Forest of Giving

during the Christmas season we do a "Forest of Giving" at church -- it started as the "Giving Tree" back when i was in high school, but that tree started looking way to charlie brown, so the youth group (which i lead) raised some money and bought some small pencil trees -- it is now the forest of giving...each year we collect toiletries (a lot of hotel size ones), socks, mittens, etc. to donate to a local charity...

this year we donated to the new Ronald McDonald House near St. John's hospital...

our total tally was:
7 hats
19 gloves/mittens
8 scarves
1 scarf/hat/glove set
2 neck warmers
2 baby legwarmers
2o pairs of socks
4 body wash/shower gels
16 bars of soap
5 loofahs
12 toothbrushes
2 bottles of mouthwash
1 tube of toothpaste
23 shampoos
13 conditioners
2 hair brushes
1 big thing of hair elastics
17 lotions
3 deodorants
1 body spray
5 "others" (various samples)

THANK YOU!

toodles :)

2 books tonight

i read 2 books tonight...

the first was Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith....cute story, good for younger kids (i could see a 3rd or 4th grader really loving it)...some middle schoolers may enjoy it -- especially if they are a lower reading level, or just love funny books...it took me less than an hour...

the other book was Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret...good story! Kehret writes a lot of stories with kidnappings or abductions or runaways, but this had a great twist with the long lost twin scenario...lots of intrigue and interesting stories...family and love underlie everything (in this book and in life)...

toodles :)

wists

have you ever heard of wists? wists is a website to create your own "wish list" of sorts -- it is helpful for showcasing crafts you may like or want -- you can wist anything from any site...

mine is a lot of different crafts i have seen on craftster that i liked...a lot are related to matrushka dolls, harry potter, & various tote bags & cute plushies...

you can find mine here -- and go make your own & post the link! they sure are fun!

toodles :)

busy day today...

it was another snow day today -- this was #4 of 6 that were built into the school year...

i learned that the cinnamon bread we bought can cause a fire in the toaster oven (it has a layer of cinnamon on the outside, & i think it dripped onto the heating element in the toaster)...

today i swapped mad science kits & paid for my new glasses...i found more books to request at the library (i think i have 18 on my list now!)...i went to costco, and target, and another target...i went to dinner at red robin


the target at gravois bluffs in fenton is awesome -- the people were helpful & the store was stocked & the workers were actually working...

the target in south county (near costco) SUCKED! the workers were too busy having their own conversations to help...nothing was in stock, the lines were long & the price check scanners were not working...they are doing some remodeling, so i understand having items in a different place or some of the scanners not working, but the customer service SUCKED....


toodles :)

snow day ritual

on snow days i pop open a can of cinnamon rolls to bake for breakfast...i make sure we have them in the house come winter...but now i am in a quandary -- we used the last tube today...and they have already called for tomorrow! i guess it will be cinnamon bread toast tomorrow for breakfast....

toodles :)