12 Days of Kindness Day 12

Day 12 Kindness: Call Grandparents

To be fair we cheated with this one. It's Christmas Eve and we always talk to my parents. It's the best! We do a conference call with all the kids on the phone and my dad reads the Christmas Story out of the Bible. Then the grand kids open their presents from each other. Send their thank yous and love yous. It's a nice way to end Christmas Eve. 

We love you all and hope you had a very Merry Christmas. We had a great time doing these act of kindness. It's nice to go out of your way to make others feel a little better. Life is tough enough! Don't be the person that makes it worse. 

Have I Done Any Good?

 Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today

Because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

[Chorus]

Then wake up and do something more

Than dream of your mansion above.

Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure,

A blessing of duty and love.

There are chances for work all around just now,

Opportunities right in our way.

Do not let them pass by, saying, “Sometime I’ll try,”

But go and do something today.

’Tis noble of man to work and to give;

Love’s labor has merit alone.

Only he who does something helps others to live.

To God each good work will be known.

12 Days of Kindness Day 11

Day 11 Kindness: Clean Your Room!

I hate housework. You make the beds, you wash the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again. -Joan Rivers

This might as well be an Alison quote. It is an event, borderline WWIII every time I ask her to clean. I love a clean house I love clean it calms me. So having Alison clean her room sounds great in theory but usually it's more stress than the final product. I appreciate the other kids and their clean rooms for this day. Maybe one day Alison will catch the vision. It isn't today though!

12 Days of Kindness Day 10

Day 10 Kindness: Send a Thank You Note

This is a little different than just saying thank you. When someone does something nice for you, return their generosity with a pleasant thank you note to let them know you appreciated their kindness.  In this day of technology many people will send emails or text messages. Be different! Think about sending an old fashioned snail-mail type of thank you note. Dig out your stamps and address book and send a note in the mail!  It will be an added delight for your friend or family member to get physical mail.

12 Days Of Kindness Day 9

Day 9 of Kindness: Reconnect With An Old Friend

I totally stole this from ehow.com but it's good

You've probably wondered what ever happened to your best friend from junior high or maybe your high school sweetheart. Life takes people in different directions, and it's easy to lose touch with one another. Fortunately, with the Internet it's now easier than ever to reconnect with old friends. Here are some pointers to help you reconnect with your old friends.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Think about the people you miss the most in your life. Maybe it was Sandy who moved away in fourth grade or your best friend who dropped out her junior year of college. Who do you find yourself talking about when you reminisce?
   • 2
     Use the tools the Internet has to offer to find your long-lost friend. Facebook is a great starting point, as well as the Classmates or Reunions websites. Don't forget about the trusty phone book, which may give you a hot trail to you friend's parents at least.
   • 3
     Pick up the phone and call. It may be scary, but someone has to make the first move here.
   • 4
     Find out if your friend is still interested in being a friend to you. You may have to rely on your gut instincts here, or just flat-out ask if she'd like to grab a cup of coffee to catch up on old times. If she doesn't seem interested, don't feel bad. At least you made the effort.
   • 5
     Be a good friend to your old friend. Give her space to really get used to the idea of having you around. Respect the friendship by showing up on time, by being interested in what is happening (and what has happened) in your friend's life. Share as much of yourself as you can, and you might end up with a friendship that's better the second time around.

     
     

     Get out there and say hello to an old friend!

12 Days of Kindness Day 8

Day 8 Kindness: Say Hello to Strangers

In Sunday School we were discussing the importance of welcoming new members and ensuring that nonmembers and members both feel welcome in our ward. I realized that I am hands down the worst at this! I am aware that I need to do it but I don't. Not saying hello to someone who is in our midst for the first time can quickly make sure they are never in your midst again. Or, if they have to be around us (i.e. at work), our first impression with this person probably isn't the best in the world. Even further, ceasing to say hello to someone who has been in our midst for a while can be damaging in the long run. Not at first, of course, but eventually that person may not feel cared for by those who no longer greet them.

