Horse Haven: For Every Little Kid Who Never Got A Horse

When I was a little girl, every shooting star and birthday candle and wishlist to Santa contained the same request: a horse. Despite living in town, I still wanted a horse of my very own to ride and brush and love. It's probably no surprise that I never got that horse, and it's probably a good thing I didn't. I don't have the money or time for a horse, and while I still enjoy riding, I'd rather visit a public stables and pay for a ride rather than be responsible for my own horse.

Recently, I was introduced to the Facebook game Horse Haven, where you can keep and care for your own virtual horses. Horse Haven is a game where you are the sole inheritor of your uncle's run-down ranch. You start with a single foal and a lot of weeds and broken buildings, and quickly begin turning the mess into a successful ranch by feeding and caring for your horse, growing treats for your horse, and training your horse to enter competitions.

You can also buy more horses and develop a full working ranch, complete with breeding stables to produce more foals, training pens, and a stable full of horses of all colors and types. Once your horses are trained, they can visit other towns to compete for trophies and awards.

As you level up and get more awards, you can visit new places.

One unique feature of this game is that by playing with your digital horses you can help Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue, a real-life non-profit horse rescue center in Pennsylvania. Certain items you can buy for your farm provide direct donations to the charity, ensuring that you're giving back while indulging in your imaginary ranch.

So what do I think of it? Horse Haven is a fun resource management game. You have to balance training your horses with building up your farm and clearing away debris. There is a limited amount of energy to do each task, and you can quickly run out of energy, leaving you to either buy more energy or wait until you can build up more energy again.

This is my ranch and two horses. It's a work in progress. 

Raising and caring for the horses is a lot of fun. My daughters saw me playing and suddenly it was a group game - they like helping me pick out what to add next to the ranch and never fail to tell me when I have energy again to attend to my horses. If you have friends who play the game as well, you can visit their ranches and help them out with chores to gain rewards for yourself. You can also send game gifts to your friends and put out requests for items you need.

The downsides to the game are that it can take a long time to get up enough energy and horse bucks to get very far in the game. If you're willing to spend real money, you can get there faster, but without spending real money you have to be dedicated to advance quickly. Also, you get a lot further in the game if you have friends playing as well. There is a computer generated character who serves as your friend if you don't have any Facebook friends playing with you, but real friends are almost needed to get you all of the items you need.

The game's theme is cute and perfect for anyone who ever wanted a horse as a kid. The graphics are bright and kid-friendly and the mini-quests are interesting and help in building your ranch. I also like that some in-game purchases will also result in donations to the Angel Acres horse rescue center.

So if you like Facebook games and still remember closing your eyes tight and wishing for a horse on the first star every evening, give Horse Haven a try. Even if you can't have your own horse, these horses won't complain if you ignore them for a day and you're still helping other horses through the game.

Full disclosure: Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #UbiChamps

Spreading Positive Feelings With Hallmark's "Tell Them" Campaign

When I was at Blissdom a month ago, one of my favorite suites to visit was the Hallmark suite. In that suite, conference attendees could browse the cards, find ones they wanted to send to friends or family, and write a little message. Envelopes were then addresses and mailed by Hallmark, or if the recipient was there at the conference, a tweet was sent to them to come pick up their card in the mail area of the suite.

It was a great idea, and very popular with the bloggers at Blissdom. Who knew one little room could be filled to the brim with happiness? There were cards on every topic, from "Miss you" for family back home, to "Thanks for being a great friend" and "Sorry things are so sucky" topics.

Having just found out I was being laid off prior to the conference, it made me laugh to get a card from a friend that started out with a gloomy grey rain cloud and the word "Crap" on the front of the card. I needed that laugh, and it made me feel so loved that someone (two people, actually!) took the time to write a message and send me a card.

Let's face it, we often keep in touch with email, texting and Facebook, and those are often quick and easy ways to connect. But can anything really replace getting a handwritten card in the mail? I know my entire day is made better when I open my mailbox and find a card for me mixed in with the usual flood of junk mail and bills.

Hallmark's recent "Tell Them" campaign is trying to encourage everyone to reach out and tell a friend or loved one something they need to hear. Our own inner voice is nearly always negative, so wouldn't it be nice to give someone a positive message for once? Do you have a friend who really needs to know how thankful you are that she's there for you? Have you told your teen lately that you're so proud of him for making the honor roll? Maybe your little sister just needs nudge out of a bad mood by reminding her that she's important and you know good things will be coming along for her soon?

