U r 1 in a Minion!

When my 9th grader was much younger, I got him the movie, Despicable Me, for his birthday.  We watched it over and over together!  Anyways, Minions are so popular that they have marshmallow Peeps.  However, we can't put them into an OCC shoebox. :{..

I am working on a shoebox for a 5-9 yr old boy themed: U r 1 in a Minion!  It started with a t-shirt on clearance at Palais Royal after Christmas, less than $4.  These shoes match the theme perfect from the Payless Shoe Source clearance, $4.  It can get more costly to have a favorite theme, but it is bringing back sweet memories and I imagine will bring delight to a precious child!
  

I saw this cup and couldn't pass it up, Dollar Tree.  I think I found the fun pack at Tuesday Morning.  The perfect bouncy ball comes from Old Navy,  see Pin here.  I had the clapper and blue dolphin toy in my stash.  I had everything I needed to make the minion egg from a Pin idea.  I'll add toiletries and school supplies.  Maybe I can put little pencil erasers inside the Minion egg?


For the love of a child!!

DeniseMarie

The Whole wide world in His hands

I have taken this fun child's globe my boys had when younger and made it into a garden orb.  But, this image is cool to me because I have discovered that it may not be random that my boxes have gone more than once to Togo, West Africa!  You can't truly draw a straight line from Houston, TX to Togo...but as the boat floats it is interesting.  It is the smallest country on the African Continent.  I sent out 8 oldest boys and 8 oldest girl boxes in 2014 and they went to Togo.  So, I keep this in mind as I prepare 2015 boxes.  Why, because it has happened before...maybe the regions are connected?

I like to pack the oldest child categories into plastic shoe boxes I gather at Dollar General with my $5/$25 Saturday deal.  Not only as a great stowage container but I hear they've been used to gather water!!  I am not gonna just throw out shoe boxes so I will use them for the other categories...at least the youngest.  I feel silly that I didn't realize a great idea when it was "in my face" this past November!?  Use a bandana as wrapping for the see thru boxes! See Pin here.  Duh!!  I made sure they all got 1, why didn't I use it aesthetically!?  lol 

I pinned another awesome idea and was SO rushed to sort my boxes in November that I didn't do it!  See Pin here.  But, I made sure to do it already with several of my boxes.  I placed my hand on the lid and instructed them to pray with me.  Hopefully, my huge hand doesn't frighten anyone. lol  I have a prayer in agreement thing and love to encourage others to pray!!

What crazy Pin am I working on right this minute?? See Pin here.   I found 3 different colors of clothing line rope at a 99 cent store locally.  I already found the clothes pins at a Dollar General and at a thrift shop.  I am turning a mundane task into a kit for oldest girls.  I wanna decorate the pins too.
See Pin here. 

I love Pinterest, here's my OCC board.

For the love of a child!!  To G0d be the Glory!!,

DeniseMarie

Samaritan's Purse

Before Thanksgiving, at Academy, I found some Summer clearance sandals for less than $4.  I also got silver and black flip flops for $1.50 at Target after Christmas (those are now 75 cents each).  I like to squeeze shoes into my Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes.  I am shocked at the number of shoes I have collected on clearance at this point!!  3rd world countries aren't eating hormone induced meats/dairy so I try to imagine their shoe sizes accordingly.  This 1st purchase has started an avalanche of activity for OCC shoeboxes of 2015.  I have been participating in this awesome ministry since my teenage boys were in Pre-K.  Check them out on Facebook.

My Hubby is calling all this activity "Clutter for Charity!"  But, I am working hard to organize myself. He isn't being mean-spirited...we just cleaned out my craftroom and the light-bulb went off!!  He is very gracious and charitable!!

This will be the 1st time that I've maintained receipts for tax purposes, other than shipping costs!!

This is the earliest I have ever started making purchases!

This is the 1st year I have ever admitted how passionate I am about children who are under-privileged!  And, boy is it paying off!!  My community friends are donating!!

This is the 1st year that I am giving up personal gifts for any/every Holiday...birthday, Val day, Easter, Mother's Day...any time Hubby and sons are gonna buy something for me....telling them please get on the web-site and pay shipping for as many boxes as you would have spent!!  Or  tool boxes to fill for oldest boys!  See Pin here.  Or...sports equipment for oldest boys from them for me to add! See Pins,
here, here, here. 

Happy, happy, happy packing!!

DeniseMarie