Operation Christmas Child

On Saturday morning everyone at our house woke up with a little bit of excitement.  One, there was the first snow that had blanketed our back yard.  They all were looking out our windows in amazement. They were also all dressed and ready to head out to shop for our Christmas project.  We chose Operation Christmas child as our project this year, through Samaritan's purse.  Each of the kids shopped for a child that was their age and their gender.  Their goal was to fill a shoe box full of little toys and necessities.Nate chose workout shorts, workout shirt, a small football, notepad, toothpaste, hard candy and some other odds and ends.  Elaina chose a shirt, a hat, school supplies, stickers and few other things. Brandon chose match box cars, a couple small toys, crayons, play-dough, etc.  Now Ella, she had a hard time letting go of anything she picked out.  We picked out two dresses, sunglasses, toothpaste and dora toothbrush, bouncy balls and beads lots and lots of beads. In each box we put toothpaste and a bar of soap as these boxes go all around the world to needy children.  Our kids are hoping theirs makes it to Haiti.  It was so fun to watch them really shop.  They had a budget they had to stay under so it was very interesting to watch them work together. It was a wonderful way to begin the season of giving. 

These boxes will be dropped off after we decorate and write a little letter to the child.  These toys might be the recipient's first ever Christmas presents. The link is below so that if you are interested in this program you can read about it and print off the labels and pick the gender that your box will go to.  The shoebox drive is from now until November 22nd.  I can vouch that it was really good to see our kids  in the spirit of giving.  If you are in Corning and want to donate to this cause, get ahold of my mom because she is coming out tomorrow with her youth groups donations. Below are the drop off locations and times in the Omaha area.  This is a nation wide drive.  Just click the link and look under Operation Christmas child.

After watching this video my kids were so excited to do this.  They have so much and so many have so little. Get a tissue.....you might have to copy and paste.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SamaritansPurseVideo#p/u/0/WujyVxRZqJM

Have a blessed Wednesday,
Marci



http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/occ/  

The drop off locations for Omaha are as follows:

Westwood Church

13056 Atwood Avenue

Omaha

NE

68144

Get Directions

Hours:
Mon: 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Tues: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Wed: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Thurs: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Fri: 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Sat: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. 
Sun: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 
Mon: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

 

Benson Baptist Church

6319 Maple Street

Omaha

NE

68104

Get Directions

Hours:
Mon: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Tues: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Wed: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Thurs: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Fri: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Sat: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. 
Sun: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
Mon: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

 

First Baptist Church

206 E 23rd Avenue

Bellevue

NE

68005

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Hours:
Mon: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Tues: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Wed: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Thurs: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. 
Fri: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Sat: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. 
Sun: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. 
Mon: Not Collecting

 

First Lutheran Church

3200 E Military Avenue

Fremont

NE

68025

Get Directions

Hours:
Mon: 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Tues: 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Wed: 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Thurs: 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Fri: 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 
Sat: 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. 
Sun: 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. 
Mon: 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

 

Calvary Community Church

4400 N 1st Street

Lincoln

NE

68521

Get Directions

Hours:
Mon: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. 
Tues: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. 
Wed: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. 
Thurs: 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. 
Fri: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. 
Sat: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. 
Sun: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. 
Mon: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Gratitude

This month in our home is always focused on gratitude.  Every morning before my kiddos get out of the car to go to school I have them say one thing they are thankful for.  I love their responses, some are serious but some are funny.  I tell them that God's blessing are abundant and that sometimes we are so busy that we don't see all that surrounds us.   I love this quote, " Thankfulness is a learned discipline that cures our discontent and fosters joy." It is so very true and I want my children to always have gratitude. 

The things I am thankful for are many but here are some of mine:
* I am thankful for an amazing husband who is my rock and who gets me no matter what.
* I am thankful for the amazing upbringing that I had and amazing role models I had in marriage and parenting.
* I am thankful for baby kisses. Each cheek and then a big smooch on my lips...oh how I will miss those kisses someday.
 *I am thankful for toothless grins just seeing them makes my day a little brighter.
* I am thankful for watching my oldest daughter care for her sister in a way that tells me she will be the most amazing mommy someday.
* I am thankful for the teenager in my home.  I love how everyday you become more of a man and less of a boy.  I do miss those chubby cheeks with hands held up to them when you would ask questions, but I'm in this for the long haul and I can't wait to see what you will become.
* I am thankful for my siblings...they are all a necessity in my life. Each brings what I need when I need it.

*good in-laws,amazing nieces and nephews,  good friends, coffee in the morning while I drive my bus to school and back,date nights and much much more.

"Give Thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

What are you thankful for?
Blessings,
Marci

Traditions

Uncle D being mullet man:0)

Brad and Janelle Sharon and Ozzy:)

Well as we finish off October with Halloween and enter into November; I am reminded of how important it is for our children as well as me that we have traditions for the holidays.  Traditions mold our memories.  They make us yearn for those moments where they know what to anticipate.  In our home Halloween is always spent at Janelle and Ryan's. We usually have soup or something easy then fill our glasses with something tasty and all of us walk around laughing and watching as the kids fill their bags and their cheeks with candy.This year Nate took Ella around and oh did she love the one on one time with her big brother.  This will probably become his new role for a couple of years and I will cherish watching him do it.

  My most favorite part of Halloween is when the kids  get back to Janelle and Ryan's and they go into the office to sort and see what they got.  They also make sure that Brayden and Chase don't have any candy with peanuts since they are both allergic.  It is so very sweet to watch.

 At the end of this month we will celebrate Thanksgiving.  We will begin our festivities on Tuesday with a visit from Charlotte and her crew, the Hoch family, and hopefully the Hanna family as well. Wednesday we will eat Grandpa Hasley's  famous mulligan stew and Aunt Ann's homemade breads. The stew will be shared in many homes around the Midwest as many Hasley get togethers will happen.  Thursday we will have the traditional Turkey but we will have Grandpa's wild rice stuffing that is somewhat of a legacy in it's own right.  We will eat Grandma Rita's famous pumpkin pie and whipped cream and  all of her different kinds of cookies. The kids look forward to the traditions of bread, pie, turkey, wild rice dressing and the aunts, uncles and  cousins.  They look forward to running around the out building, playing football and making crafts.  They love talking about it even now...and it's November 4th.  We will finish the month of November off with a trip home to decorate Grandma Rita and Grandpa Mike's Christmas tree to start the next holiday.  I love this time of year..the reminiscing and the laughter. The time that it takes to do all of this is such a labor of love but one that will be remembered in the Legacy of the Lundquist family. I hope you have traditions in your home. Ones  that your kids will talk about and share with their kids.

Have a blessed weekend