Trust Me, I'm a Mom

Family games that encourage gratitude

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 04:51:00 +0000

If you're looking to help your kids feel more thankful, look no further! You can encourage gratitude by playing these simple, yet fun games!

Thankful BINGO

List several things or people your family is grateful for, each on a small strip of paper. Have each person fill out the blank BINGO card below with the above items/people in whatever order they want. Draw the names out of a basket and see who gets a BINGO first!

Thankful Charades

Have each person write what they are grateful for on a piece of paper. Put them all into a bowl, then each person draws one and acts it out.

Thankful Dice Game

just print out the printable below, then fold, glue and play! Each child takes a turn rolling it, then they have to answer the question that lands face up.

Grateful Photo Scavenger Hunt

Give everyone a digital camera/phone. Give them 5 minutes to take pictures of as many things as they can that they are grateful for. Gather back together, then print them all off. Guess who took what pictures. Then make a simple scrapbook out of the pictures.

Thankful Cootie Catcher

I loved cootie catchers/fortune tellers as a kid! With this simple game, you can get your kids talking about things they are grateful for! Simply print the image below, trim it to a square, then follow this tutorial for how to fold and play it!

I hope you have fun together as a family while playing these games this Thanksgiving!

7 ways to remember the GIVING part of Thanksgiving

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:06:00 +0000

I love that we are extra thankful around this time of year, but sometimes we forget the "giving" part of Thanksgiving! Here are some ways we can give back to those who we are grateful for:

Neighborhood Thanksgiving Turkey
Did you get "boo-ed" around Halloween? This is the same idea, only for Thanksgiving! You can read all about it here at Over the Big Moon.

Adopt a Neighbor
As a family, pick a neighbor who you are especially grateful for this year. Secretly make it your family project for the month to do nice things for this neighbor. You can visit them, you can leave small goodies or gifts on their porch, write notes to them about how you are grateful for them, or you can bring in their garbage cans that week. Just try not to get caught!

100 Thank You's Challenge
I love this idea that Devany from Still Playing School posted on Tips from a Typical Mom! It's so simple, it could work as a family or as individual kids. Basically you just have your child set a goal for how many times they want to say thank you this month, then you keep track of it. It's fun because your child can set a high number and still do it... and yet, they will still be impressed that they did it so much!

Grateful Paper Chain
Make a paper chain. Put a name of someone you are grateful for on each paper. Then each day, pick a name off of that chain. Do something nice for that person that day. It can be something as simple as calling them to say you appreciate them, putting a card in the mail for them or even baking a treat for them.

Host a Fall Harvest Potluck
My cute friend Wendy from Bed Head Mom did this and I love it! Just host a potluck and invite all of the people in your life that you are extra thankful for that year. It's an easy and fun way to say thank you!

Kindness Thankful Tree
We have all probably seen the thankful trees all over Pinterest. They are awesome! But if you want to take it to the next level and do an act of kindness with it. You can put one on every bedroom door in your home. Throughout the month, anyone can add a grateful leaf to that door, to show why they are thankful for that person.

You can also do this for a neighbor, only as a one time thing, instead of something throughout the month. Just put a tree (or a turkey) on their door, with reasons why you are grateful for them on the leaves (or feathers).

Thank You Cards
If you know me, you know I am a sucker for thank you cards! They are so easy but yet make such an impact on someone's day. Make it a goal to send out 5 thank you cards this month with your kids. It will be fun to see who they want to thank and how they decide to decorate the cards.

Whatever you do, be sure to reinforce your kid's act of kindness. One awesome way my friend Kim is doing that with her son is by putting up a hand print for each person he helps that month. This way he can see better what an impact he has on the community!

For more ideas on how to serve with your kids, sign up for the Mommy & Me Monthly Service Challenge below!

3 fun ways to use your pumpkins to show your gratitude

Thu, 05 Nov 2015 03:31:00 +0000

Do you still have pumpkins from Halloween? If so, don't throw them away!!

I love that November gives us some extra motivation to be more grateful! It's extra fun to display our gratitude around our home!

Here are three fun ways to display your gratitude with your leftover pumpkins!
(Picture to come! My cute daughter destroyed that pumpkin, so I am in the process of getting a new one!)

Have your children draw pictures of what they are grateful for. If you're like me, then you can't get enough of young children's drawings! I just adore them, so why not add them to your "grateful decor" for the month of November?

Just simply add a leaf tag to the stem of the pumpkin. You can write one or five things you are grateful for. Leave it out so you can see it often!

As a family, write what you are thankful for around the pumpkin. It's especially fun to do once a week or every night. You might just be impressed with what your children say they are thankful for!

All of these would work well on your porch, in your home or even on your Thanksgiving tablescape!

PS: Sharpies work okay for these projects, but if you want it to look darker and last longer, use a paint marker!
xo

If you liked this, you might like Simple (& Creative) Ways to Help Your Child Say Thank You

Christmas for a Deserving Utah Family

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 16:15:00 +0000

For the past two years, I have worked with some wonderful people, including local bloggers to help 3 local, deserving families get a beautiful Christmas! It has been a really neat experience and I am excited to do it again this year!

This year I am teaming up with *5 other local bloggers, but we need your help!

First of all, we are in need of nominations of a deserving family! We are looking for a family with children who lives within 25 miles of Salt Lake City, who could use some help this holiday season.

We are accepting nominations for a family that fits this criteria until Sunday, November 15th.

All the information given will be kept confidential and will only be used if the family is chosen, so we can contact them to get the necessary information.

You can nominate a family here or at the bottom of this post.

If you want updates on what our 'deserving Utah family' will need via Email once the family is decided, email me at [email protected] with the subject "Christmas Updates" so I don't overlook you! OR you can join this Facebook page to stay updated, too!

Lastly, you can donate physical items, gift cards or money via PayPal. Just email me for the details.

*Special thanks to all of the bloggers teaming up with me!
Jessie @ Utah Mom Connection
Kim @ Utah Valley Moms
Jennifer @ My Daylights
Wendy @ bedheadmom
Joanie @ Coupons 4 Utah

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Serve others in memory of 9/11

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 18:12:00 +0000

For those of us who remember 9/11, it will forever be engraved in our minds. We saw images that we will never forget. Out hearts were more than touched, they were changed. We saw our whole country come together to make something tragic turn into something special. People were kind and compassionate.

I love that hard trials can be turned into something beautiful, if we let it.

Our children probably don't really understand what happened on that day, and that's okay. But it's still a great opportunity to teach them that it's a special day and that we can help others who helped us on that day in 2001.

Here are some simple ideas to get you started!

