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‘Kindness Project’ Category

  1. Most Important Meal of the Day

    March 8, 2015 by admin

    TRDad is a professional chef part time and a stay at home dad full time. He is a the foundation of this family.

    IMG_9862Beyond cooking, TRDad is also a chauffeur, nurse, disciplinarian, teacher – the list goes on. He is always quick with a hug and loves heading out on a family bike ride.  We are blessed in countless ways but TRMom considers not having to prepare dinner after working all day as one of her favorite blessings.

    Since TRDad is so selfless, weekend breakfasts are one small way that TRMom tries to give back to him. This simple gesture of is now a tradition in our home.

    While TRDad is out walking our pup in the morning, TRMom gets to work. Typically, eggs are served up over easy or as an omelet, on top of or with cheesy toast. A hot cup of coffee on the side, and TRDad is ready to welcome another day.

    It may not seem like much but the tiniest acts of kindness can make a huge difference to someone!

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  2. A Simple Cup Of Tea

    November 21, 2014 by admin

    Our Latest Activity For the ThriftyRambler Kindness Project

    IMG_8632Our Plum has a very hard time waking up and starting her day. If left on her own, she simply snoozes her alarm and snuddles back down under her covers. And when she finally emerges, the morning grumbles are in full force and hard to shake off.

    We’ve tried many things to help our Plum adjust to morning. And nothing worked until we happened to brew a cup of herbal tea to help Plum feel better during a recent cold. Voila!

    Now we have a new tradition to our morning routine. TRMom is usually the first person up and about in our house. She will start coffee for the adults, feed the critters, and put on the tea kettle for our Plum. Once a cup of Sleepytime has had time to steep, TRMom takes it quietly into Plum’s bedroom, leaving it on the floor near the bed.

    We don’t know how long it takes for the sweet scent of tea to rouse our Plum, but we do know that she emerges from her room with no intervention and in a decent mood. She returns the now empty mug to the sink and gets going with her day.

    This small act of kindness in the form of a cup of tea was all our Plum needed to help her embrace a new day.

    Simple gestures like this can make a difference in the days of people around us.  Pay attention in your world.  Who do you know that needs a cuppa?

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  3. Volunteering: Kitty Transport

    May 18, 2014 by admin

    Part of our continuing series for the ThriftyRambler Kindness Project.

    IMG_5936A great way to cultivate kindness is to volunteer to help others.

    Finding the best opportunity to volunteer can sometimes be a challenge, especially for the very young.  But a young age is the exact time to begin volunteering.  By starting out at as a youngster, kids learn all through their lives that helping others is something you do.  It can become a habit that they won’t want to break.

    So we’ve been looking for a chance for our young Bluey to get involved in something he cares about in his community, and that can make a meaningful difference in the world.

    We found just the thing by transporting kittens for Darling Pet Rescue.IMG_5935

    It’s no secret that Bluey loves animals– especially cats, so helping transport them was a perfect fit.

    Darling Pet Rescue (DPR) is a no-kill animal rescue group that finds homes for animals in need.  DPR offers shelter and foster homes for animals until a permanent home can be found.  But the logistics of taking care of the animals can be quite daunting.   All DPR rescues receive top-quality veterinary care, and frequently need to be moved from the vet clinic to various pet stores that display the animals to expose them to good homes.   If animals at the viewing stores get ill, or need additional care, then they need to go back to the vet clinic.

    Moving critters from place to place is where Bluey comes into the scene.  We (along with several other dedicated volunteers) offer the rides to or from the clinic.  Our Bluey loves going on a kitty mission, and offers his sweet loving words to the cats while they are in car carriers next to him.  He comforts, calms and reassures them during their trip, and helps them settle at their destination.

    Bluey’s volunteer work also ties into his school projects.  He his learning a lot about animal health and care, and this knowledge is reinforced every time Bluey helps out.

    Bluey looks forward to assisting DPR and he knows that with each trip, he is helping an animal find a new family- just like our cats and dog settled down with us!

    Although it took us a while to find the right fit, we are so happy that Bluey gets to help out his friends and neighbors in a way that really matters to him.

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  4. Snark Attack!

