i feel that our family has been shown much love over the years & has been blessed in so very many ways, by so very many people around us...both in our own local communities and online.
each day people show us kindness...whether by passing along a bag of clothes that their child has outgrown, by holding open a door, by asking "how are you doing today??". these "little things" that we can sometimes overlook if we aren't careful.
enter the "gratitude jar"...
it may seem a simple oatmeal canister covered in magazine photos, but it symbolizes so much more...
this jar symbolizes our family's commitment to be more mindful of the everyday blessings that we are shown.
each saturday @ one of our everyone-together-family-meals, someone draws a name from the jar. throughout that week we make cards for that person/family & also create something special for them. this could be anything from a handcrafted item to a special baked good.
and the following friday/saturday that person (family's) gift basket is delivered to them.
anyone's name can be put in the jar...i have put so many names in already, from family friends who have given us their hand-me-downs, to the librarian who always makes it a point to engage each one of our 4 children in a conversation, to the local grocery store manager who ALWAYS asks how we are doing & is always so helpful.
we began this tradition the first weekend in january (saturday, the 8th). papa drew that name & it was his own! :)
here are the goodies her received...
a lovely card from aydin, with why he is thankful for his papa on the back...;)
along with a card from ehren, evyn, orin, sammi & i, with the same...
one of his favorite dinners...taco salad. :)
we also made his favorite blueberry cheesecake, well actually we made 2! it has long been papa's dream to have a blueberry cheesecake of his very own. <3
this 
the mitts are 
made from an 
another ocean park scarf, this one for a friend's wife... i call it "
2 years old...
our sweet boy ehren has turned 4!
