However, have you recently been in a fender bender? Did someone hit your car at the grocery store and drive off without so much as a note? A good services like Madison auto collision will gladly assess your car’s damage and offer you repair options that will save you money!

When you are “just buzzed” your vision and reflexes are impaired thus making a buzzed driver a hazard on the road. Last year in fresno, more than 250 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods. I don’t want you to be one of them. Personally, I choose not to drink alcohol at all but I know that many of you do. Please, if you are going to drink make a plan. Take the pledge, designate a non-drinking driver or plan for alternative transportation.

If you are hosting a holiday party, be a responsible host. Again….plan ahead to keep your guests safe. Here are a few things you can do to to plan a safe party,

• Don’t drink. As host, you need to be sober so that you can monitor your guest’s alcohol consumption.
• Offer plenty of non-alcoholic beverages. Here are some great drink recipes.
• Monitor the door. Make sure none of you guests who are buzzed or drunk get behind the wheel to prevent car accidents.
• Have phone numbers for the local taxi company handy so that you can call if a friend or family member needs a ride.

As we celebrate Christmas and ring in the New Year, please plan ahead to stay safe.

The post Drive Safe this Holiday Season appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Social Responsibility

This phrase encompasses everything from planning the party menu to assessing how guests will get home safely once the party is over. Your role as a responsible party host can keep your friends and loved ones safe.
What Every Host Needs to Know

• Don’t rely on coffee to sober up your guests. Only time can make someone sober.
• Beer and wine are just as intoxicating as hard liquor. A 12-ounce can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce wine cooler and an ounce and a half of liquor contain the same amount of alcohol.
• Don’t rely on someone’s physical appearance to determine if he or she has had too much to drink.
• Mixers won’t help dilute alcohol. Carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed into a person’s system more quickly. Fruit juice and other sweet mixers mask the taste of alcohol and may cause people to drink more.

Office Parties

• Arrange for discounted or complimentary rooms when a party is held at a hotel so employees won’t drive home impaired.
• Hire a shuttle or limousine service to provide transportation for those that have been drinking. Promote the designated driver concept in party invitations.
• Do not push drinks!
• If you provide an open bar, be sure the bartender has had server training to prevent over-serving and serving guests under the legal drinking age.
• Hold a contest for employees to create non-alcoholic drink recipes.

Having a ball-Planning A Party with Polish:

There’s a reason it’s called throwing a party– a host has to be ready to catch some curve balls and juggle the unexpected when it comes to staging an event that’s fun, entertaining and safe for everyone. Responsible hosts know that part of showing guests a great time is making sure they get home safely. Dealing with safe driving is an important hosting duty so we’ve compiled some quick tips to help you throw a memorably successful party without tossing caution to the wind.

• Plan activities like party games, door prize drawings or amateur fortune-telling. Planned activities engage people, make for less active consumption of alcohol and ensure that your friends remember the great event long after the last piece of confetti has settled.
• As guests RSVP, confirm that at least one person in each group is prepared to be the non-drinking designated driver.
• Provide plenty of food to keep your guests from drinking on an empty stomach.
• Avoid too many salty snacks, which tend to make people thirsty and drink more.
• Offer non-alcoholic beverages or mocktails for designated drivers and others who prefer not to drink alcohol.
• If preparing an alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base, like fruit juice. Alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream faster with a carbonated base.
• Be prepared by having the number of a taxi service on hand for those who need a ride. Also, be ready with some clean linens so you can turn your sofa into a hotel for guests who need to sleep it off.

During Your Party-party food:

• Never serve alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age, and never ask children to serve alcohol at parties.
• Don’t let guests mix their own drinks. Choosing a reliable “bartender” will help you keep track of the size and number of drinks that guests consume.
• If a guest appears to be drinking a bit much, offer to freshen his or her drink with a virgin version.
• Do not push drinks! Drinking at a party is not mandatory for having a good time.
• Have fun – but not too much fun. To be a good host, you should stay within your limits in order to make sure your guests stay within theirs.
• Close the bar 90 minutes before the party ends and serve a great dessert treat with coffee. Remember, only time sobers someone who has been drinking.
• If, despite your efforts, some of your guests have had too much to drink, drive them home, arrange for a ride with another guest who is sober, call a taxi, or invite them to stay over.

If a Guest is Drinking Too Much

How do I approach one of my guests who has had too much to drink? I mean, I don’t want to lose a friend.

