That’s right!  We’re doin’ it again and of course, Patience of Kindness Girl fame (the one who got this ball rollin’ 2 years ago) is on board as well!

So, here’s the deal:

1. Grab some bright sidewalk chalk.

2. You head out with friends, family, kids, dogs, grandmothers, artists, whoever…and write positive messges to kids on the sidewalks in front of the elementary schools for the first day of school. Here are some things you can write:

Have a GREAT first day of school!!

It’s going to be a awesome year!

You look fantastic!

We believe in you!

if you want more ideas, check out the pictures of what other people have done here.

3. Go home blissed out with the kindness high! 

4. You can let us know you’re participating via the Facebook page. 

5. If you decide to do this project or blog about it, please leave a comment so we can highlight your kindness work and watch it grow! Don’t forget to send me pictures and I’ll post them or simply add them to our GG Flickr Pool.

I’m excited!  Aren’t you?!?

About a week ago I received an email from Patience Salgado AKA Kindness Girl:

Girl….i gotta an idea i thought we can partner on….it’s a back to school mission!  What do you think? we could partner and launch it together….does it call to you at all?

Well that was a no brainer.  Of course it called to me, so partner we did!  When I told my son what we were going to be doing, he couldn’t wait to start.  We enlisted the help of a couple of friends and got to work.

We cut up cardstock into little card sized pieces and grabbed a hand full of markers and let our imaginations run wild. 

 The kids got creative with their words as well as their artwork and they did a great job!  

 After we finished the cards, we jumped in the car and headed to the local ice cream shop and bought a bunch of $2 gift certificates.  Next, we attached the gift certificates to the cards using paperclips then headed off to the closest Target store for our mission.  We made a beeline for the back-to-school section of the store. Once there, I told everyone that they could take their  little cards and put them anywhere they wanted.  They chose pencil boxes,

and backpacks, 

 and I put one in this pencil box in hopes that someone would find it quickly.

We had to be quick and make sure no one saw us. I had to be quick with my camera too, because I didn’t want to draw attention to what we were up to.  The whole think took about ten minutes and we left as soon as we finished.  What a great day!

Patience and I are determined to get more people involved in Guerrilla Goodness, so we are inviting everyone to participate.   You can do as little or as much as you like.  Here’s some instructions to get you started on your mission:

1. Call a friend right now and invite him or her to do this kindness mission with you. Kids can pick friends too! Pick local or far away, it will be fun for everyone…

2. Decide how daring you want to be with your kindness- all levels count!

3. Pick a treasure to hide. Some ideas are a note, $5 in a small envelope, a gift card, tiny journal, movie tickets, some stickers or silly bandz for kids!

4. Hide a treasure in a pocket.  Any kind of pocket will do- pants, shirts, bag, or even drop in a shoe.

5. Where? you can do this in your house in a closet near you, or head to a thrift store, mall, etc. Anywhere someone will find your love and kindness.

6. Include this new fancy little green card like the one in the picture above to your kindness act so we might even invite others to pass it on. (You don’t have to use these cards.  You’re more than welcome to make your own as we did). 

7. Show us your stealthy goodness in the Guerrilla Goodness Flickr Pool and join our Facebook group so we can all see the kindness spread and grow! 

So, what do you think?  Are you in?!  This world definitely needs more love and kindness so please join Patience and myself in doing our part to bring more to this world.  It’s something we can never have too much of. :)

I’m seriously excited about the upcoming week!  For the 3rd year in a row I’ll be doing the ‘Back-to-School Sidewalk Chalk Art’.  The first year was just myself, my son, his friend and his friend’s mom doing our ‘chalk art’.  Last year I let some people know and told them to bring a few friends and we had a great turnout.  This year, I’m expecting even more kids and parents and I just know it’s going to be awesome! 

Second, my camera and I get to go back to school and see all ‘my’ kids again!  I’ve missed their smiling faces and their hugs, too.  My camera and I are going to be loving every minute I get to spend there and I have no doubt that I will be there a lot…and that’s a good thing.

I also have a couple of  “Guerilla Goodness” projects in the works for next week as well.  I can’t really say what it is yet, but I can give you a little sneak peak.  The first project involves this awesome book,

 and these tags filled out by some of the school kids.

The second, super fun project has to do with this,

and school supplies.

The best part is that “Guerilla Goodness” seems to be catching on because I’m not doing these alone.  Yep, it was bound to happen: Kindness is Catching.  How awesome is that?! 

Stay tuned!  More to follow very soon!

