It's the Christmas/Hanukkah season. Please consider donating a new, unwrapped toy to Toys for Tots. There are many places to drop off your donation including, but not limited to: many schools, Municipal buildings, many stores have collection bins by the exit doors, many fire departments or EMS buildings.
Times are tough for everyone, but some know that they have to choose between putting food on the table or buying presents for their kids. We know that the holidays aren't about presents, but tell that to a young child that has nothing to open on Christmas morning, or during Hanukkah.
Target, Walmart, Big Lots for starters have great toys for five or ten dollars. Five dollars is around the cost of a cup of coffee from Starbucks, coffee for a week from WaWa or 7-11, less than a pack of cigarettes (in this state), less than a value meal from a fast food joint.
Please consider donating a new toy today. Know that you'll not only be delighting a child who may otherwise be going without presents this year, but think of the relief that you'll be helping to bring to the parents or guardians. Not everyone is in a hard money situation because they make poor spending decisions. Some families have taken on the joyful burden of caring for other children. Some families are faced with unemployment of one or both of the parents. Some families are finding that rising energy costs are just too much for their paychecks that haven't seen a cost of living increase to match today's actual cost of living. And yes, perhaps some have made poor spending decisions. We've all made a purchase that we've later realized that perhaps we should not have made. Don't penalize the children for that though.
And yes, I proudly donate to Toys for Tots, and I have been doing so for years, so this isn't just something about which I'm preaching, it's something in which I actually participate, and no, I don't mean just one or two toys. Toys for Tots is MY "baby" if you will. I have been donating to the cause for about 8 years now.
I was very moved when a friend/co-worker told me that one year she swallowed her pride and accepted toys from Toys for Tots because if she didn't, he daughter would not have have any presents to open up. This was a proud, hardworking, single mother. At the time, her ex didn't have much to do with their daughter, save to build up her excitement for a visit with Daddy, only to let her down. I was amazed (and I don't know why) to find that she was as hard up as she was. She worked a full time job plus two part time jobs.
For this woman to accept help was amazing, and it moved me. It made me realize that one day any of us could be in unfavorable circumstances. One day it could be ME who could be not able to give my children gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. And while I know, and while I tell my children that Christmas is not about presents that doesn't matter when they know that all of their friends will have presents under the tree on Christmas morning. It doesn't matter when they go back to school and they hear all of their friends talking about their cool new gifts, and then they ask them what they got for Christmas.
Can you put yourself in their shoes and have to mutter back that you didn't get anything for Christmas? Can you imagine that feeling inside? Because if you can, then you know how heartbreaking it can be. If you can, then I know that you'll be moved to find an extra five dollars for a new toy for a child in need this holiday season.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Cleaning and Lists
It's amazing what happens when I clean. I find stuff... Stuff that I didn't know was missing, and (if I'm lucky) stuff that's been sorely missed.
My little notebook in which I've been writing my blogs belongs in that second category. I've been lost without if for months now. Not only does it have my mindless ramblings, and late night warblings in it, but it's also home to all of my lists.
Yes, I'm a list maker. They help to calm me. I make all kinds of lists: Things I need from the grocery store, upcoming events in my life (like a calendar, but in list form), things that I have to do over the course of the day, things I'd do/buy if I ever hit the $1,000,000 lotto. Heck! Some days I'd even settle for the $1000 lotto! Anything. Everything. You name it, I'll make a list about it. Like here and here, and I guess that even this is a list too, isn't it? So you already know I like lists.
They help to calm me. they make me feel as if I've got some control over at least some of the things in this hectic, fly by the seat of my pants life that I live.
Perhaps a SCHEDULE more so than a LIST would help to calm me... But then again, isn't a schedule just a list of activities with times attached to them???
Enh, You say TA-mato;
I say TOE-mato.
My list says it's time for me to clean house now... Either that, or no one will have anywhere to have their turkey dinner tomorrow... :-P
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Don't forget to give thanks for EVERYTHING in life -big and small. And don't forget to GIVE, and give from your heart.
Much love <3
Happy Thanksgiving
My little notebook in which I've been writing my blogs belongs in that second category. I've been lost without if for months now. Not only does it have my mindless ramblings, and late night warblings in it, but it's also home to all of my lists.
