I'm so ecstatic about this! I'd recently wrote that I wanted to do a secret Santa. I'd been kinda bummed because I hadn't gotten wind of anyone in my ward that would really truly benefit or anything like that christmas I had.
And then, last night...I got an e-mail from my cousin Courtney in Arizona. (Dad's side) and she said her sister-in-law had told her of a family that is incredibly poor. The children sleep on the floor, there is no furniture, and they hardly any clothes for their kids. Just the whole story is heart breaking. I almost cried when I read it, honestly. It's just horribly sad. Anyway, my cousin has 3 little kids, and so she is donating alot of her son's clothes to the family. I wrote her back promptly and said YES! Count me in! Leena has tons of clothes she doesn't wear, or that she is growing out of constantly. I told her to call and find out what toys and treats the kids like. I'm going to maybe even hit up Value Village and see if I can score some things there for their kids. (I don't think I've set foot in them because I was really against anything ever 2nd hand, but I guess I'm softening up to the idea of it. I really need to stop some of my snooty traits such as that) I'm elated, full of joy, and counting my blessings all in one.
THIS is why I love Christmas. It gives us a chance to help those who genuinely need it. Take the time out not to be greedy, selfish and arrogant. I can't wait to find out all the small details and get going and ship off a box as fast as I can! Gosh, it feels amazing to really help someone in need!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Officers Down
A little over a week ago, 4 Lakewood Police Officers were gunned down in Lakewood, in a cofffe shop. They were just about to start their shift. Lakewood is not far from my home. Jeff told me about the news. Which make me infuriated that someone could be so cold, cruel, and heartless. Not to mention, evil. The shooter was on the loose. He was found 3 days later, and died from gunshot wounds. He was a convicted felon and had been paroled out of prison. Long story short. These poor families are in the bigest state of mourning, and my hearts go out to them, deeply.
As I sat and watched the memorial today, I felt sad. And as the long memorial continued, sotries were told about each one of them. It was interesting. Prayers were offered, scriptures read. It made a difference to see people relying on faih, instead of locking themselves in a room, and crying every day.
Anyway, If you buy Pizza from Papa Johns tonight and tomorrow, ALL proceeds to go the families. Thanks to all the law enforcements out there, you are the ones running in, when the rest of us, are running out.
Monday, November 30, 2009
My Humble Christmas Story
When I live in San Bernardino, there was one Christmas, I remember not only in particular, but with fondness. I will tell my kids this story, so they get the reason why we celebrate it.
I was about 9 or so. My Dad, had been laid off from work. My mom was working as a music teacher at a school, but my Dad was also in school, working on his dissertation. With little income, right before the holidays, my mother was being extra frugal. She was always frugal, but this year, even more. She had been wanting to make us some home made goodies, from scratch. But because of little money coming in, she didn't have all the ingredients, and decided it wasn't a must, to have them. She had been at the story, and seen cocoa powder, and shortening, and thought "oh, I could use this to make treats for my kids!", but it was over $3, that was outside of her budget. She regrettably put it back on the shelf, and continued to shop at the super market.
Not many knew the hardship my parents were in, not to mention with 5 small children. My moms best friend, Ellen, knew and maybe 1 or 2 others.
The Christmas season plugged along. My mom did her best at getting us presents. We went to church, and we were assigned a secret Santa family. I absolutely LOVED those! It's when you leave a treat or a present, on someones door, and doorbell ditch it, and at Christmas time, you reveal who had who. It was just fun, and made you be creative, and we all loved running, and diving through the back window of our station wagon we had. SO FUN!
One night, we heard a knock on the door...IT MUST be the secret Santa!! We all leaped to the door to see if we could catch who this wonderful Santa was that had brought us so many good things. We opened the door...and it wasn't a plate of cookies or a book. But a BIG, white box. It said "To the Elledge's, MERRY CHRISTMAS!" and had holly drawn on it with a good sharpie. My mom seemed shocked that someone would drop of something of that size, as a secret Santa gift. We opened up the box....and there were all kinds of cookies, clothes, and treats, toys for my brothers, toys for me and my sisters....and coco powder and shortening for my mom!! I watched my mom melt into tears with joy, surprise and overwhelming amount of gratitude. She picked it all up, and hugged my Dad. I remember the priceless smile on her face and the remark of "what angel has done this for us?!"
