Kathryn, Author at kathrynegly.com

0 In Family/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Minnesota

A Peek into our Week – Summertime, Part 1

I’ve been so busy ENJOYING summer that I haven’t stopped long enough write about it.

If we are friends on Instagram or facebook – you get a glimpse into our lives…but this week I took a break from social media, so I suddenly had the urge to write down what we’ve been up to!

Sunday Funday:

We went to church in the morning. In the evening, Ted and I went to the adorable town of Wayzata . We had an amazing dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse. We looked at each other in disbelief that we’ve lived here over a YEAR and haven’t yet explored this delightful little town – right on Lake Minnetonka!

Our family is doing a Twin Cities Burger Challenge. We are trying top ten Burger joints (according to the Minnesota Monthly Magazine) to determine which restaurant in the Twin Cities has the best burger. We decided to visit Gianni’s by ourselves because it’s a little fancy and better for date night. You can follow me on instagram for updates on “finding the best burger #eglychallenge.”

I’ll also write our thoughts on the best burgers when we finish the challenge, as well as how we thought they ranked in the following categories:

Kid-Friendly,
Price,
Ambiance, and of course,
TASTE!

Gianni’s Steakhouse was stop #3 on our Burger Challenge. It was DELICIOUS, with a fabulous patio right on Lake Minnetonka.

Monday at the Mall

#georgewilliam and #clarkwayne discussing their movie

I signed George and Clark up for Apple Camp on Movie Creating and Editing. If you have an Apple store in your area, click on this link – the camps are FREE and lots of fun! Here’s a short movie the boys created (no sound):

Afterwards, we walked around the Mall of America …

Beautiful Butterfly Display made out of recycled products
U Betcha!
#lukewashington

and played at the Lego Store.

#eglyboys hard at work
#paulwalter posing with a Lego Statue

Tales from Tuesday…

We met some friends at the movie theater to watch The Lion King. We loved it. It’s almost identical to the original cartoon, but the real animals make it better!

PS – Tuesdays at our theater is DISCOUNT day. Tickets are reduced and popcorn is FREE. Check your local theater to see if you have a “Discount Day.”

Wandering Wednesday…

We were back at Mall of America for Day 2 of Apple Camp. The boys created another movie. Here is George’s short film:

After camp, I let the boys choose a ride at Nickelodeon Universe. Clark, Paul, and Luke wanted to go on their first BIG KID roller coaster. Luke was an inch too short and CRIED that he couldn’t ride with his brothers. Clark and Paul LOVED it though!

Thoughts on Thursday …

Thursday we went to our local library. It’s been closed for renovations and we were so happy to have it re-opened.

The big boys also have Sports Camp every Thursday. They’ve had an awesome coach and really enjoyed it.

TGI Friday…

The boys went to their final class at The Apple Store. Then we spent some time fishing and playing at the lake with friends.

Saturday Adventures…

We went back to Wayzata to let the kids play at the beach on Lake Minnetonka.

#lukewashington cheerfully posing for a picture for me
#paulwalter searching for beach treasures
Ted tossing a football with the boys

We are kind of spoiled with all the pool swimming we do, so the kids and I don’t love swimming with all the rocks and muck at the bottom of the lake. We left after a couple of hours and went to the pool to swim.

First, though, we picked up burgers at Lions Tap Family Restaurant to try their “Famous Burgers” in our #eglychallenge. (Stop #4 of 10) Lions Tap is a hole in the wall place, but the boys and Ted LOVED their simple burgers.

That’s a peek into our week!

Leave me a comment to tell me about your week.

PS – you now may have to “sign in” to leave a comment. I was getting a TON of spam and had to change the way comments are made. Sorry for the inconvenience!

August 4, 2019 By Kathryn

0 In Book Review/ Inspiration

5 Fantastic Books for Summer

I’ve read about 40 books so far in 2019. I’ll share the entire list near the end of the year, but highlight a few of my favorites throughout the year. Here are 5 books I’ve read this summer that I would recommend.

(Each book has a direct affiliate link to Amazon. If you choose to buy a book, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you)

1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

This is the memoir of Dr. Paul Kalanithi and has essentially 3 parts:

one part is his story of growing up, becoming a brain surgeon, and taking care of patients,
the second part is his cancer story and him BECOMING a patient,
the 3rd part is a touching story written by his wife.