    April 23, 2014 by admin

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    Our latest activity for the Thrifty Rambler Kindness Project

    We’re sure most of you have been in a similar situation. You’re in line at Target and some man is barely holding it together while a cart full of runny-nosed kids are screaming bloody murder. You think to yourself, “What is wrong with him? Why did you drag your kids out here? Why don’t you leave?” Or you’re at the park and a woman is absorbed with her phone while her charges terrorize the playground.  You think, “What a horrible person. Here are a bunch of future bullies. What is wrong with people?”

    TRMom & Dad admit that we don’t always have a sympathetic reaction to witnessing random or heated interactions of families we don’t know. We’re sometimes too quick to judge and criticize. And we know that this isn’t productive or kind. We’re working on it.

    TRMom & Dad need to remember that what we’re watching unfold is a moment in time. We have no idea what led up to it or how it will resolve.

    Think about those days when you were less than your best, either publicly or privately. Would you want someone to walk away thinking that was as good as you can be?  Or that your kids should be taken away from you, or that you’re violent, or mean? Of course you wouldn’t want that to be their conclusion.

    So we’re trying to be more understanding. We’re working on recognizing when someone might need an encouraging word, a friendly smile, or our space in line to make a quick escape from a store. Or perhaps we simply need to stem our negative thoughts for the moment and realize that this is someone’s really bad day. And that is all that we are witnessing. The single occurrence doesn’t make someone a bad person.

    We’d like to encourage you to do the same. Work this Kindness.  And perhaps slowly, we’ll all become more of a supportive community.

     

     

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  5. A Year of Thanks

    December 30, 2013 by admin

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    Our latest project for the ThriftyRambler Kindness Project

    There are so many people in our lives that do the right by us:  they help when we are in need, they offer understanding in times of trouble, they make us laugh on a cloudy day.

    We thank a lot of these folks regularly and profusely.  But some of them have slipped through the cracks.  Maybe we were too young to understand the importance of a thank you.  Perhaps we were too wrapped up in our own problems to take the time.  Or maybe we only noticed their kindness and thoughtfulness in retrospect, long after they had drifted from our life.

    So our TR challenge for everyone in 2014 is to go back and thank the people from your past.  Begin each month with a Thank You to someone who at some point in your life deserved a simple, “thanks,” but never got it.

    You could offer this thanks up on Facebook or on Twitter.  You might send an email or a card.  Or post a note on a community bulletin board.  But find a way this year to thank 12 people who’ve given to you over the course of your life.

    See whose day you can brighten with an unexpected note of appreciation.

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  6. The Kindness Project #4: Share The Bounty

    August 14, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1453We are happy to report that our garden is quite successful this season.  We have an abundance of tomatoes and a good crop of hot peppers.  Our melons, cukes, and squash are finally starting to spill out over our garden trellis.  We are harvesting more than we can eat.

    We have plans to dive into canning in 2014.  But for this current crop, we have to come up with an action plan so that our pickings don’t go to waste.IMG_1293

    As TR Mom recently pulled into the garage after work, she noticed one set of neighbors playing with their young kids in their front yard.  And it all suddenly became clear for this TR Household.

    We stuffed two paper lunch bags with our excess produce and walked it over to the neighbors.  It was a lovely icebreaker that helped move us beyond the friendly nod of our typical encounters.

    As this growing season continues to provide, we’ll knock on neighborhood doors to meet who we can and to deliver fresh produce for all to enjoy.

    Perhaps we’ll see you?

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  7. Kindness Project #1

    April 5, 2013 by admin

    IMG_0072We are so very excited to officially commence the ThriftyRambler Kindness Project and to share with you, the first of our sure-to-be numerous experiences!

    This particular effort was spearheaded by TR Dad and Bluey.  They picked up a large bag of birdseed at our local Menards and some brown paper lunch sacks from our favorite Hyvee#1.  IMG_0065Then, TR Dad and Bluey portioned out birdseed into each sack and affixed the top with our TR Kindness Project calling card.IMG_0076

    TR Dad and Bluey walked through our neighborhood, on the hunt for homes that had noticeable birdfeeders.  TR Dad allowed Bluey to select the houses that received a bag of birdseed, and they dropped them off on a front step or open porch.

    Hopefully, the homeowner or renter will be thrilled to discover TR’s little gesture of kindness.  And perhaps they will be inspired to join us for IMG_0069this journey!

    Our kiddoes are already talking about future kindness projects.  Bluey has been reading, Special Deliveries, which nicely complements this experience.  The whole family is engaged, excited, and eager to see how this all turns out.

    Please remember to update us on your own Kindness Project experiences!

     

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