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Made in America

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ramblers Way. All opinions are 100% mine.
I remember walking home from school everyday with my older brother (my kids will probably never really know this experience in their childhood....but that's another story.) and we loved it! A group of us would always stop at a mom and pop liquor store/candy store...and , well, buy candy!!

I miss those days, and even more so now because things are so different growing up for kids today. Mom and Pop stores are pretty much gone-- family owned businesses just seem to not be able to compete with the big companies now. For my kids, we live in a city where there is still a bit of 'small town'  feel to it, but nothing like when I was growing up.

I love to read and hear about family businesses that have survived and are going strong. It is like a piece of American history continues with them. Ramblers Way Farm is a family business that first started as "Tom's of Maine" 40 years ago. They were one of the first makers of natural personal care products. Rambler's way Farms was started with a desire to re-imagine wool, that is  Made in America, as a next-to-skin, superfine fabric, to warm and comfort people of all ages and walks. What makes this company special is their dedication to maintaining high standards of ecological responsibility, community involvement, and customer satisfaction. They bring opportunities to other family owned companies in the domestic wool industry,through their collaboration with farmers and producers around the country.

The Ramblers Way Corporate Office is a fully refurbished building that was originally built in 1792 how cool is that?) and is located in downtown Kennebunk, Maine. The building has been restored to its original condition, while being modernized to meet today's environmental standards. Makes me think of that little candy store I used to visit daily with my big brother. How I wish that little building was still around!

Is Anyone Not Going To BlogHer?

Sigh. I think the blogosphere is going to be lonely next week; Everyone seems to be going to BlogHer. Everyone, that is, but your truly.

I have such a fear of flying,,,,,I mean seriously huge.....that there was just no way I could even consider going to N.Y. Sad, uh?

So is anyone else not going to BlogHer?? Will I be all alone here in bloggy-land?

I am already sad, jealous and feeling oh so silly for letting this fear of flying get the best of me. And I have both fingers and toes crossed that next year's event will be somewhere that I can take a train, car or bus to.

Hear that all ye in charge???? Take pity on me, please?!

How about good old L.A.?? Think about it, will ya?

What a Thirst -Quenching Idea!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Haws. All opinions are 100% mine.
So we all know that we need to save money, be green, and conserve water. And it is easy enough at home to save money and recycle by not buying water at the store over and over again by simply using our own water bottles and filtration systems at home, and refilling our water bottles.

But what about when we are at the gym, the office, school, airports and other public places and buildings? What if we do hav eour personal water bottle with us, but no source available to refill it with clean filtered water?

That is where The Hydration Station comes in, and I love this idea!

"The Hydration Station is a touch-free, filtered water dispenser for reusable bottles and containers. The unit is perfect for office buildings, schools, gyms... anywhere people stay hydrated! Perfectly designed for green projects, Hydration Station eliminates the need for wasteful bottled water and awkward five-gallon office water jugs. The HydrationStation™ processes tap water into great tasting pure water using state-of-the-art filtration technologies. The hands free sensor assures touch-free hygienic use."

I think it would be awesome if clean filtered water was available for us at all the places families and students tend to go everyday. I know it would keep me from giving into my kids demand for soda, juice or whatever I can buy them while we are out running errands everyday. Even though we try to fill up our individual water bottles before we leave home,  we always seem to drink all the water before we are ready to head home. And I know my kids would get a kick out of spotting one of these Hydration Stations, and refilling their water bottles!

No more icky germ-infested water fountains?? I love this idea!

Surprising Sleep Tips For a Better Night's Sleep

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, and end up falling asleep much later than you wanted to, try this tip:

Go to bed just 10 minutes earlier than you normally go to bed for four nights in a row. Then 15 minutes earlier for another four nights in a row. Continue increasing the time for consecutive four nights in a row, until you reach the bedtime you want to fall asleep at.

Sleep specialists at The Sleep to Live Institute in Joplin, Missouri say that night owls need to be tricked into going to bed earlier, or else they find themselves tossing and turning the night away!