Oh My!
That's right, our little family spent the Thanksgiving Holiday with all the wild animals at the zoo, not the ones at Walmart.
Then we came home, pulled out our "fancy china" and enjoyed a relaxing low-key Thanksgiving meal.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
{30 Days of Intentional Acts Kindness} Doughnuts For Ms. Debbie
Last week many of our acts of kindness focused on generosity:
Day One: Operation Gratitude-Donated Halloween candy for soldier's care packages.
Day Two: Operation Christmas Child-Sent Christmas gifts to needy children using the girl's own money.
Day Three: Briar used a $10 Target gift card from her birthday to buy a friends a special treat.
Days Four, Five and Six: Brought friends along for a weekend trip at the Buena Vista Cabin.
Generosity is definitely one way to be kind, but this week I'm focusing on putting another scripture to action through kindness. Matthew 22:37-40 says, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Today,day seven,we showed love to our neighbor by bringing Krispie Kreme doughnuts to Ms. Debbie and all of Brie's other great occupational therapist at Rehab Associates.
Day One: Operation Gratitude-Donated Halloween candy for soldier's care packages.
Day Two: Operation Christmas Child-Sent Christmas gifts to needy children using the girl's own money.
Day Three: Briar used a $10 Target gift card from her birthday to buy a friends a special treat.
Days Four, Five and Six: Brought friends along for a weekend trip at the Buena Vista Cabin.
Generosity is definitely one way to be kind, but this week I'm focusing on putting another scripture to action through kindness. Matthew 22:37-40 says, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Today,day seven,we showed love to our neighbor by bringing Krispie Kreme doughnuts to Ms. Debbie and all of Brie's other great occupational therapist at Rehab Associates.
The joy on the girl's faces when they handed this box over melted my heart,
far more than these sticky smiles!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Buena Vista, Day One
Thursday, our first evening at Buena Vista, was spent... 
exploring the dark forest,
as well as, staying close to the white path,
making navigation decisions,
and having the children verify our choice,
toasting a bedtime hot coca,
eating momma's-semi-homemade-chili,
and sleeping like a rock.
Aside from poor Michael being sick, it was a successful first day to our little getaway!
Who Knew?
Who knew that all a family needs to have a good time is; sweet friends,
a warm cabin to rent,
open spaces to explore,
yummy gluten-free s'mores to enjoy,
a big tree to climb,
a giant rock to color,
a beetle to examine,
a rope to jump,
and a quiet spot to snuggle.
Forget Disney World, the Dohner Family is hooked on camping!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
{30 Days of Intentional Acts of Kindness} Operation Christmas Child
I hate to say it, but this is the first year I've filled an Operation Christmas Child box. Even more so, if it wasn't for joining the 30 Days of Intentional Acts of Kindness campaign I probably wouldn't have gotten around to doing it. It's not that I don't want to be generous, it's more the hassle of it all. However, thanks to the conviction of scripture I decided I too could be a "cheerful giver", not only in releasing my money, but also managing my time!
The girls and I started our Operation Christmas Child mission by reviewing our theme verse for the next few days, "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). Then we had a brief discussion on why we should support OCC (we may have even thrown a letter C lesson in the mix). Before we knew it, it was time to set off to the store to spend $6 each from their piggy banks.
Upon arriving at The Dollar Tree our baskets quickly began to fill up with far more than six items. After a brief evaluation of what was a good fit and what was a not so wise purchase I decided to donate $1 each to the cause, that way some little girl somewhere in the world can have a pretty-pink jump rope!.
When we got home the cheerful spirit continued as Brie,
and Briar
filled their boxes to the drim. Brie had the bright idea of adding some unused Play-Doh and Briar found some cool Jesus Loves Me bracelets to share!
The girls and I started our Operation Christmas Child mission by reviewing our theme verse for the next few days, "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). Then we had a brief discussion on why we should support OCC (we may have even thrown a letter C lesson in the mix). Before we knew it, it was time to set off to the store to spend $6 each from their piggy banks.
Upon arriving at The Dollar Tree our baskets quickly began to fill up with far more than six items. After a brief evaluation of what was a good fit and what was a not so wise purchase I decided to donate $1 each to the cause, that way some little girl somewhere in the world can have a pretty-pink jump rope!.
When we got home the cheerful spirit continued as Brie,
Guess the "hassle" was worth the opportunity to shepherd my sweetie's hearts to be generous girls. Of course we still need some work, they weren't so willing to give up a Target gift card for another kind act of generosity later this week. That blasted sin nature, if only it didn't rear it's uggly head. It's a good thing we have lots of people praying for the girls.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
{30 Days of Intentional Acts Of Kindness} Operation Gratitude
"Random Acts of Kindness" are all the buzz around the holiday season, but one blogging mom had the genius idea of training ones kids to enjoy "Intentional Acts of Kindness". I loved the idea so much I joined her 30 day campaign to perform thirty intentional acts of kindness with my kids. All through November Brie, Briar and I will be working on character building by using scripture to find opportunities to be kind.
For the next few days I'm focusing on generosity. Earlier in the school year the girls memorized 2 Corinthians 9:7, "God loves a cheerful giver", today we cheerfully donated our Halloween candy to Operation Gratitude.
We started by piling five pounds of candy, yes that's right, five pounds of candy into a bowl! After reviewing our bible verse and explaining why we were donating our candy to Operation Gratitude, the girls selected 15 pieces of candy to keep.
Then I added a quick math lesson by having Brie count, sort and categorize her selections.
I think she did a pretty good job!
Next we were off to our drop site Dr. Bob's dentist office.
There the Tooth Fairy weighed our candy (we declined our $1 per pound exchange) and the girls emptied their bags into a big red bucket. Upon leaving, Brie spoke up saying "Mom, I'm glad we could share our candy, because I don't need that much candy". Shepherding their hearts, that's what this campaign is all about for me. May God mold their hearts to be cheerful givers!
For the next few days I'm focusing on generosity. Earlier in the school year the girls memorized 2 Corinthians 9:7, "God loves a cheerful giver", today we cheerfully donated our Halloween candy to Operation Gratitude.
Happy Halloween 2011
The Dohner Family had a sweet Halloween at University Baptist Church's Trunk or Treat event! 
Brie and Briar dressed up as...
a pretty peacock and pink butterfly!
Robert celebrated as a Tailgating, Tigers Fan by handing out candy from his baseball glove. While I spent most of the evening taking the girls from car to car!
Briar especially enjoyed "digging" for candy from this bee hive.
Don't let that face fool you, Brieto loved fishing from the bed of Mr. Jim's truck!
Ah, any Halloween that end with snuggles and sugar stained smiles is a success for this "Texas Cowgirl"!!!
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