Very Hungry Caterpillar

Today, people all over the world are reading Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Not only is this an awesome book but Jumpstart is using this event opportunity to promote the need to provide a 'jumpstart' for at-risk kids.

If you want more information about how to get involved, just check out the Jumpstart site.

So, be part of the record today and read this great book with your kids or with any kids. It's just such a Cool Idea!

IKEA does it again! Join them for FREE breakfast Oct 10-12. YUMMY!

If you are in the market for car seats I can't say enough about the wonders of Britax. They are among the safest in the world. Yes, the WORLD - and from now through October 18, you can enjoy savings up to $50 on top-rated car seats from Britax. So, whether you are just celebrating your child's first birthday by moving to the big kid car seat or you are upgrading to a booster seat remember the safety and convenience of Britax and enjoy this great deal from Amazon! Safety and money off - definitely a Cool Idea!

Opinion Outpost is another great survey company with whom to sign up. Not only do they send great surveys but the points accrue quickly and the interface is great at letting you know just where you stand in your earnings and rewards. Also, they pay in cash or Amazon cards. Cash payouts are by check so you have to wait 4-6weeks but at this time of the year I can wait for that. It'll feel like a treat when my money arrives.

So, if you aren't signed up with Opinion Outpost go ahead and give it a try. Sometimes the points to reward structure can be hard to decifer but since it's 200 points = $20 it's just basic math really and definitely a Cool Idea to have some extra cash coming in as the holidays approach!

Huggies redid the size of their packages and people have found that Caregivers Marketplace wasn't giving rebates for these new sizes. As of October 1st, rebates will now be given for these new sizes:

List of New Rebate-Eligible Products
Product Description & UPC
HUGGIES SPRM LTL/S 40 STEP 1 036000557015
HUGGIES SPRM LTL/S 36 STEP 2 036000557022
HUGGIES SPRM LTL/M 31 STEP 3 036000557039
HUGGIES SPRM LTL/M 27 STEP 4 036000557046
HUGGIES SPRM LTL/M 23 STEP 5 036000557053
HUGGIES SPRM LTL/M 20 STEP 6 036000557060
HUGGIES SNUG&DRY 50 STEP 1 036000555011
HUGGIES SNUG&DRY 42 STEP 2 036000555028
HUGGIES SNUG&DRY 36 STEP 3 036000555035
HUGGIES SNUG&DRY 31 STEP 4 036000555042
HUGGIES SNUG&DRY 27 STEP 5 036000555059
HUGGIES SNUG&DRY 23 STEP 6 036000555066
HUGGIES OVERNITE 31 STEP 3 036000554038
HUGGIES OVERNITE 27 STEP 4 036000554045
HUGGIES OVERNITE 23 STEP 5 036000554052
HUGGIES OVERNITE 20 STEP 6 036000554069
HUGGIES P/U LD BOY 26 2T-3T 036000213270
HUGGIES P/U LD GRL 26 2T-3T 036000213287
HUGGIES P/U LD BOY 23 3T-4T 036000213294
HUGGIES P/U LD GRL 23 3T-4T 036000213300
HUGGIES P/U LD BOY 19 4T-5T 036000213317
HUGGIES P/U LD GRL 19 4T-5T 036000213324
HUGGIES P/U CA BOY 26 2T-3T 036000213218
HUGGIES P/U CA GRL 26 2T-3T 036000213225
HUGGIES P/U CA BOY 23 3T-4T 036000213232
HUGGIES P/U CA GRL 23 3T-4T 036000213249
HUGGIES P/U CA BOY 19 4T-5T 036000213256
HUGGIES P/U CA GRL 19 4T-5T 036000213263
HUGGIES P/U N/T BOY 24 2T-3T 036000213508
HUGGIES P/U N/T GRL 24 2T-3T 036000213515
HUGGIES P/U N/T BOY 21 3T-4T 036000213522
HUGGIES P/U N/T GRL 21 3T-4T 036000213539
HUGGIES GOODNITES BOY 15 S/M 036000217179
HUGGIES GOODNITES GRL 15 S/M 036000217186
HUGGIES GOODNITES BOY 12 L/X 036000217193
HUGGIES GOODNITES GRL 12 L/X 036000217209
HUGGIES GOODNITES BOXR 10 L/X 036000219135
HUGGIES GOODNITES BOXR 13 S/M 036000219128

If you have questions about the rebate process I've found that Carefivers Marketplace is really great about answering them. Just ask.

I just cashed out some more survey money. This time from Mindfield Surveys. I know I've mentioned them before but one nice thing is that their cash out amout is $5 and they pay in check or PayPal. I didn't have a lot in my account but it was enough to make my PayPal account happy.

I get a good number of survey invitations from Mindfield, too, and each one gives me the dollar amount and time commitment of the survey. I haven't completed a lot of surveys lately but I have one pending for $7! Not bad for 15 mins of work!!

So, if you haven't signed up with Mindfield yet, don't wait because I guarantee if you do you'll have a nice little bit ready for yourself by the holidays and that will definitely be a Cool Idea!

