Lessons We Have Learned

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person. 4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge..mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy.

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you ?once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. 7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. T

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS: At age 4 success is . . . not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 17 success is . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . having money.
At age 50 success is . . having money.
At age 70 success is . . .. having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . having friends.
At age 80 success is . not piddling in your pants.

Save a turkey, order a ham this Thanksgiving!

Save a turkey this year. Dare to be different. Sick of the same old same old. This year, adorn your holiday table with a mouth watering, juicy Spiral Ham from Nueske's. According to them, Since 1887, four generations of the Nueske family have produced genuine Applewood smoked hams, bacon, sausage and poultry.

Today, when artificial smoke flavoring and cost-cutting in meat production are the norm, they still create their products using Granddad John Nueske's original cure recipe (made with brown sugar and pure honey)... and his unique method of slow-smoking over glowing embers of sweet Wisconsin Applewood logs.

That's why Nueske's naturally juicy hams & bacon deliver a delicately smoky, slightly sweet flavor profile that's convinced dozens of accomplished gourmet chefs to insist on Nueske's for their fine dining creations. And, why professional food organizations have honored our smoked hams and bacons with their highest awards for taste and quality.

If you appreciate real, old-fashioned quality when you taste it, we invite you to shop our online store and experience the Nueske difference for yourself. It'll be a dining experience you and your guests won't soon forget.

Need a Last Minute Halloween Costume Idea?

You get an email or text message and you suddenly find yourself invited to a Halloween party, and now you need to pull a costume together. At first you panic, but then you put your thinking cap on and come up with a couple of ideas. And don't forget to bring a small gift or gift basket to the Halloween Host. You can find a wide variety of gifts at Shop The Gift Basket Store: http://www.shopthegiftbasketstore.com

Costume Idea One:

Toga! Everyone has sheets, so just wrap a sheet around you toga-style and pin it in place. Wear sandals - gladiator sandals if you have them - and cut a branch of some type of leaves from the garden for a wreath of "laurels" on your head. Or run to the local craft store to buy a vine. You can use them later to decorate a room in your house.

Idea 2

Be a load of laundry. A great last minute Halloween costume for anyone who owns clothing: gather up some of those clothes which are lying all over your floor anyway and pin them to the clothes you are wearing. Add a couple of dryer sheets in random places and you're a load of laundry that just came out of the dryer.

Idea 3

Try a pun. Some last minute Halloween costumes can be witty. Use makeup to create a black eye and pin a big white letter "P" on to a black shirt and -- voila -- you're a Black Eyed "P." Get a rubber pig snout from a party supply store and wrap yourself in a blanket and you're a Pig in a Blanket;

Idea 4
Incorporate bathrobes. For men, wear pajama pants and a bathrobe and carry a martini glass around: you're Hugh Hefner! For women, try pajamas or a nightgown, slippers, and maybe a bathrobe, put your hair in pigtails, and you're a baby. These are two very easy last minute Halloween costumes.

Idea 5

Use aluminum foil. If you have enough aluminum foil in the house, it can be used for a variety of last minute Halloween costumes. Wrap yourself or your child in aluminum foil and you have a baked potato or a burrito, depending on the style of wrapping. Cover some boxes in aluminum foil and put them over your arms, legs, and middle and you can be a robot. None of these last minute Halloween costumes take much time, just a lot of aluminum foil.

Idea 6:
Raid your closet. Many women have old bridesmaid dresses that they'll never use again -- here's the perfect opportunity to wear them! For this last minute Halloween costume, either wear the bridesmaid dress alone or with a crown to be a princess or with running shoes to be a runaway bride.

Idea 7:
Hit the thrift store. If you're looking for a last minute Halloween costume and you have even an hour free, go to a thrift store and see what you find! You could happen upon a treasure trove of hats, wigs, accessories, and vintage pieces for any last minute Halloween costume you can imagine!

When You Can't Make It To Granny's Send A Gift Basket

The Thanksgiving holiday evokes thoughts of deciding which in-laws house to visit without creating a war, watching The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, football games, and the aromas of turkey and apple pie entwined.

