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Do You Know How Easy it is to Give Back to Kids in Need this Year with #BagitForward?

#BagitForward - Elmer's 1st Day App

Pay it forward with the #BagitForward campaign

I’m not a teacher. And my little girl isn’t in school yet. But my mom was a teacher when I was a little girl, and I remember how much of a struggle it was for her to keep up with the expenses. And how unfair is that? You go into an occupation that’s all about helping others, knowing that you won’t make a huge income. But then to find out that you’ll also have to shell out a bunch of your own money each year to help out your students who’s parents can’t afford them, or the extra things that you need for projects that the school doesn’t supply. {Are you a teacher? Learn more about how Elmers supports teachers with their Teachers Club.} That’s why I am a huge fan of the Bag it Forward campaign – a super easy way to give back. Keep reading to learn a little more….

elmers first day app

Bag it Forward with Elmers 1st Day App

The 1st Day App is available to be downloaded on Android and Apple smartphones using the posted QR codes located on the big in-store displays at Walmart, or by visiting www.the1stDay.com. It’s quick and easy to download. So – why should you take a minute to do even do it? Lemme tell ya …

For every photo uploaded, Elmers will donate one product to the Kids in Need Foundation {KINF} – up to 200,000 products. Awesome.

So what is it, exactly? It’s a super sweet app for parents and teachers, where you can easily store all of your favorite school year memories. Yes, you can use an app like Instagram for pics. A site like Facebook to share stories. But this is a fun app that lets you combine it all – teachers can look back at their fave memories from each year’s classes. And parents can capture those  sweet photos of walking their kids to their first day of school, along with class pics, report cards, and funny stories. Fun, right? And it’s fun that gives back too. So now the question becomes – why would you NOT get this app? {Want more info? Check out this great video here – Elmer’s – The Official Sponsor of the 1st Day of School.}

school supply lists for back to school

Walmart School Supply lists make back to school shopping simple

Watch for these in your own local Walmart – they’re a big display filled with all of the local school supply lists. Because heck, admit it moms – we’re not always on top of everything, am I right? So to help keep you from letting back to school shopping wait until the very last minute, you can just grab one of these next time you’re already shopping – instead of waiting for the school list to come in the mail. Love that. Because while I don’t have kids of my own in school, I do have a couple of live-in nephews that I shop for, so this was amazingly helpful for me this past week! {Want to see my Top 10 Back to School Must Haves?}

elmers glue products for back to school

Walmart has quality school supplies for back to school

So – my goal while I was shopping was to stock up on a few of my own basics that I need all the time at the SUPER low prices Walmart has this time of year, and then to find a bunch of really fun and affordable goodies to make a donation for one of the kid’s teachers when school starts. I absolutely LOVED that there were super cheap basics – but there were also super sweet deals on “fun” type stuff, like fun stickers to decorate binders, fun pen and pencil sets, post-it’s, and more. Very cool selection this year. So I had a blast shopping for this project – and definitely filled up my cart! {Want to see my huge selection of goodies? See the whole shopping trip on Google+.} And check out Elmers.com for cool special offers to save even more.

crayons and colors for school supplies

Back to School is easier with Walmart

Another super sweet set of deals is on “colors” – crayons, markers, and colored pencils, and watercolor’s are all .25 to .50 cents each. It’s been awhile since I shopped for this stuff, and I was just blown away by what great deals there were on this stuff. So cool. But – as I stock up on notebooks and pens for myself, crayons for Abby, and supplies for this #BagitForward donation, and think about what a great deal I’m getting…. It just drives it home even more how sad it is that some familes can’t afford to get those same types of supplies for their kiddos. It just makes me even more glad that even on our tight budget, I have the ability to at least do this small part to help out with a donation basket for our local fave teacher. {Want cool ideas on how to use all of these great Elmers products? Check out this site filled with tips for busy parents.}

#bagitforward donation to pay it forward

Paying it forward makes me smile

I hope that this post and info inspires you to pick up some extra supplies next time your shopping too. Seriously – at .15 cents to a couple bucks for bigger supplies, anyone can pick up a few extras to pay it forward to someone who needs it. Whether you share them with a local agency that helps low-income families, your fave school or teacher, or even a kiddo in your life who would appreciate a few extra things to make the school year a little easier – I can guarantee you that your gift is appreciated, and that it’s one of the most meaningful ways you can spend a few bucks.