I would argue that one of the best questions to ask yourself when thinking about what it looks like to welcome the people around you into your midst is, “What makes me feel welcome.” When I think about what makes me feel welcome in any place, new and strange or old and familiar, someone saying hello and recognizing that I am there is right up at the top. There’s plenty of other stuff, but a regular greeting can trump a lot in this world.

12 Days of Kindness Day 7

Day 7 Kindness:

Make Someone Laugh

Here's a little joke for you today!

Two guys were out walking their dogs on a hot day, when they pass by a pub. The first guy says “Let’s go in there for a pint.” Second guy, says, “They won’t let us in with our dogs.” First guy: “Sure they will, just follow my lead.”

He goes up to the pub, and sure enough the doorman says, “I can’t let you in here with that dog.” He replies, “Oh, I’m blind and this is my seeing-eye dog.” The doorman says, “Ok then, come on in.”

The second guy sees this and does the same thing. He goes up to the pub, and the doorman says, “You can’t come in here with a dog.” He replies, “I’m blind and this is my seeing-eye dog.” The doorman responds, “You have a chihuahua for a seeing-eye dog?” The second guy stops for a second, and exclaims, “They gave me a chihuahua?”

12 Days Of Kindness Day 6

Day 6 Kindness: 

Thank Someone

Well I want to do a quick Thank you to the kind lady in front of us at Sonic who paid for our drinks! 

Thank you Thank you!!

This kindness day was a pretty good one. I try to say thank you to all the people I interact with. I know that I appreciate hearing it so I try to put it back out there!

12 Days Of Kindness Day 5

DAY 5 KINDNESS:

Invite Someone To Join You (lunch table, group, meeting etc)

No cute sayings or clever poems just that the kids invited others to sit with them during the school day. Kelsey and Alison both invited girls to sit with them at lunch. Jon invited kids not normally in his group in class to join when they had to "form groups". Josh just sat next to someone he doesn't normally sit next to at his table since they are assigned tables. 

I was home sick for this one and Joe works in an office of two lol so we didn't do this one today. However, I need to remember to step out of my comfort zone and sit next to ladies at church or invite the ones sitting alone to sit by me.  

12 Days Of Kindness Day 4

Day 4 Kindness: High-Five A Stranger

It's Sunday so it was a little trickier to do high-fives but man oh man once again Alison really got into it. After church she wandered around to find people roaming from the other ward. She got 8

People could use some unexpected cheer – so go out of your way with a high-five. Sure, some people don't reciprocate the high fives, but the ones that do leave with big smiles on their faces. And that's what High Five Day is all about (we think).

12 Days Of Kindness Day 3

DAY 3 KINDNESS: 

Compliment Someone

“Idle words are characterless and die upon utterance. Evil words rankle for a while, make contentions, and then die. But the hopeful, kind, cheering word sinks into a man’s heart and goes on bearing fruit forever. How many beautiful written words—words in book and song and story—are still inspiring men and making the world fragrant with their beauty! It is just so with the words you write, not on paper, but on the hearts of men. I wish there were room to mention here the testimonies of great men to the power of some hopeful, encouraging word they had spoken to them in youth and in the days of struggle. But every autobiography records this thing. Booker T. Washington tells how the encouragement of General Armstrong saved the future for him. I know a young man who is to-day filling a large and useful place in the world, who was kept to his high purpose in a time of discouragement by just an encouraging word from a man he greatly admired. That man’s word will live and grow in the increasing influence of the younger man. This world is full of men bearing in their minds deathless words of inspiration heard in youth from lips now still forever. Speak hopeful words every chance you get. Always send your young friends from you bearing a word that they will take into the years and fulfill for you.” — The Enlargement of Life (1903) By Frederick Henry Lynch

The movie below is called Validation. It's a short movie about 16min long. It's well worth your time!

