Putting Family First

PUTTING FAMILY FIRST CHALLENGE IS COMING!

2007-02-20T17:51:00.000-06:00

Gather your family together and make a pledge to join the Putting Family First Challenge starting on March 5th! Promise to spend 21 minutes together each day and get the kids to bed on time.

We have assembled an amazing array of fun family prizes. There will be opportunities to visit a Grand WaterPark, have fun at Pump It Up and share family dinners at local restaurants. Shop for groceries or prepare meals at My Girlfriend's Kitchen and Let's Dish.

Every family that enters will receive a Mystery Pass to the Park at the Mall of America. It may be worth a one time ride or a pass for unlimited rides for an entire year!

Go to our home page and follow the link to the Challenge entry. You are in for some great family memories!!

THANKS FOR SHARING!

2007-01-30T18:40:00.000-06:00

Thanks Stacy for sharing your favorite hobby! I applaud you for keeping up the tradition of sending cards. Many believe that writing notes is becoming a lost art. If we take time to connect, it seems easier to do it on the phone or to send an email.

My Mom usually wrote letters to keep in touch and I cherish those letters. Dad didn't write as often but now that he is gone, seeing his handwriting brings back so many warm and happy memories! A phone call or email just isn't the same!! Consider starting the new hobby of writing notes to those you love!

My Favorite Hobby

2007-01-29T05:55:00.000-06:00

I just had to tell you about card making. I also do scrapbooking, but making cards has helped me stay in touch with my family. I find reasons to send my homemade art to those I love. I have always sent thank you notes, but my son has done so reluctantly. I think letting him chose from my homemade cards has at least made it a little more interesting for him. I do not have much spare time, but when I do, I like to express myself by making cards. Now if I could only curb my "hobby" of BUYING the stuff to make cards!! I wonder if MAKING cards is really my second favorite hobby!?!

JANUARY IS NATIONAL HOBBY MONTH

2007-01-28T18:32:00.000-06:00

Do you have a favorite hobby? It might be baking, scrapbooking, woodworking, stamp collecting, knitting, reading...the list is endless. If you don't share it with the children, try it. You just might find it more fun when everyone is involved!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2006-12-23T22:46:00.001-06:00

FROM ALL OF US AT PUTTING FAMILY FIRST...

We wish you and yours a very happy holiday and

an amazing New Year!

Take time to make great memories!

MAKE MEMORIES

2006-12-20T06:53:00.000-06:00

December is a time when family and friends gather

to celebrate their faith and traditions. It is so incredibly easy to get

wrapped up in the rush to get things done.

Remember that after the last cookie is eaten and the new toys are broken or forgotten, our children will always have their memories of this season.

We are reminded that children spell love...T.I.M.E!

We hope that you will take time to make great memories!

Traditions

2006-12-11T07:54:00.000-06:00

I celebrated my birthday recently. For the past 3 years we have gone to the same place to eat. I realized how excited my family was to just do the same thing and experience something familiar. A new tradition born! I think families take comfort in traditions. It is one less decision to make about 'what do you want to do this year?' for special events. I certainly love that!

TAKE A MOMENT

2006-11-30T22:04:00.000-06:00

December is here and with it comes the shopping, baking, wrapping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, running, more shopping and wrapping!! Before it all begins, take a moment to think about: What is REALLY important in my life? What are my priorities?

Perhaps this year I might want to run less, slow down and take time to be together as a family. What if I ask my children if they would like another gift...or more of my time? I'm betting they will say time! It truly is my choice!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2006-11-23T00:16:00.000-06:00

All of us at Putting Family First

wish you a blessed Thanksgiving!

May it be filled with family,

good food, good laughter, and good memories!

One More Thought

2006-11-21T18:30:00.000-06:00

When you decide to make a Thanksgiving tablecloth, (see previous blog) you will want to put a plastic cloth under it to make sure the markers don't go through to your table. (You may not want them THAT permanent!) I'm going to start this tradition this year with our children and grandchildren!

MAKE A MEMORY!

