Giving Gifts That Give Back

With the holiday shopping frenzy in full force, it's hard to try to find a gift that means something special to the ones you love. Now you can give a great gift that will not only please the recipient, but will also help raise money for kids with cancer. Cookies for kids cancer is a wonderful website where you can buy beautiful, home-baked cookies and have them shipped directly to your friends and family. The website was founded by a mom who was inspired by her son's own fight with cancer. Having a family member who is suffering from cancer is difficult, but having a child in your family with cancer is especially difficult. I know because we have a beautiful four year old cousin who is fighting his own battle with cancer. Thankfully, because of grassroots fundraisers like these, much needed money for research is being raised so that cures can be found so that these kids can grow up and have a long and healthy life. So, don't just give a gift, give a gift of life.

On Thanksgiving Eve, Rosie Delivers A Turkey

Last night, the much touted "Rosie, Live" debuted on NBC. Apparently, Rosie thinks it's a really great idea for her to channel Ed Sullivan and bring back a night-time variety show. Her over-zealousness could not be tamed in this hour of jam-packed celebrity/friends of Rosie's who tried desperately to pull this off. The results were horrific. It was just a very rushed mish-mosh of acts, with a few exceptions, namely Ne-Yo and Alannis Morrisette. Everything else was just fodder for Rosie's lame banter and skits which were more embarrassing than funny. I certainly hope that Rosie isn't intending on making this her regular gig. Personally, I'd rather watch my own turkey defrost than to have to live through this indigestion again.

Twilight, The Book

"Twilight", the movie is a huge blockbuster. The first weekend it opened, it grossed over seventy million dollars. If you are one of the few who have not yet seen the movie, then may I suggest that you read the book first. This gripping story of a young woman who falls in love with a vampire, is not just for teenage girls. I guess you can say that Stephenie Meyer, the author is a romance novelist for the new millenium, but her story telling involves so much more than romance. Her characters, even the minor players, have enough character to keep you turning page after page. Thankfully, for all of her fans, Ms. Meyer had the good sense to turn her book into a series, much like "Harry Potter", and just like "Harry Potter", with the success of the movie version of her first installment, there will be more films to come in the future, but first, read the books! You can, of course, order at Amazon.

Feeding America

I wanted to take the time to wish all my readers a very good and peaceful Thanksgiving. May you be sharing it with someone you love and may you have many blessings on this holiday. I also wanted to tell you that there are many people who may not be fortunate enough to have a home within which to celebrate, let alone a turkey with all the trimmings. We are living through very difficult times right now and with so many people out of work and losing their homes, food banks all over the country are in need of donations. If you are not really sure where you can donate, please check out Feeding America. Formerly known as America's Second Harvest, Feeding America is one of the largest food networks in the country. Here you can make a much needed donation or volunteer your time right in your own community where you are most needed. This is a lovely way to give thanks for all of your own blessings while making someone else's life a little more blessed as well. Have a good one!

Gifts For Guys

Men aren't always the easiest people when it comes to gift giving. I know that for a fact because I've been married to one for over twenty years. It's gotten to the point where I have an anxiety attack wondering what to buy him? I can honestly say I ran out of ideas, but then I found a great website that sells Surefire Flashlights. This will make a great gift for him because he's a home inspector. Not only that, but they also have other great gifts that any guy could use from outer wear that will keep him warm in just about any conditions as well as work clothes, boots, hats and other great stuff guys really like. Not only that, but they have some great giveaways just for shopping with them like a free Schick Quattro razor with every purchase. There is also some other great stuff you can get for free with certain purchases, but if you are shopping for your husband, brothers, bosses or guy friends, then you can really get your money's worth here. Don't forget to check out the close out deals and if you enter your cell phone number you can get text messages with other great offers and coupons. The website is really very well organized so you can shop by brands or by category so you don't have to waste a lot of time trying to find the best gift. Best of all, you don't even have to leave your house to shop and who doesn't love that idea? This post is sponsored by Pay Per Post.

The Terminator

I found this photo of Madonna very creepy. Actually, I think this photo speaks volumes about how this woman believes she has to appear to her fans. How sad! I read rumors that she was spending up to four hours a day working out and that this was one reason for the demise of her marriage. At first I didn't believe it, but after looking at this photo, who could doubt her obession with her body?