The first time is the hardest, but your actions could save your friends life or that you cannot let them drive home because you care. Offer to let the guest spend the night, call a cab, or ask a sober guest to drive the intoxicated person home.

• Engage him/her in a conversation to slow down the drinking.
• Offer high protein food.
• Offer to make the next drink and use less alcohol.
• Don’t be afraid to insist that they sit out the sipping for awhile or switch to beverages of the non-alcoholic variety– sparkling cider makes a great substitute for a glass of champagne.

How will I be held responsible if one of my guests is involved in a crash?

The laws vary from state to state, but you could be held responsible for the costs associated with the crash, including medical bills and property damage and be sued for emotional pain and suffering.
Drunk Driving Statistics

• Overall, in 2007, 12,998 people were killed by drunk drivers with a BAC of .08 or greater.
• On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 40 minutes.
• During the holidays, the percentage of drunk-driving incidents typically increases.
• Find more drunk driving statistics.

What can I do to help stop drunk driving?

• Be a responsible party host by following the tips in this brochure.
• Tie a MADD ribbon to a visible location on your vehicle as a symbol of your commitment to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays.
• Write letters to the editor of local newspapers expressing your concern over the drunk driving problem in your community.
• Get involved – become a volunteer for your local MADD chapter.

Myths and Facts About Drinking and Driving

Myth: Coffee can sober up someone who has had too much to drink.
Fact: Only time sobers. It takes about one hour to oxidize each drink.

Myth: Hard liquor is more intoxicating than beer or wine.
Fact: A 12-ounce can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce wine cooler contain the same amount of alcohol and the same intoxication potential as 1 1/2 oz. of liquor.

Myth: Someone who has had too much to drink will look intoxicated.
Fact: Someone’s physical appearance can be misleading. One drink can impair someone’s ability to drive. Judgment is the first thing affected when someone has been drinking and important motor skills are next.

How to Spot a Drunk Driver

These warning signs should be your signal to take down a license plate number, a description of the vehicle and the direction in which it was traveling to report to the proper authorities. Do not attempt to stop the vehicle.

* Straddling lanes or driving on the center line
* Drifting or moving in a straight line at a slight angle to the roadway
* Driving with headlights off at night
* Erratic braking or stopping without cause
* Driving below the speed limit
* Slow response to traffic signals (sudden stop, delayed start)
* Nearly striking an object, curb, etc
* Weaving or zigzagging across the road
* Driving on the wrong side of the road or completely off the road way
* Tailgating

The post Safe Party Guide appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Yes, I just said there were awesome prizes, there always are at Amy’s parties. The grand prize is a Power Wheels A.T. Rex with Monster Traction! Other prizes include a Banzai Titan Blast Rocket, Banzai Skimboard Surfer and Banzai 3-D Sharkbite Water Slide!

Today we got to play with the Banzai Skimboard Surfer. Ok, I watched while my son Aaron and his friends, Kenny and Kyle played. The Banzai Skimboard Surfer is for ages 8 and up, Aaron & Kenny are 16 and Kyle is 13. Check out our video.

It took us about 30 minutes to set up the Banzai Skimboard Surfer. You need to find a flat grassy area to use this on. We actually went to a play yard at our church. We thought the area was flat but once we got all set up we realized there were actually 2 raised areas that made it a little difficult. All 3 boys had a lot of fun. They played for over an hour, and would have played longer if it wasn’t 5pm. The boys all agreed they will have a lot of fun using this over the summer. Their skill increased as the time went along and I’m sure with more practice they will get even better. We think we have enough flat grassy area in our front yard that we can try it at home next time.

Make sure you RSVP for the sitewarming tomorrow (Friday, May 1st) so that you can try to win your own Banzai Skimboard Surfer. If you have never attended a Twitter party before I suggest signing into http://tweetgrid.com, click on party in the top navigation bar, the hashtag is #outdoorplay, the hosts are @resourcefulmom, @JimSilver and @TheToyGuy, fill in your Twitter username and the hold on tight and do your best to follow along! If you have any questions during the party feel free to send me a message to @MomMaven and I’ll give you a hand.

The post Outdoor Play with the Big Kids appeared first on The Mom Maven.

It’s Party Time!! Today marks the beginning of the Ultimate Blog Party 2009.
I have been looking forward to this for a few months.

The post Party Time!! appeared first on The Mom Maven.