Get Involved with your community | A story about painting rocks

When was the last time you got out of the house and did something fun with your little ones? As a mom of two rambunctious little monkeys, I often wish there was more I could do with them, besides the same old local park "routine". I often also find myself just letting them play another Playstation game while I get stuff done because it's just "easier" that way. Trust me, I've had my share of not-so "Mother of the Year" days. We are only human, right?Recently, I saw a friend was attending an event on Facebook - I wasn't even invited to the event. LOL! That is how "lazy" I am. People don't even invite me to things, anymore, because they know I struggle so much to show up haha! -ANYWAY- I decided I was going to attend this event WITH my kids (Pulling out my big guns, woah) and I took my camera.I didn't take my camera just to be the stereotypical "mom with camera" - I took it to remind myself how important it is to get out in the community with my boys, instead of sitting in front of a TV screen day-in & day-out. I took it to remind myself how important community is when my car keys are starting to gather dust and the boys are fighting over the only Playstation controller that still has a charge left.-AND I AM SO GLAD I DID-When I marked myself as "going" on the Facebook event, I made sure to introduce myself & I am also very glad I did that, too. I bet you're wondering just what was so special about this event, now, and wish I would get on with the story, huh?There is this "fad" going around in my community, currently, and it is ALL the rage! Adults & kids, alike, are painting and sealing rocks, then hiding them around town for others to find. When someone finds a special painted rock, they take a photo of it & post it in the Facebook group that is written on the back, then they give a little hint at where they re-hid the rock. This rock-painting/hiding craze may only be a fad, but I sincerely hope it sticks around for a while!So, when I heard about this free event at our local Home Depot, I just knew I was going to have to dust my car keys off & change out of my pajamas! The wonderful Wendi Cook, an esteemed employee at The Home Depot, organized a paint party for the locals and it was a total hit. Wendi provided rocks, paint, googly eyes, paint brushes, paper plates, heck; She gave us everything we could possibly need, via The Home Depot, to paint our very own rocks! Wendi's generosity was unwavering as I watched families come and go and I was so inspired by her commitment and cheerful attitude, even though we were all sweaty and hot and gross (and probably smelly)!Being involved in your community is good for your health. Getting out and spending time with others helps children (and adults) develop better social skills. Activities like these boost confidence and overall happiness. That is why it is so important to me, now. My family got to meet tons of new faces and we had a blast while doing it. Getting our own beautiful painted rocks to take home was just a nice perk. My boys talked about the experience for a whole week, after we left!I encourage you to call your local Home Depot and inquire about their family activities. My local Home Depot hosts events with free activities on the first Saturday of every month from 9-12, so give your store a call. Add that to your to-do list and if you've been thinking about booking with JLP, be on the lookout for some very special painted rocks with print & session fee credits rolling out, soon, to a hiding spot near you! Follow me on Facebook & join the JLP VIP List to be notified when they are being hidden.If you don't feel like waiting (let's face it, sometimes I invoke a sense of impatience in people haha), Start Here to book your next session ;).-xoxo, Jami