2006-11-21T18:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a holiday idea I wish I had heard about when our kids were little....
Buy a plain white, inexpensive tablecloth for your Thanksgiving table. Put out lots of permanent fabric markers. Have each person at the table write down one thing they are grateful for this year and mark it with the year. Use the same cloth each year and you will have a running history of your family's Thanksgiving thoughts. Very young children will need help.

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES!

2006-11-11T17:59:00.000-06:00

About a week before Halloween when the kids and I were running errands, they noticed and commented upon the fact that every store we visited was already prepared for Christmas - even Home Depot! Our oldest lightheartedly stated, "Poor Thanksgiving! No one even notices it any more!"

This spurred a grand discussion at our dinner table that evening and instigated a family challenge...to give thanks everyday for the month of November. To make it easier for our kids, we suggested they thank someone everyday. It is amazing how much happiness is bestowed by two simple words...Thank You. We discuss our success at dinner every night. The stories could fill a book!

We encourage all of you to take the Thanksgiving challenge too!

This fun story was shared by Anne N., a member of the Putting Family First Board

Journaling

2006-10-23T19:29:00.000-05:00

I was encouraged to journal as a young girl. When I look back at my teenage thoughts, I can't believe we are even the same person! Just think how your children will enjoy looking back at their teenage parent's musings. Your history is a very important link to the past and future. Take some time to write down your thoughts. Keep a journal in the car to write things down while you are waiting for the kids to finish soccer. Keep a scrapbook of the fun things you to pass down to your kids. I even keep calendars so that I can look back at what our daily lives were like while raising our young son. There are many ways to contribute to your family history!

Family History Research Websites

2006-10-11T13:46:00.000-05:00

Since October is Family History Month, I thought I would share some websites .
www.familysearch.org ,www.ancestry.com,
www.rootsweb.com ,www.ancestry.com/search/nameorigin.aspx ,
www.vitalrec.com ,www.genealogy.com ,
www.cyndislist.com ,www.dmarie.com/timecap/step1.asp,
www.worldgenweb.org .

You can also use Heritage Quest accessed through the Public Library. Some of these websites have a subscription fee. If you visit a Family History Center located at the local LDS Church near you, you may visit those websites for free. Thank you to Lori Roth for compiling these sites.

Making the Connections

2006-10-05T15:40:00.000-05:00

I have to admit I rely on my mom to do the family history work for our family. She has traced some of our relatives to the 1200's! Some of the work I have done has been to take a year long calendar with questions, and pose them to my 91 year old Grandma. We have made it through the July questions. Every time I go to visit her in the nursing home, I bring that calendar booklet. She can even remember the names of children she went to school with! In starting your search for your family history, you start by writing down the things you already know. My dad asked me to find out some facts about his mother, and by knowing the state she died in, I was able to find her. I had to tell my dad that he had been spelling her name wrong! Thank goodness for the internet. The website www.familysearch.org offers several search options and links to other websites. Have you had any luck finding your ancestors?

October is Family History Month!

2006-09-28T14:40:00.000-05:00

I have discovered that researching your family history is second only to gardening as a popular hobby! My mom has researched ours by using The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints(LDS) Family History Centers. You can find them in your local phone books. They provide computers, free websites(even those you need to subscribe to), and helpers. I guess I have taken the craftier route and have started to make scrapbooks for future generations. Through out the month, I will share some websites and projects that will focus on family history. Have a fun Family History Month!

Putting Family First is Worth it!

2006-09-20T22:35:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone!
I just have to say how wonderful the Board members of Putting Family First are. With life being so busy, it is such a nice thing to sit across a table from these special people. We discuss how life passes by so quickly. We discuss if children and families are getting enough sleep. We wonder how other families are faring in this competetive world. Is the family dinner a thing of the past?
Since there are so few of us, and many of you, we would LOVE to hear from you! Are you up to your eyeballs in activities? Let us know your thoughts.

My son always asks me to pitch baseballs to him in the driveway. I am not fond of going out in cold weather and pitching. I often hit him because I am a rotten pitcher. Yet..he still asks. Do I think he will remember that his mother was a terrible pitcher when he was 8 years old? I hope so...

