Communication Journals

Looking for a great way to communicate with your child?  Try a communication journal!

This journal idea came from something that I started with one of my middle school classes.  As you can imagine, there is a lot of drama that happens at the middle school age.  There poor kids are in the midst of so much changing and so much going on.  Instead of wasting class time talking about issues that really did not pertain to what I was teaching, I had a notebook that allowed students to write in whenever they had something that they really needed to tell me or just needed to get off their chest.  This also worked for the students that were a little hesitant to ask for help.  They simply could grab the notebook and write to me.  I would then take the notebook home each night and write a little note back to the student answering their questions or just letting them know that I was glad they had been able to share something with me.  I have gotten some really great responses from students about this.  Many felt that it was a way to communicate with an adult without feeling scared or shy.

This will work with your own children as well.  I would suggest a different journal for each child though.  This will give them the feeling of security and will let them know that whatever they write is private between you and them.  Let them decorate it and make it their own!  Also, decide on a signal to let each other know that something has been written and the other person should read it and respond. 

Keep the journal some place that you both agree on and again, with more than one child, keep that place a secret.  Then, when either of you have something you want to discuss, but feel better about putting in writing, you can write in the journal.  You will not believe how much more open and honest some kids can be when they are writing.  It is a great way to let them know that you are proud of them or that you are disappointed in something that they did.  It is also a peaceful way to resolve conflict!

I am actually starting this with my 6 year old.  He has a journal that he writes in at school and was just telling me how they are encouraged to share their writing with a peer and write responses.  He has had so much fun and actually loves to write because of it (an added bonus to the whole process).

In the end, you will have such a wonderful keepsake of your life with your child.  While everything that is written may not always be happy, you will be able to have a written history of your lives together!

When you have gathered enough entries, you can preserve this written record in a book!  Add photos of this time in your child's life.  What a great gift on their 21st birthday or on the day that they get married.  Or, why not create a special journal for each of your children to write in with their photos on the front!

Trying Times

I am sorry that it has been a few days without a post.  It has been a crazy weekend and start to the week.  A colleague lost her husband and a dear friend lost her brother.  It has been one of those times that you really stop to cherish the people around you and let everyone that you know that you love them.

It also solidified to me how important preserving memories are.  At times, it can even be a comfort to look through photos and tell the stories that go along with them. This has also made me realize that I want to create as many good memories as I can with those who know me so that they have good stories to tell!  

So to anyone who may be reading, I hope that you will preserve all of the great stories and memories of your life.  Others will care and will want to read them!  Start creating your legacy today and tell those around you how much they mean to you!  

Live Life...Inspired!

Nominated for Nickelodeon Parent's Picks Award

Blogging has become my new obsession.  I have really enjoyed learning about all of the aspects of writing and building a blog.  A number of months ago, some dear friends of mine and I put together a local website for local families to find what to do and where to go in WNY.  As moms, we were always looking for great things in our area.  We tired of looking all over the internet and searching.  Stacey and Melissa had also put together an amazing Baby Expo here in WNY and had met a number of great people with family friendly businesses.  We decided to combine all of our resources and create the site and blog for our community.

Our blog at WNY Kids was recently nominated by Nickelodeon for a Parent's Picks Award.  Along with our blog, there are other great businesses that have been nominated.  In order to win the award, we need your help!  Please click here to vote for us.  Others I ask you to vote for are:

Best Family Photographer - SH Portraits

Best Pizza - My Tomato Pie

This nomination is really exciting!  Check out the site and check out our blog!  

A Photo A Day

Today is a day that I am reminded how precious life is and that if you don't take the time to tell those around them that you love them, it is time lost.  I also know how precious it is to live in the moment and make every moment count.

If you have kids, you may be like me saying "where is the time going?"  My kids are growing up at a lightening speed!  So, I am stealing an idea from a friend of mine who is a photographer (and an amazing one at that!  Check her photos out at www.shportraits.com)  She had posted a blog a while ago where she challenged people to take at least one photo a day for the entire year.  Yes, that means at least 365 photos!  I thought that the idea was amazing, but like everything, have slacked off.  However, I am recommitting to doing it starting today!  

Just think of what you can do with all of those photos.  If you are like me, you are going to think of all of the great projects you can make.  I think that my project for this year is to simply make a book called "365".  How awesome will it be when I can present a book to my kids that documents an entire year of their life with simple photos. 

So, I challenge you to do the same!  Break out that camera and do not save the photos for only special occasions.  I am sure that we will all have our share of sad, happy, and miserable moments.  I am really excited about this challenge and know that I will be even more excited about the outcome!  

May Giveaway!

Ok, it is time once again to offer a give away!  For those of you new to the blog world, giveaways are fun and FREE!  You simply need to do one of the following things to be entered into the contest.  Plus, multiple entries are encouraged.  So, here it is!  This month, I am giving away one of the May Specials!  That is right!  You could win a publishing credit for a spiral bound book and a deck of playing cards!

