Neighborhood Clothes Swap for Genesis Shelter

We are so lucky because we have so many great families in our neighborhood that we love to spend time with! Lots of little boys of different ages & sizes. So, lots of the "Boy moms" got together with clothes their kids had grown out of and we all swapped. Everyone pitched in a dollar for items they wanted to buy from each other. Meanwhile our kids played together in the playroom. At the end of the a.m., our kids had fun playing, we were taking home some new clothes for our kiddos for only a $1 each, and then we used the money to do some back to school shopping for children staying at Genesis Women's Shelter. A Win for Everyone! Loved it! Now it's time to do one for all the girls!

Teddy Bear Ride for Abused Children

Collin County Advocacy Center is having their 18th annual Teddy Bear Ride from IKEA in Frisco on Nov.7th. Anyone with a motorcycle can volunteer their time to deliver some teddy bears to some little kids who need some love. So, get your teddy bears together or go buy one at Target and send some love!!!

When: November 7, 2010 (Always the 1st Sunday in November)

Time: 8 am - Registration, 10:30 am - Ride

Where: IKEA to CACCC

Complimentary hot breakfast for riders generously provided by IKEA.

Music provided by "Piece of My Heart" from 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

This escorted motorcycle parade will leave at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 7, 2010 from the IKEA parking lot in Frisco and travel to the CACCC in Plano (2205 Los Rios Blvd.) to deliver an all important passenger, a teddy bear. That teddy bear will then find a home with a child who has visited the Center to tell their story of abuse. The Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County’s mission is to provide safety, healing and justice to children victimized by neglect or abuse.

Each year people line the roadways and overpasses to watch this unique parade of motorcycles. There are a number of ways to support the annual motorcycle event.

NEW ROUTE

Start from IKEA, Frisco. South on the Dallas North Tollway, East on the George Bush Turnpike. North on Jupiter. East on Plano Parkway. North on Los Rios Blvd. to the Center.
(At this time all tolls will be applied to the rider, please stay posted for changes).

Become a Sponsor

Donate a Raffle/Auction Item

Fundraise Online (Get your friends and family involved and ask them to support your cause)

Ride(Admission is $10 and/or a new Teddy Bear)

Riley and I ended up going to this because Greyson was camping with Dad that weekend. We will go every year! So cool to see big, bad to the bone men dressed in all their leather, bandannas and boots with big teddy bears strapped to the back of their bikes. All on a mission to brighten a child's life that morning. Riley was entertained by ALL the bikes filling IKEA's parking lots. We sat on the hood of our Yukon and cheered them all down the road. I hear next year we need to make it to the parade to help pass out the bears. We won't miss it next year....already looking forward to it!

Lemons To Aid / Positive Placemats

Good Morning Texas & Good Morning America often gives some great ideas for reaching out and doing something for others. They were recently talking about Lemons To Aid....Children were painting and decorating placemats for Meals on Wheels to deliver to the edlerly with meals. Perfect! My kids can paint all day! So after a trip to Walmart for poster board, Riley, Sydney and our friend Hailey painted some beautiful placemats. Some great ideas for kids helping others at http://lemonstoaid.org

Dallas, TX – Positive Placemats

Dallas kids had fun making “Positive Placemats” for Meals on Wheels at the Cooper Fitness Center Pinkberry by the Pool event on September 16, 2010.

Paint with a Purpose for Leukemia / Lymphoma Society

I'm so super proud of my sister, Tori, for a goal she has been training for!!! She'll be joining many others in this year's Nation's Triathalon in Washington D.C., this September. She's racing in honor of a patient that she had a couple years ago when she was working at Children's Medical Center. This sweet little boy will be completing his last round of treatments this September as they race.
In additon to training for the swim in the Potomac River, her run and bike past the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and many other spectacular landmarks.....she's also been raising money for the event that is helping towards the cure for blood cancer. One really fun opportunity is coming up at Painting with a Twist in Dallas. 60% of the proceeds will go to the Leukemia / Lymphoma Society. It's so fun! You go with a group of girlfriends, take a bottle of wine, and they provide your canvas, paints and guidance as they walk you through your own painting. To read more about Painting With A Twist and sign up for a fun night of painting for a great cause go to www.paintingwithatwist.com

Sign up and go with us next Thursday, August 18th :)

The following information is from their website....

