All done, it's been fun!

Day 100 -- Snowed in by Blizzard but organizing guitar and MoverMoms from home computer

How can we expect our children to know and experience the joy of giving unless we teach them that the greater pleasure in life lies in the art of giving rather than receiving.
James Cash Penny

Day 99 -- Organizing future MoverMoms projects

"Never doubt that a group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has."
---Margaret Mead

Lots of plans for the coming year - hoping to improve the organization, so planning ahead....couldn't do it without the help of others in the group.

Day 98 -- Guitar club organizing and more community outreach for basketball

I am running out of time because there are only two days left. And I have more than two quotes to share with you. So today I'm sharing three, rather than writing at length, other than to say Guitar Club is very popular and I'm thrilled to be starting at Bannockburn - there does seem to be a strong desire for it.

"When you teach your son, you teach your son's son."
---the Talmud

"One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something."
---Henry David Thoreau

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can truly help another without helping himself."
---Ralph Waldo Emerson

Day 97 -- Chaperoning Field Trip and Gift Wrapping for hospice organization

was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and change them; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pays for living, the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.
Marian Wright Edelman

Day 96 -- Deciding where to give end-of-year donations

"To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving."
Max Beerhom

Each year near the end of the year my husband and I give small donations to certain non-profits, usually about 5. It's always so hard to decide which to give to, but then again, it's always such a pleasure to go through the deicision process, as we get to see and learn more about many great organizations.

There are so many out there that are doing good work, by helping the homeless and other underprivileged people, providing medical care to uninsured, protecting the planet, finding cures for diseases, teaching people about art, music, and history, and so very much more.

I can see how being head of a foundation that gives away money to non-profit groups could be a fun and rewarding job -- wish I got to learn about these and give every day!

Day 95 - Making Gingerbread houses with children and moms

"No gift that is given in good faith to a worthy recipient can be called small; its effect is so great."
---Buddha

Tis the holiday season - and everyone I know seems to be super busy with the usual stuff but also with getting gifts for family members, friends, teachers, and others whom they like, love, or just feel deserve a present of some sort. Yet the whole process seems to be very stressful, when in truth almost any gift, no matter how small, will be appreciated and considered a kind gesture.

In part that's why today's project was so fun - it wasn't about gifts or gift-giving but just having some young children and moms over to be together in the holiday season. We made gingerbread houses that were anything but professional. Some even collapsed, but even when that happened, the kids seemed to enjoy the rebuilding process. And as it turned out, there was an educational component - terms like stuctural walls (graham crackers), mortar (frosting), house foundation (again, frosting or graham crackers) and other building or architectural words were thrown around, thereby increasing the kids' vocabulary. The whole process may have even gotten a couple of them interested in learning more about construction or interior decorating.

But most of all it was just a fun way to gather during the holiday season :-)