Collette S from JamericanSpice! Be sure to go visit to say hi and congratulations!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
An Interview With Kay Green of My Precious Kid
I follow over 400 people on Twitter. Some are other moms like me; some are designers (also like me); some have absolutely nothing in common with me; some are Just Plain Cool. Kay Green from My Precious Kid
is one of the Just Plain Cool people. She's a mom (cool #1); she's a business owner (cool #2); she's into keeping kids safe (cool #3); and she gives stuff away A LOT (cool #4).
See what I mean?
So after following her for a bit, and winning a couple of different things (did I mention she gives stuff away a lot?), I asked for an interview so I could share Her Wonderfulness with all of you.
How long have you been in business?
Since May 2001.
What motivated you to go into your business?
I wanted to create ID cards for my homeschool kids and my adopted daughter. My teen son helped me create the first card. After that I created ID kits that parents could complete in the privacy of their home. Later we added wearable ID products for kids. Later we added safe baby gear.
What did you do before this?
I was home full time home schooling my 3 oldest children. I had run other businesses in the past (Discovery Toys, made soft sculpture dolls, and a freelance floral business.)
Where are you based?
Hillsboro OR. I opened a retail store in June 2008.
What's the weirdest/best/craziest/most beautiful thing you've ever bought?
My new 2007 Red Chrysler 300. I have never owned a new car before.
What do you have in stock that you can't believe hasn't sold very well?
Safety 1st folding booster high chair
What do you dream about finding?
A place where all kids are always safe.
What do you enjoy most about working in your business?
I love the knowledge that I make the difference in the safety of children everyday
What do you wish someone would ask you about your site?
"How do I find your store in Hillsboro?"
*Bonus - Here's your answer!*
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=MY+PRECIOUS+KID+LLC+527+SE+BASELINE+ST+STE+A+HILLSBORO+OR+97123-4149&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.410182,60.820313&ie=UTF8&cid=45520518,-122982017,7903058217439849555&s=AARTsJoAbUdxs4B0aqDVAItTvIspfLdPvA&ll=45.526074,-122.97555&spn=0.021046,0.045061&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed
View Larger Map
It's a good day at work when...
We help a parent find a product to keep their child safer.
If I ran the Internet for a day, I'd...
I would find a way to make it free to everyone at high speed.
The blogs I read (other than 3Stairs) are...
Child Safety.
You'd laugh if you knew this about me...
I was Springfield Junior Miss in 1977.
What's your favorite book?
The Shack.
What would you say is the biggest lesson you've learned in life?
That my opinions are only mine.
What was your biggest success? What did you learn from it?
My biggest success was doubling my sales 3 years in a row and getting listed on Google front page for many of my products.
I was named 2009 Most Influential Woman at Kat Logic Talk.
What was your biggest failure? What did you learn from it?
Agreeing to make 1000 unique ID kits for an specific event before they were sold, then have them not sell. Then having to take them apart to make a product that would sell for me. I learned to not count sales before the sale.
What is your favorite smell and why?
The yummy smell of baking homemade cinnamon rolls. That means family time to me.
What do you dream of doing when it's cold and/or rainy outside?
Sitting by a fire reading a good novel.
To quote myself: "See what I mean?" Is she cool or what?
***Prize Alert!***
And to make her even more cool, Kay's agreed to give away not one, not two, not even three prizes, but five prizes! Huh-zzah!
The lucky winners will receive a Car Seat ID Card!
"Why is a dinky card such a great prize?" you may ask. Well only because it will give paramedics and hospital workers vital information at their fingertips in case of a car accident, that's why! While we all hope, wish, and pray that we are never in a car accident - and especially with our children - we want (and need) to be as best prepared for that scenario as possible. These Car Seat ID cards are the best and easiest solution.
So, on to the winning!
How to Enter:
Visit My Precious Kid, then come back and leave a comment telling us about your favorite product. This entry is required to enter the drawing.
