Snail Mail

July was a busy month for us VDV Four. We started a Plant a Kiss project; however, we got side-tracked with the littlest goober getting a bad stomach flu, then passing it on to Mommy VDV. Next came Bug's 5th birthday and then Daddy VDV's birthday. So now that summer has settled down a bit, we have resumed our project.

This project is designed around sending "old-fashioned" correspondence. In today's society, everything basically relies on efficiency and speed; especially communication. Don't get me wrong, I utilize technology just as much as everyone else; but I do love getting something via "snail mail". I got the boys to draw a picture. Bear just scribbled with different blues and I got Bug to draw items that you would see on a lovely summer day.

I think Bear got more on himself than the paper...hehehe.

I took those pictures and collaborated them into one image in Photoshop. I used the combined image as the front cover for a card. We placed that card in a stamped envelope (I got Bug to draw a picture of a snail to bring cuteness to our "snail mail") and put it in the envelope that Bug's recipient will receive. In the larger envelope, I helped Bug make some Perler Bead hearts that we made into ornaments, which can be hung from their rear view mirror, wall or wherever they desire. The heart had a little saying attached to it, which read "Be the reason someone smiles today". Also in the large envelope was a note explaining the purpose of our random act of kindness. We wanted to give a stranger an already stamped homemade card that they can easily send to someone special on their mind. To bring our kindness to someone outside of our city...to help spread more joy. We hope the wonderful drawings/scribbles of my 5 and 2 year old will bring a smile to the lucky loved one. And we hope the little heart ornament will remind the people Bug chose to always try to make someone smile, each and everyday!

PS. To the lady who came back looking for us, to give Bug a chocolate treat in gratitude. Thank you so much...you made his day!

Our List of our Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

Send a Box of Happy to Family in Need

This week's project holds a special place in my heart. We actually were contacted by someone who had seen our Facebook page, telling us about a family of 4 beautiful girls who are in need of many things. To maintain their privacy and safety, I won't discuss their story; but the unfortunate circumstances they all have had to endure really pulled at my heart strings. I wish we could have provided more for them, but in the end we decided to send a "box of happy" to try and bring smiles and brighten their day. We ended up picking up a few of our favourite items, ranging from some of my favourite books for the mom to favourite movies and activities of the boys for the daughters. Bug helped with most of the kid items; however, Bear had a few says, especially for the youngest daughter. We also were told that the oldest daughter has a birthday coming up, and our family loves celebrating birthdays. We packed a birthday bag of our favourite celebratory items, including cake mix with candles, icing and sprinkles. My boys love helping with baking, so I thought this would be a nice way to get the girls with their mom doing something fun together. We also included some party poppers and glow sticks for them to have some birthday excitement.

When we went to drop off the package at the post office, Bug was so adorable, asking the cashier if she was going to take care of our box of happy. It was so cute...she said she's never been asked that. Bug must really understand the importance of this package. He was really excited to bring joy to this family.

Our List of our Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

Make Birthday Cards for Isolated Seniors

This past Christmas, I came across this Facebook page, Seniors Secret Service, where they provide Christmas cheer for isolated and lonely seniors in our area. I missed the deadline by just a few days to send in a Christmas care package for one of their seniors; however, I kept the page in mind for this coming holiday season. When I was compiling our list of random acts of kindness, this organization came back into my mind. When I checked out their website again, I noticed that it isn't just for the holidays but for the birthdays of the seniors too that they bring some cheer. So we decided to make a handful of birthday cards to send out. The boys love their grandparents, and Bug especially was sad to hear that there are lonely "grandparents" in our city. He loved making them cards!

I contacted the organization, and they said they are always in need of the items they pack in their birthday packages. We weren't able to grab any this time; however, we will continue to provide for this great cause so our next batch will include some of these items. They just depleted a large portion of their stock in their last batch of 400 birthday packages, so on their Facebook page they have requested some donations and more birthday cards. I've created an event on Facebook, Senior Birthday Packages for any who would like to bring some love and joy to our seniors. If you have little ones at home, and don't have the time to make cards, feel free to send me some of their artwork that I can make into cards. Contact me for my mailing address at plantakissproject@gmail.com. Also, if you'd like to send cards or items yourself, the address can be found on their Facebook page under the "About" section. They are having another Birthday Bee August 2nd, where their volunteers put together the birthday packages, so any help in donations and cards before that date would be greatly appreciated!