Mail a postcard
Postcards are such an easy way to spread kindness! You can even make your own by simply cutting some card stock 4" x 6", let your child color a picture, then write a simple note on the other side. You can send a postcard to those who are deployed, the families of a military member, veterans, etc. Here is a website with information about sending letters to military personnel.

Say Thank You
Saying thank you is something so simple, but can make a big impact on someone's life. Besides the typical people we think of helping on 9/11 (firefighters, police, etc.), don't forget to thank EMTs, doctors, nurses, flight attendants, etc. There were so many people who contributed to helping on that day and on the days and months that followed.

Bake a treat
Take cookies to your local police department or fire department, no doubt they will be grateful!

Donate Money
911day.org is asking for people to donate $9.11 to support education programs and charitable services in honor of those lost.

Volunteer
There were countless volunteers who helped that day. Some who helped pick up the debris and some who went unnoticed. You can volunteer (even a short amount of time), to help with any cause or organization you are passionate about! Even something as simple as offering to volunteer in your child's classroom would count!

Send a package
Military personnel are often deployed with very little contact with their family members. That would be really hard! By sending a simple package, it will make any military member's day!
Here's a website with more information about what and where to send packages.

Donate blood
There were many people who were hospitalized because of the attacks on 9/11. I'm sure some of them needed blood. In memory of that day, you can donate blood to the Red Cross.

There are also several events around the country that you can participate in!

Family Day of Service
If you live in Utah, there is a fun event that will have several tables set up, each with their own act of kindness. It will be a fun and easy way to get your kids involved in service!

See the flier below (click to enlarge) or this facebook event page for more details.

Operation Shower
Operation Shower is an awesome non-profit organization that throws baby showers for those who are expecting and have a loved one deployed. Such an awesome idea!
In Utah, there is a local Operation Baby Shower event where you can come and donate a gift that will be sent to those military spouses who are expecting.

Or, you can throw your own Operation Baby Shower! Throw a baby shower just as if the mom-to-be is there, then donate the gifts to Operation Shower.

Family Day at Captain Hope's Kids
If you live near Dallas, TX, you have to check out this event!

Captain Hope's Kids and Pennies of Time have teamed up to bring you a fun Family Day! For the full details, click here.

Dine Out for 9/11 Tribute
If you live in NYC, check out these awesome restaurants who are teaming up to raise awareness and funds for 9/11 educational programs.

Compassion Games
No matter where you are, you should check out the Compassion Games! It's a fun way to get your family motivated on this day, the National Day of Service and Remembrance!

Uplift Families Parenting Conference - A Utah Event

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 22:23:00 +0000

I've asked before on my Facebook page if being a spouse is harder or if being a parent was harder. 95% of the answers said being a parent was harder. I completely agree!

Being a Parent today is filled with challenges! If you’re looking for common sense solutions, come to the 2015 Uplift Families Parenting Conference, hosted by First Lady of Utah, Jeanette Herbert, held Saturday, September 19th at 5:30 pm at the Thanksgiving Point Show Barn.

This year’s presenters include: Matt Townsend, Brad Barton, Carmen Rasmusen Herbert, Clay Olsen and Lucy Delgadillo. We’ll also have a special performance by Joshua Creek!

You’ll be inspired, educated and entertained by well-known speakers and experts on the family. Enjoy dinner, dessert, music, exhibits and prizes! Make it a date night or come with friends!

I am so excited to be partnering with Uplift Families! Uplift Families is a non-profit organization started by Utah's First Lady, Jeanette Herbert. I believe that the old fashioned family values are so important, but that it is continually getting harder and harder to have those values in our home. That was one of the main reasons why I started this blog. I wanted to help others instill those values in homes by sharing fun and easy ways to serve together as a family.

Uplift Families is a great website with hundreds (if not thousands) of resources for parents to help with anything from Autism to Suicide to Education. I highly recommend it to any parent, and no doubt the conference will be amazing, too!

Tickets are $25.00 per couple or $15.00 for an individual. Seating is limited.

To receive $5 off your order, use promo code Trust2015!

To buy tickets or get additional information, go to www.UpliftFamilies.org

8 ways to serve with your kids, inspired by children's books

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 03:36:00 +0000

If you're visiting from The Place, WELCOME! Check out this local event on September 11th!

Children's books can be a powerful force for teaching children. I love sharing my favorite books on kindness with my kids, and they really seem to respond positively to them, too.

I always love the ideas of doing an activity inspired by a book, so today I want to share 4 books on kindness, each with 2 act of kindness ideas to go along with them.

I recently asked on my Facebook page, what moms would want to hear about. It was almost unanimous that everyone wanted to hear how kids could serve other kids. So, I tried to incorporate that in these ideas!

(this post may contain affiliate links)

Kiki's Hats

by Warren Hanson

-Learn how to knit with your kids and donate hats to the homeless shelter or kids going through chemo. You can also knit small hearts to donate to The Peyton Heart Project.
-Share your talents for free! Take pictures of someone for free, bake a treat for someone, draw them a picture, etc.

(Enter to win this book this month in our Virtual Kindness Summer Camp!)

Because Amelia Smiled

by David Ezra Stein

-Pass out smiley face stickers to kids at the store
-Leave these printable smiles for people to find, or you can mail them.
(here are some printable ones you can use!)

Those Shoes

by Meribeth Boelts

-donate outgrown shoes to the homeless shelter
-Host a SOLE HOPE shoe cutting party for kids in Africa

The Impossible Patriotism Project

by Linda Skeers

-Send a thank you card to a military family
-Serve in memory of those who served at 9/11 events like the Family Day of Service, or plan a small event of your own!

OR, better yet... read any kindness book with your children and ask them what they want to do because of the book! I bet they will impress you with their answers!

Gymboree Giveaway!

Fri, 07 Aug 2015 22:22:00 +0000

Back to school time is such a fun time! Of course it is, it's usually a time where I get an extra reason to go shopping! I have teamed up with Brittanie from Simplistically Living and several other bloggers to offer you some extra money to have fun spending!

Gymboree has been dressing children since 1986. The brand's fashionable clothing and accessories are created to celebrate kids being kids in unique head-to-toe looks. Available in sizes newborn to 10 years, Gymboree clothing is designed with colorful, high-quality fabrics and detailed touches throughout.

Whether your child has already started school or is starting in a few weeks, Gymboree is the place to shop. Currently they are offering an extra 30% off markdowns which means you can save even more on your back to school shopping! Plus new arrivals are 20% off!

Now want to know the really awesome part about Gymboree? Well, when you refer a friend, they will give you $20 to spend at Gymboree! That is like a totally free outfit for sharing with your friends how awesome Gymboree is! Check out all the details here.

So what are you waiting for? Head into your local Gymboree store and get shopping (and saving).

Giveaway Time!

