This post brought to you by Vitamin Angels Give Childhood. All opinions are 100% mine.
Yesterday was our family's first Christmas at home, just the four of us. Tim and I agreed that it wasn't better than being with our extended families (we definitely missed them!), but at the same time, it was also really enjoyable. We were very relaxed, and we thoroughly enjoyed watching our little girls react to their visit from Santa Claus. They say one of the most awesome things about having kids is getting to be a kid again, yourself. Never is that more true than on Christmas!
A few days before Christmas, I recalled a tradition that my family had at the holidays. We would go through all the presents under the tree and categorize them by person. Basically, we'd do a present count to see where everyone stood. Now that may sound like a very "stuff-centered" activity, but it was quite helpful for my parents to see where things stood. I even remember my mom looking over the gifts and then saying, "Ah! I can think of 3 things that aren't wrapped yet and that I forgot about!" As a parent now, I can definitely relate to that! But more than anything, it was a time that my older brother and I would just spend together, imagining and anticipating. I loved doing it, and I asked Tim if we could do the same at our house. Darah had a BLAST being our helper elf. And honestly, once I realized how many gifts I had purchased, I put an immediate pause on my plans to go pick up a few more stocking stuffers. I decided that instead I should take that money and give a life-changing gift by visiting Vitamin Angels Give Childhood to make a donation that will help deliver essential vitamins and minerals to at risk children in need.
The Gift of Health
My siblings and I were so very lucky to be in good health throughout our childhoods. And Tim and I are lucky beyond measure that our little girls have made it this far in life with good health. It is certainly a gift that you take for granted until it is snatched away from you. Vitamin Angels is currently running a campaign that I think is worth noting. It is called Give Childhood, and it runs through December 31st. They hope to reach 1.2 million children throughout the world (including the U.S.) in 2014 with gifts from this campaign. And no gift is too small: just 25 cents will provide 1 child with all the Vitamin A s/he needs for an entire year. Give Childhood back to children in need!
I'm making a donation of $10 today, which is going to help combat the plague of undernutrition and will make a true difference in the lives of 40 children. I know it isn't much to give, but I'm so thrilled to know how many children it will impact. 
Your support today will give the gift of childhood to those in need worldwide so please donate now. I really hope you will join me. Whether you have $1 or $100 to share, it will matter!