This year, although gas prices have come down considerably since the summer, there is still the economics of whether your family is a plane ride away, not simply a car ride. Sadly, many people who usually jump a short flight to visit family are deciding to stay closer to home. In fact, many college students who would come normally come home for the extended weekend are scrambling to find friends close to campus to stay with.

For those of you who will not be gracing the family table this year, you will still want to create a presence so that you are not forgotten. There are so many options you can choose to be “almost” a part of the gathering. There’s the phone call, a live web cam hookup, an instant message, text message, a card or flowers. However, why not send something that is not only pleasing to the eye, but that can also be enjoyed by everyone all during the day.

Send a gift basket. There are so many delightful gift baskets to choose from: an autumn themed gift, a gourmet food gift basket, a Thanksgiving cookie bouquet, even a turkey made of lollipops! Why not visit Shop The Gift Basket Store at http://www.shopthegiftbasketstore.com to see the different varieties of Thanksgiving Day gift baskets they offer, as well as over 1000 gifts and gift baskets to choose from. And it’s so simple. Just pick, click and ship. We take care of everything for you.

And for those of you whose college students won’t be making it home this Thanksgiving, we offer a wide variety of gifts you can send. There’s the college care package, a traditional Thanksgiving gift basket, gourmet chocolate gifts, cookie bouquets and so much more. After all, they are still your little ones too. It wasn’t that long ago that the kids were fighting over who gets the turkey legs.

So this year when family can’t be together for the Thanksgiving holidays, send a gift. But don’t just send a gift, send a memory. You’ll be glad you did.

Safety Tips for Trick or Treating On Halloween

If you need to send a Halloween Gift or Gift Basket to someone, Shop The Gift Basket Store carries dozens of Halloween gift baskets and treats. Just take a peek!

And a safety reminder to those going out trick or treating this year:

With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across America, the American Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun.

Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.

Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms.

Cross the street only at corners.

Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.

Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)

Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.

Carry a flashlight to light your way.

Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flamable.)

Visit homes that have the porch light on.

Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger's house.

Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes.

Be cautious of animals and strangers.

Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And don't eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.

Happy Halloween!

Devils Vs. Rangers - It's A Suite Deal

This has got to prove the saying "God loves all idiots"...Our sales director attended a business function the other night sponsored by the Somerset County Business Partnership. There were a number of "door prizes" given out that evening, with the grand prize being tickets to a NJ Devils hockey game, donated by PNC Bank. Well, low and behold, she had forgotten to submit her business card into the bowl when she first went through registration.

Right before the drawing they asked if everyone had submitted a business card. Our sales director, not even knowing what the grand prize was, sheepishly walked her card up and put it into the mix. We say sheepishly because as the Sales Director of a gift basket store, she was supposed to have donated a gift basket for this function, but in the commotion of tying up loose ends before the holiday season rush, it had slipped her mind.

Imagine her surprise (and embarrassment) when her name was called. She was the envy of about 100 guys in suits and ties. As she walked up to the podium, she thought about giving the tickets to her nephew who was a big Rangers fan. A hockey game is a hockey game, whether or not it's the Devils or Rangers. At the podium there were a handful of PNC bankers shaking her hand and congratulating her on her win. She was thinking, "wait, it's just two tickets to the Devils game, why the fuss?" All of sudden she was asked to pose for a photo holding onto the leather binder the tickets were in. She smiled gracefully and was about to step off the podium when she heard one of the bankers, say, "Well see you at the suite". Suite, what suite? Then she realized that she had won two tickets to the Devils Vs. Rangers Game and the tickets were in the PNC VIP suite. No wonder everyone was salivating over this prize.

Needless to say, our Sales Director can't pass up an opportunity to network so, sorry little nephew. You will just have to settle for Rangers nosebleed seats.

Finally, management is now looking to add hockey gifts to our line of sports themed gift baskets. For now, take a peek at our football, soccer and golf gifts. Our hockey themed gifts will be coming soon!

Don't Let Your Dog Catch Cold! Dress Him or Her Properly

You know you can't wear white patent leather after Labor Day. So while you pack away your summer white linens and things and drag out your old winter clothes, where's the doggie's clothes? Hum? You don't expect him or her to go outside and freeze in the morning, do you. If so, shame on you. Every good dog owner dresses their pup in something warm. If you don't have anything, take a look at some of this seasons fashions. And for heaven's sake, hurry up and get something quick.

