Secret Santa Mission Complete

Everything has been delivered for our secret santa project. The families were all incredibly grateful and quite surprised by how many gifts were brought. A big thank you to everyone that donated and a huge thank you to the few that really went above and beyond! Because of your generosity, we were able to provide everything on our list for all three families. May God bless you!

Christmas Eve Plans

Christmas Eve is upon us again and we have some fun things planned this year. We will be having a Who-Bilation from 6-8 on Christmas Eve at the church. Anyone who wants to is encouraged to dress up like a WHO from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and we will crown the Holiday Cheermeister during the festivities. We also have a yummy menu planned and several other things to do after dinner and we will conclude with the nativity. Stay tuned for more details along with meal and nativity assignments!

December Give Update

I have the most amazing update today! Thanks to everyone's generosity and compassion for others, we have clothing, toys, and food for everyone taken care of! The only thing that is left are the 4 coats for family #2. If anyone hasn't donated or would like to do a little extra, we are taking donations for the coats. We need 2 XL coats (1 man and 1 woman) and 2 coats size 16-18 for the kids. Sally and I will be sorting and wrapping on Thursday, so please have your gifts to Lois' house by Thursday morning. We will be delivering on Friday. Thanks again for all you have done!

Tree Delivered

I just wanted to let everyone know that the Christmas tree was delivered tonight. The family was really excited about getting it. When he knocked on the door he heard the people say "Its the guy." Before leaving the tree was set up and the tree skirt was placed and they were quickly deciding which box of lights to put on.

This family has never had a real tree and were really excited. The mother kept saying thanking over and over again. This family is really grateful for everything that we are doing for them.

Secret Santa Give

We have three families that we would like to help provide Christmas for this year. I know it seems like a lot, but I know that our family will come through. These families have not gone out and asked for help, but they are very thankful for it. Some of the families are in greater need than others, so there are more things on their lists. Also some of the families are only requesting things for the children. Please pray about it and sign up for whatever you can do.

Family #1

7 year old boy- size 8 pants, size 8 shirt -Jason & Sally
toy- Jason & Sally

5 year old boy- size 6 pants Travis and Jessica
size 6 shirt-Danelle
toy-Danelle



Family#2

dad- pants 34x30, XL shirt, socks size 9-10 -Johnsons
power tool of any kind-Margene

mom- pants size 18, LG shirt,--Johnsons
socks size 6-9 -Danelle
bath things or toe socks -Danelle

boy (15) pants 16-18 (from the boy section), LG shirt (from the boy section-Jason & Sally socks size 9-10- Marty & Tonya
favorite color is yellow
would like a fire truck- Jason & Sally

boy (13) pants size 14-16 (boy section), medium shirt- Johnsons socks size 9-10- Marty & Tonya
favorite color is blue
would like paper guitar (Guitar Jams) or anything Harry Potter -Johnsons

boy (10) pants size 8-10 (please buy pants with adjustable waist), shirt children's small-Johnsons
socks size 6-8 -Marty & Tonya
favorite color is red
would like a t-rex/transformers Johnsons

this family has also requested a tree. If anyone has an extra fake tree or would be willing to cut a tree, please let me know. Also, if you have extra lights or decorations that you would part with, please let me know. - Steve (delivering Tuesday, December 7th)

We would also like to do a food basket for this family with Christmas dinner fixings. A ham or turkey, a bag of potatoes, etc. Let me know if you would be willing to help with that, too.

There was also a request for coats. The parents both need XL and the two older boys need size 16-18 (kids) a small or medium in adults would probably be ok, too as the sizes aren't too much different. The youngest boy already has a coat.

Family #3

girl (7) needs shoes and/or snow boots badly size 3 --Margene
pants size 7 regular --Ashley
shirt size 7 --Ashley
toy --Megan

girl (5) needs shoes and/or snow boots badly size 12 --Merlynn
pants 6 slim --Merlynn
shirt 6 --Merlynn
toy -- Merlynn

boy (3) shoes size 10 -Johnsons
pants/shirt 3t/4t-Travis and Jessica
toy -Johnsons

baby boy (3 weeks) newborn clothing (0-3 months or 3-6 months) Braquel & Travis and Jessica
diapers/wipes Cinda

We would also like to do a Christmas dinner basket for this family.
Margene will help with the food

Family #1 basket:

Jeff & Burket: turkey and potatoes

Danelle & Gary: stuffing

Jason & Sally: jello fixings

Margene- rolls

Lois & Larry- vegetables

Lois- pie fixings & gravy mixes

Family #2 basket:

John & Tosha Rea: sending gift card for turkey

Tyler & Telynn- potatoes

Danelle& Gary: stuffing

Jason & Sally: jello fixings

Margene- rolls

Larry & Lois- vegetables

Lois- pie fixings & gravy mixes

*where it just says toy by the kids wishes, none was specified. I feel that each child should get some sort of toy as well as the things that are specifically needed.

