2010 Family Christmas Party

Every year a different member of our family hosts the Family Christmas Party.   We are blessed with a very large family.  It was my youngest sister's (Michelle) turn.  She did such a great job.  Mexican food, an adult size bounce slide, gift exchange and homemade goodie exchange.   This year there was a contest for best homemade goodie exchange.  Kim won!  (Sorry I didn't get a picture of that).  We had a great time.

Mom and Dad (Nanny and Poppy)

My brothers and sisters (Clockwise from the top)  Scott, Tammy, Me, Richard, Michelle and Kim

Younger grandkids  Front row:  Hunter, Austin (Ryan's girlfriend Amber's son) , Dylan and Taylor
Back row:  Matthew, Scotty and Rachel

Older grandkids (front row)  Richie and Daniel
(back row) Brittany, Dustin, Ryan, Melissa and Carrie

The in-laws  
Front row:  Mike, Marlene and Randy
Back row:  Pat, Michelle and Damion (Little sister Michelle's boyfriend)





We missed Sarah, Kelly, Matt, Makenzie, Brody and Amber  who weren't able to be there this year!!!!!

Trains

What does the Polar Express, a christmas train, a popcorn tin, a train blanket and Thomas the train pajamas have in common......
A fun sleepover with Dylan and Poppy.

                                                         What is Dylan so excited about?

                                                             Santa, of course.

As you can see, they had such a special night.  If you look close,  you'll see that even big sister joined in on the fun.

                                                                           Taylor

Merry Christmas!

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Luke 2:11

Epcot Candlelight Processional

My sweetheart and I had our annual Epcot Candlelight Processional date.  (Thanks C for the tickets)   We had beautiful cool weather, a pastry in "France" and a lovely dinner in "Italy".  Trey Adkins read the Christmas Story this year.  Well, all I can say is you haven't heard it until you hear him (with his deep voice) tell it.  The music was beautiful.  What a blessing to celebrate Jesus' birthday in song and praise with thousands from around the world.

A Christmas Blessing!!!

Thank you to everyone who donated, posted and prayed for the "Christmas Trees of Glory" fund raiser.   $ 5330.00 was raised in 1 month.  Praise God!    What a blessing to have so many caring people participate in this fundraiser (as well as so many other worthwhile causes out there).  And what better way to give Jesus a birthday present than to donate to a cause for the least of these. 

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."   Matthew  25: 40

My niece did a great job heading up this very successful fundraiser.  We still need to raise     $ 270.00,  so donations to the Trees of Glory livestock fund are still being accepted. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

                                      When you donated money to buy these:                                 

You changed the lives of sweet children like these: 

                                   

                                   

3 DAYS LEFT

I was thinking about how I can put into a few meaningful words (because I know  busy everyone is this time of the year)  a post about the fundraiser, Christmas Trees of Glory,  that I am helping Jessica with.  I've decided I can't say it better or in as few words as she did so I've copied her post.

Jessica's Post:




                                                MORE DAYS TO HAVE ONE OF THESE





                                              MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ONE OF THESE





To make a donation for the Livestock Fund:


Make a donation at Children's Hope Chest (go to the site, click on the orange GIVE button on the far right side at the top of the home page)

Under "Gift Information," click on "choose a fund" and select "designated gifts"

Then write in your gift amount (if you're giving gift cards to more than one person, just add up the total amount to be given and write it in the blank, then when you email me, just clarify the number of total gift cards needed-that will save you from having to make multiple donations)

Then (this is the important part) under the "notes field" be sure to add in the Trees of Glory Livestock Fund code which is "ET2119000 LIVESTOCK."

Finally, add in your info and follow the prompts to complete your donation.

Once you complete your donation, send me an email at jirvin79@gmail.com with your donation amount, your mailing address and the number of gift cards that you need and we'll send it out to you within the next few days. So that we are able to get the cards to you before Christmas, please make all donations prior to December 18th. If we have not met our goal by then, we will continue fundraising through other avenues, but the gift cards will no longer be sent.

While we will continue to advocate for the funds necessary to complete this project, the Christmas Trees of Glory fundraiser will end on December 18th (that will allow us enough time to deliver any cards that are ordered by Christmas).


Back to Deborah's Post:

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Livestock fund  through the Christmas Trees of Glory fundraiser.  We still have 3 days left.  Please consider making a small (or large) donation.  

Thank you so much and have a blessed day.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas.....

                                  And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

                                       This is what Christmas looks like at our house this year.

Our Gingerbread House

 Decorations are such fun. 

But lets remember what the celebration is all about.

                                      Jesus is the reason for the season.
                                                 Merry Christmas

Wondering if you can really make a difference?

This is the picture we got of Dege in July when we became his sponsors.

This is Dege, 4 months after he began at Trees of Glory.

 Doesn't he have the sweetest smile and beautiful eyes.

Sponsorship really does make a difference in the lives of these children.      Sponsoring a child provides clothes, food  and an education for them.  It also makes a difference in your life.  You realize that for what you might spend on dinner takes care of your sponsor child for a month.  I can't tell you how that has changed the way I view most everything I do.   You will have the opportunity to occasionally send a care package when someone travels to Trees of Glory.   (We enclosed little treasures, pictures of our family, a new shirt, etc.)  Just trying to let Dege know we love him, Jesus loves him and we pray for him.   

Just look at that sweet little face.

PRICELESS 

If you are interested in finding our more about sponsoring a child please visit Karen Winstrom (with Children's Hope Chest) to learn more about it.

Please remember we still have the fundraiser going on for the Trees of Glory Livestock fund.  Visit my previous post for more information.   Post

Trees of Glory Update!

                                                    $1310.00

That's how much has been donated to the Trees of Glory Livestock fund so far! That puts us at about 23% of our goal.

Below is an example of what you will receive if you donate (or donate as a gift in someone's name).

Background information about Children's Hopechest and TOG are printed on the back of each card along with an explanation of the livestock project and the impact it will have for the kids at this care-point.

Karen Winstrom (with Children's Hope Chest) and her team were in Ethiopia last month.  While she was there the land officials were actually at the care-point discussing the land with the in-country staff. The staff reiterated the importance of utilizing the land and the urgency of this need for livestock to graze the field.



Please consider donating, gifting a donation in someone's name for Christmas, passing this link along on your blog or facebook, we would be very greatful.


Remember, $900 buys a cow and the barn can be completed for just $1100


                                         $4290 to go !!!!

On the second day of Christmas

Check out the giveaway for the second day of Christmas at: http://www.andbabiesmakefour.com/2010/12/on-second-day-of-christmas.html.

Thanksgiving Blessings

Carrie, Melissa, Ryan and Kelly
Thanksgiving 2010

My Babies

Colton

Dylan

Makenzie and Caroline

Caleb, Hermela and Meron

Nothing like a game of duck-duck-goose

Well, maybe two games of duck-duck-goose

Our family is thankful for eight of the cutest Turkeys you've ever seen.

We had a cousins night on Thanksgiving weekend.  Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, pizza and lots of playing.
Is there anything better than this!

I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving.

On the first day of Christmas .....

Check out this "12 days of Christmas" giveaway from  http://andbabiesmakefour.com/  blogsite.  She has an amazing blog.

Update on Trees of Glory

Thank you in advance for considering the fundraiser "Christmas Trees of Glory".  The donations have started but we have far to go.  Karen Wistrom just arrived back from a trip to Ethiopia.  Please take a look at the link here.  The pictures are of Trees of Glory and some of the children.  Read her post and you will know why it is so important for this fundraiser to be a success. 

Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving.  We have so much to be thankful for.