It was one of those books that was hard to put down. I stayed up way too late trying to get through the entire story and really loved it. If you enjoy memoirs or have interest in the medical field – I recommend this book for you!

Disclaimer – After devouring this book, I was left feeling sad. It gave me a glimpse into how FRAGILE life can be. As a mother with young children, I found myself awake at night worrying about the future. I’m learning that some books may not be good for me during this season of my life.

2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

My friend lent me this book and once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. It made me wish I could skip all responsibilities for 24 hours so I could just READ!

The author is a fantastic writer and made the story and characters, come alive. I’d recommend this book to an adult looking for a great summer read.

Disclaimer – I recommended “adult” because there were a couple parts about the main character and her relationship with a man that were a little graphic. I still loved the book, but felt that a few details could have been left out.

3. Play: How it shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul by Stuart Brown

This book brings to light all the benefits of PLAY! If you are feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and disconnected – take a break and PLAY. The author believes that PLAY is the cornerstone to happiness. He shares the science, and real life stories, to support his beliefs.

As a mom, I’ve found that taking a few minutes to play with my kids helps us stay connected.

What I hadn’t thought of (but the author pointed out) was how play can also bring life and joy back to a marriage. When was the last time you and your spouse played something together? If your marriage needs a little pep, sign up to do something fun together – mini-golf, axe throwing, or an escape room.

I’d recommend this book to any parent or married person!

4. Relational Intelligence by Steve Sacconne

I read this book several years ago, but picked it back up recently now that I’m in a season of meeting so many new people and beginning new friendships.

I pulled out a few of my favorite quotes from the book here:

Relationships have a direct correlation to the quality of our lives… Our day to day human interactions will determine the quality of our lives more than the tasks of work we do.

By cultivating relational intelligence, we can enhance our ability to affect the people around us more positively.

To be human means to be imperfect and flawed, while simultaneously being God’s unimaginable masterpiece and treasure. This journey involves beginning to fully embrace ourselves as God does, in our beauty and our brokenness, in our goodness and our deficiencies, in our light and our darkness.

Self awareness means consistently investing in our internal growth potential …an unexamined life is an ineffective life.

I’d recommend this book to someone who wants to strengthen their relationships with others.

5. The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha

This book is a super easy-read filled with stories that will make you smile! The whole book is written about things that are AWESOME. I loved how the author pointed out SOOO many things that I take for granted and forget to be grateful for.

Things like:

free samples,
tripping and realizing NO ONE SAW YOU!
Shopping for a specific item and finding it on SALE!
Your colon, lungs, and other body parts that work hard every day to keep you healthy without you even noticing or having to ask

If you are in a need of a reason to smile … I recommend this book or the blog 1000awesomethings.com

Do you have a book you would recommend? Leave a comment and let us know!

July 26, 2019 By Kathryn

2 In Family/ Motherhood/ Raising boys

3 Cheers for Chores

Getting things done around the house is a dilemma for EVERY parent. It’s especially challenging for those of us who are (ahem)…messy.

From the time my oldest son George could walk and hold a broom, I started having him help around the house. He was DELIGHTED to help me when he was a toddler. However, the DELIGHT soon wore off and he’s no longer excited about holding a broom.

Sometimes, I’ve wondered if it’s really worth giving my kids chores because of the CHALLENGES that come with asking my kids to help.

Challenges with kids doing chores:

It can leave me with a a bigger mess,
It takes more time than if I just did it myself,
It usually involves some whining, crying, and complaining about how HARD life is because of ALL.THE.WORK.

However, when I step back and re-evaluate, I know that the benefits FAR outweigh the challenges.

Benefits for kids doing chores:

Children learn how to contribute to the family,
They learn how to keep things tidy
Their future spouse will THANK YOU,
They learn that they can do HARD things – which builds their self-esteem,
Chores help them mature,
Doing something with their hands releases feel-good chemicals in their brain that protect against depression.
Many studies show that kids who help at home are more confident, compassionate, resilient, and grow up to be more successful!

Chores are one of the best mediums we have for teaching kids about being part of a family, and about belonging, significance, and teamwork.
Lynn Lott

You aren’t just giving your kids CHORES, you are teaching them LIFE SKILLS – things they benefit from the rest of their lives!

How you keep track of chores is up to you. There are chore charts of every size and every price available online … and I’ve tried several of them!

Here’s a simple chore system that’s working for us this summer.

