G.I.G.-Day 25

    Sometimes being thankful can be about the "nots" just as much as the "haves". What I mean is that sometimes the absence of something, or the lack, is just as much a reason for gratitude as the fullness or possession of something. It got me thinking about all the things that I am grateful that I don't have or, are not happening.

So today I am thankful:

1. That Joel is not working. He was working as a tow driver last year, and he pulled Thanksgiving, so he wasn't able to leave town to come out to my parents. I am really glad that is not the case this year.

2. That he is not deployed. He missed Thanksgiving for that, too.

3. That I am not hundreds of miles away from my parents. They are just minutes away!

4. That I am not in charge of the turkey. Enough said.

5. That it is not the week of the windstorm. Almost everyone I know has their power back on.

6. That we are not eating at a restaurant. Lots of people think this is a good idea. It is mostly people who have never done it. I have, and I do not recommend it if it can be avoided. Thanksgiving is about home for me!

7. That I am not alone. The essence of Thanksgiving is sharing it with others. I am so thankful for family, and in years past, friends, who have shared this day with our family.

8. That I do not have to work on Black Friday. It was fun when I did it, but I am glad that I get to *shop* this year!

9. That I do not have to take my kids Black Friday shopping with me. My brother is going to keep them. Yay!

10. That I do not have to "shop" with my family by phone. We get to do it in person!

11. That I do not have to worry about food. There is always plenty, both tomorrow and everyday.

12. That I do not  have a birthday to celebrate tomorrow. Jocelyn loves when her birthday falls on Thanksgiving, and I don't mind it, but I am glad that is all over for this year.

13. That I do not have to host. I love a party-but the planning and decorating part. After that, I am fine with leaving. I am glad my mom is hosting!

14. That I am not confused about Who I am thanking. I always feel badly for people who aren't believers-who in the world do they give thanks to? Themselves? I am so thankful I know Who deserves my thanks!

15. That I am not just responsible for the olives and the cranberry sauce. Aka: opening cans. I finally cook well enough to be given "real" jobs,

16. That I do not have any food allergies. I always feel sorry for those who struggle with that. Sad for the goodness they have to miss out on!

17. That I am not praying for my niece to get out of the hospital. Thankful she is at home this year-praying she stays there!

18. That I am not on break from school. Every day is a party, I have graduated! All done with that!

19. That I am not fasting desserts this year. I did that last year, and it was for a good reason, but I can thankful for dessert this year!

20. That we are not fighting bad weather. Plenty of experience there.

21. That our little family is not fighting any serious health issues. I am praying for my those in my extended family who are, but I am thankful that neither Joel, I or either of the kids is struggling with anything major.

22. That we are not in a time of famine. There is plenty to be thankful for.

23. That we are not traveling. It is not one of my favorite things to do this time of year.

24. That I do not have to eat dark meat. My mom doesn't make me. ;)

25. That I do not have to stop be thankful once Thanksgiving is over. As a matter of fact, I am supposed to be thankful all the time!

What are some "nots" you are thankful for?

G.I.G.-Day 21

  I don't really know what is going on, but I do not doubt that the Lord placed it on my heart to do this gratitude challenge in a month where He knew there was going to be a whole lot going on. So far, my paternal grandmother has passed away, my niece has been hospitalized for a host of life-threatening issues, my town was hit by a windstorm that squashed decades-long records for power outages, and my maternal grandmother found out she has more cancer, after recent enduring chemo and radiation for brain cancer. And that's just the "big" stuff. Today, that same grandmother had to be rushed to the hospital with a very high fever, and we still aren't sure what is going on. It's hitting me pretty hard, and I am really learning to give thanks in all circumstances, trial by fire edition, if you know what I'm saying?

   And surprisingly (or maybe not so much so, if you are saved), in the midst of all that there *are* things for which to be thankful! I haven't really listed too many "big" things-and there is a reason for that: it is easy to give thanks for those usually. If you ask children, they can list those. But I think that true gratitude encompasses EVERYTHING, both things large and small. And I think that by choosing to focus on the not-so-obvious, which I kind of have to in the process of listing over 400 things this month, it hits on exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be a more conscious observer of all the great things in my life, to realize that in each and every situation there are things that not only should I say, "thanks" for, there are things which I *must* surrender praise to only the Lord for, as He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. No matter the size.

 So onto my list for today...
I am thankful that:

1. We had such generous donations towards Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. It is so fun to see what people were inspired to give.

