Events & Holidays
Operation Christmas Child Packing Party
One box ready to be opened by a girl and another one for boy! Every year our family and our church participates in the Operation Christmas Child. Our church collects items for Operation Christmas Child throughout the year. Each month they have an item or two that they request donations for and in late October they have a big Operation Christmas Child Packing Party. The girls enjoy donating items throughout the year but they really look forward to packing the actual boxes. We were not able to go to the church’s big packing party (the girls were very disappointed) but we were able to have a packing party at home. We had so much fun doing it I totally forgot to take pictures of the process! I was simply amazed at how many items we were able to get into the boxes. Our kitchen table was full of goodies and we were able to get almost everything into the boxes. The children getting these boxes will be very surprised at all the fun stuff the girls included.
How did we do it?
- We collected items throughout the year to put in our Operation Christmas Child Goody Box (toothpaste, tooth brushes, soap, toys, trinkets, notebooks, books, socks, shirt, sunglasses, crafts, etc…)
- Once our OCC Goody Box was full we donated any extra items to our church’s packing party
- Throughout the year during the girls devotions we talked about helping others, Operation Christmas Child, and prayed for the children who would receive their boxes.
- The girls saved some of their money to purchase a few specific gifts for their child
- We prayed for the kids who would receive their boxes and went to the store to pick out items for them.
- We set all the gifts out on the kitchen table and packed as many gifts and treats that would fit into the boxes (the boxes barely closed with all the items).
- The girls proudly carried their boxes into church so they could be sent to their kids.
- We are continuing to pray for the girl and boy who will receive their boxes in the next few weeks.
Brina picked out items for a little girl and Karlie picked out items for a little boy. This activity provided many great opportunities to show the girls what it is like to give to others, pray for people who we will probably never meet, to share, and many other learning moments. The girls enjoyed donating to the church’s packing party throughout the year and it gave us an chance to discuss giving each time we donated items.
They love putting together their individual child boxes. I am amazed at how much thoughtfulness they put into each item they pick out for their kid. Even though we may never know the full impact their gift has on the recipient it is a true blessing to see them desiring to give generously to others without any expectation of getting anything in return. I pray that Operation Christmas Child will be a blessing to many children this Christmas Season and for many years to come.
Compassion International: “One Meal One Day” Event on November 9, 2011
On Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Compassion International holds an event called One Meal One Day. Skip a Meal and Change Your World. Have you ever gone a full day without any food because you have nothing to eat? There are people all over the world who are go hungry every day and this is a great opportunity for us to help.
What To Do?
- Step 1: Skip 1 meal on November 9, 2011 and donate the money you would typically spend on a meal (or more)
- Step 2: Engage Others – encourage others to participate in the event with you (both before the event day and the day of the event) by going without lunch and donating to help others around the world.
- Step 3: Feed Hungry Children – Compassion International uses your donation to feed children and train parents on the benefits of a healthy nutrition.
Why Should I Do It?
- You get to help others in a tangible way (food for those without any), plus you may have an chance to show the love Jesus with those around you.
- Youth, parents, and people around the nation are experiencing what it feels like to be hungry and sharing the challenge with their churches, passing out empty paper bags at school, and inviting their friends to skip one meal and give $5.
- When friends, family, or co-workers ask you why you are not eating lunch you have the opportunity share about the event and what Compassion International is doing to help starving people around the world.
- Once the donated amount is collected you send it to Compassion International so they can help feed children in poverty countries.
What is Compassion International?
- For over 50 years Compassion International has diligently worked to free children from poverty in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Compassion International works in 26 developing countries and with more than 1.3 million children who are living in poverty.
- While Compassion does help meet the physical needs of children they also minister to them spiritually.
- Compassion sponsored children have more opportunities for education, medical assistance, and physical benefits (such as food and water) while hearing the message of Jesus.
For more information about Compassion International and the One Meal, One Day visit their website. Our church youth group is encouraging everyone in our church to participate. Jake and I decided this is a great way to help others and are participating in this event.
Travel & Vacation: Angel Oak Tree and other Family Adventures near Charleston, SC
Canopy of trees on the way to the Angel Oak Tree The girls and I ventured out a little ways to check out the Angel Oak Tree while Jake was working in Charleston one day. The picture above is the beautiful canopy of trees we saw on the bumpy country road that led to our amazing tree adventure that was recommended to us by my friend Janet.
Facts about the Angel Oak Tree In case you cannot read the sheet above here are some of the details – The Angel Oak Tree we visited is said to be between 300 to 400 years old, 65 feet tall, the circumference is 25.5 feet, area of shade 17,000 square feet and the largest limb is 11.25 feet in circumference and 89 feet long. It is located on John’s Island near Charleston, SC. Some people believe that the tree is over 1500 years old.