Find one container for every child in your family.
Write your child’s name on the container.
Take several clothes pins and write 1 chore on each one.
Clip the chores your children need to do on their cup
When your child has completed the chore, they can put their pin in the cup.

I didn’t come up with this system, it’s just one I found on Pinterest!

My sister started this simple system, and then sent me this picture of her girls (ages 4 and 7) cleaning their bathroom!

She said, “My girls love this visual and tactile system.” They see what they need to do, then get to put their clips in the cup when they are done!

When my boys ask to do something, I can just look to see if there are clips on their cups, and I say: “As soon as your chores are done, sure!”

Here are some ideas of chores your kids can do:

Do you have a system that’s worked for you? Leave a comment and share it with us.

And to everyone reading – Best wishes for you getting things done in YOUR house!

July 21, 2019 By Kathryn

3 In Motherhood/ My Journey/ Raising boys

The struggle with housekeeping…

Oh how I wish I were tidy.

I love it when my house is clean. I feel more relaxed and enjoy my home more when I see clean surfaces and organized rooms. What I want and what I have (most days) seem opposite.

Housework can make me feel like I’m drowning. If I stop and reflect on all that I need to do to have a spotless home (from a clean fridge to clean closets), I feel overwhelmed.

When I cook, my kitchen is a hurricane. I was mortified the other day when a neighbor walked in and saw the mess. I was too humiliated to even apologize.

I feel guilty hiring someone to help – I shouldn’t need to because I don’t have a ‘job.’ I should have time to keep up with it all. But I’m struggling.

If any of you text and say, ‘I’m coming over in an hour’ … I will spend the next hour cleaning because I want you to think I always keep my house clean. I don’t clean to be hospitable, but for my own darn pride.

I visited a friend in Nashville once and when I walked into her house she said, ‘It’s not always this clean, I just had a housekeeper here.’ Her honesty was refreshing.

Another friend invites me into her home anytime …messes and all. She doesn’t apologize for it or expect me to have my house clean when she comes over.

Then there are the friends who always seem to have SPOTLESS houses. How? I want my house to look like that too!

I realize that I’m in a season of life that is busy and messy. My kids will grow up and (perhaps) I’ll miss the fingerprints, crumbs, and dirty socks.

I’m a person who would MUCH rather play than clean. If there’s a choice between a game or a chore – pass me the cards. If I have to choose between an adventure or dishes – Um, bye!

I can go from one activity to the next without cleaning up first. I think: ‘I will do it tonight.’ But then I’m too tired at night! I’m (slowly) learning to pause between activities and allow time to clean up. I’ve recently found an easy way to implement “chores” so that my boys carry some of the load. Click here to read about it.

I honestly don’t want to publish this post because it’s making my heart race putting this out there. However, I want to be more real and less prideful. I need to invite you into the mess.

I want to clean for the sake of hospitality, and with gratitude for the beautiful home God has blessed me with..not because I want you to think I’m a superwoman.

Feel free to come by un-announced. Walk into the kitchen, scan the fridge and ask to use the upstairs bathroom…it will humble me. Or, ask for a cleaning rag. I’m happy to let you help make my house as clean as I want it to be.

If you are a mom who’s figured out the secret to keeping the house tidy…send me all the tips!

PS – Since writing this post, I have found a housekeeper that comes once a month. She’s way better than the previous one (me).

Click here to read: Three Cheers for Chores

July 19, 2019 By Kathryn

3 In Family/ Finding our place/ Moving/ Things to do in Minnesota

ONE YEAR in Minnesota!

Today marks ONE YEAR of living in Minnesota. I knew nothing about this state except that it gets really, really cold. However, in spite of the cold, we still really, really like this place!

So far I’ve crossed nine items off my TOP 25 Minnesota Bucket List. I now want to add AT LEAST 50 more things to that list. I’m truly surprised at how much there is to do and see in Minnesota!

This morning, the 3 big boys and I went to breakfast and talked about the things we’ve loved most, the things that have been hardest, and the moments we remember most.

What we love most about Minnesota:

The people who have welcomed us! We also enjoy living close to the Mall of America. They boys could fish every day – so living in the Land of 10,000 Lakes comes in pretty handy! George’s favorite restaurant is Portillos and he was thrilled to find it here. Ted is thriving in his role at Target. I’ve enjoyed exploring a new state and discovering all the beauty and history here. We are also thankful for our new church.

