The last straw!

For family home evening we talked to the kids about how blessed we are and how we have each other, a warm house, a kitchen full of food and plenty of toys to play with but, there are some kids that might not get a present for Christmas and that we were going to go to the store and each one of them was to pick out a toy that we would pay for and then put in the toys for tots box. They each picked out a great gift and then purchased it and then ran to the big white toys for tots box at the front of the store. I was so impressed with all of them, their was no fussing when I reminded them that we were shopping for someone else, and no one threw a fit when it was time to put the toys in the box. I was so proud of them. If fact Kaylee kept asking me if she made a good choice she wanted to give someone something special. So I asked her if she were to get that toy would she like it? She said that she would have loved it. So then I told her that she made a great choice.

After finishing at the store we returned home and ate a great dinner cooked by Jeff (thanks for the night off honey), and I read the story "The Last Straw." We then talked about how hard it is to always be nice especially to our brothers and sisters but we are a family and that we should always treat each other with love. Then we got out the little mangers that the kids made last year and each child placed a piece of straw in it for the gift they donated. I then talked to the kids about continuing to do good deeds for others and remember to do what Jesus would do. I showed them a count down chart that I had made out of a muffin tin. When they remove the number there is a treat and a little note and on the note it gives them a suggestion to help them do something for someone else so they can keep placing straw in the mangers so the baby Jesus can have a soft bed.

Today was the first day of the count down chart and the kids were at me as soon as they got up so they could do the count down chart, I was so proud they were more excited about the little note and quickly started planning out what they were going to do. I know we just started this but, I truly hope they continue to be excited about this and we find the true Christmas spirit.