You can visit Hallmark's Tell Them Facebook page and make a vow to tell that loved one the sentiment you need them to know. In person, through a handwritten note, in a card...no matter how you do it, spread a little love and make sure nothing important is ever left unsaid. We all want to feel loved and important, and it can start with each of us doing the same for those around us.

Giveaway!
Hallmark wants to help you get started in sending out your messages. They're giving a gift pack of Hallmark cards and envelopes to one lucky reader!

To enter, simply leave a comment below telling me who is the one person you'd most like to send a card to? Be sure to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you're the winner. One entry per person, US mailing addresses only.

Entries will be accepted until March 28 at 11:59pm EDT. After that date, one winner will be selected at random to receive the gift pack of Hallmark cards. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notice or another winner will be selected.

Good luck!!

Full disclosure: I received free Hallmark cards as well as sent free cards at the Hallmark suite at Blissdom. No further compensation was received. All opinions are my own, including the opinion that I have some awesome bloggy friends who really helped me feel better on a bad day with the cards they sent me.

World Prematurity Day & RSV: What You Need To Know

In my previous job as a labor and delivery nurse, the most stressful and anxious moments for me were when women came into our department in premature labor. Our small hospital wasn't equipped for preemies, so we often had to send them to a larger hospital if the labor couldn't be stopped, or if there wasn't enough time, prepare for a preemie birth and then get the infant shipped to a NICU as soon as possible.

I could tell these women were scared, and I shared their fears. No one wants to have a baby too early. I am lucky to have two daughters who were born full-term, but I have friends who have lost children to prematurity. I had a sister who died due to complications from being born too soon as well.

1,400 babies are born prematurely in the United States every day, and 13 million babies are affected by prematurity around the world. Prematurity, defined as being born before 37 weeks completed gestation, disrupts a baby’s development in the womb, often stunting the growth of some of the body’s most critical organs.

At birth, preemies often have difficulty with breathing, feeding and maintaining temperature. Because their immune systems haven’t had time to fully mature, preterm infants are more likely to develop infections, and because their lungs are underdeveloped, they are more susceptible to respiratory problems.

One infection that parents of preemies must watch out for is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).  For the average, full-term infant, RSV is about as serious as the common cold. But for preemies, RSV can attack their already weak systems, requiring medical intervention or hospitalization. Even with medical attention, up to 500 infants die each year from RSV.

Today, on World Prematurity Day, I want to share information about RSV as well as some tips to help prevent it, because the number one way to help reduce the risk for RSV is through education.

While RSV may mimic the symptoms of a cold at first, there are warning signs that your child could be in danger. If your infant shows any of the following symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician immediately:

• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths
• Blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails
• High fever
• Extreme fatigue
• Difficulty feeding

Like the flu, RSV has a peak season from November through March, although some regions might have longer seasons.

While there is no cure for RSV, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk for your child:

• Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently
• Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid large crowds and people who may be sick
• Never let anyone smoke near your baby
• Speak with your child’s doctor if you believe he or she may be at high risk for RSV, as a preventive therapy may be available

Even if you don't have a preemie, it's important to consider these suggestions. One in eight infants in the United States is born premature, which means there's a strong chance you know or will come in contact with a preemie in your daily life. Washing your hands frequently, keeping common areas sanitized, and avoiding large public places when you're sick can all help to save the life of an infant who doesn't have the strength to fight off a virus like RSV.

So today, on World Prematurity Day, consider what you can do to help stop the spread of RSV, and take a few moments to learn about premature birth and what's being done by organizations like the March of Dimes to improve the outcomes for these tiny babies. We can't always stop a baby from being born too soon, but we can improve that baby's chances of having a long, healthy life.


Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

October 7: Will You Be Wearing Denim?

Many of you already know of my love for Lee Jeans. They fit perfectly, the price is right, and they hold up through a lot of wear.

But I also admire Lee for their support in breast cancer research. Each year they sponsor the Lee National Denim Day, one of the country’s largest single-day fundraisers for breast cancer. I'm thankful that so far my direct family has been spared from breast cancer, but I have several friends and more distant family who haven't been as lucky. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life, but thankfully the survival rate is climbing higher every day.

This year, October 7 is Lee National Denim Day - a day when supporters nationwide come together to put on their jeans in exchange for contribution to the fight against breast cancer with the goal of raising millions of dollars in a single day.