My sons just love my girlfriend’s dad, affectionately known as “Papa”.  He’s the sweetest man with the best Scottish accent ever.  My boys never knew their grandpas as they had both passed before they were born, so they tell me all the time that Papa is the grandpa they never had.

My 10 year old and I had ran into Papa at the store a couple of days ago and had a nice chat with him.  When we left the store my son said he wanted to make brownies for him and do a “Ding Dong Gift ‘em”.  We came across a post over at Kindness Girl  about doing just this and have been wanting to do it ever since, so this was the perfect opportunity.  While the brownies were baking, my son went through all my printed cards I keep in a basket on the desk and picked the perfect one.  Once the brownies were done, we drove over to Papa’s neighborhood and parked the car a couple of houses down from his.  Very quietly we snuck up to his door, set the brownies down, knocked loudy and ran like crazy back to our car.  We giggled as we drove home, very pleased with our mission.  Being kind is so fun!

Want to give it a whirl? Take a look at this sweet video from Patience (AKA Kindness Girl) for some inspiration.  You can find the card we used (and a lot more!) over at Kind Over Matter.  Print some up for yourself.  I promise, you’ll have fun, too.   

For the first time in over a month we actually had temperatures above 90 degrees so my 10 year old and I headed to the market to get something cold to drink.  Everyday at our local store there is someone at the door asking for donations for an outreach program for the homeless.  When I have extra change my 10 year old will ask for it as we leave the store to give to the person collecting donations and today was no exception.  As my son placed the money in the container, the older man collecting the money thanked him for being such a fine young man and waved to him as we drove off.

When I pulled in the driveway at home, my son commented on how hot it was.  “Mama, can we please go back and give that man a bottle of water? It’s too hot to be sitting out there without water”, he asked.  So, I started the car and back we went.  We pulled up in front of the store and along side the man.  My son rolled down the window and held out a big bottle of water.

“Sir, would you like a bottle of water?”, he asked.  The older gentleman stood and walked over to my son and took the bottle from him.  He was so touched by my son’s generosity.  The grin on his face was so big that I had to grab my phone and take a picture.  He introduced himself as William and shook my son’s hand. 

“Son, most people don’t even acknowledge me sitting here all day.  You have no idea how much I appreciate this water.  It was very nice meeting you”, he said. “Thank you very much!”.

His appreciation was so sincere.  The grin on my 10 year old’s face was priceless and also, according to my 10 year old, a really great day.  I couldn’t agree more.  Remember, be kind to someone today.  You never know just how important it may be. 

1.)  I love doing Random Acts of Kindness with my kids.  We have the best time!

2.) Spending three days at a summer sports camp randomly photographing the kids.  That was a little slice of heaven for me!

3.)  Getting to meet this little beauty.  She is 4 years old and her name is Ann.  She’s currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor and trust me when I tell you this girl’s spirit is HUGE.  Oh, and she just loves having her picture taken. 

4.) Blogs that make me happy and Color Me Katie does just that.  It’s full of so much color and happiness, you can’t help but feel happier after visiting.

5). I also happen to be in love with her cat, Moo.  He’s a character, that one. I want one just like him!

6.) Another blog, Operation Nice, a blog that encourages individuals to be proactively nice.  Niceness and kindness, two of my favorite things. 

7.) Okay, here goes: I am a Gleek and proud of it!!  Yes, I am a lover of all things Glee!!  And, I proudly admit that my iPod is FULL of the music of Glee.  So there.

8.) And finally, From Maddi’s Closet, a charity for the benefit of children with cancer at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and beyond.  I believe everything happens for a reason.  I believe I was meant to attend the Summer Sports Camp and at that camp was Donna, the founder of this wonderful charity.  I believe it was meant to be that I meet this woman and to hear her story.  And, I believe it is meant to be for me to become involved with this charity, something I’ve always wanted to do for the longest time.  See for yourself why this charity is so special and if you feel moved to do so, please consider a donation.  You can also find them on Facebook, too.  You have no idea how greatly appreciated it would be.  Have a fabulously kind day, everyone!

1).   The Beach.  I don’t know what it is about the salty sea air or the gentle waves lapping at my toes that always seems to clear the cobwebs of my mind, but it does.  Thank you, you glorious sea you, for always healing what needs to be healed.

2.)  Jack’s Beach Concessions at Huntington Beach.  If you’ve ever spent anytime at this beach and you’ve never had the strips and cheese, well then, that’s just wrong.  Huntington Beach and strips and cheese go together like PB&J.  Like Sonny & Cher.  Like Milk and cookies.  You get the idea.

3)  Summer vacations.  To anywhere. 

