The Write Gal

Walmart gives back this holiday season

Published November 7, 2009 Everything Else 1 Comment
Tags: charitable holiday giving, Meals on Wheels, Walmart, Walmart Gives Back

I am proud to be affiliated with Walmart and as part of their More than Elevenmoms group, I learned that recently Walmart and the Walmart Foundation launched a program called Walmart Gives Back to benefit those in need this holiday season. This holiday giving initiative will provide $32 million in monetary and in-kind donations to charitable organizations across the United States. Recently executives from Feeding America, Meals On Wheels and Walmart packed Great Value-branded products and fresh apples onto 35 refrigerator trucks, then sent them out to help put meals on tables in communities nationwide. Feeding America estimates the trucks will help food banks provide an additional 52.5 million pounds of food – or 41 million additional meals – per year.

In addition, the Walmart Foundation is providing a $2.2 million grant to Meals On Wheels Association of America. Through this funding, 140 Meals On Wheels programs across the nation will upgrade or replace delivery vehicles, stoves, refrigerators and freezers. These improvements will help increase the number of meals provided to the one in nine seniors facing the threat of hunger. Walmart also gives at the local level to the Salvation Army and this season the Red Kettles will fundraise at Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations nationwide from Friday, Nov. 27 through Thursday, Dec. 24.

I am proud to be a Walmart shopper because I know that the company does so much for our communities throughout the year and for those in need for the holidays. Support your local Walmart as you do your Christmas shopping this year! To learn more about Walmart’s Giving Back campaign and how you can help visit walmartgiving.com.

As part of the More than Elevenmoms group, Walmart provides me with news and company information which you will see in this blog post.

Wordless Wednesday – My Little Ladybug

Published November 4, 2009 The Little Write Gal , Wordless Wednesday 17 Comments

HMBHalloween09

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! Happy WW!

Halloween Cake Fun!

Published October 31, 2009 Holiday Fun 6 Comments
Tags: Halloween cake ideas, kitty litter cake

kittylittercake Would you eat this cake even if it looks like kitty litter but you “knew” it tasted good? I think it is just gross and I couldn’t eat it regardless of how great it tastes! This recipe is part of a collection in Betty Crocker’s Gross Out Cakes: The Kitty Litter Cake and Other Classics.

Here is the recipe for those of you brave enough to try it.

cakes

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (18 oz.) German chocolate or devil’s good cake mix

1 pkg. (18 oz.) caramel cake mix

1 pkg. (6 oz.) instant vanilla pudding

1 pkg. (16 oz.) vanilla sandwich cookies

1 pkg. small-sized Tootsie rolls (as needed)

Green food coloring, as needed

To serve:

1 new medium sized litter box

1 new litter box scooper

Instructions:

1. Wash clean, new litter box and pooper scooper with soap and water and set aside to dry.

2. Prepare both cake mixes per directions on box, in separate pans. Let cool to room temperature.

3. Prepare pudding and refrigerate until needed.

4. In a food processor, crumble vanilla sandwich cookies, filling and all. You’ll need to scrape the container often to keep them from sticking.

5. Remove 1/4 cup of your cookie crumbles and place them in a small bowl. To the 1/4 C. of cookies, add a few drops of green food coloring at a time, mixing with a fork. Set aside.

6. In a large mixing bowl, coarsely crumble the cooled, prepared cakes. Add about half of the uncolored cookie crumbs. Stir to mix.

7. Gently add pudding in several batches, until a moist mixture results. You will probably not use all of the pudding; you just need a moist mix, not a soggy one.

8. Scoop cake mixture out into a clean, dry litter box.

9. Create 7-8 tootsie roll “poops” and place them (burying some slightly) in the cake mixture. To make Tootsie Roll poops, cook several Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until nicely softened. Shape into small poops, curving slightly and pulling out blunt edges.

10. Cover “poops” and cake in almost all remaining uncolored cookie crumbs (save a tiny portion for the very end). Sprinkle green cookie crumbs on top.

11. Make several more, softer Tootsie Roll “cat poops” by microwaving Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape off onto cake. Placing one softened Tootsie Roll on the side of the box like a poorly aimed cat poop.