Gymboree wants to help make back to school shopping a little easier on your wallet. So they are giving away a $75 Gymboree Gift Card to 1 lucky winner! All you have to do is enter using the giveaway widget below! Giveaway ends 8/17! Good Luck Everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is sponsored by Gymboree.

A fun twist on acts of kindness, plus a giveaway!

Wed, 22 Jul 2015 06:59:00 +0000

If you are here from Good Things Utah... WELCOME!! Be sure to check out this fun, local activity to get your family involved in service!

I think it's pretty obvious that I love acts of kindness, but let's talk about a fun little twist on them.

It's not a new idea, but it might just be an idea that you haven't tried yet... but you should! Your kids will love it!

Are you ready for it?

Okay, let's get to it.

I'm calling it,

'Sneaky Service'

It's where you and your kids decide to do an act of kindness, but you have to do it in secret... and no matter what you do... Don't Get Caught!!!

You can build it up with your kids (que on the spy glasses... you know the ones with the big noses and a mustache, or even just all black outfits) or you can just wing it. Whatever you think will work best for your family.

Or, there are some fun books to get you excited. One of my favorites is Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy, but more on that later...

Here are three ideas how you can do this 'Sneaky Service':

1. Thank your mailman

Chances are that you have probably seen this idea floating around the internet, but I HAD to add it because of our sweet experience. (If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably heard part of it.)
My friend, Sheila (from Pennies of Time... check it out, you'll love it!), told me a story about how someone she knew had served someone that worked in their community, and it brought tears to the workers eyes. I was touched and felt like we needed to do something for someone that worked in our community, too. I looked for opportunities for a week or two, but I let our busyness get in the way. One particularly hot day, we heard our sweet mail lady down the street. We ran inside, wrote a quick thank you card together, and put the card and some cold water in the mail box.

Now here comes the extra fun part.

We went inside and spied on her from the window. She had no idea we were there, but it was SO fun to see her reaction! She was truly touched and she even wrote us a quick thank you note back.

It literally took us less than 5 minutes, but it was 5 minutes that will stay with us forever. My daughter still talks about how we "made the mail lady happy".

Do it. You'll love it.

2. Give a heart attack

Okay, so I know this is an oldie, but it's a goodie! This one can be so fun to do with kids of any age. Just have your kids color or write on hearts, then tape them to someone's door (with painter's tape) in the night. But, be sure to be so quiet so you don't get caught!

And here's a free printable to make it easy for you.

If you don't want to go the paper heart attack route, use chalk on their driveway. It will make them smile every time they get home.

3. The Giving Plate

I saw this idea on Facebook and couldn't help but do it, too!

I got a ceramic plate from the dollar store, wrote on it with a sharpie, baked it at 425 degrees, then let it cool. (just like the DIY Sharpie Mugs)

It was super easy to do, and will bring lots of people, lots of happiness!

Now here's the 'Sneaky" part... bake a treat with your kids. Then wait until it gets a little bit dark. Run up the plate quietly to the porch, ring the doorbell, then run and hide! Just be sure not to get caught!!!

So, what do you think? Do you think your kids would like to do these 'Sneaky Acts of Kindness'?

I thought so!

Now, back to that cute book.

My good friend Mandy reached out to me because she found this super cute book about acts of kindness in her Usborne book store. (because she knows I kind of like service) She sent it to me and we have loved it! It has TONS of ideas for kids to do acts of kindness. It's cool and quirky. It also encourages kids to join the "Kindness Club". It's really cute and would be a fun way to encourage kindness in our kids!

Mandy has even offered to give one of YOU a copy of this book!

You can enter to win this book until August 3, 2015!

So, what are you waiting for? Enter now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!! xo

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment or shipment. I was not compensated to participate in this giveaway.

Books that teach children of any age to say 'Thank You'

Thu, 25 Jun 2015 22:35:00 +0000

I'm such a sucker for children's books! I feel like they are a fun way to learn new things.

Saying 'thank you' is something that I teach my children as early as possible. In fact, I teach them how to sign thank you before they can officially even say it verbally.

So, if I can combine those two things, that makes me a happy camper!

Lately I have been looking into books that encourage kids to say thank you, so I thought I would share them with you, too!

Here are a few of my favorites:
(affiliate links below)

Bear Says "Thank You"

by Michael Dahl

Age Range: 0+ years

Please and Thank You!

by Jill Ackerman

Age Range: 0+ years

Disney Sofia the First: Please & Thank You:

Your Guide to Becoming the Perfect Princess!

Age Range: 3 - 6 years

Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You Book

by Richard Scarry

Age Range: 3 - 7 years

The Please and Thank You Book

by Barbara Shook Hazen

Age Range: 3 - 7 years

The Berenstain Bears: Please and Thank You Book

by Mike Berenstain

Age Range: 3-7 years

Please! Thank You!

by Parragon Books

Age Range: 3-7 years

The Berenstain Bears Say Please and Thank You

by Jan Berenstain

Age Range: 4-8 years

Thank You, Amelia Bedelia

by Peggy Parish

Age Range: 4 - 8 years

Thank You, Mr. Falker

by Patricia Polacco

Age Range: 5 - 8 years

The Thank You Book for Kids

by Ali Lauren Spizman

Age Range: 8 - 12 years

101 Ways to Say Thank You, Kids and Teens

by Kelly Browne

Age Range: 8+ years

I hope you find these helpful!

Oh, and don't forget to utilize the library for these books!

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#FamiliesRead

Mailing Kindness

Thu, 25 Jun 2015 06:22:00 +0000

(this is a sneak peek into a small part of our Kindness Facebook Party tonight!)

My favorite way to encourage kindness with kids is to start with their interests & ideas/letting them help plan intentional acts of kindness. I love to ask my 5 year old what we should do that day to do something nice for someone. 99% of the time, she says she wants to draw a picture or a card to mail to someone.

We love “mailing kindness” at our house! It’s the perfect activity for us for many reasons. (Paige loves drawing, she is working on handwriting, and what kid doesn’t love mailing things?)

There are TONS of easy & fun ways you can mail kindness. They can be as simple or as complex/crafty as you want them to be.

Here are some ideas for how to mail kindness:

•Mail something to someone in the military (a thank you card, a letter, a package, etc.)

•Leave a thank you note in the mailbox for your mailman (read our story with this here)

•Send a thank you card to someone who recently did an act of kindness for you or gave you a gift

•Mail a heart attack in a box or in an envelope (here's a free printable to get you started)

•Draw a picture to mail to a friend

•Mail a birthday party in a box for someone you know who has a birthday coming up, or for a shelter that can use it (read about our fun birthday party in a box project here)

•Mail a letter (to a grandparent, an aunt, a pen-pal, etc.)

