Small Change: Month One Recap

Hey, this is my 200th post here at Club Mom - it's like a milestone, or something.  Anyway, I meant to do more this month, I really did.  I had ideas about volunteering, or at least looking into volunteering, or developing an entire charitable giving plan for my family and working it into my budget or, I don't know, saving the actual world or something.  I fell a bit short of that; quite a bit short on the world-saving.  I was beating myself up for it too, for being a slacker like always, for making the same excuses, but then I said to myself, "Self, stop it.  You did something, which was the point.  It wasn't much, granted, but it was still something."  (I talk to myself a lot these days.  I think it's a function of spending so much of my time alone with a barely-verbal short person.)

Now, I did make a donation to St. Jude's, but only because I had told the entire internet I was going to do it, so I don't think I get any credit for that, and also it took 30 seconds and a credit card, so not much challenge there.  And I also, just under the wire, sent a card to one of the Make a Child Smile kids.  I was going to just buy a card, because I am so not crafty and the deadline was breathing down my neck, but then I remembered: Hey!  I have a toddler!  So I put her to work.

Here's Mia intently focused on her art:

And here she is wishing I would cut it out with the camera already:

I added a message (of sorts):

And then I bribed Mia with Elmo long enough to get the envelope addressed without her "help":

And then we drove it to the post office, because I am just that dedicated and also because there is a quarter-inch of snow on the ground here and that makes everyone in the area absolutely insane so I fully expect we will not have mail delivery for the next three days, possibly four.

And that's that.  It actually took me more time to document and post making the card than it took to actually make the card, and that includes the time I spent convincing Mia not to eat her crayons.  But hey, I'm new to this, maybe next month I will do just a little bit better.

Speaking of next month, check in tomorrow for the new Monthly Challenge.  It is going to be just a teeny little bit harder than this last one, but also more fun and a chance to be creative and get your older kids involved.

If you are so inclined, please leave a comment here about what you did this month to help kids.  Or, if you prefer, you can write about it on your own blog like Diane did, and either trackback to this post or leave the link in the comments so we can all find and admire you.  If you prefer not to do either, a quiet pat on your own back is totally acceptable and certainly deserved.

Thanks to all of you for making this first month such a success, and so much fun.

Comments

[Heather J.]

I bought a card because I was not feeling crafty at all. But I added a pack of stickers! All kids like stickers. Atleast I think they do? I really like the idea of the card sendig though, so I plan to keep it up semi-regularly. Especially when Aeralyn gets old enough to color. Mia is quite the budding artist. She looks so professional!

[jodi]

here's what I did-

http://jodifur.blogspot.com/

[Lisa]

Thats awesome Beth! You have got my own little ticker moving lately. I am thinking of great things I want to do or an organization I want to start...like I have the free time. Hey if Oprah can do it why can't I? Oh yeah I guess she does have a little more cashola.

[Amy]

Hi Beth -

Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy 1 month anniversary of Small Change! For my part, I also sent a card to a child at "Make a Child Smile". But I searched around the site to find a child with spina bifida - the birth defect that I have. I found one, a cute little 4 year old girl. Sweetie and I sent her the card - Sweetie helped me decorate it. I hope she loves it!

BTW - whenever you post a picture of Mia, either here or at your other site, I show Sweetie. And now when I show her and ask her who it is, she knows, "That's Mia!". Internet best friends - if only a little lopsided. :)

Take care. Can't wait to see what the next challenge is.

Amy :)

[ali]

does that envelope really say Mia Bean?
that's awesome.

[Amy H]

Aww, she looks like she's working so hard!

Mine is up!
http://butrflygarden.blogspot.com/

[el-e-e]

I'm glad there's a new monthly challenge. :) I was struggling to come up w/an idea for this month. I sent cards and thought I was original by including stickers. Now I'm thinking those kids must get a boatload of stickers. Anyway! Small Change is Good! Yay for Beth!

[Much More Than A Mom]

Happy V-Day Beth! I took a few cards with stickers inside to our local children's hospital, and I also made a donation from http://www.theopinionatedparent.com to the children's area of our local cancer clinic. We always donate the net ad proceeds from the Opinionated Parent, so thanks for inspiring me to add a little extra for the kids. (The other thing we do at T.O.P. is donate our review samples to the women and children at our local domestic violence shelter. We haven't been yet this month, but they're always so excited to see us arrive with cool things for them - many of them have never had anything new/nice/or much value. Just another idea if people are looking for kids to help!)

[Dawn]

I didn't send a card, but I did knit a fuzzy colorful hat for the cancer kids at Boston Children's Hospital. I have a picture, but I haven't posted it yet because my brain is like swiss cheese.

[mar]

We were also a bit slackerish this month and mailed our cards at the last minute (the threat of Beth's mom using my middle name got me in gear ;).

We have started a change jar at home just for Beth's small change. This month we will give to what we save to the Kyle Miller organization. You can visit his site here,
www.kyledavidmiller.org.