2. They are all signed, sealed and delivered. At least on our end! It was quite the process to sort, label and get 37 shoeboxes to the donation site, but we did it! My organized aunt was planning on helping me, but since she needed to be with my grandmother, Kelly came to my rescue.

3. There are 37 children that we are showing the love of Christ to, in ways both tangible and intangible. If you doubt that these boxes are physical expressions of the Gospel, you need to go check out OCC's website.

4. We can be a small part of a big effort. There are hundreds of thousands of boxes delivered every year. We are a drop in the bucket-but all those drops together are creating mighty ocean waves. Being part of that is humbling.

5. The Gospel is for everyone. Rich or poor, near or far, old or young. God is so good...

6. Tomorrow is uncertain, but there is no need to worry. It is almost impossible at times not to worry. My grandmother is ill, my husband is not getting a paycheck, my future seems unclear. But I do NOT have to worry. I can choose to have faith and know the Lord is in control. It seems a pity that I only get to list this once, as I could certainly use the reminder every day.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

7. I do not have to lose hope. There is always hope-He is called Jesus.

8. I am being renewed day by day. Just like the manna the Israelites received, I get enough every day for each day. Never too little, never too much, but I don't have to worry about provision.

9.This is all just momentary. In the light of eternity, all our troubles are "light and momentary". Even when they seem heavy and eternal, they aren't.

10. We can fix our eyes on the unseen. It doesn't make sense, in human terms. But taken by faith, it makes more sense than anything in the world.

11. What is seen is temporary. Oh! I am sooo thankful that this isn't all there is. So, very, very, thankful.
 
12. What is unseen is eternal. That the most glorious things of all are most definitely ahead of me. That the very best, most perfect time in my life isn't in this life.

13. Scripture makes me cry. Almost without fail. And I am thankful for that because I am not a big "cry-er". If I am moved, it is pretty significant. And I am glad that the Word is one of those things.

14. I can be sad. Jesus was, and since He was perfect, I know that it isn't sinful. I can tell Jesus about my sorrow and He can give me peace. It might seem weird to be thankful for what most consider a negative emotion, but I see it as part of the humanity that allows us to not only understand each other, but recognize how badly we need salvation.

15. I have people with which to share my sorrows. Grief is bearable when borne together.

16. It won't last forever. See #9.

17. Most of my family are believers. Oh, how sweet it is to claim these promises and share these burdens together.

18. Every cloud has silver lining. But only for those who are in Christ Jesus. Without Him, there aren't even any clouds, only darkness. But for a believer, "all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord...". (Romans 8:28)

19. Hymns. My mind is constantly flooded with Scripture, and that frequently brings old, familiar, comforting hymns to mind. It is so lovely... "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus...just to take Him at His Word, just to rest upon His promise...just to know, "Thus saith the Lord." Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er, Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh for grace, to trust Him more..." How can that not make you feel better?

20. I can sing. I didn't say well, or in public, but for a voice, and a little tune, even if it is only for myself and the Lord.

21. There are always miracles. I've seen them. And whether or not any of these situations that I'm experiencing today, or in the future, merits one I cannot say. But I am grateful for them just the same.

I know you are humming a hymn now. What are you singing? Is it a song of thanks?

Growing In Gratitude-Day 1

    I haven't blogged much because I kind of feel stuck lately. I'm struggling with a lot of things that I haven't sorted out enough to be able to write about, or even sometimes talk about! I feel like I am walking around wearing a 100 lb. blanket of insecurity and it is really wearing on me. And it makes me feel like a whiner to even mention it.

    Part of it, I think, is that I have spent a lot of time thinking about what I don't have. And I don't mean just things that I can buy at Target. In the past, I would say I have been pretty good at recognizing, from large to small, things for which I am thankful. But lately, the "have nots" have been much louder than the "haves". And if I am tired of it, I can't even begin to imagine how the Lord feels!

So, as cliched as it may be, I figure this month is a great time to start. Being thankful, that is. I love seeing everyone post one thing they are thankful for each day on Facebook, but I am upping the ante for myself. I want to strengthen my "muscle" of gratitude, so to speak. So I am challenging myself to list the same number of things I am thankful for as the date of the month. I will start out small, and end with listing 30 things on the last day, hopefully going deeper and deeper in to a true attitude of gratitude! At the end of the month I should have 465 things for which I am thankful. Are you in?

Today is an easy one, because it is just one! 

1. I am thankful for the view out my window. There is a huge tree and it just makes me happy. It is a delightful reflection of the seasons and I never get tired of looking at it.

