March Madness: Texas Wins By A Tidbit

Free For All Friday question at the end...

Good morning, Highlowaha! It's Katie here again bringing you the results from yesterday's semifinal match-up between the Wisconsin Cheese Hens and the Texas Tidbits. The crowd was truly split yesterday on which idea was the most creative or valuable, but the Texas Tidbits pulled out the win by a very close margin! This means they will advance to the finals of March Madness next week. As a result, we say farewell to the Wisconsin Cheese Hens by sharing their remaining ideas, products, websites, etc. with all of you.

Pudgie Pie Camping Dinner- Iron Chef Edition
Each summer the hens and their families go camping and on Saturday evening, we cook pudgie pies-aka tonka pies, aka- pies with a pie iron. Any way- we use a pie iron and use bread or a bread substitute (tortilla, etc). Once it's filled the iron is placed into the campfire and cooked to perfection. Each family is assigned to bring a secret ingredient and then the families go to town creating the most inventive and tasty treat possible. We have a blast concocting creations- ingredients have included crab, guacamole, blueberry jam, chipolte, and pineapple!

Social Networking Sites
We can personally attest to how helpful sites like facebook, linked in and twitter have been in helping us reconnect with old friends -CLAUDIA! They are also a great way to professionally network.

Studying Technique- let your kids test you!
For those with school aged children who need assistance studying for tests: Have them create a test for you and let them grade it. Through the development and grading process they learn more than rote memorization and it has proven to be quite successful!

Thank you to the Wisconsin Cheese Hens for their participation in March Madness! Your ideas have helped to enhance our community and we have enjoyed having you around! Best of luck to the Texas Tidbits on Monday versus the California Golden Girls!

Free For All Friday
As mentioned above, since today is Friday, we do have a Free For All question for you this week! On February 23, 2009 we introduced our new service project, the Gift of 218, to our community. The "Gift of 218" coordinated fundraising efforts to provide an experience for a family that might not otherwise be able to afford it. We spent that day raising money for the project and just a few days later we were well on our way to providing our first experience or memory to a family in Louisville, Kentucky.

We are now in search of more stories and nominations of families in need throughout the country. Claudia, Cheryl, Heather and I have brainstormed some possible a way to begin collecting these stories. Our idea is to create a blurb of text that we will place in a number of places to gain exposure and encourage others to nominate a family in need. We have discussed placing this text in church bulletins, PTA newsletters, sharing it with the Big Brothers Big Sisters, Salvation Army and Boys & Girls Club organizations. Now, we are in need of more ideas!!! What suggestions/ideas do you have of other places we could share our text with in the hopes of gaining stories of families in need? Let us hear it in the comment section!

Signing off until tomorrow...

March Madness: Round 2

Good morning, Highlowaha! It's Katie here today to bring you another match-up in our March Madness competition! March Madness is a month-long competition we are hosting among eight teams from across the country. Each team is composed of 5 or more fierce competitors and they met to develop a line-up of their most creative ideas, products, websites, recipes, etc from the past year. Beginning two weeks ago, these teams were pitted against one another and the competition began. After the opening round, the competition was narrowed down to four remaining teams.

The first two of these four teams competed earlier this week and the California Golden Girls came away with the victory and moved on to the finals. Today, we are gathering together for the match between the final two of four teams. Our competitors today are the Texas Tidbits vs. the Wisconsin Cheese Hens. I will share the number 2 idea from their line-ups and you the readers will vote on a winner. So, let's get to it!

The Photo Purse
This is either a 8x10 or 5x7 black purse with clear plastic sides to insert a photo. This is a great idea for displaying photos of your children, pets, a favorite landscape, flowers- the sky is the limit. This idea was introduced to our team by Hen Christine who actually markets these to local boutiques, etc. The photos show an example of photos of children- this was a mother's day gift to myself and also a gift to a mother-in-law. We can honestly say that we got stopped constantly by people commenting on how cute it is!

***OR***

Frownies
We love "Frownies"!! We can't afford Botox (nor would we get it, too scared!), but we want to look young and worry free, so we swear by these. Plus all the movie stars love them. You just wet them and wear them on your "trouble" spots to help retrain your facial muscles for a more relaxed, carefree look. You no longer have to put up with those pesky furrow forehead lines or those tiny #11 lines between your eyes. Check out the website for all the details. http://www.frownies.com

How to Vote:

Vote for the idea you consider most winning by simply making a post in today's comment section, indicating either "Purse" or "Frownies". Votes must be cast by 7:00 p.m. CST.

Signing off until tomorrow...

March Madness: California Goes For The Gold

Good morning, Highlowaha! It's Katie here welcoming you back for another day of March Madness. Yesterday we had a great turn out for the first match-up of our semifinal round. We had a total of 37 votes cast! After a close competition all day long, the California Golden Girls won by a 5 point margin. As a result, they will be going for the gold next week in the finals. Unfortunately, this now means we must say goodbye to Iowa's Big Idea Babes. Today I will share with you their remaining three ideas, products, websites, recipes, etc.