Lee has raised over $83 million since the first Denim Day in 1996. The money raised benefits the Women’s Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) which include Lee Laboratories, the EIF Breast Cancer Biomarker Discovery Project and Cancer Support Communities.

Many companies participate by allowing employees to wear jeans that day in exchange for a minimum donation towards the cause. But even if you don't work in one of the participating companies (or work at home), you can still be a part of this one day fundraiser. How? Well, there's a few ways:

Join or start a team to raise money at the Denim Day website. Get your coworkers or local mom group to pledge to wear their jeans on October 7 and make a donation in the amount they would normally spend on a pair of jeans.

Make your own pledge on the Denim Day website. Estimate what you'd spend on a pair of jeans and then donate that amount towards finding a cure for breast cancer.

Visit the Lee National Denim Day store and purchase promotional items, with proceeds going to breast cancer research.

Or, visit the Lee Facebook page and click on the You Click, Lee Donates link. For every click of the big pink button, Lee donates twenty-five cents up to a total of $10,000.

It's that easy to be a part of the cure for breast cancer. Help Lee fight breast cancer this Friday - who knew a comfy pair of jeans could do so much?

Every BlogHer Needs A Shoe Fairy

I've been attending the BlogHer conference since 2006. And since my first year, I always see newcomers asking those who have previously attended for their best tips on surviving the conference. I've given out several tips of my own.

But having done this for so long, and now being 5 years older than I was when I first attended, I will declare my #1 rule of BlogHer to be this: wear comfortable shoes.

Look, I'm a nurse. I know a lot about being on your feet a lot, and I know that you need to take care of your feet. You're going to do A LOT of walking at BlogHer and no matter how cute your shoes are, they won't be so cute if you're limping because of them.

I broke that rule last year. I wore a pair of wedges that quickly became uncomfortable when walking 12 blocks to a party. By the end of the night I was hobbling in pain, and in the morning found gigantic open, raw blisters on my feet that made running the BlogHer 5K that morning VERY difficult. Lesson learned.

This year I'm back to my rule of comfortable shoes only. What's that? No, I won't be wearing tennis shoes and granny shoes - there is such a thing as comfortable AND fashionable.

Exhibit A:

the Violette in Bronze

Aren't these adorable? And they're Naturalizer shoes, so you know they're designed to protect and pamper your feet all day long while still looking great. I've had several pairs of Naturalizer shoes and all of them have kept my feet happy and blister-free.

And everyone wants happy feet, right?

I'm hoping to become Naturalizer's Shoe Fairy at BlogHer this year. If I get the chance, I'll be showing off my sweet new Naturalizer shoes as I stroll the halls in style and comfort. I'd also be performing shoe rescues throughout the conference, bringing comfort to sore feet in need of shoes that are functional as well as fashionable.

I won't be as cute as Neil Patrick Harris, but with happy feet I might just sing and dance.




Maybe I'll even wear wings. Cross your fingers and hope I get the chance to be your Shoe Fairy.

Your Shoe Fairy?

Full disclosure: This opportunity was presented to me by Naturalizer and the Brown Shoe Company, through MyBlogSpark, and this post serves as my entry to win a sponsorship for my attendance at the 2011 BlogHer Conference.

Treasuring Everyday Joy & Helping Others

I remember the day my first daughter was born. Unlike many, where the time and day are a mystery, I knew the date and the approximate time of her birth. She had flipped into a breech position with no solid presenting part, making any attempt at a natural labor more risky. And so I showed up to the hospital at the scheduled date and time, not in labor, so that my baby could be born.

It was one of the first great decisions I had to make as a mother: attempt a standard birth and hope she didn't get stuck, or take more risk on myself and go for the c-section. She was a large baby, and a version was likely to be unsuccessful, so I chose to have the c-section. Her safety was more important to me than my own. I realized in that moment that this was only the beginning of what being a mother would be. My life was now partially hers.

In the busy operating room, I only got to see her for a few moments before she was taken to the nursery. I had to wait nearly 3 hours before I could hold her - the first 3 hours we'd ever been apart. That moment when I did get to hold her was both strange and wonderful. This baby in my arms was completely unknown to my touch, and yet I had known her all along. She cried and I quickly found myself gently bouncing her and slightly rocking back and forth, instinct that has been passed down from generations of mothers before me. This was it. I was a mother now.