August 2010 PAINT WITH A PURPOSE will focus on the family

In our ongoing commitment to give back to the community, Corks N Canvas and Painting with a Twist is proud to sponsor a monthly fund raising class – Paint with a Purpose. Corks N Canvas and participating Painting With A Twist locations will again host a Paint with a Purpose night in Augst. Proceeds from Paint with a Purpose in July will be donated to local non profit organizations in honor of families. Already some of our designated non profit partners are the St. Tammany Professional Women's Scholarship fund and Playworks. We will be painting SUMMER PAISLEYS To sign up to participate visit www.corksncanvas.com or www.paintingwithatwist.com.

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
-Matthew 18:20

Give School Supplies to Abused Children

Container Store has a basket as you walk into their store that is collecting any school supplies for Abused and Neglected Children.

"At the present time, your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need."
-2 Corinthians 8:14

Bryan's House / Adopt-A-Child-Back-to-School Program

School is just around the corner & Greyson is starting Kindergarten this year...I can't believe it! So, we're going to adopt another kiddo staying at Bryan's House that is also going to kindergarten and fill a backpack full of supplies to send on their way. Families with children who have serious health problems find love and warmth at Bryan's House when they need child care. For more info on how to send kids back to school with a backpack full of school supplies....go to www.bryanshouse.org They have a list of needed supplies for each grade level.

Coffee for Soldiers at BORDERS

We were looking at books in BORDERS bookstore yesterday. When you check out, you can purchase a bag of Seattle's Best Coffee & they'll ship it over to the soldiers for you :) We all need our coffee, especially those wonderful people serving our country! Stop by BORDERS

Gotta shout out to our good friend Ryan Kelly in Afghanistan now. We're keeping you in our prayers good man and hoping you can return home to Janice and Pearce very soon!

Happy Summer to Kids at Genesis Women's Shelter

Nothing says simple summer fun like some bubble wands and sidewalk chalk. So, we grabbed a bunch at Walmart today and headed to Genesis Women's Shelter. Hopefully it will bring some sunshine to the little kiddos staying there.

When we delivered the bubbles and chalk they were so happy to have it because they're gathering summery things to do for "Camp G" a summer camp that they're doing for the kids this summer staying at the shelter.

"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
-Acts 20:35

TOMS SHOES

I love these shoes...they're cute, they're comfortable & the best part is when you buy a pair of TOMS shoes they donate a pair to a child in Argentina, Chile, Africa, and other parts of the world. WE LOVE TOMS!!

Can you imagine not having a pair of shoes to put on each day? Buy a new pair for you and you will also be buying one for a little boy or girl....How awesome is that!!

www.toms.com

"The service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God."
-2 Corinthians 9:2

Sharefest 2010

Chase Oaks Church in Plano (just west of 75 on Legacy Dr.) is having Sharefest today. May 1st. They're going out into the community doing service projects all day. Swing by if you want to get involved. Carter Blood Care is also doing a blood drive til 1:00 and you can drop off donations of food, clothes and box fans til noon.

http://www.chaseoaks.org/

A great bday party idea!

So, I'm bragging on one of my friends, Patti. She had such a great idea for her son's birthday party this year. She asked that the guests bring unwrapped presents to donate to The Collin County Children's Adovacy Center rather than birthday gifts. I love this!!! The last birthday party we had for our kids....they got sooo much stuff, it was overwhelming. They receive so much from family alone....they really don't need more toys! What a great way to teach your children to give and to appreciate the things they have. And- invite all your guests to join you in the spirit of giving. Love your idea Patti! Happy Birthday "Little Grayson!"

