. Primarily, you must believe if it is better to cover a smaller segment of water soundly or skim across a larger area as quickly as possible to find fish.

Using a worm is slower, but absolutely efficient and is very seductive to Bass. They do best when the fish are schooled over a particular structure.

The trouble that usually arise with fishing with a worm is the inability to sense strikes. Generally the inability to sense them is due to a sinker that is too heavy and a line that is too thick.

To help you to overcome this predicament you’re advised to use a variable buoyancy worm using lead strip sinkers. Here are some of its advantages:

• No moving lead on the line to dampen the feeling of a gentle pickup
• You can apply the precise amount of lead to deliver the worm action needed
• It comes through easier for a bass to inhale the worm
• It aids in hook setting
• It is easier to shake loose from snags
• You’ll be able to cause the worm to hang virtually suspended over the bottom when fishing shallow water.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Trek Vietnam Adventure

Vietnam offers a wide selection of outdoor activities for those who look for active adventure holidays in Vietnam. The most popular outdoor activity is trekking, hiking through hill tribe villages, meeting up with local friendly people.


Outdoor adventure activities are not only what to trek from one day to another, but to sea the beautiful landscapes, to taste the local food and to experience the local culture and traditions during the journey.


Vietnam trekking tours should be booked in advance since there are lots of things to be prepared before your departure. Most of the treks are required permits since the hiking trails will take you through to remote and isolated hill tribe villages, the frontier border. The authorization paper can be arranged through a local tour operator.


For any trekking, hiking adventure tour, hiring a local tour guide and porters are highly recommended.

Because the local tour guide speaks foreign language. He or she can explain about the local culture, customs and tradtions. They live in the area, so they know the local culture, they know the trails.

Easy treks are usually provided in half day and one day. The short treks can be arranged for both family travel, family holidays or travel with kids. Longer treks seems to give more adventure experiences. Multi-day trek tours usually require more than two days with overnight in local hill tribe villages. The conditions are simple.


A good trekking tour is the tour that responds to everyone's needs.

The trek should not be to tiring, especially when it is arranged in bad weather.

Get the Tickets to Explore Disney Fantasmic and Islands of Adventure

Disney Fantasmic is a show which is fully based on the world's most famous mouse - Mickey Mouse. Here you can see the mouse enjoys a dream and the images like undersea creatures are projected on screens of water. The plot of the story is very interesting and it has all the capabilities to captivate the audiences. If you wish to be see this show in Disney's MGM Studio then buy Disney Fantasmic Tickets at discounted prices. As the show goes on, the evil characters like the Evil Queen, Hades, Scar, Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Frollo, etc attack the sweet dream of the mouse as a nightmare. The main villain being the Evil Queen, she tries to erase the existence of Mickey Mouse by the help of her magical elements but finally the mouse survives and wins the war.

Disney World Tickets presents another fantastic adventure which is known as Islands of Adventure. Generally this island is comprised of five islands which have different themes revolving around comic characters, mystical legends and cartoons.

Buy Islands Of Adventure Tickets and see at the very entrance the market is there and other iconic landmarks like Light House is also situated there in Port of Entry. The islands are Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Lost Continent and Seuss Landing. These islands enjoy the mystical legends, wonderful creatures of past, comic book characters, water adventures, etc.

Kids or even teens will love to experience the Dr. Seuss's comic book characters of story book which come alive in Seuss Landing. Likewise you can explore the characters of Marvel Super Hero. Moreover, the four rides of Marvel Super Hero Island include the incredible hulk coaster, the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, Storm Force and Doctor Doom's Fearfall.

Toon Lagoon is the best spot for summer and it is the water park where you can experience the watery adventures. It has lots of amazing rides like river rapids ride, traditional flume ride, etc.

Get Tickets For Arabian Nights & Islands of Adventure

The Orlando dinner show Arabian Nights is well known for its delicious and gastronomic dinner menus. People find it very interesting for the opportunity to have dinner with the show. This enchanting show of Prince, Princess, Knights and beautiful horses is the perfect blend of different plots and subplots. The main theme being the true love story of Princess Scheherezade and the Prince, the climax of the story end up at the wedding ceremony of the prince and the princess. Such concept is collected from the esteemed text of Arabian Nights. Have the Arabian Nights Tickets in hand and see its majestic plays.

The arena of Arabian Nights has 1,200 seats for the audiences. The three course meal of dinner includes a salad, rolls, cocktail and mocktail. Prim rib, chicken, chopped steak and other delicious items include in the main course meal. However, the gastronomic elements like salads, seasonal vegetables, etc. And finally wedding cake serves as a dessert for all.

The Islands of Adventure offers some exciting place for adventure. All of the five islands of the Islands of Adventure have a common place for entrance which is known as port of entry. The market and shopping places have surrounded the port of entry and among them the most significant icon being the Lighthouse, it is said that this concept has been taken from the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. The island can be termed as the eater's paradise. Unlike other theme parks of Orlando, this island has only a least number of rides but the dining and eating venues can be seen in a great numbers.

