9.27.2010

For the Love of Kittens. . .


{Here's a little factoid to get your Monday going...}  

"An intact female cat, her mate and their offspring can produce up to 11,000 cats over the course of 5 years."



Since this last April, I have become increasingly involved in an organization called Carol's Feral's. This wonderful non-profit aims to assist outdoor dwelling cat caregivers with TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) services. (Note: an "outdoor dwelling cat" = a "feral cat", aka that adorable neighborhood kitty that avoids you at all costs, yet relies on you for food.) Left to their own devices, feral cats will reproduce non-stop (hence the above factoid), overpopulating the city with homeless felines. This is where organizations like Carol's Feral's come in.

My fateful encounter with the organization happened by chance, when my continual tries to volunteer with a good friend of mine who works with the local animal shelter, continually fell through. For some reason their lack of organization always led to me missing the training dates for volunteers and what-not. I gave up.

That's when good 'ol Facebook came through. After a friend of mine randomly suggested I "Like" the Carol's Feral's page (she knows me too well, anything with cats and I am hooked), I spent a good chunk of my afternoon browsing through their website and checking out all of their nifty info.

I continued reading and learned that Carol's Feral's not only handles TNR, but they also help adopt out cats and kittens that they find along the way when on their spay & neuter mission. And that's when I saw it: the words "volunteer" and "kitten cuddler". Now honestly, who could pass up the opportunity to hang out and cuddle with kittens for hours on end? (yes, I am sure my dear friend with the horrible cat allergies can say through her sneeze that she would be able to pass it up, but only by force of nature...). I sent an email to the organizer as fast as I could type.

Ever since, I have been making weekly trips out to their facility to cuddle, clean, scoop and feed the little buggers. As my time working with the non-profit grew, I became involved in helping with their monthly "Adoption Drives" at a local mall. They set up shop in the "common" area and bring their adoptables to be "Ooeed" and "Aaahhed" by all the passerby's, in hopes that someone will adopt. This past Saturday I helped out at the event and took some photos of my cute cuddly friends.



"Maggie" - She's one of my favorites. <3

One of my favorite parts is watching the young kids' reactions to the animals. They go crazy! :)
"Lacey"; They love to lay in these crazy positions! Very entertaining!
The 9 week old kittens. Yeah, they were a hit! :)
"Emme" & "Dax" (L - R). These sisters got adopted together!
"Diesel" - the snuggler. Also known as the "One Who Sleeps in the Litter Box"
"Stella". She's part Egyptian. Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode every time I say her name though. :)
"Max" - I have a thing for orange kittens....
We had very good luck: 3 official adoptions, and more than 5 people filled out applications. They have appointments to come to the facility to take a closer look and pick out their new pet! :)

Anyone looking for a friend? Check out their website as well as their link to PetFinder, where all their adoptable cats & kittens can be found!


Much love,


9.24.2010

Pay it Forward Fridays

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."  --Ralph Waldo Emerson



{Happy Friday my friends!}


Today I am passing along an idea that I heard on my local Christian radio station JQ99.3 here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The idea, I suppose, stems from the movie Pay It Forward (you know, the movie with the little ghost boy from The 6th Sense and Kevin Spacey?). Anyhow, the idea that the radio station is trying to implement involves random acts of kindness and reaching out to your community.



The idea is simple: When you go to a drive-thru on Friday for your morning coffee or lunchtime snack, treat the person behind you. Just pay their bill (yes the WHOLE thing). They even have these printable "coupons" that you can give to the cashier when you inform them of your good deed. They hand the customer behind you the coupon when they give them the wonderful news that, hey, their lunch is free! Personally I think it is an ingenious idea and I would be so happy ecstatic if this happened to me! So, today, I think I will go out for lunch, and take the person behind me as well. :)

What do you think?


9.22.2010

{Tag, You're it!}


My new Blogger friend Lacey @ Southern in the City, tagged me in a game this morning. The game goes like this: I answer Lacey's 8 questions that she created and then ask 8 different questions to 8 other people. 

Here are my answers:  


1. If you had to choose one, what reality show would you go on and why?

America’s Next Top Model – although, don’t get me wrong, I am in NO way saying that I can be put into the “model” category, but, it has always been a dream to see what modeling would be like. Getting dressed up in crazy sexy outfits, having someone that REALLY knows what they're doing do my hair & makeup AND hang out with hottie Nigel Barker? Yes please!