Morning of making wishes at the Mall

The coin purse of my wallet was so full and we happened to be at Willow Bend mall. We had a hour to stall until picking Grey up from school. Typically those little rides at the mall in front of the play area eat my change up in no time. Definitely a bummer of a way to go through change. Most of the time they eat your change anyways. But, as we came down the elevator I saw the water fountain / pond thing-a-majig that Riley is always admiring. There's a sign at the one at Willow Bend indicating that all the change is donated to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. (I'm sure each mall donates to a different charity) And- I realized I'd never really stopped to let her throw pennies in there before. So- One penny, nickle and dime at a time, she had the best, simple fun.....making wishes.

Stuffing Easter Eggs for Ronald McDonald House

Our good friends and neighbors, Dylan and Jayda helped us stuff Easter eggs the other night. This Saturday we'll be taking the eggs to the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas and hiding them for patients and families staying there over the Easter weekend. Thanks again to smallchangedallas.org for organizing a way for our children to give of themselves to others this Easter. Hopefully these children will be well, healthy and strong enough next year to enjoy an Easter hunt in their own backyard. But, this year we feel grateful to be able to help them in their hunt. Happy Easter to all!!!

Greyson & my niece, Sydney took the eggs to The Ronald McDonald House that Saturday before Easter to hide the eggs for families staying there. They also got to make cute little bunny Easter bags and decorate them for each child. What an awesome facility! The new Ronald McDonald House is gorgeous! What a blessing for so many families who have to stay in Dallas for a while as their children are being treated at the hospital.

It's a great place to donate your time, meals, special goodies,
books.....a great place!!!

"Do to others as you would have them do to you."
-Luke 6:31

April Giving Bucket / Collecting Toiletries

Greyson and Riley's Daddy, Chris, travels quite a bit. So, over the next few months he's going to help us fill our Giving Bucket with something different. When Chris goes out of town and stays in a hotel each week, he'll be bringing back the little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soap, ect. When we have enough collected we're going to take it to a shelter in our area.

Peppermint Milkshakes with Small Change

My wonderful friend, Kristin Ingram, shared a website with me (www.smallchangedallas.org) that I've fallin in love with. It provides service opportunities to children and families in the city of Dallas and surrounding areas. Last week, the Small Change organization put together an afternoon of making peppermint milkshakes at the North Dallas Gilda's Club for cancer patients. They explained to the kids that the medicine these patients have to take will usually give them an upset stomach and make them feel sick. Peppermint is good for nausea and will help them to feel better. They got to crunch up all the peppermints, scoop ice cream into the blender and fill cups to place in the freezer. Greyson and Riley also had fun decorating lots of GET WELL cards to leave for them. I left the Gilda's Club feeling so thankful.... thankful for the small opportunity to do something for these families that are having to endure so much and so thankful for the health of my children and family!
To hear more about Small Change, click on this link to see some recent news coverage on the difference they are making!

http://cbs11tv.com/local/volunteering.small.change.2.1438401.html

"Live a Life of Love."
-Ephesians 5:2

More than just a playgroup!!

Thank you to all my sweet friends and Moms at Chase Oaks Church! We all get together often for a playgroup with our kids on the Wednesdays that we don't meet at church. A couple Wednesdays ago when we got together for a playdate with the kids they all brought something with them to add to our stash of baby items that we've been collecting. Now we have so many great things to take to the School Age Parenting Program through PISD. Such a fun way to get together and at the same time, invite everyone to participate in giving to others in a simple, small, easy way. Now that February is over...we're going to deliver all the great baby items from the playdate and our family giving bucket. Thanks to all the families who helped us and donated items! You guys are so great!!!

