Once Unwritten

Empowering You To Tell Your Untold Story

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April 8, 2017 by Jess Leave a Comment

Kid-Friendly Letter Writing Using Paper Airplanes!

When I was a kid, I remember taking my lunch to school each day. One peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich, a bag of potato chips, some fruit and maybe a little dessert like leftover brownies or homemade chocolate chip cookies. My mom was always so thoughtful with our lunches, but when I sat down to eat, the first thing I would do was find the note my dad had written me. Each day, before he left for work, he would sit down and write my sister and I a quick note.

Some days, it was just a simple “Have a great day, I love you” and his signature smiley face. Other days, he’d spend extra time imparting bits of wisdom, using our spelling words in a sentence or dressing up that smiley face into a pumpkin for Halloween or a including a four-leaf clover on St. Patty’s Day. To this day, I have a shoebox full of every lunchbox note my dad ever wrote to me. He was touched a few years ago when I told him I still had each of those notes.

My dad took the time each day to commit this small act that left a lasting impact on me, so when I heard about someone doing something similar with paper airplanes, I was on board!

Usborne carries a book called 100 Paper Planes to Fold and Fly. The book is a fun take on the art of paper airplane folding and includes several folding instructions for different styles of airplane and boasts changing paper patterns on each page.

A consultant in one of the groups I’m in began using this book as a way of connecting her Air Force husband to their kids during his absence. He would write them a letter, she would fold up the plane and the kids would find them in the house or their yard. This simple way of relating a message inspired me! I immediately sent a message to my friend Cait (whose husband is a pilot) and she loved the idea of doing this with her kids!

That got me thinking…I would LOVE to gift my friends with some samples of these paper airplanes to create a fun, new experience for their kids. If you are a pilot’s wife or military spouse, I would especially love to share these with you and your kids as a small token of my appreciation for your family’s service and sacrifice.

To claim your FREE paper airplanes, please follow the link to fill and fill out this Google Doc: Paper Airplane Giveaway

Once you’ve written, folded and shared all your letters, come on over and join my VIP group and tell us about your paper airplane experience!

Filed Under: Activities, Books, Literacy Tagged With: Aviation, Fun Activities for Kids, Letter Writing, Military, Paper Airplanes

April 8, 2017 by Jess Leave a Comment

5 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids

Have you ever been sitting in line at Starbucks, get to the window and learn that the person in front of you has already paid for your drink? Have you ever been performed a random act of kindness just to make a stranger smile? And, have you ever wondered how to teach your kids this sort of kindness that makes your heart smile? I have just the book for you!

Do Nice, Be Kind, Spread Happy is one of my favorite books because it teaches kids the value of kindness and how to put it into practice in their everyday lives. We could ALL use more of this in our lives and I believe that when kids see adults performing kind acts, they will mirror our actions and be inspired to come up with their own ideas for spreading kindness.

So, let me help get your creative juices flowing by giving you five easy ideas you can do with your kids today!

  1. Pay for someone’s order in the drive-thru line and include a colored page from your favorite coloring book. I promise, nothing gives someone a bigger smile than free coffee and a coloring page from a kid.
  2. Have your kids go through their old clothes and make a donation to a local foster home or children’s wellness group. When children see that their act of kindness is benefitting their peers, it becomes relatable. By performing an act for someone just like them, they will be more inclined to do kind acts for their peers in the future.
  3. Volunteer for a cause that is important to your family. The cause could be something as simple as walking a dog at the local animal shelter or attending a family fun run in your neighborhood.
  4. Sponsor a child. This is a big one, but our family recently embarked on this adventure with a boy named Marlon from Ecudaor. We exchange letters and postcards and we are able to support his family and community. He shares the same birthday as my stepson, so it gives us something to celebrate together. (More of this in another blog post!) While this is a more costly act of kindness it is certainly one that your children and family will remember and cherish for years to come.
  5. Looking for a quick, easy, FREE kindness tip? Pay someone a compliment, say please and thank you, hold the door open for a stranger, SMILE! In our fast paced lives, these small gestures show that even in the simplest of tasks, we can find time for kindness.

Do you have another idea for a random act of kindness or a story you’d like to share? Come on over to my VIP Group and give us a shout!

Filed Under: Activities, Books, Usborne Books Tagged With: Pay it Forward, Random Acts of Kindness, Teaching Manners, Volunteer

April 8, 2017 by Jess Leave a Comment

Welcome to Once Unwritten (Yes, Its FINALLY here!)

Welcome to Once Unwritten! (It’s Finally Here!)

Today is the day…GO LIVE Day. This came much later than expected, but it’s finally here! Please, come on in and wipe your shoes on the welcome mat. I know you haven’t been here before, but I’ve already wiped my shoes on the welcome mat and made myself comfortable and I want you to do the same.

Welcome Blog Once Unwritten Jess Olma

But before we crack open the wine and celebrate with some bubbly, I have a confession to make: I am terrified. Creative endeavors are never an easy undertaking and this was no exception. During this process, I have questioned my writing skills, my design abilities and my purpose. I have questioned my character and wondered if sharing these words with you was coming for a place of genuine love and care or whether I’m just a narcissist. I’ve spent countless hours brainstorming and writing, then rewriting and deleting. I have wondered if anyone was going to read this once I was live or if sharing my love of books and literacy and the life lessons along the way was worth it. I have felt like a fraud…and then a genius…and then a fraud again.

But, let me tell you something even more amazing than all of this. Along the way, I made some great friends who have been on the same journey as me….they’ve found their voice, their audience, their passion, their purpose. They have shined light in the dark places. They have been brave.

I thought that this whole blogging thing was going to be easy. It was not.

I haven’t quite found my voice yet, but it’s my turn to be brave. It’s time to turn down the voices in my head telling me this isn’t good enough and just let Once Unwritten be seen by the world. This blog is no good to me unless it is shared. So lovelies, I want you to know this blog has been a serious labor of love! I have invested a lot of time and energy into this baby and I hope that it comes through. So, without further ado…I welcome you to Once Unwritten!

Please, peruse the blog, read the posts, check out the links…and then, come show my VIP Group some love. Because, really, what good is a group without the people? Once you’re there, please let me know if there are any topics or issues you’d like me to cover. I want this to be of value to you too! I’m glad you’re here and I hope you’ll join me for the journey!

If you’re not already part of my VIP Group, come on over! It’s like my blog, but a little more cozy. (The music is better, you’ll love the people and the drinks are stronger. See you there!)

Until next time!

Filed Under: Blogging, Books, Writing

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