I'm 28 and a half now, and we still have no idea who made our Christmas that year. My moms best friend said she didn't even tell anyone about their trial, let alone the cocoa powder. She said it wasn't her, ad we'll never know who did that for us.
Sometimes there are Santa's all around us. But they ARE, us. I want my children to learn to give, as selflessly as that family or person did, to my family.
I was about 9 or so. My Dad, had been laid off from work. My mom was working as a music teacher at a school, but my Dad was also in school, working on his dissertation. With little income, right before the holidays, my mother was being extra frugal. She was always frugal, but this year, even more. She had been wanting to make us some home made goodies, from scratch. But because of little money coming in, she didn't have all the ingredients, and decided it wasn't a must, to have them. She had been at the story, and seen cocoa powder, and shortening, and thought "oh, I could use this to make treats for my kids!", but it was over $3, that was outside of her budget. She regrettably put it back on the shelf, and continued to shop at the super market.
Not many knew the hardship my parents were in, not to mention with 5 small children. My moms best friend, Ellen, knew and maybe 1 or 2 others.
The Christmas season plugged along. My mom did her best at getting us presents. We went to church, and we were assigned a secret Santa family. I absolutely LOVED those! It's when you leave a treat or a present, on someones door, and doorbell ditch it, and at Christmas time, you reveal who had who. It was just fun, and made you be creative, and we all loved running, and diving through the back window of our station wagon we had. SO FUN!
One night, we heard a knock on the door...IT MUST be the secret Santa!! We all leaped to the door to see if we could catch who this wonderful Santa was that had brought us so many good things. We opened the door...and it wasn't a plate of cookies or a book. But a BIG, white box. It said "To the Elledge's, MERRY CHRISTMAS!" and had holly drawn on it with a good sharpie. My mom seemed shocked that someone would drop of something of that size, as a secret Santa gift. We opened up the box....and there were all kinds of cookies, clothes, and treats, toys for my brothers, toys for me and my sisters....and coco powder and shortening for my mom!! I watched my mom melt into tears with joy, surprise and overwhelming amount of gratitude. She picked it all up, and hugged my Dad. I remember the priceless smile on her face and the remark of "what angel has done this for us?!"
I'm 28 and a half now, and we still have no idea who made our Christmas that year. My moms best friend said she didn't even tell anyone about their trial, let alone the cocoa powder. She said it wasn't her, ad we'll never know who did that for us.
Sometimes there are Santa's all around us. But they ARE, us. I want my children to learn to give, as selflessly as that family or person did, to my family.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Holidays!
Ok, I'll admit I, I'm SOOO excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I've never
been a fan of the month of November, was always dark and dreary, cold, wet, rainy....but, without November ending, there would never be a December!
I packed up my kids and we all went to Target today. We got a new Christmas CD, has all the classic people, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby....I LOVE IT! I was listening to it and was like for some reason, I'm so glad I have an appreciation for music to listen to the oldies. It's like Michael Jackson, not everyone listened to him, but everyone knew who he was. I want my kids to listen, like, and enjoy listening to all those poeple.
We're having 2 thanksgiving this year. One at our house! That's the first one! in '7, I went to ID with Jeff to have it with his family, and then we had it at my family's house, and now it's timea gain to do that one again, but one here in Puyallup! I've got a recipe for Lemon and Rosemary Turkey I am going to make. The list for what I am going to make is BIG, and totally yummy!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (early!)
been a fan of the month of November, was always dark and dreary, cold, wet, rainy....but, without November ending, there would never be a December!
I packed up my kids and we all went to Target today. We got a new Christmas CD, has all the classic people, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby....I LOVE IT! I was listening to it and was like for some reason, I'm so glad I have an appreciation for music to listen to the oldies. It's like Michael Jackson, not everyone listened to him, but everyone knew who he was. I want my kids to listen, like, and enjoy listening to all those poeple.
We're having 2 thanksgiving this year. One at our house! That's the first one! in '7, I went to ID with Jeff to have it with his family, and then we had it at my family's house, and now it's timea gain to do that one again, but one here in Puyallup! I've got a recipe for Lemon and Rosemary Turkey I am going to make. The list for what I am going to make is BIG, and totally yummy!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (early!)
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Birthday and Wedding Chaos!
