Get Back to the Table is an ongoing campaign sponsored by Libby’s that is focused on bringing families back to the table to eat together.  The idea is that not only will you eat a more healthy, balanced meal if you sit together, but that it is good for the family to spend that time together talking and connecting.  You can read more about it HERE.

The Friday morning that we had scheduled as our work day was stormy….like thunder and lightning stormy.  ALL of the builds in Kansas City were cancelled…except ours.  I’m going to be honest…I was less than enthused to be heading out to build on a house in that weather…but as it was for a good cause and I would get to see some of my favorite Kansas City blogging buddies… I headed out the door with a smile.

We got shifted around and ended up heading to the two homes that were scheduled to be “blessed” on Saturday morning.  This means the keys are handed over to the families and a blessing is said.  There is still lots of work to be done after this point…but the reality of a new home sets in.

Our houses were side by side in a neighborhood that currently houses three other completed Habitat homes.  They aren’t just building homes for families over there…they are re-creating neighborhoods!

There was a lot of work to be done, truth be told by the end of the day I really wished we were working for TWO days… it seemed like we really got in the swing of things after lunch and I felt like we could have been REALLY effective on a second day there.  We worked on “finishing touches” in these houses, getting them ready to be shown on Saturday.  We installed door stops (easy enough), we hung doors (not at all easy), cut/stained and nailed down floor trim, cleaned cabinets, floors and tubs ridden with construction goo…. and the day simply flew by.

You can see lots of pictures of our work day AND of the House Blessing on Saturday if you visit Libby’s Table on Flickr.

If you aren’t already aware: Habitat for Humanity builds homes for families that might not otherwise have the opportunity to purchase a new home.  They get a lower priced home and help securing their financing, and they put in “Sweat Equity” on their home.  They help to build it.  There is a basic layout but the families are given options…a chance to have input…on their homes: the color of the tile, there are different options for the layout.

The family moving into House #1 above is a single mom raising her TRIPLETS!

The family moving into House #2 above is a single dad raising his five children (six, but one is 18 and not living with him any longer).

Both families currently live in rental housing/apartments.  They don’t have yards or their own rooms.  One of the things that Libby’s did as part of this project was to provide each home (and 10 others in Kansas City) with a fully stocked pantry full of Libby’s products and a dining room table/chairs and a set of dishes so that they would be prepared to sit down together to eat as a family in their new homes.

The day was exciting.  I got to work side by side with my friends…and see with my own eyes the difference that Habitat for Humanity is making in the Kansas City Community.

 

MomItForward and Libby’s Fruits and Vegetables sponsored my participation in this campaign.  I was paid for my time and my writing…but everything I’ve written is my own opinion.  It has to be.  I’m way to opinionated to let someone else tell me what to say.

You can also purchase some super fantastic farm dirt to add to your garden or flower beds…the first year we added it to our garden we were amazed at the difference it made! (If you come early enough you can even have your dirt served up by the amazing SuperDad himeself!!)

Not interested in plants?? Check out the fantastic spread of baked goods for sale…. you know that is where my donation is going Look around and you are likely to find a yummy Cinnamon/Sugar Orange Coffee Cake, Homemade Gooey Twix Bars, Rice Krispies Treats Scotchies and Chewy Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars all courtesy of… moi.

Kids can be entertained in the Kids’ Station while you browse the goods and while you can certainly bring your own to ensure you have one, little red wagons will be provided for the lugging about of your purchases.

Check it out!!

Staff from KLWN 1320 AM, Lazer 105.9, 92.9 The Bull and Health Care Access Clinic will be on the bridge assembling the bras all afternoon.  The completion time is estimated to be 5:30 p.m. and the bras will remain on display until October 25.  Additional sponsors of the event include Plato’s Closet and Mango Tan.

Last year- an entire strand on one side of the river- about 500 bras- were stolen a few days before the display was to come down.  The culprits were never found.

Join the “Bras Across the Kaw” Facebook Event for more information!

*Press release prepared by Great Plains Media – Lawrence

So the big news in Lawrence is that Deffenbaugh Recycling is coming to town.  Everyone seems overjoyed that they can finally get curbside recycling…and for only $5 a month…what a deal!

Oh wait.  We could already get curbside recycling in Lawrence….it is slightly more expensive.  I pay $18/mo for weekly pick up and *GASP* I have to sort it myself.  I use Sunflower Curbside Recycling and I am more than happy with the service I receive from these LOCAL folks.

When Deffenbaugh decided to come to town Chris Scafe, owner of Sunflower Curbside Recycling, sent out an email to all of his patrons.  He had some great points…and I feel like sharing.  Lucky me…its my blog and I can do that!

