Random Acts Of Kindness |

2012 A Season of Giving

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Amy

While this series has been on our hearts and minds for the last few weeks, with all the excitement with kicking off holiday decorating, Christy’s magazine feature and my daughter’s birthday party December 1st snuck up on us.

We started this series last year, {read HERE} the concept being that each of the three of us –and we were thrilled some of our readers participated as well– made a commitment to give back and brighten someone’s day with a small kindness each day during the holiday season.

Terry originated this series for us. Her giving ‘quest’ last year led her from just small daily acts of kindness to discovering a local needy family desperate for household goods and christmas gifts for their children. Her effort resulted in her collecting donations, purchasing gifts and delivering to them to Social Services for 75 children in foster care who otherwise wouldn’t have received anything.

Now, that is the SPIRIT of the SEASON isn’t it?!?

Terry is already on the ball this year {despite being pregnant!}. She has already filled her truck with donations from kind friends, family and her church members for the children in her local Social Services foster program. She was thrilled to share with me two generous people had donated bikes this year! How awesome is that?

So, we officially started this on December 1st. I spent that morning at church making gifts with the children. It was so heartwarming to hear their excited chatter as they made each gift, telling each other that this one is for “my mom” or “my friend”. It really made me SO excited about starting our “Acts of Giving” initiative again this year.

So…here we go! This year we’ll be posting our efforts on Facebook so make sure you “like” us if you are interested in keeping up {and of course, keep tabs on all sorts of other juicy Magnolia Lane details we share there}. We would LOVE to hear your Random Acts of Kindness, so let us know if you are joining in by commenting away!

And, if we might request a first act of kindness… please make your first effort to share this quest. After all, can you imagine how much good could be done if the thousands {millions?} of blog readers joined with us this month?

Hope your holidays are off to a wonderful start!

{PS don’t forget to enter our giveaway while you are here for a $50 HOMEGOODS/TJ MAXX gift certificate. It’s our small way of thanking you all for your continued readership and support!}

XO,

We are sharing this post at Saavy Southern Style, A Shabby Nest, Imparting Grace

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Posted in Christmas, Holidays, Random Kindness | Tagged charity, Christmas, holidays, random acts of kindness, Season of Giving | 2 Comments

Best of 2011 at Magnolia Lane

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Amy

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Didn’t it go fast?

This is a great week across “Blogland”, as “Best Of” parties start popping up all over the place. As I read through some other favorite blogs, I started thinking of what I (we) might post here as the “Best of 2011″ from Magnolia Lane. I decided to run with this one by myself instead of collaborating for ideas from my co-blogging girls –I hope they will forgive me!

As our first full year of blogging wraps up, I wanted to take the chance to sing the praises of two of the most creative and inspiring women I know–Christy & Terry, of course!

Starting with Christy…I am going to talk about what she accomplished in her new kitchen, but I can’t NOT mention quickly her amazing, adorable AND inspiring PANTRY which has practically gone viral on Pinterest.

Isnt’ it cute? She sadly had to move from our Magnolia Lane “model” home this summer, but in her usual unstoppable fashion jumped right in transforming this kitchen…

into a new and Christy-improved version.

Then this fall she took it to the next level, which we showed you all yesterday here…

Now, I moved 3 months ago and still have boxes in places I shouldn’t mention, but in a summer’s time she knocked the cabinet painting out and still managed to entertain my gang for a week’s visit. And, if this isn’t enough, she re-vamped it even further this fall with a painted backsplash, new wall color, diy curtains and more. Its such a gorgeous room, and as you can tell, grass doesn’t grow under her feet! And, in case you missed just how amazing she is–she also homeschools, volunteers, is an supportive military wife and of course a dear friend.

I am not sure what Terry would pick for her best post, but I know what I consider her most under-recognized event on our blog. With summer starting and my impending move we didn’t get a chance to showcase this fabulous Baby Shower Terry hosted for our wonderful friend Trinity as much as (I think) it deserved.

She pulled out all her “event planner” stops to have the most beautiful, fun and genuinely sweet baby shower I have ever seen. I doubt I will ever go such a nice a baby shower again in my life! This talented girl made all the food (it wasn’t catered), decorated (it was held in her backyard with two standard tents which she completely “gussied” up), and she calmly functioned as the hostess for 30 women on a sweltering HOT day!

