Here are a few shots of our girl from KicKee Pants!  I think she’s just adorable, of course, but they really do work wonders and take amazing pictures.  We love the soft, comfy, durable clothes too!
Check them out @ http://www.kickeepants.com

 Oh Pinterest, we have such a love/hate thing going on here.  Some of your recipes, craft ideas and all are life savers and new favorites but some are complete failures! 
Take tonight, for example…I was so excited to be “fun mom” and buy some candy, roll it up in packing tape and then make a game out of unwrapping it.  The kids each take turns, start unwrapping for as long as it take another kid to roll doubles on a pair of dice.
Sounds fun, right?!  We talked about how it was a game of chance, where one turn you may not get any candy, another turn you might get a bunch.  It’s all luck. 
First round we had one that did well and, unfortunately, he bragged to the others so when one got zero he immediately burst into tears and sobbed. 
After regrouping (and making it clear that if you boast, you lose a turn and if you cry, you are done playing) we managed to get in a few rounds.  Wasn’t long until the fighting started up again and I stopped the game mid way through.
So much for family fun! I still a ball o candy if anyone else wants to play!

So with all of the money Carlos raised (a total of $2,216!!), there are two little girls in Guatemala who are going to be able to go to school for the next 3 years.
Carlos is now getting pictures and progress reports and really is seeing how his efforts are helping these two girls and their family.
Luisa and Irma live in a home with a dirt floor and no electricity.  They cook over an open fire.  I believe there are 8 kids in the family and they have only 2 beds.  They sleep 3 to a bed and the rest of the kids sleep on the floor.
They have many needs, the most urgent is food and Pila (a large outdoor stone sink used for washing clothes, doing dishes, etc).  Other needs listed are: health care, dental care, eye care, clothing storage,  bed, blankets, tables, chairs, shoes, clothes and chickens.
Everyone has been so generous in donating the Carlos’ efforts and he would like to continue to help support this family by raising more money and being able to provide some essentials for them for many years to come.  I figured online is a good place to start to see if anyone else wants to help Carlos (and our family) change life for this family.  We are happy to share the progress reports we get with whoever is interested and have our friend/family community “adopt” them.  Imagine the change we can be.
A list of items and their price (from the Mayan Families website) is at the bottom of this post.  If there is something specific you are interested in donating, we would be happy to do that with your donation.
Thank you so much for helping my little guy (and our whole family) see beyond himself and reach out to help others.  It truly is making a difference!

 

Food Donations:

$40 Holiday Tamale Food Basket – Large Basket of Food

$25 Snack Basket of Food

$15          Packet of Food
$280 Food to feed a family for one month
$50 100 lb bag of Corn (This makes tortillas for a family of five, 3 meals a day, for approximately two weeks)
$107 100 lb of Black Beans 

$6.50 Carton of 30 Eggs 

Birthday and Holiday Gift Donations:

$25 Large Birthday Cake (for the entire family)

$45 Large Birthday Cake (for entire family) AND a Birthday Gift (hula hoop, soccer ball, doll, or stuffed animal)

$20           Birthday or Christmas Gift  (Soccer ball, doll, toy car or
                                                        stuffed animal)
                                              

Furniture Donations:

$58 Double Mattress

$170 Bed and Mattress 

 $7.50      Pillow – Hyper Allergenic

 $25 Blanket

$186 Onil Fuel-Efficient Stove (Training included)

$98 Ecocina portable Stove


$28 Small table


$47 Medium table


$60 Large table


$17 Simple chair


$56 Small Table with 2 Chairs
$103 Medium Table with 4 Chairs

$140 Large Wooden Table with 6 Chairs 
$130 Pila, a two sided cement wash basin/sink for Washing
$170 Family Wardrobe-Medium
$190 Family Wardrobe-Large 
$98 Hope Chest


Furniture from our Carpentry Trade School
Order now, it will be delivered beginning in October, 2012.

$88 Table 4 ft x 4 ft Pine
$108 Table 3 ft x 7 ft Pine
$74 Book case, no doors, 4 ft x 4 ft
$149 Book case with doors, 4 ft x 4 ft
$104 Kitchen cabinet


Clothing Donations:

$159 Traditional Clothing Adults

$116 Traditional Clothing Girls up to 11 years old

$27 Traditional Belt Adult

$13 Traditional Belt Girls up to 11 years old
$28 Traditional Apron
$20 Kids Soccer Jersey, long lasting.
$42 Leather Shoes Adult

$35 Leather Shoes Child

$9.50 Plastic Shoes 

Tools and Rain Gear:

$10   Umbrella
$22         Big Family Style Golf Umbrella
$15/19     Rainboots Child / Adult
$7 Machete
$8.50 Shovel
$19.50 Garden Hoe
$13.50 Garden Rake
 
Health and Wellness Donations:

$96          Water Filter good for approximately 10 years

$70 Water Filter Complete, good for 1 to 2 years
$48 Water Filter Replacement Cartridges, good for 1 to 2 years

$42 Family Health Pack (Family of 5) Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Kotex, Soap, Clothes detergent, Dishwashing detergent. 
$25 Reusable Sanitary Pads, handsewn by Guatemalan seamstresses (includes 12 cotton outer liners, 15 innerliners, 4 pairs of underwear)


$12 Disposable Diapers (For elderly, special needs, or sick children)

$53 Baby Formula for babies 12 months and under for 1 month

$35 Milk for infants 12 months and older for 1 month

$14 Incaparina for children over 24 months (vitamin enriched protein drink)

Income Generating Activities:
$56 Egg Laying Hens (These provide a family with  a supplemental income and food)
$75          Carpentry School class for Beginner and Intermediate


$75 Sewing Classes for an eligible woman (6 months of classes twice a week)
$75 Computer classes for eligible students (6 months of classes           for students from 6-9 grade, 2 times per week)
$20 English classes (twice weekly for one month with an ESL certified teacher, Panajachel ONLY.)

 This is becoming a pattern…the girl sees shoes, she takes hers off and has to try them on.  Shoes at a store, even if they are adult shoes, are her favorite.
Everyone who comes to the house takes their shoes off, and Erin immediately tries them on for size.
We are in trouble!

We have found a new church home, Grace.  It’s been a very calming and accepting place for our crazy family to dial it down a notch and just be. 
The building is spectacular, so much to take in as you walk through the doors.
The people are warm and kind.
The pastor is outstanding.  His talks leave you with things to think about, but are very real, not arrogant or all knowing.  I always enjoy listening to him speak and leave feeling inspired.
I am grateful for this place.
If you are looking for a church, you may want to check it out!

 More pictures from Christmas – the Burr family gathering.  Not sure why I didn’t take more pictures.  I think it’s funny, though, that besides the kids getting a little older looking, the pictures look the same each year.
Anyone else’s family Christmas pictures seem this way?

 Aren’t the cute!?  I love Christmas morning…the kids are restless the night before, finally falling asleep and (spoiler alert!) then Mamas work to get the Santa presents and stockings out with hopes that the short people stay asleep. 
I think all ended up happy, the big hits were boots and a Nike Fuelband (should be here tomorrow!!!) for Mama K, a telescope for Levi, an iPod Touch for Carlos, a big box of Magic cards for Trey and a Fijit for Erin.