You can find out more information, especially of their Senior Secret Santa program by viewing their website.

Our List of our Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

Give Library Patrons a Bag of Bookworms

Our family loves going to the library, so a couple of weeks ago, our random act of kindness included a trip to one of our favourite destinations. I also thought that this was a great place to perform some random kindness as this library is right across the street from a high school. I was hoping that Bug would chose some teenagers as his people to hopefully instill the joy of kindness and love among the human race in the younger generation.

Our little gift was a bag of gummy worms (Bug used tongs to stuff the bags so no dirty fingers touched the sweetness). We made a label that said "Here are some bookworms for you". The back of the label had a little poem that read:

Here's a little gift for you

While you sit and read a book.

They are a bag of bookworms,

to keep your learning on the hook.

Our List of our Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

Send Care Package to a Grieving Family

This week's act of kindness centered around sending comfort to a grieving family. I have been following a Facebook page for about 8 months now, which was created in memory of a beautiful little boy who passed away early in 2013. I happened upon this page after my Facebook Wall showed a comment made by one of my friends from high school on this memorial site. I was instantly captured by the beautiful smile of this little boy; and then completely drawn in by the raw and powerful words of his mother who bears her heart in every thing she posts. You can't help but grieve with her; and as much as I know she didn't want this "impact" on people's lives, she has brought so many people together through her words. Not just the people who share or follow her messages, but indirectly by reminding people to cherish the loved ones they share their lives with. I never get through one of her posts without tears in my eyes, and numerous times Bug has walked in on me openly crying. Bug talks about their "shooting star" numerously and always asks to look at his pictures. I have such an incredible admiration for the strength this woman has for sharing her pain so publicly and beautifully. So many people hide behind grief, but she is so honest. It has truly opened my eyes on how to be there for someone who is grieving, especially given my line of work.

Recently, one of her posts spoke about how even after 15 months, she is in the same, if not more pain when dealing with her son's death. She simply stated she still needs hugs. I have always wanted to send something to her and her family, and her need helped make me come up with an idea. We put a load of Hershey hugs in a jar, and Bug wrote a little message for the top of it, saying "When you need a hug". I wrote her a letter for her care package, explaining that since I can't give her a real hug, I figured a chocolate hug might be just as sweet...especially since it comes with an extension of a hug from Calgary. 

We also made a sun catcher for her out of melted pony beads with star cut outs. Her son was a star and they refer to him as their shooting star. I explained in the note that we have made one for us last summer, in memory of a dear friend of mine. Once we came up with the jar of hugs, this craft popped back into my head. It just seemed right to make it for them, so that even in the sunlight, their shooting star is shining.

Our List of our Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

List of Our Random Acts of Kindness

Seeing as how blog posts are really difficult and time consuming to go through when looking for a previous date, I decided to compile a list of all our completed Random Acts of Kindness. Each post will now have a link to this list (where the items in our list will actually be linked to the actual post). I know how frustrating it is when you are trying to navigate through a blog; so hopefully this helps.

1. How our Plant a Kiss Project came about.
2. You Are Beautiful
3. Love Thy Neighbour
4. Random Act of Giggles
5. We Love Our Nurses
6. Send a Care Package to a Grieving Family
7. Give Library Patrons a Bag of Bookworms
8. Make Birthday Cards for Isolated Seniors
9. Snail Mail

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project
Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject
Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project
And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

We Love Our Nurses

Some of you who are following me, know this about my career. But for those of you who don't personally know me, I'm a Respiratory Therapist. Every day at work, I work along side many fabulous individuals who have the heart, compassion, and amazing personality it takes to work with the sick. Many of these co-workers of mine are the kindhearted and loving nurses that many people come in contact with in a health care setting...whether you are the patient or the support system for family or friends. I have an insane amount of respect for the nurses I get to work with, and I look forward to the work days I get to share with these incredible women and men. They make what we do on a day to day basis manageable; anything from a shoulder to share our grief with to the laughter we share to bring joy to what is a stressful and at times, incredibly sad job.