PREPARE NOW FOR LABOR DAY DRIVING

2006-08-29T21:42:00.000-05:00

As you get into your car to go out and enjoy the Labor Day weekend, it is important to know that one in ten drivers admits to falling asleep at the wheel at least twice a month. Some suffer from untreated sleep disorders or have work schedules that leave too little time for sleep. Too often, however, many people work, pack, get food and fuel, and then hit the road with no thought of how little sleep they have gotten and little or no understanding of the risk they pose to themselves, their passengers, and everyone else on the road.

FIND THE REST OF THIS STORY AND TIPS FOR SAFE DRIVING FROM THE NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION http://www.sleepfoundation.org/nsfalert/index.php#item614

The ABCs of Back to School Sleep Schedules

2006-08-22T21:29:00.000-05:00

For many children and teens, summer vacation is synonymous with staying up late and sleeping in during the day. In a few short weeks that habit will be changing!!

The National Sleep Foundation urges parents and children to make sleep a priority during the school year and they offer tips for back-to-school sleep schedules. Find these tips and more at:
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/press/index.php?secid=&id=334

WE HAVE A WINNER!

2006-05-02T17:34:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

MC KEVITT FAMILY

OF PLYMOUTH, MN.

You have won a two night family get away

at the new Holiday Inn and

Wildwoods Waterpark in Otsego, MN.

Putting Family First wants to thank the over one hundred

families who entered our Putting Family First Challenge!

We will be sharing comments from our families

about the challenge and also share pictures of

our winners as soon as we receive them!

Watch for our new and expanded

Putting Family First Challenge next year!

Are You Sleep Deprived?

2006-04-13T09:38:00.000-05:00

Recently, sleep deprivation has become the hot new topic. We are seeing lack of sleep impacting children, teens and adults. Check out the state of your family's sleep level with a fun quiz put out by the National Sleep Foundation at http://www.sleepfoundation.org/quiz

What Kids Really Want

2006-04-05T07:58:00.000-05:00

What Kids Really Want That Money Can't Buy

Betsy Taylor, MPA
President, Center for a New American Dream
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
7:00-8:30 pm (6:30-7:00 registration)
Eisenhower Community Center
1001 Highway 7, Hopkins

Cost: $10. Scholarships available.
Tickets available at the door or register online at www.stdavids.net. For more information, call 952-939-0396.

Learn how to help your children resist the influence of our consumer culture, find non-material sources of fulfillment, and discover the true magic of childhood.

PUTTING FAMILY FIRST CHALLENGE ENDS TONIGHT!

2006-03-27T10:18:00.000-06:00

We are very excited to start receiving entries into our Putting Family First Challenge! We hope that your family has had great success with our 21 For 21 contest:

For 21 days you spent at least 21 minutes around the table
The kids got to bed on time for the same 21 days

Please send your completed calendar (printed from our website) with name, address and phone number to:

Putting Family First
5270 Yvette Street
Greenfield, MN 55357

ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 10TH.

THE DRAWING WILL TAKE PLACE ON APRIL 11TH!

We would love to hear how you spent your table time and what effect more

sleep had on your children. We will share your stories on our website.

Best of luck to all of you!!

IS YOUR FAMILY SLEEP DEPRIVED?

2006-03-24T09:45:00.000-06:00

Monday is the start of National Sleep Awareness Week. Much research is being done on the importance of adequate sleep for children and adults.

Can children do their best in school when they are tired?
Can lack of sleep impact teens driving safety?
Can adults perform at their best when they are exhausted?

Learn more about sleep at the National Sleep Foundation.

PFF Challenge - 4 days left

2006-03-23T08:12:00.000-06:00

We hope that your family is having great success with our Putting Family First Challenge! There are only four days left to spend 21 minutes of table time with your kids and four more days to get them to bed on time.

When you are finished with your calendar, send it to the address listed on the website and you will have a chance to win a fabulous family get away to the new Holiday Inn and Wild Woods Waterpark in Otsego, MN.

Best of luck!!