Category Archives: 30 Day Give

30 Day Give: Day 16

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30-Day Giving Challenge

Tuesday morning I took my mom out to breakfast. It was an AMAZING way to start the day. My mom and I have had the typical mother-daughter ups and downs over the years. We couldn’t stand each other when I was a young teen, but as I matured and realized that my mom was pretty much right about MOST (NOT ALL) things, our relationship has gotten stronger. When the Princess was born, I talked to my mom daily. Well, to be truthful, more than once a day. I needed reassurance from my mommy that I was doing it right.

I consider my mom one of my heroes. She taught me right from wrong. She taught me to treat others with respect and kindness. She taught me how to do laundry and make mac & cheese. She taught me almost everything I needed to get a good start in this world. For that I am extremely grateful.

Mom and I don’t get to talk as much as we used to. I don’t have a long commute anymore. I always used to talk to her on my way home. She’s busy with all my nieces and nephews. One of the cousins is almost always at Grandma’s house. So, the opportunity to sit down and have a meal and a conversation with just her and no kids running around was wonderful.

I’m calling it my give to her ’cause I paid for breakfast. However, she’s given me more than I can ever repay. Thanks mom. I love you.

Linked to Things I Love Thursday ’cause I love my mom.

30 Day Give – Day 11 – 14

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Did you read about MY BIRTHDAY PARTY?! It was a HUGE success. We packed 89 boxes for Operation Christmas Child!! That’s right – 89 boxes! Can I get a Whoop! Whoop! Needless to say, this party wasn’t pulled of in just a day. So my “give” for days 11 through 14 of this month was preparing for, having, and recovering from MY BIRTHDAY PARTY! We actually delivered the boxes on the 14th.

This will go down as our most difficult give of the month in terms of time, effort, and energy. However, I’m pretty sure we’ll remember it for years to come. And, there’s a pretty good chance that it’s going to become an annual tradition.

My Birthday – Operation Christmas Child Style

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If you’ve been visiting The House of Hills at all this month, you know two things – 1) I’m participating in the 30 Day Giving Challenge 2) I wanted an Operation Christmas Child Birthday party.

I first brought up the idea of my special birthday party at the end of October. It came to me as I was thinking of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to give and not receive. What started as a tiny idea soon blossomed as I realized my church was asking us to fill boxes as a congregation. It was perfect! I could take boxes right to church the Sunday after my party.

Then, I had to figure out how I wanted to accomplish this task. I’d heard of playgroups getting together where everyone brings multiples of a few items and they all share. But, this was going to be bigger. I wanted to do 100 boxes. Yep, the goal was 100. So, I talked to everyone who would typically buy me a birthday present and told them that I wanted cash instead. Yes, you have to understand that I’m direct like that. It’s something I would do. Then, I used that cash to buy things for the boxes in bulk from Oriental Trading Company and Discount School Supply. It was much cheaper per unit that way.

Yesterday, we set up a packing station in our living room. People grabbed a shoebox and went down the line grabbing one (or two) of everything there. We had…

  • Coloring books (Thanks Princess)
  • Crayons (Thanks Mom)
  • Watercolors (Thanks Dad)
  • Stickers (Thanks Jenni A.)
  • Notepads (Thanks Lois)
  • Bouncy Balls (Thanks Sue)
  • Mini Plush Animals (Thanks Sweetie)
  • Fun Bands (Thanks Danielle)
  • Small Slinkies (Thanks Misty)
  • Toothbrushes (Donation from North Georgia Smiles Dentistry)
  • Toothpaste (Thanks Dan)
  • Candy (Thanks LOTS of people)
  • Playdoh (Thanks Debbie)

Once the guests had one (or two) of everything we provided, they finished packing the boxes with stuff they had brought with them. It was so fun to watch everyone trying to cram as much as they could into a shoebox! Hysterical. We did learn that if you removed the packaging from items, you could fit them in better. We ended up with four trash bags of packaging. Good grief! We had people bring things from Legos to stuffed animals to stamp sets to…well, you name it, and it probably went in a box. It was GREAT fun.

The final step was to go to the note writing table. Each box we packed had a personal note inside. I LOVE that. I love that some child, somewhere in the world, will know that someone is thinking of him and praying for him. The best notes were the ones the kids wrote. Why? Because those were the most true and heartfelt ones of all. It was AWESOME to watch all the kids that came over get into the process. It was amazing to see families working together to do something for someone they will never met. Tears to my eyes AWESOME friends.

The final step was to tag the box with the appropriate age and gender of the recipient, put a rubber band around it, and stack it. Both My Sweetie and I tweeted as the pile grew. It was so exciting to see the pile getting bigger and bigger. I was thrilled with how many folks came by and how much support we had. The final tally was 89 boxes! That’s right! We packed 89 boxes. It wasn’t the 100 I was going for, but we got REALLY close. I was thrilled to fill the van today and bring them in to church.

