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Covenant is an awesome child advocacy resource. They do some great work in the CT area. They also offer good donation and volunteer programs for people that would like to get involved!

Going Green is becoming a popular phrase popping up everywhere from baby products to political platforms. Essentially, going green means to take individual steps to reduce harmful environmental effects through consumer habits. People across the globe are jumping on the green bandwagon for both personal and environmental reasons. If you still don't understand all the hype, here are 6 reasons to go green.

Surrogacy itself calls up a lot of moral and ethical concerns, mostly because of the money that is involved. Also the fact that a childless couple are asking, sometimes, a complete stranger to become pregnant for them and then give them the child after the birth. Depending on the infertility problems of the intended couple, the surrogate mother will become pregnant in some very different ways. Firstly there is the traditional method, which is where the intended fathers sperm is used to artificially inseminate the surrogate mother. This is using the surrogate mothers egg, so she will be the legal and the biological mother which may cause some people problems, ethically and morally. Then we have where both of the intended parents are infertile, so a sperm donor is used to make the surrogate mother pregnant, and thirdly we have the gestational surrogate method. This is where the intended mothers egg is fertilized with the intended fathers sperm in a laboratory and then it is placed into the surrogate mother to grow until ready for birth. This method is used because the intended mother either can not carry a baby full term, has had a part hysterectomy, or has other medical reasons that prevent her from becoming pregnant. In the majority of these cases, the surrogate mother will be giving this service due to altruistic reasoning. She will still receive reimbursement for her and her family for any out of pocket expenses she may incur in the 9 months while she is carrying the child'. This amount of money is called the base fee. This is an amount of money that is usually split up into 9 monthly payments. The amounts are never equal in their amounts because of the fact that a miscarriage is more likely in the first three months than at any other time during the pregnancy. So, understandably, the first couple of payments will be less than offered later in the pregnancy so that the intended parents will not have to pay too much for a failed pregnancy but the surrogate mother

We went to get a key copied at The Home Depot yesterday, and came across some decorative house keys...oh yeah, we were all over this idea! This is definitely one of those completely unnecessary items that we can't imagine anyone resisting. Hence, much to our disappointment, the store was sold out of many designs they seem to normally carry. We were able to let each child pick a style for us, though. Our 4 year old selected Mickey Mouse (not a surprise) and our 7 year old settled for the Florida Marlins...he really wanted the L.A. Lakers. Apparently, our excitement over these decorative house keys drew a crowd, because before we knew it, there was a pretty long line of other people wanting to get theirs.

Well, judging by the weather, summer is definitely just around the corner here at The Daily Kool, and boy, are we in big trouble. Bathing suit season is almost here, and we have totally been neglecting our healthier eating habits these past few months...yikes! Time to get back on track and start watching what we eat. Thank goodness we have The Biggest Loser finale coming next Tuesday for inspiration. Those contestants are amazing...an absolute inspiration to everyday people like us who want to improve our health and increase longevity. And, while The Biggest Loser contestants have had many tools at their disposal to help them shed those extra pounds, one of the most important has undoubtedly been an old standard...a kitchen scale.

Have you ever noticed how it's the simple things in life that give us the most pleasure? A child's laughter...a morning sunrise...the Oxo Good Grips Flexible Vegetable Brush. Okay, call us crazy (and trust us, many many people have), but we at The Daily Kool absolutely love it when a kitchen gadget gets the job done right. Those of us who own anything by Oxo know that their products usually do. Yep, we admit it...we are big Oxo fans, and have been since we got our first kitchen gadget about ten years ago (yikes, has it been that long?).

The Daily Kool family is very proud of our home. While it may not seem like much to some people, we have spent countless hours decorating every nook and cranny to create a warm, livable environment. We love it and it's all ours...well, ours and the bank's, anyway. The only problem with home ownership is that there is always something that needs to be fixed, refurbished or just maintained. We learned quickly to expect the unexpected and by necessity, we've become quite savvy and adept at many do-it-yourself home repair projects.

