Would you invest $25 if you knew the money was: a) an investment which you would receive a return and b) an in investment in the Rebuilding of America?

I would!

ROA Corporation is currently looking for investors to do just that.  For a mere investment of $20 (plus a $5 processing fee) you can invest in the rebuilding of America.  Where else can you make a true investment for so little?  Your $20 will be put into Jumbo CDs and the CDs are then leveraged to purchase, rehabilitate, modernize and finish foreclosed projects believed to be income producing.  The income accrued in the sale or lease of these properties is returned to the investors.

For a more detailed explanation, check out this letter from the CEO of Rebuilding of America, Jim Jameson.  He is passionate about his cause and creating change for the US.

Think about it.  For $25, you can help out the banks and mortgage companies who are being drained from all the foreclosures.  You will be providing jobs to workers who will be rebuilding these properties and you will be receiving a monetary return on your investment.

This is a one of a kind investment opportunity.  Not only will profits from this endeavor be paid out yearly, after only 5 years, you will have the option of getting your $20 returned or reinvested.  What are you waiting for?

I mentioned earlier that in 2009 this blog will be mostly about the charities I am passionate to help, what I am doing to achieve my goal of giving back, what that goal is, and spotlighting others who are doing good things to help others. 

My mind has been spinning since I made that announcement, even if I'm the only one who heard it.  I own the domain BecauseSomeoneCares.com and will be setting up a website to coincide with this blog and further achieve my goals.

I am looking for interested parties who may be able to help with, or point me in the right direction of, getting a unique web design,  and creating different widgets I have in mind.  I will also be looking for crafters to donate items to be auctioned for the cause/charity of the month.

While my funds are limited at this time, I will add your link on this blog as well as the website (which will be up by 1/1/09) , I will write a Thank You post for your contributions and will include any links you desire (up to 3) to your site(s).  My goal is to also list, monthly, the contributors to the monthly Charity on the site.

If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in helping in any way, please email me at BecauseSomeoneCares(at)cox(dot)net.

Thank You

If you are in an area serviced by Charter Communications and do not yet use any of their services, now is the time to, at least, check them out.

In honor of black friday, and running through December 5th, Charter will reward it's new customers with a gift card of their choice from retailers such as Macy's, Chili's, Best Buy, KB Toys, and many more.

If you sign up for one of their services such as high speed internet for only $24.99 a month, they will give you a $25 gift card.  If you sign up for their Ultimate Bundle which includes: Digital Home, HD, On Demand, Digital View, Sports View, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime,The Movie Channel, Starz, Encore, 100 Mbps High Speed Internet, and Unlimited Calling for only 165.97 per month, they will reward you with a $250 gift card.

Regardless of your need for a specific service or the need or want to bundle to possibly save money (and paper), Charter wants to give back...to you.  They have a variety of packages available, you do not have to subscribe to all the movie channels to qualify for the gift card, and by trying their services now, you will automatically be entered into their drawing for a chance to win an Xbox 360.

Charter is not available where I live, but I do have my services bundled.  I enjoy the savings and paying only one bill each month versus three.

I mentioned earlier that I will be giving monthly money to different charities.  I already support several causes such as the MS Society, St. Jude, and the Alzheimer's Foundation.  I also support less known foundations monetarily and through other means.

I'm going to try to focus on these endeavors, and a little less on what the kids are doing, from here on out on this blog.  If you're interested in my kids, check here.  I would also like to spotlight other bloggers and blogs that are doing their best to help others.

So I was EC dropping the other day and came across  a blog with some beautiful crafts.  Tara, over at Success Bound has put some of her items up on Ebay, with 25% of the proceeds going to St. Jude.

I of course bid on the lovely angel ornaments and hope to be the winner,  My MIL will get the angels as a Christmas present and I'll be giving more to one of my top Charities.

Thanks Tara, for your beautiful creations, and for thinking of others to share your talent with.

 

Sears is making it easy to give back to the families who sacrifice so much so we can continue to live in a free land.  Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry allows shoppers to donate money to help provide our military families with items they need.

With 30,583 Military families registered, the money donated will be equally divided amongst the families and awarded in gift cards.

I'm sure what all these families would like most of all, is to have their loved ones home and safe for the Holidays.  I have several Mommy friends who are Military Wives and I honestly do not know how they do it.  To raise kids alone for months and years at a time, while missing your spouse and praying for their quick and safe return, it must take it's toll.  These individuals are strong, and believe in what their spouses are doing for our country.  I commend them all.

Take a look at what some of these families are in need of.  Topping their lists are things like shoes and pants for their children.  With all these families sacrifice for the rest of us on a daily basis, there's no reason not to help them get the things they need, since it would be impossible to give them what they really want.

Since this blog has ended up being my resource to spotlight different charities, and individuals needing support and prayers, I want to give back.  It's no surprise that I do sponsored reviews on this site and it is all for good reason.  I've been trying to establish exactly how much I can make, to come up with a resonable monthly donation amount.