Learn More:

Want to get involved? Of course you do – my readers rock! First – read more stories and find more info about this campaign by following the #BagitForward hashtag on Twitter. Then make sure to connect with Elmers on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

{Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and and Elmer’s.  #BagItForward #CBias #SocialFabric.}

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Posted by on July 30, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | No Comments

Encouraging Kids Imagination Package: $415 Value

Cultivate Health & Imagination! I’ve partnered with some amazing family-friendly bloggers to put together a very cool giveaway for you guys… Both prizes are seriously amazing, and perfect for any kiddo in your life. Educational, high quality, and super fun – Enter to win this beautiful Simple Hearth Play Kitchen by Nest…

And…the Copy-Kids eat fruits and vegetables DVD! You many read the full review here! {I’ve watched this one with Abby SO many times. It helped her learn what all of the different fruits and veggies were called, and made them “fun” – so that she would ask for good stuff all of the time. SUCH a great DVD.} [Read more…]

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Posted by on July 5, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | No Comments

Has a Nurse Ever Saved the Day for You?

“You know you’re a nurse if… you triage the laundry when at home: This pile needs immediate attention, the pile can wait, this pile, with a little stain stick will be OK until you get back to it.” – Donna Wilk Cardillo… If you’ve ever spent any time at all in a hospital, you know that the quality of the nurses who attend to you can truly a difference in your experience. I mean, doctors are great, but honestly – whether it’s at your doctor’s office for a basic check-up, a hospital emergency room, or an in-patient stay at the hospital – you spend a heck of a lot more time with your nurses than you ever do with your doctor. Which is why I want to give a little shout out to an amazing nurse that made a difference in my life, and give you all a chance to recognize a great nurse who’s made a difference in your life too…

maternity pic

“When you’re a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.” – Author Unknown

I’d originally planned to use this article to finally tell you all the story of Abby’s birth. Until recently, that was THE scariest day I’d ever faced in my entire life. But then last week I endured scariest thing I’ve ever been through, ever – My Toddler Had a Seizure: What I Learned Might Help You Too – And while things have recovered and calmed down amazingly well, the whole situation is still so vivid in my mind. And, it reminded me of what a difference the right set of medical professionals can make, especially nurses… I hate to have to say bad things about anyone, but I would be lying if I said that I felt ok about the way that the Emergency Room staff treated us during our ordeal… Abby had already suffered through two very mini seizures at home before we got to the ER. They were only around 5 seconds each, but they were horrible. So when the full one hit after being in the ER for an hour – I thought we would get some help. I was wrong…

“When you’re a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.” – Author Unknown

Abby’s full seizure hit in the middle of a blood draw, for testing. The Phlebotomist continued taking blood, although we were yelling that Abby was seizing. Mike tried to hold Abby’s arms steady, so she wouldn’t fall off of the big hospital bed – since no one had pulled the safety rails up. I held her feet, then let go to run and open up our curtains, and shout for help. I came back to hold Abby… And looked back to see a whole counter of ER staff looking at us, not taking action. After I screamed for someone to help us – finally, a couple people wandered in, then finally started helping – grabbing an oxygen mask for Abby, hooking her up to monitors, and making sure she was breathing and safe. I understand that in the ER a seizure is probably an everyday type occurance. But for us, this was the scariest thing that had ever happened in either of our lives.

