Red Bag project: teaching kids values

The kids helped wrap Elder Bishop's gifts for Christmas this year. I sent the package with a family that was driving to utah for Thanksgiving so we had to have the items ready before Nov. 22! It was a relief to have these gifts wrapped and sent.

 I love seeing these hands serving others in the simplest of ways

  Carson and Jessie enjoyed wrapping the gifts and getting the presents ready.

These ornaments are all filled with pictures of Santa and my children over the past 19 years! I sent this grouping of ornaments to my oldest son, Elder Brandon Bishop, who is serving an LDS mission in Provo, Utah.

Click here to read Elder Bishop's mission letters 

 Sharing these ornaments with Elder Bishop will hopefully allow him to know how much he is loved and supported even when he is away from home for his FIRST Christmas!

It warms my heart with joy (and a little bit of sadness) to see all these photos together on this tree! What treasured memories each photo evokes as I reflect on the Christmas's past spent with my family. Although some of the trips to see Santa were FORCED on the teens, the countenance on their faces as they witnessed their sister's gleeful smile are etched in memory forever.  My children are my most precious gift.   

For a Christmas service project this year, we chose to purchase presents for 6 needy children who may not have a happy Christmas without donations. We received the names from a project in our city that began many years ago.  Red Bag Project in KC. This Saturday, the kids and I will load up the van with 6 large red bags filled with the wrapped gifts and drop them off at a nearby church and the toys will be distributed the the kids.