Gift Bag Date

Good Thursday morning!

WOW! Wednesday was pretty eventful. The new pictures in the gallery are all from the skit Ballet Ruse the seniors put on every year at Christmas. The football players, basketball players, band members, choir, etc., etc. all participate in dances. Thankfully, Austin didn't have to wear a tutu, but many brave young men did (and may I say they were all very... graceful. Yeah, that's the word... graceful.) Austin did a dance to Danger Zone, but I think the only one really in danger was the young lady he had to flip over his head in three different performances. I saw her before I left, and she looked fine. The whole thing was hilarious (and I stayed for all three performances -- first one with my mom, second with a friend and third with Mikie).

I said on Monday Austin had a skit he was supposed to be in this week, but I didn't say he was nominated for Mr. GHS. It's a big honor, and he was nominated with five other fine young men (four of them from the band). Although he didn't win, I was very proud of him and the other guys. They shook hands, slapped backs and clapped as the winner was announced. Class act all the way.

There was also a Miss GHS and all six of those girls were excellent, too. It was very difficult to say who you wanted to win. (Except for Austin. As the woman who gave birth to him, I really did want him to win!)

"Is that it? Is that what you call an eventful Wednesday?" you may ask. Well, let me finish. Around 3:00 Wednesday afternoon, I heard someone open our glass door very slowly and quietly. I kept waiting for a knock, and then I heard a very light tapping... and then feet running away... and then a car pulling away very fast. Thinking it was one of the Austin's friends, I walked to the door and found a teddy bear (see the picture above). He had a letter attached explaining we had to keep him for just a little while, sign the letter, and then leave him for another family to find. On Christmas Eve night, he is supposed to be delivered to a specific address (and those people don't know he's coming either). It's a fun little game. His name is Ted DeBear, and we delivered him to a new home last night. We're the third family he's visited, so we didn't want to keep him too long because we wanted him to make many more journeys before his final destination next Wednesday night.

"Big deal. Two things in one day. I bet you're just exhausted!" Boy, are you grumpy. Actually, I had THREE things in one day... count 'em... 1-2-3. Mike's office party was last night at RoJo. It's a Mexican restaurant I've never been to before, and it was wonderful. Wednesday is church night for us, but this is once a year, so we went to Rojo.

There, three things. Fun, busy day. I didn't get to do anything at home except two loads of laundry, and before I change my clothes in just a minute, I'm going to load the dishwasher so I feel like I've accomplished something on the home front today. Not too worry. I'm not going anywhere tomorrow.

Oh, yeah. And the last three things on my list I was going to pick up on Monday so I could be FINISHED. Still not done. I'll probably be out Christmas Eve picking up the last three presents.

I wish I could give you a Christmas Card update today because I received a LARGE number of cards yesterday, but that would go against everything I believe in. I said Monday, Wednesday and Friday updates, and I meant it. I will not deviate from the "Update Rule." Although I will say things are definitely looking up in the Christmas Card department.

I said that today's date would be a "date with a purpose." Well, here it is.

Gift Bag Date

Everyone knows someone elderly, whether it is someone from church or in your neighborhood or in your grandparent's neighborhood, etc. Take one child (no matter what age) to the Dollar Tree and purchase six or seven items to put into a gift bag. If the bag is for a lady, here are some ideas for her gift bag:

Fingernail Files
Birthday/Sympathy/Get Well Cards (go ahead and put a stamp on each envelope -- if you buy two cards, use two stamps, etc.)
Hand Lotion
Puzzle Books (Word Find, Sudoku, Crossword)
Ladies' Magazine
Bag of Peppermints or Butterscotch Hard Candy (if you know she's not diabetic)
Small Hand Sanitizer

Here are some suggestions if the bag is for a man:

Puzzle Books (Word Find, Sudoku, Crossword)
Pens and/or Pencils
Fingernail Clippers
Peanut Butter and Cheese Crackers
Comb
Hand Lotions (no fragrance)
Chap Sticks
Bag of Peppermints or Butterscotch Hard Candy (if you know he's not diabetic)

After your little shopping expedition, get into the car and load up the gift bag. (Now this can be a bag bought at the Dollar Tree or if you have a young child, it can be a brown paper bag decorated with Christmas stickers and drawings before you leave to go shopping.) Also, have an orange and an apple to put into the bag.

Now you are ready for the delivery. When you arrive at your destination, walk with your child to ring the doorbell and give the gift bag to the elderly person. Have the child tell them "Merry Christmas," and leave them with a hug. (Always leave them with a hug.)

If you have three children, you now have three different Christmas dates. Although you could do this as a group activity, one-on-one you will have plenty of time to talk about giving instead of receiving. And let's face it... going into the Dollar Tree with three or four can cause major stress; whereas, going in with one child and talking and planning can be fun and easy... a real teachable moment.

No matter what age, learning to give is a major lesson. There are some adults who have never learned how to do it graciously and from the heart.

Enjoy this time with your child, and know that you are making an elderly person happy that day. You and your son/daughter may be giving the only hug that man or woman has gotten all day or all week. You never know.

Tomorrow is our last Christmas book before Christmas actually arrives. It is a good one, so stop by to get the title to add to your Holiday Book Basket.

Have a great Thursday, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.