Six years later, Cordy and I spent the day together, without my husband and without my younger daughter. It's so rare that I get the chance to spend time with just one of my daughters. I let it be her day, and she chose to go to the zoo. We looked at the fish, laughed as the penguins swam in their enclosure, peered carefully at the snakes in the reptile house, and placed our hands up against a gorilla's hand, with only a pane of glass between us. She rambled on about each of the animals, and I listened carefully, amazed by all that she's learned since she was that strange, tiny new human, crying in my arms. I then held her as she rode the carousel, going up and down on the horse as she exclaimed, "This is the best day ever, mommy!" It was one of the best days for me as well.

Becoming a mother has changed the very nature of who I am. I love to see the world through my children's eyes from time to time, reminding myself that it's OK to slow down and take in an experience as if it's brand new. I laugh at the strange logic my daughters use to explain what they don't understand. And at the end of the day, I realize that everything else I do - work, bills, shopping, running errands - is nearly all for them in some way. Let me tell you, even though I hate being away from my girls, work is always easier to do when I remember who I'm providing for.

Johnson & Johnson, the sponsors of this blog tour, also understand how as mothers we can treasure the everyday moments. Right now they have a promotion on the Johnson's Baby Facebook page that supports one of my favorite charities, the March of Dimes. Every "Promise" made on the site (just click the "Like" button on the Joy page) gives $1 towards research into helping every infant have a healthy start to life.

Johnson’s will also host a series of photo contests on its Facebook page beginning in May. Selected monthly winners will receive one of a variety of prizes and be eligible for the $25,000 Grand Prize, to be announced in January 2012.

What are some of the memorable moments you've had with your children recently?

Full disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson’s and received Johnson’s Baby products and a promotional item and to facilitate my review.

On National Breakfast Day, Use Yours To Help Kids Get Theirs!

You may not be aware, but today is National Breakfast Day. (As well as my wedding anniversary, but that's not the topic at the moment.)

You also may not be aware that 1 in 4 kids live in homes where food isn’t always available. Although a full tummy can help kids get the most out of their school day, children living in food-insecure homes don’t always have access to breakfast. Even worse, communities across the country are increasingly forced to consider cutting state-funded school breakfast programs due to budget pressures. Fortunately, there is a way to help with this growing epidemic.

In partnership with Action for Healthy Kids, the Kellogg’s Share Your Breakfast program is designed to reach the goal of helping share one million breakfasts with kids who need them most. One way Action for Healthy Kids supports their cause is by providing funding directly to school districts to expand or initiate school breakfast programs.

Here's where Kellogg’s is asking for your help. By simply sharing a photo or description of your breakfast, Kellogg's will share the monetary equivalent of one breakfast with kids in school who might otherwise miss out. It's that easy - upload a photo or type in a description (even "cereal and milk" counts!) at the Share Your Breakfast website, submit it, and know that you've helped provide a breakfast for one child who might have missed out otherwise.

Want to make it even easier? Use your smart phone to take a pic and text the image with the word "Share" to 21534. Or go to Kellogg's Facebook page and upload your photo directly on the "Help a Child" tab.

You can also help spread the word by tweeting with the hashtag #shareURbreakfast. The program is running now through July 31, 2011, so you've got the opportunity to share many breakfasts with kids between now and then!

But why wait? Start today on National Breakfast Day and share your breakfast in order to help a child have a breakfast to start the day. It's free, it's easy, and it makes a difference in a child's life.

Me? I'm having peanut butter toast and a glass of water.

Now how about you?

Full disclosure: I attended an informational session on the Kellogg's Share Your Breakfast program while at Blissdom and received a small gift bag for my time, for which my daughter is extremely grateful for the chocolate mini-wheats. But c'mon, gift bag or not, how could I not tell others about this program? It's helping kids!

Walgreens Helps You Stay Healthy During Flu Season!

The weather's turning colder, and school is back in session. I don't know what this means for your family, but I know for mine it is often the kickoff of the sniffles and cough season. It seems like everywhere I look someone is sick, and my youngest has already started bringing home various stomach viruses that her classmates have been so kind to share with her.

This is also the time of year when my family gets our flu shots. As an RN, I've seen how sick the flu can make people. Sure, if you're an adult in good health, you're unlikely to die or suffer serious side effects from the flu, but individuals in poor health and children aren't always so lucky. I am healthy, but I don't want to risk passing the flu on to my children, or to someone else I happen to meet, so I gladly roll up my sleeve each year for that little shot.

Walgreens has made it easier than ever to get a flu shot. Many of their locations are fully stocked and have healthcare professionals trained to give out the shot, often with no wait. While getting a flu shot isn't a hardship for my family, not everyone can afford this sometimes lifesaving vaccine, which is why Walgreens and The Motherhood is asking us to spread good health with their "Random Acts of Wellness" campaign.

