World Kindness Day... Participate with a Random Act of Kindness Today!

Everyone needs a little kindness in their lives – a time when they feel completely accepted by another individual, accept a reward for no reason at all, or better yet, gives the gift of kindness to another person. Today is World Kindness Day.

We are taught kindness from our childhood, an Aesop Fabulist writing “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” But can we teach our children kindness, can kindness grow? According to researchers at the Center for Investigating Health Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we can not only train children to be more compassionate, but adults as well.

Researchers trained young-adults how to increase the caring feelings for those who were suffering. First they encouraged participants to use ancient Buddhist meditation to relieve another person’s suffering. They repeated phrases to help them focus on compassion. Initially, participants started envisioning people they knew, and gradually moved into feeling compassion for themselves, and then for strangers. Eventfully, they used the training to feel compassion for an individually whom they had a previous difficult encounter with. Through the study, researchers found that people can be trained to feel compassion and kindness for other individuals.

Here are a few ideas to help you celebrate World Kindness Day -

• Donate used books to a local library 
• Give care packs to the homeless
• Volunteer at a local school 
• Help a neighbor or friend with yard work
• Let someone in line go in front of you 
• Pay the tab for someone behind you 
• Stop and say thank you at the local fire or police department 
• Pick up trash 
• Send flowers 
• Cook a meal for someone 
• Leave quarters at a vending machine

“The best part of life is not just surviving but thriving with passion and compassion and human and style and generosity and kindness” ~ Maya Angelou

Happy Kindness Day!

Happy Veterans Day.... Thank You!

Happy Veterans Day! Today is an annual holiday is to honor and celebrate the United States armed forces, including those currently serving.

Consider celebrating in one of the following ways:

1. Offer a simple thank you. You can call, email, text, post on social media.
2. Help an active military family. You can help around their homes, with their children, or just be a friend.
3. Visit hospitalized veterans.
4. Donate to the local VFW
5. Support one of the following businesses who are offering discounts to veterans today.

Here are a few ways that businesses are thanking veterans today. If you’re a veteran take advantage of today!! Make sure you check to see if your local establishment is participating and have your military ID with you to cash in on these awesome offers. 

Applebee’s – Free meal from the Thank You Meal Menu.

California Pizza Kitchen – Free pizza; dine-in only.

Carrabba’s – Free appetizer.

Chili’s – Free entrée from a special menu.

Denny’s – Eat all the pancakes you want (on the house) between 6 am and 2 pm.

Famous Dave’s – Between free meals or a 25% discount depending on your location.

Great Clips – Free haircut.

JCPenny – 20% off purchase with printable coupon. 

Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut and a small coffee.

Little Caesars – Free crazy bread. 

Longhorn Steakhouse – Free Texax “Tonion” appetizer and (non-alcoholic) beverage.

National Parks – Free admission.

O’Charley’s – Free meal from the $9.99 menu. 

Olive Garden – Free meal from the Veterans Day menu. Any family member with a Veteran receive 10 percent off their bills too!

Outback Steakhouse – Free Bloomin’ Onion and beverage.

Red Robin – Free burger and fries.

Red Lobster – Free appetizer.

Starbucks – Free tall brewed coffee.

Sports Clips – Free haircut.

Texas Roadhouse – Free lunch.

TGIFridays – Free lunch between 11 am and 2 pm.

Tim Horton’s – Free doughnut.

Walgreens – Get 15% off eligible store items.

Free night’s stay at participating Bed and Breakfasts.

A personal thank you to the men and women who protect our freedom each and every day. Thank you!

Friday Fun in November

It’s finally the weekend! Here are some things we’re headed to do this weekend. Join us if you can!!

Mmmmm….Dellicious! 
Sip, Savor, Stomp: A Holiday Wine Tasting – Royal Oak Farmers Market
Lansing Fall Fest – 902 E. Saginaw Highway, Grand Ledge
Michigan Food, Beer, and Wine Fest – Perani Arena, Flint

Animal Activities 
West Michigan Harvest Cluster AKC Dog Show – Kalamazoo County Expo Center & Fairgrounds
Novi Equestrian Expo – Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi

For the Family
Grand River Valley Railroad Club Fall Train Show – Home School Building, 5625 Burlingame Ave, Wyoming
Kalamazoo 51st Annual Holiday Parade – Downtown Kalamazoo
Run-A-Munk – Woldumar Nature Center, Lansing

Ladies Only 
Women’s Only Weekend – hit the shops and do some dining in South Haven this weekend!

A Month of Gratitude

November is the month to give thanks and we have so much to be thankful for this year!

We’re thankful for amazing customers this year. The growth of our agency is due to referrals from our current clients. We pride ourselves on the growth we make through relationships we’ve built for more than thirty years. Without our clients, we wouldn’t be here today; so thank you to our amazing customers who do so much for our agency.

We’re thankful for wonderful, supportive and creative employees. Although employees usually don’t hear it nearly enough, we are thankful for all that they do! They are an amazing group of people; dedicated throughout the day, in the evenings, and even on weekends. It is because of our employees that our clients receive such amazing attention. Our employees are detailed and ensure that customers receive the service and coverage they need. Thank you to an amazing group of people!!

Who and what are the things that you are most thankful for this year? We’d love to hear from you!

Halloween... The After-Party!

Yep, we’re stuck on the Halloween theme… at least until next week!

So, Halloween is over; last night your kids probably counted, weighed, and sorted their candy; deciding quickly what they would keep for themselves and what they would give to moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters. If they haven't already, have your kids sort it – it really is a great learning activity. Their teachers would be proud!!

Seriously though, you’ve probably got tons of it. Our boys always did and we didn’t know what to do with it, until the next holiday when we threw it away. I always felt so wasteful. Here are some great tips that you can do with the extra candy:

Use it in the Kitchen 

• Freeze it. You can add it to recipes throughout the year – cookies, brownies and the occasional milkshake.
• Bake it into cakes, cookies, or brownies.
• Use it in a healthy mix. Crush it up, and sprinkle it on celery or in yogurt, or add it to trail mix.

For the Home

• Use it to decorate your home. Make a craft.
• Make a candy cake. These make great gifts!
• Save it to decorate a gingerbread house in December.
• Make a candy wreath.

Drink it

• Share it with other adults. Chocolate is wonderful paired with wine!
• Use it to infuse vodka.
• Pop a piece in your morning coffee.

Teaching Tools 

• Have your kids use it to help them with math – addition, subtraction, counting, multiplying. All sorts of math problems can be done with candy. 
• Use it to inspire your child to write. Candy has all sorts of names that would be great for settings, characters, or interesting creative writing situations. 
• Give it to children when the practice their spelling words or do some extra reading. 
• Use it in a science experiment. 

Share It! 

• Send it into school with your child.
• Mail it to troops. Groups like Operation Shoe box love to add candy to care packages.
• Take it to the office and share it with your coworkers.
• Donate it to the fire department, a nursing home, many organizations accept candy.

Check out our Celebrate | Halloween Candy Leftovers Pinterest board for all sorts of recipes and ideas and follow us while you're there!

Happy Friday ~ have a great weekend!