Angel Oak Tree near Charleston, South Carolina The Angel Oak Tree is massive, it was really hard to get a picture that truly shows it’s size. I took a few pictures from different angles but I couldn’t get the entire tree to fit in one picture. It was simply amazing to see such a huge tree.
Beautiful and huge Angel Oak Tree If you look closely you can see the supports helping hold up the limbs. The girls and I were nearly speechless at the size of the tree. We walked around it several times just in awe!
Brina inspecting the large carrot we picked out at a local Farmer's Market We stopped at this really neat local Farmers Market store on our way back from the Angel Oak Tree adventure. Their carrots were very BIG, the girls have never seen carrots that huge before (not sure I had either). They must have had some great soil for carrots. We picked out a large carrot and nibbled on it for a couple days (I didn’t think to weigh to but I am think it could have been over a pound).
Great quote the girls and I discovered along our adventures The girls love traveling with Jake and I on road trips. We are always on the look out for neat ideas or something interesting to share. Of course one of the areas we frequently visited in our travels were a variety of restrooms. Sometimes the girls were in dire need of a restroom by the time with found one. The girls wanted me to read this sign in the Farmers Market restroom, we all had a good laugh at it as we reminisced together of some times just in the last few months we felt like a minute was a very long time as we waited on the other side of the door.
Walking down one of the girls favorite piers. Some days the water is low and all the greenery is out of the water other days it is complete under water. Love the little “sand” trail that you can see under the water.
The guy fishing off the pier caught a little one! As we were walking down the pier we notice a guy fishing. We asked if he had caught anything yet and he showed us his catch of the morning. The girls thought it was such a cute little fish! They were very excited for him.
Daddy brought us a blue raspberry slushy. After a fun day at the park and pool Daddy brought his girls a blue raspberry slushy. It was amazing!
We had blue tongues after just a few minutes. The blue raspberry slushy made all of our tongues blue! I think the girls drink more of the slushy based off their tongue color, ha!
Cannon outside the hotel. The girls always hoped that our room was never in the line of fire. Thankfully our room never faced the cannon. The girls always loved looking at it!
After dinner we took a little walk together and found a pond with turtles. I am not sure how long we watched these turtles but it was a lot of fun. The girls were mesmerized by these cute little turtles. According to the girl there was a whole family of turtles (we did see quite a few).
Crashed on the pull out couch after a few minutes of chitchat about their "super fun" day We got back to the hotel, gave the girls baths and they spent a few minutes talking and giggling about their “super fun” day before crashing. They were exhausted but in good spirits. We really did pack a lot into one day!
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Magazine: “Fun for Kidz”
Our girls love getting magazines and goodies in the mail. My parents ordered the Fun for Kidz magazine for the girls a few months ago and they always look forward to getting it in the mail. The magazine has a variety of stories, puzzles, crafts, recipes, science experiments, and fun stuff for the kids to try.
This week we did a couple of the science experiments / activities that were listed in one of the magazines. We made homemade “telephones” for the girls that they were reading about in the magazine. Another fun activity we did was cut a hole in a piece of 8×11 paper that was big enough that we could fit through (even Daddy could fit through the 8×11 piece of paper once it was cut, pretty funny). They thought it was hilarious and once again they had a blast doing some of the activities in the magazine.
The magazine is great for either boys or girls ages 5 to 13 years old. It becomes even more fun as they learn to read and are able to do some of the activities, puzzles, and silly stories or jokes on their own. The magazine is smaller than a regular magazine although it is more like a pamphlet / book with heavier pages. There isn’t a huge amount of colorful pictures but it is packed full of fun information and activities that the kids will enjoy. A subscription would be a great birthday, Holiday or just for fun gift for kids.
The best price I have found for the Fun for Kidz magazine is through Ebates.
- Login or open an account for Ebates
- Search for ValueMags
- Click on the ValueMags discount link (currently offering 51% back on magazine subscriptions)
- Once you are on ValueMags website search for Fun for Kidz
- Order your subscription and you’ll receive your 51% back Ebates check in the mail
Ebates has always been really good about sending our rebate checks. It is like a traditional rebate but you don’t have to send in a form and it is automatically done online through their website when you order. You can get Ebates on many other online retailers. If you are shopping for Holiday, Birthday, or other gifts check to see if you can get extra money back by shopping through Ebates.