•Send someone a "thinking of you" card just because

•Mail DIY Postcards

•Mail a sunshine box

So, there you have it! If you're looking for an easy way to do something nice for someone, this is a fantastic way to do that!

Have you received anything in the mail that just made your day? Tell me below!

9 fun ways to serve the elderly with your children

Sun, 07 Jun 2015 14:11:00 +0000

(this post is inspired by the Virtual Kindness Summer Camp)

I know that serving the elderly is talked about a lot, but there is a real need for it! I work a couple of nights a week at an independent living facility and I know how much it means to each of our residents each time someone comes to visit or volunteer. Most of these people are widowed, and often don't have very many family members that live close by.

Before I get to the ways you can serve them, I want to give you a little extra help...

The first thing you need to think about is who do you know that is older (and I use that term loosely) who could use some help or a boost. It could be a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, or even a neighbor. They don't even have to live close to you for you to serve them (see ideas below). If you don't know of anyone personally, retirement centers love any help they can get.

(If you are interested in volunteering at a retirement center, see this post from Pennies of Time. She has some perfect tips for coordinating it!)

Second, if you are serving with your children, a great way to introduce this topic to them is by reading a book. There are many great books, but one of my favorites is:

Somebody Loves You, Mr Hatch by Eileen Spinelli
(affiliate link)

Third, you need to decide the best way to help that person. If possible, include your child in deciding how. You can ask them for ideas, or give them a couple of options to pick from.

Now, here are some easy ideas for serving any older person (either living at home or at a retirement center):

1. Heart Attack

(No, not that kind of heart attack!)
A heart attack, in this case, is where you cut out hearts. You can write notes of encouragement, love notes, or draw pictures on them. You can tape them on someone's door (be sure to use tape that won't damage the door). You can either ring the doorbell and run, or just leave it for them to find it on their door. You can do this on someone's house, or on their door at a retirement center. If they live far away, you can put the hearts in a box or an envelope and mail it to them. Who wouldn't want to receive a box of love in the mail?!

2. Visit or call
It seems like the older we get, the more we appreciate the simple things. A phone call or a visit is often among one of the most appreciated ways you can help an older person. I know when my grandma was living in a nursing home, I loved taking my young children to visit. She wasn't the only person who loved it, all of the other residents and nurses loved seeing them, too!

3. Mail Kindness
Mail something to someone who could use some cheering up. It can be a postcard, a letter, a picture you drew or took, etc.
Here are some of my favorites we have sent out:

I've sent out a "missing u" card (inspired by this one), to let someone know I have been thinking about them. I thought it was pretty cute. Feel free to use these printables to send one yourself!

(front)

(inside)

Possibly my favorite card we have sent out was a DIY pressed flower card. We just picked flowers from our yard, put them in a book (surrounded by paper towels, so they don't stick to the pages). Let them sit under the pressure of some big books for at least 24 hours, then carefully glue them to the card. We just used a glue stick and it worked pretty well! We got a great response to these cards. They look a lot harder than they really are, and they are pretty and kid friendly!

Another thing we love to do is to send post cards. We either search for coloring pages online & print them in postcard size (on cardstock), or just cut out the cardstock & color a picture on one side and put a message and the addresses on the other. Easy peasy!

Note: If you are mailing a DIY postcard (they are super easy to make!), it needs to be rectangular. At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long. No more than 4-1/4 inches high x 6 inches long. If you cut and/or print your own, just be sure it is on card stock, so it will hold up through the mail system.

4. Ask Questions About Their Life History
If you are visiting them, ask questions about their life. Even better, write it down! Think of how valuable that would be to them and their family!
*I have created a simple Life History Q&A that you are welcome to print and use.

5. Use Your Talents
(and your kids’ talents and interests)
This is my secret to getting kids to like serving others (if they are struggling with it). Incorporating their interests and talents will be so beneficial! Here are a few examples of talents and how to serve with them.

If you or your children are interested in photography, take pictures of a Senior for free. It won't cost a thing, and chances are, they haven't had their pictures taken in far too long.

Bonus Points: Email them (or their family) the pictures. No doubt this will be something that is cherished for generations.

(this one is self explanatory) :)

If you like to draw, draw a picture for them & send it in the mail. Maybe even a portrait of them?
Draw some cheerful pictures and ask if they can be hung at a nursing home, or in the elderly’s home.

If your child plays an instrument, they can volunteer at a nursing home to play some songs for the residents

Or, maybe they need some new clothes. Or maybe they even just need milk!

Don't feel like you "have a talent"? Check out this awesome post about how Kimber used her "untraditional" talent in a creative way! I love it!

6. Volunteer at a retirement center.
If you are interested in volunteering at a senior citizen center, Sheila has some great suggestions for getting in. When you call, just ask for the Activities Coordinator and use Sheila's tips!
Some fun activities to do at an indepentent living facility, assisted living facility or memory care facility are:

Hold a spa/pamper day doing the resident's nails
Take thank you for serving our country cards, pictures, or notes to those who have served in the military.
Plan a program… can be magic show, singing, jokes, playing a musical instrument, holding an art stroll, etc.
Play games with them. Some of their favorites are Gin Rummy, BINGO, Bridge and puzzles.

7. Brighten their day with flowers
Pick flowers from your garden to deliver to an elderly person. It doesn't have to be an extravagent boquet. Even a simple flower from someone would make anyone's day!

8. Write notes of encouragement
Write notes of encouragement & slide them under doors at a retirement center. It's always nice to receive a note of encouragement, even if your life is going smoothly! It doesn't have to be anything long, it can be an uplifting scripture, quote, or even something simple from your heart.

9. Volunteer for Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels is a great organization that delivers meals to those who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. There are a few ways you can volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

If you are looking for a commitment, you can sign up to drive once a week to deliver the meals. It only takes an hour a week, and would be so fun to take your children with you! No doubt the recipients of the meals would love to have a short visit with you and your children!
If you are looking for a more short term commitment, you can have your kids make placemats, cards, pictures or letters for the recipients of the meals. Just drop them off at your local Meals on Wheels location, and ask them to deliver with the meals. You can also do this with something like single flowers!

Once again, I can't tell you enough how much the residents at my work love having any sort of visitors, fun activities, notes, etc. It really means the world to them!

Don't forget, sometimes it's the simple acts of kindness that mean the most to people!

Utah Discovery Gateway Giveaway!

Sat, 06 Jun 2015 22:03:00 +0000

Now that is school is out it's time to start thinking of how you will keep your kiddos busy this summer. While they can certainly play outside, there will be days where it will be miserably hot. A great place to visit that will keep them cool and entertained is Discovery Gateway!

We like to go to Discovery Gateway each Summer. It's filled with so much fun for the kids, they don't even realize they are learning!