You can dress the little guy (dog) in a frat hoodie, or your little girl(dog) in a sorority ensemble. Will you be heading toward the ski lifts this winter? Don't forget to dress them in a nice ski vests for dogs to keep them snuggly warm. We also have a hooded parka for dogs to wear on those nights at the outdoor firepit (OK, for those freezing cold midnight walks through the neighborhood that you JUST love).

All dog clothing featured here is presented by Fab Dog.

Disney on Broadway - Ticket Sale

Mary Poppins: Click here

The Little Mermaid: Click here


The Lion King: Click here


TICKETING TIPS:Prefer an earlier curtain? THE LION KING and THE LITTLE MERMAID have 7PM performances every Tuesday through Dec. 16.Planning on seeing a Disney show during the holiday season? Beat the tourist rush. Get weeknight tickets in early December for the best seating availability.

This is an advertisement from Disney Theatrical Productions (1450 Broadway, Ste. 300, Attn: Marketing Dept., New York, NY 10018).

Halloween Cocktails for Your Halloween Party

Bartending - Creepy Halloween CocktailsBy Michael Russell

Michael RussellLevel: PlatinumMichael Russell has been involved in online business since early 2001, and whilst spending countless hours each month running his business still finds time for ... ...

Summer is over, but the fun just begins. Autumn brings along, all over the world, holidays to celebrate nature and crops, but there is a certain holiday celebrating the spirits of those who have died: Halloween.

While Halloween is really loved by kids for all that trick-or-treat fun, there's no reason why grownups should not get their own "creepy" treats. You can impress your guests with one of the spine-chilling cocktails listed below, or why not, create a new one in which you'll drop a gummy worm or other weird garnishes.

Halloween does have a few predominant colors: black, red, orange and yellow. Can you master a black cocktail? One that has some devil eyeballs in it? Creepy! Black cocktails are a recent trend. They had an amazing public impact in 2003 when many bars, clubs and luxury restaurants included on their menus some surprisingly flavorsome black drinks, such as Midnight Cosmopolitan, Black Mystique or Blacker Dahlia. Probably one of the most interesting black cocktails is the famous Black Velvet: half Guinness Beer, half Champagne (beer first).
While black cocktails could certainly be creepy and elegant, don't forget the other Halloween colors. Red drinks are as amazing and tasty as the black ones. They lack the soberness of a black drink, but they give a feeling of romance and passion, that's if you need such feelings on Halloween.

The creepy touch comes with a special cocktail such as the Atomic Bomb, our first spine-chilling cocktail recommendation. In a shot glass pour equal parts of Sambuca and Bailey's, then pour over the back of a spoon a dash of grenadine. That's it. Decide for yourself why this cocktail wears its name.

What about a creepy orange cocktail? We've got that too: Passoa Death. Passoa is a sweet liqueur with passion fruit flavor. For this special cocktail, you need vodka, passoa, melon liqueur, orange juice and sprite or 7up. Shake 30 ml vodka with 20 ml passoa and ice. Into a highball glass pour 10 ml melon liqueur over ice and then strain over it the vodka-passoa mix. Fill up with equal amounts of orange juice and sprite and you've got a wonderful cocktail that has nothing to do with death. except its name. But hey, the name itself is creepy enough to get you into the Halloween spirit.

Our third recommendation for Halloween is another drink with a scary name: Red Devil. Shake 20 ml vodka, 5 ml cassis liqueur, pineapple juice and ice and strain the mix into a martini glass. Wow! It's red, it's frightening and with the right garnish it will certainly make the perfect Halloween statement. Your guests will really wonder: is it a trick or a treat?

On place four we have a black cocktail: Black Magic. Shake 30 ml vodka, 30 ml Kahlua and a dash of lemon juice with crushed ice. Strain the mix into a glass and garnish it with a creepy Halloween figure.