Yes, I'm a list maker. They help to calm me. I make all kinds of lists: Things I need from the grocery store, upcoming events in my life (like a calendar, but in list form), things that I have to do over the course of the day, things I'd do/buy if I ever hit the $1,000,000 lotto. Heck! Some days I'd even settle for the $1000 lotto! Anything. Everything. You name it, I'll make a list about it. Like here and here, and I guess that even this is a list too, isn't it? So you already know I like lists.
They help to calm me. they make me feel as if I've got some control over at least some of the things in this hectic, fly by the seat of my pants life that I live.
Perhaps a SCHEDULE more so than a LIST would help to calm me... But then again, isn't a schedule just a list of activities with times attached to them???
Enh, You say TA-mato;
I say TOE-mato.
My list says it's time for me to clean house now... Either that, or no one will have anywhere to have their turkey dinner tomorrow... :-P
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Don't forget to give thanks for EVERYTHING in life -big and small. And don't forget to GIVE, and give from your heart.
Much love <3
Happy Thanksgiving
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Backed up blogs...
So, I really do have new blogs to post. -Really, I do! You'd be quite proud of me. I've been keeping a little spiral bound notebook (bought in a back of 6 at Target during their back-to-school clearance sales last year) next to my bed. This way, when the Muse descends right before I fall asleep (as normally happens) I have my trusty notebook (think diary, but I'm too old for a diary -hahaha!) right there.
Unfortunately, even with all of this new found free time I have, I never seem to have time to transfer my ramblings over to the computer for your reading pleasure. And I KNOW how much you love to read my senseless ramblings. :-)
Sooooo.... I DO promise to get them on here.... Sometime.... Shortly.... Maybe....
I know. You miss me. You can't deal without the craziness that is me. I know. You'll have your dose of me soon enough. In the mean time, this will have to hold you over. Don't be too sad. It's okay. I'm still here, and I'm still just as nutty as ever. (More so lately!)
MUAH!
Unfortunately, even with all of this new found free time I have, I never seem to have time to transfer my ramblings over to the computer for your reading pleasure. And I KNOW how much you love to read my senseless ramblings. :-)
Sooooo.... I DO promise to get them on here.... Sometime.... Shortly.... Maybe....
I know. You miss me. You can't deal without the craziness that is me. I know. You'll have your dose of me soon enough. In the mean time, this will have to hold you over. Don't be too sad. It's okay. I'm still here, and I'm still just as nutty as ever. (More so lately!)
MUAH!
Friday, August 14, 2009
The little things in life
So it's the little things in life that really make such a big difference. No, I'm not talking about my Thing 1 and Thing 2 being my little things that make a big difference. They make a HUGE difference. I'm talking about the little day-to-day things that you normally don't think about, but they make things in life so much easier.... And since I love making lists so much, I figured that I'd compile a list of those little, not so often thought about little things for which I'm thankful. Feel free to share your own lists as well. I like to hear about other people's little things. :-)
I'm thankful for (and don't forget, these are the SMALL THINGS in life, not things like God, family, friends, health, ect...)
Twist ties. You know, the little plastic coated wire thingies that you use to close bread bags and stuff. They come in boxes of garbage bags, but I don't use them for the garbage. I use them for so many other things though -even hair bow making!
That bread makers/slicers were smart enough to slice the bread in an EVEN number of slices. So much easier/better then having one slice left over when you use it to make sandwiches.
Self adhesive stamps. Do I really need to explain this one?
Sippy Cups because I was just fool enough to give Little Miss a regular cup, and she dunked her hands in it before spilling it. Luckily it was only water. Unluckily, I spilled the rest of it while cleaning up her mess!
Free samples tucked inside the mail. It's always nice to get a little treasure (and not a bill) in the mail.
When free samples in the mail come with COUPONS!
Thrift Store treasures, like my book I bought for 99 cents, and sold it yesterday for $20.50! :-D
Aluminum foil. I just can't get that plastic wrap to work for me!!
Having a pirate birthday party around Halloween. Woo Whoo! There is sooo much skull & cross bone stuff out for Halloween. I'm really lucking out this year!
Baby wipes. They great not just for cleaning up messy behinds. (EWW!) They're good for cleaning everything!
