Halloween is over, Remembrance Day is before us, and once November 12th arrives, I can officially pull out the Christmas CDs and maybe think about decorating the house! This is definitely the busiest time of the year for me – the holidays bring with them the annual holiday gift guide (5th year running, wow!) and of course all the prep and excitement that comes with looking forward to spending Christmas with the grandparents. Add to it a family vacation next month and we’ve got the perfect storm brewing to cause some stressed out, emotional kids.
It’s important during the holiday season to take some time to give thanks, count our blessings, and remember those less fortunate than us. Every year before Christmas we clean up and clean out the toy room. It’s a great way to pass on toys that have been loved and forgotten about to charity, while giving space to a toy box sure to fill up at Christmas because we are blessed with the ability to do so.
This fall, I’ve been paying more attention to paying it forward. I’ve been conscious of people or situations brought into my life and realized that many things we think are coincidence happen for a reason. At the risk of sounding a little “out there”, I’m listening to the messages brought to me by the universe around me and reacting by performing a good deed, kind of like playing tennis with the universe. I send a little magic and good will out into the universe…and good things happen! I haven’t explained the pay-it-forward mission with my kids in that context but have explained how doing good deeds for others makes us feel good.
In October when I was at BlissDom Canada in Toronto, I won a LEGO DUPLO Cinderella’s Castle toy at the Mom Central party I went to. Being a LEGO DUPLO Play Agent, I’ve received some awesome LEGO DUPLO products in the past month, so this one was a bonus. I decided that, since I won it, there must have been a reason. Unexpected surprise + holiday season = donation to charity! The thing is, I’m not sure which charity or intended recipient this is supposed to go to but I have no doubt the universe will show me in time.
If you’re still reading along, this is good – it means you haven’t decided I’m nuts and perhaps think there’s some merit in my new found philosophy! Try it yourself – are people being brought into your life for a reason? Is there an opportunity to do a small act of kindness to make someone’s day better that presents itself to you?
LEGO DUPLO is continuing their giving by giving my readers the opportunity to win a pretty amazing prize this holiday season!
Check out 8 of the hottest toys from LEGO DUPLO this holiday season! How many would your kids or someone in your life love to have? Well, here’s your opportunity! Tell me which 4 of the toys you’d like to win – and one of my readers is going to win their choice of 4 toys, completely wrapped and ready to go under the tree or in a donation! Excited? Me too! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter! Good luck everyone!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I am a LEGO DUPLO Play Agent and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog, as always, are my own.
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my first zoo, my first supermarket, creative cakes and play with letters
My 2 year old is a lego guy, and he loves the Zoo set that he got for his birthday. I’d love to give him both the play with letters and play with numbers sets, as well as the my first supermarket and the brick box.
1, 2, 7 & 8.
I love #3,4,5,& 6
tammykd at live dot com
My top 4 are #’s 3,4,6 & 8
#2, #3, #5 and #8
#2, #3, #4, #8
4,3,2,8
4, 5, 7 & 8
I love #2,3,4 &8!
My first Zoo, playing with letters, Supermarket, and cupcakes YUM!
1. snow white
2. sleeping beauty
3. my first supermarket
4. play with letters
1 creative cakes 2 play with letters 3 my first supermarket and 4 my first zoo
My First Supermarket.
My First Zoo.
Creative Cakes.
Sleeping Beauty’s set
I like the Creative Cakes, Brick Box, snow white’s cottage and sleeping beauty’s room!
My daughter would love 5, 6, 7, 8! Thanks for the chance!
i think, 1,4,5,6
I like the My first zoo, my first supermarket, Play with letters and play with numbers.
My daughter would love 1, 3, 5, 7
My first zoo, play with numbers, my first supermarket, play with letters
1,3, 6 and 7! That is awesome as they all are truly fantastic!!
#1 , 3, 6, & 7
I like 1,3,6, and 7
Creative Cakes, Sleeping Beauty Room, My first zoo and my first supermarket
1, 3, 5, 7
zoo, letters, numbers, brick box
2, 5, 6, and 7
sleeping beauty, my firts supermarket, zoo and creative cakes
1,3,5,7. Love the fun girl themes!
1,4,5, 7 would be my favorites, but love lego-duplo, and its always a great gift as well
My first zoo, my first supermarket, play with numbers and play with letters would be my choices
#2, #4, #5, #8–love Lego!
1347 …amazing prizes!!!!
play with numbers, my first zoo, brick box, play with letters
3
5
6
8
2, 3, 4 and 8 are what i would pick ty
1, 3, 5, 8 perfect for my grandbabies!!
My First Zoo, My First Supermarket, Brick Box, Play with Letters
Oooo….1, 5, 6, 7!
Love this giveaway!
I like Playing by Numbers, Playing by Letters, My First Supermarket and My First Zoo.
My First Zoo; My First Supermarket; Brick Box; Play With Letters.
Play with numbers, my first zoo, play with letters, my first supermarket
I would pick # 2 (play with numbers), 3 (my first zoo), 4 (brick box) and 8 (play with letters) if I win. Awesome giveaway!
Pllay with Numbers, Play with Letters, Supermarket and My FIrst Zoo
supermarket, zoo, letters and numbers!
I’d do a split for my daughter and my nephew so I need something girlie and something more neutral.
Snow White’s Castle, Creative Cakes
My First Zoo and Play with Letters!
I would pick 2,3,6, and 8!
1,35,6