Last, but not least, we recommend a very elegant, yet mysterious cocktail: Black Shadow. This is not a black drink, but green. In fact, its color is creepy enough. Shake 20 ml blue Curacao with 5 ml cassis liqueur and ice. Pour into a flute glass and top up with chilled Champagne.
Happy Halloween!
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Bartending
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

How to Keep Your Pet Safe at Halloween

How to Keep Your Pet Safe at Halloween in 6 Easy StepsBy Phil Sikes

The majority of people thoroughly enjoy Halloween celebrations and all the fun that go along with them. Household pets, however, may not enjoy the holiday quite as much. In fact, Halloween can be a dangerous time of year for pets if witches or Satanists in the area decide to sacrifice some unsuspecting animal. The following suggestions will help you to keep your pets happy and safe this Halloween.

* Pet black cats should be kept in the house not just on the day of Halloween itself but also on the days before the holiday. The seriousness of the situation is underscored by the fact that most animal shelters refuse to give black cats to anyone during the entire month of October because of the possible dangers. Of course, black cats are not the only pets potentially in harm's way during Halloween.

* Dogs are also better off inside the house or in some other way detained during Halloween festivities. This is because some dogs may become over excited or over protective of the home when they see trick-or-treaters waking through the neighborhood. You certainly would not want your dog to get loose and chase down some unsuspecting children.

* Both dogs and cats can become seriously ill if they ingest chocolate. Since there will be lots of excess Halloween candy around, be sure that none of your pets get into the chocolate.
* Especially at Halloween time, it is very important that you dog or cat have the proper identification tags on them. If for some reason your pets get away from you, everything will work out much better if they are wearing current ID tags.

* Pets can become very agitated when they are exposed to unfamiliar people, sounds, and sights. For that reason, a Halloween party is no place for pets. If you have such a party at the house, make sure that your pets are kept away from the goings on in a safer place.

* Alcohol is extremely dangerous for both dogs and cats. It can actually be lethal. Taking that into consideration, if you notice that someone at your party is trying to offer alcohol to your pets, it would be best to ask them to leave. Not doing so could be harmful to your pets.

Halloween is lots of fun, but that fun is not designed for pets. Keeping them safe and secure on Halloween night will ensure that they will stay with you for years to come.
Now's the time to start planning your Halloween costumes for this year. Don't wait until it's too late and the good ones are all sold out. Get lots of fun costume ideas on the Get In Costume website, where you can also get a free copy of my report "The Family Guide To Halloween Safety."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Sikes

Make Your Halloween Party A Hit - Games For Adults

Make Your Halloween Party A Hit - Games For AdultsBy Nicola Kennedy

No party is complete without party games; even an adult Halloween party. The games need to be exciting and entertaining in order for you to have a successful fun filled Halloween party. A few ideas that are sure to appeal to adults of all ages are listed below.
Shooting hoop – You can not go wrong when you have this game at your Halloween party. Everyone loves to test their skill to see just how many times they can make the basket. It’s fun and exhilarating.
Pumpkin carving contest – This is a great way for your guest to test their skills against each other to see how they measure up on carving a pumpkin or jack-o-lantern.
Throwing darts – Throwing darts is a great game of skill. It will keep your guest busy for hours. You just want to make sure that it is located in a safe place where you won’t have to worry about any accidents occurring.
Karaoke – Karaoke is a favorite of many adults. They love to show off their singing talent in front of an audience. Even if you prefer to not join in on the actually singing, who don’t like listening to others perform their songs? It’s very entertaining and you can even offer a prize for the one voted the best from the response of audience.
Tug of war – Tug of War is a great game of strength that is a Halloween hit. Both men and women alike love to show how tough they are. What better way to do this than by participating in a nice game of tug a war. You can have couple match or divide the men and women into two groups and have them compete against each other. The guest can form their own teams and compete against each other to see who is the strongest.
If you still feel like you need a little extra to keep your party exciting, how about a dance contest? Many couples love to show off their dancing skills and this would give them the perfect opportunity. When you include these ideas in your Halloween party you will have something for everyone to enjoy.
Nicola always enjoys Halloween parties with her family. Visit her Halloween site for tips and information about Easy Halloween Costumes at http://easy-halloween-costumes.best-halloween.com/
This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Best-Halloween.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicola_Kennedy

Get into Disney World free in 2009 (on your birthday)

Disney Press Release:

September 18, 2008
IN 2009, COME TO A DISNEY PARK ON YOUR BIRTHDAY AND GET IN FREE!
A Disney 'First' Launches 'Celebration Vacation' Travel Trend

NEW YORK (Sept. 18, 2008) Everyone who visits a Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort theme park on their birthday in 2009 can get in free, as Disney Parks embraces a newly identified family-travel trend called "celebration vacations."