Moments we remember:

Our neighbors intentionally stopping by to say hello and new friends inviting us into their homes or onto their porch for a drink.

The hard part:

Moving is hard too. The hardest was saying goodbye to beautiful Colorado Springs, our amazing friends and a church we loved. Clark said, “I miss walking into church where everyone knows my name.” (He and I are the SAME. We love to know and be known.)

I’m thankful to have discovered that Minnesota NICE is a real thing. I’m grateful for this journey with Ted, and the brave and courageous #eglyboys. Living a life of an adventure with them is more than I could ever ask for!

What a difference a year can make!

July 16, 2019 By Kathryn

2 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Inspiration/ Joy/ Memories/ Moving/ My Journey/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Colorado/ Traveling

My Volunteer Vacation

One year ago, New Life Church was hosting an amazing children’s/family ministry conference called The Gathering. It was during this conference that my husband accepted a job with Target, which meant we’d be moving to Minnesota.

I love Colorado, and I also loved working with this team at New Life. I was struggling with the idea that this chapter would be ending soon.

On the last night of the conference (last year), each person who helped lead the conference was given a box of cereal from Dr. Michelle Anthony – my (former) boss and Family Ministry Pastor. She gave me a box of S’mores and told me that she would like S’more of me. It took everything in me not to burst into tears right then. Just a couple days later, I’d be sharing the news that we’d be moving and she’d be getting S’less, not S’more.

I went home from the conference and shared how I was feeling with Ted. He encouraged me to come back to the conference in 2019 and volunteer.

So this year, I went to Colorado for a Volunteer Vacation! I came to assist, learn, and connect with my New Life friends!

When I first arrived in Colorado Springs – tears filled my eyes. This city has such a special place in my heart, and I was so happy to be back.

The morning of the conference, I drove over to New Life Church with my friend Holly, and helped with the last minute details. All morning I was greeted with love and hugs from friendly faces. It was pure joy.

Because my kids weren’t with me, I got to focus my whole week helping wherever needed … AND catching up with SO many dear people. I loved every minute of it.

In a season of all things new, spending several days in a place that holds so much familiarity & treasured relationships, felt like a well-timed gift.

Though I didn’t sleep much, I came home from my Volunteer Vacation refreshed and full.

If you have some vacation time coming up and aren’t sure what to do – consider a “Volunteer Vacation!” Take the opportunity to go somewhere and help with something. Every non-profit organizations can use an extra set of hands. And when you make time to bless someone or something, you always get blessed in return!

Here is an (affiliate) link to a book filled with ideas on short term adventures that will benefit you and others!

July 9, 2019 By Kathryn

5 In Family/ Minnesota/ Peek into our Week/ Things to do in Minnesota/ Traveling

A Peek Inside the Incredible Mill City Museum

It was our first day of Summer Vacation and time to check something off our Minnesota Bucket list with a visit to the Mill City Museum. Imagine stepping into a museum that was once a bustling flour factory. The Mill City Museum in St. Paul was once the site of the General Mills (aka Cheerios) factory that was devastated by a flour explosion. The Minnesota Historical Society put the ruins to good use by creating a beautiful museum that shows the history of the flour industry in Minnesota, as well as how flour is turned into food.

I read beforehand that the museum doesn’t have their own parking. Thankfully, we found a place to park right outside the museum and the cost was only $1 per hour. There was also a parking garage right across the street, so finding a place to park wasn’t a problem.

From the moment we walked into the building, I was impressed with how nicely this historical building has been maintained.

First, we explored an old box car that was originally used to transport the flour all over the country. The original railroad track is still there.

Next, we walked around the museum that was filled with hands-on exhibits. My boys LOVED the ‘water room’ where they could rebuild the city of Minneapolis and create a ‘log jam.’

Be sure to check out the museum’s demonstration kitchen – if you are lucky, you may get to enjoy a freshly made Betty Crocker treat. My boys loved the ‘snacks’ they were served.

For an immersive experience, be sure to check out the ‘Flour Tower’ exhibit, where you’ll be transported back in time and experience what it was like to work in the factory. This exhibit is a large elevator with seating inside. The elevator takes you up, stops at each level, opens up the doors, and shows you a glimpse into that level of the factory. There’s a video in the background with old footage, and voice recordings of men and women who used to work in the original factory. It was fascinating to hear the voice recordings of former workers sharing their memories and stories.