It will be worth enough if we discuss briefly about the five islands of the Islands of Adventure. If you want to be in Islands of Adventure, buy Islands of Adventure Tickets.

Marvel Super Hero Island is the real abode of the marvel comic book characters. Have a splendid water adventure of Toon Lagoon. Jurassic Park is well known for its dinosaurs and other kid friendly entertainments. The Lost Continent presents the creatures of Greek mythical lore. Seuss Landing is the children's zone for entertainment; they can experience the rides like the cat in the hat and enjoy with the comic book characters.

Make a search for Florida Themepark Tickets online. You can find varied many interesting attractive tickets for exploring Florida theme parks.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Cape Winelands Adventures

How to describe our winelands adventures? A full-bodied blend of fun, dominated by adventure and hints of adrenalin; the palate detects intense excitement followed by aromas of elation, satisfaction and the irresistible urge to take another sip.


Shalu Guesthouse*** An Elegant and spacious double storey house with balconies providing beautiful mountain views. Centrally situated, within walking distance to CBD En-suite double rooms with TV Tea/Coffee.microwave facilities. Quiet. Available to book online on bookmyroom-sa.com.


If you think our winelands are breathtaking on the ground, wait ‘till you see them from above. Go on a Cape winelands sky adventure - paragliding, skydiving, gliding, or choose a helicopter, gyrocopter or hot air balloon for unsurpassed views of the picturesque wine country below.


On and off road cycling paths criss-cross the winelands.

Opt for a fast-flowing tarred road cycle, with intermittent wine tasting and picnic stops, or go on the ABSA Cape Epic MTB race - a 900km 7-stage, 8-day team race, it's the ultimate winelands mountain bike experience. Amateurs ride the Cape Times Vigne à Vigne, a one-day mountain bike vineyard race timed to coincide with the Absa Cape Epic finish. Where does the wine come into this Cape winelands activity? Both races finish at Lourensford Wine Estate and the post-race celebration is, well, epic.

Hot-foot it through the Helderberg on the Mr Price Winelands Marathon & Half Marathon. A qualifier for both the Two Oceans and the Comrades marathons, you run a beautiful, undulating route through the winelands of Stellenbosch and Somerset West.

Walkers and wheelchair athletes are welcome.

 


White water raft, fish in the Breede River, or find that granny gear and winch yourself up the Du Toitskloof, Slanghoek Valley and the Louwshoek passes around Rawsonville. Soak those aching muscles in Goudini's natural hot springs before visiting the areas' 13 wine estates.


In the Hottentots Holland Mountains outside Grabouw; and Suicide Gorge in the Liemietberge outside Paarl, go kloofing (canyoning)- an insanely-fun, cliff-leaping, bum-sliding, pool-plunging, rock climbing Cape winelands sport adventure.


The Stellenbosch Hotel is a 27 room boutique style hotel that also offers 6 self-catering studio and two-bedroom apartments. The hotel was built on land granted by Gov. Simon van der Stel between 1692 and 1701. The building was restored in 1987 and has been declared a national monument.Available to book online on bookmyroom-sa.com.


Fancy being footloose in the fynbos? Slackpack or quad bike the Green Mountain Eco Route Trail in Elgin, visiting orchards, forests, dams, flower farms and of course, wine estates. Or hee-haw with happiness on the Calitzdorp Donkey Trail. The ass carries your baggage through the spectacular Gamkaskloof valley in the Swartberg for 4 days, so you can stop at wine cellars and ostrich farms on the way.


 

Friday, September 2, 2011

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure

While Harry Potter fans worldwide wait with eager anticipation, Hogwarts Castle is currently under construction at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando, FL! Meanwhile, all systems are "go" for the highly anticipated spring 2010 opening of Universal's newest theme park adventure, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.™

The park's re-creation of Hogwarts, Hogsmeade Village and other iconic locations made famous by the wildly popular movies, will bring the Potter fantasy to life within the Universal Studios Resort theme park. Each setting is being intricately constructed to match scenes from the Potter movie series.

The most obvious signs of Wizarding World construction are the towering steeples of Hogwarts Castle rising triumphantly into the sky. Islands of Adventure guests will soon be entering those castle gates for an opportunity to explore eerily familiar passageways, classrooms and corridors. From there, they can visit the many shops of Hogsmeade to experience and purchase items from popular Wizarding World destinations such as the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes and Ollivanders.

Staying true to the thrills and excitement of the theme park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will also feature a variety of pulse-pounding rides like Dragon Challenge, the Forbidden Journey and Flight of the Hippogriff. Each of these rides and other magic filled attractions will help bring the characters and stories of Harry Potter to life.