First of all, let me say that it may be possible that I'm now to old to spend my day jam packed with things to do - including an emergency trip to the pediatrician for something like DIAPER RASH - and then go to an outdoor concert where the main act begins to play at 9PM but ALAS I was there in Charlottesville last night because DH bought tickets months ago for his 40th birthday. I think he knew he'd get something lame if he left the gift buying up to me. Secondly, did I mention that we sat on the hill. Outside. This is October. In Virginia. Beautiful night. Full moon. Not a cloud in the sky except the ones made by the smoke machines. Yep, it was a tad nippy and yet I saw girls - and I do mean girls - in mini skirts and flip flops. I know I was never that stupid because my mother taught me how to dress in layers. But I digress.

The concert. So, I'm not much into concerts and I probably only know a handful of U2 songs and I did not even stand up until the 3rd encore at 11pm and that was because I had lost all feeling in my butt and knew it was time to leave but throughout the entire show - and it is a SHOW - I had a perfectly unobstructed view of the stage and the screen. The stage of course looks miniscule unless you are on the field and within spitting distance. The screens are 360, so there is not a bad seat in the house! In fact, the entire stage is 360! Technically, there's a back but they did a good job of using the whole stage that I'm not sure the people in the 'back' even noticed.

And if you've heard anything about the show you've probably heard about the bridges that the guys can use to take them out into the audience. Well, they aren't technically 'in' the audience, but they are 'over' and 'with' the audience so that more people have the opportunity to see, hear, and I guess smell them.

What I found interesting, as I sat there shivering on my numb butt was how interactive and personal this experience was. Concerts have always had some personalization because live music lends itself to that. Musicians play differently each time they pick up an instrument or sing and it's never as 'perfect' as studio recordings. Not to mention the new lyrics that get thrown in - Bono used landmarks of the area and references to the college several times throughout the show. This isn't new in the realm of live performance but it does make for a unique performance and one in which the people at this performance will feel special.

Then there the people in the crowd that sing along. This isn't new either to live performance but this was the first time - in my very limited concert going experience - in which the band made sure the crowd was 'with them' for the last chorus of the song so that everyone was singing together. That is a massive undertaking and one in which they certainly didn't have to do. This wasn't a small concert either. These stadiums that U2 is using are outdoor, college football stadiums that probably seat 80,000 people!

The video portions of the show are remarkable. Some of it probably could have induced an epileptic seizure but I nearly cried when Bishop Tutu talked about the imagery of how the same people that campaigned for Civil Rights in the US, were the same people that campaigned against Apartheid in South Africa, were the same people that campaigned against injustice... and he named injustices around the world and then he brought it back to us, to the stadium, to the circle, to the screen, because it is a circle, because we are all One. Man, if that doesn't touch you somewhere deep and either make you cry or smile then I think there's something very wrong.

All of through the show I sat and thought of a professor I had in grad school who loved to talk about the future of post-modernism and how it would influence everything, even entertainment and how we - the people - would be incorporated into the actual entertainment process. Whether it was sports, literature, music or whatever I think we are truly beginning to see that change here. We saw musicians moving over and through the crowd last night and from where I was sitting they were moving together and in synchroncity almost indistinguishable other than the spotlight tracking them on the platform. We heard voices from the crowd instead of those we paid to hear and it was just as magical, if not more, and it was orchestrated by those supposed in charge - those we look up to on the stage. But here there is no front or back. There might not be anyone in charge. There's just a guy who thanks his friends for letting him be in their band and that is Definitely Cool!

The coupons.com bar has been recharged!! There are plenty of cereal, yogurt, allergy product, and snack coupons. One particular item I noticed was a $.50 off 2 refrigerated pie crusts. Since I'm already thinking toward Thanksgiving those will definitely come in handy!

So, head on over to the right hand side-bar and check out the coupons for your area. Saving money at the grocery is definitely a Cool Idea!

This is a reminder that today is the last day to help Electrolux and Kelly Ripa donate money toward Ovarian Cancer research. When you Text for a Cause you help pass the word and you are giving $5 toward research. Plus, every time you log into this site you will be entered to win a spiffy turquoise Electrolux washer and dryer. How is that for a Cool Idea!

I'm looking back at surveys that I've cashed out money from recently so that I can pass along this good information again and here's one that I've mentioned, I think, but it's worth mentioning again. Valued Opinions, gives invitations that have great information. They will always tell you how much money the survey is for and a good idea of how much time the survey will take. I've had surveys for as little as $1 and as much as $5 and sometimes the $5 don't take much longer. Really. It just depends on how much the company was willing to pay.

I also click on these invites as quickly as I see them because they can fill up quickly because this company pays in cash if you want. I usually request my reward in the form of a prepaid VISA card! There are other options which you can see on their website when you join but I like having the actual cash and since you know how much money your surveys are when you take them you'll be able to see how your rewards are accruing.

So, if you aren't signed up with Valued Opinions go ahead and get started. It is definitely a Cool Idea because cash is never a bad choice!