The Support Military Moms Event kicks off Saturday, Armed Forces Day. In addition to featuring some great miltiary friendly companies and small businesses owned by military moms, I hope to raise some money for a few of my favorite charities that support military families. I know the economy sucks (trust me, I know) but that means these charities need our help NOW more than ever.

In addition to the fact that these organizations are obviously worthwhile and do great work for military families, I’ve got another (much less noble) reason you should donate: you earn one extra entry into every Support Military Moms Event giveaway for every dollar you donate. In other words, donate $15 to Snowball Express and you earn 15 extra entries into every Support Military Moms giveaway. And trust me, the giveaways are great and you want the extra entries.

Now, let me introduce you to the worthwhile charities for which I hope you will open your heart (and wallet) and give. Fisher House, National Military Family Associatioin and Operation Snowball.

Fisher House
The Fisher House Foundation donates “comfort homes,” built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, these homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times – during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

There are 38 majestic comfort homes on the grounds of military and VA medical centers across America. (And, in fact, one is being constructed at the base where my husband is stationed.) Each year, they offer more than 210,000 days of lodging to more than 10,000 families in a nurturing environment that allows military and veterans’ families to face a medical crisis together. Here families can focus on the healing process, free from the financial concerns of finding an affordable place to stay, in an unfamiliar city, while a loved one is hospitalized.

Donate to the Fisher House.

National Military Family Association, Military Family Fund
The goals of the NMFA are to educate military families concerning their rights, benefits and services available to them and to inform them regarding issues that affect their lives and to promote and protect the interests of military families by influencing the development of implementation of legislation and policies affecting them.

Your gift to the Military Family Fund will support many of the programs and benefits so vital to military families. Our Association will always need funding to represent the family perspective as changes in the military lifestyle, needs that evolve over time, and extraordinary situations arise.

Donate to NFMA, Military Family Fund.

Snowball Express
A charity for the children of our fallen military heroes, Snowball Express started in early 2006 with a simple idea: Provide hope and new memories to the children of military fallen heroes who have died while on active duty.

Snowball Express sponsors the largest gathering of its kind in the country. Children ages 5 to 18 (with a parent or guardian) who have lost a parent gather to meet other children just like themselves, all expenses paid. This is not a family vacation but a time to meet and simply have “fun” with other children in the same situation. Your donation to Snowball Express will go toward the funding of SBE IV being planned for December in Dallas, Texas.

Donate to Snowball Express.

Please let me know of your donation by sending me a quick email. From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Back with another edition of Ten Dollar Tuesday to help you get your shopping fix without breaking the bank. Even though the “It’s in the Bag” bash is over, I can’t help but suggest one more diaper bag goody for today’s Ten Dollar Tuesday. And, besides, it’s actually something that we didn’t giveaway during the Bash.

EvelynKate is one of my favorite shops on Etsy. Amy and Michelle make beautiful and practical things you need like the awesome Shirt Bib and Pacifinder.

The ThumbPeople Story
Just as our thumb sets us apart from our fingers, our thumbrprint sets us apart and makes us unique. We are all born to be ThumbPeople – blessed and destined to live amazing lives.

Those are profound truths we hope you will embrace:
You are Thumbuddy…
Your child is Thumbuddy…
Thumbuddy special, wonderful, unique, set apart and precious…
A miracle in every way.

If your toddler is anything like mine, books are a large part of your day. We always read several books at night before bed, but stories are also requested randomly throughout the day. It’s always fun to discover new characters and books so we were excited to get a couple Thumbuddy books to enjoy. We received I’ll Always Love My Thumbuddy and the board book Thumbuddy, Thumbuddy, I Love You!

The Thumbuddy series written by Mark Arens stars a sweet little thumb character who actually represents your child. The books praise and affirm your child throughout with lines like “Thumbuddy, Thumbuddy, you are huggable! Thumbuddy, Thumbuddy, truly so loveable!” (from Thumbuddy, Thumbuddy I Love You).

The coolest part about the Thumbuddy series is that after you read the book once, you read it again and replace your child’s name with Thumbuddy’s name. The book then becomes a sweet love story from you to your little one. I think I enjoyed this more than Toddler Boy! I honestly find it to be such a nice way to tell my little guy how much I love him – sentiments that can easily get lost in a day of dirty diapers, toys throwing and tantrums.

“I’ll always love my Thumbuddy,
No matter what you do;
Good or bad or in between,
You’re my special you.”

Shop! You can browse and buy the entire collection collection of Thumbuddy books including board books ($8.95) and traditional hardcover books ($14.95), and CDs ($11.95) at the ThumbPeople website.

So far it’s a day just like any other. Wait, I take that back. Baby Girl gave me a great Mother’s Day present and she only woke up twice last night – 12:30 and 6:30! Nice. And, Toddler Boy gave me his sippy cup which he insisted I unwrap. He assured me it was actually a beautiful dog treat he made for me at school. Um, okay… Thanks, I think.

My husband is at work right now. Voluntarily. But it was a good chance for him to fly so I’m over it. When my husband gets home, I may treat myself to a dress I tried on the other day at the mall. I’ve decided I really like it and want to wear it to my college reunion in two weeks.

My best Mama’s Day present? From NBC. Justin Timberlake hosted Saturday Night Live last night.

What are you up to today? Any big Mother’s Day plans?

The Green Baby Bliss and Aurora Photo Editing Software giveaways ended last night so I have winners to announce.