Love

Smile...spread love everywhere you go. This is our motto for 2016!

All dogs go to heaven

We donated to a local no-kill animal shelter in honor of all of our shelter pets.

Candy caned

We candy cane-bombed a parking lot!

Brushing up

We had dental appointments today and we felt that it would be a good idea to buy some toiletries for a homeless shelter.

Baked

Made some banana bread for friends

So much stuff

We donated some clothes and other items to the Salvation Army

The meter awakens...

We were pretty geeked to catch the new Star Wars movies, and even got to see it in the IMAX format at our science center. We went out to dinner afterwards, and put some quarters in the meters for people where we parked.

Hello...

Reach out and give someone a call!

Candle, candle burning bright

Today, while we were at Alex's school Mass to watch him in the choir and serve as a greeter, we lit a candle in memory of all of those close to us who are no longer with us.

Make a Wish

Jolly Holiday Lights is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Make a Wish of Iowa. Unfortunately, the heavy rains this past weekend caused flooding and power outages at the park where Jolly Holiday Lights is located. Organizers were forced to shut the display down for the remainder of the season and estimate a loss of nearly $200,000 in donations as a result.

Community and business leaders are encouraging people to continue to donate, to help make up the shortfall. We had hoped to go see the light display this season, but we are happy to help by donating towards a "virtual ticket" for Jolly Holiday Lights. 

Make a donation to Make a Wish of Iowa

#BringTheJolly

Mixed up mail

We have a neighbor whose mail we have been receiving for some reason, so we made a point of taking it over to them in person so that they got it.

May the Force be with you

Give a hug to someone who looks like they really need it, and who needs a hug more than Darth Vader? Alex had fun at Star Wars Night at the Iowa Wild hockey game!

Light it up!

Every year, we look forward to seeing the Clive Fire Department trucks and Santa! This year, they were stationed right across the street from us, so we were able to walk over and give them some cookies that we made. Thanks to our fire department for keeping our community safe!

Firefighter Andy with his candy cane

The group with Santa

Firefighter Greer enjoying hers

Ring my bell

Today we helped the Salvation Army bell ringers out!

Clean up

December temps in the 50s meant a trip to the park today. We saw some trash on the ground and picked it up to help keep the park looking nice.

Sending a letter

We made holiday cards for nursing home residents through the Southsuburban YMCA.

Toyland

Today we made donations for each of the kids to Toys for Tots!

Love is an open door!

 

It can be as simple as holding the door open for someone else!

You get a sticker, and you get a sticker

Taking stickers to school to give to friends

Red kettle

Twenty days and counting, we slipped some money into the Salvation Army red bucket.

Pay it forward

Today we started a pay it forward at Starbucks!

Gone to the birds

Today for our RACK we decided to treat the neighborhood birds to some leftover bread from Thanksgiving. We saw some flocks of Canada geese flying by, so they may be stopping by for a snack on their way south.

Letters

Making friends can be hard sometimes, and even more difficult in some instances, such this young man's story. Alex decided to send Austin a letter and let him know that he was thinking of him and that he would be happy to be his friend.

So it begins...

This is the eighth year of doing the advent calendar, and I thought it might be time to try something a little different. This year, we decided to include RACKS, or Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, into the mix this year. Our countdown will celebrate those things we are doing to help make the season more meaningful.

For today, December 1, we have donated a wreath through Wreaths Across America. This organization works to place wreaths on all of the gravestones of military veterans. For just $15, you can sponsor a wreath to be placed at Arlington National Cemetery, or you have the option of selecting your local veterans cemetery. It's a great way to honor those who served our country!

Firecrackers...

 

It's no secret I love dressing the kids up in matching/coordinating outfits for the holidays. I'm not going to lie, it can be a huge ordeal. The cajoling, pleading and begging to get them dressed up, stay neat, to behave and look at the camera, smile, etc., well, it's a lot. But when I pull up the pictures and start checking through them and have to wipe tears away because I can't believe how beautiful they look and how sweet they are, I know it is all worth it. I can only imagine how much I'll appreciate these as they get older and older and eventually have their own families. I only hope at least one of them is crazy enough to do this with their own kids!



 



But for every "perfect" photo that I manage to capture, there are tons (and tons) of outtakes that look like these:



Dad may have been messing around with firecrackers in this one...



Middle child mutiny...even making sure her arm is right up there so Mom can't crop it without it looking weird.



 

And we had to get a few individual shots too:



In front of the chalkboard sign that Mom changed from "Happy 4th".





Nothing is going to hold this kid down...nothing!



This one...he's kind of my spoiled little baby!



Anyway, we hope you have a wonderful, star-spangled, fun-filled Fourth of July!

Tulip Time!

Fun times from the Pella Tulip Festival!

May Flowers

Our crab tree in the front yard always has the most vibrant, beautiful flowers on it every spring. Greer and I took a few photos last week in the early evening.