What an amazing birthday this was. I got to see friends and family. I got to have good food. Yes, I cooked. And, it was good. And, I will be posting recipes later. I got to give, give, give, give until my heart wanted to burst. I got to listen to Christmas music all day. I got to do all my favorite things. However, the thing I loved the most was watching my precious girl get into the giving spirit. I loved watching her blossom as a hostess and organizer. She was integral in the set up. She was integral in the packing process. And, she was integral in letting folks know what they were supposed to do. It was like having a mini-me standing there at the assembly line explaining the process to people as they came in. What a joy it brings to a mother’s heart to watch her child give all day long. There wasn’t an “I want” in the day. Well, except when she wanted the second cupcake, which I let her have.

So, all in all friend, it was an AMAZING day. I was dog tired at the end of it, but I can’t wait to do it again. In fact, the House of Hills is already making lists and figuring out how we can do it bigger and better next year. Thanks to all my friends and family who gave. Thanks to all my friends who came. Thanks to everyone who prayed for us and sent us fun Facebook and Twitter messages. Thanks especially to My Sweetie and My Princess who helped me have what I really wanted for my birthday.

Operation Christmas Child Party Is Here!

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If you’re heading over to the House of Hills today, we can’t wait to see you. If you’re not, we’ll miss you. I could not be more excited about today. Today we will pack 100 Operation Christmas Child boxes. 100!!!! Friends are coming from far and near to give to this amazing cause. In honor of the day, I wanted to share some posts from around the blogosphere to get you in the mood for filling a box. Even if you can’t come to my party, take an hour this week to shop and fill a box. You’ll be so glad you did.

Operation Christmas Child : OhAmanda

Pack a Shoebox, Impact a Life : 4tunate

How to Pack a Shoebox on a Budget : Mummy Deals

Our Family Shoebox Tradition : 24/7 Moms

Operation Christmas Child : Impress Your Kids

Now, don’t you want to go pack a box! You know you do! Pack a box and make a difference in a life.

Linked to Saturday Stumbles.


Are You Coming?

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Are you coming? Are you coming? Are you coming to my party?? If you’re in the North Metro Atlanta area, feel free to come on by. We’ve got 100 boxes to pack people. That’s A LOT of boxes. The Princess has packed 2, so we’ve got 98 more to go.

Seriously friends, I’m not really sure how many people are coming to my house tomorrow. It may be 10. It may be 50. It may be more. You know what…I’m not really worried about it. The most amazing thing has happened in preparing for this party. The entire focus of the House of Hills has been on other people. All month long!!  I LOVE THAT! You know what else…I’ve gotten comments from friends far and near about what a great idea it is and how they want to take part – either with me or at their own home. That means their focus has been on others too. I LOVE THAT!

Friends, that is what the 30 Day Giving Challenge is all about. It’s about focusing on giving to others rather than our own personal wants. Yes wants, because truly I have everything I need. Really, I do. I am so thrilled, honored, humbled, and honestly tear filled to be a part of this 30 Day Giving Challenge. It’s changing us at the House of Hills. It’s changing us for the better.

If you have NO IDEA what I’m talking about. Here’s a copy of the email invite I sent out to my friends.

 

You are invited to my BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Saturday, November 13, 2010
Drop In Between 10 and 3

Snacks, Cupcakes, and Boxes

 

It’s an Operation Christmas Child Party!!!!

I have 100 Operation Christmas Child boxes to fill.

That’s what I want for my birthday – to fill those boxes. Will you help?

 

I have some items to pack in the boxes that people have donated.

Look HERE to see what has already been purchased for the boxes.

We will also provide the labels to go on the boxes and note cards for

writing notes to the receiving children.

 

Determine how many boxes you want to fill, have some fun shopping,

and bring all the box contents to my house on November 13th.

Also bring $7 to cover the mailing of each box.

 

To learn more about Operation Christmas Child go HERE.

For a great list of what to put in the boxes go HERE.

 

This is a family event. Bring the kids, bring your spouse,
bring your small group, bring whomever.

 

Come on over to the House of Hills to celebrate me by giving to children on the other side of the world.
It would make me so happy.

 

So, are you coming? Are you coming?

Since thinking about others is a finer thing, I’ve linked with Finer Things Friday.

Cook for Thanksgiving TODAY! (Giveaway)

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Once a Month Mom Holiday 2010 eCookbookWe all know that I love Freezer Cooking and Batch Cooking and…well, I just like cooking in general don’t I. However, I really love cooking when I’m not in a rush to cook. I like cooking when I can cook when I want to and how much I want to. I like cooking when I have actual time to cook. Then, when it’s time for dinner, I just pull something from the fridge or freezer, and it’s ready in a snap. This, my friends, makes me so happy.

Tricia at Once a Month Mom understands this happiness. That is why I love her. She understands that a full freezer means a stress free mealtime. She understands that a bit of work on one day can result in weeks of meals that flow to the table with ease. She understands it so well that she gives us (that’s right you too) monthly meal ideas for FREE! That’s right! Every month, there is a new menu on OnceAMonthMom.com all ready for you to enjoy. You should really check it out.

Now that I have told you how AWESOME Tricia is, I’m going to take it up a notch. Oooo I sound like an infomercial. Tricia has created a Holiday eCookbook for us this year. I am SO EXCITED! In fact, I was so excited when I heard about it that I bought one before I got her email telling me she wanted me to review it for her and give one away. Yep! I’m giving away a copy people! Get those fingers ready.

