Day 7 - Art Donations for a School

Today Ryan's teacher sent home a "needed items" list for their classroom in particular and then items to benefit all the kindergartners.  Because teachers so frequently have to use their own personal money for supplies we love to help out whenever we can.

One of the items on the list was sidewalk chalk (something BSN carries luckily) so Chris decided today to purchase a big bulk order and donate anonymously to the kindergarten classes.

Two thumbs up for creativity!!

Day 7 - Anonymous art supply donation to school

Day 6 - Let Someone Go Ahead in Line

So with it being Sunday and me being in coupon mode, today was a big shopping day...with A LOT of coupons.  So as I walked through Target, and saw how crowded and busy it was, I began to dread heading to the checkout.  I knew whoever was behind me would not be too happy and it kills me to hold people up.  I ended up walking all the way to the opposite side of the store just to find the line farthest away from the crowds.  Only one person got in line behind me and she didn't have too much at all.  I told her I was so sorry but I had coupons.  I decided it would just be easier to let her go ahead of me.  She said not to worry but I insisted.  She was very grateful and luckily for me I made it through with my coupons before anyone else got in line.:)

Day 6 - Let someone go ahead in the checkout line

Day 5 - Donated Blood

I got a call today from the sweetest old man with Carter Blood Care.  He gave me the regular spiel on how rare and in need my blood type was and where my last donation ended up.  Typically (when I choose to answer the unknown number) I tell them I'll make sure to get in "sometime soon".  For some reason thought felt extra inclined to take him up on his offer to donate today.  He was the sweetest man and it would be a perfect opportunity for today's Random Act of Kindness.

After donating I actually realized that January is blood donor awareness month.  So get out there and donate if you haven't in a while!  Here's a great article that puts to rest some of the fears people may have about donating.

“Any time you can save someone’s life in less than an hour — that’s pretty phenomenal."

Day 5 - Donating blood for those in need

http://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2013/01/03/donating-blood-is-crucial-to-healthcare

 

Day 4 - Paid it Forward in the Drive Thru

This is the girls' last day of break before heading back to school.  We told them if they were great helpers with the daycare kids we would take them to Chick-fil-A for dinner.  We also wanted to do this because we were having a new dishwasher installed between 5:30p and 7:30p so it would get us out of the house.  I could handle dinner and Chris the dishwasher installment.

So knowing we were going to hit a drive thru we decided to pay for the car behind us as today's random act.  The girls LOVE to do this and we always tell them before we leave so the excitement can build.  Who do you think it will be?  Will they have kids?  What kind of car will it be?  Think they will pay for the car behind them? 

So when we pulled into the drive thru line the girls started looking.  The first car that pulled behind us quickly decided the line was too long so she parked and chose to walk in.  Then the next car pulled up.  An elderly couple in white sedan.  The girls were so excited!!  So as we went to pay we told the employee that we wanted to pay for the car behind us.  She smiled, told us their total and asked if that was ok.  We said of course and were on our way. 

Day 4 - Pay it forward in the drive thru

Day 3 - Candy for Co-Workers

So thanks to another awesome coupon deal we were able to score half a dozen candy bars for free!  Chris took them to work today and is placing them on co-workers desks with a little "Happy New Year" note.  Enjoy your chocolate fellas!

Day 3 - Candy bars for co-workers

Day 2 - Anonymous Thank You Note

Over Christmas break our heater decided it needed a break as well.  Christmas night we bundled with blankets while we slept, as the outside temperature dipped into the teens.  We made a midnight call to our favorite heating company thinking we were leaving a message on the office phone.  Turns out we actually called the sweet secretary's personal cell phone. I later found out that she got the message and was so worried about our girls and niece, with the frigid outside temperatures, that she started calling the owner and other employee that night to see what they could do.

The day following Christmas it was in the mid 40s in the house.  Our family along with my sister, brother-in-law and 2 year old niece spent the day bundled up with a fire going and a space heater.  The heating company called and said they got our message the night before but because of the 4 inches of snow and ice on the roads that their trucks couldn't get out but they would get to us first thing the next day.  They even called later that afternoon to see how we were holding up.

The next morning I got a call at 7am (they don't typically open until 8a) from the secretary telling me they were on their way.  They arrived at 7:30a, checked the system, left to pick up the needed part and were back by 11:30am.  We had heat by lunch!

This was the 3rd service visit from them this year and each time we spoke or they came out they were amazing!!  They always came so quickly and really do care for their customers.

So the girls and I wrote and mailed an anonymous thank you card to Harris Air and their wonderful staff!! 

Day 2 - Anonymous thank you note

Day 1 - Feminine Products for Community Lifeline Center

So I have found a new obsession....COUPONING.  Getting something for next to nothing, or even free, is not only extremely intriguing to me but also brings out my insane competitiveness.

So yesterday as I was comparing my stack of store ads to my binder full of coupons I spotted a great deal on...feminine products.  Those who know me well know I have no use for these but had the perfect recipient in mind.  If there is one non-profit in McKinney that I love a teeny, tiny bit more than the others it has to be the Community Lifeline Center.  The folks that work there are amazing!!  They work tirelessly and will do ANYTHING for an individual or family in need in our community. 

So with my new couponing addiction in full throttle I stocked up on boxes and boxes of feminine products to drop off to the Community Lifeline Center. I'm sure they have a hard time keeping donations and supplies stocked for families in need, regardless of the item, but I definitely don't think feminine products would be at the top of most people's list of items to donate.  So here we go!! 

Day 1 - Feminine hygiene products for the Community Lifeline Center :)