* if you live far away and can't get specific things to us, but you want to help, we will gladly take money and put it toward the food baskets or fill in any gaps.

Thanks so much in advance for all of your help. I would like to get everything brought to Lois' house by the 15th so we can get it to the families by the 17th or so. We are working through the school districts and they all get out on the 17th. God bless you!

Turkey Trot Pictures

Brad, Mikayla, Brooke, and Linsday all walking the Trot! These four stuck together the whole way!

Start time. I was amazed at how many people braved the FREEZING temperatures to come walk/run and support a good cause. Some were far more serious about it than others, but everyone had a good time!

Travis got all dressed up in his long johns. He was only one of the few that had a costume on so I think he got a prize. Not really sure, but I do know he deserved one!

Notice the non-pink faces in this photo? It was pre-race when we were all nice and warm. By the time we got back, there were lots of red faces and some of us even had icicles in our hair! A huge thank you to the Stapelmans for all of their hard work. It was my first year there, but I will definitely go back next year!

Update for November Give

Hey, everyone! Tarra an Tosha have sent me some more information regarding the Turkey Trot! I thought the registration was $15, but they have corrected me with the following prices:

If you register by Friday, November 5th the fee is $11.00
If you register between November 6th and the 23rd the fee is $16.00
If you register on race day, November 25th, the fee is $21.00
If you have a child that is 6 or under, the fee is $7.00

*You may print/send in a registration form (must be postmarked by the 5th) from the website below OR

*You may walk into Hurst Chiropractic Clinic to register OR

*You may register online at the following website:

www.minicassiaturkeytrot.com

Thanks!

November Give

This is one of the best times of year for me! The cooler days, the beautiful fall leaves, it all reminds me of how much I am thankful for. I hope everyone is doing well and making a list of all of their blessings! Our give this month will be supporting the annual Turkey Trot. I think most of us know the details about the trot, but for those that don't:

This is the 5th year that the Turkey Trot has been going on. It is a 5K run/walk that costs $15.00 ( I think!) and you receive a free tee-shirt. All of the proceeds from this event go to help the West End Fire Department and other local charitable donations. It starts at West Minico Junior High and everyone that I know that has attended has loved it! I am strongly encouraging everyone to go support this fun and healthy event. Don't feel pressured to run all of the way (I probably won't even run part of the way!), you may go at your own pace. I believe there are prizes for the top three winners in men, women, and children categories. There are also prizes for silly costumes and other categories, too. Hope everyone shows up and has a good time!

I am also getting together a couple of families for our December give. I have one already picked out and will hopefully have another soon so I will get the ages and sizes of the children out soon. I would not only like to give the children a few toys or clothes, but even a tree and the fixings for Christmas dinner. Once I get everything organized, I would like people to sign up for certain things so that we are not overlapping and getting too many toys and no food or something like that. If you have an extra tree or decorations sitting around and would like to donate them, would you please drop me an email or comment on the blog? I would like to get as much done for this give as we can by the 10th of December or so. Thanks so much for all of your help!

October Give

A new month already and with it comes almost the end to our year of giving...not too sure how I feel about that! This month is what I call our family give. Sometimes we get so involved in the day to day responsibilities that we don't take the time with not only our immediate family, but our extended family as well. I challenge each of you to do something special with your kids this month and also something special with your larger family. Here are a few ideas (some cost money and some are free so there is no excuse!)

1. take a trip to the pumpkin patch: there are several good ones locally and it's a fun way to spend time together and a great place to get pictures for your Christmas cards!

2. take a hike around your neighborhood or better yet, in the mountains. The trees are turning fabulous colors and you can put together a scavenger hunt for the kiddos; find leaves, rocks, etc. It's also nice to throw a little exercise into your day!

3. have a family movie night. Pick one or two family favorites or try one you've not seen yet. Pop a big bowl of popcorn and sit back and relax.