Chris says that Deffenbaugh offered to buy his business from him when they came to town.  He also admits that he has toyed with the idea of service that offers “no sorting”.  This is what he discovered:

“At first, I thought about buying my own trash truck to pick up single-stream recycling, then I visited the materials recovery facility to see for myself how the recyclables are sorted.  I came away with concerns about the quality of their output because all the bales I witnessed were contaminated, for example, bales of newspaper also had aluminum, chipboard, and cardboard mixed in. ”

Chris says that contaminated bales are rejected by the buyers…and doubts that they are re-sorted once they are baled.   I assume that bales of recycling that are not sellable will become trash…despite the good intentions of the patrons.

What does this mean?  $5 a month seems like a great deal for curbside recycling.  I’m the FIRST ONE to jump on a good deal.  But in my opinion, this is NOT a good deal.  If the recycling that you set out becomes trash anyway…you are paying a second business to pick up your trash.

It also seems a bit of a double edged sword:  If you are not already recycling…I guess that any bit that gets through rather than sent to a landfill is progress.  However…if you already recycle and you switch to a service like the one offered by Deffenbaugh, you will be moving backwards.  Your previously recycled materials are now landfill fodder.

While their prices are not competitive at this stage of the game, here are some other ways that Sunflower Curbside Recycling is a better deal:

• Sunflower Curbside Recycling is a local company.  Deffenbaugh was bought  by a Credit Swisse a few years ago.
  
• SCR will pick up glass (Deffenbaugh will not).
• SCR picks up plastic bags.
• SCR does not require you to cut up your corrugated cardboard.
• SCR accepts ALL kinds of metals, not just cans.
• SCR picks up at commercial sites and at apartment complexes (Deffenbaugh will only serve single family residential sites).

I sincerely hope that everyone will recycle.  I am also sincerely hoping that each person or family will put a little extra consideration into HOW they chose to recycle.  Our family stands by Sunflower Curbside Recycling.  The price may be higher but the assurance that my intended purpose is being fulfilled is greater to me than the price tag.

As for sorting your own materials.  Really?  It is NOT that difficult.  The kids and I do it in about 5 minutes each week.  I simply toss them different types into separate plastic bags.  This also turns recycling into a teachable moment for my kids.  They learn to sort and organize.  They learn the value of recycling as we talk about WHY we are doing it every week (I have a toddler and a preschooler so yes, I answer this question EVERY week!).  This makes it one heck of a good deal.

My own contribution was that I would donate $10 of the registration fee from each participant of  my August coupon class. I have $80 to spend to fill those shelves…do you KNOW what I can do with $80?!?!

I’ve heard from several people that they did, indeed, take the challenge…this makes me exstatic!  The most exciting to me so far was hearing from my neighbor that his recent quest to stop smoking is not only a success…but he took the money he would have spent in August on cigarettes…and spent it at Checkers to help out the Food Pantry!  Thanks, Kent!!

Being a full 9 months pregnant at this point I’m not as quick about shopping out these deals as I normally am…so I’m slowly but surely adding to the reserves and I thought I would post my progress for all to see:

This is simply a picture of what I am donating from my own shelves….minus three boxes of cereal that are tucked away in my napping daughter’s closet

- 4 Light Kraft Mayo

- 5 Kraft BBQ Sauce

- 2 Kraft Salad Dressing

- 2 Family Size Tuna pouches

- 3 boxes of Kellogg’s cereal

Now…as I mentioned I have $80 to spend on groceries.  Here is what I have started with:

Here I have:

- 7 Boxes Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper

- 10 Boxes Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes (a variety)

- 9 Boxes of Quaker Oatmeal

- 1 Betty Crocker Microwave Brownie

I used the recent mega event at Dillon’s to purchase these items and spent a whopping $9.72 (before tax).  I still have $71.28 to spend!  Yeah!!

You can still take the challenge!  Be sure to Email or Tweet Me and let me know you are up for it!  As I continue to add to the pile I will post pictures of what I’m buying and the total amount spent.  Want to donate but don’t want to shop?  I will do your shopping for you!  Email me and I will send you a PayPal request …and add your donation to my total.

Jessica Boehle has a big challenge ahead of her…she is walking the Walk forthe  Cure 3-Day in Seattle September 11-13 benefitting the Susan G. Komen Foundation!  She will be walking 60 miles in 3 days to raise funds for breast cancer research.  Will you  help her out?  She is roughly $700 from her $2300 goal and would love your support! You can visit her personal page on the official site to donate HERE.

Jessica is one of our own, Lawrence … and Wii Mommies… she will be #ptwalking the whole way…lets support her and help her reach that goal!!

