Help!!!!

So I seem to be in the giving mood lately. I've mentioned in previous posts my new years resolution to give to a different charity each month and I am successful thus far. The AMAZING show "Secret Millionaire" has just added to my desire to want to give and help others out. In fact, the show inspired myself and a couple co-workers to start a project at work where we collect various items for one of the local charities each month. Now, to the part I need help with. My bestie and I have decided that we want to start some sort of charity. We just have no idea how to go about doing it. That's where you all come in! We know we want to do something to help animals. Becca (my bestie) knows a lady that runs a program to help various injured wild animals so we are going to help with that, but we also want to do something for the dogs and cats. Unfortunatley we can't shelter stray cats and dogs ourselves, but if we could do something to help the dogs and cats in need in another way, that's what the goal is. Now I have 531 followers, so if anyone can offer some suggestions I would love it!! Thanks so much!!

Charity Donation Update

If any of you remember reading my blog post about my new years resolutions (which you can find HERE), you recall me saying that I wanted to make a donation to a different charity every month this year. Well it is now March and I am happy to say that I have kept that resolution thus far :). In January I donated to the Michigan Humane Society, February I chose St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and I just made my March donation to the World Wildlife Fund. One of the local radio stations also held their annual radiothon last month for the Children's Miracle Network and I once again became a monthly donor for them. So, now for the point of this post. I need some help coming up with other great causes to donate to. As you can probably tell from my donation history thus far, I really support animal and children's causes. However, I am also planning on making donations later this year to USO, Breast Cancer Foundation, American Cancer Society, and the ASPCA. So if you add it all up that keeps me covered for 7 months, which means I need help choosing 5 more organizations for the year. So I am asking the help of my lovely blog readers; if you could leave me a comment with an organization that means a lot to you or one that maybe you make regular donations too I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for all the help!!!

New Year's Goals!!

Happy 2011 all!!! Hope it has been a great year for everyone so far. I thought I would finally post again and share some of my new years resolutions with you. Of course we all make resolutions and if you're like me you normally break them by about March or so. Well this year I am determined to make some of them last the entire year. One in particular that I will let you know more about in a few. Here are the rest of them though, in no particular order:

1. Lose some weight/get more in shape: This of course is a quite common one which most people make and break, myself included. I am determined to start working out again very soon though. The new season of Biggest Loser helps motivate me too :)

2. Try to be more optimistic: I used to be a pretty positive person and I still am a little, but I find myself getting stressed out more lately. I need to not get so nerved by some things, even though I really want to. I need to start making lemonade out of my lemons and stop sweating the small stuff!

3. Go to a Detroit Tigers game!!! I have missed going to a game the last two seasons and I am determined not to miss going this season! I would be incredibly happy to make it to one that Verlander or Porcello pitches, but I will really take anyone as long as I am there!

4. Go on vacation somewhere! Missed doing this last year too. In 07' I went to Boston and NYC, in 08' I went to NYC again and in 09' I went to Vegas. Last year I took a couple weekend trips to other parts of Michigan, but I really want to vaca outta the state this year. I am so down for going to NYC again...or Florida maybe??

5. Make it "up north" again this summer: Here in Michigan, "up north" is the ultimate summer vacation spot. Don't know where "north" actually begins, but everyone seems to go there at some point in the summer. My BFF Becca and I have taken a weekend trip to beautiful Higgins Lake to her family cabin and it is so relaxing and peaceful there. I LOVE it!! Really hoping we get to make it up there again this year :)

6. Blog more!!!! I was so good at updating this thing when I first started it and then I really started slacking. Have no fear though folks, American Idol will be starting again soon so you can count on seeing posts every Wednesday and Thursday with recaps and my opinions on the show. If you are an Idol fan, be sure to stay tuned!!

So for my last resolution I decided this year I am going to donate to a different charity every month. Now I'm not exactly rolling in the cash flow, so it will probably only be $20 or so each month, but that's better than nothing right?? Every year one of the local radio stations has a radiothon to benefit the local Children's Miracle Network hospital and I generally make the monthly plan that they ask for. Last year it was $10 a month so I of course did that and that will be coming out of my account monthly until April, when I will sign up once again. In addition to CMN though, I want to pick a different charity every month to donate to also. I just made this month's donation tonight and it was to the Michigan Humane Society. Now I love kids and I love animals so I will be picking many charities that deal with them, but of course there will be some other ones too. So far on my brainstorming list are Michgan Humane Society (done), World Wildlife Foundation, ASPCA (seriously those commercials upset me so much I have to turn the channel every time they are on!!), St. Jude's children's hospital, USO, Breast cancer foundation, American Cancer Society, and March of Dimes. I'm not sure what other ones I will be choosing yet, but I will for sure try to make all twelve months! If there is any sort of national disaster, I am sure I will be donating to that one too. Feel free to offer me some suggestions too!!!

Well there you have it. My goals for 2011. I really am going to try my hardest to stick with them this year!!! What are some of your goals for the year?? Anyone know of any other organizations I could donate too??