Frame Your Face For The Holidays

Everyone needs a makeover every now and then, and the holidays are a perfect time to do just that. You're probably thinking to yourself "yeah right; where am I supposed to find the money to do that?". Well, guess what? You can have a makeover for just under ten bucks with a pair of gorgeous Holiday frames. Sometimes, all it takes is a pair of new eyeglass frames to update your look. The best part about it is that you don't even have to leave your house to do this. You can order the frames from the internet and get them in time for the holidays. There are lots of styles to choose from and they are all so reasonably priced that you can get yourself a couple of pairs in different styles or colors to compliment whatever outfit you may be wearing for that office party or family dinner you are planning on attending. The frames are so reasonably priced that you can also afford to give your spouse and kids makeovers too. These cute frames can be used all year long or you could even get another pair in the Spring to match your wardrobe then. Watch any of those makeover shows, and you will always see those who wear eyeglasses get new frames. Those frames can literally take years off of your face. It's a lot cheaper and faster than plastic surgery and when you get tired of the frames, you can switch them out for a new pair. Do something nice for yourself for the holidays. It will put you in a better mood and who knows, maybe something special will happen under the mistle toe! This post is sponsored by Pay Per Post.

ChaChing

Who couldn't use some extra money right about now? Not only are the holidays coming up, but we are living through the worst economic climate since the great depression. There are lots of crafty things you can do, or have already done, that could bring in some extra cash and there's a great website to help you do just that. Etsy has been bringing a virtual craft fair to the internet now for quite some time and crafters are making money without ever having to load up their cars with their products. At Etsy your items are beautifully displayed and priced accordingly. Of course, there are no guarantees, but there are lots of crafters out there who are doing quite well. One woman claims that here stuffed geese "fly out the door" and she just runs them up on her sewing machine when she needs some extra cash. So, dust off those knitting needles or whatever else you've done in your spare time and see if you can't create something unique that someone else would enjoy. It's not only good therapy for you, but it may bring you the cash you need to fill the car up with gas or buy some groceries.

Meet Ruby

I'm back from taking a much deserved blogging break to report about my newest and favorite reality show simply entitled "Ruby". If you don't already know, Ruby is an absolutely charming, beautiful and captivating southern belle, who is sharing with the rest of the world, her battle with obesity. After her doctor has warned her of some serious health consequences, Ruby enlists her close friends and family to help her lose the weight necessary so she can lead relatively normal and healthy life. She is unbelievably candid about her feelings and there are some very touching and painful moments caught on camera, including people who make rude comments or simply just stare at her in disbelief. There are over 96 million people who suffer from obesity in our country (many of whom are very young people) and this show really goes far to show the issue of prejudice in the very simple things we all take for granted like chairs that are suitable for everyone. How ironic for Ruby when she goes to see a doctor who specializes in obesity, when she realizes that there are no chairs in the waiting room suitable for her. Viewers also become aware of how the people around Ruby have often enabled her to feed (literally) her addiction to food. It is a learning experience for them as well as for us. You can tune in to new episodes of "Ruby" on the Style channel on Sunday nights at 8PM or for more information about Ruby, just click here.

Nikon Makes Holiday Shopping Easier

With the holidays just around the corner, people are probably wondering how they can stretch their dollars so that they can buy gifts for family members and friends. Nikon is stepping in and offering a little help with their newest promotion. As you know, Nikon is well known for their camera equipment, but they offer lots of other products which can make great gifts. For instance, their All Terrain Binocular (ATB) line has become a favorite among those who really enjoy the outdoors. Now, as an added incentive to purchase one of their All Terrain Binoculars, Nikon has a promotion whereby you can recieve a gift card worth either $50, when you purchase one of their Monarch ATB binoculars, or a $25 giftcard if you purchase an ATB binocular from their other lines. With that giftcard, you can purchase some of the other cool gear from Nikon. All you have to do is register the giftcard on the rebate form at Nikonprogear.com and then go ahead and make your purchases. Nothing could be more convenient than that. Nikon Pro Gear offers great women's and men's optic accessories, casual garments and other high performance gear so you can take care of some of your shopping needs all at once. Nikon ATB Promotion will truly make holiday shopping a little bit easier this year! This post is sponsored by Pay Per Post.

Green Bag Lady

When Green Bag Lady Teresa began making her environmentally safe green bags, she probably had no idea how quickly her popularity would grow. Teresa was so passionate about her home-made bags that are made from donated materials, that she was willing to give away the bags as long as the recipients were willing to use the bag while shopping, instead of using the typical store plastic bags. She has received hundreds of photos of people from young children to grandmothers, out and about with their bags lovingly made by Teresa. She became so popular that she appeared on CNN. She's had to stop taking e-mail requests for her green bags, but she is happy to still give them out at events and she also has some great tips on how to make a green bag of your own. People are so passionate about green bags that they have started groups and blogs in honor of her generosity and ingenuity. If you would like to know more about Green Bag Lady and learn how to make your own green bag or watch her CNN piece, just click here.