Day 5

We had a great day today.  My cousin Eli came in from BC, and got to spend the entire day with him and his family. Perhaps I can count my Eli's absolute adoration of Big Eli as a gift - though I'm not sure  if he would consider it such.  After they left, my Eli couldn't stop talking about "the other Eli". He thought they should go hang out, just the two of them, and I think his suggestion was that they go get hair cuts together - apparently that's what real men do together.

The gift I'm actually going to count for today is the Le Leche League meeting that I attended tonight.  I am a LLL Leader, and was able to go to my sister's meeting tonight.   With four other leaders there that seemed far more capable than I, I'm not sure that I was very helpful with breastfeeding knowledge, but I do believe that just being there to offer support and encouragement is worth more than information any day.  I know it was when I was starting out my breastfeeding journey.  I really do believe that breastfeeding is one of the most important things we can give our children, and so being able to support other mothers to do that successfully is one gift I feel is so important to give.

Day 4

The anti-gift giving ogres were out to get us today.  Seriously.  Wanting to get Eli involved, we went out this afternoon with a pocket full of change to fill parking meters down town.  I figured we could top up all the empty and almost empty meters we could until we were out of change.  Well, in the three years I've been gone from Calgary parking meters have apparently gone out of style, because all I could find were "Park Plus" kiosks, where you pay for your parking stall.  I had no way of knowing how much people had paid... it was oh so frustrating! 
So, we had to change our plans.  Instead we went home and made balancing butterflies as a thank you for our friends we stayed with in the East.  It was Eli's first watercolor experience, and I believe he did just fine!  The gifts won't be received for a week or two, when the postman delivers them, but it was given today!

Honestly, four days into this, I am a little surprised at how difficult it is to deliberately gift something every single day.  I mean, there are lots of things I can call gifts, like cleaning up around the house for my mom, or mowing the lawn, but I'm really trying to do things I wouldn't necessarily do otherwise.  Four days in and I feel this is going to be much harder than I thought.  And, while most days I think I am going to have to plan the gift, I really hope that I will find some opportunities to give where I didn't plan.  The great thing is, because of this challenge, I've got my eyes open.

Flutter by, Butterfly

Today for my 29-Day Giving Challenge we made the most beautiful craft.  And, the greatest part about it was that Eli could do most of it himself! We made these balancing butterflies for our friends out East that let us stay with them while we were visiting.  I cut out and traced the butterlies, Eli painted them, and I cut them out again.  Then Eli applied the pennies (which was a lot trickier than I thought it would be - next time I will tape them on first just to make sure they are in the perfect position.)  Now I'm on the prowl for more water color crafts, because they were so amazingly beautiful, and they were all Eli's work!

When Ali and her boys came over we tried them on.  Noses were the obvious favourite!   What a blast!

Day 3

Today Eli and I made a hand print bouquet for Adrienne.  She is so good to us, and we had to go visit her at work, so we figured we would bring her something special.  She loved it!

And, for the record, I did find another gift to give to make up for yesterday.  It was one of those gifts that doesn't need to be shared online, but I did find someone to give to.

Day 2

Today was not a good day for giving.  I spent the entire day in the kitchen, until we ran out the door for Eli's birthday party at the Wiebe's.  Jared leaves tomorrow for Washington for 5 weeks, and he wanted "fried dough" for breakfast, and since my mom doesn't have a bread maker, I had to make that bread dough the old fashioned way: with elbow grease.  Then I had to make Eli a birthday cake.  I've decided to only buy and eat fair trade chocolate, and wanted to make something remotely healthy, so I made the most delicious carrot cake EVER!  I love cream cheese icing!  Then we made home made ice cream, and fruit sorbet.  By the time that was all done, we were just about late for the party, so out the door we ran. At the Wiebe's I did start on Jared's Father's Day present, but that will be a gift for another day.

So, I guess I spent the day "giving," but since I used Eli's birthday yesterday as my gift, I don't think I can use it again.  Tomorrow I will give twice, I guess.

In all the world, our nest is BEST!!!

Today I watched two very determined robins build a nest... right on top of the door to our back yard.  I wondered if I should have stopped them, informed them that they would not be happy there, that they would never feel safe with all the kids and dogs running in and out constantly.  But, somehow, I just couldn't bare to break it to them.  I was too enthralled with their beauty, with the skill in which they gathered, collected and built, the way they worked together, obviously communicating about what to gather, and how to use it.  As we watched them come back to their evolving nest, time and time again, with "all the hay, all the straw, all the string, all the stuffing, all the horse hair and all the man hair they could carry", Eli and I read The Best Nest and sang, at the top of our lungs, 

I love my house,

I love my nest, 

In all the world

My nest is best!!!

Once they figure out that the exit from the Evans' house is not ideal, I am certain that they will abandon their nest and search for another spot to build. I hope that those two little birds, whom I can't help but imagine are deeply in love, do find the place that they can sing about, the best nest.

Day 1

Day one was an easy one for me. Today we celebrated Eli's third birthday, so I was able to shower gifts upon him.  And I couldn't have asked for a more grateful recipient!  We gave him a play tent, a camping chair and, best of all, his very own Ergo Baby DOLL carrier!  He loved it all, but he was really thrilled with the Ergo.  He put it on and ran around the house and yard screaming, "My very own Ergo.  I am so happy about this!"

Day one: success!