It’s the Simple Things

OMG!  I am sooooo doing this:

and when I followed the links for the “how to”, I found this:

and if you go here you will find even MORE do-it-yourself ladder inspiration…

which I couldn’t WAIT to tell you about … this girl is so excited!

Like I said …

it’s the simple things!

Reading Books is For Noobs

This was the latest statement from my only non-reading child (1 outta 4) …

I guess there’s always gotta be one, huh?

But the rest of us COMPLETELY disagree.

When I am reading a book, I get completely lost … transported.

I may be firmly planted in Iowa, but I can travel the globe, and sometimes even time,  when I read a book.  I am inspired by other’s heroic adventures or stories of those who came before us.  And I am moved by the sheer romance of relationships, journeys, and experiences between the pages, cover to cover.

A book is an excellent escape … a welcomed silence in a world of chaos.

I feel a little empty, a kind of sadness when I finish a great book .. in a way that resembles mourning the loss of a good friend that I may never see again but will always be a part of me.

It warms my heart to see my kids reading.  To hear them giggle to themselves because something they read was funny.  And I love it when they ask if they can read just one more page or one more chapter before they turn out the light.

I guess if this makes me/us ‘noobish’, then so be it.

Besides, I think noobish is sexy…

I encourage you to read at least one good book this summer.

I’m anxious to hear what you’re currently reading or would recommend.

And if you have kids, I encourage you to get your child signed up for the Stuff Etc Summer Reading Kid’s Program.  It’s a discount punch card that earns them a punch each time they purchase books and when they’ve reached ten punches they receive a free gift from Stuff Etc!  Pick one up today at your nearest Stuff Etc location and let the reading begin.  Click here for more details.

Happy Weekend

* sigh *

I think I’m going here this weekend.

There’s something about the fresh air, the bird & critter sounds, the crackle of the campfire, the cool night breeze, & the stars that soothes this restless soul.

So much that I barely notice the bugs.  Barely.

Do you camp?

Do you tent it? Use a camper?

I’m old school and I l.o.v.e. tent camping.

Whichever you choose, or even if you have never camped before (I’ve actually recently met a few poor souls that haven’t), I encourage you to get out and get your camping on!

If not this weekend, then soon.

And if you need some camping gear, all five of our Stuff Etc locations have camping gear and supplies on hand – all currently 20% off.

Hope you have a great weekend!

xoxoxo

Is Father’s Day Overrated?

That’s a silly question.

And the answer is “Only if Mother’s Day is overrated too!”

Don’t get me wrong, as a Mom, I think we tend to get the shaft when it comes to Mother’s Day any way.  Seriously.

We are, after all,  the unsung super-heroes of the family.

But with that said,

I also think Dads go under-appreciated for their super-hero abilities as well.

In some homes, it’s the Dad that brings home the bacon and pays the bills.

In some homes, it’s the Dad that is the playmate, the buddy, the wrestler.

In some homes, it’s the Dad that is also the Mom.

In some homes, the Dad is the fixer, the handyman, the get-er-done guy.

In some homes, it’s the Dad that is just cool to hang out with.

Here at Stuff, we’d like to give a shout out to all the Dads out there and say “THANKS” for the awesome things you do and the super-hero that you are.

So when you’re out with your wife, the fam, or just “looking around” at Stuff Etc, be sure to register to win one of the totally sweet Father’s Day Golf Packages that we will be giving away to one lucky father at each Stuff Etc location.

Golf courses include Brown Deer Golf Club, Hunter’s Ridge Golf Course, and Pleasant Valley Golf Club, (among others in Waterloo & Davenport).

Registration boxes are up now until June 17th. No purchase necessary.

We love you, Dad!

xoxoxo

Giving Back in June

Part of the Stuff Etc culture is giving back to the communities in which we serve.

Each month Stuff Etc chooses a local non-profit organization (or two, sometimes three, this month four) to feature in their stores to help raise awareness and much-needed funds.

In JUNE, we are sponsoring four very different but worthy organizations.

In Coralville & Iowa City, we are featuring 4Cs.

4Cs Community Coordinated Child Care promotes the well-being of children by assisting families, child care providers, employers and others with their child care needs. We address challenges to the community’s child care system and serve as a resource for the development of new programs.

• We help parents find occasional child care (short-term care, typically provided by University of Iowa students in the family’s home).
• 4Cs Home Ties Child Care Center provides free, temporary child care for families facing serious life issues.
• Crisis Child Care of Johnson County provides short-term, emergency child care when families facing crisis are not able to provide regular care.
• We provide support to Johnson and Washington County early childhood educators in developing professional, child-centered programs. This support includes, but is not limited to: state regulations, nutrition, child development and behavior, infant care, and meeting quality indicators.
• We provide professional development and consultations to center and home-based child care providers.
• We administer the Child and Adult Food Program (CACFP) to home-based child care programs in Johnson County.

In Cedar Rapids, we are featuring Bridgehaven.

Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center has been serving the greater Cedar Rapids area for over 25 years. Our services are at no cost to the patient, so there is no need to worry about billing or the hassle of insurance paperwork. You can feel comfortable knowing we do not benefit financially from your decisions.  All services are private and confidential. Bridgehaven does not offer abortion services or abortion referrals. 

We provide: Pregnancy Testing, Ultrasound, and Options Information; Post-Abortion Recovery and Support; Earn While You Learn Program; and Relational and Sexual Health Education.

In Waterloo, we are featuring The House of Hope.

The House of Hope is a Christian based organization under the direction of Christian Community Development. It is a two-year transitional housing program for homeless, single mothers and their children. The mothers are generally between the ages of 18 and 25 and the children are usually newborn to 8 years old. Those who apply to the program live well below the poverty level.

During the transition time, women receive support, guidance and assistance with employment, education and life skills. Safe housing, food, clothing, one-on-one counseling, community referrals and assistance in locating appropriate childcare is also provided for the women. Women are required to work and/or attend school full-time. They are also required to attend in-house groups and meet weekly with a case manager. With two years of support, guidance and stability, women are ready to make the needed changes in their lives and become self-sufficient individuals.

In Davenport, we are featuring Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

The promise of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures.

Since its inception in 1990, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure® – Quad Cities has raised in excess of $4.9 million towards the fight against breast cancer. Unlike many other charities, up to 75% of the proceeds stay here locally in our eight-county service area to provide mammograms, ultrasounds, and prostheses for women who cannot afford them. The money raised also funds programs educating the entire community about breast cancer. Up to twenty-five percent of the Race proceeds are sent to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in Dallas, Texas to fund national breast cancer research and project grants.

This weekend is a WIN/WIN for both the shopper and the featured charity! Donate a DOLLAR at the registers when checking out and in return, you will receive 20% off your entire purchase of full-priced items Friday, Saturday and Sunday – June 1 thru June 3rd.

And all month-long, be sure to toss in your loose change, maybe a dollar or two, into the umbrellas when you shop our stores.

Every penny that is collected is donated to the featured organizations each month.

Thank you in advance for your support of this ongoing effort made by Stuff Etc to help our local organizations – organizations that never waiver in their support and give so much for the residents of our communities.