"They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed."
Psalm 37:26

Some Love for the SPCA

Every time that commercial comes on with Sarah Mclachlan singing....Greyson stops in his tracks and he's glued to the TV. If that song, In the Arms of the Angels, comes on the radio...he always says, "Mom, this is that commercial about people that don't take care of their animals." This week, we went to visit some dogs and cats right now the street from us. I had no idea until I googled it, that there was a Second Chance SPCA shelter just 5 minutes from us. I'd read that any old towels, blankets, sheets and pillows can be donated to the shelters to make the crates a little cozier and warmer for the animals. So, we cleaned out our linen closet and found that we had quite a bit that we could take to those sweet little animals in need of some love!

February Giving Bucket for Babies

Our giving bucket is full again, so we're taking all the food we've been collecting up to the food bank at our church, Chase Oaks Church in Plano. This month, we're going to be filling our giving bucket with something different. Instead of picking out one food item each time we go to the grocery store, in February, we'll be picking out baby items. Baby food, cereal, bottle brushes, pacifiers, baby bath soap, ect.... When our giving bucket gets full this month, we'll be donating it to the School Age Parenting Program through PISD. Someone has come from this program the past 2 years to talk with the MOMS group at Chase Oaks Church. With the help of this program, students of Plano ISD who become pregnant can get the support that they need. It has really inspired me to reach out to them in some way. Becoming a mom can be such a scarey thing when you're an adult. I can't imagine what it must feel like to realize you'll be bringing a baby into this world, when as the mom, you're still a child yourself. These moms need all the support they can get!

The Plano ISD School Age Parent Program has volunteer / mentor opportunities and accepts donations. This info is available on their website:
We accept slightly used baby clothes, maternity clothes and baby items such as cribs, car seats, books, toys, etc. Please deliver any donations to:

Allan Bird Education Center
1300 19th Street
Plano, Texas 75074
469-752-2293

"Share with God's people who are in need."

-Romans12:13

Delivering neighbors' newspapers to their doorstep

So, this week, we're going for something simple for a "Sweet Treat" act of service. It's going to be beautiful this week and we're SO looking forward to some afternoon walks around the neighborhood! Greyson can try out his new scooter and Rie can practice the pedals on her new bike. Today, we notice a lot of newspapers on the sidewalk. So, Greyson made it his mission to take the newspapers up to each doorstep. The owners will just have to open their door to get it, it makes the yards a little cleaner too and Momma, here, is hoping it'll wear them out for a nap when we get home. Brilliant! :)

Taco Soup for Teachers

When we moved into our house 6 years ago, we had no idea that we had such a treasure right across the street from us. Greyson goes to school at Wee Care Preschool at the church across the street and it is heaven sent! The teachers are so amazing and pour so much love and time into the lives of all the little kids there. Next year, when Greyson is in kindergarten I will sooooo miss the small intimate classrooms, his face lighting up when he enters his class with friends and the way the teachers greet him at the door. I guess I'll just have to start Riley next year, so I can continue walking her across the street with other nieghborhood kids for the next 3 years! :) So, we made some taco soup in the crock pot for his teachers to enjoy for lunch. Perfect for a rainy chilly day!

"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act."
-Proverbs 3:27

Starbucks for Salvation Army Bell Ringer

I was soooo proud of Greyson the other day!!! We were shopping and it was so cold outside. We walked out of Macy's and passed the Salvation Army friend ringing her bell like crazy in the cold. I usually prompt the ideas for our "sweet treat" acts of service each week. BUT- Greyson said on his own..."Mom, that lady looks really cold. Maybe we should go get her some hot cocoa." So we did, right then, right away. Way to go Dude! That's why we're doing this :)



We pulled up to the lady ringing the Salvation Army bell and he handed her the cocoa. As we drove off Greyson said, " It makes you feel good when you do nice things for people."

"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."
-Proverbs 11:25

Sending thanks and appreciation to soliders this Christmas

Merry Christmas to our troops and thanks for all that you do!!!!

This week...we're sending thanks and appreciaton to wounded / recovering soliders and deployed soliders. We think of you and we pray for you. Thank you for your devotion to our country. We love you this Christmas and always!!