12. Sprinkle exposed “poops” lightly with a small amount of cookie crumbs.

13. Serve this Halloween cake recipe with the pooper scooper.

Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday – Halloween Pedicure

Published October 28, 2009 Wordless Wednesday 5 Comments

halloweenpedi The Little Write Gal (left); The Write Gal (right). Happy Wordless Wednesday & Happy Halloween!

Blue Sky Scrubs offer quality and comfort

Published October 26, 2009 Fabulous Fashion 2 Comments
Tags: Blue Sky Scrubs, comfortable scrubs, quality scrubs

bluesky2 Hi there! This is a guest post by Ashley aka Sister of The Write Gal. I was really excited to try the Blue Sky scrub line and they did not disappoint. They were so comfortable! They are made from 65%polyester+35%cotton, but felt like satin. The top has a nice cut that eliminates the boxy unisex look you find with most scrubs. And the drawstring pant was very comfortable, which is unlike most drawstring bottoms I’ve worn before. Also I liked the fun color coordinating drawstring. I received so many compliments all day and co-workers were literally touching my scrubs to feel the material. The peacock color I ordered was so pretty and vibrant. I would like to see their line offer scrubs with more pockets. Hopefully their upcoming line of scrub jackets will provide more pockets.

I originally ordered a medium in both top + bottoms (my normal scrub size). I ended up having to exchange the top for a large because I felt it was a bit small. The Blue Sky exchange was completely hassle free! Return postage was paid by their company and I received my exchange within the week!

These scrubs are high quality and provided all day comfort. Not to mention the are MADE IN THE USA!! Thanks to the Blue Sky scrub company for allowing me to try their scrubs!

blueskytop

I’m a bad blogger

Published October 26, 2009 blog neglect 2 Comments
Tags: very bad blogger

badblogger

Today when I Googled “very bad blogger” this is the picture that I found. What should really be there is MY picture. I haven’t posted on my blog in almost a month. If I have any readers left, thank you. I am not going to go into a long explanation about my absence because I personally don’t enjoy reading those kinds of posts. But I will say that The Write Gal is back and I am excited about posting on my blog again!

Wordless Wednesday – Bad Dog

Published September 29, 2009 Ashes (our dog) , Wordless Wednesday 21 Comments

baddog

My coffee + dog toy = BAD DOG!

Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers

Published September 19, 2009 Fabulous Food & Recipes Leave a Comment
Tags: Great Value, Great Value Roundtable, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart surveys

greatvalue If you shop at Wal-Mart you should consider joining The Great Value Roundtable, an online community of dedicated Wal-Mart shoppers. You get to participate in online surveys and provide your input about the Great Value brand. For every survey completed, you get a chance to win a $500 Wal-Mart Gift Card. Drawings are held each month for 10 gift cards.

greatvalue1 Recently I had a chance to try some new Great Value products including the Pecan Shortbread Cookies and Twist N Shout sandwich cookies. Cookies do not last long in my house. The Pecan Shortbread cookies are excellent and taste just like Pecan Sandies. My family enjoyed the products but we did not really care for the new Great Value white packaging design. While I think it is an improvement over the original Great Value packaging, the white is way too generic. Also when you are shopping in Wal-Mart the white packages tend to get lost on the shelves. If Wal-Mart wants this to appeal to its customers I think they should revisit the design.

If you are a regular Wal-Mart shopper, don’t forget to register for the Great Value Roundtable.

Employee fired for using ALL CAPS in email

Published September 12, 2009 writing 5 Comments
Tags: employee fired for use of ALL CAPS, use of ALL CAPS

capslock

PLEASE DO NOT USE ALL CAPS WHEN WRITING. IT IS A BIG NO-NO AND IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING. Don’t use all caps, period. It is appropriate for a heading or title but never in the body of a document, especially email. Recently a woman in New Zealand was fired for using all caps in an email message to co-workers. Vicki Walker worked as an accountant for a company called ProCare who said that the emails she wrote using ALL CAPS, bold typeface, and red text created “disharmony” in the workplace.

This just goes to show you how people, especially employers, can find the use of ALL CAPS offensive. Walker sued her employer and was awarded approximately $11,500 damages in U.S. dollars. Although the company might have taken it too far by firing her, this does illustrate how ALL CAPS should not be used in the workplace. And DON’T USE IT IN A BLOG POST EITHER.

Special thanks to my student who forwarded me this article which is definitely interesting.