I'll see you tomorrow! Feel free to post your thankful thing in the comments, or let me know that you are joining in. Keep track of your thankful things on Facebook, in a notebook, on your blog-just be sure to write them down somewhere. :) 

A Little Bit of Fasting in A Season of Feasting

   

      I love Thanksgiving. I was talking to a friend about it yesterday and realized that has been true since I was a child. There is something so warm and comforting about that holiday-and even when I was young, I was intrigued by the concept of contentment: being thankful for where you are and what you have, not longing for more, or better, or different. My parents did an excellent job of helping us (I'm one of eight) see that "every good and perfect gift is from Above" (James 1:17), so it was always easy for me to attribute any blessing in my life to the Lord.

    As a young teenager, I wrote a children's book (complete with my own horrible illustrations, my drawing abilities have not improved since second grade) about the history of Thanksgiving. There was something absolutely fascinating to me about the Pilgrims. The horrible trials they suffered, and their intense gratitude when they were saved. Of course, that gratitude was placed squarely at the feet of that same God from James 1:17. They knew He had given them the opportunity to continue to live and serve Him. And they were thankful. I learned that "Thanksgiving" as a the holiday we know it, was many years in coming (it was proclaimed a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863), but those seeds were planted by those first humble settlers at Plymouth in 1621.

   However, I was fascinated to discover that in 1623 there a series of events (a drought, the unexpected arrival of more settlers that had no provisions) that again left those poor immigrants absolutely devastated.  In July of that year, they fell prostrate before the only One who can truly save and they fasted and prayed-for relief from the drought and hunger. And the Lord answered, as only He can. He provided rain, the crops grew and the people were nourished-in spirit and body. And so they again celebrated a holy day of giving thanks.

    I was struck by how periods of fasting-whether intentional or not, preceded these forefathers most heartfelt celebrations of thanks. What? Is that really so far-fetched?

   I remember as a child, my mother encouraged us to fast before Thanksgiving. One year in particular, I remember having a bowl of plain oatmeal (quite the trial to a brown sugar, cinnamon, loving girl) and then fasting solid food the remainder of the day-until Thanksgiving morning. Once I woke (I was probably 11 or 12 at the time) and I remember thinking that the breakfast we had was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. Who cared about turkey and mashed potatoes? I didn't need fancy-I just needed filling!

  See, the thing is, sometimes we get so caught up in "more" we don't take the time to feel the emptiness. the longing. And then we never get that amazing warm feeling of "enough" -of being filled from a point of emptiness. And that's why I think that sometimes a little fasting is what we need most in this season of feasting.

   Fasting is all over the Old Testament. It preceded many important events (the Day of Atonement, Esther fasted before seeking the relief of the Jews). But it is also in the New Testament. We are all aware of Jesus' fast in the desert. 40 DAYS! Good grief. There are times when I feel like I can't fast for 40 minutes. But isn't that the beauty of fasting? It isn't really supposed to be about what I can do at all. It is about signifying that with my heart and with my body, that I fully trust that the Lord can provide-that He can do what I cannot. Jesus says in Matthew 6:16, "When you fast..." Not, "if" but when.

  Now, I am not proclaiming myself a Biblical expert of any kind. But I have grown up in church, and my understanding is that the true meaning of fasting is abstaining from something, usually something that you do or consume every day. It is meant to be a little trying. And in that difficulty of the wanting and maybe even the needing, you will be reminded that much more than any food or drink, we need Jesus.

"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

   Fasting isn't to be done to see what I can obtain from God-it is to remind me that everything I need has already been obtained through Jesus. It is to remind me of my humanity, and my failings.

  I have been fasting, for about five weeks now. I won't go into detail, but it has been harder than I thought it would be. I chose a specific category of food to fast and I mistakenly thought it wouldn't change my routine too much. That wasn't probably the best mindset for starting a fast, but the Lord has used it to remind me that I don't have as much self-control as perhaps I would like. I have definitely been reminded how frail I am. Every time I want that thing-I have to remember that He can help me conquer all things (Romans 8:37) and that has inspired an intense gratitude in me.

   I can't really remember the last time I was without something I needed. And so, because I live in the land of plenty, I am glad that I can fast-that little pinch of desire unfulfilled gives me the tiniest taste of the gaping hole of hunger that I would be suffering from constantly without the power of Christ. It renews my desire to only be filled by Him and refreshes my belief that only He can truly fill.

  And that fills me with gratitude beyond expression. To know my Savior loves me and lives in me-what more could I desire?

