K's 3rd Annual Bake Sale for Charity

When we sat down back in May to brainstorm ideas for our summer FUN list, the bake sale was the first thing out of Kennedy's mouth. It has become a tradition, one she has since taken charge of and one I am so very proud watching her lead. She makes the lists, makes the calls, writes down ingredients, picks out poster board, and gets the baking stuff organized. She did want to wait until her cast was off so she could use both arms to wave that bright neon sign around while screaming Bake Sale for Charity :-). Plus after being in the heat the girls love a good excuse to all jump in the pool and celebrate their earnings that go towards helping kids get the meals during the summer that they are used to getting during the school year with the district's assistance.

The organization is Share Our Strength and it is an awesome thing to contribute to and something that both my girls can see and understand how they are helping right now. It just goes to show something that started out 3 years ago as a fun new idea transformed into an idea and tradition that will prayerfully continue each summer turning into something bigger and better as the girls learn to serve and give to others with their hearts! All I can say is I smile bigger, brighter and love just watching on this special day, proud that they are helping others even just a little bit.

It reminds me of a message at church last week that our teaching pastor gave (and one of the advantages of living in a small suburb is that this teaching pastor happens to be our pediatrician too). In his profession he is asked all the time what is the key to raising "successfull," well adjusted and content kids? He said very simply there is no set answer but the one thing he believes is that it is simply about teaching and modeling being a part of something that is bigger than ourselves. Sounds so simple yet is so hard in this world we are living in and the messages we are surrounded with or even the message that sometimes floats around in the front of my mind. How am I supposed to help others when somedays it feels like it is hard to handle what is right in front of me? But I realized sometimes what is right in front of me feels that way because I am so focused on that or only that. I don't have the answers but I do know that I am trying to start asking God more often what it looks like for us/for me and for our family in helping and serving and making those around us bigger than ourselves. It's a start and one I am proud that Kennedy is experiencing at a young age and sharing with her friends too!

Carter is right in the middle of all the action - he loves it and the girls don't mind one bit. All of K's friends are very sweet to him and I am thankful for that!

Brooklyn & Raya -

we have the greatest friends who stop by to contribute and eat some goodies.

The girls walked away with $107 to donate to Share Our Strength! One of the 2nd grade teachers at the girls' school drove by and was so sweet; she stopped to say hi and talk to them and told them she had just gone to the gym and wasn't going to take any sweets but gave them $20.

Shared kindness, amazing!

They ended the day with a fun pool party and pizza to celebrate.

Way to go GIRLS!