Plenty To Do But Not What We Did

I had SO MUCH to do today. Pay bills, mountains of laundry, an empty refrigerator requiring a shopping list and a store run, a bathroom to paint (procrastinated on that for about 3 months), never mind getting a tree and doing something about Christmas.

INSTEAD of looking in and focusing on the "what we need to get done around here", we looked out and I can honestly say my empty soul was filled to the brim.

We loaded the "bus" and headed up the road.

First stop, drop Jerrod off at his job. His first job. So proud.
He was not inclined to humor his blogging mother. Someday, he'll be sorry.
Did I say we loaded up the van with bunnies?
Next stop was the nursing home with two of our rabbits.
This sweet lady thought she would be keeping this cute bunny.
They loved stroking the rabbits. This is our bunny Hop. His ears were straight up and at attention.
All I could think of was oreo cookie every time I looked at this rabbit.
The kids carried the rabbits around to visit the residents.
We went in most of the rooms. There were 2 or 3 groups of kids so some people got multiple visits.
Cora got to borrow this fluffy bunny. She was in love with him.
Trey wanted to climb in the cage. He is having asthma today but I am still glad he went and got to brighten a few people's day.
They couldn't get enough of touching the soft silky bunnies.
The boys got to play with the bunnies too. This is big for Micah, he is not a small animal fan.
See what I mean?
The residents were so sweet.
Our 4-H rabbit club posing with Doris. She is 101 years old. 7 kids and 7 bunnies with a couple of sidekicks.
She was an amazing lady. She loved up on Trey and Micah. Reminded her of her own two boys. One had died in the same nursing home. I guess that happens when you are 101. She was amazing. Did I already say that?
Erik enjoyed sharing Tula. In her other life, she only lives in a cage.
Sharing.
Near the end the kids put all seven bunnies on the table.
Us moms suggested keeping the males and females apart, bunnies that is.
Meanwhile, Bob was at a friend's house helping to put a floor down.
Bob is a good friend and a man with a big heart for helping others. Never mind that this FRIEND has helped us out tremendously on many occasions.
After the nursing home, we went to Stuff-Mart and bought our gifts for the Tag tree at church. We had taken 6 tags and enjoyed picking out clothes and toys for kids that do not have as much as we do. Micah and Trey didn't fully grasp the concept when we would not let them play with the tractor and preschool toys but the seed of giving was planted.

No tree yet, so the kids decided to surprise Dad and go get one from the neighborhood. My only rule? Ask the landowner, please!

Off they go. Guess the cat did not want to be left out.
Sizing them up and choosing the right one.
Cutting.
Trey's turn on the saw.
Micah lends a hand.
A pose. I LOVE Erik's boredness with the photographer who was Erika on the tree cutting excursion.
Paul Bunyan....our manly man.
Our little man.
I'm thinking this is taller than the house.
Paring down.
Our tree has three tiers, top, middle, and bottom.
Most everyone agrees that this is our best tree ever.
We got busy with homemade ornaments.
Water balloons, string, and glue.
The finished product. It actually worked.
Our beautiful heartfelt tree.
A day of giving yet we received so much more.

SO MUCH MORE.