Discovery Gateway children’s museum is located in the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City. Discovery Gateway offers 60,000 square feet of interactive, hands-on fun. You can explore their engaging workshops, programs, and exhibits that invite the whole family to create, learn, and play together!

Exhibits Include:

The Garden- A 30-foot beehive greets visitors to The Garden, an exhibit where children and adults work together to keep things “buzzing.”
Kid’s Eye View- In the Kid’s Eye View exhibit, children can explore the big, wide world on a kid-sized scale.
Story Factory- From classic stage to modern multimedia, the Story Factory exhibit offers visitors numerous ways to explore telling a story.
Media Zone- Anchor the evening news or report the weather using the green screen in our Media Zone exhibit that takes visitors behind the scenes.
The Studio- The worlds of the artist, scientist, and engineer combine in this hands-on creative space.
The Terrace- Put your rescue skills to the test as a pilot, paramedic, or commando.

Current Promotions:

The museum is open 7 Days a week but you can visit on Sunday's for "Sunday Fundays". It is $6.00 admission for 6 hours of fun and play! Plus FREE parking in the Gateway parking garages! You can visit the Discovery Gateway Website Here to learn more about the activities and fun they have to offer!

Giveaway Time!

Good Luck!

Now that is school is out it's time to start thinking of how you will keep your kiddos busy this summer. While they can certainly play outside, there will be days where it will be miserably hot. A great place to visit that will keep them cool and entertained is Discovery Gateway! Discovery Gateway children’s museum is located in the Gateway Mall in downtown Salt Lake City. Discovery Gateway offers 60,000 square feet of interactive, hands-on fun. You can explore their engaging workshops, programs, and exhibits that invite the whole family to create, learn, and play together! Exhibits Include:

The Garden- A 30-foot beehive greets visitors to The Garden, an exhibit where children and adults work together to keep things “buzzing.”
Kid’s Eye View- In the Kid’s Eye View exhibit, children can explore the big, wide world on a kid-sized scale.
Story Factory- From classic stage to modern multimedia, the Story Factory exhibit offers visitors numerous ways to explore telling a story.
Media Zone- Anchor the evening news or report the weather using the green screen in our Media Zone exhibit that takes visitors behind the scenes.
The Studio- The worlds of the artist, scientist, and engineer combine in this hands-on creative space.
The Terrace- Put your rescue skills to the test as a pilot, paramedic, or commando.

Current Promotions:

Giveaway Time!

Discovery Gateway is giving you the chance to win a 1-year family membership for 4! This is a $115 value! Enter using the rafflecopter widget below. You must be a Utah resident to win. Giveaway ends 6/22/15. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment or shipment. I was not compensated to participate in this giveaway.

15 reasons why you should serve as a family TODAY!

Sat, 23 May 2015 22:50:00 +0000

We all know that by serving others with our children is beneficial, but do we realize just exactly how beneficial it really can be?

Before you start reading, I want you to think for a second... what's one thing you want for your kids? (I'll wait...)

Got it? Okay!

I bet it will be covered at some point in this blog post.

Permission granted to continue reading...

1. Strengthen Relationships and Create New Friendships

When we serve with our children, we are not only strengthening our relationships with them, but we are blessing them with the opportunity to strengthen their relationships and create new friendships. We are also teaching them ways that they can do this on their own as they get older. You are also strengthening your relationship with your family. You might be surprised at how much better you all get along after working together to serve someone else!

2. Hard Work Pays Off

By serving with our children, we are not only teaching them, but we are showing them the value of hard work. We are letting them know that hard work is... well, hard, but that it will pay off. Sometimes it seems like this world lacks people that know the value of hard work, but I can't think of a better way to encourage it, than by serving others by acts of kindness!

3. Sense of Purpose and Fulfillment

Have you ever felt unfulfilled? Have you ever wondered how to add purpose to your life? By serving others, you can give the gift of that knowledge to your kids. What a blessing to know your purpose and how to live a fulfilling life at such an early age!

4. Building Identity

My number one tip to making service fun for your kids is to let them plan... this includes letting them decide who they would like to help. If they pick areas they enjoy already, then they will enjoy serving others! By letting your child pick, you are encouraging your child to build their identity.

5. Being Present

By serving together, we are helping them to realize that we need to be present in life. By this, I mean, we can't be focusing on something else (our cell phones, our problems, etc.) while serving others. The same is in life; we are happier and more helpful when we are focusing on others. By doing this, it can also help them to appreciate the small and special moments in life more.

6. Happiness

The number one thing I get back when I serve others is happiness. It's a happiness that can't come from anything else. I want to let my children feel that. I want to feel it with them! Many people nowadays don't know how to find happiness in life. By serving with our children, it helps them to feel and recognize this happiness and they will be able to find it again whenever they need to.

7. Empowerment

By giving your child the experience of even the smallest acts of kindness, you are empowering them! You are letting them know that they can make a difference in the world. Something so many people lack faith in!

8. Kindness
We all know that by serving with our kids, it helps them to understand how to be kind, but did you ever stop to think that if they understand kindness, then they will be less likely to be a bully? They will also have the tools to stop bullying. Or, we can think about it this way, if they serve often, they will be more likely to understand that the worth of every soul is great. Every person has worth & deserves to be treated with love and respect.

9. It will make a difference in the recipient's life!
I know, this is a given, but to see it in action, is a beautiful thing!

10. It will give your child courage.
When serving others, you are placed in a situation that might be different than anything else you have ever been in. You might be out of your comfort zone. That, my friends, is where learning is at it's best. Depending on the situation, you will get courage to stand up for what is right, courage to help others, courage to be vulnerable yourself, courage to meet new people, etc.

13. They will see many people and experience new things.
I know this one is a given, too, but it's something that can be invaluable. By giving your children the opportunity to serve others, no matter how often, they are instantly experiencing new people and new experiences. It can form relationships that can last a lifetime!

15. It will teach them (and you) many other values.
Some of the many are compassion, humility, gratitude and empathy (and many more below). I know those are things that I work on having every day. I am imperfect with that, but love that serving others makes it that much easier to gain those values.

In addition to the reasons above, I've come up with a list of values we can teach our kids as we serve with them... view the info-graphic below.

Even I was surprised as I was compiling this list, there are more benefits than I thought there would be! Those are 15 invaluable gifts that you receive when you serve with your children as a family. I don't know about you, but I would love every single one of those things to happen for my family! So... I guess I'm off to serve!

Join the Virtual Kindness Summer Camp for easy acts of kindness to do together all Summer long!

Join me, by posting the reasons you serve with your kids on your social media. Just use the hashtag #iservebecause and tag @trustmeimamom. I will be sure to share as many posts as I can!

Feel free to use these free printables, just fill in the blank!