You can follow Jessica on Twitter and watch for her walking story on Whrrl!  You can follow along her journey and see where she is walking.

Even better?  The Wii Mommies will be checking in with Jessica during the first “leg” of her walk (Yes, yes I DO think I’m funny) on Friday morning during Blog Talk Radio.  You can listen at NOON CST by clicking HERE or you can call in and listen on your cell phone.

The following Friday, September 18th we will be interviewing Jessica about the whole experience.  We figure she’ll be walking again by then.

I want for you to consider picking FIVE items that are currently in your pantry and setting them aside for donation….PLUS… take $10 and spend it on food for the shelters.  What can I get with $10 you ask?  A LOT!!  If you shop wisely and use coupons you can stretch your dollar to its fullest extent.

Here are a couple of deals at Dillon’s this week that make great deals:

Hamburger/Tuna Helper $1/ea  : While a great sale price in itself…if you print this $0.75/3 coupon you can use it at Dillon’s and it will double to $1/3.  You can also load E Coupons to your Dillon’s account via Cellfire..and there is a $0.75/3 there.  If you buy 3 you will be paying $0.42/box.

Knorr Rice or Pasta Sides $1/ea : Again, a great sale price gets even better when you apply your coupons.  Use a $0.75/2 from the August 2 RedPlum insert or $0.50/2 from the August All You Magazine and it will double to $1/2.  You can load an E Coupon at Unilever for $1/4.  If you buy 2 you will be paying $0.50/package if you buy 4 you will pay $0.25 each.

Hunt’s Manwich Sauce $1.25/ea: B2G1 (Buy 2 Get 1 Free) Coupon in the August All You Magazine.  This brings the price down to $0.83/each when you buy 3.

Ragu Pasta Sauce $1.59/ea : $0.60/2 from August 2 Red Plum Insert Will double to $1/2. You can also load a $0.50/1 E Coupon onto  your Dillon’s card from Unilever.  Your total will be $0.84/each when you buy 2.

If you ONLY buy the deals I listed here…you still haven’t even spent $7 on 12 items for the Food Panty!  You can add a package of 100% Juicy Juice Boxes… using a $1/1 printable.  You can also find most Kroger Brand canned fruits and vegetables between $0.88 – $1/each.

These are only examples of how you can make your dollar stretch to help out your neighbors in need.

So what am I going to do after all of this preaching??  I am going to donate $10 per registration fee from my August 18 Coupon Class to a dedicated shopping trip to help fill those shelves.  I have room for 10 people in the class…that is a possibility of $100 for me to spend!  Registration is $35 for a 2hr class… $25 if you follow me on Twitter and if you subscribe to my blog.

Not able to make the class….too tight on time to do any shopping?  Want me to do it for you?  Email me and let me know what type of monetary donation you would like to make and I will send you a pay pal request.  I’ll add your dollars to my trip and your name to the post!

I will take pictures and blog my shopping trip…you will be able to see exactly where and how the money is being spent.  Want to share your efforts as well?  Send me pictures of your trip and your household round up… I’ll post them here on my blog!

What on earth is an overstock sale?!  Well…if you are in Lawrence your chance to find out is this Saturday from 7am-2pm.

An overstock sale is like a garage sale…only you are buying items that a fanatic couponer has purchased and has no room for.  I don’t normally post ads for people…for garage sales or any other sale…but this sale is that of a very good friend of mine.  I know, for a fact that all of her product is brand new and I know that she has fair prices.

If you like the idea of stocking up…you like the idea of saving money…but you haven’t had the time to use coupons on your own time…take advantage of someone elses efforts!  Buy name brand product at a deeply discounted price. She will also have a few garage sale items…some toddler boy and girl clothes, women’s clothes and an X-Box.

This sale is Saturday, August 15 from 7am – 2pm at 127 Pinecone Dr.  This is in the Pinetree Townhomes two blocks south of 19th & Haskell.

Great way to save  yourself some money…maybe have a few extra bucks for a margarita at The Sandbar

This week I’m sharing some info on the Lawrence Humane Society and asking your to take about 2 minutes of your time to vote for them in an online contest through The Online Animal Rescue Site …or take your family and friends for a fun night out bowling and for a snack…all to help benefit the Lawrence Humane Society.

This week, July 12 – 19 is the 3rd Annual “Pins for Pets”.

You can visit the Royal Crest Lanes in Lawrence, KS and for $10 you can bowl 3 games (shoes included) and Royal Crest Lanes will donate 50% of their proceeds to the Lawrence Humane Society!  Be sure to tell them that you are “Bowling for the Humane Society”!