From the elevator, we went to the observation deck to take in the beautiful view of Minneapolis, the Stone Arch bridge and the Mississippi River. The Stone arch bridge was originally a train bridge, but is now a pedestrian walkway.

From the observation deck at Mill City Museum

After that, we went to view the 19 minute video, “History of Minnesota.” As someone new to Minnesota, the movie was informative and interesting!

The Remains of the inside of the General Mills Factory

Did you know that flour floating in the air is deadlier than GUN powder?

The original mill was built in 1874 but destroyed in a flour dust explosion that killed 14 people.

We walked outside the back door of the museum to explore the ruins of other mills along the channel. The channel was created to feed the mills with needed water power.

The entire visit took about 3 hours. This museum is great for people ages 5 to 85. It would also make a unique date night.

We loved it and highly recommend a visit to Mill City Museum. (I was NOT paid for this endorsement.)

Ticket prices can be found by clicking here. However, I’d recommend purchasing the Minnesota History family pass that will get you into the Mill City Museum, Fort Snelling, the History Center, and more.

Minneapolis has TONS of great options for lunch or dinner after a visit to the museum. We chose Popol Vuh, but Hope Kitchen is another place we’d recommend.

Thanks for reading!

Here’s my Minnesota Bucket list – Check it out!

June 15, 2019 By Kathryn

7 In History/ Minnesota/ Things to do in Minnesota

20 Gifts that Minnesota Gave the world

1. Target

I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know Target started in Minnesota until Ted was offered a job at their company. This company was started in 1902 as “Goodfellow Dry Goods” and became “Target” in 1962. As a tribute to it’s original name, Target sells a great line of men’s products called Goodfellow.

You can read about the history of Target by clicking here.

PS – If you have a few minutes and need a laugh – read the hilarious Target memes on Pinterest!

2. Water Skiing

In June 1922, 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson, of Minnesota, proposed that if you could ski on snow, then you could ski on water.

Ralph, the first water skier, used a clothes line and a couple of old boards for his first ride. I’m glad water skiing improved by my first try, 60 years later.

Read the full history of water skiing here.

3. Honeycrisp apples

Clark picking a HoneyCrisp Apple

We found our favorite – SweeTango

Honeycrisp apples were invented at the University of Minnesota in the 90s. (Who knew apples could be “invented?)

My personal favorite, though, is the SweeTango apple. We think they’re even better than the Honeycrisp apple. SweeTango was also invented in Minnesota. We’d never heard of them until we made a visit to a local apple orchard. If you ever find a SweeTango – you MUST try it! It’s pure sweet, crunchy deliciousness. It’s worth a visit to Minnesota in the fall to get your hands on one of these!

4. The indoor shopping mall

The first indoor shopping mall was built just west of the Twin Cities in 1956.

Minnesota is even better known for the World’s Largest Indoor Shopping Mall – the Mall of America – built in 1992. This mall has 520 stores, an aquarium and a theme park inside. More people visit the Mall of America than Disney World!

5. Greyhound bus

In 1914, a guy named Carl Wickman used a 7-passenger vehicle to take people to work for 15 cents per ride. A century, plus several mergers and expansions later, Greyhound is North America’s largest bus company with nearly 1,300 buses, 4,000 destinations and 5.5 billion ride miles a year!

6. Mayo Clinic

The first and largest non-profit hospital in the world is in Rochester, MN.

Each year, more than 1.3 million different patients from all 50 states, and from more than 150 countries, are seen at one of the Mayo Clinic facilities. It’s one of the best (if not the very best) hospitals in the world.

7. Open heart surgery

The first successful open-heart surgery was performed at the University of Minnesota in 1952.

Since then, countless lives have been saved by the procedure. My great aunt was one of them – she was born with a failing heart, so in 1953, she had a successful open heart surgery. My great uncle brought his checkbook to pay for the surgery and the hospital did not accept checks. He had to leave her at the hospital, take the train home, get cash, and come back to pay for her surgery and take her home! She lived for FIFTY more years!

8. Tonka trucks

Tonka was founded in Mound, Minnesota, and likely named for Lake Minnetonka. These heavy-duty trucks are classic toys, and I know more than a few people outside Minnesota played with one growing up.

