Sometimes a news story can simultaneously break and warm your heart.

The (Fort Wayne, Indiana) Journal Gazette ran an article today about a woman who recently started a nonprofit organization that throws birthday parties for homeless kids.

As the article points out, homeless shelters can be scary places. Allison Rorick is doing her part to bring a bit of cheer to kids on their special day of the year.

Rorick, who has a background in interior design and party planning, plans to bring gifts, cake and decorations to the kids to help them feel important, even in tough times.

"Everybody needs to be celebrated," she told the Journal Gazette. "It encourages self-esteem, especially when kids are going into these shelters and everything is turned upside down."

This is a time of year when we often think about families who can't afford Christmas presents. How must that feel to wake up Christmas morning knowing you have nothing for your kids? The Journal Gazette article is a reminder that hardships continue throughout the year.

My local newspaper ran a story recently about a mother and daughter who also throw birthday parties for homeless kids. Are there programs like this where you live, too?

Let me begin by saying that the warmth, tradition, simplicity and--of course--food of Thanksgiving make it one of my favorite holidays.

My daughters and their cousins will be putting on a play in my sister's living room after Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. I haven't seen the script yet, but I'm sure it offers a pretty simplistic view of the "first Thanksgiving," and rightfully so. The "actors" are all under age 7, and since my girls are only 4 and 2, I doubt they'll do more than just giggle once they're on stage.

I have a few years before I need to think too hard about how to explain some of the ugly parts of U.S. history to my kids. For now, we're focusing on the many positive aspects of Thanksgiving: the gratitude for our many blessings and the closeness of family.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? How do you explain the holiday's meaning to your children?

On a lighter note, check out this amazing Thanksgiving dessert buffet by event planner Amy Atlas. Now that's the kind of spread that will get my kids to eat their vegetables.

Photo courtesy of Amy Atlas and by Allan Zepeda for Mel Barlow Photography.

There's a growing trend in the world of birthdays: more and more parents are adding handmade touches to their kids' parties.

Whether it's for economical reasons or because families are looking for more ways to flex their creative muscles, handmade birthdays are hot.

No where was this more evident recently than in the home of Jessica Levitt, who writes the blog Juicy Bits.

Jessica threw a construction-themed birthday party for her son, Theo, who was turning 2. She could have easily bought some Bob the Builder cups and plates, but instead she sewed table runners and a happy birthday bunting using construction-themed fabric. She designed coloring pages and cupcake toppers. She even stayed up late the night before the party meticulously frosting tool-shaped cookies to give away as favors.

See all the details yourself in this photo gallery from the party.

Theo's bash is part of our growing collection of "real birthday" features. I'd love to hear from readers who have photos from their kids' parties to add to the lineup.

Don't let parties like Theo's intimidate you, though. The sweet, simple celebrations are just as much fun to share.

Photo by Christianne Ebel of Hippie Chick Photography.

This story out of Gastonia, N.C., choked me up tonight: Firefighters there threw a birthday party for a 5-year-old boy whose home was destroyed by an electrical fire last Tuesday.

The family lost everything in the fire--including their dog, which had just given birth to eight puppies, furniture, photographs, and the boy's toys, of course. (The day-old puppies survived and are being cared for by a foster family.)

Residents of Gastonia donated $600 to buy the boy clothes and toys for his birthday, which fell just three days after the fire, and the party was held in one of the fire department's buildings. Among the gifts were four toy fire trucks.

"This child in particular touched a lot of people's hearts at that fire scene," a firefighter told the Gazette. "We're here to serve the public, so that's exactly what we're doing."