4. Family game night. When is the last time you had a rousing game of Uno or Monopoly? You could even have an Olympic night on the Wii!

5. Visit a haunted house. Might not be for all of us, but it would be a great date night or a fun night with your teens. I think there are a few locally and they are a bit pricey, but fun and they last a couple of hours.

6. Decorate your house or yard for Halloween with all of the family's help. Let the little ones make bats or pumpkins out of paper and hang them from a tree. They can fill orange lawn bags with leaves or build a scarecrow. The DI has great overalls and things you can make a scarecrow out of. Your imagination is the limit on this one.

7. Mix up a batch of sugar cookies and frost them. Kids love to put the sprinkles on top and decorate them up cute. Great way to spend an afternoon!

8. Caramel apples...need I say more on that one?

9. Go through your family food storage. Rotate your stock by date so you don't end up throwing out of date items away. Enlist the kids to help! Most of the major grocery stores are having case lot sales and it's a good time to stock up on things you use most. Let the kids help dehydrate apples or bananas that you can use for their lunches or snacks later. Food storage is the family gift that keeps on giving!

This is the perfect time of year to get one more last family outing. The weather has been so nice and there is still lots you can do outside with the family. Please take pictures and post them on the blog. You never know when your idea will inspire someone else!

September give

Hey, everyone! September is already here and fall is heading our way! Time to think about cleaning out last years winter clothing. Our give for this month is kind of tricky. I originally wanted to do a Coats for Kids drive through the local schools. However, they only accept new coats, gloves, etc. I really didn't want to have to "buy" items every month for the give so I will leave the choice to each family. You can donate new hats, gloves, coats, snow boots, etc to your local school OR just go through the same items you already have at home and donate what you can to the DI or the local Youth Ranch. Either way, they are getting out there so kids can get them and that is the important thing. I know my budget has stretched as far as it can go with getting the kids in school, school pictures, etc. I do have many of these things that my kids have outgrown, but they still look nice and someone could still use them. So, like I say, the choice is yours. Also, last call for any toys for the Christmas Council. Ashley had a few loose ends she wanted to finish on her necklaces before we took them over and a few others asked if they could get something to us still. This will be the last week to get anything you want donated to Lois's house. Thanks for all your giving this year; I hope everyone else is enjoying it as much as I am. It really blesses me when I can focus on the needs of others instead of the wants of myself.

Family Reunion service project

Thank you to everyone that helped with the service project on Saturday morning during the family reunion.
Marshmallow guns

Wooden fences

Hair clips and necklaces
Bracelets

All of these items will be donated to the Christmas Council and we know that many people will appreciate and love the gifts that they receive. Thanks again for all your help.

August Give

I just wanted to remind everyone that August's Give is being held with the family reunion. We are asking that each family bring a new toy to donate to Toys to Tots. On Saturday we will also be making some items to donate to the Christmas Council. We'll see everyone at the reunion. Ashley

Our packages have begun arriving

The first of our military care packages are starting to arrive overseas! Mom sent her package on June 29th. I'm not sure what day they received the package, but she just received a thank you letter back!

It reads:

Thanks so much for the package you sent. The caramel corn and rice crispy treats didn't last long here with this group. We are a pretty small staff, but all love treats. We appreciate your support for our country and our efforts here in aiding the Government of Iraq. We are getting close to the end of our mission. We protect the Iraqi oil platforms in the Northern Arabian Gulf which provide the majority of that country's income, allowing them to rebuild. Out partners to the northwest are engaged in training the Iraqi Navy to do this job on their own, and we hope to turn it over shortly. We wish you the best.

Regards,

Doug Tharp
Operations Officer
CTF IM


Pretty exciting! I know there have been some other packages sent, so hopefully they will also arrive soon!

Don't forget that July is an individual give. Anything done for anyone else counts...and a little thing can be a big thing to someone in need! Sometimes just a visit with a lonely neighbor is just what they need. An offer to babysit for someone is always wonderful. Giving doesn't always have to cost money-sometimes it's time that it costs.

Also, the August give is Toys for Tots. Please bring a toy to the family reunion so it can be donated to a local charity and given to a child for Christmas. I believe that the Johnson Family also has some things we will be making at the reunion to give as well. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion and I'm excited about the fun things that have been planned for us! See you soon!

We have an address!

