Veterans Day Archives - JDaniel4s Mom

I Am Grateful for Family {21 Days of Gratitude Challenge}

November 13, 2013 By Deirdre

I am participating in the 21 Day of Gratitude Challenge Hop hosted by Inspired by Famila. Today’s theme or focus is gratitude for family. I am truly fortunate to have a loving and supportive family. When someone is in need or needs support, my family rallies around them. I saw that happen when my brother-in-law was sent to Afghanistan last year.

Charles headed to Afghanistan right after Thanksgiving last year leaving my sister Catherine and their two children behind. We send cards and care packages to my brother-in-law as well as gifts for my sister and the kids. It was so important to remember them and show them they were important.

I Am Grateful for Family {21 Days of Gratitude Challenge} - Carrying Flags

We held my sister, brother-in-law and their kids in our prayers. I didn’t always know the specifics of what to pray for, but we handed over prayers knowing that God would hear them and send the answers that were needed.

A couple of weeks ago JDaniel and I went to our local veterans memorial to help plant flags in the ground. There was a number of local newspaper and television reporters present. Each went around asking the various groups present as to why they decided to come to the memorial to help to plant flags. I told them what I had told JDaniel on our way over to the memorial. We came to remember those who served our country by getting their memorial ready for Veterans Day and that we have two veterans that recently fought for our country overseas.

I Am Grateful for Family {21 Days of Gratitude Challenge} - Field of Flags

The event organizers were so impressed with all the work JDaniel did that day. He helped plant flags when we first got there. Then he moved on to distributing flags to those who were using stakes create holes to place the flags in. Finally, he helped me by holding my collection of flags to be planted so they won’t touch the ground. JDaniel worked for over two hours.

I Am Grateful for Family {21 Days of Gratitude Challenge} - Veteran's Day Quote

When we left that day, we both felt like we had done something special. It was truly special to look back and see the field filled with flags knowing that we had planted some of them as a tribute to those in our family who have served.

The Gratitude Challenge runs from November 1st- 21st. Each day one or two bloggers will be sharing an encouraging quote focused on being thankful, grateful, kindness… They will also share an activity or share their 21 Gratitude moment. Stop by and visit their website on the date listed below to read their Contagious Gratitude story or activity.

Here are the lovely bloggers and each day they have posted:

Nov 1st. – Mari at Inspired by Familia – Day One Girlfriends are necessary…
3rd Devany at Still Playing School Day Three- In Memory of Violet (Hold your little ones a little longer)
6th – Kim at The Educators’ Spin On It Day Six – I Am Thankful For You Chocolate Bar Wrappers & Craft (free printable)
7th Kristina at Toddler Approved! Day Seven – Parenting Challenges: I am Grateful for the kids who are the hardest to love.
8th – Amy at The Connection We Share Day Eight – Before I Tuck Him In – Teaching Gratitude
& Bits of Positivity – Gratitude for New Adventures… In Parenting
9th – Jane at Mama Pea Pod – Day Nine –How the Magic of My Kids Kept Me Alive
10th Jen at Mum in the Madhouse – Choose Happiness
& The Eyes of a Boy Remembering the Loss, Thankful for the Present
11th Melissa at Mama Miss Thankful FREE Print & Thankful Jar
12th Jen at Plain Vanilla Mom
13th Annette at Tips from a Typical Mom
14th Natalie at Learning with Mouse
15th Carla at Preschool Powol Packets
16th Giselle at Kids Yoga Stories
19th Ariadne at Positive Parenting Connection

20th Jen Farr at Kitchen Counter Chronicles
21st Jen Fischer at The Good Long Road

34 Patriotic Activities For Kids

November 9, 2013 By Deirdre

We really enjoy celebrating our country, those you helped found it, and those you have served it. I don’t think it really has to do with the fact we live in the United States. I would probably be teaching JDaniel patriotism and pride in those who serve no matter where we lived in the world. It was something I was taught when I was little and something JDaniel has been taught since he was little too. We worked on learning about patriotism by doing patriotic activities.

Last week I shared three posts about Veterans Day that join thirty-one other posts that have appeared on this blog or in guest posts I have done for others on the subject of patriotic holidays. If you are looking for ways to share Veterans Day and other patriotic holidays with the children in your life, I hope you will take a moment to look through these patriotic activities.

Here are 35 Patriotic Activities:

We made a Veterans Day craft when cork painted poppy after reading The Poppy Lady last week. I love how it turned out.

A bingo marker was the perfect paint tool to use when we learned how to make a coffee filter poppy.

34 Patriotic Activities For Kids -Eating at a Memorial

Five patriotic activities to do with kids to remember those who have served our country were shared in this post called Veterans Day Activities for Kids.We baked a patriotic cake for the 4th of July that would be wonderful for an array of patriotic holidays.

Patriotic chili would be great for to serve to a veteran you know. It would also be great for Memorial Day, Labor Day, Flag Day or the 4th of July.25 patriotic activities for kids is a round up of crafts, food creations, books, and learning activities with patriotic themes. It was posted in early July.

We planted flags at our local veterans memorial along with a number of other volunteers two Saturdays ago. What fun we had! I will be sharing more about the experience in tomorrow’s post. It is called 21 Days of Gratitude- Family.

How to you share patriotic holidays with your family?