This eCookbook is a step-by-step resource for cooking Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner ahead and freezing it. Like all Once A Month Mom menus it contains grocery lists, instructions, recipe cards and labels. Since it is a holiday menu, there are resources for those serving a family of 8 and those serving a family of 16. Here are the recipes that are contained in the ecookbook:

  • Veggie Pizza
  • Pumpkin Cheeseball
  • Scalloped Corn
  • Freezer Mashed Potatoes
  • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes**
  • Slow Cooker Stuffing**
  • Make Ahead Butterhorn Rolls
  • Turkey Baste**
  • Cranberry Mustard Ham Glaze**
  • Pumpkin Pie
  • Caramel Apple Pie Trifle

**Indicates newly created recipes.

Here are some additional features:

  • A choice of preparing an 8 serving or 16 serving dinner.
  • Step-By-Step instructions for cooking your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners ahead and freezing the items.
  • Grocery lists for the 8 serving or 16 serving dinner.
  • Customized labels for each of your prepared items.
  • Recipe cards containing photographs and some step-by-step photos as well.
  • Recipe cards for each of the recipes.

Did you see that recipe list? FABULOUS! Did you see that there are grocery lists for 8 OR 16 servings? AWESOME! Did you see that there are labels? LOVE IT! For some reason I really do love the labels. It’s my Type A personality I guess. Did you see that there are photos! AMAZING!

You can order and download your own copy of The Once A Month Mom Holiday eCookbook for only $9.99. You’re going to want to get it today so that you can cook this weekend. Wouldn’t you love to have the majority of your Thanksgiving dinner already made two weeks before the day? Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!

Tricia has generously given me one copy of her eCookbook to give away to one of my readers. Enter by leaving a comment and telling me which recipe from the eCookbook you would most like to try.

For additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):

This giveaway is open until Sunday, November 14th, when I will draw a winner at random. Feel free to purchase your copy in the meantime. If you win, you will be refunded the cost of purchase.

Disclosure: I was given a copy of the eCookbook to review and one to share with my readers. All opinions of how fabulous The Once A Month Mom is are my own.

**UPDATE**

Congratulations to Earleen for winning the Holiday eCookbook!

Earleen wants to try the Turkey Baste. I do too!

Thanks for everyone who participated.

30 Day Give – Day 10

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30-Day Giving Challenge

We are in full Party Preparation mode here at the House of Hills. The Princess and I are working hard on our list of to-dos. We’ve got all kinds of boxes in the living room. We’ve bagged silly bands and removed bouncy balls from their packaging. We are getting VERY excited here at the House of Hills for

MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!

Today was one last run to the dollar store and to Walmart. I think we’ve got everything we need for the boxes. With all we’ve purchased, I’m thinking the Princess is going to end up packing at least six boxes. She’s having a blast. In fact, she HAD to pack a box tonight. She just couldn’t wait. It was so awesome to watch.

Getting ready for our Operation Christmas Child party has created so many great conversations with the Princess. She is really starting to understand where these boxes are going and the needs of the children who will be receiving them. It’s really opening her eyes to the needs of the world around her.

I can’t wait for Saturday to get here!

30 Day Give – Day 9

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30-Day Giving Challenge

Today’s give was an extensions of yesterday’s. When I made dinner for last night’s give, I made a triple batch so I could put some in the freezer. Then, I discovered that a friend’s son was home from school sick. Poor guy was absolutely miserable, which meant that mommy was miserable too. So, I ran a pan of extras over to their house for dinner. I love when things work out that way. Yay God!

30 Day Give – Day 8

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30-Day Giving Challenge

Monday night is Small Group Night here at the House of Hills. It has been for years. Like forever I think. Truly, I can’t remember a time in recent memory that Monday night wasn’t Small Group Night. What is Small Group? Well, it’s a group, and it’s small. Seriously, it’s a group of five to six couples who get together on a regular basis (we aim for weekly) to do life together. We build community. We pray together. We study the Bible together. We are the church for each other. Oh, and we eat. We LOVE to eat.

Now, some small groups just do a light snack and a dessert. Others don’t do food at all. Our small group…well… did I mention we LOVE to eat. We do a full meal. Dessert included. The first half hour of group is enjoying our meal together. Whomever is in charge of food gets there (wherever we’re meeting) a bit early to set up the spread. I LOVE bringing food for small group. Why? Because I can cook things that I wouldn’t normally make for the family. Things like hearty stews and soups or really meaty casseroles. Um, yummm…

This Monday was my night to cook. I made Cheesy Broccoli With Rice and Chicken (adding extra chicken), a salad, rolls, and Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Everything was a hit. These recipes are to be added to the book. We’re actually compiling a “book” (really just copies) of all our favorite Small Group recipes. It can sometimes be hard to find a recipe that will make enough to feed six couples and travels well. When you do find such a recipe, it’s a keeper. These were both keepers.

Cooking for others. Ya, that’s my favorite way to give.