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.

Three, maybe four days at the most.

This is what we learned from hospice today.  A week or two, I thought, but now only 3 or 4 days and Lucy will be gone?  The reality of that and the fact that my mother and I would be dealing with this alone was overwhelming.  How am I supposed to keep it together for my mom when all I want to do is curl up in a ball somewhere and cry like a baby?

Lucy is lucid at times and when she is she asks where her grandkids are.  She names each one of them, one by one.  Are they coming?, she asks.  Maybe this weekend I tell her.  It’s the middle of the week and they live quite a distance away.  I wasn’t about to ask them to come now.  But then, my cousin called.  She was coming.  And then, another cousin called and he was coming, too and two hours later Lucy’s room was filled with all of her grandkids, great-grandkids and even great-great-grandkids.  There was a lot of tears and hugs and though Lucy wasn’t completely lucid all of the time, she knew.  She is so weak, you can barely hear her when she speaks.  You have to put you ear to her lips to hear her:  I’m so happy.  I’m so happy.  I have all my kids.  I can go now.

It was bittersweet but such a beautiful gift.  Tomorrow we’ll all be back and will continue to be there until the end.  It’s the least we can do for her and I am honored to do so.  She is happy now, and that’s all that matters.

 It’s been over a month since I last visited my blog.  My grandma Lucy is coming to the end of her 90 yrs.  It’s not been easy and it’s been terribly sad and heartbreaking.  Though I knew this day would come, I am not ready nor prepared.  I’ve had my grandmother (with the emphasis on the word mother) my whole entire life.  Her mind is slipping more and more each day.  She remembers things that are from her childhood, trying to tell me what they are.  Her eyes widen with panic as she begs me to help her sing a song I do not know…

Soon we’ll reach the shining river,

soon our pilgrimege will cease;

Soon our happy hearts will quiver

with the melody of peace.

I don’t know what to do for her except hold her hand and try to soothe her and then I remembered the words from above, especially be a source of strength and courage. I must do that for her, and for me as well.  It’s the least I can do for this woman who has been always in my life. 

So, though I may not be posting as often as I’d likeright now, I’ll still be popping in now and then.  Please keep Lucy in your prayers and that soon she’ll reach that shining river that she so wants to see.

1.  Thinking of my brother, who passed away 11 years ago tomorrow, always makes me smile.  I found out 2 weeks after my brother passed that I was pregnant and I swear, my brother came back in my son.  They are uncannily just alike.  He can irritate me just like my brother did, too, but in a good way.

2.  Spring Break and camping at the beach!

3.  Spring, period.

4.  Spring means new flip flops!

5.  Team-up Thursday.  Every Thursday, a theme is given.  Two people take a photo representing that theme and then put their photos together and post them. I really want to do this!

6.  This book.  Wanted it, ordered it, waiting for it.  Yay! 

7.  Tracey Clark’s  “I Am Enough” collaborative, a journey to self-kindness.  Some pretty great people are involved in this.  Check it out for yourself.

8.  And finally, this darling photo.  Guaranteed to make you smile, I promise. 

Go make a great day, everyone!

(Any photo buff interested in teaming up with me for Team-up Thursday? Email me!  JeroldsSis@aol.com)