For packages, go to....

http://www.militarymissionsonline.com/operationsendchristmas.htm

or
When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue
NW Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Passing out Friday Flowers at White Rock Retirement Village

Last friday, we went to Walmart and picked out some flowers. Greyson picked red roses....he has good taste! And, Riley picked out some yellow roses. We took them to visit my Gram-Margie and all her friends at White Rock Retirement Village. Greyson and Riley were so sweet walking around, giving a flower to each lady we saw and saying, "Happy Friday!"

Each night when I put Greyson to bed, we say the #1 high and low of our day before we say our prayers. After passing out all the flowers, Greyson got in the car and said, "Mom, you know what my high was today? Giving those grandma's flowers." Yep, that made it worth the trip....right then and there!

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
and good news health to the bones."
Proverbs 15:30

Passing out DART tickets

Last Friday we played at the park in downtown Plano and walked across the street to the Farmer's Market for some fruits and veggies. Before hopping in our car to drive home, we decided to pay a visit to the DART station for our service project of the week. We bought some day pass tickets and passed them out to people who were in need of one. I think Greyson enjoyed getting some high fives, hugs and smiles from strangers... FUN, FUN, VERY FUN TO MAKE SOMEONE'S DAY A LITTLE CHEAPER!

October Sweet Treats!

I've gotta catch us up! Maybe I'll be updating this each month....haven't been so good about jotting down our activities for each week. However, we've been busy and it's been fun :)

This past week, Greyson had filled up his penny bank, so we decided to take it to Coinstar. Who knew that a big jar full of change would turn out to be $74.00! We were so excited! So, he got to put some in his savings acct., take some to the $$$$ store ( he picked out an airplane) and 1/3 of it will go to Little Ameressa.

She's our sweet treat this week.

Ameressa is an Ethipoian child that Greyson's Sunday school group at Chase Oaks Church has adopted this year as their Compassion Child. The money that the kids bring each Sunday helps to pay for her education, school supplies, clothes, ect. With Christmas approaching, they are now saving up to buy Ameressa a cow for her and her family.

I was explaining to Greyson why a cow will be such a wonderful gift for them to get at Christmas time. He responded with, "Well, I think we should also make some cupcakes to send her because chocolate cupcakes go really good with milk. She probably hasn't had a chocolate cupcake with milk before." I thought that was so sweet. But later that night, he almost brought me to tears. He'd been working on something in his room for awhile and he walked in with this picture that he'd been drawing. He said that he wanted to send it to Ameressa with her cupcakes. Greyson is definitely talented when it comes to picking up his crayons. He's always loved to do art! But, this picture was the most colorful, detailed picture I've ever seen him do. It's a picture of a girl in front of her house with flowers and hearts in the windows. I was proud that he'd been thinking of her hours later and spent so much time on it. I'll be sure to send it with his change!

We've also been really busy this month during all the rainy, cool days we've had...Cleaning out ALL the closets! Why are my kids growing!!! Greyson grew 2 full sizes since last fall / winter. So, we put some things out for donation trucks. But, we have also delivered tupperwares of clothes to several friends with

kids in those sizes. Hopefully they'll enjoy them as much as we did. It's so hard for me to part with some of the outfits they looked so little and cute in :(

Greyson greets our Mailman, Dan, each day when he's dropping off our mail. He routinely comes within 30 minutes of us walking home from school with Greyson. So, we hang in the front yard and play and when he drives up, Greyson runs to get our mail from him. So, this week, we decided to give Mailman Dan a bag of Halloween candy to munch on while he delivers mail. Of course the week we decide to do this, Mailman Dan seems to be on a different schedule and we kept missing him. So, finally, Grey decided that it'd be a nice surprise to just put it in the mail box for him. I'll have to add a picture of Mailman Dan soon. :)

Our giving bucket is full too! Greyson's school is doing a food drive now through mid Novemeber. All the food is going to Life Source, which provides food, clothing, furniture, and financial assistance to those who are in need. So, we get to unload our "giving bucket" a little bit each day as he takes it to school with him.