Due to the lack of cooperation from military people, we have come up with a new plan. Cinda's friend, Sherree, has a husband serving overseas. He has agreed to let us ship the packages to him and he will distribute to the soldiers where he is stationed. He told Cinda that the ones who will receive the care packages are stationed on very small oil platforms for three months at a time. From the way it sounds, they are pretty much isolated from most everything and they would love to get something to break up the monotony of guarding these platforms. My mom (Lois) sent the first package off this morning. We wanted to see how shipping the first one would go because we keep hearing all sorts of differing opinions on how to do things.

Here's how it went:

1. Flat rate box ($12.50) sealed up tight

2. She had to fill out a customs declaration page. We heard that each item must be listed individually, but there is only room for 4 items. Mom combined things into categories- treats, hygiene items, food, etc. She then listed a quantity for each category and a value. She DID NOT list everything individually. This declaration page is basically your label so you will definately have to fill one out.

3. The address that was given to us is:

lcdr Doug Tharp
comufnavcent
pfc 901 box 24
fpo ae 09805-0001

4. The postmaster also told mom that the only things he knew of that could not be sent was liquor and pork. Most Muslims find pork offensive and the liquor is self-explanatory!

5. The post office ships them to Virginia, where the military picks them up and delivers them. They don't actually go through customs. Mom said the whole process was very unpainful. I am going to ship our other two boxes within the next few days....fingers crossed!

Update

Just a quick update- I have still not received any names and addresses from the website that I was working through. Through a suggestion, I called the recruiting office and got nothing. I called Mountain Home Air Force Base and was given a higher-up name, but I have not heard back from him as of yet. I am still working on some things, so please keep working on your packages. I will get names out as quickly as I get them. The best thing to send them in is a flat rate shipping box from the post office. The boxes are free and the shipping is about $12.50. After we get them addressed, they will go to a place in Virginia, where the military picks them up and sends them overseas. I am told most packages will arrive to their soldier in about 3-4 days. There is a big list of ideas for the packages in the previous post if you are having trouble thinking of what to send.

We are going to switch around the July and August gives. July will now be an individual give. Anything you want to do for anyone is awesome. Help a neighbor in their yard, do some free babysitting for a new mom, donate money to a specific charity, etc. The main thing is that we do SOMETHING! All the little things really add up! Don't forget to document what you did on the blog! It really encourages others to do something. If you don't remember the login or password for the blog, let me know and I will get it to you...we really want everyone to participate!

The August give will be the Toys for Tots drive. The Johnsons are going to incorporate the give into the reunion so I will let them get the details out. We always do some sort of service project in conjunction with the reunion and they thought it would be fun to combine the two. I'm super excited to see what they are coming up with for us!

Also- a huge thank you to everyone who came and helped Grandma in May. I'm told that everything got done from the list. I know she really appreciates the labor of love that went into the give!!!

June Give Details

Hi, family! It's been awhile since a post...hope everyone is doing well!

Our June give is to put some care packages together for our military. I have contacted a site that provides names of service men/women to individuals who wish to give. Hopefully, they will get me the names and addresses soon. I have requested 15 names so we have our work cut out for us. I think the easiest way is to assign each main family 3 boxes.(Grandma can work with Janell). Also, if your family is very large, maybe some could help the Jensen family or the Ahern family as they are smaller groups.

Here is a list of things that you should NOT send:

pressurized items (shaving cream, etc.)
chocolates (they tend to melt)
pornographic material (no brainer)
liquor (it's illegal in some countries)

I will check with my local post office and see if there are any other restrictions. This was all the web site listed.

DO SEND: (you do not have to send everything on the list. Just pick a few items)

instant coffee, powdered Gatorade, powdered hot chocolate, kool-aid (presweetened), tea bags, slim jims, crackers and easy cheese (triscuts and ritz are great), single serve bags of chips, candy (M&M's are good, anything that won't melt), Little Debbie snack cakes, bubble gum, rice krispy treats, dry cereal (individual serving size), Kraft Easy Mac, microwave popcorn, jerky, granola bars, power bars, dried fruit, chex mix, canned soup, tuna, spices, summer sausage, oatmeal, salsa, lollipops, marshmallows, instant soup, fast food condiments.

