Sunday, November 22, 2009

A gift of no gifts

I love my sisters! Sandi and Stacie have agreed to no gifts for Christmas and Stacie is going to make a donation to the Heifer Foundation in our family's name. Thank you, thank you, thank you - both - for the best gifts ever! Here's more on Heifer:
http://www.heifer.org/
Amanda...I'm coming for you next! I LOVE YOU ALL XOXO

God and Dog



Happy Sunday :)

Friday, November 20, 2009

Alternative gift ideas

Okay, not giving or getting gifts may seem a bit extreme for some of you.  Here's a few great gift ideas that require no paper wrap and still can satisfy your need to spend your money.

Massage gift certificates...if you have to buy me something, I'd always take this one!
Movie tickets - going to the movies with all the trimmings is a small fortune these days.
Brunch/Dinner gift certificates to your peoples favorite places.
Introduction to some kind of class (you pay the course fees) that you know the receiver would enjoy.
E-books instead of paper books - Save the trees.
A bag of "green" goodies - canvas re-usable bags, lunch box, water bottle...you get the idea - be creative

In fact, be creative in general. Your thoughtful gifts will be remembered far longer than those last minute, "damn I hate shopping with the crowds, let me just get this" present.

Another very cool gift would be making a donation/loan/investment in your gift receiver's name.  It's called Microfinance and I'll copy a little blub I found:

Microfinance is a simple but powerful tool that enables the poor to pull themselves out of poverty. Most commonly, it involves making small loans to the working poor in developing countries. These loans are usually less than $200 and are made by local organizations called microfinance institutions. The loans are used by the working poor to establish or expand small businesses that generate additional income for the family. This extra income allows a poor family to buy food, access healthcare, educate their children, put aside savings and lay the foundation for a better future.


Microfinance has emerged as an effective poverty alleviation tool because it is based on the fundamental principle that human beings are motivated to do whatever it takes to make themselves as well off as possible.

Consider the story of Puja Patel, a single mother who lives with her four children in a village in India. With a $50 loan, she bought a sewing machine. She made clothes, sold them for a profit, and repaid the loan with interest. She was also able to save some money to buy books and send her children to the local school. This is microfinance in action.

New to MicroPlace?


For the world's working poor, a $100 loan is often all it takes to make the difference between running a successful small business and begging for a handout.


Dara Mon used her $100 loan to start a business making hats. She doesn't want your charity. She wants a loan that she can repay with interest and dignity.

Check them out at : https://www.microplace.com/learn_more/microfinance
to learn more.

This is an E-Bay owned company, so you can research it more.  If anyone gets involved I'd like to hear and share it :) 

How to stay debt free in December

So, the Christmas season is upon us already - WOW!  Here's a link for the following certificate, the best present anyone can give and get!
http://www.simpleliving.net/ftp/gift-voucher.pdf

HOLIDAY GIFT EXEMPTION VOUCHER

This certifies that ___________________________________ is exempt from the exchange of holiday gifts with _______________________________ (by order of the Buy Nothing Committee)

Signature ____________________  Date ___________________

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Senator Gillibrand's response to Aunt Cat

Aunt Cat...YOU ROCK OUR PLANET!


NOTE TO EVERYONE ELSE: Copenhagen is not looking good for the U.S. in terms of commitments this year - just one more reason to step it up and get your voice heard.   To put it in the simplest terms, our carbon load should be no more than 350ppm and right now we are well above those numbers.  It truly is crucial that we all do our part.  If we can't get our country to sign the pact, then we can start where it all matters most anyway - with ourselves. Do your research and find ways that you can stop wasting energy, making rubbish, buying more crap than you or any one else needs and keep letting your Senator's know that you want a healthy planet for your family to survive on!

November 16, 2009


Dear Ms. Torrice,

Thank you for contacting me about your concerns about global climate change. This is a critical issue facing the world community, and as your Senator, I am working to pass comprehensive climate change legislation that will promote the growth of a green economy while setting a framework to slow, stop and reverse the effects of global climate change. The evidence of climate change is clear. It is imperative that we take significant steps now to address this global threat for the sake of our environment, our economy and our national security. As the only Senator serving on the Environment & Public Works, Agriculture, and the Foreign Relations Committees, I am in a unique position to advocate for the State of New York during this upcoming debate.

I recently voted for the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power (CEJAP) Act when it was considered in the Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee. As the Senate continues to consider comprehensive clean energy and climate change legislation, I believe we must concentrate our efforts on breaking our dependence on foreign oil, increasing energy efficiency and the use of conservation technologies, and investing in the research and development of clean, renewable energy sources to power all sectors of the economy. New York is a leader in the fight against climate change, and it is critical that this legislation accounts for the actions that New York and other states have taken in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in conservation.

