3 little Miracles

3 little Miracles

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013

We had such an amazing Thanksgiving celebration starting with Wednesday afternoon when my oldest brother Ted, my SIL Paula and nephew Sam arrived {Sam is my brothers foster son but he has quickly become a part of our family}.    We spent the evening watching Star Wars and watching my brother and boys have light saber battles in my living room.  The boys also helped Uncle Ted peel potatoes for the Thanksgiving Dinner.

Late in the evening my other brother, SIL Kelly and nephew Caleb also arrived and we played a rousing game of Liverpool Rummy after eating some pizza.  This is always such a fun time with lively conversation and lots of visits down memory lane.

On Thanksgiving morning I like to ease into my day and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade and the Dog Show, but instead after breakfast we finished decorating the Christmas tree with the non-breakable personal ornaments that the kids love putting on the tree.
Sam helping Rachel hang an ornament on her tree

Then I headed out to spend a few hours with my youngest niece Calli and her fiance Bryan taking engagement pictures in advance of their October 2014 wedding date.

After the shoot I set up for family photos we were taking later in the afternoon while the men folk all played golf in the back yard hitting balls down into the river whilst the women folk all looked on ;-)

Family Photos along the river
Three of my beautiful nieces Calli, Cassandra and Hilary along with Cassandra's daughter Finleigh

ALL of my family including a sign to represent my niece Zoe who has been missing for 7 years now

My parents with all of their Grandchildren including one Great-Grand

My  siblings and I with my parents

My siblings and I
Wonderful day spent with all of my family.  Twenty-five people gathered together in celebration of all that we have to be thankful for from the Lord.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Operation Christmas Child PACKING Day!

I think one of the most important ministries that we participate in at our church is Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child.  This year we decided to step up our game at home AND at church by increasing the number of boxes packed.

Our personal goal was to pack 12 total boxes and to do one each month instead of waiting until the last minute and packing them all a few days before they were due at the church.  WE DID IT!

Our church also set a new goal, last year we packed a little over 500 boxes but this year we decided to DOUBLE our goal and try and pack 1000 boxes as a church.  So throughout the year we gathered specific items each month and collected them in OCC Command Center at our church.  Pencils, soap, toothbrushes, stuffed animals, balls, musical instruments, reusable bags, etc.  Then we prayed, we gathered and we decked the halls to to put us all in the Christmas spirit and we had ourselves a packing day in November to pack 1000 boxes in a day as a church body.  We not only met our goal but we exceeded it and the winners are the 1000+ children that will get a gift and God's love delivered in a small shoe box.













Saturday, November 9, 2013

Antique LOVE

Had a photo shoot this morning and decided afterwards to check out a local antique store to explore for possible photo props OR just some cute finds I would love to have around the house.  
Browse with me!





I have the larger version of this bowl thinking I need to pick this up so I have a set. 




I'd love to see the dress inside this plastic, I was so curious but couldn't get it down to check it out.