clorox wipes, baby wipes, razors, shampoo, conditioner, soap or body wash, mouth wash, deodorant, t-shirts, socks, or underwear, a big, fluffy towel, eye drops, chapstick, lip balm, sun block, Avon Skin-so-soft, lotion, dental floss, baby powder, foot powder, combs/brushes, cotton balls, liquid hand sanitizer, breath mints, contact lens cleaner, nail files

batteries, a stress ball, stamps, paper, and envelopes for writing home, phone cards, paperback books or magazines, disposable cameras, puzzles, film, journals, yo-yos, squirt guns, frisbees, dart boards, small flash lights, hackie sacks, jump ropes, electronic hand-held games, post cards from your home state, handmade items, radio head sets, portable CD players, mini fans, jokes and comic books, balloons, hats (baseball), bandannas, socks, blankets, bug spray, single sheet sets, miniature balls (footballs, baseballs, etc), homemade CDs with songs

For females: feminine hygiene products, hair bands, hair clips, nail polish, nail clippers, q-tips, small mirrors, body sprays, hair gel, perfume, lotion

Gather your items and as soon as I get some names and addresses, I will post the shipping details!
Thanks and good luck!

April Give

For the April give we kind of waited until the last minute, but it was worth it because we had the perfect opportunity to serve someone who was very much in need. This lady pictured above was in the hospital for about three weeks before she had her baby (U of U) with complication. When she came home a week later she had a blood clot on her lung and was life flighted back to U of U for another week. Because of the amount of time that was spent in the hospital before the baby they were a little unprepared so we were able to give her a car seat, some blankets and a few other things. When she came home we were able to help her out by making some freezer meals and also sending some breakfast items so that they could use them when they were needed.

May Give Announcement

Our May give is to help Grandma with her yard and spring cleaning her house for spring/summer. Here is a list that she gave me as to what needs done. Grandma will supply everything needed for each job- she just needs the labor done. If you are interested in helping with any of the following jobs, please let her know what you can do and when you can do it. She would prefer that over all of us showing up at once and tripping over each other.

Outside:

The maple tree needs trimmed (if it is unsafe for us to do, she will hire it done)

The lawn needs fertilized

She needs a new pipe put in along her driveway (She said the Stapelman family has already begun this job and will most likely be the ones to finish it)

Inside:

The living room needs painted

The living room and bedroom curtains need to be taken down, washed, and rehung

The kitchen and laundry room walls need wiped down

The kitchen cupboards need to have a new coat of verathane (excuse me if that is misspelled!)

The mugs in the kitchen need taken down, washed, and put back

There may be a few other items added as grandma may notice more things along the way!

Thanks for all your help and we'll see everyone soon!

March Give Photos

Here is a picture of the pile of gifts that everyone donated for the Battered Women's Shelter. When I dropped the items off, it took me about ten trips to get it all in there! They were so grateful and I know everything will be put to good use!

The shower was held on Grandma's birthday! (on purpose!) Grandma got a phone call while we were there and whomever was on the other end of the phone asked if she was having company for her birthday. She said,"I have company, but for another reason, not my birthday!" Too funny! She just thought it was a coincidence that we were all there for a shower on the same day as her birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA! You're the best!

This jar of safety pins was for the game that we played. As people got to the shower, they were able to guess how many pins in the jar. I can't remember the exact total but somewhere around 350, I think. The winners were:

1st: Doris Jensen

2nd: Merlynn Graf

3rd: Chelsey Jones

4th: Sean Ahern

A big thank you for all that participated and especially for those that helped with the food!

April Give

There is going to be an adjustment for our April give plans. My original plan was to divide into 4 groups and each group would take dinner to the homeless shelter once during the month. However, I have been calling the shelter for three weeks straight and have gotten no response. I have left several messages regarding who I am and what I am trying to do. I even went to the shelter when I dropped off the baby shower gifts and no one would answer the door.

I feel like this may not be the best place to invest our time. Instead, I am encouraging each family to take dinner to someone in need. Maybe it's a neighbor that has been ill, someone at church that had a baby, maybe a friend that just could use some help...we all know someone that would appreciate dinner. Please take a picture and if you don't know how to upload onto the blog, there are several of us that can. At the very least, type up a quick post and let us know what you did. It's a great encouragement to get the rest of us going!

Our May give will be on May 1st. We will meet at Grandma Stapelman's and help get her yard ready for spring/summer. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate with us and we can get lots done. We will need shovels and rakes and pruners so if you have any, please bring them. I'll send out some more information a little bit closer to the 1st.

