Care Packages

Age: Over 3

Type: Activity

Getting mail, not just the boring ads and bills, is certainly a fun surprise. Receiving an actual package makes me downright giddy! I am sure I am not alone in this feeling. Can you imagine how much joy recieving a package would bring to a soldier who is serving our country far away from friends and loves ones? Pretty sure giddy doesn't do it justice. A care package for an enlisted service man - a great idea for our little hearts!

My friend Melissa recently sent me this adorable pic of her oldest two boys, Noah and Chase, holding items from their military care package. Inspired to do something for "a nice solider" as her son explained, Melissa and her sons put together a care package. It included, among other things, hand made airplanes as well as a note to thank the solider for their service.

When planning to send a care package I think two questions immediately come to mind: what should I include and who should I send it to. A quick Google search can easily answer both of these. Here is one site I found which talks about what to include in a package, as well as gives links to places you can send the package. Even easier than that? Melissa simply posted a note on Facebook asking if anyone had a loved one serving that she could send their package to. Numerous responses followed.

Looking at the picture above you can clearly see how great Noah and Chase felt about giving back to someone else. Making for, as Melissa put it "A very proud mom moment".

Craft Hope - Orphan Outreach

Age: over 3
Type: craft

For those of you who are even the least bit creative but aren't familiar with Craft Hope, I suggest you remedy that immediately! What a fantastic website, as they say "spreading hope one stitch at a time". Their projects are typically more appropriate for people older than our little hearts, but my sister-in-law brought to my attention the current project which would be perfect for the youngsters.

Craft Hope is partnering with an organization called Orphan Outreach who will be making a trip to Russia in August. As a small token of love, Orphan Outreach will be handing out handmade bracelets to the orphaned kids they are visiting. Beaded, knotted, tied - whatever homemade type of bracelet will work. Reading about the project on Craft Hope I was instantly drawn back to my youth and the HOURS spent laboring over intricate woven bracelets with painstakingly selected colors. Apparently some things transcend age, ethnicity and geography - who knew bracelets were one of them!

So how can you get involved? Grab your kids, some yarn, beads, string - whatever you have on hand and get crafting! You have until June 15th to mail your finished bracelets to this address:

Carin Vogelzang 630 Griswold SE Grand Rapids, MI 49507

For more details about this project or information about Russian orphans, definitely check out this link. As for me, I will be getting my girls together and getting crafting. I'll post pics later!

TLHP Community Project - Easter Lily Bouquet

I am so excited to introduce the first ever little hearts project community project!! As you have seen posted here, I recently wrote my first children's book. In it, I emphasize the idea that we all have talents and gifts that we can use to help others. On Sunday, April 17th I will be at the Plymouth Coffee Bean doing a book signing from 11 AM to 1 PM and it seemed only fitting that I use this opportunity to engage the children attending in a small service project!

We will be making hand print Easter lilies and giving the finished bouquet to a local senior living facility. I can not wait to see the final results!! Hope to see many of you there :)

Spring Cleanup

Age: over 2

Type: activity

As I sit here on the eve of April, I am 100% ready for spring. Unfortunately, being a Michigander means that we still might see another random flurry or two of snow! For the most part though, the snow has melted and we can finally see the grass after all these months. The melting snow also means that all kinds of litter and garbage that accumulated and were hidden all winter are now visible.

As my daughters and I braved the cold for a brisk walk yesterday, we saw lots of litter all over one of our favorite parks. Next time you go for a walk with your little hearts, why not bring along a couple of grocery bags and have the kids pick up any debris they see? Your neighbors are sure to appreciate the results!