Oh, and PS... Serving with your kids is easier than you think!! Don't believe me? Sign up for emails below, and I'll send you easy ways you can serve others together each month!

Utah Giveaway! This is the Place Heritage Park Family Membership

Wed, 20 May 2015 16:09:00 +0000

In just a few short weeks kids will be out of school for the summer which means parents need to figure out ways to keep them entertained. In Utah, This is The Place Heritage Park is the perfect daytime activity for the entire family!

I know I have been trying to schedule activities for our Summer already. I figure if it's on the calendar, we'll be more likely to do it and have more fun. This would be the perfect place to put on the calendar!

In case you haven't heard of This is The Place Heritage Park, it contains over 50 historic homes and structures to visit and countless fun activities to help visitors learn about history and step back in time to see how things used to be. Activities include:

Train rides (there are three)
Pony rides
Petting farm animals
Panning for gold
Playing in the splash pad
Shopping in the gift shop
and much more!

All the activities are included with your admission ticket so you can enjoy and entire day of fun without breaking the bank! Right now is baby animal season which makes it the perfect time to visit! In addition to all the fun activities, you and your family can grab a bite to eat at the Huntsman Grill and you can also find other tasty treats like Brigham's Donuts at the Social Hall and soft serve ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor. With so much to do, there is no reason you won't want to take the kids there several times with summer. Now with that being said, you all know how much I love hosting giveaways so... This is The Place Heritage Park is giving away a 1-Year Basic Family Membership to the park! This is a $100 value! That means the winner will be able to visit the park all year long plus receive:

Unlimited FREE general admission, Pony and Mini Train Rides
FREE admission to Mountain Man Camp, Liberty Days, Pioneer Days, & Little Haunts
Monthly "This Is The Place Messenger" e-Newsletter
50% discount to Haunted Village
$20 per person admission to Witches' Ball
10% discount on purchases at Heritage Park Gift Shop and ZCMI Mercantile Store

To enter this awesome giveaway just use the rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway ends 6/1/15. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment. The giveaway is sponsored by This is The Place Heritage Park.

Apraxia Awareness Day Link Up!

Mon, 11 May 2015 14:43:00 +0000

This week, on May 14th is Apraxia Awareness Day!

When I think back to when we first found out about Paige having Apraxia, I was really overwhelmed. It seemed impossible to soak in all of the information I was learning about it. Although, it helped tremendously to join Apraxia Facebook groups and connecting with other moms who had been there and understood what I was feeling. They were able to answer questions in simple, easy-to-understand terms. I was and still am so grateful for those women!

That is one of the main reasons why Laura (from SLP Mommy of Apraxia) and I joined forces once again to bring you the Apraxia Awareness Day Link Up!

Please feel free to link up any of your blog posts about Apraxia. It can be an update on your child, your feelings about Apraxia, or anything Apraxia related!

Let's share our stories so we can raise awareness and connect with each other!

xo

An InLinkz Link-up

Other links about Apraxia that you might like:
Apraxia iPad Apps We Love
Speech Therapist Recommendations for Apraxia
The Beauty of Apraxia
Ways to Celebrate Apraxia Awareness Day

Five Tips for Parenting With Presence

Thu, 07 May 2015 23:58:00 +0000

I had meditated from the time I was sixteen, so as I approached motherhood, I was certain I would be spared those dramatic, stressful moments I saw frazzled parents having with their children. Yelling or shouting? I would be too centered to succumb to that level of frustration. Trying to rush my child to get where we were going? I was confident about my ability to slow down and live in the moment.

Ha!

In theory, parenting with presence sounds easy enough. Putting it into practice in real time with real children is another thing altogether. No one can push our buttons the way our kids can — ignoring repeated requests to come to dinner after we’ve made something healthy and tasty, or refusing to stay in their beds when we’ve run out of steam and desperately want to go to sleep. Sometimes we lose our cool, and our way.

Parenting shows us just how human we are. Humbling, yes, but if we relax into the experience rather than resist the difficult moments, it can be one of the greatest opportunities we will ever have to learn how to love more deeply, live more fully in the moment and become more open-hearted versions of ourselves. A blessing of untold magnitude, but one with a never-ending invitation to stretch and grow.

Here are a few of the things I have learned about parenting with presence:

Be good enough. Our children don’t need us to be saintly or enlightened. We just need to be good enough. Don't allow mean, critical voices in your head to tell you that you're not adequately conscious or evolved. That voice -- the one telling you that if you were more "spiritual," you wouldn't yell at your kids-- is not your friend. It is only with a heart that is at ease with our imperfections that we can truly embrace the opportunities for spiritual growth that come with being a parent. When you lose your way, touch your heart with a “There, there” as you would comfort a child, and begin anew.

When your buttons get pushed, look beneath the surface. None of us like being ignored or dealing with tantrums. But when we feel especiallytriggered by our child’s unpleasant behavior, unfinished business from our own childhood may be rearing its ugly head. If your child’s anger makes your blood boil, it may be rekindling memories of a parent’s explosive temper. If you feel painfully disrespected when your kids pretend they don’t hear you, it may be activating the hurt of being ignored as a child. Our children can be invaluable beacons of light, illuminating our emotional dark corners to catalyze deep healing and open us to extraordinary dimensions of love and acceptance.

Commit to moments of full engagement. Most of us juggle the demands of our lives by giving partial attention to each activity without being fully present for any of them. We listen halfheartedly to our child’s story about Show and Tell while our wandering mind thinks over the emails we need to send. We rush our kids through brushing their teeth, counting the moments until we can fall wearily into bed. When our kids sense our divided attention, they often generate chaos and drama to bring all of us into the room, even if their behavior results in threats or punishments. Focus on the one thing you're doing, whether it's serving a snack or changing a diaper. Investing even a few moments of fully-engaged time with your kids can bring greater joy to your parenting life.

Challenge fear. Many parents are driven by anxiety. What will happen if she doesn’t finish her homework? What if he refuses to eat dinner…again? When we are ruled by fear, we tend to come across to our children as desperate and needy, effectively putting them in charge of our happiness. Make friends with the worst case scenario so it has less of a hold over you.

Unplug. These days it is nearly impossible to visit a park and not find parents checking their devices while the kids play, or strolling their baby while chatting on their cell phone. Rarely do you see families in a restaurant without at least one person—often a child— on some kind of digital device. We all know that the digital revolution has brought amazing things to our lives, but our children need regular doses of our presence. Yes, it’s great that you can reach out for the support of your cyber-tribe when you’re feeling isolated with little kids. But the next time your cell phone beeps, try staying a little longer in the 3D world.