Just a quick thank you for all of the wonderful gifts brought to the baby shower. The Battered Women's Shelter was very grateful for everything. I went to get my pictures downloaded to a cd so I could post them, but Wal-mart's photo lab was down Monday and I haven't been to town since. I will post them as soon as I get them! Thanks again for your generosity!

Baby Shower Reminder

Just a quick reminder that I need a count for the baby shower on Saturday. So far, Janell is the only one that has confirmed she will be there. We are doing a light lunch and refreshments, so a count of attendees would really be helpful. Hope to see you Saturday!

Moe Photos...

If you would like to see more photos of the Stapelman February Give at Valley Vista Care Center, check out Lois' blog at
www.flwblog.blogspot.com

She's posted several more photos there!

Baby Shower for March

You are invited to a baby shower for the Battered Women's Shelter in Rupert!

Date: Saturday, March 20, 2010

Time: 11 am-1 pm (Open House style)

Place: Marj Stapelman's house

We will be serving a light lunch so please let us know if you are coming so we can plan on a number to serve. We will also have a few games that you can play as you come and go- we will let you know after the shower if you are the winner!

Pam Harris, the head lady at the Battered Women's Shelter has made the following suggestions for gifts:

Diapers (size 4 and 5 )
Formula (any brand)
Receiving Blankets

*Their biggest need at this point is cash. They are trying to put together some information packets to give to the police and they are trying to advance their training and advocacy programs . A fun idea was to fill a baby bottle or two with your loose change. It's amazing how fast extra quarters and nickels can add up. This would help them become more reliant on the local community for money rather than grants.

This is a wonderful program for our community. It's unbelievable how many families the shelter has helped through very traumatic times. Pam has such a neat vision and really would like to see the shelter expand into other areas. She has plans for turning an extra building into a soup kitchen and also into a little store that would help supply families with clothing and household items that they need while trying to escape from abuse.

Pam also emailed me a list of items that they could use that aren't necessarily for babies. If you are interested in helping, let me know and I will forward this list to you!

February Give

We had a great time hosting a party for the residents at Valley Vista. Some of the residents came in for the entertainment and some didn't, but the crowd that came were so appreciative. We had several talents including: a song from Wendell, piano solos from Natalie, Megan, and Taylar, a violin duet from Hayley and Tonya, and a dance by Whitney. We also sang a few numbers as a group! There were lots of Valentines and I believe that some people even got more than 1! I can't tell you how excited some of the ladies were to get their Valentines!

I want to thank everyone that took the time to bring some joy to these residents. I know how busy families are, but I was very happy with the turnout and I really appreciate the efforts put forth! I'll have some fun news for next months give tomorrow so check back!!

Reminder

Just a quick reminder that we are meeting at noon or so tomorrow, Feb. 13th at Valley Vista Care Center for a Valentine's party. Please bring 2 handmade valentines per child to pass out to the residents. We will take care of the punch and cookies. Also- please bring along some talents to share! See you there!

February Give

We will be hosting a Valentine party at the Valley Vista Care Center on Saturday, Februay 13th. They are located at 300 E and 243 N in Rupert. (If you go out of Rupert toward the fairgrounds, continue on to 3oo E. Turn left and go about 2 1/2 miles north. Valley Vista is on the left hand side of the road) We will meet about noon so we can catch the residents about lunchtime and that way we can get the majority of the residents.

We will start off singing as a group. Sally will have two simple Valentine songs for us to sing. Then we will have individual talents. Tonya has said that Taylor and Hayley will perform and Sally has said Natalie will play a piano solo and Whitney will dance. If anyone else has something they would like to do, please let me know. I would like to provide about a 1/2 hour performance for them. We will finish with all of the group singing I am a Child of God.

We will bring sugar cookies and juice for the residents as well. There will be enough for all of us to enjoy also. We would also like each child to bring 2 handmade Valentine cards that we can pass out to the residents as well.

They are very excited about us coming and we can't wait to bring them some joy!

January Canned Food Drive

These are just a few of the pictures from the birthday dinner. We are so blessed to have so much of our family live within a few minutes of each other. It was fun seeing everyone again and getting to visit with each other.

Keep watching the blog, the Valentine's Day party details will be on by this weekend. Tonya has volunteered Hayley and Taylor for the talent show. Let me know if anyone else would like to share their talents.