Extra Entries:
Be sure to leave a separate comment telling us about each entry so it will count in the drawing!
I’ll let Random.org choose a winner at midnight on Saturday, March 7, so get your comments in by then! I’ll announce the winners on Monday, March 9.
And even if you don't win the drawing, you still win, because you get a discount! Just use the code 10WTR09 for 10% off at www.MyPreciousKid.com. It's valid until March 31, 2009!
***Additional Note***
Extra-special kudos and Thank You Very Much goes to Erin McKean at Dress A Day for allowing me to use her interview questions for the majority of my interview. I stand by my word: "God, I love this woman..."
is one of the Just Plain Cool people. She's a mom (cool #1); she's a business owner (cool #2); she's into keeping kids safe (cool #3); and she gives stuff away A LOT (cool #4).
See what I mean?
So after following her for a bit, and winning a couple of different things (did I mention she gives stuff away a lot?), I asked for an interview so I could share Her Wonderfulness with all of you.
How long have you been in business?
Since May 2001.
What motivated you to go into your business?
I wanted to create ID cards for my homeschool kids and my adopted daughter. My teen son helped me create the first card. After that I created ID kits that parents could complete in the privacy of their home. Later we added wearable ID products for kids. Later we added safe baby gear.
What did you do before this?
I was home full time home schooling my 3 oldest children. I had run other businesses in the past (Discovery Toys, made soft sculpture dolls, and a freelance floral business.)
Where are you based?
Hillsboro OR. I opened a retail store in June 2008.
What's the weirdest/best/craziest/most beautiful thing you've ever bought?
My new 2007 Red Chrysler 300. I have never owned a new car before.
What do you have in stock that you can't believe hasn't sold very well?
Safety 1st folding booster high chair
What do you dream about finding?
A place where all kids are always safe.
What do you enjoy most about working in your business?
I love the knowledge that I make the difference in the safety of children everyday
What do you wish someone would ask you about your site?
"How do I find your store in Hillsboro?"
*Bonus - Here's your answer!*
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=MY+PRECIOUS+KID+LLC+527+SE+BASELINE+ST+STE+A+HILLSBORO+OR+97123-4149&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.410182,60.820313&ie=UTF8&cid=45520518,-122982017,7903058217439849555&s=AARTsJoAbUdxs4B0aqDVAItTvIspfLdPvA&ll=45.526074,-122.97555&spn=0.021046,0.045061&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed
View Larger Map
It's a good day at work when...
We help a parent find a product to keep their child safer.
If I ran the Internet for a day, I'd...
I would find a way to make it free to everyone at high speed.
The blogs I read (other than 3Stairs) are...
Child Safety.
You'd laugh if you knew this about me...
I was Springfield Junior Miss in 1977.
What's your favorite book?
The Shack.
What would you say is the biggest lesson you've learned in life?
That my opinions are only mine.
What was your biggest success? What did you learn from it?
My biggest success was doubling my sales 3 years in a row and getting listed on Google front page for many of my products.
I was named 2009 Most Influential Woman at Kat Logic Talk.
What was your biggest failure? What did you learn from it?
Agreeing to make 1000 unique ID kits for an specific event before they were sold, then have them not sell. Then having to take them apart to make a product that would sell for me. I learned to not count sales before the sale.
What is your favorite smell and why?
The yummy smell of baking homemade cinnamon rolls. That means family time to me.
What do you dream of doing when it's cold and/or rainy outside?
Sitting by a fire reading a good novel.
To quote myself: "See what I mean?" Is she cool or what?
***Prize Alert!***
And to make her even more cool, Kay's agreed to give away not one, not two, not even three prizes, but five prizes! Huh-zzah!
The lucky winners will receive a Car Seat ID Card!
"Why is a dinky card such a great prize?" you may ask. Well only because it will give paramedics and hospital workers vital information at their fingertips in case of a car accident, that's why! While we all hope, wish, and pray that we are never in a car accident - and especially with our children - we want (and need) to be as best prepared for that scenario as possible. These Car Seat ID cards are the best and easiest solution.