But, finally here is what I consider our most important/significant event of the year. It’s not a decorating or DIY post but I hope everyone will take a moment to read Terry’s 24 Days of Giving series wrap-up here to see all she accomplished.

When Terry suggested a series on 24 Random Acts of Kindness we all jumped on board. However, you can probably tell from my lack of posting about my “acts” that I didn’t quite make all 24–I admit it. Terry completely ran with this idea. And, as just ONE of many wonderful outcomes of this venture, she managed the purchasing, collection and delivery of gifts to 75 children in foster/social services care who otherwise wouldn’t have received anything. And that, right there, makes every moment we spend working on this blog so very worth it!

{And, can I just say a big “Woo-Hoo!” for her?}

Anyway, I don’t have a best of post that can compete with all that fabulousness! I can say that this blog and all the friends and supporters we have made this year from it have been significant to me as I made a challenging move to a new area. Its also been great fun, and an honor, to work with these 2 amazing girls who are seriously GOOD AT EVERYTHING–if you can’t tell?

So…what’s next for 2012? We’ll be working on our thoughts on that this week. We have some new ideas starting up, like a healthy recipe/meal planning series to motivate us all, some more home re-do’s to feature and we have some very fun giveaways coming up in January.

So, I hope you enjoyed our “Best Of”…Did I miss anything?

Thank you to everyone who has commented, subscribed, followed or dropped us a note this year. We read and appreciate each and every comment and thought.

XO,

Linking this post up to “Best of” Parties at

Southern Hospitality

Space 46

and Tatertots & Jello

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Posted in Before and After, Events, General & About Us, Random Kindness | Tagged Before and After, best of, blogging, gifts, random acts of kindness, year in review | 12 Comments

Season of Giving: The final 4 Days and Recap!

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Terry

I cannot believe that my Season of Giving is over!! I am not sure if I feel a bit relieved that I completed my goal or sad that I don’t have a daily purpose anymore? This has been such an amazing journey!! I think this experience showed me just how much I have and how selfish I can be at times. I am so fortunate to have a husband who can support my family and I am so lucky to have time to share it with others in need. I see my life a bit differently now and I hope to continue my Acts of Kindness throughout 2012. Thank you for reading, posting and joining me on this little adventure.

RECAP:

Day 1: donated hats, mittens, gloves, scarves and socks to a local church.

Day 2: Donated money to the Salvation Army

Day 3: Helped collect and deliver coats to a local coat drive

Day 4: I spoke at my grandmothers funeral service

Day 5: Paid a toll for the person driving behind me

Day 6: Sent a thank you note to my Mom

Day 7: Delivered the first round of gifts to the children in foster care

Day 8: Picked up litter in my neighborhood

Day 9: Brought dog treats to our local SPCA

Day 10: Delivered homemade “snowman” holiday gifts to my neighbors

Day 11: Dropped off a toy at a local Toys-For-Tots collection location

Day 12: My friend pre-paid postage for a random person mailing a package (Thanks for allowing me to post your own personal act of kindness Christina B.)

Day 13: Gave my mailman a gift

Day 14-19: Collaborative effort and huge collection of gifts for children in foster care.

Day 20: Handed out gifts to Gavin and Lincoln’s teachers. Teachers have such a huge impact on children lives and I love to recognize their hard work and dedication with a little gifts and big thank you notes. I am so fortunate to have 5 AMAZING teachers working with both Gavin and Lincoln this year. Their kindness, patience, strength, positive attitudes and dedication make my boys LOVE school. Teachers deserve so much credit for what they do so I always to try to recognize and thank them their efforts especially during the holiday’s.

My “gift pick” for Teachers, a PSA Essentials Personalized Stamp:

Perfect Teacher Gift

Day 21: Delivered the last set of gifts to social services and donated some additional clothing and toys to my local Salvation Army.

Day 22: Answered a free trivia question on freekibble.com. Anytime you answer a trivia question (right or wrong) 10 pieces of kibble are donated to the Human Society shelters all over the USA.

Day 23: Invited the neighbor’s children over to make gingerbread houses (gave their mama a bit of a break).

Day 24: Gave to my church and prayed for good tidings to all.

Day 25: Mission Accomplished and Merry Christmas!!!