What does it mean to be a refugee? To be forced from your home, family and everything you have ever known?

As a mother, my most haunting dreams are ones where there is a devastating occurrence and I am forced to flee with my children. We have no money, no food and nowhere to go. I am powerless and it devastates me.

I’ve been a supporter of the United Nations High Council for Refugees (USA for UNHCR) for years. I was introduced to their work after reading Angelina Jolie’s field mission journals as Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR. Her descriptions of the plight of refugees across the world moved me to tears.

This December USA for UNHCR is commemorating 60 years of working to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and internally displaced people.  At this very moment more than 43 million refugees are displaced by war, violence or persecution. That’s nearly the combined populations of New York and Texas. Approximately 41% of the world’s refugees are children under the age of 18, 11% are under the age of 5. 47% of refugees are women and girls.

This holiday, YOU have the power to make a difference and unlock a better future for refugees around the world.

USA for  UNHCR launched an initiative called the Blue Key campaign to give the refugees in their care a VOICE. More than 6,000 UNHCR staffers worldwide give refugees the food, shelter and care that they need, opening doors to a new life; the doors that, unexpectedly, and through no fault of their own, were closed.

The Blue Key campaign’s goal is simple: to spread awareness and grow support for this critical issue by getting 6,000 people in the US to sign up for their own Blue Key by December 31, 2011. At the moment I write this, 5,319 refugee’s lives have been improved. So close!

Won’t you consider helping?

• Get a blue key. The cost of a key is so small – $5. The act of support is powerful. The key symbolizes our power to help refugees open the door to a new home and a new future.
• Help by spreading the word about the blue key campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
• Follow the cause on Facebook to get updates on their work –  USA for UNHCR on Facebook.
• If you are in Frederick, MD on December 15, attend the Social Media Club’s Tweet Drive , donate and get your blue key at that event.

When I opened up my reader this morning I was hit with the following story:

Trying to Be ‘Supermom’ Can Raise Risk for Depression

“A new study has found that working mothers who try to perfectly combine a high-powered job with an active family life are unhappier than those who simply accept they cannot have everything.”

Talk about relating to a story… I could almost be the poster child. Been there. Done that.

I have always had to work. Staying at home with the kids was never an option. Financially we just can not swing it.

Being the personality type that I am, I’ve never merely “gotten a job.” Oh no. I am all in. Or, at least I try to be.

And when it come to parenting, I am the same way. Or, at least I try to be.

And that is where the guilt typically comes in. Because it is never enough. I can never be on top of it all at any point in time.

According to Katrina Leupp, the University of Washington graduate student interpreting the new study, that is exactly where the danger lies.

“We do know that, having to do things like answer an email at night is associated with feelings of guilt for women (but not for men) and that guilt is associated with psychological distress,” she said. “Women are sold a story that they can do it all, but most workplaces are still designed for employees without child-care responsibilities. You can happily combine child rearing and a career, if you’re willing to let some things slide.”

Ah, yes. Drop the need for perfection.

The key takeaway for working women like myself is that in order to avoid depression associated with trying to be a “supermom,” you need to learn how to either delegate or let expectations slide.

In other words — let someone with more time run the soccer team, hire a cleaning service or make sure your husband is doing his share of the chores.  Don’t always expect that you can attend every school play or festival at your child’s school. And if you seek a more comfortable work-life balance, refuse to take on that additional project or put yourself out there for a promotion that requires longer hours away from home.

Accept that you can’t do it all and don’t blame yourself for struggling.

That is something that I myself am still learning. Just the other night I had a meltdown of epic proportions over having to handle my son’s soccer team registration. I had been up since 4:30am and finished work at 9:00pm. No sleep. Too many commitments. Trying to do it all out of guilt. Friends, I bawled like a baby.

Again, I am LEARNING. Super mom be damned.

I write a weekly column on “Tweet Nothings” for Want2Dish.com. Here’s what I am talking about today:

I found out about the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial via Facebook with this simple status update by a friend, “ ….unbelievable…”

Although shocked, I knew immediately what had happened.

Not Guilty.

The Casey Anthony trial, dubbed “the social media trial of the century” by Time magazine, has  generated unprecedented attention worldwide. The story became an immediate legal spectacle on Tuesday when outrage erupted over the Florida jury’s decision to acquit the young mother on charges that she killed her 2-year-old daughter Caylee.

Within minutes of the verdict being handed down, Facebook pages devoted to Casey and Caylee Anthony filled up with hundreds of comments whileTwitter streams overflowed with expressions of outrage.

I’ve compiled a sampling of reactions (outrage, skeptics, witty & ironic) from across the world and the social media sphere HERE.

I found this on Pinterest and it stopped me dead in my tracks.
I know that I am never thankful enough… but I am working on it. Are YOU?

This past weekend I got to participate in the perfect charity fundraiser.

Well organized? CHECK

Benefited children? CHECK

Tons of fun? CHECK CHECK

Involved water? ABSOLUTELY!

Great Wolf Lodge hosted their Second Annual “World’s Largest Waterslideathon” across the country raising thousands of dollars at each of their locations to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.

My family and I participated at the Williamsburg location where a total of 2,071 people took a trip down the waterslide to help kids in need. It was a truly phenomenal time. 100% of every dollar they raise each year at this event goes to Big Brothers Big Sisters. (If you would like to see photos from the event across the country, there are tons on Great Wolf Lodge’s Facebook page.)

Like I said – The best children’s fundraiser EVER.

ASIDE from their philanthropic work, Great Wolf Lodge is an amazing destination for families. We’ve been there twice and each time my boys can’t get enough.

What they really want is to LIVE THERE.

No really.

They keep asking how much it would cost to move in.  (I’m looking into it.) (more…)