Remember, the spiral books are great to use as cookbooks, planners, yearbooks, journals...the sky is the limit!  The playing cards are just out of this world and have a ton of uses.  Many people make family trivia cards, personalized playing cards, birth announcements, business cards, change of address cards, or wedding favors.  There is really so much you can do with them!  

So, PLEASE enter this to win both of these prizes!  The contest will run until May 28th.  Here is how to enter:

1. Visit http://www.whystorybook.com and sign up for a FREE publishing account.  (you can skip this step if you have one already!)

2. Come back here and leave a comment telling me why you want to win this giveaway. 

3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you. 

Who wants extra entries?! 

(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!) 

4. Sign up for our Live Life Inspired-Inspired Mom feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.) 

5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea. 

6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment. 

7. Stumble this post or www.whystorybook.com. 

8. E-mail me at kelly@whystorybook.com to get my button and add it to your site (I am still learning how to put it on the site for people to take!)

 

9. Tweet about this giveaway.

WiFi on Airplanes!

If you have not heard yet, some very exciting news was announced this morning for those of us who never leave home without our laptops. WIFI is now going to be available on airline flights! Of course, this addition will not be available on all flights right away, but AirTran will be the first to offer this service.

Can you imagine? You could actually have a book about your vacation complete before you even land at home! Let's face it, with all of the time that you have on the airplane traveling from one destination to another, you could complete so many great projects! I am so excited!

Don't believe that it is possible to create something that quickly? Here is a link to the vacation book that I have been working on(Click Here). I have to admit that I procrastinated in loading all of my pictures on to my computer. However, I finally sat down last night to work on the book (worked while I watched Brothers and Sisters!) and almost completely finished the book! That is right, in one hour I have an entire vacation book complete! That would never happen if I tried to do it the traditional way! The templates that we now have with our Heritage Makers publishing system are AMAZING!! Plus, this was a vacation that my parents, my in-laws, and my brother and sister in law took with us. So, once it is done (maybe during the finale of the Biggest Loser!) I will be able to order copies for each of them to have as well! Does it get any better than that? I cannot think how!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!  What a great day!  Today is the day that I sit back and realize how much I love being a mom.  It may not always be the easiest job in the world!  Let's face it, I may want to run away sometimes, but I would not change it for the world.  I am blessed to have two healthy and happy kids, a great husband, and a pretty darn good life.

This is also the day that I usually vow to be a better mom this year.  I want to be the mom that my kids remember as a happy and fun mommy.  I want my daughter to have the same respectable and admirable role model that I had growing up.  I want my son to learn to have compassion and love.  Ok, so I just want my kids to not have to spend half of their adult lives in counseling (just kidding!)

I also have thought a lot about my own mom.  She is an amazing mother that really has always managed to make things look extremely easy.  She is the most level headed person I know and looking back, I don't know how she did it all.  I appreciate her more and more every day that I am a mom and have even learned to tell her how much I appreciate all that she put up with.  

I count my blessings that I still have my dear grandmother (aka Big Grandma) around.   She is the coolest and spunkiest grandma that you will ever meet.  At over 80 years old, she is still up for playing Wii bowling with my 6 year old son.  She is amazing!  She too has been an amazing role model and I love her to pieces!

So for today, I send out love to my mom and grandmother!  You both have made me the person that I am today.  I thank you for supporting me through my own journey through motherhood.  To my wonderful children, I love being your mommy!  I may not always do the best job, but know that I love you more than anything and that you bring so much joy to my life!  Happy Mother's Day! 

It's Good To Be Me

I have to admit, I got the inspiration for today's post from my adorable daughter.  While I was looking for something for her to wear today, I found this shirt.  I immediately thought about how true this is for her.  If only I could be 3 again for one day!  Maybe I could forgo all of the laundry this weekend.  Maybe someone else would cook and clean for Mother's Day Brunch tomorrow and I could sleep as late as I want.  Maybe I could run around all day in clothes that do not match and not care a bit about what anyone thinks!  I could make mud pies in the backyard for hours and not care about who is making dinner or paying the bills or if there is enough milk in the fridge because someone else would be doing that for me.  AHHH!  To be 3 again!  Isn't it too bad that we do not appreciate enough the freedoms we have at that age until they are all gone.  (Wow do I sound like my mother now!) 

I also wanted to share a photo of the planner that I made using Heritage Maker's spiral bound book.  If I am going to have to b

e the adult in the family (sorry Jeremy, but you know it is the truth!)  I want to do it in a cute way!  I am such a sucker for anything that I can put pictures of kids on!  This was an answer to my prayers because I am always in need of my planner and always am being asked for photos of my kids.  Plus, I was able to make it the way I wanted even though I used an AMAZING template from the template gallery!  Check it out!

Great Gift Ideas For Mom

Mother's Day is one of those holidays that should last all year.  I say that not because I am a mom, but rather because my mom is THE BEST!  Now that I have my own brood, I appreciate my mother more now that I ever thought.  I find myself saying "mom I am so sorry for everything that I have ever done" more and more!  I feel that Karma will help me in my own journey of motherhood!

