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December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas!
From our family to yours!

We hope your days are as blessed as ours are.  Many blessings in 2012!

December 22, 2011

sight words

I have been working on blending sounds and sight words with Christian but whatever I have been doing just hasn't been working.  I don't know if it is him just beinf stubborn or if it is me just getting frustrated.  Whatever the cause, I decided that something different needed to happen.  This is what I came up with...


I taped sight words, names of family members, color and number words to each tile going down the hall.  To get down the hall he has to say 1 word from each row.  Once he says that word three times without hesitation the word goes up on the wall.  I then replace that word with a new word.

To come back down the hall he has to read the wall.  This way I know that he knows the words and just hasn't memorized them becuase of their place on the tile.  If he gets it wrong on the wall then it goes back on the floor. 

We just started but this seems to be doing the trick.  He goes up and down the hallway a ton of times during the day and is repeating the words each time.  (He hates it when he has waited too long to go to the bathroom and is in a hurry.  He tries to go around the tile but he hasn't scooted by just yet!)

As he progresses I will add the names of the months, books of the Bible, continents and days of the week since we have been working on these this school year.

December 20, 2011

Big Dreams

We have some BIG dreams that we are dreaming and we are hoping that you will support us through prayer and maybe even financially if it allows. Want to hear what they are???

We are going to Rwanda, Africa and we want to take Brogan's ministry, Cases of Joy, with us!!

I say we are going but truthfully... We are praying that God will allow us to go. We want to go and feel that God is opening those doors but the fact is we have to have the money to go. Here is a little more information. After you read it, if you feel called to support us we would be humbled and grateful!

Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the organization that we are partnering with. All donations will be set aside in an account for us and a tax-deductible receipt will be mailed to you.

Please mail to:
One27 Ministries
1812 Southwood Drive
College Station, Tx 77840
Memo Section please note: Winston Family


If you would rather donate towards the dresses and animals that we will be making to take with us you may do so by sending your contribution to:
Winston
PO Box 1781
Huntsville, TX 77342

We are not a tax-deductible organization but would love your donations of felt, material, pillow cases or funds if you so desire. You can also make dresses and send them directly to us. We will do a seperate post on an easy pillowcase dress that can be made.




The Info:

Africa?? YES!! You read that right! Jeremy, Brogan and I have committed to a mission trip to Rwanda, Africa this upcoming summer. We will be traveling with a group of about 10 people with One27 Ministries out of Bryan/College Station. This group has been going to Rwanda since 2003 and has a very strong relationship with the established churches and pastors. The trip will be in late June and run through middle of July. It will last about 17 days. I am sure you have some (if not many) questions. I will try to answer some of the obdvious ones below. Please know that we have been praying about a trip like this for some time now. We are not going into this blind and know there will be obstacles along the way. We have served with many organizations locally and across Texas but feel like we are being called to go further. We are really excited about the opportunity to be able to spread the love of Christ with those that are so eager to hear the Gospel.

Why Africa? We don’t know. We just know that we have had a desire to go and this year God has opened the door.

What will we be doing? We will be going into remote villages to share the Gospel and the love of Christ. The people there are eager to hear the Word. We will lead devotionals, songs & skits, and give testimonials of how God has worked in our lives. Some of us will be leading and starting Bible studies with the men and women in some of the established churches. There is a possibility that Jeremy will even be helping with some pastor training while we are there.

Why is Brogan going? Because she feels called to go! She has been talking about a mission trip to Africa since she was in kindergarten and when she heard Jeremy and I talking about it she said she wanted to go to. We have spoken to her about the things she may experience (including the shots before, yuck!) and she hasn’t had a second thought with any of them. She feels like she needs to go love on some kids her age. She also wants to take her ministry, “Cases of Joy”, with us! We are hoping to take pillowcase dresses and animals with us to give to the kids we minister to.
Why aren’t Joshua & Codey going? Simply, they don’t feel called to go. That is important to us that they can say “no” and feel comfortable doing so. They know this isn’t going to be a sightseeing trip and feel like they are being called to do other things. Codey feels really strongly about the time he has spent in Amarillo working with refugee and underpriviledged kids there. He feels like he is ministering to the children of the world there and doesn’t want to leave something that is so close to his heart. We love that he has found something he is passionate about! Joshua doesn’t have the desire for Africa but instead feels called to Europe. We want them, and us, where God is calling.