So, on to the winning!
How to Enter:
Visit My Precious Kid, then come back and leave a comment telling us about your favorite product. This entry is required to enter the drawing.
Extra Entries:
Be sure to leave a separate comment telling us about each entry so it will count in the drawing!
Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to the tweet.- Subscribe to 3Stairs (up there in the far right column at the top).
Subscribe to the Precious Kid Newsletter.- Subscribe to the Child Safety Blog.
- Add the 3Stairs button to your blog and leave a comment with a link to your blog. Grab the buttons over in the sidebar. Just copy the code under the button you want to use and paste it into your blog coding.
- Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your post.
I’ll let Random.org choose a winner at midnight on Saturday, March 7, so get your comments in by then! I’ll announce the winners on Monday, March 9.
And even if you don't win the drawing, you still win, because you get a discount! Just use the code 10WTR09 for 10% off at www.MyPreciousKid.com. It's valid until March 31, 2009!
***Additional Note***
Extra-special kudos and Thank You Very Much goes to Erin McKean at Dress A Day for allowing me to use her interview questions for the majority of my interview. I stand by my word: "God, I love this woman..."
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Shabbat Shalom - Rushing Waters
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear: Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.
Job 11:15-19 King James Version
Friday, February 13, 2009
Valentine's Day Friday Fill-in
1. It seems like every year just gets worse and worse.
2. Let me know when you're done, please?
3. If I thought you would notice or care I'd chop my hair all off!
4. Misery is what I think of most when I think of you.
5. To me, Valentine's Day means disappointment, misery, and depression.
6. Nothing gives me strength.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sleep, tomorrow my plans include church and Sunday, I want to sleep all day!
Yeah, I'm depressed. I just got started back on meds, though, so I should perk back up soon...
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pregnant Pause - Remembering the First Positive Test
A dear friend of mine from high school* got the coolest Christmas gift ever: a positive pregnancy test revealing the upcoming arrival of her first child. After reading about her reaction to the test, I wanted to share with her that she wasn't alone in the thoughts and feelings she experienced. However, being the verbose person I am, it turned into a post that I thought some other Finally Pregnant After Trying So Long moms might find encouraging. So here ya go:
I remember those four million tests. You'd wait for six minutes - just to be sure - only to see that it was still negative. Then when The One was there, it took only the time it takes to watch the color change to tell the test is working...and so is everything else.
It took us 2.5 years to get pregnant. I thought I was barren and we were actually to the stage of trying to decide whether we were going to get tested to find out exactly what was wrong where, or if we were just going to accept it and move on to the decision of adopting or fostering.
And yes, when that test does finally say what you've been trying to get the blasted thing to say all along, you are taken aback. It is a surprise. I think I just got used to seeing a negative test every month. We went to the nearby Target and bought another test to take just to make sure the one I had taken wasn't wrong. We'd had it around the house for a while, you know - it might have gone bad. That one was positive, too. It was official: we were finally pregnant. I couldn't stop grinning. And rechecking the tests to make sure they still showed positive results.
Then I made phone calls. A lot of phone calls.
I called my mom. He called his mom. I called my sister. I called my grandparents. It was 10:30 at night.
I didn't care. Wait; schmait.
All in all, congratulations my dear friend. I am so happy for you.
*I'm not naming names so as to preserve her privacy.
I remember those four million tests. You'd wait for six minutes - just to be sure - only to see that it was still negative. Then when The One was there, it took only the time it takes to watch the color change to tell the test is working...and so is everything else.
It took us 2.5 years to get pregnant. I thought I was barren and we were actually to the stage of trying to decide whether we were going to get tested to find out exactly what was wrong where, or if we were just going to accept it and move on to the decision of adopting or fostering.