Canned Food Drive Update

A big thank you to everyone that donated their canned food on Saturday. We had a couple of people that forgot their donations and asked if they could have a day or two extra. We went ahead and left some boxes at Grandma Stapelman's house so if you are going by there and would still like to contribute, we will wait a couple of extra days before delivering it to the food bank.

Be watching the blog for some fun pictures of Saturday evening. You just might see your mug featured on the web!

Also- be watching for an email and post on the blog with more details about the February give. We will be hosting a Valentine's Day party at a local retirement home and we will be asking some of the kids for their talents. You can't imagine how much the people in these kinds of home enjoy watching the kids sing and dance. If one of your kids has a special talent that they would like to share, please drop me an email or post it on the blog so we can figure out where we are!
Thanks again-
Danelle

Word on the Street

A little birdie told me last night that there a few members of this family that are currently into blogging. If you are willing, we would love to have a link for any blogs out there so we can keep up on your family's events! Just put a post or comment on the blog and let us know where we can find you!

My blog is: www.missdanishandful.blogspot.com

There are links to Lois, Janell, Stephanie, and Robin (Chris and Taylor, too) from there. Because I just use the links, I couldn't tell you the exact addresses!

Canned Food Drive Reminder

Hey, everyone! Hope your week is starting off wonderfully! This is just a reminder that all canned food donations are needed by Saturday, January 30th. Please remember to drop off donations to Grandma Stapelman's by then.

Also- love the post of the new Johnson baby. Everyone is welcome to post those kinds of things- any exciting news, missionary events, babies, holiday plans...anything that you want everyone to know fast is welcome on the blog. Everyone will want to check the blog regularly to keep up on all the news!

Another tidbit: Janell, Lois, Danelle, and Robin are putting together a retreat on April 8,9, and 10th. It is held at the Lava Hot Springs School House Inn and the cost is $90.00. This covers your overnight accomodations, all the food for the three days, and a fun project to make while you are there. It's a great deal for $90.00 We have 6 spots left, so if you are interested in coming, please contact Janell at 436-6152 or Lois at 431-5446. We would love to have you come and relax with us and maybe knock a few scrapbook pages out, too! We have a blast and it's a fun time to get away.

Have a wonderful week and we'll see most of you on Saturday!

Matthew Jeffrey Johnson
Jan 6, 2010
7lbs 15 oz

January Give Back

January's give back assignment is a canned food drive. So many food banks run out of food at this time of year because they give out everything they have at Christmas. We would like to help them fill their pantries back up.

The drop off point will be Grandma Stapelmans house by January 30th. We will pick everything up and deliver it to a food bank. We are not going to ask for any specific amount. Whatever you can do will be wonderful. We do ask that all donations be non-perishable, though. This means anything in a can or box will be fine. Look through your stock and if there are things that are coming close to expiring, this is a great time to get it taken care of. If you see a great price on something at the grocery store, buy a couple extra and donate them. You would be surprised how much you can get for a couple of dollars. Remember, there are food banks everywhere, so if you can't get a donation to Grandmas, donate in your area!

Keep checking the blog for updates and we will post some pics soon.

Have a blessed day!

Welcome to a New Year!

We have created this blog to keep a log of this new years exciting events. Anyone can leave a comment on the blog or create a post. We really would like to encourage everyone to post as they complete the "giving back" tasks. You can also download pictures so everyone can keep up with all of the fun things that have been planned.

If you live out of the area, please don't hesitate to stay involved in your area. You don't have to do exactly what we are doing, but please do something and then let the family know what you've accomplished. We are not keeping track for any kind of importance, but it's easier to stay focused and on track when you see others doing good works!

Here is a master list of 2010 goals. There will be more notice as each event gets closer and you will need to keep checking out the blog to get details!

January- canned food drive
February-valentine's party at retirement home
March-baby shower for the battered women's shelter
April-dinners at a local food bank
May-yard clean up day at grandma Stapelmans
June-military care packages
July-Christmas in July-toys for tots
August-individual give
September-Coats for Kids
October-Family Give
November-Turkey Trot
December-Secret Santa project

Some of this may not make any sense yet, but I promise that it will.

We are really looking forward to blessing others as we have been so blessed as a family. We encourage each family to participate as much as they can as it will keep up the enthusiasm.

Thanks in advance and we will have some information out soon for the January food drive! Have a wonderful day!