Go, Go, Go: 3 Sites to Visit Now

These are worth the click – I promise!

Echoage: Eva’s birthday this year is a significant one: She will turn 5 on 12-12-12. For her first birthday, party guests brought gifts to donate to Toys for Tots, because, even at that young age, with a 1 year old and a 2 year old, we were aware that we had more than enough. 4 years later, we still have more than enough. So I asked myself: How do you plan  a birthday party just weeks before Christmas, control the influx of toys, and do some good in the process? Enter Echoage, one of the coolest charitable giving sites I’ve seen. It’s one-stop party planning and do-gooding, combined. You choose an invite, choose a gift (one bigger gift instead of several small ones), choose a charity, and your friends donate. Half the money goes to the gift, and half to the cause. Genius!

2. Spaweek: If you think an indulgent, celeb-style spa treatment isn’t in your family’s budget this month, head on over to spaweek.com, where now, through Sunday, you can purchase luxurious spa experiences in your area for only $50. So sign in, spa, and say aahhhh…

3. LearnItLive.com: I love school. I know it sounds dorky, but I really do. And if I can pick and choose classes that interest me (like a cooking class from Katie at Kitchen Stewardship), take them in my PJs, for a very affordable fee (sometimes free!). Love it! The only hard part is deciding which to take first – a cooking class or an exercise class.