Happy Thanksgiving from Our Family to YOURS!
November 28, 2013
Some posts may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.Vote for the Maytag Dependable Leader Award to Support Boys & Girls Clubs of America
November 17, 2013
Some posts may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.I’m participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Maytag. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating and helping to spread the word about this special project.
Want to help kids with the click of your mouse? Maytag wants YOU to help select the best candidate for the 2013 Maytag Dependable Leader Award – an award to recognize someone committed to making a difference in the lives of youth – through America’s Vote competition.
The Dependable Leader Awards recognize Boys & Girls Club professionals and volunteers who are committed to making a difference in the lives of youth, and are dependable and exceptional role models. America’s Vote is an extension of the Dependable Leader Awards, inviting people across the U.S. to select the final Maytag Dependable Leader Award winner in 2013 by voting online.
Now through November 29th, visit www.bgca.org/Maytag to learn about all five finalists and the exemplary work they do in their respective communities. And to help make a difference, you get to VOTE once a day for the nominee YOU find to best represent a Maytag Dependable Leader!
The finalists are:
Albert Hernandez – Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena
Ethan Harris – Boys & Girls Club of Bryant
Nate Ford – Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco
Ricky Gallon – Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay
Steve Hixson – Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland
The winner will join 24 of this year’s other Dependable Leaders across the country and receive a $20,000 financial grant to help his Club continue to improve its impact in its community. The Maytag Dependable Leader Award gives back to Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s professionals and volunteers who continuously give their days to help better the world of youth with whom they work. America’s Vote is an extension of the Awards, inviting Americans to select the final Maytag Dependable Leader Award winner in 2013 by voting online at www.bgca.org/Maytag
Important Halloween Safety Tips For Pet Parents
October 31, 2013
Some posts may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.
We hope everyone is getting ready for a super fun and spooky evening of parties & trick-or-treating! Just wanted to give you a few reminders and tips to help keep your pets safe this Halloween:
The Door: Holidays like this one can be stressful for fur kids with lots of ghouls and goblins knocking on the door and ringing the bell. The last thing you want is to spend your Halloween searching for your lost pet because they got scared and bolted when the door was open. Even if your dog or cat isn’t ordinarily a door dasher, consider putting pets in the bedroom or use a baby gate to keep them safe and more relaxed.
ID Tags: I know lots of people don’t make their pets wear their collars once they are in for the night, but on the off chance that your dog or cat does make a run for it, you’ll want to be sure they are wearing their ID tag with your current contact information. Better safe than sorry!
Candles: Avoid the risk of your fur kid burning their nose, paws or tail by using flameless candles to illuminate that carved pumpkin you worked so hard on. It’s safer for the human kiddos traipsing around in costumes, too!
Glow Sticks: If you decide to use glow sticks in your pumpkin or your kiddos are carrying them instead of flashlights, be sure not to let the dog get a hold of them or they can end up with a big tummy ache! Make sure that you use glow sticks labeled “non-toxic” if you decide to go that route.
Candy: You probably already know that chocolate is dangerous for dogs, but also watch out for any sugar-free treats since the ingredient Xylitol can also be toxic. And don’t stop being vigilant once Halloween is over…we all know that kids (and parents) like to stash some candy away in their favorite hiding place and you don’t want the fur kid sniffing around and getting a hold of it later!
Emergency Pet Info: Always make sure to keep the ASPCA 24 Hour Animal Poison Control Hotline phone number handy. Order a FREE fridge magnet here for the future, and write it down for now. It’s 888-426-4435. And be sure to find out ahead of time, the address, location and phone number of a local after-hours emergency pet clinic or 24 hour animal hospital. This is also important year-round and not just at holidays like Halloween, and can save time in an emergency when every second counts!
Anxiety: Despite your best efforts, your pet may be super stressed on Halloween, so be prepared with a few calming aids. We like ThunderShirt and ThunderSpray (available for both dogs and cats) as well as Through a Dog’s Ear: Music to Calm Your Canine Companion
Resources To Help Prepare For Insurance Open Enrollment #Aflac #MC
October 24, 2013
Some posts may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.
To help bring you & your family this important information, I’m participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Aflac. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating, but as always, only present info I think will be of value to our readers.
This is the time of year when we all get super busy…there’s Halloween costumes to make or shop for, Thanksgiving dinner to start organizing, holiday shopping bargains to start watching out for, and for many of us it’s also time to get ready for Open Enrollment. Every year around this time, the hubby brings home big packets and envelopes of insurance brochures, paperwork and forms from work and it can be overwhelming. I’m self-employed now, but when I also worked for a large employer, we had double the amount of information and plan options to sort through, so I’ve become somewhat of an expert at handling it.
Whether you’re also the designated (or self-appointed) household administrator or share the duties with your spouse, it’s super important to make informed decisions when it comes to benefits for your family. If you aren’t exactly sure what Open Enrollment period is, it’s the time of year when employers give you information about all the insurance options they offer, and employees make decisions about which options and levels of coverage they will choose for themselves and their family. During this time, it’s important to take control and prioritize understanding coverage options and changes to your benefits in order to choose the right insurance policy that fits your family’s needs.
The new health care reform has brought lots of changes and new options when it comes to insurance, and that’s a great thing! But it also means taking a bit more time to fully understand all the choices available to you. If you’re feeling confused or overwhelmed, you’re not alone. For example, the 2013 Open Enrollment Survey conducted by Aflac found that 74 percent of workers sometimes or never understand everything that is covered by their insurance policy today. Aflac encourages you to take advantage of your company’s open enrollment period by first educating yourself and your family. Take time to talk with your HR manager, review your options and do the necessary homework. Find out if your policy options have changed to include new benefits made available by health care reform, higher deductibles or changes in co-insurance. They’ve also put together these Open Enrollment Resources to help educate yourself and prepare for benefits selection.
It’s human nature to procrastinate, especially about complicated stuff like insurance, but invest the time now to be sure you make the best decisions for your family…then you can get back to planning holiday family get-togethers and all the other FUN stuff that comes with this time of the year!
Hectic Holidays? Plan Pet Sitting Now To Save Stress Later!
October 8, 2013
Some posts may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.
The holiday season can be an especially stressful time for both humans and the fur kids. Schedules are crazy and whether you’re staying home or traveling out of town, you can help make things a little easier by enlisting a pet sitter to give you a hand! The best pet care providers usually book up early, so you’ll want to do your research now and maybe arrange a few meet & greets with potential sitters soon so you don’t have to stress about it later.
If you’re staying in town for the holidays, you might not have considered all the ways that having a reliable dog sitter can come in handy. Whether you’ve got out of town guests coming to stay, or lots of late night party plans, a pet sitter can help for a few hours or a few days. Many even do pick up and drop off service, which can be a real time saver if you’ve got a lot of social obligations, kid’s concerts, cooking & cleaning or other commitments that come with the season. And you’ll feel better knowing your fur kid get the care and attention they deserve!
Right now you can save $25 OFF your first booking with Rover.com so it’s a great opportunity to give them a try. It’s super easy to get started. You can create a FREE online profile for your dog, then browse for sitters by price and location. Be sure to use the Rover promo code WWM25 to get $25 OFF. Just visit Rover.com to check it all out.
Want to EARN some extra $$$ for the holidays? Check out our post about how to make money as a pet sitter!
Daisy & I are working with Rover.com to help spread the word about their services. We only share information we think will be of value and interest to our readers.
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