Planned Parenthood provides breast exams

My breasts would like to take this moment to thank Planned Parenthood for providing breast exams and other preventative health care when I was a poor college student and contracted teacher with no insurance.

By the way, pink yogurt lids probably won’t make as much of an impact against breast cancer as donating books, ipods, portable DVD players, scarves, beanies and lap blankets to oncology departments, cancer centers and your other local cancer charities. Just sayin’. You could also just donate to Planned Parenthood since they’ll try to find a way to do what they’ve always done, provide healthcare to those in need.

{cc photo courtesy of MHorama on Flickr}

She woke up very early last Saturday so that she and my daughter could cheer me on at mile 5 of the PF Chang’s 1/2 Marathon Relay. Again she proves she’s one of the most awesome aunties in the world.

Plastic bottle Christmas tree

A friend was asking where she could buy cheap Christmas decorations and my automatic reply was to make them. It may take a little more time than buying, but it’s cheaper and so much more fun. She has a daughter so it adds special memories that will become a part of each decoration. Here are a few of the ideas I have found on Pinterest. My mom always made our decorations so I love that her ideas from so many years ago are still being used today. My guess is that many crafters had crafty mamas like me. This holiday, use recycled materials to create the best holiday decorations ever.

{cc photo courtesy of Passion Leica on Flickr}

Source: ohhappyday.com via Etsy! on Pinterest

Simple way to use up colored cellophane from Easter.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Crafty Vivi on Pinterest

This has the potential to be so, so amazing. Take things from around the house and the recycle bin and make your own tree -think bottle caps. We are planning on something similar using that wall putty I used to hang everything in my classroom.

Source: decorareciclaimagina.blogspot.com via Gloria on Pinterest

 

These are so much fun to make. We’ve made ghosts and pumpkins for Halloween. We make these shapes and also hearts for Christmas. I’ve got that Dane blood too so we make white and red hearts for the tree. This is a great way to use up thread and yarn scraps for all you knitters, crocheters and embroidery artists.

Source: thejunkwave.com via Etsy! on Pinterest

 

This is an amazing find, homemade air-dry porcelain. I made this with a teacher when I was younger and could never remember the recipe. You can make anything your heart desires. Little birds, trees, hearts and stars are just a few of the thousands of possible decorations you can create. Use scraps of fabric, yarn, paper and even broken jewelry to bedazzle your ornaments.

 

Make sure to let me know what marvelous things are created from recycled material this holiday season.

Seattle's Best Coffee

Every year I dread Black Friday because I know how many workers must endure the frenzied crowds of frantic shoppers looking for the best deals. This year, some stores decided to open on Thursday evening forcing many workers to miss out on Thanksgiving dinner with their families. I was so thrilled to get an email from Seattle’s Best Coffee telling me they were planning an event to honor the workers of Black Friday. 

“We all know about the huge crowds on Black Friday, but it’s often overlooked how many people are working on Black Friday to take care of them – including the tens of thousands of part-time employees trying to earn a little more money for the holidays,”  said Chris Bruzzo, chief marketing officer for Seattle’s Best Coffee.   “We want them to feel appreciated and we hope that by giving them a free delicious cup of coffee we might make their holidays a little brighter.”

People who will be working on Black Friday can visit the Seattle’s Best Coffee Facebook Page beginning Friday, Nov. 18 to request a free sample.  The first 100,000 participants will be mailed a free sample of Level 3 coffee. This blend is a smooth complex coffee that’s exclusively for everyone and each sample brews a 10-cup pot of deliciousness.  Seattle’s Best Coffee knows there are plenty of non-retail employees at work on Black Friday, like police, fire and medical workers, who are all welcome to free coffee too.

There is a Black Friday deal on the Seattle’s Best Coffee Facebook page for Black Friday shoppers too — a $2 off coupon for the Level of their choice, redeemable at grocery stores and mass retailers. But please remember to be kind and gracious to the workers who are in your service Thursday, Friday and throughout the holiday season. Better yet, buy them a cup of coffee. See an emergency responder, buy them a cup o’ Joe as well.

Visit the Seattle’s Best Coffee website, become a fan on Facebook and follow them on  Twitter. For information about our retail franchise opportunity, please visit www.seattlesbest.com .

