Category Archives: Uncategorized

Boston Marathon – Pray for Boston

photo ca266a61-0fe7-4b4d-b16d-26a6c253702f_zps6d30e2a8.jpg

Too Close To Home…

20 years ago, my parents and I were standing at the finish line, cheering on each runner as they crossed.

15 years ago, my friends and I were standing at the finish line, cheering on each runner as they crossed.

10 years ago, my husband and I were standing at the finish line, cheering on each runner as they crossed.

5 years ago, my eldest daughter was just over a year old and my second daughter, only a few months old.  We were home watching the Boston marathon, cheering on each runner as they crossed.

April 15th, 2013… Minutes before getting ready to leave for the Boston marathon, I decided against it.  My husband had to work.  The crowds made me nervous, and I didn’t want to take my daughters alone.  Had I taken them, we would have stood at the finish line, cheering on each runner as they crossed.

The Boston Marathon is not just another marathon.  It is an event that people around the world look forward to.  It is an event where both professional runners, friends and family members train all year for. It is an event where people run for various causes, their mothers, their children, their loved ones and themselves.  The Boston Marathon is a community event, not only Bostonians take pride in!  On the day of “OUR BOSTON MARATHON, OUR COMMUNITY IS COMPRISED OF PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD!”  THIS YEAR, A WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY WAS AFFECTED BY A SENSELESS ACT OF VIOLENCE!

Everyone is a Patriot on the day of the Boston Marathon, each of us become True Bostonians for the day.  The heinous crime that affected the 2013 Boston marathon did not take that away from us.  We, our worldwide community, are all still Patriots and True Bostonians.  The crime did not take away what the Boston Marathon is about, nor will it stop future Boston Marathons.  Unfortunately, the attack on Boston took away something greater.  Many were injured, the lives of 3 innocent victims were lost.  Each family torn apart.

The Boston Marathon 2014 will happen.  Will it ever be the same?  No! Will we still be there?  YES!

Share
Posted in Board Of The Day, Humanity, Never-To-Be-Forgotten, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Get Personal With Shivani

photo beyoutiful1_zpsb8d75b8f.jpg

Since my “About” page covers my blog, I thought I would add a “Get Personal” page with you.

Although I rarely have a problem sharing information about myself, somehow, this page was a little more difficult to fill than I thought it would be. Fortunately, I recently stumbled upon a site called and answered a few of their questions for myself. The questions were random, yet relevant to this page so… I added some of them along with my answers.
Here goes…

Is it easy for you to tell people how you feel?
Yes and no. It’s easy for me to tell people how I feel, but if it means hurting their feelings, I cave and cannot do it.

Do you have a good singing voice?
Are you referring to my shower voice, alone in the car voice, or the one I use if other people are around (aka… the “almost whisper”)?

What kind of candy do you most enjoy?
Definitely sour patch kids!

What is your favorite place to buy clothes?
Free People hands down! I love all of their clothes. I really think I was meant to be born a few decades earlier than I was.

If you were a piece of furniture, what would you be?
A bookshelf. Definitely not a chair or anything that people sit on. I’m not big on flatulation.

What is exciting to you?
Watching my children. Everything about them excites me!

Would you rather be a vampire or a werewolf?
Definitely a vampire! I love the mystery behind them.

Are you quick on your feet?
Hmmm… I know I used to be.

Sneakers or sandals?
Sandals

What is your favorite dessert?
I don’t like desserts very much but I do love french fries dipped in ice cream.

If you rented a billboard, what would you put on it?
duh… Leave a lovely legacy…

What restaurant do you enjoy eating at the most?
I am such a restaurant buff that I cannot pick just one!

Who’s your favorite superhero?
Hands Down Wonder Woman! She kicks butt!

Does your phone need charging?
Yes

What do you do to relax?
Meditate

Put your music player on shuffle/random, what came on?
Ha, I have the music playing now and the song that just came on was a little out of nowhere… “Goodbye Stranger” by Supertramp

Would you rather be older or younger?
I love where I am today.

