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Arbonne Angels ASAP Women and Children's Shelter Barenaked Ladies Bikes for Buddies Braveheart Callee Connon Christmas Bones Christmas gift Cindee Connon Clouds Connecticut School Shooting Costco Empty Bowls Feeding America Tampa Bay Florida Powerball Fly A Little Higher Gingerbread Bones Homemade Dog Treats Hunger Relief Jeff Patterson WFLA Jenerosity John Gray Kindness Day Tampa Bay Laugh at Funerals Leave a Legacy Lottery Hope love NBC Kindness Day One Week osteosarcoma Pilot Dog Rescue Pilots N Paws Sandy Hook Suncoast Animal Rescue Sword Ultimate Mix Tape Valentines Day waiting in line WFLA Kindness Day William Wallace Winn Dixie Charity Young Entrepreneurs Young Philanthropists Youth Volunteers Zach Sobiech

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A Good Man

PAY YOUR RESPECTS

On March 14th, an old friend of mine passed away from Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer). We had some good times in the past…late night parties, tubing on the lake, sons born around the same time, work celebrations, etc. Over the recent years, we only spoke about once a year via phone and twice a year via email. While it wasn’t often, I always knew that the guy on the other end of the phone or email was still the same great guy I always knew. He was consistently a good man.

I drove to Orlando tonight to pay my respects and pray for his family. Two men I have known throughout the years gave his eulogy and they both echoed the same things everyone in the standing-room-only cathedral was thinking. Great husband, father, co-worker, friend, fighter, man of faith, son, jokester, Gator fan, Irishman, lover of life. We all felt blessed to have known him.

His two young children broke my heart as they exited the church with their mom. The older boy, 10, was stoic and strong for his little sister, 7, who was sobbing with big red swollen eyes. I am grateful that my friend gave me yet another reminder of humility, positivity and appreciation for the present. Tonight, when I got back to the Gulf Coast, I snuck into my son’s room to kiss him goodnight and hug him a little longer than normal as he slept. I told my husband how much I love him and wish he could have been there with me. Tonight I celebrated the life of my friend who left us way too young at the age of 42, but in turn he reminded me of the fragility of life and made me live a little more.

PAY YOUR RESPECTS On March 14th, an old friend of mine passed away from Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer). We had so...

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Jen March 20, 2013 No Comments 0 Children, Friends & Family, General Jenerosity

A Little Owl Love

SEND A COLLEGE CARE PACKAGE

I am blessed to have two wonderful stepkids.  My stepson, Billy, is a Sophmore at Florida Atlantic University, which makes him an “Owl.”  Recently, Billy sent me his college address and I decided to send him a small care package which included some Soda Stream mixes and an iTunes gift card.  A simple note was all I wrote to let him know that I was thinking about him.  I got one of the greatest voicemails in return…a real keeper!

I remember when I was in college, I would get the occasional care package from my grandparents.  They sold custom advertising pieces for businesses, so they loaded me up with calendars, pens, change holders and lettter openers.  While those were not always things that I found useful, I know that they sent them with love.  I always got a bag of grandma’s homemade cookies with them, which I managed to inhale within a day or two.  There is something about grandma’s cookies…I never could make them quite the same.  They both sent a nice note updating me on recent happenings.  How I miss those notes.  Knowing that they took the time to send me something was all I needed to smile inside.

I wanted to send something Billy’s way to let him know that he is loved.  I think about my stepkids everyday and while they are away, living their adult lives, I hope that they can begin to see how much I love them and how proud I am of them.  Their mother has raised two wonderful young adults.

Unfortunately, my grandparents passed away about a decade ago, but I held on to their notes.  Gone are the tchotchkes and cookies, but their Jenerosity is being replicated for a new Jeneration!

SEND A COLLEGE CARE PACKAGE I am blessed to have two wonderful stepkids.  My stepson, Billy, is a Sophmore at Florida At...