¿Trabajará el Viernes Negro? Visite la página de Seattle’s Best Coffee en Facebook (Seattle’s Best Coffee Facebook ) para obtener café gratis

QUE:         Seattle’s Best Coffee está dando un incentivo a aquellos que estarán trabajando duro este Viernes Negro: café gratuito entregado en la puerta de su casa.*

Las primeras 100,000 personas que participen recibirán una muestra gratis de nivel 3 del café enviado por correo a su casa. Nivel 3 es un café suave complejo que es exclusivamente para todos los gustos. Cada muestra sirve 10 tazas de exquisitez.

COMO:     Los trabajadores del Viernes Negro pueden obtener su café gratis con los siguientes tres pasos:

• Presione “Like” en la pagina de Facebook de Seattle’s Best Coffee, www.facebook.com/seattlesbestcoffee
• Llene su nombre y dirección
• Ansiosamente espere a que su muestra de Seattle’s Best Coffee llegue a su buzón

Atención Compradores del Viernes Negro: También hay una oferta del Viernes Negro para ustedes – un cupón de $2 de descuento en nuestros cafés, disponible en supermercados y distribuidores.

PORQUE:      Con algunas tiendas que abrirán sus puertas tan pronto como la noche de Acción de Gracias este año, Seattle’s Best quiere que aquellos que trabajan en el campo de ventas al por menor o relacionado se sientan apreciados al darles una taza deliciosa del café con la esperanza de hacer que sus días festivos sean un poco más brillantes.

CUANDO:     Desde ahora hasta el 27 de noviembre a las 11:59 PM hora del Pacifico.

VISUALES: Pietaje disponible destacando vaporizante café fresco sirviéndose en tazas, café preparado en casa, la pagina de Facebook de Seattle’s Best Coffee y el sistema de niveles de Seattle’s Best Coffee.

Descargue el video siguiendo este link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/sbfb/SBC_BlackFriday_MNR_Final.zip

*Las primeras 100,000 personas que participen recibirán una muestra gratis de café que rinde para 10 tazas. Las muestras estarán disponibles comenzando desde ahora hasta el 27 de noviembre a las 11:59 PM hora del Pacifico.

Joe Hill

I don’t remember ever learning about Joe Hill in school but in later years read that Joe Hill was born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund on October 7, 1879 in Sweden. He was executed in Utah on November 19, 1915. He was a labor organizer/activist and a Wobbly, a member of the International Workers of the World (IWW). I would love to write a whole piece on Joe Hill but it seems best to use his art of music as the story teller. Besides I think he’d like me to send you to the IWW website instead. After all, his dying wish was for people to organize. Well, that and take his dead body out of Utah.

Joan Baez does an amazing rendition of I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night. Being the grand-daughter of a union copper miner brings special meaning to the song for me. I wish my grandfather, Armando, would have lived long enough to tell me his stories of strikes and his pride in never crossing a picket line. He died before I was born but his family told the tales for him. A few weeks back I took my daughter down to the picket against Freeport-McMoRan, a greedy copper company. In that moment surrounded by fellow activists I truly understood why Joe Hill is known as “the Man Who Never Died”. He was there. I definitely felt my grandfather with us that day as well. This post is dedicated to both of them.

{cc photo courtesy of Wikimedia}

African Cats DVD

As an educator  and mother, I find children  more than ready and willing to save the earth, they just need the tools to get started. As adults, we have the responsibility to share our knowledge of about conservation efforts that must come into play because of the disrespect we, as a human race, have shown the Earth.  Films about far-off lands and the amazing creatures that inhabit this globe, like African Cats, is one of the best pathways to teaching children about saving our earth.

In the tradition of the old Disney nature films many of us remember from grade school, African Cats combines humor, drama and reality of life on the Savanna for theses kings of the animal world. The story follow lion club, Mara, who wants to be like her fearless mother. Sita is a single cheetah mother with five cubs.

The film originally arrived in theaters on Earth Day of 2011. Now the video arrives on shelves on October 4th. Purchases made from October 4th through the 10th will help fund the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, helping conserve the land of the African cats featured in the film, the Amboseli Wildlife Corridor.

Here’s the best part. You can win a copy of the DVD just by commenting on how you teach children about conservation. I will be picking a comment at random on October 5th at 5PM MST.

Please download the African Cats activity sheets to share with your children and help them grasp the importance of saving our vital lands.

Cat Challenge

African Cats Map

Savanna Safari

The Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest is on.

Peanut butter is one of those staples that’s become a culinary safety net for many working families. It’s full of protein, inexpensive and compatible with so many ingredients. It can be made into a breakfast, lunch or dinner meal making it valuable for those living from paycheck to paycheck. Jif understands the role peanut butter plays in many family’s lives and is working harder to make a more perfect peanut butter.