Debit Cards. They make it easier for me to track my money, and I'm not thinking that I dropped a 20 dollar bill on the ground all the time.
Clothes pins. They're great for clothes lines, of course, but also arts and crafts, letter holders, toast getter's (if stuck between two tongue depressors), and more!
And so much more of which I can't remember right now because I'm sitting down to blog. I've already told you that when I sit here to blog, I forget everything that was on my mind. Gotta love it!
Now, I want to hear yours! Let's remind everyone not to dwell on what seems to be like the huge, horrible things in life b/c life is made up of TONS of little things, little blessings, most of which are over looked all the time. The good, if noticed, certainly outweighs the bad!
Let's hear 'em!!
I'm thankful for (and don't forget, these are the SMALL THINGS in life, not things like God, family, friends, health, ect...)
Twist ties. You know, the little plastic coated wire thingies that you use to close bread bags and stuff. They come in boxes of garbage bags, but I don't use them for the garbage. I use them for so many other things though -even hair bow making!
That bread makers/slicers were smart enough to slice the bread in an EVEN number of slices. So much easier/better then having one slice left over when you use it to make sandwiches.
Self adhesive stamps. Do I really need to explain this one?
Sippy Cups because I was just fool enough to give Little Miss a regular cup, and she dunked her hands in it before spilling it. Luckily it was only water. Unluckily, I spilled the rest of it while cleaning up her mess!
Free samples tucked inside the mail. It's always nice to get a little treasure (and not a bill) in the mail.
When free samples in the mail come with COUPONS!
Thrift Store treasures, like my book I bought for 99 cents, and sold it yesterday for $20.50! :-D
Aluminum foil. I just can't get that plastic wrap to work for me!!
Having a pirate birthday party around Halloween. Woo Whoo! There is sooo much skull & cross bone stuff out for Halloween. I'm really lucking out this year!
Baby wipes. They great not just for cleaning up messy behinds. (EWW!) They're good for cleaning everything!
Debit Cards. They make it easier for me to track my money, and I'm not thinking that I dropped a 20 dollar bill on the ground all the time.
Clothes pins. They're great for clothes lines, of course, but also arts and crafts, letter holders, toast getter's (if stuck between two tongue depressors), and more!
And so much more of which I can't remember right now because I'm sitting down to blog. I've already told you that when I sit here to blog, I forget everything that was on my mind. Gotta love it!
Now, I want to hear yours! Let's remind everyone not to dwell on what seems to be like the huge, horrible things in life b/c life is made up of TONS of little things, little blessings, most of which are over looked all the time. The good, if noticed, certainly outweighs the bad!
Let's hear 'em!!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
It's always playtime...
The inventiveness of a child's mind never ceased to amaze me....
Right now as I write this, Cool Dude and Little Miss have two friends over. Since it's still too went to go outside and there's no T.V. they're using their minds, and playing an inside game. I'm not sure what the game is, but it seems to be some take on hide and seek.
One child goes int he other room and hides their eyes. The other kids then run to the corners of the rooms to hide. The seeker then asks if the others are ready, and if they say yes, the seeker shouts out numbers. The hiders then say yes or no I'm guessing that these numbers coordinate with the corners in the room.
If the seeker guesses the right number, they then must guess who is there. If they guess correctly, that person becomes the seeker. If they guess incorrectly, they hide again, and it starts all over again.
I guess you could say it's hide and seek meets Battleship. :-)
They also play another game called Silent Ball. It's basically catch (with a beach ball) but you cannot speak during game play. If you speak, you're out. If you drop the ball, you're out.
This is one of their favorite games to play together. I think it's because it's Miss M's game. Miss M is the oldest at 9 years old. The others kinda idolize her a bit because she's a "big kid." She like the game because she makes the rules.
They all have fun playing.... for a while... Then they start to bicker, and it's time for a new game.
They really like this new Battleship/hide and seek game they're playing though. Of course, it now reminds me of pool, "7 ball -corner pocket," but instead it's G-Force (Cool Dude's BFF) saying, "Number three?!"
They're so creative! It makes me wish I still had the same creativity when it comes to stuff like that... But then, I was happy to play outside with a reed leaf and a magnifying glass. -No, I didn't start fires! I'd just write my name in all the leaves.
Guess I never was very good at making stuff up!