The Daily Kool family does a lot of driving. In fact, between work, school and enrichment activities for the kids, it often seems as if we practically live in our car. By the end of the week, our poor Saturn looks like a bomb has hit it...snacks, juice boxes, papers and toys are strewn all over the place. We've seen people recoil from the shock, shake their heads in wonder or, if they're parents, simply nod in commiseration at the mess of our car....yep, it can be pretty embarrassing! So, Fridays have now become the official "car cleaning" day in our household, and everyone has a job. No one ever complains...except whoever is responsible for window cleaning. The fingerprints and dog snot (Pepper loves taking rides in the car) are not such a big deal. The windshield, however, is another matter altogether. Our car has a pretty deep slope in the front, requiring us to drum up our best contortionist skills to clean it deep down. We admit it, our flexibility is quite pathetic...thus, so are our windshields.

The different views and opinions on surrogate motherhood are as vast as those on abortion. Everyone has their views and ideas of the social and ethical issues related to surrogate motherhood. Let's look into some of these issues and what the different sides think about it all. Is it morally correct to rent your body? Some would argue that renting your body to have a baby is hand in hand with renting it out for sex. You are being paid for the use of your body. On the other side, pro surrogates would say that this is an unfair comparison, as sex for money is seen to be dirty and having a baby to help someone who can't is a pure thing. What does religion say about the ethics of surrogate motherhood? Roman Catholicism and Islam forbid it. The Roman Catholics refer to the story of Sarah, wife of Abraham, in the bible. She was barren and gave her maid Hagar to her husband so that she could bare them a child. Abraham impregnated her through copulation. In the end Sarah got jealous, Hagar didn't want to give the baby up and she and the child were thrown out. Not a good ending. In Islam the belief is simple; a woman should bare only her husband's children. How does being born from a surrogate mother affect the child when it grows up? What does a person say when asked, who is your mother? Some people argue that being born from another woman can confuse a child and cause it to have issues as an adult; have feelings of confusion on the subject. The pro surrogates will say that there are many stories of successful children born of surrogate mothers that don't have these problems. It is simply explained to the child. The parents were unable to have children so they took each part of the child from the parents and put it in a surrogate to be born. Can a surrogate mother truly consent to the taking of the child after it is born? This is a major issue. Before gestational surrogating, it was only through artificial insemination of the father's sperm that a surro

A woman must fully comprehend what it means to be a surrogate mother. She needs to know what her body will go through, what the couple she is working for will expect of her while she is carrying their child and what the risks are in all of this. A woman may enjoy the idea of being pregnant and carrying a child but she must think of the risks of surrogate motherhood before she embarks on such a long journey. One of the risks involved in surrogate motherhood is the pregnancy itself. A natural pregnancy is dangerous; let alone an artificial one. Complications happen that can't always be avoided. It is simple fate that may lead you to miscarry, or acquire health problems from the pregnancy. Though using a surrogate motherhood agency is the safest way to go, no one can promise you that there will be no complications. If and when you are pregnant with someone else's child, you are responsible for taking care of it while in your womb. What you eat, drink and take into your body will affect the child. Not everyone has the self discipline to take their vitamins every day or not smoke a cigarette. If something happens and the child is born with a problem that could possibly be because of you and what you did to your body during pregnancy, then you will be investigated. It may not have been your fault, but if the possibility exists then the agency has to look into it. When you get into surrogate motherhood, you become business partners with the parents of the child for the duration of the pregnancy. There is no backing out. If the couple that you chose turns out to be mean or irresponsible, you are stuck with them until the baby is born. This is especially dangerous if you are not using a surrogate agency. If the couple skips town, you won't be taken care of and will be stuck with a baby to raise. What happens if the child is born with some kind of deformity or disease? The parents may not want the child. So then, is it you that takes care of it? Is it put up for a

Over the past year, people have been keeping a close eye on the stock market more than ever. Our parents at The Daily Kool are no exception. Our father, in particular, is almost obsessed with keeping track of how the DOW, NASDAQ and S&P500 are doing at any given time. Unfortunately, as a result, he spends too of his day feeling tied to his computer and internet connection...much to our mother's annoyance.