"Many, Lord my God, are the wonders You have done, the things You planned for us. None can compare with You; were I to speak and tell of Your deeds,    they would be too many to declare." Psalm 40:5

    Nothing can compare. All my gratitude must be to Him-and if doing without for a little while, just a blink in the span of time, reminds me how deep my thankfulness is, isn't it worthwhile? Perhaps, in this season of feasting, you will take a little time for fasting. Because the stark comparison of lack with enough is just the right way to remind us to say, "Thank You, Lord" in the way we really should.
So, at this time of the year when excess seems to be unavoidable, would you be willing to truly have less in order to have more? I think a little bit of fasting makes the feasting that much sweeter!


 Looking for a place to start? Here are some ideas to "dip your toes in the water":

1. Choose a set time period for your fast- a meal, a day, a week. Start small so that you won't be overwhelmed.

2. Choose what you will fast. Some ideas:
-a beloved food item (soda, desserts, fried foods)
-a technological item (TV, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, your phone. Or the internet all together!)
-a specific meal each day
-a pastime (reading, knitting)

3. Choose something that will alter your daily routine slightly. The point of fasting is to remind us of our reliance on God, and that leads us to prayer. You want to be provided with opportunities that remind you to pray. Reaching for that can of soda? Or just really craving it? Fill that time with prayer-thanking God for your blessings and for His ability to provide for all your needs. Choosing something that you would do several times throughout the day is always a good way to incorporate more "praying without ceasing".

4. Don't run around bemoaning your "loss"- the hypocrites were chastised by Jesus for "disfiguring their faces" (Matthew 6:16-17). They wanted to ensure that everyone was aware of their great sacrifice. Your fast needn't be completely private (sometimes you need accountability, or it is just impossible not to reveal what you are doing) but you don't have to proclaim to everyone you meet or put your chosen restriction on Facebook.:) Also ask the Lord to humble you through this time.

5. When you have completed your fast take some time to record your thoughts and feelings. It is easy to forget what you have learned or been shown even a few days later, so writing it down will help keep those insights fresh.

Tips for Teaching Kids Gratitude

      I don't think my kids are perfect. They don't have perfect parents, so they didn't really have a chance in that department. However, one thing that I think they are really good at is gratitude. They are fairly thankful, and content in most ways. That didn't happen by accident, it is something that is very important to Joel and I and something we have spent a lot of time talking about and working on, both for the kids and ourselves! I think everyone starts to think more about gratitude with Thanksgiving coming up-and that is a great time to begin working on habits that are beneficial the whole year 'round. Christmas provides lots of opportunities for practice!

So, what are some of the intentional things that we do to instill an attitude of gratitude in our kids?

1. We model it. Of course, we try to say, "thank you" frequently, and express thankfulness for the blessings that we have. But we also do some things that are a little more subtle. Neither of us believes in lavish celebrations for our own birthdays or other holidays, like our anniversary. We prefer to do those things for other people, but my kids know that for Mother's Day I don't expect flowers, tons of gifts, a spa trip and dinner at an expensive restaurant. I request a limit of one small gift from each child (usually around $10) and sometimes Joel buys me something and sometimes he doesn't. Then we pick up KFC for dinner and usually have a kite-flying picnic in the park. We don't exchange gifts with each other for Valentine's Day, and sometimes we even skip our anniversary. That doesn't mean we don't have fun, and it doesn't mean that we don't make it special, but we try to help them to understand that extravagant amounts of money doesn't equal more happiness. Joel and I are really united on teaching our kids to be grateful.

2. We share. This may seem elementary, but the key is to help your kids understand that you don't just share because you "can't afford it". We actually try to never use that phrase around our kids-first, because I think it scares them, and secondly, it usually isn't true. We tell them the truth: we choose not to afford it. It may be because we don't need it, it may be because we don't want it. But we don't just share for monetary reasons. Often we ask the kids to share because it is good for their character. Yes, we could get them their own cookies, but it teaches them kindness and compromise to choose a cookie together. It also helps to eliminate waste- splitting a fry means that all the food gets eaten. They see their dad and I share regularly, too. And they get to see that we don't count out the chips to make sure the piles are "even". We try to always ask the other person whether they would like the last one. Sharing is good for everyone. I think it helps to avoid the "me" syndrome that is so prevalent in our society and helps kids to recognize that they are not the only ones in their world!

