Each month after the bills are paid, the Miles family of seven has $300 left to spend on food and clothing.

Buying Christmas presents is just out of the question, said Desiree Miles of Wai'anae. Her husband, Richard, 32, works full time. Desiree, who is six months pregnant, is a full-time mom.

"By the grace of God, we're just making it," said Desiree Miles, 28. "Our rent is $1,600; that's kind of steep. But we're happy with what we have."

It seems whenever expenses come in or when there's a need, a solution seems to present itself. Overtime pay. Or a kind neighbor. On Thanksgiving, for example, a neighbor came over with a cake and an artificial Christmas tree.

What matters most to Miles is that she is able to teach her children, ages 11, 10, 8, 4 and 2, to appreciate what they do have.

"Last year was a bad year for us at Christmas," she said. "There wasn't anything for Christmas. This year with the economy now, well, we'll have to deal.

"I just find things to stretch."

Like dinner. Each day, Miles said she makes enough dinner to stretch for home lunch for her kids to take to school and her husband to take to work. If there's still more, she serves it for dinner another night.

She hopes that if someone adopts her family, they will provide her with a gift card for a holiday meal at Outback Steakhouse for her family. Her youngest wants toy dishes to play with and clothes; her youngest son, trucks and clothes; her middle son, clothes, socks and a surf-style Billabong backpack; her two older daughters, a bicycle, new shoes and a Roxy backpack. Miles hopes that someone can donate a stroller or car seat for the baby boy who is due in March.

"It would be great if we can see the smiles on their faces on Christmas morning," Miles said.

MOST RECENT DONATIONS

Grandma Cheryl & Papa Mark — $1,000

Frandee Lum — $500

Tom & Kathy MacDonald — $250

Dennis & Barbara Kohara — $200

Elizabeth Takahashi — $200

Kryss (Elizabeth) & Timothy Matthew — $150

Mililani / Waipio / Melemanu Neighborhood Board No. 25 — $120

Clara L. Foo — $100

Francis & Patricia Santos — $100

Greg & Malia Shimokawa — $100

Clifford & Jaye Kobashigawa — $50

K. MacPherson — $50

In Memory of Ken McLenahan & Bob Howard — $50

Paul & Genevieve Matsumoto — $50

Kevin Masuda — $25

Michael McCary — $25

In Loving Memory of William J. & Ruth E. Merz, by Daughter Ruth D. Merz — $25

In Loving Memory of Adam Moniz — $25

Joseph Cuarisma, Jr. — $20

Helene Hiraoka — $20

Melissa Koga — $10

Anonymous — $100

Anonymous — $50

Anonymous — $25

Total: $3,245

Previous total: $2,405

Grand total: $5,650