Would you rather plan a party or attend one?
Years ago, I would say plan a party. Now, definitely attend.

Do you trust your friends?
Not too many. Maybe 3.

Is it easy for you to go to sleep?
Not at all.

If you’d like to know anything more about me, feel free to ask… (oh, and don’t forget to check out my “About“ page so you know what type of stuff you’ll find on my lovely little blog.

Share
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Gift Of Love Accompanied By The Gift Of Life

During my youth, if I were told that giving water as a gift could transform lives, I would not have believed it. Today, it is a reality. Clean water is a lifesaver for people in some of OUR WORLDS poorest countries.

Buying water for life, a hand pump, four faucets for a water point, constructing a well, or buying a composting toilet can be achieved with as little as $25.00 and up to only $150.00. That is less than I spend on groceries for whole week, yet can save the lives of people less fortunate. Simply sacrificing a pair of designer jeans would pay for 3, 4, or maybe even 5 people to have clean water and sanitation for LIFE. Did I mention it was tax-deductible too?

Fortunately, organizations like WaterAid have made giving the gift of life easy and possible for everyone. Rather than buy a box of chocolates or flowers this valentine’s day, give someone the gift of love accompanied with the gift of life. By choosing, and buying a gift on the WaterAid website, you can print a card, including the details of the gift for your loved one. Talk about a gift worth receiving!

*This post was written by Shivani Cotter for the Global Team Of 200, a highly specialized group of members of Mom Bloggers for Social Good that concentrates on issues involving women and girls, children, world hunger and maternal health.

Share
Posted in Centered, Family, Global Team Of 200, Humanity, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Help UNICEF End Human Trafficking – Join The Initiative

It doesn’t matter where you live.
It’s estimated that 5.5 million children are victims.
The victims can be ANY age (my 5-year-old could become a victim).
An estimated $32 billion are generated from it each year.

The statistics above are shocking.  Unfortunately, reading them were just the beginning in my search to find out more about the reality of human trafficking.  Children as young as my daughters are bought and sold for a small sum of money then made to work under dangerous conditions including, but not limited to prostitution, pornography, and even forced labor.

Although the impression I had been that Human Trafficking was something that happened in other countries, I was shocked to hear that many children in the US are victims.  In fact, All 50 States in the US have reports of human trafficking.  It doesn’t matter whether male or female, young or old, ANYONE can be trafficked.  As stated on UNICEF’s website, HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAS BEEN LINKED TO MODERN-DAY SLAVERY.  It’s time to take a stand against Human Trafficking.  We need to protect our children, raise awareness and help UNICEF to end human trafficking.

3 Ways You Can Take Action:

  • 1  
  • Join or start a UNICEF club at your high school or college. Visit unicefusa.org/highschool or unicefusa.org/campusinitiative.
  • 2  
  • Find out how many slaves work for you. Slavery Foot print’s website allows consumers to understand how their purchases may connect them. Take the site’s survey and use their action center and mobile app to raise your voice for ethically sourced products. Visit slaveryfootprint.org.
  • 3  
  • Keep Learning. Visit unicefusa.org/endtrafficking and notmylife.org to learn more about what UNICEF and other organizations are doing to protect children.

 

The End Trafficking project is the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s initiative to raise awareness about child trafficking and mobilize communities to take meaning- full action to help protect children. In partnership with concerned individuals and groups, the End Trafficking project aims to bring us all closer to a day when there are zero exploited children.

Source: http://www.unicefusa.org/assets/pdf/onepager_endtrafficking_oct_2012.pdf

*This post was written by Shivani Cotter for the Global Team Of 200, a highly specialized group of members of Mom Bloggers for Social Good that concentrates on issues involving women and girls, children, world hunger and maternal health.

Share
Posted in Children, Global Team Of 200, Humanity, Kids, Motherhood, Parenting, Ruminate, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Best Coupons On The Web


As an avid internet shopper, getting a great deal online is always a treat! Unfortunately, finding the offers can be challenging. Recently, I was introduced to an internet shopper’s dream come true called Coupons at Checkout.  The browser plug-in has not only become my favorite internet buddy, it has saved me money already!