4)  Summer, period. 

5)  My son, he’s something else, and I mean that in a good way.  Because of this.  He’s a keeper, that one.

6)  The word Abundance.  I just truly love this word.  Once a month I try to find a new word to love and this one is it.  Is it Karma then that the gorgeously pregnant, wonderfully talented Kelly Rae Roberts just did a post on that very subject?  That’s the universe at work, my friends. 

7)  I really love the idea of kindness, of being kind to others and to yourself and if you follow me on Facebook, I asked for people to be kind in honor of my birthday.  How fitting then, that I came across this beautiful little video.  Watch it.  It will make your day.  I promise.

8)  I came across that video over at Kind Over Matter.  I’ve mentioned them before and I’m mentioning them again because I literally will not start my day without visiting their blog first thing with my morning coffee.  And maybe after lunch.  And again before bed.  Seriously.  I.am.addicted.

9)  You know how much I love photography, right?  And if you know me and how my mind works, then you know I’ve gotta’ have these darling little photo paddles.  Really.  It’s my birthday month.  I’m buying ‘em.  Happy Birthday to me!

10)  Speaking of abundance, I cannot leave here without mentioning the beautiful, soulful, special woman Jen Lemen.   She is one of my Shutter Sisters and a photographer with a huge heart.  I have been blessed to be in the company of this woman on more than one occasion.  The warmth and love that emanates from her is palpable.  See for yourself  why photography is so important to me.  And when your finished?  Send some love Jen’s way as she travels through Nepal for Picture Hope. 

 And remember: be kind today…because it’s my birthday month.   

I can’t remember the last time I spent the 4th of July with family.  When I was a girl, maybe?  Whenever it was, it was a long time coming and so, so nice.  I got to meet the newest member of the family at only 16 days old, see his grandpa hold and feed him for the first time and even made some new friends.  My grandma Lucy would have loved it.  Family was everything to her.  We have to keep doing this, my cousin said, we are all the family we have left.  I couldn’t agree more.  Truly, it was a blessed day.  Let the tradition continue!

Hello friends.  It’s been awhile since I’ve been here and I’ve missed you so!  Blogging had to be put on hold while I dealt with family issues, illnesses and the death of my sweet Grandma Lucy, but school’s out, the husband has recuperated and returned to work and more importantly, it’s summertime!  Oh, how I do love the summer.  Summer always reenergizes me. I’m ready for it.  More importantly, I need it.

The Mondo Beyondo Dream Lab started today.  Have you joined?  What a perfect place to go where you will explore ways to rest, play and and the power of kindness.  That sounds like a great summer activity to me!

What doesn’t go better together than summer and a camera?  Join me over at Big Picture Scrapbooking for Picture Summer with Tracey Clark.  Picture Summer is a 30-day photography project (and you know how I love photo projects!) intended to encourage and inspire you to celebrate the season of sun and fun by playfully engaging your creative spirit.  I’m definitely looking forward to this and hope that you’ll join me!

And finally, who doesn’t love new babies and hearing about fatherhood from a new dad?  MessageWith a Bottle is a blog from a dad who leaves post-it notes around his office about life as a new dad.  It will defintely make you smile and maybe even laugh out loud.  So on that note, enjoy your summer and go make a great day!

 My grandma will not be in this world much longer.  A few days, maybe even hours, but for now she is still here.  I’ve spent hours next to her bedside, I’ve held her hand and I’ve whispered into her ear, it’s okay to go now.  I leave the hospital, I pick up kids from school, help with homework and make dinner and squeeze in at least one load of laundry.  When I finally go to bed well after midnight, I’m exhausted.  As I lay there in the dark of night I wonder, am I doing enough? 

I had seen this video by the amazing and talented Katherine Center before and I came across it again today.  As I watched it again it seemed to me that the universe, in all it’s infinite wisdom, had meant for me to see it.  These words spoken by Katherine in the video reached out and grabbed me:

Sometimes you won’t have anyone to talk to, sometimes you’ll wonder if you’ve forgotten who you are, but you must always remember this: what you’re doing matters.

So to all of you mother’s out there, I am telling you that all that you do, be it cooking and cleaning, wiping away tears, carpooling the kids, being a loving wife or just holding the hand of your dying grandmother, on this Mother’s Day (and everyday) what you do matters.  And maybe if you should see me dropping off the kids at school or standing in line at the market looking distracted and exhausted you can give me a smile and tell me that what I do matters, too.  Because honestly?  I don’t think I can hear it enough.  Have a wonderful Mother’s Day, ladies…you deserve it.