This past week's Random Act of Kindness fell on our National Nurse's Week. And what better way to show our love then to include these amazing friends of mine in our project. It wasn't much, but we bought some individual hand sanitizer and peeled off the label to affix it with our own handmade one that said "We love our nurses"! We then attached a little tag that said "Happy Nurses Week". I packed them in Bug's back pack and we went on a little biking excursion to "visit my working friends" (that's what Bug says when he knows I'm on my way to work). We went into our ICU and proceeded to hand out our little gifts to the nurses working that day. Sorry to the nurses we never gave any to. Bug is a very inquisitive almost 5 year old, so I didn't want to spend too much time around the patients as he kept asking why they were sick. So to those who never got our little gift, and to the ones who did: thank you from the bottom of our hearts for doing a job I couldn't do.

On our outing today, we also brought back our Random Act of Giggles and You Are Beautiful projects. We left jokes on six random cars, and then when we went to pick up some groceries after our nurses delivery, Bug picked out another special lady. He really does enjoy being "the delivery man", and thank you to the wonderful lady he chose today who engaged my child in a 10 minute conversation. You have no idea how much enjoyment he gets out of socializing!

Check out our list of completed Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project
Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject
Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project
And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

To read about how this all came about, check out our Plant a Kiss Project Outline

Random Act of Giggles

This week's random act of kindness was geared around laughing. Our family is a bunch of goofs, and the sound of laughter is constantly heard among us throughout the day. Nothing can uplift your spirit more than a bout of giggles. So, I scoured the internet looking for silly jokes that gave me a chuckle. I then got Bug to practice his writing and we made little cards (double the size of a business card) with our jokes. I laminated them in hopes that these cards would be passed around to bring cheer to another person's day. We called them "Random Act of Giggles".

Our Jokes
1. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta

2. Why did Dracula go see the doctor? Because of his coffin

3. What do you call a nun who sleep walks? A roaming catholic
4. How does NASA plan a party? They planet
5. What did the buffalo say to his son leaving for college? Bison
6. Why don't cats play poker in the jungle? Too many cheetahs

After our jokes were all made, we went to run errands, carrying our stash. Bug once again dived into the delivery man role and was really excited to be picking vehicles to leave our giggles with. He was pretty selective in the cars he chose, so hopefully the individuals who received our silly cards got a good chuckle and their day was brightened.

Check out our list of completed Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project
Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject
Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project
And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

And to read about how this all came about, check out our Plant a Kiss Project Outline

Love Thy Neighbour

This week's random act of kindness was geared around loving our neighbours. What better way to show our love than to give them a little sunshine. I'm getting really excited that I can now include my almost 2 year old in our activities. Bear shows just as much interest in painting as Bug (my almost 5 year old) does. We painted some small terra cotta pots with yellow and orange by stamping with a bunched up face cloth. 

Bug then meticiously filled them with soil and we planted a sunflower seed in each one (my favourite flower). With all of our activities, I try to incorporate some learning (especially for Bug). I got Bug to draw a picture of a sun and write out our little note for the bag our planted sunshine will be given in. Once again, our package also had a little note explaining our Plant a Kiss Project.

After our packages were complete, the following day we went on a little walk and Bug chose the neighbours he wanted to give the sunshine to. He was so cute as he was riding his bike and each time he stopped at the house, he called himself the delivery man. We just left it at the doorstep for a nice little surprise our neighbours could find. Hopefully with a little TLC from the recipients, our little gift will bloom.

We also brought back the "You Are Beautiful" random act of kindness for one lucky lady when we went grocery shopping this week. Bug very thoughtfully chose a woman pushing a child in a cart...he held onto the envelope for about 10 minutes before he found the right person. And how could you not feel blessed when my adorable big boy gives you a note that tells you he thinks you are beautiful! Check out the post for this random act of kindness: You Are Beautiful!