“A nurse will always give us hope, an angel with a stethoscope.” – Terri Guillemets

After getting Abby stabilized, we were moved upstairs, and admitted to Pediatrics for the night. There, we were welcomed into an atmosphere that was a complete 180 from the ER… The nurses were so amazingly compassionate, caring, and involved. When we arrived to our family room there, Abby still didn’t really know who we were. She was hooked up to lots of wires and monitors, very scared, and extremely confused. The nurses who got us settled in asked us if she had any type of favorite “lovey” at home – a doll, blanket, toy, anything – that made her feel secure and calm. Mike told the nurses that we didn’t have anything particular, Abby just loved all of her 27 baby dolls she’d carry around the house…. We were just joking. But within 5 minutes the nurses had returned with a baby doll for Abby to hold and cuddle, as she settled into her strange new surroundings at the hospital. The care and consideration that they showed to us then, and over the course of the next day as we monitored Abby, was more appreciated than I can ever say. We KNEW that those ladies cared for us, and were truly invested in Abby’s recovery. The doctor was amazing too – but since 90% of our day was attended to by the nurses, they were the ones who made the biggest impact on us.

“Nurses – one of the few blessings of being ill.” – Sara Moss-Wolfe

Did you know: the healthcare field is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses; there is currently a nationwide vacancy of over 100,000 positions, and that number is expected to grow to 800,000 by the year 2020? It’s amazing to me that a job that makes such a dramatic impact on the lives of so many people could be going unfulfilled. The positive side to this? The career outlook is excellent for the nursing field. And nursing is a highly regarded profession: a 2011 Gallup Poll announced that the public voted nurses number one for “honesty and ethical standards of various professions” for the eighth consecutive year. Nurses offer patients comfort, care and skill that is desperately needed in patient care. The time is now to encourage and celebrate this important role in our healthcare system. If you know an amazingly wonderful nurse too, then you’ll definitely want to make sure to enter them into the Amazing Nurses Contest, from J&J…

Nominate an Amazing Nurse

If there’s a special nurse that has made a difference in your life that you’d like to honor, visit the Amazing Nurses Contest site  before June 29, 2012, to share their story, and give them the chance to be recognized for their amazing compassion and skill. The form is pretty simple to complete – it took me less than 3 minutes to totally fill in the info to nominate the amazing nurse we had during our stay at the hospital with Abby. {By the way, she had totally recovered. They are hoping that what she had was called a Febrile Seizure – meaning it wasn’t too dangerous, but it’s very common in kids under 5, and odds are high it will happen again.} *A few details: The winning Amazing Nurse and his/her guest will attend the 2012 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute show in Los Angeles, courtesy of CNN. He or she will also be honored in a video profile which will be screened before the live audience at the show, and featured on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook page. (*Eligible Nominees for the Amazing Nurses contest must be a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) who currently administers direct patient care.)*

Share your favorite story of a nurse who’s made a difference in your life – I love reading your comments…

{I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

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Posted by on June 27, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | 2 Comments

Who wants a $200 Amazon Gift Card for Summer Shopping?

Who doesn’t love Amazon, right? – I’m super excited to bring you this awesome giveaway… One lucky winner gets a $200 Amazon gift card to stock up for summer. How cool is that? Imagine what you could do with a free $200 bucks to spend on the sweet deals at Amazon… You could makeover your outdoor space with cool new solar lights and bright serving dishes for entertaining. Or maybe pick out a bunch of fun pool toys and outdoor games for the kids. Heck – you could blow it all on one sweet new summer handbag if you wanted to! Amazon carries just about anything you’re dreaming of for summer….


a Rafflecopter giveaway

This contest is sponsored by Henderson Properties, Inc.

Have fun and Good Luck!!

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Posted by on June 13, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | 1 Comment

When Mothers Need a Little Help…

newborn baby and momma

“Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.” – Lin Yutang

I remember this moment perfectly. This is in the tiny visiting room, in our hospitals NICU wing… It was only the second time that I was able to hold Abby, and it was the first time that I was able to bring her into the visiting room, so that my family and friends could finally see her too. She was born almost 3 weeks early – totally unexpected. She was my first, and only, baby. And her delivery was terribly traumatic – the NICU team was brought into the room during delivery, and had to whisk her away before I could even hold her. I knew that she’d been in distress, but wasn’t sure what was going on – I was just focused on pushing. But she came out white as a sheet, not making a sound… I watched the worried faces of the people in my now over-crowded room as they rushed her out… When the doctor came back to talk to me, he said we would know in the morning whether or not baby Abby was going to make it. It was the most emotionally exhausting day I’d ever been through.

