Update on Japan Relief Recycle Challenge...

Ok, so this week Dyl and I trekked to the recycle machines and emptied our weeks of bottle savings...in itself this was quite an experience! Apparently there are various machines to deposit your collections...a plastic machine, a glass machine, and a can machine. Upon learning this, we became a bit...scattered to say the least. LOLOLOL We were then confronted by the recycle "police" who carefully navigated us around the machines, and were helpful enough to teach us the "ins and outs of the joint"! A.K.A. what bottles are acceptable and which are not...Needless to say, we were clueless. But the real laughter did not come until this following moment... Dylan, always my helper, always wanting to be engaged and resourceful, asked (very innocently, and very sincerely I have to say), "But Mom, how do the machines get the bottles to Japan? and how does it help them?" And that readers, was the real moment that I know just how caring and beautiful my baby really is. If it meant shipping bottles to Japan to help them, BY GOLLY that's what we're going to do! LOLOLOL I LOVE MY KIDS! So, in conclusion, today I ordered our "We pray for Japan bracelets" from Lady Gaga's shopping site (all proceeds go to Japan relief efforts)and I can't wait to present them for great efforts! And Dylan rewarded me by sharing this idea with classmates and teachers in his school...Let's spread the word!

A Challenge to be Creative...Recycling for Japan...

Friday morning I was consumed by private issues, financial hardships and personal desires...Fast forward to first glimpses of the devastation suffered by Japan...Images of boats and cars floating together through STREETS in Japan. Images of natural destruction. As I'm sure many of you have read on Facebook, Twitter, and other blogs, the world was taught a lesson in humility. Like many others, I too was grateful for my family, my health, my home and my security (as superficial as it may be, as no one is ever really safe from what is out of our control). But the bottom line is that I was ok. And my boys were also OK.
It is never a good time for a natural disaster, but in times of financial hardships and future uncertainty it is even easier to be cynical about donating. When we are living check to check and huge corporations are falling around us, it is natural to hold on to whatever we have. But then the question arises, "How can we help?"
I racked my brain for a solution that would not impede on my financial situation but would also enable me to fill a cause and teach my children to be creative as well.
Enter the chain of recycling...For this week the boys and I will collect bottles and cans and donate our earnings to Japan. We will recycle to rebuild Japan. Saturday morning will mean a trip to a local distributor to change our collective efforts into some cash donation. I'm not challenging the world to donate, but I do challenge those who think they can't help, to be creative as well as to remain within their own means. So how are you going to help?
If you are unsure about where or how to donate, check out WPIX for their list of organizations and funds. If you hear of any others, please comment on them here to let a friend know!

Sharing details of my breakfast means helping someone get a free meal!

So it begins...I'm back and the opportunities are falling into my lap! Opportunities to help others...
I received an email from Kellogg's about their new breakfast program. By sharing photos or details about what we enjoyed for breakfast we are helping someone else receive a free meal! I did it and it only took seconds of my time! You can do it as much as you please, but by doing it even just once, you've already enabled a hungry individual to enjoy a meal.
Talk about your breakfast and fill a belly!!! Remember to let us know if you did it!
www.shareyourbreakfast.com

A Moment of Truth and Admission of Guilt

I lost flavor for my blog. I felt it was inadequate and non-productive. Didn't serve its purpose.
The reason why? I measured its productivity in headcount. How many people could I collect to do a good deed. How big of a group could I motivate. And when people failed to come, I felt a failure. As if the size of the group could take away from my endeavors. How wrong I was. Life happens; to everyone. What might be my calling today, may be yours tomorrow. But more importantly this blog was intended to entwine charity into my family and our life. Good deeds happen every day and in the smallest of ways. I had fun taking my children to events and planning events. I had a wonderful time bowling with family and friends; I even want to do it again! But in the meantime, I don't plan to stop doing, giving, and blogging!
So with all that being said and confessed,
Welcome to my life of giving, my blog, and MY DATES WITH CHARITY! You are more than welcome to read, join, and be influenced!!!! And as always, please share your dates and doings as well!!!!