Teaching Our Children: How to Roller Blade
A few weeks ago we purchased Roller Blades ($11) for the girls at a store closing sale. They had a handful of roller blades left and actually had the girls sizes. They didn’t get any fancy colors but I was pleased with the two that we found in their size, one blue and one red set. One relaxing family evening we decided to open the roller blade boxes and try them out. It was fun watching them try to learn how to balance and move. We started them on the carpet instead of the tile or sidewalk in case they bit the dust. It would be better to let them get a handle on it before breaking an arm or leg. Here is a few snapshots of them trying out the roller blades:
Daddy getting the roller blade ready for the girls Brina’s waiting for her roller blade to go on…..is it ready yet Daddy? Karlie is busy unpacking and checking out her cool blue roller blades.
Brina figuring out how to roller blade. It was neat seeing the girls get the hang of using the roller blades. Before long I could see lines on the carpet from them going in circles from the kitchen to the hallway to the living and dining room.
Brina and Karlie roller blading in the living room They went slow at first but got more speed as they did it more. Probably one of the hardest things for them to figure out was once they fall down how do you get back up without rolling away, pretty comical to watch.
Karlie concentrating on roller blading Karlie was so focused on roller blading I never got a picture of her actually looking at the camera. I guess it isn’t as easy to turn and face the camera when your wearing “shoes on wheels”!
One observation I had about the roller blades was the girls were a few inches taller. They were investigating stuff on the tops of the cabinets and counter tops that never caught their attention before. Also, I had to make a rule that if Mom or Dad was in the kitchen cooking they could only go on one side of the kitchen with roller blades otherwise I was getting my toes ran over or grabbed as they were passing me in the kitchen while I was making dinner. It was fun to see them try them out and watch them learn how to move. I was thrilled that they enjoyed learning new skills.
Travel & Vacation: Visiting Daniel’s Island and More
View after going over the Cooper River Bridge on our way to Daniel's Island We always love the views on our way to Daniel’s Island, South Carolina. This picture was taken shortly after going over the Cooper River Bridge. Just one of the beautiful pieces of scenery in the Charleston area.
Almost there.....one more mile to Daniel's Island. The girls always look for this sign and know we are almost to Daniel’s Island. They know that it is Exit 24 and in between two big bridges. It is a lot of fun traveling with the family!
One of my favorite signs in the Charleston area. A sign we have seen many times this year that the girls always wanted me to read whenever we go to the Waterfront Park under the Arthur Ravenel Bridge. I grew up in the country hearing coyotes so this smile makes me smile. One of the girls questions the first time we read it why can we “never feed coyotes won’t they get hungry?”
Snacks at the park The girls were really good about remembering to take their drink with them to the parks. Most of the places we went had water fountain and restrooms which was really nice too. I had made some cookies for Jake’s co-workers that week so I put in a few sugar cookies with sprinkles for the girls too.
Stopping for a quick snack I was able to convince Karlie and Brina to stop for a few minutes for a quick snack and more importantly a drink (it was over 100 degrees and we had been out all morning). They were so fascinated by all the other kids at the park. Sometimes we would be at the park with a handful of kids and a daycare would show up to play making the the area buzzing with little ones having fun.
Refueling with Powerade on a very hot day On one of our trips it was over 100 degrees and the girls (and Mommy) spent the day outside at parks. I was worried about them getting dehydrated so we stopped by CVS and picked up a “Powerade”. The girls thought it was great and it tasted like lemonade.
Karlie worked up enough courage to go down the big pole. Although the pole probably would have been a little easier sliding down in pants I was very proud of Karlie for trying it out. It takes a little bit of guts to reach out over that gap between the jungle gym and gap to go on the pole. She was very excited of her accomplishment.
Brina spinning in the red seats at the park I really don’t know how she could sit in those seats and just spin! The couple times I braved it and did a couple of spins I was ready to loose my cookies.
Brina and Karlie testing out a new ride One afternoon during our Charleston adventures it decided rain so the girls and I hang out for about an hour at the Outlets. The girls thought this car was HILARIOUS and spent several minutes checking it out.
After picking up Daddy from work Brina crashed We picked up Jake after a full day at the parks and playing. A few minutes later I looked back to point out a rainbow I saw in the sky and Brina has fallen fast asleep. Not sure how she can sleep like this (it looks very uncomfortable) but all our pillows and stuff was already at the hotel.
Karlie was sleeping too Looking back at both of them sleeping made me laugh. They are so different even when they sleep in the car. After a busy nap the few minute cap night was very nice for both of them. Thankful that they both travel so well and enjoy exploring different places on our trips together.
Watching the sun set as we crossed over the bridge. One of the questions the girls asked the last time we were in Charleston….”Is Charleston made of bridges?” There are quite of few there. We enjoyed watching the sunsets, sunrises, and seeing the beautiful scenery from the many bridges we crossed.
