The Best Christmas Present Ever!!!

I just bought the best Christmas present ever for my daughter. It's a 3 story+attic barbie doll house, 4' tall, and 2 1/2 feet wide, with a complete furniture set for every room, for only $50!!! Yes, only $50. (It retails for $150, plus furniture would be at least $200 for the set)I was so excited to see this for sale on CL, as I had been searching for one like this for a while-and this one is only a year old.(If any of you are searching for one for your own daughter-I found 3 exact same ones for under $75 on CL fyi) I got Grace a sm. 2 story doll house for her b'day for $15, and it's a great deal, but this is the house that I've been dreaming of for her (and me).

When I was 8 years old, I had the best Christmas present ever-a 3 story Barbie Doll Dream House, complete with pull string elevator (see above pic on R-except it was the 1989 version, not the 1974 version)It was what dreams were made of. So of course my parents didn't hold onto it, and I still tease them about that, so I wanted Grace to have that dream Christmas gift at least 1 year of her childhood, while she can still enjoy those fun things.

I have to admit that I got out all my barbie doll stuff today, while organizing all the furniture, that it really did feel like being a kid again. Who wouldn't love this as a Christmas present???


I have never spent this much on our kids for Christmas, EVER, so this year is an exception. And here is my justification: Of all the money I've made selling things on CL, I have sold 6 things of Grace's that has equaled $50. So I figure this is a better use for the same price, she has really upgraded :) I'm also doing the same thing with Braden's toys, so far I've sold $42 worth of his toys, and that money I'm saving up to buy him a train table/set for Christmas-off of CL of course :) This way I'm getting rid of small cluttered toys, and trading them for things that they absolutely love, and focus their time on. *These are total suprises for the kiddos, so please keep it a secret :)* Thanks!

Grace is 7!!!

Here's my sweet birthday girl in her Cinderella costume! She turned 7 on Oct.1st, and had a great time with family and friends. She requested a pink cake, with pink frosting and sprinkles, and that's what she got :)

While out shopping at my favorite place, Turnstyles, I came across 2 Disney Princess costumes for $2 a piece- Here is Grace as Snow White, she wore her Cinderella costume all throughout her b'day party, she was so excited, to have not 1, but 2 halloween costumes/dress-up outfits.

Weston Red Barn Farm

These pics are from when our family went to Weston the 1st weekend in October for the Apple Fest, and to the Red Barn farm. Perfect fall day for fun and pictures!

My loving kids enjoying a brother/sister moment :)

Here are my 2 sweeties hanging out on top of the haybale.

Here is Mr. Adventerous jumping mid air off of a hay bale...

and also wandering through the corn rows of the pumpkin patch...

Here's my sweet hubbie and kids-had to stop for a pic by the pumpkins :)

Me and my hubby! It's not very often that we get a pic together

Another suprise in the mail...

Tuesday must be a special day for me, because this is the 2nd Tuesday in a row, that I have received an unexpected blessing in the mail. This time it was a cash gift, and a note that said:
The Lord will provide! how very true :) Thank you to my anonymous friends out there who have blessed me greatly!!!

I feel so blessed....

When I went out to check the mail today, I found an envelope addressed to me, with the following inside:

Dear A Family,

We hope you can use this. The gift card contains $xxx.

Love,

Some Friends

I feel so blessed that someone cares enough to make this anonymous gift to my family when times have been very stretched financially. My friends from church as well as those at Community Bible Study have all heard my prayer requests and know our families struggles.

And to whoever it might be, I am so very grateful!!!

Along with this in the mail today, came something from City Union Mission as well as the JOCO Christmas Store, which just reminded me that as much as we may be in need, there are many many more people out there who are struggling.

God has truly blessed our family through these anonymous gifts in the last few years. About 4 years ago we received an anonymous $200 in the mail, during the holiday season. A little before that time, some dear friends of ours from church gave us a $100 gift card to Hy-Vee so that we could buy groceries, when finances were tight due to my husband being off work for 2 weeks right after Christmas. Then a few years ago when we were out raking leaves in our backyard, we found a $100 bill buried in the pile. All of these unexpected gifts couldn't have come at a better time, and we know that they were all blessings from God.

I love it when things like that happen, because it reminds me that God hears our prayers, and he will provide, even in the most unexpected ways. It inspires me to give to those in need, through volunteer service, donations to charity, and even to friends in need through the simplest things. There is something about giving that is so freeing to my spirit, that it makes me wish I had more to be able to give away.

It is my hope this holiday season that our family will be able to bless others in return, who are in need, and see things from God's point of view-just as we were blessed today through the kindness of an unknown friend who was helping someone in need.