Operation Christmas Child

This year our church participated in Operation Christmas Child.  This is where you fill a shoebox (or similar-sized container) with various items for children in need around the world.  Before starting, you decide if you will buy for a girl or a boy, and then you decide on an age range.

 

Dallas chose to buy for a boy in the 2-4 age, and Reba decided on a girl in the 2-4 age...surprise, surprise!

 

Here's Dallas folding a few pieces of clothing to pack into his box.

Reba was admiring the shirt she picked out

We finally got everything in the box

It might of been a tight fit...

We also decided to add a card with a small note; Dallas loves signing his name! 

Off to the drop off location!

Until next time...

Random Photos

How would you like to find this little cutie in your lunch box?

The kiddos' friends, Mattison and Ciara, were our only trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

Dallas' teacher invited his preK class to trick-or-treat at her house, so the kiddos had to dressed up again.  Reba really wanted to be Princess Tiana, but the outfit was misplaced earlier in the week and we couldn't find it the night of Halloween!  Dallas chose to switch up his outfit as well, and he was Woody from Toy Story.

Until next time...

National Farm Toy Show

Early last Friday morning, Doug, Dallas, Pa and I loaded up the van and headed towards Dyersville, Iowa.  We were on our way to enjoying a weekend at the National Farm Toy Show!  We have been a handful of times before (remember we used to live in Iowa), but we didn't go last year and really missed it.

 

We arrived at the show a little after 11 a.m., one of our first stops was Scale Models - the home of American made toy tractors!

 

The cool thing about Scale Models is that they run their assembly line on Friday.  We were able to see them package pedal tractors.  Look at all those pedal tractor boxes looking for a home...

After spending all afternoon at the outside portion of the show and grabbing some dinner, we headed back to the hotel room to examine the day's purchases.

We headed back at the show Saturday morning to see all the inside vendors (if you have never been to the National Show, they have tents and trailers set up in the parking lots around the toy museum, as well as two other off site buildings that have vendors set up; then the high school gym and class rooms are full of vendors, as well as the gym inside the toy museum!)  Dallas made it through the high school gym and classrooms before crashing for a nap in the backseat of the van.  He slept for almost 2 hours (Pa and Momma took turns sitting in the van with him)

We had such a wonderful time, and Doug and I were able to get a lot of Christmas and birthday shopping done!

Until next time...

Fun Friday Fotos - Saint Michael

At school, the classes celebrate All Saints Day (November 1), in lieu of Halloween (All Hallows Eve).  This year, Dallas dressed at St. Michael the Archangel

He also wore this card explaining a little about his chosen saint.

I was able to help in his classroom on Wednesday when they had their party.  The kiddos were able to do a craft, play a couple different games and listen to fun Halloween stories - read by yours truly :)

Until next time...

All Saints Day Celebration 2011

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Tuesday was Daddy's birthday, so the kiddos each made him a card...

I took the kiddos to the Rural King (yes, that's probably our favorite place to shop!) to pick out a gift for Daddy.  Let's just say, the kiddos are really great at this gift picking out stuff.  Remember when Reba picked out shoes for Momma's birthday? 

Dallas decided we needed to go right to the toy aisle!  He picked out a set of construction toys

and Reba picked a JD 1010

I also made a carrot cake with cream cheese icing for Doug's birthday.  I think it might be our family's new favorite cake!

Until next time...