2. If you were a time traveler and could only go back in time or forward in time, which would you choose?

I think that I would go back in time – not too far, maybe the 1950’s, specifically for the fashion. I adore the dresses, coats and hats. (Lucy Ricardo comes to my mind…)


3. What is one landmark in the world you hope to one day see?

Maybe this is a little cliché, but I am looking forward to seeing the Eiffel Tower someday. Not soon, but someday – it’s on my bucket list!


4. What has been your favorite vacation ever?

That would definitely be my last tropical vacation with my huge extended family. We did so many fun things – snorkeling in underwater caves, massage on the beach, swimming with dolphins. Haven’t been able to top that one yet!


5. If you were to start your own restaurant, what would it be called and what would you make?

Maybe it is because of the recent explosion of cupcake/cake related shows all over cable, but I would love to start a bakery, specializing in cupcakes called "Simply Sweet". The Cupcake Girls look like they have so much fun! Although, I’d probably need to learn to bake first…Hmmm.




6. What's the most embarrassing CD you have in your collection?

Aqua? (“I’m a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie world…”)


7. You can only eat 5 different foods for the rest of your life, what are they?

  • Pizza
  • Ice Cream (specifically Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Brittle)
  • Strawberries
  • Rice
  • Bread (any and all kinds!)


8. What is the best purchase you have ever made?


My first iPhone – I am now hooked for life. It is a lifesaver!


9. What's the one movie you could watch over and over?

You’ve Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Dirty Dancing is a VERY close second.



10. What is the most exciting experience you've had so far in your life?

Back when I was a cowgirl and showing my quarter horse at the county fair in my hometown, winning one of the highest honors as Western Grand Champion. Hard work will always pay off!


Here are my questions for the next 8!

  1. If you could go back to school, without money being a factor in your decision, what would you study?
  2. Cats or dogs?
  3. How many pairs of shoes do you own, and which ones are you absolute favorite?
  4. What’s in your purse – right now?
  5. Be honest: How many times a day do you check Facebook?
  6. What is the farthest place you’ve traveled outside of your hometown, and why?
  7. If you had to limit your beauty routine down to only 2 things, what would you keep?
  8. What is your favorite quote?

 I tag:
  1. Jennie @ Well Shut the Front Door!
  2. Jennifer B. @ Starving Insatiable
  3. Poor and Fabulous @ Poor is the New Black
  4. Meg @ Life of Meg
  5. High Heeled Life @ Falling off a High-Heeled Life
  6. Jayme @ The Simple, Sweet Life
  7. Julie @ Brown Eyed Belle
  8. savedthrulove @ Guileless Living Day by Day

What a fun idea! Have a blessed day!

Much love,









9.20.2010

Fabulous Fall Reads. . .

Hello fellow Bloggers!

Today is my first "official" blog post, and I thought what better way to get things started then to post about one of my great loves - reading! I have quite a long list of "To Reads" for the upcoming months, and it seems that every day I come across a new title or author that I add to the pile. My current list has some oldies (like Julie Powell's Cleaving, her sequel to Julie & Julia) and some newbies (like the raved about The Help by Kathryn Stockett).



I spent a wonderful rainy morning this Saturday finishing up my latest guilty pleasure: Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. The book tells the story of a young attorney living and working in Manhattan, who, after a rowdy 30th birthday party, ends up in bed with her best friend's fiancé. Always one to take the moral high-road, she is determined to put the one-night-stand behind her and move on, until she realizes that her heart is telling her otherwise. I was skeptical to begin reading the book that stems from something I consider my worst nightmare, as I am sure is the case with EVERY woman out there, but my room-mate (recently engaged, might I add) convinced me that it was a terrific story and I would love it. I found that I couldn't put it down, and wanted it to go on forever! I am a hopeless romantic, and this non-traditional story of romance hit the spot!  

Here are the next few on my list:





What are YOU reading this fall? 



9.16.2010

{love for today . . . }

Just a simple quote that I love to get the ball rolling...

"If you enter this world knowing that you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with."

Michael Jackson


Much love,