So funny to listen to these kids play though!
Happy Birthday Dh and Dino Boy!! (Yes, when I wrote this, it was your birthdays.)
Right now as I write this, Cool Dude and Little Miss have two friends over. Since it's still too went to go outside and there's no T.V. they're using their minds, and playing an inside game. I'm not sure what the game is, but it seems to be some take on hide and seek.
One child goes int he other room and hides their eyes. The other kids then run to the corners of the rooms to hide. The seeker then asks if the others are ready, and if they say yes, the seeker shouts out numbers. The hiders then say yes or no I'm guessing that these numbers coordinate with the corners in the room.
If the seeker guesses the right number, they then must guess who is there. If they guess correctly, that person becomes the seeker. If they guess incorrectly, they hide again, and it starts all over again.
I guess you could say it's hide and seek meets Battleship. :-)
They also play another game called Silent Ball. It's basically catch (with a beach ball) but you cannot speak during game play. If you speak, you're out. If you drop the ball, you're out.
This is one of their favorite games to play together. I think it's because it's Miss M's game. Miss M is the oldest at 9 years old. The others kinda idolize her a bit because she's a "big kid." She like the game because she makes the rules.
They all have fun playing.... for a while... Then they start to bicker, and it's time for a new game.
They really like this new Battleship/hide and seek game they're playing though. Of course, it now reminds me of pool, "7 ball -corner pocket," but instead it's G-Force (Cool Dude's BFF) saying, "Number three?!"
They're so creative! It makes me wish I still had the same creativity when it comes to stuff like that... But then, I was happy to play outside with a reed leaf and a magnifying glass. -No, I didn't start fires! I'd just write my name in all the leaves.
Guess I never was very good at making stuff up!
So funny to listen to these kids play though!
Happy Birthday Dh and Dino Boy!! (Yes, when I wrote this, it was your birthdays.)
Friday, July 3, 2009
Pet Peeves
So, this is a topic that I think about very often. I have a lot of them, and most of them are pretty stupid, but they really annoy the heck out of me.
SOOOO, for your reading pleasure, in no particular order, here are some of my pet peeves. What are yours?
1.) When people walk down the wrong side of the hallway, bump into me, and give ME nasty looks -even though THEY'RE on the wrong side of the hall, and THEY bumped into ME. UGH!
2.) When people who have no kids try to tell you how to parent. Yes, I'm glad that you're a terrific babysitter, but babysitting is COMPLETELY different then parenting. Yes, it really is.
3.) When people on eBay send me messages asking me to leave them feedback. I HATE that. I leave my feedback in lumps, and when you email me demanding that I leave feedback for you is NOT going to make me do it any sooner. Besides, feedback is VOLUNTARY not MANDATORY.
4.) Having a really great coupon, and not being able to find stuff to use it on!
5.) The fact that my kids sleep in on days we have to be up early, and are up at the crack of dawn days we can sleep in.
6.) When the big kids at the playground hog the baby swings.
7.) When the big kids at the playground act like wild animals, and my kids think that they're cool, and try to copy what they're doing. IE -jumping off the top of the side of the slide!
8.) Missing puzzle pieces.
9.) White socks.
10.) When, instead of ASKING if they can come over and play, people just SEND their kids over to play.... As soon as I get home.... Before I've even walked in the door.
11.) Having to wait for Little Miss to take a nap, or DH to have five free minutes so that I can jump in the shower. (Of course, this is getting better now since I can take LM in the shower with me. -Thank goodness!)
12.) When the store is having a good sale, and on the first day of it they run out of product... and don't offer rain cheques.
13.) Washing my chapsticks.
14.) DRYING my chapsticks. (Not only does this ruin the chapstick, but ruins all of the clothes as well!)
15.) When DH doesn't answer his phone when I call.
16.) When DH doesn't answer his phone when I call again.
17.) When DH STILL doesn't answer his phone when I call AGAIN.
18.) Children whose soul intention in life is to be mean to my kids and make them miserable.
19.) Forgetting my list of Pet Peeves... Grrrr...
That's about all I can think of now. I know that the list was MUCH longer when I started this posting. Maybe I'll continue it tomorrow.
Feel free to add your own Pet Peeves!
Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SOOOO, for your reading pleasure, in no particular order, here are some of my pet peeves. What are yours?
