Serving Up Food and Fun!

Our church calls it the "Season of Giving." As a "community" (that's what our pastor likes to say instead of church body, it's something I'm getting used to . . . :) we're trying to supply the full need for Christmas and Thanksgiving turkey and ham for our local food pantry. That means 550 birds and pigs! At our annual "community" Thanksgiving meal, we were at 502 . . . I bet we'll reach the goal no problem :)

So, what are you looking at in these photos? Well, once again the girls were super excited to serve meals at our church's family feast. There are no pics of Doodles, because she was serving food in the youth wing, rather than the main gymnasium space. I saw pics on my FB memories of last year, and B wore the same outfit both years! Looking spiffy (and needing a new suit, because this one has reached hand-me-down stage :)

Baby D trying mashed potatoes (her mama's favorite!) for the first time! I got to be the photographer for this event :)

Looks like your potatoes are safe, Mom :) She sides with dad on her starch preferences, lol! I also got to hold Baby D to sleep and visit with her mama. That was so nice! It was also nice that Buck went to work early (but forgot his medicine :( ) so he could attend with us for the first time! He took the boys and scooted pretty much right after dinner though, because he was in a lot of pain. Some things even gravy can't fix.

Last night was another opportunity to serve . . . all four kids helped with the Operation Christmas Child shoebox packing during Wednesday night youth group. More than 115 boxes stuffed (Gabby's job), checked (my job), rubber banded (Caelan's job)! It was such a loud and crazy night, but I just love shoebox stories and the lives that are touched around the world through this ministry! We did our own shoebox shopping last week and dropped off our supplies on Sunday. Our kids liked seeing the things we'd provided along with all the other donations. My throat still hurts from being heard above the crowd, but it was worth it to delight those little ones who will receive their possibly first ever Christmas gift this year :)

As a keep busy activity, they had these cool worksheets the kids could fill out with to send with the shoeboxes. They included things like "where I live, my favorite thing to do, a Christmas greeting from me to you," and they could include their address to see if someone would pen pal with them. Pretty neat!

You can see G$ in line--just look for the cowboy hat :) My neighbor (in the white sweater) also volunteered!

Here comes B in the gray striped shirt! I snagged a couple of pictures between swarms of kiddos getting their boxes approved by me :) I am curious to hear from my sis-in-law and bro what the process looks like at the next level. There were definitely some things that could have not been included in those boxes (people donate weird stuff). I snagged as much as I could, and tried to keep the tiny erasers and deodorant out of the 2-4 year old boxes :) It is quite a process!

But this kid packed like a pro! He didn't stand still very long, so he looks like he's ignoring me ;) *Here's a gift for you to check, mom!* I love my family!