My now twenty-four year old son walks into the house as I’m finishing up this article. I feel the tug of my writing, but the pull on my heart is stronger and I stand up to share a hug and a few moments of “How’ve ya been?” as we catch up after not seeing each other for a few days.

I have enjoyed many soul-nurturing experiences in my life but to this day, seeing my son still splits open my heart like nothing else can. Through the many rough patches and the countless days when I fell miles short of being as conscious as I had hoped to be, this love remains. Pure, perfect and miraculous.

.....

Susan Stiffelman, mft is the bestselling author of Parenting with Presence and Parenting without Power Struggles. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, a credentialed teacher, and the Huffington Post’s weekly “Parent Coach” advice columnist. She lives in Malibu, California where she is an aspiring banjo player, a determined tap-dancer, and an optimistic gardener. Visit her online at http://www.ParentingwithPresence.com.

Based on the book Parenting with Presence: Practices for Raising Conscious, Confident, Caring Kids ©2015 by Susan Stiffelman. Printed with permission of New World Library. www.newworldlibrary.com

Enter to Win a Southern California Vacation!

Wed, 25 Mar 2015 03:03:00 +0000

My family is planning a trip to Southern California next month & we are all so excited about it! Who doesn't love Southern California? They have the Beach, Disneyland and several other theme parks! I can't wait to take my girls for the first time so we can make memories together.

That's why I am so excited to be teaming up with Simplistically Living and Get Away Today to be giving away a Southern California Vacation Package to one lucky family!

This is a $1,500 value!

About our Sponsor: Get Away Today has helped more than 2 million people enjoy vacations to Disneyland and beyond. Almost like magic, they have become one of the world's leading providers of Disney vacations, family vacations, discount vacation packages, and adventure vacations. I personally use Get Away Today whenever I am booking a vacation because they offer the best rates and customer service around! Whether you are looking for a quick weekend getaway or a few weeks away from home, Get Away Today has the perfect destination for you!

Current offers from Get Away Today:

The Disneyland Resort celebrates 60 years with their diamond celebration.
Save up to 30% off rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels
Pay Adult at Kids' prices on Disneyland park hopper tickets

You can see all the current vacation offers and specials from Get Away Today Here.

Giveaway Time!

Now it's time for the giveaway! 1 lucky family is going to win a Southern California Vacation Package valued at $1,500! The prize includes:

3-night hotel stay
2 adult and 2 child 1-day tickets to two theme parks of the winner's choice! (Think Disneyland, LEGOLAND, SeaWorld, and more!)

How to Enter: Enter using the rafflecopter widget below. Open to US Residents only. Must be 18+ years of age to enter. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment. This giveaway is sponsored by Get Away Today.

Postpartum Depression

Fri, 06 Mar 2015 16:41:00 +0000

The reason I have been MIA from this blog for a bit is mostly because I have been suffering from Postpartum Depression.

(luckily I have mostly been able to keep up with the Mommy & Me Monthly Service Challenge and some other behind the scenes things)

Although, I feel very blessed to have it mostly under control, it still affects me on a small-ish level daily. I decided months ago to simplify as much as possible to help me through this challenging time. I removed as much as I could from my life so I could focus on myself and my family. This has helped tremendously, but I feel ready to jump back in the blogging game.

I have completed my first "come-back article" and it has been published on FamilyShare! I am excited to share it with you. It is called 8 lies that are keeping you from recognizing you have postpartum depression. I am hoping by debunking these myths, more people will realize that there is help for them.

8 lies that are keeping you from recognizing you have postpartum depression

I didn't realize I had PPD and I was surprised to hear the nurse tell me that it sounded like I had it. My main symptoms were feeling overwhelmed, snapping in anger at my oldest daughter and beating myself up in my head. I was my worst enemy.

(read more about my postpartum story here)

I hope to be posting some 'silver linings' from my postpartum depression, soon... things I have learned from having PPD.

Until then, I am excited to be back blogging... I've missed you!

(you might also be interested in reading Ways to Reset When Suffering from PPD)

Christmas for a Deserving Utah Family

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:41:00 +0000

Last year I was more than humbled to participate in our sub for Santa activity last year - the Christmas for a Deserving Utah Family. It was amazing from start to finish & I've thought about it all year long.

The family was incredibly gracious and they were (as I was) blown away by everyone who helped in one way or another to make sure they were able to have a Christmas.

Brittanie (from Bargains with Brittanie) and I are excited to host this again this year!

Christmas is such a magical time of year, but to some it just brings sadness of what they cannot give to their sweet kids. Every parent wants to give the world to their children, but as we all know, it's not always possible. Sometimes we run into some big bumps in the road that set us back financially. We would love to change this for one family (or more, if possible), this year.

We're reaching out to you for help finding another special family who has the need of receiving help this Christmas season.

So, here's how you can help!

If you know of a deserving family that has kids and lives in Salt Lake County, nominate them here or on the form below. We will be accepting nominations until Sunday, November 16th at midnight MST.
If you want updates on what our 'deserving Utah family' will need via Email, once the family is decided, email me at michelle at trustmeimamom dot com with the subject "Christmas Updates" so I don't overlook you!
Lastly, you can donate items, gift cards, or money via PayPal! (email me for details)

Thank you all so much for helping with this special event! We're so excited to do it again this year, and hopefully it will bless another amazing family & relieve some stress from them!

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From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!

Make a Difference Mondays Link Up

Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:24:00 +0000

Mondays are often hard days, so I hope we can give you a boost in your day with this link up!

Remember: You can do hard things!

Make A Difference Mondays is a weekly linkup designed to encourage and inspire us to live each day on purpose—making a meaningful difference in someone’s life in even the smallest of ways. There will be five women regularly co-hosting this link-up that will appear on all five of our blogs and we also have three wonderful co-hosts who will fill in as guest hosts on the occasional day that a regular co-host is not able to post. Read on to learn more about our vision, mission, and how to link up!

Mission
Our mission is to provide a consistent gathering place for like-minded women to build online connections, share inspiration, and provide mutual encouragement and accountability as we seek to live intentionally and make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Vision
Every Monday we will invite bloggers to link-up any blog posts that encourage women to live life on purpose. This could include testimonies or goals from your own life, small acts of kindness or service, creative tips or ideas for showing consideration to others — the possibilities are endless. Our objective is to use our God-given time and resources to His glory!

Also, just a heads-up: the Make A Difference Mondays team has created two fun new ways to keep us all connected! Now we have our own facebook community group to stay in touch beyond the blog posts AND we also have a new #MADMlinkup group Pinterest board and we will be pinning our favorite posts from the linkup that inspire and encourage us to make a difference. We are so grateful for you and would love for all of you to join us for fellowship in the above linked community group and you can follow the Pinterest board right here to watch for your posts.