3. We "major in the minors". We make a big deal out of the small things. We don't always stop at Sonic for happy hour-which helps our kids appreciate it more when we do. We try to surprise them by occasionally allowing them to buy something in the Dollar Spot that they have desired for more than just one trip. The other day I bought a dessert. They were so cute, and didn't ask or beg for some, so I wanted to reward them-I let them split over half the piece. They weren't expecting it, so it made it more special.We try to give them little rewards, a piece of candy, a quarter for unexpected things, and often times we "ignore" some of the bigger things. I sometimes think that we start a little too young with "special" things- every Daddy/daughter date doesn't have to be at the most expensive restaurant with flowers at the door and a new dress. Sometimes a quick trip to Sonic for half-price shakes is just as meaningful-and it doesn't raise expectations sky-high. Is it wrong to do things up in a big way? No, but we like to keep our kids guessing. We try to not do "everything" "all the time".  Mixing it up helps to keep their expectations manageable.

4. We give back. We don't have a ton of money (seriously, who does?) but we like to do what we can with what we have. Again, we focus on the small things. We bring canned goods to the Awana food drive. We pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. We give to the homeless. And one thing I really stress is giving thank-yous. We try to remember thank-you notes, but I also like to help the kids prepare gifts to give, little ways to show their appreciation with an actual "something". It doesn't have to be huge, and a thank-you note is often plenty, but to make it extra-special, can you include a "little something"? A candle, nicely wrapped candy (even Hershey's kisses are great!), a little framed Scripture or quote, or something *you* would appreciate! My kids love to surprise their teachers (Sunday School, Awana, etc.) with gifts. It is really fun-you might find once you get started that you will start to look for ways to give thank-you gifts more often! Plus, it provides a great opportunity to talk with your kids about why you are thankful for that person.

5. We say it. To each other, to the kids, to everyone. I told Josie from a very young age, "it is never wrong to say, 'thank you'". And we still say that. Can you think of a time when it is inappropriate to express gratitude? It's pretty tough! Saying, "thank-you" is such a small thing, so we often overlook it. Don't neglect to tell your kids, "you're welcome" when they thank you, either. That lets them know that you recognize what they said. We say thank you to people who hold the door, the cashier at Walmart, the nurse at the doctor's office, to someone who drops off a package. We prompt our kids quietly when they may be feeling shy (the guy who draws pictures on the back of the receipt at Costco when he checks it at the door seems especially to strike fear in their hearts), but we don't embarrass them by chiding them loudly. Usually we try to talk about why it is important later, when it is just us.

   Most of all, we say it to God.

"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."

Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

He is the One from whom "every good and perfect gift" comes (James 3:17). "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3 (NIV). Who is more deserving of our thanks? We say it in our prayers, we acknowledge it to each other-"this or that blessing is from God", we sing about it. We encourage the kids to memorize Scripture to remind them of it. If you ignore every other thing-this is far and away the most important one, it will enhance every other way that you try to encourage them to be grateful.


So, what do you take away from this (other than that we obviously love Sonic!)? Well, you can't just expect kids to be born with a sense of gratitude. As a matter of fact, it is quite the opposite. However, start by being grateful yourself, and be intentional with speaking it and showing it around your kids. Encourage them to show their thanks in small ways. Don't worry, just be consistent, and sooner or later you will find you have grateful kids! And that will definitely make *you* more grateful.

Linked up at:
"Teach Me Tuesday" at Growing Home Blog 
"Titus 2 Tuesdays" at Cornerstone Confessions 
"Whatever Goes Wednesday" at Someday Crafts 
"Blog Stalking Thursday" at The Crafty Blog Stalker 
"THE Pin-It Party" at Not Quite Mom of the Year 
"Pin It Thursday" at Sweet Bella Roos 
"Craft Frenzy Friday" at Craft Dictator

The Cutest Thanksgiving Party That Wasn't

So, it is a really long story, but the short version is this: I had wanted to have a Thanksgiving party for a long time. I love a party that is unexpected. I had set up a play date with a family I was recently introduced to (we haven't even met in person) and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to throw a little party! The short part: they all got sick and couldn't make it.

I had already set up all the decorations so even though my guests weren't coming, I finished the rest of the preparations so you (and my kids!) could appreciate a little of my hard work. The inspiration for having the party came from these adorable (and FREE!) printables! Paper Glitter has some of the cutest stuff, and these were easy to use, too! I used their "Thanksgiving" banner and hotglued it to some ribbon, and then I used parts of the "icon" banner to add a little more color underneath. I found it to be a good use for the paper tape that my friend had given me (from Target) and I am absolutely in *love* and am now on the hunt for other uses!