For your veiwing pleasure...

12 Days Of Kindness Day 2

DAY 2 KINDNESS: Give Someone A Hug

There's something in a simple hug
That always warms the heart;
It welcomes us back home
And makes it easier to part.

A hug's a way to share the joy
And sad times we go through,
Or just a way for friends to say
They like you 'cause you're you.

Hugs are meant for anyone
For whom we really care,
From your grandma to your neighbour,
Or a cuddly teddy bear.

A hug is an amazing thing -
It's just the perfect way
To show the love we're feeling
But can't find the words to say.

It's funny how a little hug
Makes everyone feel good;
In every place and language,
It's always understood.

And hugs don't need new equipment,
Special batteries or parts -
Just open up your arms
And open up your hearts.

~ Jill Wolf

So when we gathered together to talk about our hugs Alison out did everyone by saying she hugged 106 people! Way to go Alison . Think of all the people's days you made!

Let us not forget to embrace those whom we love. 

12 Days Of Kindness Day 1

Every year I try to do something that will help my children to know of the true meaning of Christmas. Well this year I had found some good ideas on 12 Days of Christmas Kindness and decided to run with it. Whats fun is that some of the kids friends are getting into it as well. So we draw what the kindness will be the night before since Kelsey and Jon leave for Seminary before Alison and Josh are even up. Then that evening we discuss what we did!

DAY 1 KINDNESS: 

Forgive Someone

“Of You It Is Required to Forgive”

A spirit of forgiveness and an attitude of love and compassion toward those who may have wronged us is of the very essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each of us has need of this spirit. The whole world has need of it. The Lord taught it. He exemplified it as none other has exemplified it. (President Gordon B Hinckley)

The kids mostly shared stories about someone bumping into them or a teacher erasing something they had drawn on the board. Silly little things. However mine ended up being a little bigger and I had started off SO ANGRY! You know how you just feel it radiating and taking over?! I remembered I needed to "forgive someone" today. I did. Simple. Just let it go and the weight literally lifted. I could have carried it around with me all day. Let it fester. It would have continued into the evening and possibly much longer and my whole day and their whole day would have been ruined. I just let it go. It was amazing. So maybe the forgiving was for me. But it was great!!

Totally 80's

Alison helped Kelsey get ready for the 80's themed church dance. She looked AMAZING!

Joshua's first day of 5th Grade!

First Day of School

Today was Kelsey's first day of her Senior Year! Eek how did that happen?

Jonothon is a Sophmore and a tree and his Aunt Jennifer says

Alison

My pretty baby!

Kelsey Prom 2012

Kelsey and Nick

Kelsey's favorite picture cause it's all her!

Kelsey had a great night. They took a carriage ride in St Louis and ate at the Spaghetti Factory. They took pictures down by the arch. I need to get the pictures from Nick's mom since she was the one who went with them.

The New Work Perks!

So ..many of you know I quit my job at Childrens Place back in Sept of 2011. I started working at PNC Bank in October. I like it. But the best part is that I was chosen to be a part of a team that opened a new branch so we have had lot of opportunities to go talk to the community and get to know people. This past Tuesday we had a player appearance. We had James Laurinaitis of the Rams come for autographs. Yes yes I know the Rams suck but he played for Ohio State so we actually had quite a few people in line with Ohio stuff. Some really cute little people  with jerseys and hats. So adorable.

Me and James

This is my new crew. I really love it here!

Americas Got Talent

Soooo..... America's Got Talent came here to St Louis. I was able to get some of the free audition tickets for Friday evening. It was a 14 and up event so I took that seriously even though Alison was very upset. I took a half day and pulled Kelsey and Jon out of school and grabbed Jon's friend Trevor who had been pulled out already. We had some food and headed to St Louis. We got parked and in line by 3. We stood in line for an hour playing the alphabet game and making fun of people that we saw. More PC people would call that "people watching" but let's just call it as it is. 2 girls in the same exact cowboy boots need to be mocked from afar!

