shoebox project...

A bit of extra time spent at the church today, allowed for the wrapping of 145 shoeboxes for the "shoebox project" supported by our church/congregation each year. We started a few years ago thinking that sending 50 filled shoeboxes for the project was a great contribution...and now we are at 145 boxes. Our group would have wrapped for hours and many more boxes, but the project leader in charge said "stop we now have enough boxes for the amount of things to send"...so we stopped!

I *kid you not* men were wrapping as well as the women! It was so great to see this group working together at the many tables in the social room, there were wrappers, tape pullers, and teens that were stacking boxes as fast as the wrapping was completed!




Merry Christmas to the children that will receive gifts thru the service known as the "Shoebox Project"...what a heart warming feeling to be a small part of this sharing of gifts!

sharing our day...

This year "our day" (Thanksgiving Day) was very different, God has provided so well for us, but still changes do happen!

(four teens at our table this year)

(the turkey ready for the carving)

(our college boy during the concert)

(our college boy following the concert, percussion is so much work ☺)

(this is what our college grad is doing now)

(here he is, and excited about it)

It seems so strange to have our family scattered, but we are so very proud of each of them! The concert for the college boy was last weekend, so the concert pictures are added so that I can share what he is up to this year. Dan is home for Thanksgiving, but joined the dinner group in time for the fun with the other teens. Joe was not in the area because he is proudly working with Habitat for Humanity in a different area miles away, he is saving his flight home for Christmas.

Scattered in the physical sense, but *our* family will always be in the thoughts and prayers of each other *everyday*, not just on the holidays! I am very proud of each of them, and I pray that they know of my pride and love!

to each of you...

THANKSGIVING GREETINGS coming your way!! Our family will gather for dinner at the home of my brother and his wife on Thanksgiving Day! We always have a wonderful time...family members drive the distance, we have watched our little ones become "beautiful" and loving teens and adults, still allowing their time with the *old folks* ☺...it is meaningful and very ♥special♥!

I am "thankful" that my days off from the office will begin on Wednesday, there is much to be done at my house! My plan is to do some major cleaning, things to be removed to a dumpster, and things to be put into a new storage place in an orderly way! Wish me luck, I always make these plans when there is a time off that involves *days*, but for some reason my plans don't quite happen! I am so determined ~~this time~~ I have gone so far as to order in a dumpster (which is presently placed in my driveway by the trash company), ORGANIZATION AND CLEANING WILL HAPPEN!!

My plan hope is to be self-disciplined in my computer use during my "days off from the office" meaning less computer time, and to have visible proof that I followed thru with my plan this time!

yep a bit early, but close...

I love Gooseberry Patch and the books they offer...this year is not an exception! I had to make a stop at the local pharmacy after leaving the office today, and in the magazine display I spotted this magazine...how cool is this? I am not sure if it would be considered a magazine, even though it was in that section, it does not have a hard cover like the traditional Gooseberry Patch books. It sure is full of great recipes and decorating ideas for the holidays, and 'minus the ads' that most magazines are loaded with! Even a working person would be able to find the time to do attempt most of the suggestions in this book magazine!

(what a great idea for using an old board and scraps of other projects to share a wish)

(a clever suggestion for walkway lattern)

Thank you to Gooseberry Patch for another idea filled publication to be used for Christmas 2009!

busy week...

This past week has been extremely busy for me...I will sum it up in a brief way!
(our high school marching band boarded the buses and headed off for the championships last weekend)
In regards to the trip for the ACCs, our band placed well, our tiny drum major did very well, and she will have the honor of leading the All Star Band in the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade ~ we are very proud of her! Traveling the distance to see the band performances involving the grandchildren is not as easy as it once was...because the *hubby* is still recovering from the surgery required during the summer, we must stop often for leg stretches and that makes it slow going!

(in the middle of the week we were provided with the most beautiful sunset, God does beautiful work, I raced for my camera the colors changed before our eyes)



(school conferences for two days and an evening caused for lots of frustrations and extra work for teachers and secretaries)



(on my work table you see the makings for a holiday project ~ yes it will be completed, probably during the break in two weeks)

EVERYDAY IS A GIFT I needed the little clipart at the top of my blog entry to remind me, I can do it even when I am tired and not feeling on top of my game!

remembering...

Veterans Day ~ November 11th


•How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
Veterans Day Quotes by Maya Angelou