Day 11–30 Days of Giving and Thanks

Hmmm…who should get these Banana Nut Bread beauties?!?!
I can tell you now, it will certainly be someone we are thankful for!

Tough decision…Quint will probably fight me for them…this is true.

Hope your challenge is going well!!!  We are having a great time with ours…
(and maybe eating a little too much of the Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread….maybe)

My little brother and his wonderful wife come to visit us tomorrow from Cali –
and I have to say, it is a treat that I have been waiting 8 years for!! 

Hope your weekend is full of many things to give thanks for…

Giving & Thanks–Day 7

I don’t have much to report today, except this: I have always said that I prefer to give gifts rather than receive them.  It just does something for me.  Fills me up.  I don’t even know.  So this challenge has given me this rush of “giving” – even if it’s something small – and I have to say, I am thoroughly enjoying it.  It doesn't hurt that it's Fall...and leaves are all over the yard, the cool weather has settled in, rain is falling..oh and also, my house smells like Sugar Cookies…but that’s a whole other story about scented wax and my new obsession (because I’m always late to the trend party).  Meanwhile, if you’re not signed up to participate in 30 Days of Giving & Thanks, maybe you should consider it?  Not too late – only one week in!  You can read all about this month’s challenge by clicking the Tab above labeled “Challenges”. 

Meanwhile?  You can’t handle the cute. 

I’m just sayin’.  No one, and I mean no one, can rock a “purse hat” like my baby… 

Dare to disagree.

 

 

Day 5–Giving & Thanks

Oh let me just tell you…I am LOVING this Giving & Thanks Challenge.  When AB and I discussed who we would like to express our gratefulness to – we had such a big list, we realized we might have to scale back a bit – now, that was definitely a bonus.  Realizing how many people you have in your life to be thankful for?  Realizing how much you want to let them know that?  Wondering why you maybe hadn’t taken the time before this challenge?  Yeah…eye opening!

Meanwhile, it’s my turn to give these two beauties away…and I am so excited!  I know just who I want to have them.  Also, just knowing we’ve committed to more of those to the people we appreciate – it’s making me kind of bubble over…no pun intended.  

Can I just tell you how much more satisfying it is to take the focus off of yourself and put it onto others?  It is.  Satisfying and a relief.  And Fun.  Did I mention fun?  Because hello…it’s not all about us for a whole month – and I am so stinking glad for it.  We’re boring anyway…this is way more rewarding…

If you haven’t signed up, you can do so in the previous post, and leave a comment so I know you put your hat in.  People, this is too fun to pass up.  I have so many ideas swirling around in my noggin – and I only have 25 days left to make them happen for this challenge.  

Oh wait…maybe this could be one of those life changes that makes me realize what I need more of in my heart and in my life…"giving” and being “thankful” and not just as a monthly challenge.  

{see this is part where we all agree that this is, in fact, the WHOLE POINT of the challenges – to produce a long term change by way of discipline for a short time}

You in?  How can you not be?

Moving on – you have to {I say, you have to} see my daughter in her Halloween goodness.  You have to.  She is just DELICIOUS in every sense of the word.  I mean, could you not eat her up?  I want to.  In fact, I did!  Except she told me to just eat “a wittle bit, mommy”.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!  Help a sister out – I can’t help myself!!!  {admit it…you want a nibble too, don’t you?!}  The apple cheeks?  To die for! 

Here’s what I’m thankful for….this amazing, wonderful, bright, happy, smart, and funny little girl who I get to call my daughter….

30 Days of Giving and Thanks begins–Day 2

Technically, it began yesterday – so I should have posted this yesterday.  Still, I have to say, I am super excited about this month's challenge!  If you missed the rules, here’s a recap:

This Challenge is designed to stir up our sense of gratitude for all the blessings in our lives.  Over this thirty days, we will be finding ways each day to Give or to offer Thanks.  It doesn’t have to be monetary, but it certainly can be. 

 

Here’s what our family is doing:

Even days of the month (2nd, 4th, 6th, etc.), an act of “Thanks” - a note-card to a family member, co-worker, friend, or neighbor to say that we are thankful for them.

 

Odd days (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.) an act of giving, just because.  We’re going with small gifts that will either be hand-carried or mailed.  From homemade items to small gift cards ($5)

You can do 100 different things.  You can make baked goods and deliver them with a note-card every other day.  You can create homemade crafts.  You can show up at someone’s house and rake their leaves.  You can clean for an elderly friend.  You can volunteer at a soup kitchen.  You know what your family is good at and can commit to!  You can come up with a variety of amazing ways to offer Thanks or Give to others.  Whatever you decide, the discipline is to make it happen all of the 30 days of November.

This is a choice to say that for this year, for this month, for this holiday season - we’re reaching out to those we maybe haven’t been so great at keeping up with, or maybe those we just want to show extra love to, or to those who have needs that we can meet.

Whatever your reasons, and whomever you lavish your Thanks and Giving on…we want to turn-around the habit of taking care of ourselves or always looking out for #1 into Giving and Thanks.  You will be blessed! (trust me…)

Anton took the first week, because he had quite a few people he wanted to express gratitude for.  I’m up next week!  I’m excited about this challenge for lots of reasons, but here’s just a few:

• I’m happy to put the focus from “self” to “others” for a change.  Focusing on showing love to others helps remove the desire of selfishness.  (Something I don’t mind saying that I struggle with…daily.)
• I’m feeling excited about the idea of taking  a whole month to show others that I’m thankful for them.  Whether that be through a note-card or a small gift.
• This feels like such a great opportunity to live by example for our kiddos; showing our gratefulness for others
• I really, really like giving gifts.  Maybe because it’s one of my own love languages.
• I have a massive stock of bananas in my freezer just screaming to be put into warm bread and delivered.
• I also have a lovely supply of note-cards, patiently waiting in the nesting basket…

If you want to sign up to participate – please enter you name and blog address below in the Mr. Linky!  If you don’t have a blog, you can still sign up – it’s good to know who’s making a go of it.

Now, let’s do this, “thankful” style!

More pics to come of the Banana Bread and the ways we are reaching out…

I’m really excited to hear about what your family does!!! 

Is anyone else shocked to find that we are in November already?  How did that happen??