So, I want to give you all some ideas for spoiling your mom this year.  All of these projects can be created through your own FREE Heritage Makers lifetime publishing account!  If you are like me, I am always looking for something different.  Here are some ideas that any mother will love!

1.  Create a cookbook with the recipes you love the most from mom!  Add pictures of you with your mom to make it more special!

2.  Make a deck of playing cards with photos of you and your kids.  Mom will be the hit of her bridge club!

3.  Get her a gift certificate for her favorite hair and nail place.  Moms love to be pampered!  Include a heartfelt card with special photos of you together.

4.  Create a book that lists the 50-100 things that you love about mom.  Capture the great moments with photos from childhood on up!

5.  Make mom breakfast in bed (but let her sleep in too for an extra gift!)  

6.  Create a deck of "mom coupons".  Include things like "will do the laundry" or "will cook dinner" or even better "free hugs"!

7.  Create a wonderful gift sake for mom to display all year long.  Take a special photo and make it into 12x12 scrapbook page.  Then, modge podge the page to a 12x12 tile. Get a plate display stand and you have a precious keepsake!

8.  Make mom her own set of note cards!  Create the cards with her initials or photos of her favorite flowers, favorite quotes, or any favorite at all!

9.  Make her a personalized planner!  Include favorite photos so that she can show all of her friends her kids (and grandkids)!

10.  Give her a Heritage Makers gift certificate and let her creative juices flow!

Remember, Father's Day is also coming up!  Many of these great ideas can be made for dad too!  It is never too early to start thinking ahead!

Great Contest

I have found a great contest on a great blog!  Moms and those of you who know moms of little ones have to check out this site!  The blog is www.mommysidea.com.  Also, check out www.elliebags.com.    The prize is a blog makeover (something that I am in desperate need of as you can see!)  Check out the contest at www.mommysidea.com!

Here's how to enter . . . 

1. Visit http://sweetpeadesignstudio.com. 
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us why you want to win this giveaway. 
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you. 

Who wants extra entries?! 
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!) 
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.) 
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea. 
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment. 
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com. 
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site. 
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

What is my legacy?

In the hustle and bustle of my life, I have to always be reminded to stop and "smell the roses".  I will admit, if they had a rehab for people who take on too much, I would be the first to sign up!  I don't know why I do it to myself, but I have.

In the process of taking on three businesses, a full time job, being mother of two, and wife to a man who also takes on too much, I have started to realize that it is or will take a toll on my family.  I had one of those "aha" moments as Oprah likes to call them the other morning as I was feverishly trying to get everything into book bags and comb a 3 year olds snarly hair.  What are my kids really going to remember of me?  What legacy am I leaving for them?

Now maybe you are reading this thinking that I am crazy because legacies are not something that we think about until we are older.  However, I really believe that I want to start thinking about that now while I have something to say about it!   So, I have started to think about what I want to leave as my legacy for my kids.  Do I really want them to think of me as the stressed out mommy who was running from meeting to meeting or do I want them to remember a happy mommy who was fulfilled and made time for them and for herself?  It is a hard balancing act to play, but one that I know I must work on.

In the meantime, I am going to help my ancestors leave their legacies with my kids.  I was stuck the other day when I was telling my son a story about my paternal grandfather and he said to me, "Mommy, you had a grandfather?"  Have I really failed to mention all of the great times that I had growing up with this man?  Had I really forgotten to tell my kids that I got my blond hair and blue eyes from this man?  That he one of the greatest men to ever walk this earth?  

So, while I work on the legacy that I am building, I am also going to work on telling and recording more of the stories that make me who I am and ultimately, who my children are as well.  I believe strongly in the power of story and feel that it will help my children be more connected to me and those great people that I had the pleasure of growing up with as well!

Pick of the Month!

May is turning out to be a great month to do some Heritage Making! Check out this amazing deal! As always, if you are interested in taking advantage of this special pricing, please contact me today at kelly@whystorybook.com or at 716.462.8846. These deals are not available on the website!

I am back!

WOW! It has been a while since I have posted a blog. I have to admit that I have gotten myself into so many different avenues that I have not been able to concentrate on one thing in particular. However, after taking a short "hiatus" in the month of April, I am back!

While still being very new to this whole blogging thing, I am seeing the potential and the benefits of it. That is why I am committing to be being a better blogger and really "beefing" up what I write about. So, please stop back often!

My goals are to not only write about how to preserve your own memories, but also about some of things that I am preserving with my own family as well. I am also going to be looking to write about one thing that has inspired me each day. I have found that with so many busy schedules, it is sometimes hard to take a step back and really see what is going on around us. My goal is to be more "in the moment" and learn to be thankful for the great things around me. I am so blessed to be surrounded by an amazing family, great friends, and really great inspirational people! In the process, I hope that I can inspire you to do the same! So here is to a wonderful and inspiring day!

Live Life...Inspired!
Kelly