christmas!!!

upcoming info on the Yule Ball this Saturday: this is the letter i received from Cecille (Emma and Isaac's mom)

The Yule Ball Celebration is a secular, holiday event/ toy drive for the Long Beach Women's Shelter, the homeless and underserved kids in Long Beach. This is the second time we will have participated in this event. We also attend church there. It's held in the Parish Hall@ St. Luke's Episcopal Church. There will be free food and games and crafts. Isaac and Emma are also in a homeschool jazz/rock group with 9 other kids. That group will also have a short performance there that evening. They are really good too.
It's a fun evening. Last year we decorated with paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and lighted trees and lit candles. It was really pretty. It's inspired by the scene in Harry Potter at their Yule Ball with the open ceiling and the snow coming in. It had that magical feel.

The info is: Dec12, 6-9 pm. St. Luke's Episcopal Church in the Parish Hall, 525 E. 7th St., Long Beach 90813 It's a big, beautiful 100 year old church. Parking is in the back and on the side of the church.

We 're asking people to donate an unwrapped toy for a boy or girl. Or a Target gift card for $10 or more. The cards will be used to get the toys for whatever age group or sex needs to be filled in after all the donations are in. Last year, (through The Yule Ball and boxes placed around the community) we collected 200 toys and there were still kids that had to be turned away.

It's a wonderful church that does many good things for the community. Amount the many programs that they have is a shower and food program for the homeless all year. They always need new or old, in good condition, men's clothes, in particular. So if your husbands or fathers are cleaning out their closets, or shopping and you can buy an extra bag of socks or underwear, please think of this program.

hope you can make it!!