My family will be feasting on special treats and elaborate meals over the next few days. thought that it was high time that I start thinking of those who will not have such an opportunity. At this time of year or any other…
So, I’m thankful to have just learned about the Three Square agency (as in three square meals a day, get it?). The Three Square Food Bank is a national model project based right here in the Las Vegas Valley. Their mission: “To provide wholesome food for hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger free community”.  This is combined [...]

Toms Shoes is gearing to give away 30,000 pairs of shoes to children in Ethiopia, but they need our help: for every pair purchased, they give a pair away. Here’s my previous blog post on the oh-so-cool Toms Wrap Boots. The last time, I forgot to mention that these are Vegan shoes too!
This video explains why, for health reasons, kids in Ethiopia really, really need to wear shoes.

You can BUY TOMS SHOES HERE or in my Favorite Gifts list (through Amazon.com) in the right column. They have women’s, men’s and children’s sizes and the fab Wrap Boots. GREAT Christmas gift [...]

After much debate, we have decided to stay home this Christmas. This is always a hard decision for us since we have no family in the area. In the last 14 years since we have moved 3000 miles away from our families, I’ve had to battle this sense of isolation since there are no extended family gatherings to be had around here (although, I know that some would consider that a blessing!).
There have been trips back home (Montreal) for the occasion, but these proved to be expensive, stressful (air travel – ugh!) and exhausting. Not to mention… cold! It just [...]

Spread the Story. Stop the Disease.
Photojournalist James Nachtwey was awarded the TED Prize to have a wish come true:
“I’m working on a story that the world needs to know about. I wish for you to help me break it, in a way that provides spectacular proof of the power of news photography in the digital age.”  James Nachtwey

Spread the story.

OK, by now, I think it’s clear that I have a shoe thing (see here, here and here…). Ok, she who doesn’t can throw the first stone… But, for now, take a look at these fun, colorful and versatile wrap boots from TOMS. They feature an elastic wrap band that extends from the ankle and ties with a velcro closure. The boots are inspired by the brightly colored leg wraps that you will see on very elegant champion horses. No worrying about calf sizes for the fit of this boot and they look super comfortable.

As if you needed extra incentive, [...]

Here’s what the petition says, as a letter to the President:
Stop the Hunger Crisis
In just three years, the price of staple foods like wheat, corn and rice has almost doubled, and this week, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said that if left unchecked, global food shortages could set the world back seven years in the fight against extreme poverty and global disease. We must urge our leaders to take action.
Go ahead and sign the petition by going HERE.

One.org is a non-partisan organization that seeks to raise public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight [...]

How very, very, very clever. This little “bicycle” allows residents in third world countries faster and easier access to water sources and allows them to filter the water as they transport it.  This arduous task is usually assigned to the village women who most often have to walk miles to a water source.  Could this contraption provide some aid and relief?
I so admire the minds that create these things. Bravo!

I can’t remember how I heard about this organization a while ago, but I remember making a note, knowing that I would want to refer to it in my yet-to-be blog. BirthdayWishes.org is a simple concept that certainly tugs at the heartstrings. www.BirthdayWishes.org is the only organization that brings birthday parties to homeless children. That’s its  only mission.
Birthdays are important milestones in a child’s life and, Lisa Vasiloff, Karen Yahara, and Carol Zwanger, the three founders of the organization, believe that the gift of a birthday party provides normalcy, joy and hope in the otherwise unsettled lives of children living [...]

I discovered the www.DesignHerGals.com site a few months ago and finally made a purchase with notecards models featuring my daughter and then my niece. They loooooooved seeing an illustration that represents them.
Here is the one done I created for my daughter. For those who know who, they immediately recognized her and were oooiing and ahhhing at how much it looked like her.
I think that this is a really clever concept. Not just the product, which is awfully cute, but mostly because it supports a breast cancer foundation and donates $1 of every sale to the Gal to Gal Foundation, which [...]