OUAF September Sales

This month Once Upon a Family is having some great sales. I plan to take advantage of all three. I am hosting a virtual party on my site. Any orders place through my party by Sunday 9/21 will receive a reimbursement check for shipping charges. Please email me at judy@dodgenphotography.com if you have any questions. 
Since Grandparents Day comes during the month of September, what better time to start a new tradition than now with our Words of Wisdom. Have your children start by filling out the first envelope with their words of wisdom to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandparents will know exactly how to respond back. Words of Wisdom FV017. Discounted to $20.
Start the school year off right with a place to keep the artwork of your talented children in our oversized Artwork Portfolio. Measuring a generous 20.5 x 26, this masterpiece that sells normally for $49 is on special this month for $30.

It's Back to School time, and what better time for mom and dad to take advantage of the quiet house to write some of the stories of your life in our Stories of My Life Booklets. Thoughts about Love, Gratitude, Responsibility, Courage and more, these letters, stored in the Stories of My Life Box will be a treasured heirloom for generations to come. Regularly priced at $39, September Special: $25.

Breath In

A few years ago I subscribed to a daily eletter by Henri Nouwen. I wanted the prompt again to pause and center myself on God, even while sifting through emails. For those of you not familiar with Nouwen, he is very gifted in getting to the heart of a matter in a way that is both inspirational and simple. My favorite quote is by him  "when we trust profoundly that today is the day of the Lord our faces can relax and we can smile back at the one who smiles at us". Although I admit that there are many days that I click past the email with good intention to come back to it, the days when I stop, take just a few moments and breath in the words can be centering and refreshing just like taking in a few deep breaths. What are some ways that you prompt yourself to "breath in" each day?

August Specials

Just in time for Grandparents day next month. OUAF is offering two different specials on grandparent products. Love by the month envelopes are easy and beautiful way to share your daily treasures with family far away. Place these envelops by the door with the names and addresses of distant loved ones. When you return home from school and sort through the art projects and other treasures your child brings home, stick some in the envelops. Once a month (or whenever you remember) seal it up and mail it off. Your family will be so grateful and you will find homes for the precious works of art that are often so difficult to part with. (this month free with a $50 purchase). 

Letters to Grandma. Two precious books intended to store the correspondence between grandparent and grandchild. One for the child and one for the grandparent. Imagine what a profound keepsake this will be. I have also heard of people using this with children who have lost a grandparent. The child writes a letter asking the grandparent questions they wish they could ask them. The letter is then sent to someone who knew the grandparent well, perhaps a great uncle, friend or other relative. They try to answer those questions as best they can representing that loved one (not saying they are the grandparent but saying "I believe your grandma would say...".  If you host a party that reaches $200 in sales you get a letters to grandma set free thats a value of $42. 

Have a great week!!

Faith

I have one life and one chance to make it count for something . . . I'm free to choose what that something is, and the something I've chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands -- this is not optional -- my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.

Jimmy Carter

This months topic for Live Laugh Love Club is Faith.  For me this is my belief in God and trust in Him. In my life this is validated by the existence of my Family. The journeys which took me to Jeremy and then to our children could not have occurred  without divine intervention.   OUAF also addresses faith in ourselves, family and surroundings. The packets include 4 tips to foster faith from developing a routine of prayer to looking for ways to improve your community. 

I Love the take home workshop this month. Take a moment to recognize the members of your family in how they are a true gift from God. To quote Mister Rogers 

"As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has—or ever will have—something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression." 

Write on each card what makes members of your family truly unique and special in all the world. Recognize them at a special dinner. You could either do them all in one night or spread them out and recognize one family member per night. It is so important to recognize specific strengths that God has given to those we love. What a great way to pause and celebrate that God made us special and He loves us very much (another famous quote - anyone know the author? ). 

How do you address the topic of faith with your children?

Ella

Two days after I posted my last blog (Unbeknownst to me) my precious girl was born.  Three days after that we got the call that changed our lives. We were called Monday afternoon the 23rd and told a birthmom had chosen us (actually she chose Ethan) and we could bring our daughter home the next morning. You can imagine the whirlwind of emotions going through our heads as well as the whirlwind of activity over the last couple weeks. 

 

Since then I have snickered a bit at the fact that I started this blog with the desire to pause and take a moment to "cherish my moments" when I have had trouble pausing to recall my name. Yet I am attempting to settle myself back into what is important. More than ever I am seeing the passing of precious moments. With Ella already 5 weeks and my precious boy 5  YEARS old I feel an urgency to grab hold of the pause button.  

Timing is Everything

Okay, so I would love to be thoughtful and intentional all the time, savor every minute, bask in the glow of the love I feel from those around me... but there are times when I just have to cook dinner, do the laundry, or put the dishes away and I lack Mary Poppin's creative ability to make such chores a game. I need a minute to get things done and it seems like that is the precise moment that Ethan can not live with out me. When he was very little I remember him standing at the gate we had blocking the kitchen and screaming for me to pick him up when I was cooking. I was so conflicted - I wanted to hold him and be with him too as much as he desired my attention but I also had responsibilities. You know what I mean - you've been there right?

My solution is still a great one for conflicts we face. The timer. I love the one from pampered chef because it can stick to the fridge or my pants and has a bunch of other fun features. I suppose any old timer would work. I set the timer, giving us both time. I tell him he will have 15 minutes after he gives me 15 minutes or visa versa I will give him 15 minutes and then he needs to allow me that time. It is phenomenal how it relieves your stress and allows you to be totally present until the timer goes off and totally at task (mostly guilt free) till it goes off again.

I also use the timer for, "okay in 15 minutes you have to get ready for bed" or "you need to try to us the potty in 30 minutes" (that was a few years ago thankfully) and of course quiet time and time outs. He uses it on me too sometimes or requests that I set the timer. The timer is the neutral party that neither of us can argue with.

I hope it works for you, I'd love to hear any suggestions or experiences you might have!

Courage

My primary inspiration for pausing is Once Upon a Family. All of the concepts this company focuses on are centered around pausing and being intentional with the minutes we have. I host a Live Laugh Love club where we pause each month to focus on various values that we are hoping to instill in our children and/or grow in personally. I plan to highlight theses values on a monthly basis. 

This month is courage - looking ahead to July. We pause to consider Courage. What does courage mean? Is courage only displayed in super heros? Soldiers? Firemen?  We are able to demonstrate courage daily in the big and little things we do and yet how often do we give ourselves or our children credit for the courage they show. 

My challenge to you this month to to recognize moments of courage in yourself and others,  seek out opportunities to conquer fears and write a note to someone congratulating them on overcoming their fears. 

Have a great 4th!

Pause and Intention

Greetings all and welcome to my blog.

Pausing... Pausing has been on my mind a lot lately. Don't you wish from time to time you could push the pause button? Pause to take in the joy around you. Pause to appreciate the moment instead of looking ahead. Pause to take a deep breath. I have been trying (not always successfully) to pause and take in moments, as well as, pausing even for a second to be intentional about my actions and my words

I hope with this blog to keep myself accountable and maybe inspire you to pause and be intentional.

I would love to share this journey with you. What are you being intentional about this week?