Ann's Blog (31)

Round 2 - Day 2...Deep Cleaning, Garage Sale, and Miniature Therapy Horses

It's not what I consider the most exciting way to give, but started to thoroughly clean the house. My goal is to have the home done by the time that the "official" school season starts. Even though I've started homeschooling the girls now during the summer, the traditional fall activities start in September and I'd like to have everything in place by then.

Started by doing laundry - at home for the couch covers, throw blankets that go on the couches, and sheets and blankets in the… Continue

Added by Ann on July 7, 2009 at 5:07am — 2 Comments

I'm Back Again After 7 Months

(See below for more information about the picture.) I've missed reading the posts about how people are changing the lives of others by giving of themselves. Over the past seven months, I've watched my father struggle with memory loss issues. In May, he began a battery of tests to determine the extent of the loss and give it a diagnosis. It's middle-stage Alzheimer's Disease. The disease is much further along than anticipated. He has been able to… Continue

Added by Ann on July 5, 2009 at 2:17pm — 3 Comments

Day 29 - Simple Ways of Giving

Thought I'd take one day...the last day of the 29-Day Giving Challenge...and look at different ways I give in one day:

- Sewed/embroidered two wool felt sheep ornaments (gift to a woman in Ohio).

- Read 2 chapters in a book (gift to self).

- Made breakfast (gift to family).

- Took my daughters to church so they could sing in the choir (gift to the girls + congregation).

- Listened to a friend who I hadn't seen in a long time talk about her parents who have been… Continue

Added by Ann on November 24, 2008 at 4:56am — 2 Comments

Day 27 - Teaching Art to Homeschool Children, Listening to Teens, and Helping a Teen with Grief Issues

Was asked to volunteer to teach art at the homeschool co-op that my daughters participate in on the first and third Fridays of each month. The children/teenagers are given different options during "social hour" of activities they can do, so the ones that come to my table are interested in art which is nice.

So, on Friday, November 21st, I taught the children and teens about artist trading cards (ATCs). Brought two books filled with ATCs that were made by artists throughout the… Continue

Added by Ann on November 24, 2008 at 4:06am — 3 Comments

Day 28 - Sending Wishes to People on the Wishlist Group on Swap-Bot

On Saturday, November 22nd, I sent four packages to people on the Wishlist Group on Swap-Bot. Each month people can post 10 items that they wish for, and hope are granted. Others in the group look at the list, and see if they can fill any of the wishes. If they can, they ask one of the group officers for the address of the people to whom they want to send an item or package.

Some of the wishes are small (e.g., a card for a birthday) and others… Continue

Added by Ann on November 24, 2008 at 4:00am — 3 Comments

Day 26 - Clothing Donation

On Thursday, November 20th, my daughters and I made a donation of four bags of clothes, and one box filled with other items. The box had children's games, 3-ring binders, toys, and household items. Dropped off the donation at Family Pathways which has a second-hand store. All the proceeds from the store support programs for those in need - seniors, families, and individuals, and the food shelf. People who purchase from the second-hand store get a great deal on things they may need (or want)… Continue

Added by Ann on November 24, 2008 at 3:47am — 3 Comments

Day 25 - Gift of Health + Hearing About the Spread of the 29-Day Giving Challenge

On Wednesday, November 19th, I gave myself the gift of a chiropractor appointment due to pain in my lower back and between my shoulder blades. Had an adjustment, and then asked about pain I was having in my right arm. Ends up it is a shoulder separation injury. Probably happened when I was walking the dogs and one pulled the leash too hard. No wonder it hurt.

Was going to do errands, but Olivia wasn't feeling well. Ended up homeschooling for the majority of the day which was fun.… Continue

Added by Ann on November 20, 2008 at 5:18am — 1 Comment

Day 23 - Teaching Children to Sew

Taught five girls how to make fleece scarves with pockets on Monday, November 17th:

They made a pocket on each end of the scarf by using the blanketstitch along the sides. Some were able to sew buttons and make buttonholes during the class time. Next week, the girls will add the finishing touches on their scarves (buttons and applique).

The girls are between the ages of 5 1/2 - 8 years old. They were all so excited that… Continue

Added by Ann on November 20, 2008 at 4:39am — 3 Comments

Day 24 - Crafting for Others, and Wanting to Help More Than I am Able

On Tuesday, November 18th, I spent some time making Christmas-theme artist trading cards (ATCs) to send to two women in different states. This is one of the cards I made:

The nice thing about ATCs is that I can use materials that I have on hand to make the cards. Since I know the women enjoy making ATCs, I also sent them some decorative paper that they could use.

Also took a look at the… Continue

Added by Ann on November 20, 2008 at 4:30am — 1 Comment

Day 22 - Christmas Pickle Ornaments, Decorating Cookies, and More 29-Day Giving Challenge Participants

Spent the morning crafting since I'm still a bit under the weather. Made a Christmas pickle ornament for a woman in North Carolina for her Christmas tree. It's made from wool felt and stuffed with wool from sheep that I use to raise. It is decorated with embroidery stitches on both sides. I'm going to mail it to her on Monday.

