10 Club Service Day

 For February's 10 Club activity 30 shoe boxes were acquired before the meeting. 

We then assembled the 30 shoe boxes with all the makings for Valentine's Day cards, supplies to decorate the boxes, activities to do along with games, pencils, erasers, puzzles and lots of candy for each box.

These were put together assembly-line style.  These boxes will be given to a local organization that cares for children who have been rescued from an abusive situation in their own homes.  then using the Valentine cards we supplied to give to their new friends in the shelter.

  I am so grateful for good hearted people who care for these children and give them a new start on life.  Love and compassion have new meaning at Valentine's Day with organizations like this one in existence.

I can just imagine how much fun these children will have decorating their boxes with the shiny red and silver mylar paper and adding the hearts to the outside.

Just another little drop in the bucket this month, but well worth the time expended.  After we were through we had a lovely Valentine lunch of Chicken Caesar Salad, Homemade Tomato Basil Soup, Homemade Rolls and Heart Sugar Cookies.

What a wonderful way to spend one morning a month!

Christmas Comes in a Book

I am sure you have been doing the same things that I have the last week--helping all the pumpkin decorations and their friends pass the Christmas tree lights in the hallway as they are making their way back to their storage place for the next year.  My house looked like it had been raided with everything out all at once and the glitter from ornaments, fake snow and Fruit Loops from the grandchildren having a grand time on the floor.  The bed linens are still being laundered but Christmas is taking over the decorations now and I love it. I have finally gotten out my old faithful--my Christmas book.  It is where I keep all my ideas, notes, card list, menus, cookie recipes, that help make the worldly Christmas what it is to me.  Of course, the real meaning of Christmas cannot be put in a book because it is in my heart but this is one of my favorite Christmas items.

I made it about 20 years ago and have used it every year since.  It has paper sack pages which are nice because each page is a pocket to keep items.  I began with very nicely printed labels on each sack but have since just printed with a pen other categories as they have been needed.  Some of the categories are:

Holiday Tips-Organizing Christmas

Menus Christmas Eve, Christmas Day

Christmas Prayers

True Stories

Gift Ideas for Those Who Have Everything

Christmas Eve Program

Favorite Cookies and Candy recipes

Decorating Ideas

12 Days of Christmas

Games and Quizzes

Summary of Happenings Year by year

Craft Ideas

Tips for Photography Christmas

As I find ideas in magazines, or see something I like I put the ideas in this book. If I was a perfectionist, everything would be in a pocket, but over the years I have just stuck things in and not "filed" them so it is a bit messy.  The best part is I remember what I have put in it!  So it works for me. If you haven't yet started a place where you can put your favorite ideas to use at Christmas, I would suggest that this year would be a good one to start a book.  It could be a big binder that you buy with see-through sleeves that you can add as you need  or a commercial book that is made for this purpose.  Mine has been a wonderful book that I cherish and use each and every year.  May we each enjoy this special time as we prepare our homes and hearts for Christmas.