A June 2008 survey of approximately 4,600 adults conducted by Ypartnership reveals that vacationers are increasingly motivated by events of high "personal significance" - milestone anniversaries,and birthdays, weddings and honeymoons, graduations and reunions and more. Seventy percent of respondents revealed they have taken a vacation primarily to celebrate a special occasion.

In 2009, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts will lead this growing trend with new entertainment and services that allow guests to turn their personal milestones into magical Disney experiences.

And to kick it all off: a first-ever opportunity for guests to receive a free ticket to one of the Disney theme parks on their birthday in 2009.
"Birthdays are the one occasion that we all share every year," said Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, at an announcement event today in New York. "We thought a free birthday ticket would be the icing on the cake as we extend this new 'celebration vacation' trend to Disney Parks."

"The motivations revealed in this fascinating piece of work suggest that vacations are increasingly viewed as an appropriate way to either recognize or reward the participants for some event of great significance in their lives," said Peter C. Yesawich, whose marketing services firm conducted the survey. "As such, we call them 'celebration vacations'."
Research showed that when families take that "celebration vacation" they are looking for destinations that provide activities for children and - better yet - activities that adults and children can enjoy together, Yesawich said.

"Given these findings, it's not surprising that Disney Parks topped the list of destinations where families would most like to celebrate these special occasions," he said.
Respondents rated these as the top destinations for a celebration: Disney theme parks (40% combined), Hawaii (18%), Florida {other than Walt Disney World Resort} (13%), Europe (13%) and the Caribbean (12%). Interestingly, respondents without children in their household mentioned Walt Disney World Resort as the preferred destination for a "celebration vacation" with a comparable frequency to those with children (33% versus 27% respectively). The same was true among respondents over 55 years of age versus those between 21 and 34 years of age (34% versus 29% respectively).

"We see our parks as the ideal setting for a personal celebration," Rasulo said. "Guests can immerse themselves in their favorite stories and their favorite characters, creating a visit they'll never forget.
"And when our cast members get involved, it feels as if the entire park is celebrating along with you."

At Walt Disney World Resort, guests can add on to the fun, choosing from more than 200 experiences ranging from breathtaking (magical fireworks cruises, sunrise safaris, diving the depths with undersea creatures) to mirth-making (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, character dining, kids' pirate adventures). At Disneyland Resort, celebrants can book more than 50 magical experiences including "My Disneyland Birthday Party" and guided tours that reveal Walt Disney's inspiration for Disney Parks.

With all there is to do in Disney parks, guests can tailor their celebration with favorite attractions, favorite characters and special experiences. Maybe they have a "princess" day with themed meals, shows, attractions and perfectly princess merchandise at Disneyland. Or they turn Walt Disney World "wild" with trail riding, bass fishing and parasailing.
Thanks to new Web tools, guests can discover magical experiences, unique events, dining enhancements and more. The planning tool is accessible by way of www.disneyparks.com.
Disney Parks also is presenting park experiences with memory-making in mind, including street parties in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park, a Tomorrowland video dance party (Walt Disney World Resort), a celebration barbecue and festive birthday party (Disneyland Resort) and colorful park décor.

Disney parks are the ultimate setting for any celebration, turning a special occasion into a magical Disney experience. And with the opportunity of free admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort theme park on your birthday in 2009, it's even more special. All it takes is a valid ID including proof of birth date. Guests can get more details and start the process by registering their birthdays at http://www.disneyparks.com/.

Free theme park admission details: To receive free admission to one of the Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme parks on your birthday in 2009, guests must bring valid ID including proof of birth date. Guests who already hold a valid multi-day ticket they will use on their birthday may choose from other birthday treats instead, however, no cash refunds or credits will be given. To register your birthday and find out more details, visit www.disneyparks.com.
# # #
Contacts Zenia MuchaCorporate Communications(818) 560-5300