My little sister, Hillary, got married last May. But, they waited til my brother Cody got home from his mission in Caliofrnia, to have their reception. So, we had my brother Cody home, my grandparents in from Tucson, AZ. And my older sister and her little girl in town from Canada, as well as my mother-in-law, Lori, from Idaho, YIKES!!! We spent alot of time picking up and dropping off at airports it seemed like.
Cody got home from being gone for 2 years in Southern California, on Oct 20th. We picked him up from the airport and it was almost weird to have a familiar face around! I've adjusted to only having 1 sibling in town, another one is nice!
On Thursday, the 22nd, we had Leena and Landons combined birthday party. It was fun :) Just a small thing was all it was. And then Saturday, Leena got baptized.
All in all it was an insanely busy, but FUN weekend! Thanks to all those who came out for support!
I'm SO framing this!
My Grandpa Wayne tells these "old propsector" stories, they're long, fun and very details. And he's the only person that can tell them as good as he does!
My brother, Cody, is a pretty good uncle! He will rough house with Leena and my niece Maleah all day if he had the energy to!
Leena and Cody
Cute little girl!
Opening the large amount of presents the kids got.
She REALLY wanted us to get Apples to Apples Junior.....so we did!
Cody and the girls, they loooove having their Uncle Cody back!
My Grandpa Wayne with his "Stunna shades on", cracked me up!! He's hilarious!
My mom wanted a "life size" cut out of my brother, Seth...he was big. She paid a friend all of 29 bucks to make it, and he was on a stick from about...the waist down, haha.
None of the grandkids are paying attention.
My sister and my Grandma Betty :)
Leena and Maleah
Cody got home from being gone for 2 years in Southern California, on Oct 20th. We picked him up from the airport and it was almost weird to have a familiar face around! I've adjusted to only having 1 sibling in town, another one is nice!
On Thursday, the 22nd, we had Leena and Landons combined birthday party. It was fun :) Just a small thing was all it was. And then Saturday, Leena got baptized.
All in all it was an insanely busy, but FUN weekend! Thanks to all those who came out for support!
I'm SO framing this!
My Grandpa Wayne tells these "old propsector" stories, they're long, fun and very details. And he's the only person that can tell them as good as he does!
My brother, Cody, is a pretty good uncle! He will rough house with Leena and my niece Maleah all day if he had the energy to!
Leena and Cody
Cute little girl!
Opening the large amount of presents the kids got.
She REALLY wanted us to get Apples to Apples Junior.....so we did!
Cody and the girls, they loooove having their Uncle Cody back!
My Grandpa Wayne with his "Stunna shades on", cracked me up!! He's hilarious!
My mom wanted a "life size" cut out of my brother, Seth...he was big. She paid a friend all of 29 bucks to make it, and he was on a stick from about...the waist down, haha.
None of the grandkids are paying attention.
My sister and my Grandma Betty :)
Leena and Maleah
Thursday, October 22, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LANDON!!!
I can't believe my baby is 1!! Time has gone by a little too fast! He is just a wonderful baby, and so funny, his little personality is in bloom constantly.
Landon - Your Dad and I adore you! Leena is sure in love with you too, you bring so many laughs, smiles and happy moments to our lives, I'm SO glad we have you!
Brand new
That dark hair only lasted so long!
1 year later...
Such a sweet kid!
Landon - Your Dad and I adore you! Leena is sure in love with you too, you bring so many laughs, smiles and happy moments to our lives, I'm SO glad we have you!
Brand new
That dark hair only lasted so long!
1 year later...
Such a sweet kid!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Is it Fall already?!
Apparently so! We've finally had some wind, rain and chill hit the Tacoma/Seattle area.
I've gone out and switched the kid's clothes form short sleeves, shorts and skirts, to khakis, long sleeves, hoodies and hats. Watch out folks, it's going to get icy and cold here really fast!
Here are some random pictures I thought were cute of the kids and what not.
Leena runs and hides and takes awful pictures now - INTENTIONALLY! What a little stinker! She always says "I don't want my picture taken!" Weird. I'm not like that at all!
I've gone out and switched the kid's clothes form short sleeves, shorts and skirts, to khakis, long sleeves, hoodies and hats. Watch out folks, it's going to get icy and cold here really fast!
Here are some random pictures I thought were cute of the kids and what not.
Leena runs and hides and takes awful pictures now - INTENTIONALLY! What a little stinker! She always says "I don't want my picture taken!" Weird. I'm not like that at all!
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