Walking with Daddy near downtown Charleston The girls loved learning about history and just walking around Charleston. We actually wore out one pair of flipflops on this trip with all the walking and playing. They love asking Daddy a lot of questions about the town and Jake is so good about answering them.
Sign from one of the guns / cannons near downtown Charleston We went through the Battery Park in Charleston again and looked at all the guns and cannons. This is a sign from one of the guns that was used to attack Fort Sumter on April 7, 1863. The girls loved learning about the variety of different cannons and the history behind them.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Giveaway: $10 CVS Gift Card
I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied! The winner of this giveaway will receive a $10 CVS Gift Card! As a Mom, wife and homeowner I am always looking for ways to save a little extra when buying items for around the house and for my family. It is a great time of year to pick up a few extra items at your local CVS to keep you family healthy especially during the Holiday Season. If you shop at CVS regularly and use coupons you may be able to stretch this gift card over several trips. Here’s how to enter the giveaway:
- Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied. You can sign up to receive Blessings Multiplied via email.
- You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing one of your favorite items you like to get at CVS’s!
All comments must be made by November 30th at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing. On November 30, 2011, I will randomly draw a winner from those who have entered the giveaway.
CONGRATULATIONS to Our Lowe’s Gift Card Winner!!!
The name has been drawn for the giveaway!
CONGRATULATIONS to Kathryn
for winning a
$10 Lowe’s Gift Card!
Thanks for making a comment in honor of our Giveaway!
An email has been sent to you with more information*
Enjoy Your Next Trip to Lowe’s!
Don’t forget to enter our next Giveaway (the next giveaway will be announced tomorrow morning)!!!
*Giveaway must be claimed within 5 business days of the prize being announced. Failure to claim the prize within the allotted time frame means you forfeit the prize.
Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (October Update)
October is my ninth month tracking my Creative Cash. What is Creative Cash? Creative Cash is finding ways to come up with extra cash to share with others as well as work on our current goal. I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is important to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses and to share with others. The extra amount I bring in on top of the work is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already. I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year. Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much. My husband and I believe it is important to be accountable with our finances and give to others.Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors. As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split. It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others. At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.
To be honest October was not as great of a month as I hoped it would be, however, it was better then September. Although life is still busy we are at least home more now giving me the flexibility to focus on this goal as well as other ones. I anticipate November being another busy month with upcoming Holidays and I hope to come closer to meeting this goal. Thankfully I was able to save some extra cash even though I did not reach my my goal of $100. I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:
- $13.19 – Items sold on Ebay (after fees): The all the items sold were coupons. I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, in your stockpile, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.
- $6.59 – Recycled Items taken to the scrap metal company
- $28.99 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned (rebates, returns, cash back, extra money, etc…) that was added to my stash for the month.
It was a harder month to set the extra aside because it was very busy and I was not able to participate in as many extra creative cash activities. The good news is despite the crazy schedule I was able to get a few dollars of creative cash and almost met at least half of my goal. October’s “Creative Cash” total was $48.77 which means $24.38 extra that goes towards our current goal (saving for 3 to 6 month Emergency Fund) and $24.39 goes towards charity. Although I didn’t hit my $100 goal this month I am happy that I was able to contribute something this month and every little bit helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way. I have a plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in November so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others. Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in October. I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.
I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us. I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well. Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it! Do you know of another way to earn creative cash? I would love to hear your ideas!
Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances. Life doesn’t always go as planned. We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given. Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life. A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others. There is so much more to life than having all the stuff. We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.
Photo by StopNLook
Halloween Candy Buy Back Programs
Hope everyone had an amazing Holiday. Halloween is a great time to create memories with your family. The Fall Festivals, pumpkin carving, hayrides, dressing up and candy…..sometimes too much candy. Every wonder if you’ll be able to eat, share and giveaway all the candy before the next Halloween hits.
Dentists all over the country are participating in a Halloween Candy Buy Back Program. They buy the kids Halloween candy then donate it to the groups that send it to those in Military Service.
- Example: Holly Tree Pediatric Dentistry in our area (1334 South Hwy 14, Simpsonville, SC 29681 / Phone: 864-297-5585) is Buying Back Halloween Candy and giving the kids $1 per pound ($5 max per child) and a Treat bag. The Buy back dates are Tuesday 11/1 to Thursday 11/3 between 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. All the candy will be donated to our Troops Overseas.
If it is something you interested in participating in you can read more about on the FAQ page and search for locations near you!
Photo by Rochelle