9. Microwave popcorn

Forever changing the way we watch movies at home, the first version of microwave popcorn in a bag was patented by Minnesota-based General Mills in 1981. These days microwave popcorn comes in all flavors by many different brands, but it was the Minnesota brand that started it all.

10. The Oregon Trail

What was every 90s kid favorite video game? The Oregon Trail. Yeah, it came from Minnesota. Three Minnesotans invented the game in 1971, and it is still loved to this day. Playing this game is one of my favorite memories from elementary school – even if I did die of dysentery.

11. Enclosed Walkways (aka Skyways)

The best inventions solve a problem. Given the problem of seemingly endless winters in Minnesota, it only makes sense that Minnesotans created an innovative way of getting around the city – an enclosed walkway.

You literally never have to go outside. You can go from your city apartment, to breakfast, the dry cleaners, Target, a salon, a ball game, dinner and wherever else you could imagine…all via the Skyway!

Minneapolis is home to the longest continuous skyway in the world, spanning nearly 80 blocks and 11 miles.

12. Best Buy

In 1966 a couple of guys started a business selling home and car stereo equipment, calling their business “The Sounds of Music.” They eventually expanded the business to sell more products and changed the name to Best Buy!

13. Scotch Tape

Original Scotch Tape – read the fine print 🙂

Many years ago a company called Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (you may know them as 3M) produced sandpaper. When one of the young engineers was testing the sand paper at a local auto body shop, he noticed the auto painters were having a hard time painting a straight line. He decided to create a masking tape to solve this problem. He later created the clear Scotch tape that now resides in every junk drawer in America.

14. Post-it Notes

Another 3M invention. A scientist was singing in his church choir in St.Paul. The tabs of paper he used in his hymnal kept falling out and he wanted a better way to save pages. He went to work that week and created the sticky note. It was years before the product went to market and wasn’t successful at first. No one purchased it because they didn’t know how handy Post-it notes could be. 3M decided to give them away to offices and 90% of the people and businesses that had received the free samples chose to reorder – more than twice the success of any other product they’d given away. Since then, post it notes are one of the top 5 best selling office products around the world.

15. The world’s most popular cereal

Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops and all the other General Mills cereals were created in Minnesota!

16. A few celebrities

Jessica Biel, Prince, Judy Garland, Lindsey Vonn, Chris Pratt and Bob Dylan were all born in Minnesota!

17. The Mississippi River

Visit Lake Itasca in Minnesota to discover the SOURCE, the very beginning, of the Mississippi River. You can leap across on stepping stones or just walk right across the Mighty Mississippi.

18. Paul Bunyan and Babe

The legendary lumberjack hero and his sidekick, Babe, the blue ox. I remember loving those Tall Tales in elementary school that explained how all the lakes formed in the midwest – from the footprints of Paul Bunyan! You’ll find statues of this giant in several places around the state.

19. Spam

Well, I don’t necessarily consider SPAM a GIFT, but many people still do. Especially during WWII when men were thrilled to have this source of protein. You can visit a SPAM museum in Austin, MN.

20. Land O Lakes

You Butter Believe it! Nearly 100 years ago, farmers gathered to start “Land O’ Lakes” … in the land of lakes. It is now the world’s largest producer of butter and cheese.

Interested in learning more about Minnesota Innovations? Visit the Science Museum of Minnesota for Minnovations – beginning June 2019.

Click here to read my Minnesota Bucket List!

Did your state invent something we should know about? Leave a comment!

Thanks for reading! Please subscribe so you don’t miss a post.

May 29, 2019 By Kathryn

3 In Book Review/ Inspiration/ Things to do in Colorado/ Things to do in Minnesota

Little ways to make a BIG difference

Each of us are here for a reason. We have opportunities, every day, to make an impact on people and our world. Usually it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. Little bits of kindness add up to a whole bunch of goodness.

Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.
Robert F Kennedy

Keep doing little things, and together, we can make a big difference.

Here are 21 fun and easy ways we can make the world a brighter place. Perhaps you can add one of these to your calendar, or set a reminder on your phone to do one small act of kindness this week.

1. Smile and brighten someone’s day.

When I walk past a stranger who is smiling, my mood lifts. Imagine the impact if we all smile and say hello to every person we encounter today.

Did you know that smiling not only has a positive impact on others, it positively impacts YOU too. Smile and your body responds accordingly.

