Ladies and Germs,
October is breast cancer awareness month.I know that every single one of you has or has had at least one woman in your family or friends that suffers from breast cancer....if not now, then someday you will be affected by it.
 I have watched both my mother and grandmother suffer from breast cancer. Both of them had to get a mastectomy, though they both survived, it's never an easy battle.
However, my father suffered from an extremely aggressive case of pancreatic cancer. He had only six months to say goodbye to his family. I guess you could say I have become more and more supportive of cancer awareness, but as a woman I am compelled to put much of my efforts towards breast cancer awareness.
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For Just about every student out there the 2009-2010 school year has already begun but it’s never to late for school shopping, particularly for those attending college. Tuitions and supplies such as textbooks become more costly with each passing year so I’d like to help by sharing my findings in ways to stretch your education dollar this fall.
There are a handful of online retailers out there that are dedicated to supporting scholars worldwide and, in the process, are doing their part to ensure some social and global responsibility one step at a time. Collectively their mission is essentially the same: to help make the life of the eager, knowledge thirsty consumer easier while giving back to our communities for today’s generation and those to follow.

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The month of October brings with it a number of images - for me it's the deep reds and vibrant colors of a changing season -- but standing out amongst the hues of autumn is the iconic pink ribbon that symbolizes hope, strength, unity and commitment for all those involved in the fight against breast cancer. With October designated "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," it's fitting that we feature an organization dedicated to imagining a world without breast cancer... Please welcome Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), a youth-focused education, awareness, and fundraising foundation, whose mission is to increase awareness about breast cancer, the importance of early detection and the value of an active lifestyle. So much of the media's attention has been geared toward women in their 40's and over, that the gap in information has almost given young women in their 20's a false sense of security when it comes to breast cancer. The sad truth is that...

This summer, Staples and DoSomething.org are making it easy for you to help the 13 million children in the US that live in poverty by getting them the basic supplies they need to go back to school.

Run a school supplies drive in your school, community or with your friends. See how many new school supplies you can collect this summer!

Drop off your supplies at any Staples store nationwide now through September 19th and we’ll make sure they get delivered to a child in need in your community.

Check out Ciara’s PSA supporting the Staples/Do Something 101 school supply drive.

It’s bittersweet when the hot days of summer begin waning into the breezy and chill nights of autumn.  Personally I’m a summer fanatic but I can’t deny the overwhelming joy of being able to slip back into a cozy set of pajamas.  In fact, as I scan my dresser drawers I realize I might just have more pajamas than regular clothes.  After all, some nights I feel the need to call upon the old faithful flannels and other nights it’s the magic of the sexy satins – one must be prepared. Whatever your preference may be, we all could use a great set of pj’s to make us feel cozy and warm.  At Bed Head Paja...

I can’t believe it’s nearing the end of August already. As all the school employees are preparing our schools for the year ahead, those of us with kids are gearing up to shop for their back to school goods. Let us be grateful for the plethora of online discounts. As an avid online shopper myself, I’ve discovered that there are almost always deeper discounts on the web than in store. Of course, there are shipping fees. However, once you’ve factored in driving from store to store, filling up on gas, dragging the kids around and having to transform from mom to lioness just to survive the crowds of bargain thirsty consumers, you realize S&H fees aren’t so bad. What if you could escape the stress of the back to school shopping frenzy by purchasing...

On August 28, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, causing severe damage as it stormed throughout the South, leaving thousands homeless and an estimated 1,836 lives lost. When New Orleans' levees broke, America's hearts did too. We watched as homes were lost and families broken apart. Four years later, the devastation from Katrina continues to plague the area with roughly 15,000 families still living in temporary housing. St. Bernard Project Co-Founder Liz McCartney talks to us about her goal for St. Bernard Parish and the lessons learned to develop a new national model for post disaster rebuilding.

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Volunteering in New Orleans' St. Bernard Parish was an amazing, eye-opening experience for me. Before Katrina hit, it was a thriving middle-class community of more than 68,00 people, many of them fishermen, oil workers, natural gas workers, and construction workers. A tightly knit community of normal, hardworking people, St. Bernard Parish was home to generations of families. Neighbors all knew each other well, families lived within minutes of each other; it was a true community.

Since the hurricane, less than a third of the people have returned. The ones that have, found their neighborhoods destroyed, their friends scattered, their families moved to other towns and other states. While there, I rarely saw a street that wasn't missing a few houses or that had several others under-going reconstruction and still others slated for demolition.

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Midsummer is upon us and if you’re anything like me, the last place you want to be during the hottest of the summer months, is cooped up inside of a stuffy mall trying to find bargains for all your summer and back-to-school needs.  Summer 2009 is all about getting out-doors and enjoying the weather while at-the-same-time staying connected and informed. It’s about being savvy, saving money and finding creative ways to make the most of your dollar. So this year, sip your morning coffee while perusing nonprofitshoppingmall.com’s newest retailers (there’s a little something for everybody) and help yourself keep life simple… shop, click, give – then get out and enjoy your day!

Summer is upon us and to me that means fun with fashion. All year long I look forward to those warm summer days that allow me to frolic around in my tube dresses and funky wedge sandals. It’s even more exciting to play dress up with my chic little 9-year-old daughter. Below are some highlights of my daughter’s favorite styles and mine this season. I would particularly like to spotlight Boden as my top pick for the best summer apparel for kids.

Hotchpotch Sundress $24.00
Made of 100% cotton, here is a completely charming dress, which works brilliantly over a t-shirt in the spring or without when it’s hotter.

Surf Suit $31.00
The sun is fun but being burnt isn’t. This adorable little surf suit is perfect for those summer beach days and provides great sun protection. Not to mention, every boy loves to look like a pirate these days and skulls will always be in fashion.

Baby Surf Suit $28.00
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