Check out our list of completed Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

And to read about how this all came about, check out our Plant a Kiss Project Outline

You Are Beautiful

Our first act of kindness was one that I was really excited about. It focused on reminding women that they are beautiful, and that an untainted view of beauty from a 4 year old should mean more than what is covered on the front pages of magazines or scattered all over the internet. I got Bug to write "You are beautiful" on a piece of paper and I made 10 copies. We placed it in an envelope that had Hershey's Hugs and Kisses stapled to it along with a note explaining our project. Prior to us running some errands, I explained to Bug that I wanted him to keep his eyes open for women that he thought were beautiful. At first, I wasn't sure how this was going to go, as I thought maybe he would just pick out the first woman he saw. But he actually put a lot of thought into his choices and I absolutely loved seeing the excitement on his face when he found "his lady". I think this act will be one we will bring back often.

What Our Note Said

This is a random act of kindness. Our act today was to venture out and get my eldest son to find beauty among the women of this world. My son says I'm beautiful. If I'm to truly love myself, I have to believe his perception of beauty is true, honest, and unwavering. He has yet to be tainted by the media's image of beauty and he sees true beauty in you. We hope this little message has made your day that much brighter.

The other part of this act today was to get women on a broader scale to recognize their beauty...and what better way to do this than by leaving messages on mirrors. I am 100% guilty of this, as I am sure most women are. You see your reflection, and the first thing that comes to your mind is something you wish you could change about yourself...I wish my thighs were smaller, I wish that mole wasn't there, I wish my hair was longer, I wish my eyes were a different colour....etc, etc. I am hoping that with these little messages, it will make the person stop and think about something they truly love about themselves. Instead of decreasing their self-confidence, this message may seed the beginnings of self love. Not only do we need to nurture love among each other, we need to nurture love within ourselves. Every time we saw a mirror, Bug was so excited to leave our note. I think we will now have a stash of them on us at all times, so that whatever mirror we come in contact with, Bug can help remind everyone of their true beauty.

Check out our list of completed Random Acts of Kindness

Remember to check out our Website: Plant a Kiss Project

Or our Instagram: @plantakissproject

Or our Facebook Page: Plant a Kiss Project

And any random acts of kindness that is inspired by our project or your experience with ours that you'd like to share, type #plantakiss with your social media picture.

And to read about how this all came about, check out our Plant a Kiss Project Outline

Our Plant a Kiss Project

This project stemmed after reading the book, "Plant a Kiss" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. The message was so powerful to me, and it is a lesson I try to instill in my kids everyday. It starts out with this little girl planting a kiss to see what happens. Much to her surprise, it blossoms into something magical and she has this brilliant idea of sharing it around the world. When what she has assumed is the last of this kiss has been given away, she is a bit disheartened. She returns to the original place of planting, only to find this kiss has exponentially grown into something that can be shared by all. 

I want to teach my kids that this world needs more love. Our world needs the thoughtfulness, kindness and loveliness that comes from thinking of others. I want my children to nurture love, to help it grow and continue to succeed in the world. My goal is for my boys to grow up getting immense joy out of doing acts for others, and in turn, helping everyone elses' hearts to reach out to loved ones but more importantly strangers. My goal for this project is to help people around our community, city, (maybe one day the world) to connect with each other. To feel compassion for strangers...to spend just a few moments each day stepping outside of our busy lives to bring a little bit of joy to someone else.

To quote a friend of mine, "there is not enough cheesiness in our world". Let's teach our children to be kind, to nurture love and in turn help the world be a better place.

How We Got Started

We are a crafty family, so I thought the best way to bring about this project is to create something my son can actually "plant a kiss" in. I just bought a cheap terra cotta flower pot from Dollarama and we drizzled acrylic paint over it until the whole thing was covered. Then I filled it with plastic filler beads to act as our "soil".

Before bed on the night preceding our random act of kindness, I get Bug to plant his kiss. Then by morning, a flower is sitting in the pot, with a note wrapped around it's stem. Bug was really thrilled to see this flower sitting there...even if it wasn't real. The note will give us our task we will fulfill.

 

Follow our story:

Plant a Kiss Website - to see what we've been up to

Plant a Kiss Facebook Page - to share your experiences with our Plant a Kiss project or your own

Look for us on Instagram 

plantakissproject@gmail.com

or #plantakiss for us to see your random acts of kindness.