2. Leave a dollar bill at the Dollar Store for someone to joyfully discover.

Oh the happiness that fills a child who has a dollar to spend at the Dollar Store! You could even hide out and wait for someone to find the dollar you left behind :).

3. Pray for a foster child by name.

(Click here to see Minnesota foster kids)

Pray that God’s love would permeate every part of their lives. Pray that they would have positive influences in their lives. Pray for their foster parents and teachers to have patience, wisdom, and unconditional love for them. Pray that they would find a permanent home and family.

4. Buy an extra item at the grocery store and drop it off at a food pantry.

Did you know that families in the suburbs are often struggling more than inner city families? Items of greatest need: Peanut Butter, Canned Meat and Toilet Paper.

Click here to see what and where to give: https://theopendoorpantry.org/how-to-give/donate-food/

5. Drop a penny into the McDonald’s Ronald Mcdonald donation box.

If every customer in the US donates just ONE PENNY every time he or she visits Mcdonald’s, more than $62 Million dollars would be collected to support children and families in need. Wow!

6. Provide a meal or groceries for a single mom.

When I was young, there was a season when my mom was trying to provide for 5 young girls as a single mom. I remember what a delight it was when someone left a bag of groceries for us. Many single parents are living on a very slim budget and every bit helps.

7. Donate snacks or make a donation to an organization that gives children food to eat over the weekend.

There are children in each community who don’t have enough food to eat over the weekend.

Many local schools and churches collect snacks to give to children in need – ask your child’s school and church. If you live around Lakeville, Minnesota, here are three places that collect and provide snacks for kids:

Hosanna church, 9600 163rd Street West Lakeville, MN 55044
952.435.3332
Kenwood Middle school -17630 Juniper Path
Lakeville, Minnesota 55044 Phone: 952-232-3800
Edge Real Estate Services at 18472 Kenyon Avenue (near 185th &35W)

Another organization is The Sheridan Story – a project designed to fight child hunger by providing a weekend’s supply of food to hungry children.

8. Keep $5 gift cards to Walmart or McDonalds to give to a needy person you pass on the street. Or bring an extra sandwich to share.

9. Invite someone to church

9 out of 10 unchurched people said that they would come if someone invited them. My friend, Terri, buys pizzas from Little Caesars every Wednesday. She invites the neighbors over for pizza and takes a car load to youth group on Wednesday nights. The teenagers in her neighborhood know if they want to have dinner and go to church, she’s the one to see. She’s also built a mentorship and rapport with these teenagers. Every neighborhood needs a “Terri!”

10. Look for an opportunity to help ONE person today!

Every person you encounter is fighting some sort of battle. It may be a new mom who needs a NAP! Someone else needs a hug. Another person needs you to ask them how they are REALLY doing. Create margin in your day to be able to help someone.

My friend Nanette told me she invited a recently widowed father and his children to eat with her family on Valentine’s day. What would normally be a hard holiday for this hurting husband was a night filled with joy, laughter, and happy memories.

11. Visit a nursing home

Have your kids draw pictures, sing a song, play an instrument, or just give a hug to the elderly.

12. Provide respite care for foster families

Give foster parents a break for the weekend or occasional help when needed. Childwelfare.gov/adoption/adopt_parenting/services/respite.cfm

13. Volunteer at a Food bank

You can volunteer once a year or once a week. If you are in the Minneapolis suburbs, click here to volunteer at The Open Pantry Food bank in Eagan or Apple Valley.

14. Donate needed supplies to a woman’s shelter

Call your local women’s shelter and see what their needs are. Click here to find a women’s shelter near you. https://www.womenshelters.org

In my area, Dakota Woodlands Women’s Shelter is currently needing baby items, personal items, and waterproof mattress pads!

15. Donate diapers to a pregnancy clinic

https://www.amnionpc.org

https://www.burnsvillepregnancyhelp.com/services

16. Do you have a friendly pet? Consider taking it to the hospital to cheer up sick patients.

17. Donate toiletries to a homeless shelter

I always grab the extra shampoo and soap from my hotel rooms. These are the perfect size for donations to your local homeless shelter. homelessshelterdirectory.org

18. Play with your kids or spend time with your grandkids!

For parents – take just 5 minutes to PLAY with your kids! The benefits of PLAY are endless – two benefits include improved behavior and learning. Play Tag, a board or card game, chase, throw a ball…anything! Play creates incredible bonds between you and your kids. Click here to read about more benefits.