baby and giraffe

“Making the decision to have a child – It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”– Elizabeth Stone

Thankfully, by the next day, Abby was improving. By that evening, we knew that she was going to be ok. Slowly they were able to take all of the tubes, and IV’s, and monitors off of her – so that I could finally hold this sweet baby girl I’d been waiting so long to meet. But I remember that first day, waiting. Going between my hospital room where people came to poke me and ask questions or talk to me about Abby, and the NICU where people would poke Abby and do tests and give me updates. It was incredibly stressful, feeling so helpless…. And I really remember how the small acts of kindness from friends, family, and even strangers truly made a difference in my life. One girlfriend learned that I had packed a last minute diaper bag, and had forgotten so many things. She brought me a bag of my favorite snacks, plus hair bands, lip gloss, and toothpaste. Love her. One of the nurses walked with me down to the garden, to give me a place to try to relax and get centered. And, remembering those things that helped me when I needed it is is part of why I am now a huge supporter of a wonderful program from Johnson’s Baby. It’s called Johnson’s Baby Cares, and here is how it works:

  • Care Kits: Johnson’s Baby is putting together Care Kits, filled with baby essentials like lotions, washes, shampoos, diaper creams, etc. These will be distributed to families in need immediately after a disaster. Imagine how scary it must be to go through any type of natural disaster anyway – but how frightening it would be dealing with the aftermath while caring for a new baby?
  • Donations: Provide funding that enables Save the Children programming, such as Child Friendly Spaces, which supplies moms and children with safe areas to recover, play and experience the joy of being together as a family following a disaster.

What an amazing thing for a company to do. All moms know and trust Johnson’s Baby products, but learning that they are using their power and profits to give back to communities in need makes me appreciate them so much more. When you’re going through a crisis, having someone step in to offer you a little help, and tell you that they care, can make all the difference in the world.

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.” – Jill Churchill

Ok, am I the only one crying here? That video really moves me – it reminds me of my favorite piece of advice that I received while I was in the hospital with Abby. One of the nurses sat with me for awhile, next to Abby in the NICU. I was feeling so overwhelmed, and unsure of myself as a new mom. She said to remember that as a mother, to always “Do your best, and forget the rest.” As long as you know that are you are doing the very best that you can do, and always striving to learn and grow along with your new baby – then you’re doing good enough. Her words have stuck with me all this time.

“God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.” – Jewish Proverb

If you’d like to help support Johnson’s Baby Cares, and the Save the Children organization, visit them on Facebook to learn more. If you remember a time that the help from someone else was a blessing in your life as a mother, this is a great way to honor that memory, and help give back to another mom out there who needs a little bit of help from you…

{Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.}

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Posted by on May 28, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back | 1 Comment

Memorial Day: Support Our Troops at the Virtual Wall of Remembrance

The real meaning of Memorial Day – For so many of us, Memorial Day means a day off of work, the first real kick-off to summer, burgers and BBQ’s, camping and good times with family. And – I don’t think that there is anything wrong with celebrating like this, and enjoying a great day. But I do think that it’s important to take a little time today to remember why we observe this holiday, and show some respect and honor the memories of our soldiers past and present.

Memorial Day: remembering the fallen

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” – Joseph Campbell

Visit the Virtual Wall of Remembrance – If you’d like to take a moment today to honor family or friends who have or are still serving, or even just a general show of support to our military men and women, you can visit the Virtual Wall of Remembrance today, on PBS.org. Just click on one of the conflicts listed on the left to submit a remembrance of your own, or to read moving remembrances submitted by others. For those who request it, they will ceremonially hand-carry your eulogies and remembrances directly to the appropriate memorial site – the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial or Arlington National Cemetery (for Iraq & Afghanistan). What an amazing thing that they’re doing here, right?

Watch Remembering Our Fallen on PBS. See more from National Memorial Day Concert.