   

Around 4 they decided to let us inside because it was so cold. We were standing in a very organized line until they decided to split the line then realized that the previous audition audience need to leave the theater some how and put us back in one line. It became a free-for-all with everyone rushing up the the front. All that time in the line for nothing. So I came up with a plan. I told Jon and Trevor to start scooching up and when the doors open to save a seat. Well they would open the door and let a few people in at a time then close it. Trevor made his way pretty far and ended up with one of the other groups. He was on his side saying "oh I lost my party how will we get back together." I was on our side saying "oh no without cell phones (which are forbidden inside) how will I know where he is seated. He's not even my kid." lol. Pretty soon I hear "who is with the kid in green?" Not surprising a lot of people started saying "me! me!". PLEASE!

   

Anyway.....we got pulled through. Eek! We ended up 13 rows back from the stage and on the end. They came out and announced that the judges would be coming down OUR AISLE!!! Oh my gosh I am such a dork but I was so excited.

Howie Mandel was the first host down the isle. I knew he was a germaphobe so I wasn't expecting him to touch people but he was standing behind a guy with his hands on the guys shoulders while the guy was giving fist pumps for Howie. Weird!

Sharon Osbourne came down second and shook Jon's hand. Jon said she had the softest hands he has ever felt. She is very short. I am tall so most people are short but she is a tiny lady but very pretty!

Howard Stern was the third judge down the isle and Jon got a fist pump. He is so unattractive but still very cool to see him in person.

Nick Cannon is just a fun as he seems on TV. Kelsey kept yelling his name it was cute. There was a moment we thought he might take his shirt off. But no such luck lol

 Because we weren't allowed to have cameras or cell phones I don't have any pictures. The acts we all over the place. Kazoo group, team of chicks on stripper poles, a father daughter act, karate group, a cowboy with whips and a harmonica, a talking dog ventriloquist act, a couple singers, a girl who could cry like a baby, a kid who did voice overs and a belly dancer. I am sure there were more. It was very fun. A couple acts I know will make it on the show for sure.

So super long story made not so short if you watch the show it airs in May and we will be the St Louis auditions. Can not wait to see if one we make TV but two to see how the show is edited for all 3 days of auditions.

Food Storage

This is a picture of all the boxes we just received. Now to do a bunch or rearranging and get them all pulled out and organized. We need to start getting water stored too. We will continue to add to our food storage. If for no other reason than so Kelsey will have food haha. The girl lives off tuna and top ramen....yumm! But there is a giant can of hot chocolate so at least she will have stuff to drink.

Preparedness

Like everything else in my life I wait until Joe helps, prods, leads, takes over etc. I have wanted to get our food storage and 72 hour kits together but I always postpone. This year our tax return went to food storage. I am so excited and I will post pictures when it arrives. Also for Christmas we got everyone backpacks for 72 hour kits and we are slowly filling them. I need to just buckle down and do it. Joe has been reading and watching a lot of prepper books and shows. He's adorable! He has also started a blog to show all the fun stuff he's been doing. He made soap and a really cool stove made out of a pop can. He made enough of the stoves for each backpack. This past weekend Joe made bread and butter the old fashioned way and I forgot how much fun it is to make bread and the kids couldn't get enough of Joe's butter. They were eating it on everything. This weekend I am sure Joe has something else for us to make. We still need to clear out a space for our food supply. But anyway, check out Joe's blog!

Itchin'

I don't know if it's because we have been here in O Fallon for 4 years or if our last vacation was a year ago or if it's because my new job is boring (in a good not stressed out never cry at work kind of way), but I have an itch. I am getting jumpy. I need to get out of here lol. Michelle is due next month I might have to plan a quick trip to TX. Jen and I have been discussing doing something with the family this summer. Plus I am craving a cruise big time. Ahhhhh a beach! I need to plan something quick to give me something to look forward to!