I have worked to ensure that the EPW legislation addresses the transportation needs of New York. I was a strong proponent of increasing the percentage of allocations dedicated to transportation projects, by way of the Clean-TEA provisions, from 1 to 5 percent. Additionally, I fought to include a Green Taxis provision, which will amend the Clean Air Act to allow local governments to set more stringent fuel economy standards for taxi fleets. Agriculture and forestry are also critical to achieving success, and I am working to ensure that New York's farmlands and forests can participate in an offsets program.

One of my top priorities regarding climate legislation is to ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) retains its authority over our nation's oldest and dirtiest coal fire power plants. These plants, many of which are scheduled to be decommissioned, must not be allowed to continue to operate under the lax standards that they now follow. Under this bill, all new plants must meet rigorous emission standards, and if these plants are to continue to operate, they too should abide by the new performance standard.

It is also my goal to promote innovation and entrepreneurship as a key tool in addressing climate change; I have introduced legislation to advance development of the clean tech sector. I fought to ensure that the National Clean Technology Business Competition Act was included as part of the CEJAP Act. This program, within CEJAP, will invest $50 million through a new Department of Energy grant program to cultivate national clean technology business competitions. This proposal will not only create clean energy jobs in New York, but will also bolster the hard-hit manufacturing and financial sectors by spurring innovation and creating new investment opportunities. Clean tech business competitions in New York will also help retain talented engineers and scientists in New York State, like those found at universities and research centers from Brookhaven to Buffalo and everywhere in between.

This issue is too important to our nation's future to delay, and your passion and advocacy will be important in the coming weeks and months. Thank you again for taking the time to contact me to voice your support for the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. I ask that you continue to stay in contact with my office during this critical process. For more information and to stay connected to me during this important process please visit my website http://gillibrand.senate.gov and sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely yours,
Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator

Thursday, November 12, 2009

If I could do this I would

http://www.zipcar.com/


We first noticed these cars in Rome and then they started showing up on the streets in Finland, along with these bright green bicycles with the same idea. Instead of owning a car, or bike, you just pay as you go. And now I see there's a company in the USA that is doing the same. Right now they are around the major cities and university campus areas, but I did notice one that was in Purchase, NY, so the smaller towns are pulling in too.  This is such a brilliant idea that if I had the money I would start a business here in Cyprus today. Check out their website and then think about who you know who may be interested...very, very cool!

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Can you donate your miles for Children's Cancer?

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,53234,00.html?jumpLink=%2Fbearhug

Please visit this site if you have United Miles you can donate.  And if you don't have any miles, then a regular donation will do.  Ryan would have loved this!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Our family grows...


After month's of guessing, our newest family member has arrived...and its a BOY!!!  This child is going to grow up with some of the greatest people on earth and loved and adored by all of us.  Welcome little Luca, we are so glad to finally have you here with us.  Here's proud mama Nicole's message I found waiting for me when I woke up this morning...

He's so big (8 pounds 4 ounces-


22 inches long) and beyond sweet.

I am madly in love.

Thank you all for your endless love and support. Luca and I appreciate

it beyond words.

Love you!!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Li'l Pumpkin


Halloween Day 2


Halloween Day 1


Why I love Halloween

Halloween, what's there not to love? No pressure to cook, clean, buy gifts or any other nonsense...its just a day (or two or three) of pure and sometimes hysterical fun!  I've never missed one yet and when I think back to my earliest Halloween memories the first person to cross my mind is the fabulous and most certainly known in our circles as the -Queen of Halloween - Aunt Cat.  Cauldrons of dry ice, haunted houses and hayrides are all but a few of the many great memories I have with her.  I still have every Halloween decoration she's ever given me and when the rest of the world has forgotton how nice it is to actually get a card in the mail, it never slips past Aunt Cat. Early October came and so did the annual card - the official kick off of Halloween for me.  We did a lot of different things this year and my fears of my little girl missing out on the great excitement of trick-or-treating  was quickly forgotton when I just let it go and enjoyed what we did have instead.  It does make me sad that she doesn't have Aunt Cat close by to make more Halloween memories, but I'm doing my darndest to carry on the traditions best I can.  Here's to you Aunt Cat - Happy Halloween!!!  And to all my other ghouls and guys out there, hope it was as fun as ever!

BTW - in keeping with the green theme this year, Mikayla and I used costumes we already had :) Just when you thought I'd let it go for a day....ha ha

Sunday, November 1, 2009

WE ADD UP Climate Action Giveaway

WE ADD UP Climate Action Giveaway: "I just signed up to help stabilize our climate and to win in the World's Biggest Green Sweepstakes! You can too!"

Please visit the link above and sign up today!