Memorial Day weekend is coming up soon, and it seems like almost everyone we know is taking a family vacation to Disney World. What's wrong with you people? Are we the only ones who think that it is going to be much too crowded...not to mention, blistering hot? True, there have been times that we've given in to the lure of our Magic Kingdom addiction during almost unbearable climate conditions. How on earth are we supposed to stay cool in the blistering heat of the Florida sun?

Last year, we were having an outdoor birthday party for our oldest son at the local city pool. His parties are always a hit, not because we go overboard, but since his birthday always falls on Labor Day weekend, it's inevitably the first party of the school year. And since he's in a smaller private school where all the kids know each other, we make sure to invite all of the children in his class...26 kids and everybody showed up, with siblings and both parents in tow. Seventy-five people were coming...yikes! We needed food...lots and lots of food. Fruit and veggie platters were a must...plus plenty of candy (our son loves M&Ms) to keep the kids on an energetic sugar high. There was only one problem...how would we keep everything fresh in the scorching Florida heat?

Easter has different meanings to different people. Everyone enjoy the chance to have a nice meal with family, and eat a lot of delicious chocolates.

Getting mail addressed to them makes kids feel special and grown up. Keeping it consistent and age-appropriate is often the challenge. Thank goodness for the classic Highlights educational magazine for children. Our parents treated us to this wonderful subscription when we were younger, and we were truly blessed to be able to carry on the tradition in our family. Launched in 1946, Highlights is the most widely read children's magazine in the world..and with good reason. Recognizing that kids are the world's most important people, Highlights feeds their natural curiosity and love of learning with stories, brain teasers, riddles, crafts and other activities in this wonderfully wholesome and fun publication.

Famous people to color on Google+

Cool coloring pages with Justin Bieber, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo, Beyonce and many more!

From tracking Polar bears, Arctic fox, and ringed seal to swimming with sea lions, penguins, whales and seals in the Sea of Cortez, the world is full of incredible wildlife adventures that you need to experience at least once. If you are a sucker for animals, you won't want to miss these unforgettable wildlife vacations. The wonders of nature are spread in the forms of forests, waterfalls, flowering pastures, mountains, rivers and valleys. When wild life enters the beautiful nature, it attracts travelers from far and near. The natural spectrum of wild lands always encourages people to travel the scenic lands. In this way, tourists explore the way to enjoy life from a different angle.

Indian food consists of a large variety of traditional and regional cuisines native to the Indian sub-regions. Given the range of broad diversity in climate, soil type, culture, occupations, and ethnic groups, these cuisines vary substantially from each other and what adds to their uniqueness are the locally available spices and herbs. It comes as a no brainer that Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the world. , but people in North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa can not have enough of it.

Padhaaro Maare Desh! It is the flavor, culture and true spirit of Rajasthan. Rajasthani culture can be tagged as on of the most warm and loving cultures of India. If you are the connoisseurs of the Rajasthani palate and are looking forward to some scrumdiddlyumptious 'daal baati churma' served by gracious people with hearty smiles, do not miss on our following list of top 5 Rajasthani restaurants in Delhi/ NCR.

This environment day, we come across a very disheartening news! The most revered river of our country, Ganga is now officially declared to be unfit for drinking and bathing as per CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board). Ganga is not just any river for most of the Indians, insteadit has been carrying a special spiritual significance.People from all over flock to take a dip in this 'holy' river. Leave apart drinking, but even bathing is considered detrimental now. As per their report, there are mere seven spots from where the river Ganga passes, which can be used for consumption after disinfection. Also, only 18 spots are being considered fit for bathing,whereas, 62 areas from where the river flows areunfit for the same purpose.