1.) When people walk down the wrong side of the hallway, bump into me, and give ME nasty looks -even though THEY'RE on the wrong side of the hall, and THEY bumped into ME. UGH!
2.) When people who have no kids try to tell you how to parent. Yes, I'm glad that you're a terrific babysitter, but babysitting is COMPLETELY different then parenting. Yes, it really is.
3.) When people on eBay send me messages asking me to leave them feedback. I HATE that. I leave my feedback in lumps, and when you email me demanding that I leave feedback for you is NOT going to make me do it any sooner. Besides, feedback is VOLUNTARY not MANDATORY.
4.) Having a really great coupon, and not being able to find stuff to use it on!
5.) The fact that my kids sleep in on days we have to be up early, and are up at the crack of dawn days we can sleep in.
6.) When the big kids at the playground hog the baby swings.
7.) When the big kids at the playground act like wild animals, and my kids think that they're cool, and try to copy what they're doing. IE -jumping off the top of the side of the slide!
8.) Missing puzzle pieces.
9.) White socks.
10.) When, instead of ASKING if they can come over and play, people just SEND their kids over to play.... As soon as I get home.... Before I've even walked in the door.
11.) Having to wait for Little Miss to take a nap, or DH to have five free minutes so that I can jump in the shower. (Of course, this is getting better now since I can take LM in the shower with me. -Thank goodness!)
12.) When the store is having a good sale, and on the first day of it they run out of product... and don't offer rain cheques.
13.) Washing my chapsticks.
14.) DRYING my chapsticks. (Not only does this ruin the chapstick, but ruins all of the clothes as well!)
15.) When DH doesn't answer his phone when I call.
16.) When DH doesn't answer his phone when I call again.
17.) When DH STILL doesn't answer his phone when I call AGAIN.
18.) Children whose soul intention in life is to be mean to my kids and make them miserable.
19.) Forgetting my list of Pet Peeves... Grrrr...
That's about all I can think of now. I know that the list was MUCH longer when I started this posting. Maybe I'll continue it tomorrow.
Feel free to add your own Pet Peeves!
Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Old Navy Weekly! Coupon giveaway and leggie giveawa
Okay, so Old Navy Weekly is set to update shortly. This means that a whole new round of coupons are going to be made available for your coupon hunting pleasure!
However, if coupon hunting is not your thing, but you're still hoping to get your hands on a good coupon, visit Christine over at From Dates to Diapers. Old Navy was nice enough to give her a few $65 off $100 coupons to give away. Visit her blog, read the simple directions on how to enter for your chance to win, and cross your fingers! (And while you're there, read some of her great blog and leave her some love!)
Also, I'm still hosting a Jacquelynnies leggies giveaway. Enter here for directions and your chance to win two free pairs of toddler leggies. And don't fret! If you don't win the leggies they're super inexpensive, so you can still buy lots of them!
I think that's about it for now. We're having another play date today. Only one extra kiddo today. It's going well so far. Sometimes I think that having 4 extra kiddos is easier then just one extra kiddo. It makes it so everyone always has someone to play with even if two are squabbling.... Lunch is a little more difficult to prepare, but we're a bit more relaxed overall when there are more kiddos.... Maybe I should open a daycare for the summer -ha! Just kidding!
However, if coupon hunting is not your thing, but you're still hoping to get your hands on a good coupon, visit Christine over at From Dates to Diapers. Old Navy was nice enough to give her a few $65 off $100 coupons to give away. Visit her blog, read the simple directions on how to enter for your chance to win, and cross your fingers! (And while you're there, read some of her great blog and leave her some love!)
Also, I'm still hosting a Jacquelynnies leggies giveaway. Enter here for directions and your chance to win two free pairs of toddler leggies. And don't fret! If you don't win the leggies they're super inexpensive, so you can still buy lots of them!
I think that's about it for now. We're having another play date today. Only one extra kiddo today. It's going well so far. Sometimes I think that having 4 extra kiddos is easier then just one extra kiddo. It makes it so everyone always has someone to play with even if two are squabbling.... Lunch is a little more difficult to prepare, but we're a bit more relaxed overall when there are more kiddos.... Maybe I should open a daycare for the summer -ha! Just kidding!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