When you are all done you can head next door to Wayne and Larry’s Bar and Grill for something to eat and they will donate 15% of your food and beverage bill to the Humane Society.`  You must have the Humane Society’s Flyer with you for the donation to happen…you can download it and read all of the even details on their website.

No time or cash to go bowling or out to eat?  You can still help the humane society out online!

Help the Lawrence Humane Society win a $20,000 grant!
The Animal Rescue Site will be awarding a total of $100,000 in grants for animal welfare organizations, including a $20,000 grant as the grand prize, to rescue groups with the most votes. All you have to do is vote in The Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter Challenge. It’s free and you can vote once a day, every day, through July 26.

Interested in seeing the Wish List for the Humane Society or finding out other ways that you can help them out? Visit their website and read all about the good work they are doing in our community.

if you are in the Lawrence/Topeka area and would like to submit an article please feel free to Email Me.

This week, my new friend I found on Twitter, Amerika Grewell is writing about the need for organization of a Lawrence Walking School Bus.

In late May the Lawrence school board eliminated bus routes for most students living less than 2.5 miles from their schools. Previously students within a 2.5 mile radius of their school were eligible to “pay to ride” their school bus.

Parents have been encouraged by the school district to pursue alternate modes of transportation to their schools, including walking school buses, bicycle trains, and car pools. At this time there are no formal walking school bus or bicycle train routes in Lawrence, but grass roots attempts are underway to create them.

At its heart, a walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. That may sound simple, and that is part of the appeal. It can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school or as structured as a planned route with meeting points, a timetable and a schedule of trained volunteers.

A variation on the walking school bus is a bicycle train where a group of children and adult leaders ride together to school.

I am looking for parents and community volunteers who are interested in helping to get a Lawrence walking school bus in motion.

***Upcoming opportunities to get involved include***
- Answering questions at the Lawrence Walking School Bus info table at the Red Dog World Record Workout on Wednesday, July 8 either before or after the workout

- Volunteer Coordinator Training, July 7, KCMO, carpool available

- “Driver” training, July 8, Kansas City, MO, carpool available

Anyone attending either training will receive free tickets to the Walk To School Night at the August 9 T-Bones game.

Bridging the Gap will also be holding a community meeting in Lawrence in mid July. Bridging the Gap will also provide a free day long volunteer training at a later date when at least five people are committed to the training.

I encourage you to contact your school’s principal and PTO president for more information about your school’s participation in this. You are also welcome to email me at amerikag@gmail.com. You can follow our progress towards a walking bus at http://www.twitter.com/amerikag

Useful websites:
http://www.walkingschoolbus.org/
http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/walking_school_bus/index.cfm
http://www.pednet.org/programs/
http://www.kchealthykids.org/Initiative-Walking-School-Bus/Index.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/resources.htm#guide

If you are in the Lawrence, Topeka, Kansas City area…there is an organization in Lawrence called The Ballard Center that does amazing work for kids and families. One of the many things they do is to operate a food pantry where families can get items they need to help nourish their families.

Ballard Community Services posted today on Facebook that they are in need of the following items for their food pantry:
Cereals (hot and cold)
Crackers
Fruit Juices
Boxed Meals (Hamburger Helper, Mac and Cheese)
Pasta and Pasta Sauces
Diapers (size 3 – 6)

All of these items can be purchased with coupons at some point. I’ve mentioned before that if you buy items when they are on SALE instead of when you NEED them…you will create a nice little stockpile for yourself. Items for donation can also be obtained this way.

Lots of pharmacies in town offer coupons for gift cards when you transfer a prescription. A $25 card at Walgreen’s could buy several packages of Walgreen’s Brand diapers…which, are actually my favorite disposable diaper. A $25 gift card at Dillon’s combined with coupons could buy SEVERAL of these items…including Comfort Stretch Diapers which run $6.99/pack and are my 2nd fav disposable diaper.

SO..if you are in the area and can raid your stockpile…or have some coupons and few extra bucks to spare… consider donating some of these items to Ballard Center.

Elizabeth at Party Planning Professor has accepted a challenge from Rawtism.com that will help raise money for AutismSpeaks.

She has a great post on Autism at her site. For every comment left on that post, Rawtism.com will donate $0.25 to AutismSpeaks. Elizabeth’s goal is to collect 400 comments by 12:00 am EST Monday.

PLEASE go and visit this post and leave a comment, it is a great post and it will take 5 minutes of your time. If you have a blog and you feel so inclined, I would consider it a great personal favor if you would post a blurb similar to this so that even more people are aware. Don’t link to me… link straight to Party Planning Professor. Leave me a comment so I can visit your site and share it with others.

Rawtism.com is a site dedicated to educating families of autistic individuals about the power of a healthy diet composed of raw and living foods to combat the effects of autism.