Christmas Ramblings

Pam ~ Nathan and I made the decision this year to not exchange Christmas presents with our adult relatives or each other.  It just didn't seem like the right thing to do when we are working so hard to raise the money we need to bring our babies home to us.  We did go ahead and purchase gifts for our nieces and nephews, but we asked our family members to "exclude" us from the normal gift exchange.

It has really been a blessing to me this year to not be rushing around and gathering gifts from hither and yon.  Don't get me wrong.  I have no problem with people exchanging Christmas presents and I enjoy giving and receiving presents just as much as anyone else, but my priorities are different this year.  I don't need any more "stuff" and what I want more than anything else is to fill my home with the sounds and laughter of our two children.  I am praying with all my heart that by this time next year we will be celebrating Christmas with our two little ones!!!

When Nathan and I decided to not exchange presents with each other, we did talk about what we would do to celebrate Christmas this year.  We have made a tradition of going out on Christmas Eve and driving around looking at Christmas lights and then coming home to watch a Christmas movie with hot chocolate, and I am looking forward to doing that again this year (weather permitting).  I am half way done with baking all my Christmas goodies and am hoping to deliver them to our neighbors tonight.  Then, we also decided to go see the new Narnia movie on Christmas Eve day.  I've heard good things about it and I'm looking forward to seeing it TOMORROW!!!!  And then, the last thing we decided to do, we are going out to eat at HuHots!!!!  We very rarely go out to eat so this is a very special treat to ourselves.  I have only eaten at HuHots once but it was delicious!!!!  We are going there tonight (hoping it's a little less busy than Christmas Eve or Christmas Day will be) and I am soooooooooooooooooooo excited!!!!!  And then, to top it all off, Nathan has tomorrow and Monday off from work, so we get a four day weekend TOGETHER!!!!  It doesn't get much better than that!!!!

(BTW.  We were able to celebrate with Nathan's sister and her family a couple Sunday evenings ago, and we will also be getting together with my sister and her family tomorrow morning.)

Fundraising Focus

Christmas Ornaments

We only have a few left to sell.  While you may no longer personalize these ornaments (we are simply selling the rest of the pre-made ornaments) they would make a GREAT Christmas present for one of those last minute gifts you need to purchase.  We are asking for a $10 donation for each ornament and you may pay via our PayPal donate button OR mail us a check (e-mail me @ hearts1982@gmail.com for our address).  Just leave a message with the number(s) of the ornament (s) you would like to purchase.

#1                                      #2

#3                                       #4

#5 (sold out)                           #6 (sold out)

#7

Other Fundraisers ~ Homemade cards, Pumpkin pies, Faith and Grace quilts, Just Love Coffee, Soda cans, Sponsor a puzzle piece

Fund-Raising Friday

Christmas Ornaments ~ Please click here to see pictures of these adorable cross-stitched Christmas ornaments.  My mom is making these personalized ornaments for us to sell.  We are asking for $10 each and many of them can be personalized with names or dates.  Just send me an e-mail {hearts1982@gmail.com} with your order and we will get them to you ASAP.  They would make great little Christmas presents for family and friends!!!

Tupperware ~ THIS HAS BEEN EXTENDED until Tuesday, November 23rd!!!!!!!!  If you were intending to order and time simply got away from you, the deadline has been extended!!!!  Simply click here to be taken to our Tupperware fund-raising page.  We will receive 50% profit from every sale!!!

Faith and Grace Quilts ~ My friend from college, Karen, is organizing this fund-raiser so please head on over to her blog, 27 Penguin Place, and read all about it.  She is having people sponsor a quilt block for $10 each and will be making each one of our children an adorable quilt!!!

Just Love Coffee ~ They have some new coffee flavors they just put on their site.  Including "Fa La La La La {Holiday Blend}" coffee.  This is another GREAT Christmas present idea for the coffee lover on your list.  Either click here or the button on our sidebar to be taken to our personalized coffee page.

Home-made Cards ~ Please e-mail me if you are interested in purchasing any of our packets of unique home-made cards.  We are asking for $10 per pkg of 4 cards.

Soda Cans ~ Keep them coming!!!!

Sponsor a Puzzle Piece ~ Would you be interested in sponsoring a puzzle piece for $10?

Donate Button ~ If you are interested in helping with our adoption expenses either via one of the listed fund-raisers OR simply making a donation, you may use the PayPal Donate button located on our right sidebar.  Or send us an e-mail {hearts1982@gmail.com} for our mailing address.

CHRISTMAS SHOP HOP ~ One of the adoption blogs I have been following is doing this really cool thing for Christmas.  If you are interested in purchasing Christmas gifts that will not only make your friends and family members smile, but also help bring a child home to their new family, please go check out this link.  She has begun what she is calling a Christmas Shop Hop where adoptive families can post links to what they are selling as adoption fund-raisers.  I am posting my blog there, so please go check it out NOW :-).

Fund-Raising Friday

Tupperware ~ We have one more week {from tomorrow} for our Tupperware fun-raiser!!!  Would you please take a minute to look at the site here?  We get 50% of all sales!!! so even if you just purchase one item, it will add up quickly.  And, don't forget to think about the many Christmas presents you need to start buying.  Maybe someone on your list would like a nice new Tupperware _______ {you fill in the blank}!!!

Just Love Coffee ~ We are still looking for our first November customer.  This is another GREAT Christmas present idea for the people on your list who love coffee.  Please go here and check it out.  We get proceeds from any items sold from our page!!!

Home-made Cards ~ Would you like to help with our adoption AND get some adorable home-made Bday or All-Occasion cards????  Well, do I have something for you :-).  Each pkg has 4 unique cards for $10 each!!  E-mail me and let me know what you might be interested in {hearts1982@gmail.com}.

Soda Cans ~ We love soda cans!!!

Sponsor a Puzzle Piece ~ We would love to add some more pieces to our puzzle {hint, hint}!!!!

"Together for Good" Photo Shoot ~ I want to thank Erin for all her hard work doing photo shoots and editing as a fund-raiser for us!!!  Seven people/families took her up on this offer, and I want to thank all of them to for their donations toward our adoption.  Erin will no longer be available for photo shoots, so this fund-raiser is officially closed.  Thanks everyone!!!!

Tupperware

We are so excited to be starting a new two-week FUN-raiser!!!  Tupperware is a great company with a wonderful product that is high quality and lasts for almost FOREVER!!!  The Tupperware fun-raising program will give us 40% of what is sold ~ but we are getting an even better deal!!!  Our Tupperware "lady" is the mom of one of Pam's former students and she is giving us her profit of 10%, so we will be profiting 50%of what is sold!!!!  What an incredible blessing!!!! 

 Here is how it works.  If you are interested in ordering, all you have to do it go to this Tupperware link and shop {make sure you click on our link, otherwise we will not get the credit}.  Your order will be shipped directly to you {as long as you are anywhere within the USA}.  When the two weeks is over, we will receive a check for 50% of what was sold.  So please pass along our info to friends, family members, or anyone you know who might be interested.  This is a GREAT idea to consider for Christmas presents {hint, hint}!!!

 Also, if you would like a packet that contains the Tupperware fun-raising line of products to pass around to people you know, please let me know.  I have 25 packets that I can distribute to people {if you are local to central IA, that is} and you can collect orders via the included order form and personal checks. 

 We are praying that we will be able to submit our dossier by Christmas, and are working hard to bring in the $3589 that we still need.  This fund-raiser could really help us lower that amount, and we are praying hard to that end.  Will you please join us in this endeavor?????