For grandparents – There are ENDLESS benefits to the child/grandchild relationship – reduced depression and improved immune system are just a couple. Click here to read an awesome article for more on the topic of benefits of being a grandparent.

I remember a time in my life when I thought to myself: My grandmother is the only person in this universe who loves me. Obviously, that wasn’t true but I’m grateful that when everything hit the fan, I knew I was unconditionally loved by my grandmother.

I have so many good memories with each of my grandparents and am grateful my boys have amazing grandparents who love them and invest in them.

Click here for a list of fun activities to do with your kids or grandkids!

19. Donate feminine products to a high school.

The Open Door Food Pantry delivers donated feminine products to a local alternative high school. The girls who are given these items often cry in gratitude because they have no money and no one to purchase these for them. Call your local high school to see if there are girls in need. I imagine that every middle or high school has girls that will be completely grateful for this simple donation.

20. Provide clean water.

Did you know that 80% of illnesses in developing countries are caused by lack of clean water? A gift of $10 to thewaterproject.org provides clean water for one person for 10 years!

21. Pick up trash

What’s the #1 thing our kids say when we ask them to pick something up around the house?

“I didn’t do it” – or – “It’s not mine!”

Guess what? We, as adults, do the SAME THING when we walk by a piece of trash on the ground and ignore it. Imagine if each of us picked up not only our own stuff, but random pieces of trash we see along sidewalks or in parks? Our homes and communities would be so much cleaner.

Each of us can make a little difference that will add up to a big change.

I’ve provided twenty ideas for you! If you have an idea I haven’t mentioned, leave me a comment and share it with us! What is ONE little thing you will do THIS week that could make a big difference?

I’m currently collecting:

snacks for kids,
peanut butter and other food items,
diapers and wipes.

I’ll be donating them to the organizations listed above on June 10. Send me a message if you have something I can give on your behalf!! I’d be happy to come pick it up if you live in my area.

Thanks for reading all the way to the end… ideas for this post came from the book: A Cup of Cold Water in His Name: 60 ways to care for the needy.

May 19, 2019 By Kathryn

6 In Family/ Memories/ Minnesota/ Motherhood/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

Life through the lens of a 5 year old

It seems like Luke Washington was born 5 minutes ago…but somehow, it’s been five YEARS!

On the night before Luke turned five, he asked if his daddy would be there for his birthday. I reminded Luke that Ted was working in Colorado but couldn’t wait to give him a BIG Hug and Kiss when he got home.

“Dad probably won’t even know me because when I turn five, I’ll be SOOO big!” Luke said enthusiastically. ‘Is it bedtime now? I want to go to sleep so I can be five!’

Luke showing that he is four one final time!

When Luke woke up on the morning of his fifth birthday I asked, “How does it feel to be five?”

“Perfect,” he responded…”PROFESSIONAL.”

Luke and I ran some errands after his brothers left for school. As we passed complete strangers in the store, he asked me why people weren’t wishing him a happy birthday.

“No one knows it’s your birthday unless you tell them,” I answered.

For the rest of the day, he told everyone it was his birthday and was rewarded with endless smiles and birthday greetings.

We joined his brothers at their school for lunch. His brothers and their friends were SO happy to see Luke. Everyone asked for Luke to sit by them and the ENTIRE cafeteria sang Happy Birthday to Luke! He was so embarrassed he climbed under the table. However, he had the BIGGEST smile on his face and loved all the high fives from the ‘big kids!’

After school we invited the neighborhood kids over for cake and games. I honestly wasn’t planning a party for Luke because we had a “family” party last weekend. However, Luke was inviting nearly everyone he knew to come to his house on his birthday for his “party”…apparently he would have a party with or without me…So, I got a cake and the neighbors came!

At bedtime Luke realized that dad was almost home and it triggered his memory of “growing so much dad won’t recognize me.”

“MOM!!! Why haven’t I gotten any bigger today!?”

Luke’s 5th birthday is a little bittersweet. Luke isn’t a baby anymore. I’ll miss those baby snuggles I’ve enjoyed over the last decade! I’ll also miss the hilarious thoughts and questions that come out of the mouths of our little ones.

However, I’m looking forward to the adventures we will take now that he’s a little bit bigger. I also love that I have four boys who put on their own shoes, buckle themselves in the car, and SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!

May 17, 2019 By Kathryn

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