No Room at the Inn - sharing gifts

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Trail Ridge is hosting the No Room at the Inn on December 5 and 6 at Trail Ridge Retirement Center in Sioux Falls.

This beautiful display of many Nativity scenes is free for the family and there will also be vendors with booths including my sister and her hairbows and headbands for girls of all ages.

You really can't afford to miss this. There will be a free will donation that will benefit the homeless in Sioux Falls. I think it is a win win event.

See you there:)

While I was typing this post I got this message from my mom:) I'll call it divine timing...

This Christmas season, we are re-gifting Christ’s birth to the Sioux Falls community. You are invited to share in the wonder of Christmas by attending the fifth annual No Room at the Inn on December 5th (6 to 8 PM) and December 6th (1 – 4 PM) at Trail Ridge Retirement Community near 69th and Louise in Sioux Falls.

No Room at the Inn is a display of unique nativity scenes from around the world - with personal reflections about each Nativity by its owner. There will also be a silent auction, holiday vendors, outstanding entertainment and refreshments. What a beautiful way to remember the wondrous story of Christ’s birth and the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

No Room at the Inn helps two organizations…who in turn help many: St. Francis House in Sioux Falls, whose mission is to “move people from homelessness to hope,” and The Greater Sioux Falls Coalition on Aging, whose mission is to educate people on the resources available for the elderly – including housing options.

We ask you to accept this gift from us – to share with your family the story of Christ’s birth, to become aware of the needs of the homeless in Sioux Falls and become a part of the solution by attending this event. For you see, a young couple currently wanders the streets of Sioux Falls looking for shelter. They are knocking on your door. Will you tell them that there is no room? Or will you agree to accept this gift from us, and in-turn pass the gift on by supporting No Room at the Inn and our efforts to help the St. Francis House and the Greater Sioux Falls Coalition on Aging?

For more information about how you can support No Room at the Inn, please call 605-339-4847 or email nrati@live.com. This event is free and open to all public.

here's why I have been a bad blogger...

It's been crazy here, as I am sure every one's home is this time of the year. We are all on antibiotics at the moment, except #3, of course. She sounds the worse, though. I just can't stand to hear a baby cough. We have all had our noses swabbed or fingers pricked and the best the doctor can come up with is our blood counts are just bad enough to warrant a bit of the old zithromax.

Today I am finishing up a bit of the baking for Christmas and #1's birthday. My hands are raw and bleeding from washing so often. I am pretty much done, though. Ginger bread cookies, dipped Ritz peanut butter sandwiches, peanut blossoms, brownies with Reese's cups, homemade Snickers and Bing bars and chocolate coated pretzels are in the freezer waiting to be devoured. I just can't make it unless chocolate is an ingredient. The round cakes for the palace cake for #1's birthday are in the freezer,too. As this is my next venture. I will try an decorate it this afternoon and snap a photo. I hope it doesn't flop. Last week as we were baking I watched out the window as some construction workers were taking down a building, it was quite a site. The photo does not do it justice.

Of course the weather is looking down for tomorrow and I am planning on taking my whole family plus 5 of #1's classmates into town for swimming and pizza to celebrate her 6th birthday. Too bad I was on the ball this year and sent out invites 2 weeks early or we could have just went ice-skating for her birthday...

All the presents have been delivered. Thanks amazon.com, er um... Santa.
Most are wrapped and under the tree. I have overdone it again this year. Those $5 toys are so easy to buy and wrap and I know that the box they came in will probably bring more minutes of play time for the kids. But, I can't stop myself. Brrr, there is a definite spending freeze in my future. You know what they have been playing with the most lately? The stockings!

The Christmas cards have been sent. I wrote a quickie letter on the 6th and finally got my photos in the mail a week later. Then the magnets I ordered for some cards were too heavy and needed an extra 17 cents to mail. AARRGGHHH. But, they are out. So far, I haven't gotten any cards from anyone who wasn't on my mailing list. But I am sure I will soon and then I will spend time mulling over whether I should make up more cards and send them or not. Happens every year. I drive myself nuts.

#2 has his Christmas program tonight. The other day we were out shopping and found him a orange sherbet shirt and navy and orange tie. He was so excited. I told him he would look so sharp. On the way home he drowsily said to me,"Mom, I need to sharpen my hair" I figured he was dreaming but he continued."if I put some spray in it like daddy then I will match my sharp clothes."

I got a half of a Christmas card in the mail today from my auntie. It looked like an alligator took a bite out of it. It was in a clear window envelope from the postmaster that apologized in a few proper paragraphs that try as they might to be perfect, accidents happen. The top half of the card was gone, but the bottom part with the message from my auntie was clear as day and I thought to myself how lucky I was that it didn't get eaten from the other side...my cup is half full today, must be the antibiotics talking...

Lessons Learned these past few days...

1. Opening presents works anytime, even when it's not really Christmas.("I guess Santa knew he had to come early since daddy is working")


2. Disney "Cars" undies trump everything.


3. Hutterite wine is good only in moderation! You know who you are... (no picture for this one, use your vivid imagination)

4. When 10 people can bowl for over an hour for only $10 it equals the new family fun activity every time we visit the in laws.


5. There is nothing easy about the Easy Bake Oven, especially when combined with less than four hours of sleep, grandma's house and an uncle that says, "Sure you can open it..."


6. I KNOW there is a good reason she bought those toys for my kids and not her own...


7. Sleep is NOT overrated when you are five.


8. Christmas is for family, food and...wrestling lessons.


9. Cousins are COOL! (kewl for you cg!)


10. We don't get together often enough.