What about Rylen & Christian? We will figure that one out.

What is the cost? We are looking at about $4000 per person. Multiply that by 3 and (GASP!!) we are looking at $12,000. We realize that figure is astronomical. For us that is. For God that is just a speck. We are believing in Him to help provide the funds that are needed. This isncludes all aspects of the trip: travel, food, lodging, and Bibles to hand out in their native language. It does not include shots ( aprox. $300/person, passports and misc. money that may be needed).


How will we raise it?
Lots of fundraisers! We have some in the works including a garage sale planned for early March. If you have anything you would like to donate to our garage sale we will take it! If you aren’t local but would like to sponsor a garage sale for us it would be most appreciated. We will come to you and help you work it for sure! If you are to far away for us to do that we would be honored if you would hold a garage sale for us J! I am also taking family pictures for $75 a session. Please pass this on to family and friends in the Houston, The Woodlands, Madisonville and surrounding areas. All money from these sessions goes to our mission trip!

Check out our Etsy shop: Shop here for your gift giving needs! All items are made by Brogan or I and all proceeds go directly to the trip. (It is almost up and running!)

Another way is simply by telling everyone we know and asking for help. Hence, the purpose of this letter J. Will you help us? No amount is to small as every dollar helps us to our goal. All donations are tax deductible as One27 Ministries is a 501 c-3.

Know a company that may sponsor us or donate? Please let me know. We would love to speak with them about the trip!

I know this is a lot to take in if you have never heard about our desire to go. We would love to speak with you about the trip or answer any other questions you may have. Please contact me if you would like any other information. We know that not everyone will be able to donate money towards the trip. If you can’t donate you can still help us by praying for our entire family. We will need to have lots of prayers for the trip to be a success. We know that prayers can do more than anything else!

Thank you for taking the time to read and learn more about what we (HOPE!) will be doing this summer. You can find more information on One27 Ministries at www.one27ministries.org. We are asking that you please return the slip and indicate how you can help. Should you be able to donate towards the trip, please make checks payable to One27 Ministries. You may notate “Winston Family” in the memo section. This way you can receive a tax deductible receipt for your contribution. Thank you for your time, support and your prayers.


For Him,
Jeremy, Denise & Brogan Winston





December 14, 2011

Christmas Outreach


Our co-op group had a Christmas Party to celebrate the end of the semester and the Reason for the Season.  Before the party a group of the kids got together and went over to a local retirement community to sing a few songs and visit with the residents.  Brogan read one of the Bible verses and Christian signed "Silent Night" with a couple of his classmates from his sign language class.  It was a fun time of fellowship and good will for all!

December 12, 2011

For Sale

I am making canvas art to sell and would love your support!

  All proceeds go toward our mission trip to Rwanda, Africa this next summer.  Please consider purchasing a piece for any birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, showers, graduations, etc.


All pieces can be customized with colors or verses.
This is just a start, there are more to come!


December 10, 2011

Poppy Camp 2011

Back in October we had our 2nd annual Poppy Camp with family.  We celebrated my dad and looked back on 2 years without him.  The kids had a blast even though it stormed most of the weekend.

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December 7, 2011

Warm and Cozy

One of the beauties of homeschooling...



we can do our work all warm and cozy and not in a desk :)


December 6, 2011

Co-op Highlight: Week 13


The community service class made soup in a jar for widows and homebound members of the church that we meet in.

Brogan was having a blast in her multiplication class.

Rylen and Christian learned about food chains in their animal kingdom class.

December 4, 2011

ABC Book: letter T & O


For the letter T we did tree and the letter O we did ornaments.

We decorated the Christmas tree with ornaments. 
(Actually, Brogan did the decorating but we love watching her!)

December 3, 2011

Winston Manor 2011


Our family pictures for 2011!!!

December 2, 2011

ABC's of Christmas

For the month of December Rylen is making an ABC book for Christmas.  We will do one letter, and maybe an activity, for each day up until Christmas day.

For the letter A we did angel.  We sand "Hark the Harold Angels Sing" all day as we went around the house.

For the letter B we did bells.  I had chocolates in the shape of bells and put stickers on the bottom of the bells to play a memory game with.  They had a blast playing the game but I think the most fun they had was eating the pieces they won   :D

Just look at that excitement!!