1. Personalized Onesie Wardrobe for Baby
At a baby shower I co-hosted last year, we requested that all attendees bring a onesie that they had decorated themselves to their taste. When they arrived at the shower, they placed the onesie in a basket by the door. The mommy-to-be then had to guess who had decorated each onesie. It was amazing how creative and fun each attendee was in their decorating, and of course the baby-to-be had a wardrobe of onesies created by loved ones. Later, each of the attendees received a photo of the baby wearing their creation.

2. Home Art Gallery
My daughter started preschool this year, and now we have a barrage of art projects and drawings. I have struggled with what to keep, display or toss. I have finally decided to dedicate one wall in our home as the "Miller Family Art Gallery." (http://partyplansplus.com/davinci.htm) I bought several Lil' DaVinci Frames that are made specifically for displaying children's art (front opens like a cabinet to insert new pictures). They display the pictures beautifully, my daughter gets to take pride in choosing the artwork, and the front of my refrigerator is no longer a mess!

3. Easy, Peasy, Freezy Pie!
Chilly Peanut Butter Pie recipe- easy and delicious!

1 8 oz. carton Cool Whip
1 9-inch graham cracker crust
1/2 cup strawberry jelly or jam
1 cup cold milk
1 3.4 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup peanut butter

Spread 1 cup Cool Whip over bottom of pie crust. Drop jelly (after stirring to make smooth) by tablespoonfuls onto topping; spread carefully. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix until thickened. Add peanut butter; mix well. Fold in the remaining Cool Whip and spread over jelly. Cover and freeze for 4 hours. Thaw for 10 minutes before serving.

Thanks to the Iowa Big Idea Babes for their participation in March Madness! Thank you for sharing your creativity with all of us. We hope you will stick around and remain part of our community. Congrats to California- you'll be up again next week in the finals!

Signing off until tomorrow...

March Madness: Round 2

Good morning, Highlowaha! It's Katie here, ready to begin Round 2 of our Highlowaha March Madness. As some of you may remember, two weeks ago we began our own version of March Madness in which eight teams competed by sharing their most creative ideas, products, websites, resources, recipes, and more. These eight teams met at center curt and four of them advanced to the semi-finals and will face off this week! This week we will pull back out their playbooks and share their number 2 idea. We, the spectators, will vote on the day's M.V.P...or as the case may be, M.V.I. The winning teams will then advance to next week's championship game!

Today it will be the California Golden Girls vs. Iowa's Big Idea Babes. Remember that YOUR vote determines which team advances. We had a tremendous turn-out for the two previous weeks of voting, and I hope the crowds will fill the stands again today! Without further ado, here we go!

Flash Drive

Put the flash back in your flash drive!
Who says saving documents has to be boring? In a matter of minutes you can flash up your flash drive with something as simple as a finger puppet! These creative and easy to make flash drives are an affordable and fun gift for friends, family or coworkers!
Materials:
Small Flash Drive
Small Plastic Finger Puppet (can be purchased at most party or craft stores)
Easy-Mix Resin (can be purchased at most craft stores)
Directions:
Pop outside cover off of flash drive.
Carefully hold flash drive in finger hole of puppet.
Pour resin into finger hole.
Hold carefully until resin is set.

***OR***

Elf on the Shelf

This adorable book and toy combination became a new family tradition this Christmas. The book tells the story of an Elf who comes to live in your home in December. The Elf watches over your children to see if they are being naughty or nice and reports back to Santa on their progress. Everyday the Elf hides in a new place and the children search for him. A great way to encourage good behavior and build excitement for Christmas!

How to Vote:

Vote for the idea you consider most winning by simply making a post in today's comment section, indicating either "Flash" or "Elf". Votes must be cast by 7:00 p.m. CST.

Announcements:

Women Who Take The Cake: After tallying the votes from Friday, it has been determined that there is a tie between Molly and Hannah. We have made the decision to honor both of them by sending each of them a cake! Thank you for your nominations of the women who Take the Cake and for voting on Friday!

Signing off until tomorrow...

March Madness: California Coast

Congratulations to the California Golden Girls who will be coasting right into Highlowaha's March Madness Semi Finals. Yesterday was a picture perfect day with close to 60 people voting on the next best way to preserve our favorite photos - Animoto videos or Shutterfly's Photo Books. In the end the newer... and "free-er" Animoto won out (my dad would cringe at my use of a non-word).

Special thanks to the Derby City Darlings, who under Melanie's leadership put together a formidable line-up of creative ideas. Today we will peek inside the play book of the Derby City Darlings to see what else they had up their sleeves. Since it's Friday, we will also Free For All about other topics of interest.

Idea #2
Bottle/Sippy Cup Bands: You know those rubber “LiveStrong” bracelets that became oh-so popular a few years ago – it seemed like every cause had a different band for a while there and some people are still wearing them. Well some ingenious mother came up with the idea to create a similar product that fits around a child’s bottle or sippy cup with the child’s name. The band is dishwasher & microwave safe, won’t wear off like permanent marker or adhesive labels, and, can be used again and again on whatever bottle/cup is needed that day. I know of several church nursery helpers who are singing the praises of this product! http://www.littlepiddles.com/custombumpyname.html

Idea #3
Our Favorite Website: Flylady.com: Short on time and tired of the clutter in your home? Visit www.flylady.com . From the website, “FlyLady uses the Sidetracked Home Executive (SHE) system as a basis for organizing her home and her life. She adds humor, spunk, and a dose of common sense to her advice, but be prepared - FlyLady does not allow whining.”