Sweet Peanuts

Besides the traditional creamy and crunchy varieties, they have come out with a natural version. None of their  peanut butters contain corn syrup which means a lot to me. Instead, they use cane sugar for sweetening. Even though my daughter has an allergy, I understand the importance for families looking for healthy meals using this inexpensive staple. Here are just a few creative ways to smear a little peanuts into your life.

A Different Kind of Sandwich

Instead of just bread, peanut butter can be spread on a tortilla, pita or crackers. Even apples can be cut into sliced rounds to make fruit sandwiches. Tortillas and pitas rolled into meals can also be sliced making fun pinwheel designs.

Mexican Food

The traditional mole is made from several ingredients, but a simple version can be made by dressing up canned enchilada sauce. Simply add peanut butter and unsweetened cocoa along with fresh chilies to your taste liking. The peanut butter is a great thickener and creates a creamy texture. Even without the cocoa, a little peanut butter adds a creative taste and texture to your enchiladas. Simply add about a 1/2 cup to your sauce before pouring over your dish for cooking.

Thai Food

The Thai culture uses peanuts in several dishes, from dipping sauces to noodle creations. Adding a bit of peanut butter to your next stir fry along with lime and cilantro is a great way to introduce Thai cuisine to your family. Add some hot sauce to peanut butter for a spicy veggie dipping sauce for before dinner snacks.

Jif’s Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest

Now through October 12, 2011 Jif is hosting a creative sandwich contest open to children from ages 6-12. A $25,000 college fund is up for grabs, wouldn’t that be nice? This is the 10th anniversary of this contest and this year’s grand prize winner will also receive $10,000 in additional educational products.

There also another portion of contesting uses essay writing on the topic of , “That’s Why I Choose Jif “. The winner will become one of the judges for the final event in New York City where five child chefs will compete for the grad prize.

To enter, visit Jif’s website for details and applications.

I was not paid for this post but I received a peanut butter care package for my family to enjoy. The thoughts and opinions are all mine.  

Para obtener información en el español, visite el sitio español de Jif.

Jif Spanish

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s said that mom knows best, when life happens we do a pretty amazing job of adapting. How often do you search for the best deal on clothes, food, restaurants and even vacations only to find a better deal later? With financial crisis at hand, it doesn’t make sense to chain yourself to a one price with a contract. Jobs are lost, pay cuts are possible and medical issues with bills are always a possibility. To complicate the situation your phone bill remains the same and even increases in price leaving you held hostage. Straight Talk changes all that.

For $45 dollars a month you can enjoy everything you need including calls, texts, pictures and the web. Straight Talk also offers $10 refurbished phones which are a great choice of children, young adults and those who are rough on their gadgets. For the tech savvy, they offer smart phones and app-ready phones with voice navigation, video recording and more.

Straight Talk also offers international long distance service through a pre-paid service plan. This is a great choice for people like me who offer Etsy products to an international customer base. The best part is that all of these services do not require a contract leaving you free and clear. Better yet, call a friend or family member without worrying about time restraints.

I’m always looking for a deal and changing to this type of phone service has made a huge impact in our family budget. It’s also allowed me to enjoy a nicer phone than I had with the traditional phone plan without being obligated to stick with that service for another two years.

For more information you can check out their Youtube video which includes everything you need.

With the money I now save every month we were able to splurge on more organic produce. What would you use the extra money for?

{cc photo courtesy of JonJon2k8  Flickr}

No Bullying Allowed

Photographer Jen McKena did something that many business owners will not do, she followed her heart instead of the money. Jen’s blog showcases her wonderful work, but it also lets readers into the hopes and fears of a small business owner. Let’s face it, times are tough and it is always scary to be your own boss. When Jen found a handful of young women, her clients, bullying on Facebook she informed them she would not be their photographer.

It spoke so highly of the ripples of change one small business owner can make. Corporations, like Target, must be shamed and begged to stop funding anti-gay groups, but this one women simply followed her heart. By the looks of her Facebook numbers it seems to have benefited her.

Let’s be real here, who hasn’t been made to feel less than human? Who hasn’t been made to feel insignificant of less smart, less pretty, less valuable? Jen did what we all should strive to do more often. Let’s all try to take a leap and make change in the world. Imagine the thunder of wonder coming from a better world made even sweeter by taking a chance. Let’s take on the mean girls, they’re totally outnumbered.

I hope you’ll check out her blog and her Facebook page.

Were you bullied? What have you done to end bullying?

{cc photo courtesy of annavanna on Flickr}