Veteran’s Day Activities for Kids

November 4, 2013 By Deirdre

Veteran’s Day is just around the corner on November 11th. It is one of those holidays that is celebrated and remembered or just passing by without people giving it a second thought. We happen to be in the first group of people at my house. My grandfather, dad, sister, and brother-in-law were are or in the military. My father-in-law was too. Remembering the service they and many others have given is really important to me.When JDaniel was three we started visiting the local soldiers memorial in our town. I bring lunch and we talk about they people whose names are displayed on the brick walkways. Without going into a lot of detail about what they were asked to do while giving their service or what happened to them we acknowledge them and all they did.

If you don’t have a memorial near you there are still a lot of things you can be for Memorial Day.

Veteran’s Day Activities

Prayer

You can offer prayers of thanks or supplication for those who have served. I bet they would be thrilled to know that they are being remembered. Simple prayers for their health, families and basic needs can be said by children young and old.

Read Books that Relate to Memorial Day

I shared the book The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans yesterday. It is a wonderful book about a lovely lady who wanted those who served to remember. She lobbied hard to get the poppy to be a universal symbol for remembering Veterans.

The book The Wall by Eve Bunting about a young boy and his father visiting the Vietnam Veteran’s memorial to see the father’s name. This book always leaves me teary eyed.Put Flags Up in Your Yard

Small flags planted in your front yard will remind those who drive your house that there is a special day that is being remembered. The flags may even jog people’s memories as to what holiday they are up for.

Send a Note to a Veteran

If you don’t have a family member that you can send a note to, you can check with people in your church or local retirement homes. There are probably a number of veterans that live near you that would love to get a note or card.

Here are some organizations that will get your notes to veterans:

Operation Gratitude

AMillionThanks.org

Create Poppies to Pass Out

JDaniel and I created a poppy by cork painting. I shared those in a post on Friday called Veterans Day Activity. We also made coffee filter poppies. I will show you how we made them tomorrow. You could display them in your home or give them to a veteran or veterans group.

Veterans Day Craft- Cork Painted Poppy

November 1, 2013 By Deirdre

Veterans Day is a holiday I have worked on sharing with JDaniel since he was really little. Our family has a number of veterans in it. Even if it didn’t this holiday is important to remember. So many have given their lives, time away from their families, and so much more. It is so important to be that they are shown respect along with being remembered. This year we read a wonderful book and created a cork-painted poppy as one of our ways of remembering.

I was contacted by Barbara Elizabeth Walsh the author of The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans. She asked if I would love to preview a copy of the book. Veterans Day is one of those holidays that is often forgotten, but so needs to be remembered. I responded to her quickly that I would love to read this wonderful book and share it with you.

JDaniel and I raced to open the package containing the book as soon as it arrived. We loved looking through the book’s wonderful illustrations. They are filled with images that share the concepts beautifully.

Young children could easily picture walking through the book if they are not ready for the text. There is a lot of text on some page spreads. The illustrations are just wonderful and carry much of the meaning of the text.

We read every word and by the end of the book, we were both teary-eyed. Moina’s mission to have every American wear a poppy to remember the soldiers is very moving. This is a must-have book for Veterans Day.

What did we do to explore The Poppy Lady?

The weather here has been warm and sunny. After reading the book The Poppy Lady, JDaniel and I headed outside. I had set out paint, corks, and paper to paint a red poppy just like the ones Moina passed out.

Veterans Day Craft - Cork Painting a Poppy and The Poppy Lady

The afternoon sun cast shadows on our workspace. You will see JDaniel’s shadow in the pictures. At first I thought about trying to eliminate them. After looking at them, I realized the shadows are a great reminder of the service the veterans gave to our country. The shadows remind me that the veterans and their service are a part of who we are as a country and as a family.

JDaniel was an enthusiastic painter some of the cork-painted spots were light, but most of them were strong and spattered. The white drawing paper we used did a good job of absorbing the paint and yet it lets the paint color stay strong.

Veterans Day Craft - Cork Painting a Poppy

When he finished painting, he went off to play with the next-door neighbor. We needed to give the poppy a chance to dry before JDaniel cut it out. The sun was so bright it didn’t take long for the paint to dry. JDaniel tried to find a spot on the deck where he could cut the poppy out without having the sun in his eyes.

When the cork-painted poppy cut out, we hung it on the fridge. It will be a great reminder of veterans and their service. We will be remembering them in our mealtime prayers in the days leading up to Veterans Day on November 11th.

On Monday I will be sharing a post on several other ways to remember veterans and Veterans Day. I hope you will stop by and check it out.

You will find more Veterans Day craft ideas and lots of other wonderful craft ideas on my Crafts for Kids board on Pinterest.

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of The Poppy Lady. All opinions and thoughts about the book are my own.

Muffin Tin Monday on Sunday- Veterans Day

November 6, 2011 By Deirdre

Veteran’s Day isn’t until Friday, but I thought we would celebrate it early.JDaniel loved the mandarin oranges in the star-shaped ice cube tray. They were hard to pull out, but I think he thought it looked like more oranges than he usually gets. I reloaded the ice cube tray when he discovered they weren’t enough.The stripes on the flag-themed lunch are made of sun-dried tomato bread, ham, and cheddar cheese. I guess it is like having very skinny sandwich fixings.This lunch was a hit. He could barely wait for the picture of the meal to be taken. He was also very hungry. We had a very busy morning.

If you look closely at the picture, you will see a hospital bracelet on one of his wrists. JDaniel fell and landed with his head against a coffee table on Halloween Day while we were at playgroup. I will be sharing more about what happened on Mommy of a Monster and Twins tomorrow. This post is linked to Muffin Tin Monday!