And yes, when that test does finally say what you've been trying to get the blasted thing to say all along, you are taken aback. It is a surprise. I think I just got used to seeing a negative test every month. We went to the nearby Target and bought another test to take just to make sure the one I had taken wasn't wrong. We'd had it around the house for a while, you know - it might have gone bad. That one was positive, too. It was official: we were finally pregnant. I couldn't stop grinning. And rechecking the tests to make sure they still showed positive results.
Then I made phone calls. A lot of phone calls.
I called my mom. He called his mom. I called my sister. I called my grandparents. It was 10:30 at night.
I didn't care. Wait; schmait.
All in all, congratulations my dear friend. I am so happy for you.
*I'm not naming names so as to preserve her privacy.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Shabbat Shalom - Creek
"The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook."
Proverbs 18:4 King James Version
"A person's words can be a source of wisdom, deep as the ocean, fresh as a flowing stream."
Proverbs 18:4 Good News Bible
Friday, February 6, 2009
First February Friday Fill-in
1. Please don't tell me that my kids will only get more difficult as they get older.
2. Can you take the kids to school and not wake me up in the morning?
3. The color sage green makes me want to sigh as I lean back into a window seat with a Jane Austen book!
4. I have a craving for feeling like I'm in a love story.
5. If my life had a pause button, I'd pause it indefinitely.
6. Eyes are the fastest way to fall into infatuation.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sleep, tomorrow my plans include church and Sunday, I want to do nothing!
How to Forward E-mails
I hate forwarded e-mails. I know "hate" is a strong word, but my feelings about forwarded e-mails are strong.
Very strong.
Sometimes, a forwarded e-mail actually has some good, useful, relevant information. Most of the time not, but occasionally, you do come across something that's not actually a complete waste of time. Take this morning. I check my e-mail to another forwarded e-mail. But my dear mother-in-law - being the practical and wonderful person she it - sent me something useful.
Thanks, Mom!
Here's part of what she sent. Read and learn. And instead of forwarding an e-mail to everyone, just send them a link to this post. =D
Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses & names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel!
How do you stop it? Well, there are several easy steps:
(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second You MUST click the 'Forward' button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't click on 'Forward' first, you won't be able to edit the message at all.
(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or CC: fields for adding e-mail addresses. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say 'Undisclosed Recipients' in the 'TO:' field of the people who receive it.
(3) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many e-mails just to see what you sent.
(4) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses. A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition. (Actually, if you think about it, who's supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports? And don't believe the ones that say that the email is being traced, it just aint so!)
(5) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, 'Send this email to 10 people and you'll see something great run across your screen.' Or, sometimes they'll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN!!!!! (Trust me, I'm still seeing some of the same ones that I waited on 10 years ago!) I don't let the bad luck ones scare me either, they get trashed. (Could be why I haven't won the lottery??)
(6) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that's been circling the net for years! Just about everything you receive in an email that is in question can be checked out at Snopes. Just go to http://www.snopes.com/
It's really easy to find out if it's real or not. If it's not, please don't pass it on.
Very strong.
Sometimes, a forwarded e-mail actually has some good, useful, relevant information. Most of the time not, but occasionally, you do come across something that's not actually a complete waste of time. Take this morning. I check my e-mail to another forwarded e-mail. But my dear mother-in-law - being the practical and wonderful person she it - sent me something useful.
Thanks, Mom!
Here's part of what she sent. Read and learn. And instead of forwarding an e-mail to everyone, just send them a link to this post. =D
Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses & names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel!
How do you stop it? Well, there are several easy steps:
(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second You MUST click the 'Forward' button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't click on 'Forward' first, you won't be able to edit the message at all.
(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or CC: fields for adding e-mail addresses. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say 'Undisclosed Recipients' in the 'TO:' field of the people who receive it.
(3) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many e-mails just to see what you sent.
(4) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses. A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition. (Actually, if you think about it, who's supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports? And don't believe the ones that say that the email is being traced, it just aint so!)
(5) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, 'Send this email to 10 people and you'll see something great run across your screen.' Or, sometimes they'll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN!!!!! (Trust me, I'm still seeing some of the same ones that I waited on 10 years ago!) I don't let the bad luck ones scare me either, they get trashed. (Could be why I haven't won the lottery??)