I was given 5 gift cards, each good for a free flu shot, to distribute to those in need, and I took this challenge very seriously. Here are a few of the stories of those I gave a card to:

• One of my recipients was a man I know with emphysema. He has smoked for most of his life, and now in his late 50's is suffering the effects of that. The good news is he did quit smoking a few years ago; the bad news is that some of the damage to his lungs is permanent. Staying healthy is a must for him, as the flu could easily land him in the hospital in a life-threatening situation. His flu shot will help him to stay healthy and stay at work through this season.

• One gift card went to a woman I work with who is pregnant. The CDC has recommended flu shots for all women in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy, as the flu could cause complications with the pregnancy. Her baby is due in November and I wanted to make sure that not only is she protected, but that the baby she and her husband are so looking forward to is protected as well.

• Another woman I know has two children, one of whom has a health condition that leaves him susceptible to any virus that comes along. What might be a sniffle for us could be a hospitalization for him, and the flu could be deadly. She works hard, but makes very little money and while she gets help in providing her children with health insurance, she has none. A flu shot for her is vital to her child's health, and I was happy to ensure that money would not stand in the way of her getting her shot as soon as possible.

Having the chance to provide the gift of health to others has been such an amazing and rewarding experience. But it doesn't stop there - I have another 5 flu shot gift cards from Walgreens to give away to 5 lucky readers! Use it for yourself, use it for someone in your family, or create your own random act of wellness and give it to someone in need.

To enter, leave a comment below sharing the "acts of wellness" your family participates in during flu season. How do you keep your family healthy? What steps do you take to avoid illness? Comments will be accepted until Tuesday, October 5 at 11:59pm ET, one entry per person, US households only. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

5 winners will be selected at random after the closing date and will be notified by e-mail. Winners have 2 days to respond or a new winner will be selected.

The best tips shared by all of you will also be gathered to create a Walgreens "Acts of Wellness During Flu Season" tips list and I'll feature my favorite tips in a follow-up post here as well.

Good luck, and stay healthy this winter! For more information on the Walgreens flu shot program, you can visit their website or their Facebook page.

Full disclosure: I was provided with five flu shot gift cards to hand out as part of the "Random Acts of Wellness" campaign with Walgreens and The Motherhood, as well as 5 gift cards to give away on this site. I was also provided with a stipend for my time involved with this project. All opinions shared here are 100% my own, and yes, I am an RN, but before you ask me for medical advice I will refer you to your doctor.

Give Dad A Sweet Treat & Give Back At The Same Time

When I was very little, I remember my mother and grandmother would take me out to Wendy's occasionally. Wendy's started in Columbus, Ohio, and my grandmother has always liked supporting local businesses. All I cared about, though, was my kid's meal and toy, and if I was really good, I'd get a Frosty as well. Yummmmm...I'd do nearly anything for a Frosty.

(Side note: tell me I wasn't the only one who liked to dip fries in my Frosty? Seriously, nothing better than a hot Wendy's fry with a scoop of Frosty on the end.)

Of course, now my kids have their choice of Frosty treats - chocolate, vanilla, swirled, milkshake Frosty, twisted toffee coffee Frosty - the list goes on and on. I get to be the old person and remind them that when I was a kid, there was only one kind of Frosty, and we all loved it. Regardless, a Frosty is still a special treat for my kids, and this weekend I know we'll be making a trip to Wendy's for that cold, chocolatey goodness.

For the past three years, Wendy's has made it a Father's Day Frosty Weekend tradition to donate 50 cents from the sale of each Frosty to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The money raised goes to the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, which funds full-time adoption recruiters at local agencies across the U.S., who in turn pair up parents with foster care children needing homes. As you might know, the founder of Wendy's, Dave Thomas, was adopted as a child, and it was his mission to help other children find good families through adoption.

So, you and your family can enjoy a tasty (and affordable!) Frosty together, while knowing you're helping children across the country in finding a family of their own.

You can also involve the kids in this great cause by having them create a fun Father's Day eCard on FrostyCard.com. For every card they send, Wendy's will donate an additional 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation. Kids can attach coupons for "taking out the trash" or "washing the car" onto the cards for Dad.

And who knows? Maybe your kids will actually honor those coupons they give Dad. Add in the deal of buying them another Frosty, and I bet they'll do any chore you ask.

