July 14th, 2009

HP and TypeAMomfluence Up the Excitement for My BlogHer Experience

I am so looking forward to BlogHer09 next week, not like you couldn’t guess by the many recent posts I’ve had about it! Or you know, all the party buttons on my sidebar, lol!

But yesterday I got news via twitter that made me even more excited about BlogHer and totally eased some financial worries I had!!! I won a $500 scholarship thanks to HP and the TypeAMomFluence ladies! This money will cover my hotel costs, a little shopping and a couple of nice dinners with my best friend! Speaking of which, if you are from or familiar with Chicago, feel free to suggest a couple of good dinner options – we’ll be eating out at least Thursday and Saturday nights.

With money pretty tight in our household I admit I was feeling guilty about going to the conference. I mean sure my tickets were bought months ago (while money was not so tight) and yes I got my flight by redeeming aeroplan points, and yes I even talked best friend into coming and splitting my hotel room fee with me. Still, DH has to take time off work to watch the boys, and I knew between my half of the hotel room fee and miscellaneous spending I’d probably spend at least $500 over the 4 days. So the scholarship money completely covers that estimate and thankfully DH totally appreciates why I want to attend BlogHer so he’s okay with taking the needed time off. And hopefully it won’t rain much between then and now so he can work consistently, unlike last week

Only 9 sleeps left until time to leave – now I need to work on preparing the boys to be without mommy for a few days….I’ll think about that tomorrow!

December 11th, 2008

Sugar Magic!

Yep, it’s that time again – another one of my hopeful entries into an HP Blogger Magic Giveaway. What can I say – I really, really, really would love to win this amazing prize package! It would be such a huge help to my slowly growing VA business, and a great way to share some fabulous equipment with friends and family who don’t have the cash to own it otherwise (this post and this one have more details on my ideas of how to share such a great prize with people who will appreciate it). And between the prize and my old equipment that would be replaced by a couple of the prizes (ok, I admit it, I’d keep the touchsmart, it’s so pretty!) there would be plenty to share!

But Sugar, from Living – In Theory, wants us to talk about what we are doing to make an impact on the lives of others for her HP contest. So that’s what this post is going to be about!

I think we all impact other people’s lives in so many ways – by being a good friend, by trying to be loving and supportive parents, by helping out our family when they need it. And I do all of these things, at least most of the time. Some days it is hard to make sure that impact is positive, when I’m tired and the kids are screaming!

I’m proud to talk about another area I work to have an impact in. When I first started planning my VA business, I read a suggestion that a great way to get experience was to volunteer. So I did some research and found an organization that needed my help AND that I cared about the cause! I started working as the secretary of my local VBAC association. We’re a small group but when a woman is pregnant with her second or third baby and wants desperately to finally have the vaginal birth she has wanted all along, we are there for support, answers and guidance. When we get emails saying that a woman is about to be pressured into a repeat c-section, it feels so good to be part of the group that can help her get the result she wants, or to be there for her if the c-section does happen. It’s not always easy finding the time to do volunteer work, especially with 3 young kids and a husband whose work has irregular hours and even works out of town. But I am committed to staying involved with this organization because I know that we can do good – and sometimes those little ripples of positive action can mean more than we can ever realize.

Well that’s my story and my entry – hope you like it! Now I’m off to read everyone else’s posts and to tweet about the contest!

***ADDED Friday am – Reading all of everyone’s ideas for sharing the contest winnings – I have to say I’m so impressed, and if I’m fortunate enough to win I may take a further look at the suggestions and find something great to try with at least one of the computers! I quite like the idea of giving it to an aspiring VA!

***ADDED Dec 16/last day of contest! If you haven’t entered yet make sure you do so today!! I’ve enjoyed commenting on other’s entries so much that I just had to add a little postscript and share some of my favorite entries right here on my blog! Be sure to check out:

• Nikolas’ great post – a young guy with a good heart who is coping with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
• I’m pretty sure I’ve been to Shera’s blog before, A Frog In My Soup (the name is so memorable!!) but I didn’t notice until after reading her entry that she does blog design, especially for mommy blogs! Beautiful work and I recommend you check it out, especially if you need some work done or maybe some mommy cards, which she also designs!
• Courtenay had a great and inspiring post about community work and it reminded me to go and donate blood this holiday season. It is the gift of life after all!
• Paisley Raven’s post shows how truly thoughtful some people can be. Not many of us open our homes so freely to those in need.
• Gwynne’s post about living on so little really reminds me to be so grateful for all that I have.
• Roguepuppet’s Bridges post was so wonderful!! And Roguepuppet found out after entering the Living in Theory contest that she actually had won one of the other 50 HP Magic contests – wow, huh?!
• Definitely go watch the video at the Mommy Gossip entry if you have a chance – so touching!
• A truly well written entry came from Sarah at The Third Degree – didn’t even realize it was an entry until the end!

Honestly – there were so many amazing entries and I’m so glad to have been introduced to these blogs. Some made me laugh, some made me cry and some made me want to jump up and DO something! Sure hope you all find time to read them, oh and don’t miss Sugar’s own “impact” post on her blog – it’s about a refrigerator….

Laurie

December 4th, 2008

More HP Magic from moosh in indy

I really, really love the HP Blogger Magic contests going on.  I’m entering several of them and while I know that my chances of winning aren’t likely to be high (come on, tons of people must want to win such an amazing package!) I have to keep trying! This is my entry into the contest that comes courtesy of moosh in indy’s blog.

I have blogged about this before but I really, really would love a netbook/mini computer to keep handy when I’m on the go. I am often out with my boys and have some free time that I could get some work done in (you know if they fall asleep and we’re sitting waiting for oldest to get out of school, or I’m waiting for someone to finish soccer practice or they are playing at the park). So I would definitely be keeping the HP Mini for myself! And remember Twittering counts as work for me, it’s “professional” networking people!! I really have gotten clients that way, even if it just seems like fun!

But this contest is not just about winning for me is it? Nope, it’s about sharing the magic! What a great concept! I really want to be able to share a laptop with my sister.  She drives me crazy sometimes, but she has had a very rough time lately with her separation, her crazy ex, custody battles and going back to school for the first time since she was 15. She can’t afford her own laptop, not even a cheap one, so I know how much she would appreciate the gift!

I’d also love to gift some of the wonderful prize package to a couple of local charities – Santa’s Anonymous and The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. I received a gift from Santa’s anonymous as a child when we were very poor and receiving welfare. Giving back to them is important to me. And the Stollery is an amazing charity that can always use some extra money. I figure they could easily auction off some of the stuff if they had no use for it themselves, then they’d have money for their needs.

So moosh if you’d consider granting me the prize package I would really, really appreciate it and definitely would share the love! Help me grow my business and I’ll really be able to share the magic – my hope is that as I grow my virtual assistant business I can employ other moms to work from home and spend time with their children! Magic all year round!