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” – From a headstone in Ireland

My grandpa was in the service, but never spoke of it. And my mother has been a member of the ladies auxillary at the VFW {Veterans of Foreign Wars} local hall for years. I have spent so many hours over the years sitting down there with her, talking with the older vets who come in for a beer and conversation. It’s amazing what some of these guys have been through in their lives – and shocking at how little our government sometimes does to support them, their injuries, and their needs after the war is over. I know that a few kind words, and a thank you for their service, sincerely mean the world to them. So – there is no reason to feel guilty for using a great summer day to celebrate the sunshine with your friends and family – but I do urge you to also take a minute to celebrate the great deeds done by our military members too. Visit the Wall of Remembrance, leave a message of support, and learn more about the real meaning of Memorial Day. If you or someone you know needs additional assistance, there is also a link to some great services for veterans too.

Thank you for showing some support – and have a Happy Memorial Day!

{Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated for this post. I read about this Wall of Remembrance yesterday, and knew that there were a lot of you who would probably appreciate it as much as I do.}

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Posted by on May 28, 2012 Filed Under: Holidays, Giving Back | 1 Comment

Celebrating Life’s Wild Moments!

Glad Black Bag wants to help moms celebrate life’s “Wild Moments” – Because, when you have a life with kids in it, you know that good times can often end up with BIG messes too. Have you ever beaten yourself up over a broken glass or a spill on your dining room chair? Life is full of those oops moments – which is why Glad Black Bag has teamed up with the Picker Sisters – best friends and interior designers Tracy Hutson and Tanya McQueen – to celebrate and cleanup those wild moments, and then find ways to reuse discarded items.

trash to treasure with the Picker Sisters

“Don’t blow it – good planets are hard to find.” – Quoted, Time

I can’t believe that I hadn’t heard of this show before! The only time that I watch watch TV usually is when I join the Mister for one of his shows. Some of my favorites that he watches are shows like Storage Wars or American Pickers, so when I heard about this, I went right out and ordered  Picker Sisters: Season 1 – I’ve always been such a big lover of the “trash to treasure” idea. I love “junk-crafting” – finding ways to reuse things and make them cool again. {Get inspired by some of my favorite clever ideas on my Junk Crafts board on Pinterest!} Read what the sisters say about it –

“We live by the saying, ‘one person’s trash is another’s treasure.’ In fact, on our television show, we travel across the country to find reclaimed trash to turn it into treasure for our store,” said Picker Sister, Tracy Hutson. “However, you don’t have to travel far beyond your home to find items worth transforming into beautiful pieces.”

I’ll be sharing a post tomorrow filled with a bunch of their best tips, to help you take your own trash and junk pieces and turn them into treasures! I’ll share some of my favorite ideas and tricks too. {If you have any cool ideas to share – leave me some comments here, and maybe I’ll feature YOUR great ideas tomorrow too!}

Glad bag art auction

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” – Native American Proverb

Glad Black Bag is partnering with Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanups across the country – they’ll be collecting trash items, and providing them as materials to mosaic artist Jason Mecier, who will combine them with trash collected from celebrities like Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon A Time) and Nathan Kress (iCarly) – and then turning them into one-of-a-kind treasures!  Four pieces of art will be auctioned off during the Glad Black Bag art auction on eBay – {you can bid on them here from April 16-26th, 2012!!} – with proceeds benefiting Keep America Beautiful’s Great America Cleanup events. How cool is that??

“The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.” – Ross Perot

No matter what WILD moments life throws your way – you’ll be prepared for any messy clean-ups when you stock up on Glad Black Bags. They’re the bags with that cool diamond print texture – you know, that stretch with your trash, to prevent rips or tears, and keep that trash that you CAN’T turn into treasures secured safely for disposal. Because there’s nothing worse than cleaning up a mess TWICE! {Seriously, the Glad Black Bags are my very fave around this house.}

  1. Connect with the Picker Sisters, Tanya and Tracy on Lifetime.com.
  2. For additional information on GLAD Trash, visit, www.glad.com.
  3. See the other amazing trash to treasure collections on Ebay.com.

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Glad Black Bag and received a Glad Black Bag product and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. I was also asked to “pin” one (1) Glad Black Bag Art Auction photo on Pinterest.}

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Posted by on April 20, 2012 Filed Under: Giving Back, Green Living | No Comments
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