Idea #4
Reusable Paper Towels: Striving to be green, but can’t live without the ease of a role of paper towels in your kitchen? Order these reusable paper towels, made from fabric to match your kitchen decor, that snap back onto a roll after being washed so they are ready to use again! http://hyenacart.com/prod_details.php?id+79973&vid+1898

Idea #5
A Bright Idea =’s a REALLY COOL Lamp: Do you have an item in your house that you have been hanging onto or that you just don’t know what to do with? Is there a room that needs a light fixture, but your tired of the same ole same ole lamps? Why not create a one of a kind original lamp. Stores such as hobby lobby, home depot, Lowe’s and many others sell various kits to create one of a kind lamps. Have a stack of old books, drill a hole down the middle and make a lamp How about a really cool mason jar, or vase? The sky is the limit, literally. This is an idea that Ray is sure to love! http://www.nationalartcraft.com/subcategory.asp?gid+1&cid+156&scid=226

Now some Free For All Topics...

Jack's Dog Party: Jack and his pack had fun at last Saturday's birthday party. Soon after guests arrived they used pom poms, glitter, foam cutouts, sequins, ribbons, flowers, and pipe cleaners to decorate party hats worthy of a Dog Party. Afterwards we read, "Go Dog Go," ate lunch out of dog bowls, played pin the dog tag on the dog collar, ate a dog bone shaped cake, played some more, and then sent guests on their way with a "doggie bag" in hand. Doggie bags included a small stuffed dog, a tennis ball for playing catch, dog bone shaped cookies, and dog stickers. The nicest surprise of the day? Richard found Scoobie Snacks - cinnamon cookies shaped liked dog bones. Final note: If the kids were a bit older I might have had them hunt for dog bones or play every dog's favorite game - BINGO! Brainstorming a future party of your own? Let us help.

St. Patrick's Day: Earlier this week, Erica suggested we generate ideas for celebrating St. Patrick's Day with our family and friends. If you were around last year at this time you might remember my telling you about Shamrock Shakes. Here's the Reader's Digest version. Every St. Patrick's Day, my mother gave me enough money to treat me and a friend to a green Shamrock Shake at McDonalds (I guess there are enough Irish people in New York to warrant this once-a-year specialty drink). Soon after meeting Richard and Ricky ten years ago I revived this favorite childhood memory. We make our own shakes using plenty of green dye (that's the fun part) and sipping them through (hoisted) McDonalds straws (all shakes are better when sipped through a McDonalds straw). How about you? What ideas to you have for making St. Patrick's Day extra fun for your family and friends?

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Almost one month into our new year and one or two of you have taken a second to share what you like and dislike about our new format. We want to hear from the rest of you. Tell us what you think.

Signing off until tomorrow...

March Madness: Beach Versus Blue Grass

At Highlowaha finding and sharing creative ideas is a like a sport. We engage in rigorous daily workouts, stretching ourselves to think creatively, staying current about the latest high performing equipment - all the while preparing for the next main event. With such a deep team of accomplished athletes, Katie, Heather, Cheryl, and I knew Highlowaha was up for the challenge of creating our own March Madness.

Eight teams are competing over the next four weeks to see which has the most creative idea (resource, tip, recipe, etc...) from 2008. A team shares their first idea and then, if advancing on to the next round, shares their second, third, and fourth ideas until Monday, March 30 when we meet for the final showdown. On Monday, Iowa's Ready to Read Bags beat Florida's Snuggie Blanket.

Today the California Golden Girls meet the Derby City Darlings in Round 2.

Idea #1
Animoto
What better way to reminisce those unforgettable moments in life than through Animoto. Animoto.com is a website that allows you to be your own producer of a 30 second video. Users simply choose a song and memorable images. Animoto then automatically generates a unique video for them. No two videos are ever the same. The resulting video is produced in a widescreen format, containing the visual energy of a music video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer. If life is worth living, why not record it. Make a unique video like this one: http://animoto.com/play/ykHLVUSbFH2jRTs0K7gRyw

******OR*******

Idea #2
Photo Books from Shutterfly
Photo books from www.shutterfly.com : Simply by uploading your favorite photos to the Shutterfly website, and selecting from an array of backgrounds and layouts, you can create a wonderful gift for someone you love or for yourself! Photo books come in two sizes, a large “Memory Book” or a smaller “Story Book” to suit your needs. Faster - and possibly cheaper - than actual scrapbooking, the Photo Books are great for those who don’t have a lot of time (um, all of us!), or just feel like they are scrapbooking-challenged! Some people even take pictures of their children’s artwork to make a collage of their work, without having the clutter of all the papers. http://www.shutterfly.com/shop/Photo_Books/product_c18000

If American Idol can get an average of 32,000,000 votes each week, let's see what we can do. Post in the comment section letting us know... Video Clip or Photo Book?

Signing off until tomorrow...