It’s been a year!! A whole year since I started Big Binder! It’s a good time to reflect on what I wanted Big Binder to be, what it has become, and where I want it to go.
I think when I started, I had somethin’ to prove. It’s easy to pick on Grand Rapids. Small potatoes, conservative, backwards, mono-cultural… These are all myths. But with any good myth, there is a little truth to them.
So my goal was to show the folks who believe GR is ‘boring’ that it’s not. I wanted to offer suggestions for events, restaurants, and activities that demonstrate our city’s multi-culturalism and energy, and to show ways that they could ease into accepting the broad spectrum of opportunities for learning that surround us.
Whitney Houston and I believe that children are our future. As Big Binder grew, so did my children, my parenting skills, and my goals. So for Big Binder’s first birthday, I have made a list of what I want. One year old blogs can be very assertive.
- I want my children, and your children, to be well-nourished.
- I want my children, and your children, to be in a healthy environment.
- I want my children, and your children, to know that they can make a difference in the world and teach them the skills to do so.
- I want my children, and your children, to have exposure to other cultures.
- I want my children, and your children, to have fun activities to do that helps their brains develop.
- I want my children, and your children, to be able to resist aggressive marketing.
Now that is not to much to ask, is it? 
I think I will have a hard time taking a blog to lunch, but I still want to remind everyone of all the yummy birthday deals available in Grand Rapids I posted about previously. I have learned of a couple more since then, and here they are:
- Brann’s Steak House will send kids a coupon for a free meal, and if adults go on their birthday they will get a coupon for a sizzler on the next visit. Sign up in the restaurant.
- Grandvilla Restaurant in Grandville will give you a coupon for a free meal on your birthday to be used on the next visit.
- Baskin Robbins will give you a free scoop on your birthday.
- Perkins, Denny’s, and Bob Evans each have a birthday program with a free kid’s meal if you sign your kids up for their birthday clubs.
Thank you all so much, I have loved creating and growing Big Binder, and getting to know my readers in the process.
5 Comments
July 8, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Only a year? Why it feels like FOREVER! Just kidding. (Has our relationship gotten too casual?). Eh heh hem. It that case – congratulations to you and Big Binder! I have enjoyed checking in with you over these many months and have been both surprised and delighted at our common senses of humor and priorities. Long Live the Kefir (and Big Binder too). ~ A.
July 8, 2008 at 10:18 pm
Congrats and happy birthday to Big Binder – here’s to many more!
July 8, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Happy Bloggity Birthday!!
July 9, 2008 at 7:37 am
I am so proud of you. Your blog is a regular reference for our family.
August 31, 2008 at 11:28 am
[...] and Coldstone to scoop up our free dinners and ice cream. I wrote a post about birthday freebies here if you want to sign up for any of these [...]