Giving out FREE MONEY for my Birthday

Today is my Birthday.  I like to celebrate my birthday every year.  I start sometime in August with subtle hints that my birthday is coming, towards the end on September I start the pre-celebration of my birthday month.  On October first I share a birthday month dance with my daughter Chloe who also celebrates a birthday in October.

My birthday week is also special.  I bring up the fact that its my birthday week constantly and there is usually a comment regarding how many days until my birthday.  I just love to celebrate it.

This year for my birthday I sent an email blast out at midnight announcing my birthday to friends, family, and followers.  I am following up that now with giving out FREE MONEY!

I AM NOT JOKING.

In 2010 we stumbled across a new company called Ebates.  They pay us to shop online.  Since 2010 we have earned almost $800 in cash.  Its easy.  They have a Google Chrome link that tells us when we are shopping on a site that offers cash back.  We click on the Ebates button near the address bar and activate our Ebates account.  We then finish the transaction like usual.  Every quarter a check comes in the mail like magic money.

So what I am giving away is like money in the bank every quarter.  From now until December 31 they are paying out bonus referral money.  Click on this link to sign up for Ebates and I will also get referral money for telling you about it. 

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=qn3%2FLavxXbhLH6ce4jBc1w%3D%3D&eeid=26471

So Happy Birthday to me.  Free Money for you.

Enjoy.  Matthew

Shout Out for Adoption

I have always had this crazy idea about adoptive families that have gone before supporting adoptive families that are coming behind them, but I have never really been able to articulate it or figure out a fun way get the word out. Until now.

I don't know what will come of this (if anything) but after a Facebook friend of mine yesterday shared a picture of her and her kids wearing their adoption t-shirts it struck me.  Adoption t-shirts are something almost every adoptive family has, because at some point they either used it as a fundraiser or supported another family that was selling t-shirts.  We are crazy like that!  Combine that with the recent ice bucket challenge and it got me thinking.

#ShoutOutForAdoption

Here how it works.  Each adoptive family that has a t-shirt, put it on and take a picture of yourself wearing it.  Then share that picture on social media with a message to other adoptive families challenging them to do the same.  You can copy and paste this message if it helps:

I am taking the #ShoutOutForAdoption challenge.  I donated $50 to the adoptive family of my choice:  I chose (insert name of adoptive family).  I challenge (pick and tag three adoptive friends) to grab their camera and take a picture of yourself in one of your adoption t-shirts, share it on social media, and Shout Out For Adoption.  Find out more at: http://vandermeer-fam.blogspot.com/2014/10/shout-out-for-adoption.html

I will get things started and we will see if it goes anywhere or just fizzles out.

God Bless.