Since each month varies greatly, and there are other costs involved in maintaining a blog, I will donate 20% of the money made to a charity of choice.  Starting in January, I will name a charity for that month.  In the first week of February I will let you know how much I will be sending January's charity, as well as Spotlight a charity for February and so forth.

The 20% is not limited to sponsored posts, it will include any adsense money, affiliate money, and any other money I can figure out how to make through this site.  I hope you will join me in my quest to give back and find those in need.  If you have suggestions...I'm listening.

For people like me, who refuse to shop at the stores after Thanksgiving, Kmart is offering some great online specials.  They have womens Kimono Wrap Sweaters on sale with an extra 10% discount when you order online.  They also have Abbey Hill bedding from the Medallion Dream bedding collection for an additional 30% off.  Both these items are reduced for online purchases only, and you must order by November 26th (tomorrow).

Throughout December, Kmart will also be offering different (online only) discounts on other items in the following categories:  Women's Plus sleepwear, Women's atention brand, Girls tops, All junior wear, Boys tops, Men's shirts and bottoms, Big Men's shirts and bottoms, and Infant and toddler bedding.

To make it even more fun and get us in the Holiday Spirit, Kmart.com has ornaments hidden throughout the site that offer a coupon code for extra savings on select products.  These ornaments change weekly so check back often (or weekly) for extra savings.

The specials will not show up on product page but instead, once you have put them in your cart.  Why not go to kmart.com now and start saving, from inside your house, where it's warm, and there are no crowds, no lines at the check out, extra savings available, and free shipping on orders over $49.00.

I've been worried for days. My face has completely broken out, I've gained 6 pounds and I've been up since 3:30 this morning, unable to sleep, due to worrying about Puddin' Pop's denist appointment today.

She had her front two teeth pulled 10 months ago and today they were doing a filling on a back molar and a filling or possibly removing another front tooth. It ended up getting  In order to avoid her any more undue stress, the dentist decided to give her an oral sedative, versed, to relax her and have her not remember the ordeal.  I did not get the same consideration.  I had to sit in the waiting room and hope for the best.

When it was all over, we came home.  She slept for 2 hours.  This is her now.

Forgive the spaghetti sauce around her mouth.  The purple box she's shaking has the extracted tooth inside.

I have a vacuum.  I have several, actually.  Two uprights, and two handhelds, one which is cordless.  I swear I am not a freak when it comes to vacuuming, ask anyone who knows me, so why do I go through belts for my main upright at the rate of 2 per year?  Is that normal?

I have a solution, though. What is it "they" say?  If your not part of the solution, your part of the problem.  Nope, not me.  I'm a solution finder...See

This dandy little baby is the Kenmore Progressive Bagless with Inteli-Clean System.  Here are three selling points I cant refuse.  First, it's part of Sears Pre-Thanksgiving Sale.  Which means instead of paying the usual $349, I can get this beauty for $229.  Selling point #2, it's a Pre Thanksgiving Sale, so it does not require me to shop after Turkey day, and pont #3, and this is a biggie...  It comes in purple.  How cool is that?

While I'm not usually excited about getting appliances, I'm even less excited about ordering and replacing the belt on my current vacuum.  It is a "retired" model and the only place I have been able to find the belts is online, which means if I use the last one (I usually order 2 at a time) and forget to order then, I have to lug the other dinosaur vacuum all the way down the stairs, (who wants to do that?) and pray that it works.

I'm off to Sears.  Well, It's 5am, so not directly, but soon.

I remember when I was a kid in grade school.  We would have practice fire and tornado drills.  For Fires we evacuated the building and for Tornados we would line up in the hall, legs crossed, facing the wall, far away from any glass. 

I remember a tornado threat (apparently with ample warning) that instead of lining us up in the halls, we were sent home. We all enjoyed a beautiful sunny day.  In fifth grade a fire broke out in the paper room, again there were no bells, we were just evacuated and sent home. I guess neither were sufficient enough for panic.

So far this year, Boogie has practiced fire drills, and tornado drills.  They have also lined up against the walls in the classroom, with the door locked for Intruder Drills and  had a Mass Evacuation Drill that is similar to a fire drill except the whole school meets together. 

This last drill was to take place last Friday.  Notes were sent home onThursday as a reminder to dress the kids warm (the weather had dropped) and since it was "Funny Feet Friday" where the kids can wear anythng on their feet, it was requested that they bring their funny feet in their backpacks to put on after the drill.  Apparently cold weather will not stop a mass evacuation drill but wetness will?  It had snowed for 10 minutes early in the morning (before the bus even came to get Boog), there was no accumulation, and yet the drill was rescheduled due to "wetness". 

I wash we didn't have to have these drills at all, but am sure that wet ground will not stop someone, who intends on doing harm, from doing so.