(6) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that's been circling the net for years! Just about everything you receive in an email that is in question can be checked out at Snopes. Just go to http://www.snopes.com/
It's really easy to find out if it's real or not. If it's not, please don't pass it on.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Noble, Perfect and Beautiful
Lin Yutang (1895-1976) Chinese writer
Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
------------------------
If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.
------------------------
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.
------------------------
If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.
------------------------
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Win an 8G iPod Touch MP3 Player!
Mommy Daddy Blog is giving away something you’d love to touch; a shiny spankin’ new 2nd Gen 8GB iPod Touch MP3 player and a $10 iTunes gift card! Click here to enter this sweet giveaway!
Expecting by Marla Taviano
 Expecting: Praying for Your Child’s Development – Body and Soul Publisher: Howard Books (6 January 2009) Hardcover: 208 pages ISBN: 1416572007 $13 including shipping |
(Columbus, Ohio) – Numerous parenting books line the shelves of local bookstores and online sites, but rarely do expectant mothers come across a book that is entirely devoted to the prenatal body and soul development of their child. Author, Marla Taviano’s new book, Expecting: Praying for Your Child’s Development – Body and Soul, provides words of comfort, encouragement and inspiration for soon-to-be mommies. Whether a first pregnancy or a fifth, whether planned for or surprised by this new life, Marla’s sensitive writing and loving observations of unborn life will pacify anxious feelings and help moms focus on the One who can bring calm assurance. Amazing fetal developments, coupled with reflective journaling ideas make for a beautiful heirloom to pass down to future generations.
Marla knows the pressures of motherhood. Perhaps that’s why this book so aptly captures the nine months leading to the physical welcoming of a child into the world. Those quiet moments will be quickly replaced with dirty diapers, wet slobbery kisses and spit up. She inspires mommies to relish the physical changes and the tranquil pre-motherhood moments with the Creator of all things.
Marla and her husband, Gabe, live in Ohio and have three daughters—eight-year-old Olivia Joy, six-year-old Ava Marie, and three-year-old Nina Gabriel.
***Prize Alert***
Leave a comment to win a gift-wrapped copy of Expecting: Praying for Your Child’s Development – Body and Soul to enjoy for yourself or an expectant friend!
Extra Entries:
- Second Entry: Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to the tweet.
- Third Entry: Subscribe to 3Stairs and leave a comment letting me know.
- Fourth Entry: Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your post.
I'll let Random.org choose a winner at midnight on Saturday, February 21, so get your comments in by then! I'll announce the winner on Monday, February 23.
Monday, February 2, 2009
eMOM's Free Valentine's Flowers to Honor Our Troops
Ok, you know I love eMOM, right? Well as if them being the wonderful folks they are isn't enough, they've given us another reason to love them - 70 of them! - in the form of $70 gift certificates to ProFlowers.com. But not just a gift certificate for $70, or even 5 gift certificates totaling $70. Nope. ProFlowers.com has given eMOM 5 - count 'em - FIVE gift certificates worth $70 EACH to give away!
OOH-AH!!
And this ain't no "comment for one entry" piddly thing, either! There are 10 - count again - TEN ways to enter for multiple entries - like 10 entries just for registering with eMOM, or 5 entries for tweeting about the contest. Hello, names in the hat!!
Ok, enough gushing. Go enter already!
We have a winner!
Random.org chose #52, which is the lovely Sarah from Mom Balance. She's just had baby #3 and birthed her new blog! Be sure to go visit Sarah to congratulate her on both of her new babies!
And just because she didn't have a button or badge for me to post here and I'm excited about my very first giveaway being such a big success (thank you, Prizey!), I designed a badge for Sarah!
And just because she didn't have a button or badge for me to post here and I'm excited about my very first giveaway being such a big success (thank you, Prizey!), I designed a badge for Sarah!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