Thanks to Mom Central for alerting me to this special event. I've gone to Wendy's for years and somehow didn't know about the Father's Day Frosty special.

Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts That Help Others, Too

Every year, I ask my mother what she wants for Mother's Day, and she always gives me some vague response about not needing anything and how doing something for someone in need would be better.

Well now I can still give her something AND help others.

Some of you know that I am a March of Dimes mom, and as a result I like to look for ways to help raise money for this organization. Right now, there are two excellent opportunities to buy a beautiful Mother's Day gift and support other mothers who may not get to be with their babies this Sunday.

Red Envelope is offering this beautiful necklace for Mother's Day: a mother and child embracing, formed from a single, unending loop of silver. I received one of these from the March of Dimes, and I can't even begin to express how lovely it is. I've already received several compliments on it, and looking at the design reminds me of those nights when each of my daughters were babies and I cradled each of them in my arms as I rocked them to sleep.

The pendant is 3/4" tall and the chain is a very fine silver chain with a lobster clasp. 10% of each necklace goes directly to the March of Dimes.

If the mom in your life is fond of flowers, consider a purchase from ProFlowers. They deliver across the United States, and feature not only pretty floral bouquets, but also cookies and sweets, gift baskets, and potted plants. (My mom is getting a potted plant - she loves to garden, and one more plant to take care of will be a welcome gift.) Many of their floral bouquets start at $19.99.

Any purchase made through this ProFlowers link will give $10 to the March of Dimes. You have to use the specific link for the March of Dimes to get the $10 donation.

This Mother's Day, consider not only the best gift for mom, but also how that gift might serve as a gift to someone else as well.

Plant A Seed To Bring New Life To Old Fields

When I was a kid, I played in our county's youth soccer program. There were several teams by age, and we all played on a couple of fields around town. If you didn't play in the field behind the church, surrounded on three sides by corn (and hope the ball didn't go into the corn), you played on the front lawn of a manufacturing plant, right next to a busy county road.

At the time, there were no other places to play soccer. Our local park had a baseball diamond, but it was often filled with adult softball leagues. There was no way the football players would let us use one of the school football fields either. So we had two poor excuses for sports fields to use, and no other choice. It took years before the community came together to create dedicated soccer fields for the kids to use.

However, many sports fields across the country are falling into disrepair, due to city budget cuts or lack of community involvement. In Columbus alone, numerous rec centers and pools are closing soon to save the city money. Who knows if the city fields will be kept up when outdoor sports begin in the spring?

To combat this national problem, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Earn Your Stripes program has initiated a call-to-action for a national field renovation program that kicks off this coming Super Bowl Sunday with a commercial entitled "Plant a Seed."

The ad will focus on the role we all play in building stronger communities and making a difference in kids' lives. Because the Earn Your Stripes program is about inspiring kids to be their very best, "Plant a Seed" shows that before anyone can earn a single stripe, someone has to plant a seed and help give kids places to realize their promise and potential.

The field renovation initiative is currently accepting nominations for fields that need help. From this list, semifinalists will be chosen and then everyone can vote on which 30 will make the final cut. Through this program, fields will once again become central and vibrant places of activity and community in cities and towns across the country.

If there's a sports field in your city that could use some TLC, don't wait to nominate your local field for the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed makeover. Your action could be the seed that revitalizes an entire neighborhood.

Another Reason To Buy More Chocolate

I've always joked that I accept payment in chocolate, and in this case, it was true. I was sent a box of Ferrero chocolates along with information about their Share Something Sweet promotion. Of course the chocolates are long gone (yum!), but their charity promotion really caught my eye.

Ferrero has partnered with Share Our Strength, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in the United States. Each day, 12 million children in the U.S. are at risk of not getting enough food to eat. Share Our Strength has raised more than $200 million dollars since 1984, using that money to provide grants for programs to bring meals to low-income children and advocate for federal nutrition programs.

So far, Ferrero has donated $150,000 to Share Our Strength this year, and they're giving others the opportunity to donate simply by sending an e-card. Visit Ferrero's website and send a free e-card to friends, and for each e-card sent, Ferrero will donate another dollar to Share Our Strength.

I already love Ferrero Rocher and Rondnoir chocolates, and now I appreciate the company even more for donating to such a worthy cause. If you have a moment, send a Ferrero e-card to a friend and help support Share Our Strength. It doesn't cost you a thing, although looking at all that chocolate may tempt you to buy a box the next time you go shopping.