Be sure to grab the sparkly image above for your posts and/or include a link back here within your posts. Any on-topic posts are welcomed, no matter how old and no matter how many! And before you leave, you'll want to subscribe by email if you'd like to keep up with this weekly Make A Difference Mondays project and much more!

An InLinkz Link-up

Make a Difference & Serve Others!

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 19:44:00 +0000

Hi friends! I hope you've had a great weekend! I'm finally getting settled into my house & we have half of our pictures up... wahoo! I've loved having a house of our own even more than I thought I would.

At church yesterday, we had a great meeting with some amazing talks about serving others. One of the things that stuck out the most to me is that things that might seem simple to us (the server), are usually something that mean a lot to others (the serve-ee). It got me extra motivated again to serve others, so I decided that each day I'll ask Paige who she wants to serve that day (it can be anyone -- a friend, a family member, a neighbor, etc.), and then we'll think of a way to serve that person that day. We're also including that person in our prayers that day. It's only been one day of it, but I'm really excited about this new idea (it's somewhat similar idea to what Sheila at Pennies of Time does with her boys) especially because Paige has a say in what we do & it's something that won't take a lot of time or planning.

So, I'd LOVE to know... what are some simple ways you serve with your kids?!

How do you get them in a service-like routine?

How do you get them excited about it?

Tell me in the comments below!!

... and, as usual, it's time for some uplifting posts in our weekly Make a Difference Mondays Link Up!

Make A Difference Mondays is a weekly linkup designed to encourage and inspire us to live each day on purpose—making a meaningful difference in someone’s life in even the smallest of ways. There will be five women regularly co-hosting this link-up that will appear on all five of our blogs and we also have three wonderful co-hosts who will fill in as guest hosts on the occasional day that a regular co-host is not able to post. Read on to learn more about our vision, mission, and how to link up!

Mission
Our mission is to provide a consistent gathering place for like-minded women to build online connections, share inspiration, and provide mutual encouragement and accountability as we seek to live intentionally and make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Vision
Every Monday we will invite bloggers to link-up any blog posts that encourage women to live life on purpose. This could include testimonies or goals from your own life, small acts of kindness or service, creative tips or ideas for showing consideration to others — the possibilities are endless. Our objective is to use our God-given time and resources to His glory!

An InLinkz Link-up

Make a Difference Mondays Link Up

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 22:02:00 +0000

Happy Monday, and happy August! I hope you've been having a great Summer! We've been keeping busy moving & having lots of fun together.

I like to try to share a simple act of kindness that has touched me in the past week in these #MADMLinkUp posts. This week I got a letter from my cute parents who are serving a mission for the LDS church. They often call and send emails, but it was extra special to get a letter, just for me, in the mail. It meant so much to me that they would take the time to show me they love me, even though they are incredibly busy and miles and miles away.

So today, I want to challenge you to shoot a post card, a letter, an email or even a text to someone to tell them how much you love them! It's simple and might only take you a few seconds to do, but the impact with be much greater. No doubt about it, you'll make their day!

Are you up for it? If so, tell me about it in the comments! Or feel free to link up with us below!

As usual, it's time for some uplifting posts in our weekly Make a Difference Mondays Link Up!

Make A Difference Mondays is a weekly linkup designed to encourage and inspire us to live each day on purpose—making a meaningful difference in someone’s life in even the smallest of ways. There will be five women regularly co-hosting this link-up that will appear on all five of our blogs and we also have three wonderful co-hosts who will fill in as guest hosts on the occasional day that a regular co-host is not able to post. Read on to learn more about our vision, mission, and how to link up!

Mission
Our mission is to provide a consistent gathering place for like-minded women to build online connections, share inspiration, and provide mutual encouragement and accountability as we seek to live intentionally and make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Vision
Every Monday we will invite bloggers to link-up any blog posts that encourage women to live life on purpose. This could include testimonies or goals from your own life, small acts of kindness or service, creative tips or ideas for showing consideration to others — the possibilities are endless. Our objective is to use our God-given time and resources to His glory!

An InLinkz Link-up

Showered with All Things Baby Giveaway... 29 winners!!

Wed, 23 Jul 2014 22:30:00 +0000

Welcome to the Showered with All Things Baby Giveaway Event!

My best blogging frient, Brittanie from Bargains with Brittanie will soon be welcoming her second baby boy into the world and she wants to celebrate with you! She is teaming up with a group of bloggers to offer a spectacular giveaway that features products perfect for the new mom, dad, and baby. With $2,064 worth of prizes and 29 winners this is a giveaway you won't want to miss!

Having a baby can be both exciting & expensive, so I'm excited to be a part of this fun giveaway to help some of you moms & soon-to-be moms!

For this giveaway we have some amazing prizes and want to give a huge thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors who made this giveaway possible.

Our sponsors include:

In addition to this great giveaway, you can check out the Ultimate Baby Shower Gift Guide which contains reviews of the products featured in this event.

Enter the Giveaway!

Giveaway ends August 5th at 11:59pm. It is open to United States Residents only. Winners will be chosen via random.org. All Entries Will Be Verified. Winners will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to claim prize or a new winner will be chosen. Enter using the widget below. Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for participating in this event. This giveaway is sponsored by the companies mentioned above. This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment or shipment.

Make a Difference Mondays - Service Oriented Link Up

Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:49:00 +0000

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great 4th of July!

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but I haven't been around as much lately. We've been busy with some Summer fun & we're also buying and moving into a new house... YAY! I'll keep posting the Make a Difference Mondays Link Up and other posts occasionally, but I'll officially be back in business in August. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the inspirational posts that have been linked up to the link up below!

Thanks for understanding! xo

Make A Difference Mondays is a weekly linkup designed to encourage and inspire us to live each day on purpose—making a meaningful difference in someone’s life in even the smallest of ways. There will be five women regularly co-hosting this link-up that will appear on all five of our blogs and we also have three wonderful co-hosts who will fill in as guest hosts on the occasional day that a regular co-host is not able to post. Read on to learn more about our vision, mission, and how to link up!

Mission
Our mission is to provide a consistent gathering place for like-minded women to build online connections, share inspiration, and provide mutual encouragement and accountability as we seek to live intentionally and make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Vision
Every Monday we will invite bloggers to link-up any blog posts that encourage women to live life on purpose. This could include testimonies or goals from your own life, small acts of kindness or service, creative tips or ideas for showing consideration to others — the possibilities are endless. Our objective is to use our God-given time and resources to His glory!

An InLinkz Link-up

Be sure to grab the sparkly image above for your posts and/or include a link back here within your posts. Any on-topic posts are welcomed, no matter how old and no matter how many! And before you leave, you'll want to subscribe by email if you'd like to keep up with this weekly Make A Difference Mondays project and much more!