Coupons at Checkout is unlike any other coupon saving option I have seen.  As a working mother, I rarely have time to research discount options never mind clip coupons. Coupons at Checkout has taken the frustration of missed opportunities away for me, and given me more time to spend with my children since the world of online shopping has only gotten better!  The plug-in literally finds coupons available on the web for me so that I do not have to!

With over 100,000 e-commerce sites in its datatabase, it’s rare not to find a deal available for websites you shop on.  In conjunction with Coupon Follow, you are not only informed of the latest deals, coupons can even be organized for you!  During checkout, Coupons at Checkout will show you various coupon codes available for the website you are shopping on.  All you need to do is enter the coupon code during checkout and apply it!  It really is THAT SIMPLE!

Coupons at Checkout software is free and easy to install.  You never have to sign up, register or give out your personal information.  With it’s easy to use interface and wide array of shopping sites and offers, it took seconds for me to realize how beneficial Coupons at Checkout was for my family and I.

 *This post was written as part of a sponsored campaign for Coupons at Checkout. All opinions are my own.

Share
Posted in Mom, Shopping, Tech, Uncategorized, Women | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

UP by Jawbone – The Perfect Companion

THE LATEST “MUST HAVE” FOR ANYONE!  SIMPLY INGENIOUS! :)

UP is a system, wristband + iPhone app, that tracks how you sleep, move and eat so you can know yourself better, make smarter choices and feel your best.

Know yourself. Live better. TRACK YOUR SLEEP. Small and comfortable to wear all day and night, UP senses your micro-movements while you sleep and uses advanced algorithms to determine how many hours you slept, how long it took you to fall asleep, time spent in light vs. deep sleep and how many times you woke during the night. TRACK YOUR ACTIVTY. Wearing UP captures a complete picture of your day, so you don’t have to guess how active you are. UP tracks your steps, distance, calories burned and time spent active vs. idle. TRACK YOUR FOOD & DRINK. UP’s mobile app lets you log what you eat and drink and get as detailed as you want. Take a photo of your food, scan a barcode, browse the UP image gallery or search the ingredient database. UP also helps you track calories, fats, carbohydrates, protein, sugar, fiber and sodium. GAIN INSIGHT. UP simply and beautifully visualizes your information so, at a glance, you can understand the meaning behind your data. UP also delivers personalized insights and clear, actionable tips to help you achieve your goals. TAKE ACTION. UP helps you set daily goals and tracks your progress over time. It also lets you set helpful alarms and reminders. You can set a Smart Alarm to silently wake you at the ideal moment in your sleep cycle to help you wake up feeling refreshed. You can also set Idle Alerts to remind you to move when you’ve been sitting too long.

Share
Posted in Tech, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The End Of The World 12-21-12

Besides being happy that I am still alive and kicking, I cannot wait to try a little science project with my kids this evening. A fantastic phone call from a friend put the thought in my head.

My first stop on the way home: Buy a carton of eggs.
My second stop on the way home: Pick up my children.
My third stop on the way home: Buy a bottle of wine to blur my thoughts if the human civilization will truly cease to exist after today… No, I don’t really plan on getting tipsy but a glass could calm my nerves if the end truly is near.

Once home… The science project shall begin! Before I go on to tell you all about the project, let me start by reminding you that the Planetary Alignment today, December 21st, 2012 (which is why this science project will be so fantastic) is a VERY RARE OCCURRENCE!

We are in the WINTER SOLSTICE!!! A Website called December 21, 2012 THE END OF THE WORLD stated that “the entire Milky Way (including the earth and the sun) will align at a point that is known as the galactic equator. This alignment is so rare that it only happens every 25,000 years.”

The planetary alignment can only mean one thing… it’s time to make a name for myself in science. Today, the Cotter family will balance eggs. Why, you ask? Because We Can (And my friend did it too)!

Share
Posted in Create, Family, Flummery, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment