Getting ready for the holidays!

 Well... Trevi loves GG's applesauce!

 I love what two year olds do! They are so genuine! 

 Trevi came running into the room saying, "Look Mommy!" She stacked these up perfectly, in order and all the way to the top!

 such a proud mommy and happy girl!

 Daddy's girls!

It's time for the Holidays and in our home that means giving to others! We have been making meals, donating them, filling boxes for kids across the world and sending them off! Trevi has loved the whole process! She gets to shop for fun kids things, she learns about giving to others and being caring!

We did this last year and it was so fun to get an update on our box a few months later.  We found out our box ended up in Peru!

I was also sooo impressed with Trevi the day we went shopping! I am confident she could sense that we were shopping for someone else, not only because I kept reminding her, but because each new aisle we went into she never tried to get something for herself nor did she pitch a fit about not getting to take something home.  It was such a great learning experience for her!

we filled boxes for Operation Christmas Child!  We did one box for a boy and one for a girl! We picked out all the stuff at the Dollar Store and Trevi loved picking out toys for a boy and a girl and other things for the boxes!

 Here's what we put in our boxes: toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss (of course!!), crayons, coloring books, a gender appropriate ball, socks, a bag of hard candies, soap, washcloths, hair stuff for the girls, combs, a few toys and so much more!

 so proud!

 We are starting to decorate our house with stuff for the holidays. She knows the snowman, reindeer and "ginger man cookie" cookie.  So far, Santa has not stuck yet. 

We also baked some pies and rolls for the Thanksgiving dinner our bible study is helping with at the Tillicum Youth Center in Lakewood.  T loved helping make the pies and she tested the filling for me!  We were not able to volunteer our time this year so we did what we know best. Bake and cook!

 we made 2 apple pies!

And 36 rolls!

 T loved to help roll out the dough and fill it with the apple pie filling!

 She also helped with the dishes!

 We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning!

SO THANKFUL!

 Trevi got to meet and read books with "Uncle John."  Jean Baptiste Mugarura is the Youth for Christ Leader in Rwanda.  He was visiting with the US offices for YFC and stayed at Dick and Bo's house! I took Trevi over one night and she must have sensed his heart for kids because she took right to him.  She instantly wanted to read books with him and then when I brought her home later she kept asking, "Where Uncle John go?!?!" So sweet!

Gavin reading to the cousin twins!