Still collecting!

So many blankets and beanies brought by today - 

THANK YOU 

- if you still have some to bring, it's not too late! We will be accepting them through Tuesday the 18th.  

On Monday I will do an update on numbers!!

You all inspire me!!

I have lots of people telling me thanks for doing this - but just so you know - it is purely selfish!!

I do it because it gives me opportunity to meet great people like you! I do it because you inspire me! I do it because I know how it feels to serve and I want to feel that more! I do it because I want to surround myself with goodness and good people - and that is what you all do for me! I do it because then I get to associate with the greatest people on earth - those that want to lift others!

Thank you everyone for indulging my selfishness!! You inspire me!!

Blankets today from - small families, big families, activity day girls, Young Women groups, older ladies that spent countless hours crocheting, and knitting and tying and sewing.  One person bringing over one blanket or 3 beanies, and 2-3 people bringing 20-30 blankets.  We have tiny baby blankets, and big fuzzy warm blankets and everything in-between.  AND baby beanies and Dad beanies, cute beanies and warm fuzzy beanies and beanies for every kid size out there!  

My heart continues to grow and I hope that yours does as well!! It is a good thing :)

12 bags of blankets!

12 bags of blankets came today! It's a glorious site!  Thank you everyone who delivered bags today. Blankets and Beanies getting rolled, ribboned and counted tonight! You are all fabulous!!!

FYI - If you are planning on delivering to our Utah address they are heading down to Arizona on Friday with all of the blankets they gathered. So make sure you get those delivered tomorrow.  IF that is going to be a problem be sure to let us know. THANKS!
  

Santa himself . . . .

Today it was as if Santa himself pulled up in his mini-van, carting 3 darling girls in their dance outfits, and 2 huge bags full of blankets, hats, and scarves, 86 in all.  Of course it wasn't a jolly old round man with a red nose, but a cute Tiffani Wright a petite Mom, with bags almost bigger than herself stuffed in the back of that van. I'm sure, for a few fun moments, she probably felt a bit like Santa as she handed over those gifts today.  
Tiffani reported that a group of women where she lives in Maricopa, AZ, who usually get together at Christmas time to exchange gifts, decided this year instead to all bring blankets, hats and scarves to send to those who are in much more need of gifts this year than themselves.  Thanks Tiffani and all those wonderful women who caught the Christmas spirit and understand that its much more fun to give than to receive.

The project is moving onward and upward -  our current totals - 278 Blankets, 297 Beanies/Hats, and 24 scarves, with a grand total of 815, not including the 20-30 that have already arrived in New Jersey. 
For the purpose of making things a little easier and saving a bit of money on shipping, we decided to ship everything at once instead of in two shipments.  We will be shipping probably the 17th or 18th of Dec. so keep 'em coming!!!

If anyone has relatives in NY or NJ that would like to help distribute, we would love to have them join in. Please contact me and we will get it all set up for them to help!

It's finally getting cold here in AZ. (lol) we might even dip all the way down to 37 tonight.  Just kind of hard to imagine from our warm point of view the 1000's who are still living in shelters in freezing conditions.  Thanks everyone for sending both comfort and warmth their direction!  Wish we could send a little bit of this warm Arizona sun!

Hope everyone is having fun getting ready for Christmas - it is such a fun time of year!

"The real joy of Christmas is found from making the Savior Jesus Christ the focus of the season. We can keep Him in our thoughts and in our lives as we go about the work He would have us perform here on earth."

Thomas S. Monson

We're growing!! Yippee!!

A HUGE thanks to everyone out there still plugging away at those blankets and beanies!! We are growing here and around the country.

Jodi our (adopted) daughter in DC went again to NYC to help do clean up last weekend.  Jodi said while they were walking towards their first location to start helping a lady driving down the street stopped, rolled down her window and said "Oh my gosh your back again! Thank God you are here to help us! Thank God you all come every week.  We love you and we are so happy you come to help us every week." 

The clean up continues and we thank all of you for helping us make a small difference in their lives.  I think one of the greatest benefits of giving like this for the receiver, is the mere fact that someone else is thinking of them.  I know that whenever someone does something for me, no matter the gift, just to thinks someone cares is what keeps me going!

Every beanie and every blanket does count! To be honest we probably won't even come close to our 10,000 goal - BUT that's okay! Because if we send 250 or 10,000 we can make a difference to at least that many - and that is always a good thing.

Keep em' coming!!!

Where Do You Stand? With Growing Hearts!

Lots of cold people - needing our warmth!
Thanks to everyone who has given and shared and sacrificed - BUT we have warm beds and houses to go home to every night!!

WE NEED MORE - please spread that word and get all of your friends and families to give! 

He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!

And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say

That the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!

And then the true meaning of Christmas came through,

And the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!

And now that his heart didn't feel quite so tight,

He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light

With a smile to his soul, he descended Mount Crumpet

Cheerily blowing "Who! Who!" on his trumpet.

He road into Whoville. He brought back their toys.

He brought back their floof to the Who girls and boys.

He brought back their snoof and their tringlers and fuzzles,

Brought back their pantookas, their dafflers and wuzzles.

He brought everything back, all the food for the feast!

And he, he himself, the Grinch carved the roast beast!

Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,

Cheer to all Whos, far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp

So long as we have hands to grasp.

Christmas Day will always be

Just as long as we have we.

Welcome Christmas while we stand

Heart to heart and hand in hand.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Written by Dr. Seuss, published in 1957
Cartoon debuted December 18, 1966

Where do you stand???