Can't wait to see what this month's challenge is as well.

[Swistle]

Hello! I donated to St. Jude's, and sent to a MACS kid a premade Maisy card with stickers and a pretty picture postcard in it.

[Julie]

Hello! Cute pics of Mia there. Our church was collecting new school supplies for local kids during the month of January. I took my oldest and we hit Target - picking up boxes of crayons and pencils to donate. I thought it was a good idea for the church to collect them now. 1/2 thru the school year children in need could certainly use a new set to work with.

[Judy]

I suck, I didn't send a card, even though Hallmark is my drug of choice. I did however buy 5 boxes of Girl Scout cookies from a friends daughter, but rather than getting the cookies for myself the troop will take my money and donate the boxes to a local battered women's shelter.

[Regina]

Well i can't say i was that good; I had plans (and still do!) of picking up 5 birthday cards for that kid in Canada; why 5 well i would send 1 and each of the guys in my office would (be forced) to send 1 and the last would be for my fiance to send; i think i will pick up those cards tomorrow (just remind k!)
but what i did do, well i commented to your post so i got a $1 donated to St. Judes (i know cop out!) and i donated a $1 to another kid foundation in FL, just can't remember which 1. And we donated clothes.

Next month i plan on chopping off my hair for "Locks of Love" i figure i spent a really long growing it and i think it is beautiful so i want it to go to good use... (help i am scared) I will send you pics if you like!

[MoMMY]

Cards were sent (my kids made them) and I finished one hat (it's sitting downstairs) and am trying to complete another before sending them off for the kids in Children's Hospital. I'm thinking the hats are my next month project though. So, overall, not a grand start but a start none the less.

[Amy H]

Judy - my mom did the same thing with the cookies but didn't know it. She told me later "Well, I know they went to a good cause, and I'm happy about it, but now I really want a cookie!"

Regina - that's great that you are doing that! I did it last year. However, there are some things you might not have heard about them (I hadn't!). After I read what I did, I really wish I'd looked into it more. I imagined some little girl having hair that looked like mine, running around happy that she was no longer bald - in reality, it was more than likely sold for a few bucks overseas (less than the check I sent with it!!). The money still helps people and I still think they're a good organization to do what they do, but they aren't very forthcoming about their practices. There is also wigsforkids.org which does pretty much the same thing, except they include kids with cancer as well as kids with other diseases. (BTW, I CRIED when I chopped mine, but I was okay after a couple weeks...you will be too!) ;)

[Alex]

I sent the three kiddos that were featured in January ('cuz that's when I sent mine) a Hawaii postcard with kid-friendly Hawaiian themed things like dolphins and hula teddy bears and such.

[Laura]

I don't know if it counts, but I finished crocheting a blanket last night that I'm donating to a local halfway house for pregnant mothers... and their babies. I posted a pic on my blog.

Rock on Beth!

[Cobwebs]

I have a 16-year-old stepdaughter with a strong sense of entitlement. I bought the cards, then insisted that she help me choose which kids on the Make a Child Smile site to send them to, and help write a message to each one. In addition to making some kids happy, I'm hoping I gave her a solid dose of "You are SOOOO fortunate." Thanks for the idea, Beth! Can't wait for this month's idea.

[Kristine]

I wrote about the cards my Girl Scout Troop and I made at http://thewoodlife.blogspot.com/2007/02/macs.html

They had a great time making them.

[Haley-O]

I sent you pics of our cards. :)
I love Mia's red barrettes. Adorable. The pics are just getting cuter and cuter -- just when I thought it wasn't possible to get cuter!!!

[Annie]

I got myself roped into doing this month's fund raising drive for my YMCA. The money will go to financial aid for families and individuals who can't afford the Y without help. It's a great cause and I love the Y, but I hate cold calling and asking people for things. So I haven't started yet. I make my first calls tomorrow. Wish me luck!

[Janene]

I did the same thing as Heather. I bought some Valentine's day cards and sent them with a pack of stickers. I just didn't have the time to make anything with my adjusting to 2 babies. :) I did look at the interests of the two kids I sent them to, though...and send Incredibles stickers to the little boy who liked superheros and winnie-the-pooh stickers to the little girl who "loves" piglet and pooh.

[shawna]

Love the card Mia and Beth!!!!

I think I already kmentioned this, but short on time and insanely emotionally booked this month, I opted to donate a new book to the city Library for the teen readers section, donated one for the adults as well **shrug** but I still plan to send out the card...doing it today. In fact, I will be enticing my 7 year old to help me with one of his wonderful cards filled with ticket messages...wuill have it mailed by Monday and plan to send the little boy his birthday card (the little boy trying to beat the world record.)

So there it is, I guess I better get busy no doubt!

And I will blog about it and link it back here early next week :-)

Wonderful thing you are doing Beth!

[bad penguin]

I bought toys for Dr. Bear's Closet at Children's Hospital. I'll send you a photo, at some point. Maybe. See, you're not the only procrastinator.