le•top Takes: Out of the Mouths of Babes!

No, I did not say that!

It was my nephew’s birthday party and it was time for gifts. I watched him as he happily opened each present, then frowned upon discovering it wasn’t what he was hoping for. So I asked him, “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t get what I wanted.”

“What did you ask for?”

A time machine.”

– Noah, age 6

Editor’s Note:
Please spread the giggles by sharing your funny quotes with us!

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Spreading Joy Around the World

Our le•top elves with some of their gift filled boxes - clockwise from the back Daryle, Brenda, Linda, Diana, Robyn, Kristin

The Holiday Season brings thoughts of shopping, food and family – as we use every free moment to prepare for Christmas, Hanukah or Kwanza.  Unfortunately there are many reminders that not everyone has the essentials to make the holiday a true celebration – and in the spirit of the holiday we want to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves.

For the past eight years I have participated in a program through the Samaritan’s Purse Organization named ‘Operation Christmas Child.’  This charity strives to send gifts to children throughout the world, as well as in our own backyard – children who would not be fortunate enough to receive gifts during the holiday season.

This year fellow le•top co-workers Linda, Brenda, Diana, Daryle, Robyn and I participated in this program to assist Santa to make a happy holiday for children in need.  Our mission was to choose a boy or girl (ages 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14) and then to fill a decorated shoebox as full as possible with toys, school items, hygiene essentials, hard candy or other desired items.  We had great fun posing as elves – shopping with local retailers to pick out the perfect gifts for these children.  le•top also donated plush toys and purses to the organization!

This wonderful charity gives us the option to track our shoe box gifts.  Several of the ‘elves’ decided they would love to find out the destinations of their boxes.  Check back and we will post an update on our gifts as the move around the world.

*National collection week for the Operation Christmas Child program, ends this Monday, November 23^rd.  There is still time to participate in this wonderful program.  For more information and a drop-off location near you, please check www.samaritanspurse.org/occ for details.

 

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The Gift of Grandchildren…Grandsons of Our Heart

Nicholas and Dylan planting tulip bulbs

What magic of heart, soul and just serendipitous or fateful good fortune gives us the gifts that make life so abundant and fulfilling? Way back at Christmas time, Paul and I received a wonderful gift…Nicholas and Dylan (the grandsons of our heart) surprised us by planting beautiful red cyclamen in the bed by our pool. When we returned from Hong Kong, the color in the drab winter months was fabulous! Of course there was a great story that went along with their gift; Dylan (the younger, less ‘careful’ of our wonderful boys) somehow managed to fall in the pool! Needless to say the water was VERY cold back in December!

Nicholas and Dylan (in towel) after the planting and a little swim

This month we had our second ‘surprise’ gift – under the winter cyclamen the boys had planted tulips! This month they all popped up – a true riot of color!  I LOVE tulips – they are such ‘happy’ flowers! Last Sunday Nicholas and Dylan were visiting, along with my grandsons Otto and Wade.  Everyone was admiring the beautiful tulips when…SPLASH! Dylan, “never” vigilant, stepped backwards into the pool…again! Otto came in the house to tell us what had happened, but he was laughing so hard he couldn’t even talk!

When I look out my window I see bright beautiful tulips, and relive the laughter  — but, mostly, I feel enormous gratitude to the winds that blew such cherished people into our lives.

Spring tulips, beautiful and riotously colorful, just like their gardeners!

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