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Jen March 14, 2013 No Comments 0 Children

It’s That Time of Year

Val, a guy I went to high school with “back in the day,” allowed his daughter to use his Facebook account to solicit his “friends” to buy Girl Scout cookies.  While he lives in a small community in the East Bay of San Francisco and I live in Florida, there are still opportunities to do a little e-commerce transaction.  Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout…so each year I buy cookies even though my scale begs otherwise.  This year, I thought it would be great to support Val’s daughter (as a reward since she used social media to increase her sales…smart girl) and surprise my step-mother who lives in Val’s town, a teacher at his local middle school.  Next week, he and Kaleigh will be delivering 10 boxes of cookies to the school – 6 Thin Mints, 2 Samoas and 2 Trefoils, compliments of her grandson on the East Coast.  Who doesn’t love a little Girl Scout goodness?  What is your favorite Girl Scout cookie?  Mine is definitely the Samoa.  I can wipe out a whole box faster than you can say “Carbohydrates!”

Val, a guy I went to high school with "back in the day," allowed his daughter to use his Facebook account to solicit his...

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Jen February 14, 2013 No Comments 0 Children

Sweet Hearts

BRING THEM DONUTS

If you are like me, you may think that Valentines Day is just a Hallmark holiday. It costs a lot of money, makes people who are single feel inadequate and adds some pounds to the midsection. But, Valentines Day doesn’t just have to be for lovers. It can be viewed as an opportunity to show people who help us everyday how much we love them. And there is no better way than by giving the gift of heart-shaped brownie batter-filled Dunkin’ Donuts. Oh yeah, baby! Today, Brooks delivered 11 to his school’s office for the administration. One managed to get “lost” along the way…hmmmm…

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BRING THEM DONUTS If you are like me, you may think that Valentines Day is just a Hallmark holiday. It costs a lot of mo...

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Jen February 12, 2013 No Comments 0 Children, Food & Beverage

A Braveheart Christmas Story

GIVE A THOUGHTFUL GIFT

We moved into our new neighborhood 18 months ago and my son, Brooks, met his first neighborhood friend, Jason Wallace.  My husband, whom I affectionately call “Hector the Collector” enjoys collecting many things in the music, sports and movie genres.  When I met him, he was collecting small ceramic David Winter houses, so his collections have improved greatly…and his nickname has evolved from “Grandma” to “Hector.”  My “Hector” has a replica sword collection from many popular movies.

The first time Jason came to the house, Brooks decided to take him on a tour of the memorabilia.  When they got to the sword collection, the conversation went something like this:

Brooks: “So this is our sword collection.  This one is from The Last Samurai.  This one is from Braveheart.”

Jason: “Braveheart?  Is that William Wallace’s sword?  <Brooks nods> If it is, that is my great great great great grandfather’s sword!  That should really belong to me!  Do you know what that is worth?  Probably like a million dollars!”

Brooks:   “Well, it isn’t worth that much, but maybe something like a few hundred thousand.”

At this point, I knew it was my time to intervene and explain that these were very affordable replica swords.  Nevertheless, Jason fell in love with the sword.

This Christmas, we thought it would be fun to get Jason his own Braveheart sword.  He came over on Christmas Eve and opened up his gift.  His jaw dropped and he kept asking, “this isn’t what I think it is?”  It was a Christmas Story moment, but instead of “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out” it was “You’ll Chop Your Foot Off!”  He began swinging the sword around and insisted on walking the two blocks home, flailing all the way.  I bet if you listened closely, you might have heard the Scottish ghosts screaming “FREEDOM!”  He forgot his sheath and came back later to get it.  Exhausted from carrying the heavy sword around the neighborhood, he fell asleep hugging it on the couch.  Our friends who were over at the house still tell the story about Jason’s sword and the spirit of Christmas.  His joy was a reminder of the magic of the season!

Mr. Wallace is smiling on the inside as he shows his mom the replica of his family's sword.

Mr. Wallace is smiling on the inside as he shows his mom the replica of his family’s sword.

The next night at dinner, my husband told us that he was saddened to hear that Jason had been at the hospital all day because he fell asleep with the sword and accidentally cut off his toe.  My mom gasped with concern!  I guess she still isn’t quick to recognize Scott’s sense of humor after all of these years.

What is the most thoughtful gift you ever received?

GIVE A THOUGHTFUL GIFT We moved into our new neighborhood 18 months ago and my son, Brooks, met his first neighborhood f...

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Jen January 02, 2013 2 Comments 2 Children, Friends & Family

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