The Christmas pickle is a pickle-shaped ornament hidden in the tree. The child who finds it first on Christmas morning receives an extra present. While the… Continue

Added by Ann on November 17, 2008 at 4:00am — 1 Comment

Day 21 - Help with Food Distribution at Fare For All

Each month we participate in Fare For All. It's a great program of the Emergency Foodshelf Network which works with community partners to offer quality, affordable grocery packages each month.

There are locations where you pick up food all over the state. We go to one that's about 14 miles away (the closest one in the nearest town...we live in a rural area) on the monthly "Distribution Day" to pick up the grocery packages that we purchased the month before. The packages have a wide… Continue

Added by Ann on November 17, 2008 at 3:30am — No Comments

Day 20 - Sharing Smiles in the Hospital + Crafts with Others

Took Olivia (my 5 1/2 year daughter) to the endocrinologist and children's hospital to determine why her height and weight have almost dropped off the growth chart.

After a rather extensive in-take interview by one of the nurses and then the endocrinologist, and a physical exam Olivia had to go to the lab for three containers of blood and the radiologist for a scan of her left hand to determine her "bone age."

Her blood is… Continue

Added by Ann on November 15, 2008 at 6:00am — 4 Comments

Day 19 - Gingerbread Cookies and Lessons from Geese

Two men have been working on the home, repairing siding after two storms damaged the house in May. Today, as part of the homeschooling lesson, I taught the girls how to make gingerbread cookies.

They cut some out in the shape of starfish (since they're learning about ocean and ocean life), and then used Thanksgiving cookie cutters for the rest.

After the cookies were made, the girls brought cookies to the men "because we… Continue

Added by Ann on November 15, 2008 at 5:26am — 1 Comment

Day 18 - Gift of Rest

Woke up with a serious migraine...the kind that requires medication and laying in bed. That's difficult to do with 7 1/2 and 5 1/2 year old daughters, but they were really good and gave me the gift of rest as well by playing together nicely and doing their homeschool work eagerly.

Because they and I gave myself the gift of rest, I was able to read to them later on in the afternoon and evening.

Not an exciting day, by any stretch of the imagination.

Added by Ann on November 15, 2008 at 5:09am — 1 Comment

Day 17 - Operation Christmas Child

Helped my daughters with assembling their boxes for Operation Christmas Child today. This is Sophia with her completed box:

This is Olivia with her box:

I took them shopping Monday for items to fill the boxes. They chose a variety of items that they felt a child could use - covering both needs and wants. I… Continue

Added by Ann on November 12, 2008 at 2:44am — 2 Comments

Day 16 - Thankful Trees, Fruits of the Spirit Cornucopia, and Operation Christmas Child

Went to the homeschool co-op and taught the Home Ec class. Today's focus was on Thanksgiving, decorating the home to celebrate the holiday, the spirit of Thanksgiving, and thinking about things for which we are thankful.

Had the girls cut open a brown grocery bag, unfold it, and then color a tree on it.

Then they traced leaf patterns onto construction paper, cut them out,… Continue

Added by Ann on November 11, 2008 at 3:30am — 4 Comments

Day 15 - Wish Upon A Hero plus Clipping Coupons and Sharing Recipes

"Wish Upon A Hero" is an online community of people helping people. As their site says, "No wish is too large, no hero is too small." Signed up (it's free) and immediately took a look at wishes I could grant.

One wish that caught my eye was from a woman who said, "Our single income household just went to a household without income. My husband was laid off today. I'd ask that anyone with spare coupons to please send them our way. It's how we… Continue

Added by Ann on November 10, 2008 at 4:00am — 1 Comment

Day 14 - Sharing Creative Gifts with Others

I cut 14 5" x 5" squares of autumn fabric that I had on hand for a 22 year old woman who lives in Vancouver. She is making her first quilt, and was looking for fabric in autumn colors. I had some fabric on hand that I thought she might like.

Her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimers and has taken a turn for the worse. She and parents are making a cross-country trip to see her grandmother while she still remembers everyone. Given… Continue

Added by Ann on November 9, 2008 at 8:30am — 1 Comment

Day 13 - Giving as a Family: Clothing Donation to Alaskan Children, Teaching, and Performing at a Fundraiser

After reading the information about "Project Quin" to my daughters, we were all eager to go through our clothes and make a donation to the children in Quinhagak, Alaska. "Project Quin" an effort to help children at a K-12 school in Quinhagak, Alaska, stay warm in their cold and very remote, tundra village. The children are all Alaskan natives. Although the village is rich in cultural heritage, the families lack the bare necessities to stay warm.

The bags we… Continue

Added by Ann on November 8, 2008 at 4:00am — 5 Comments

Day 12 - Project Quin - Helping "Bush Alaskan" Children Stay Warm

I started the day by reading and commenting on five 29-Day Givers' blogs. It is so inspiring to read what people are doing each day to make a difference in the world!

Received an email from another parent in the homeschool co-op about a clothing drive her daughter and a friend are coordinating to help "Bush Alaskan" children in Quinhagak, Alaska, stay warm in their cold and very remote, tundra village.

One of the girls who is initiating the clothing drive has an uncle who… Continue

Added by Ann on November 7, 2008 at 5:33am — 1 Comment

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