 

I printed off placemats, and napkin "rings". I really wanted yellow or orange plates, but they were surprisingly hard to find. I ended up just going with white ones from the Dollar Store. And after my guests cancelled, I was glad that I hadn't spent too much! I printed everything on regular cardstock from Walmart, and I wasn't disappointed.

I let these little cuties make one of the snacks I had planned for breakfast. I found the instructions for these Donut Hole Acorns and they really delivered. They are just as cute as the photo and so easy to make! She suggests Nutella, but I used chocolate frosting. 4 ingredients: donut holes, chocolate frosting, pretzels, and chocolate sprinkles and you get these:



I also used the printable food labels (Seriously, don't those things have some sort of name? What is it?!)  and it worked well because I made acorns and a turkey and they had little pictures of both those things!

I got this idea off Pinterest, the link does not work but you can see my inspiration photo here. I am pretty sure that they used caramel dip in the original, but I wanted something that wasn't quite so sweet, so I just filled a little glass bowl with peanut butter. I used Granny Smith, Pinata and Red Delicious apples for the feathers. The original is cuter, I think because they used a circular plate it worked better. But mine is still pretty cute!

 

I was going to have all the kids make these turkey cookies. You might remember them from my post a couple years ago! I made a few changes (I couldn't find the Little Debbie Chocolate Creme Pies, so I swapped in Oatmeal Creme Pies) and I added a gummy worm "wattle" which I think was a good move, I just snipped off the red part.

We were also going to make these gumdrop turkeys- not for eating, although you could. I was going to send them home in the little paper baskets by the placemats. I found the directions here. If you don't know where to find the big gumdrops, they have them at Walgreen's (I used them for my nativity scene last Christmas.) Her directions are good, so I won't embellish them.

I also wanted to incorporate some of the first Thanksgiving story, and I liked these bead bracelets. I chose to use leather cording instead of pipe cleaners. It is kind of hard to tell from my photo, but I used light tan beads where she uses cream ones. Basically it goes:

 

Black- the Pilgrims

White- sails on the Mayflower

Three Blue-long trip on the ocean

Green- land, Massachusetts!

Three White-long winter

Tan-Indians, especially Squanto, help the Pilgrims to plant and harvest

Red-cranberries

Orange-pumpkins

Tan-turkey

Yellow-corn

 

The pink bead is to help make the bracelet adjustable. I liked that it was a visual mnemonic device!

 

For favors I made my own version of Thanksgiving Blessing Trail Mix. I put in one bag of Bugles (cornucopias), 1 movie size box of Runt candies (fruits of the harvest), 2 cups pretzel sticks (because the Pilgrims would "stick" with it and survive the long winter), 2 cups candy corn (for the corn the Indians helped them to plant) and one cup M & Ms (for the sweetness of all our blessings!).

 

 

 

I also made these adorable hats-both the boy's version and the girl's bonnet. I used craft foam because I wanted them to be more durable. So when it called for folding the paper on the bonnet, I just cut the foam and glued it instead. On the boy's hat I just glued the headband part at the edges of the folded up brim instead of all the way across, because I bought 12x18 foam, instead of the 24 inch paper. It worked great! I will try to get pics of my kids wearing the hats because they are super cute!

 

You like? I think they are adorable!

 

So, don't you think it would have been a fun party? I tried not to be too disappointed, there are certainly worse things than planning a party that doesn't happen, and no one can be responsible for getting sick! I am taking the bracelet, gumdrop turkeys, turkey cookies, and acorns to share with our friends' on Thanksgiving, so those are not a total loss. And I have a great plan for a wonderful party next year!

 

 

 

 



 

 

 





 

Thanksgiving and A Birthday

My Thanksgiving baby had another Thanksgiving birthday this year. Josie was born on a Thanksgiving Thursday and this year she turned six on Thanksgiving day. It was fun to remember all the excitement of her delivery! Her dad gave her flowers (she loves flowers, such a girl!) as a wake-up gift.

 Her brother gave her pajamas and bunny slippers for Kit. She was thrilled! I thought it was hilarious that she slept with her bow in- it made her look so cute for her photos. Usually, we do breakfast in bed, but since we weren't going out for lunch, we had a special birthday breakfast at McDonald's. A sausage McGriddle is one of the birthday girl's favorite things.

 We had been invited to have dinner at our friends' house, so we had a very peaceful morning. I whipped up my most favorite Thanksgiving dish, sweet potato casserole, while the rest of the family took in the Black Friday ads and the parade.

 I wanted to snap a shot of one of our favorite traditions: watching the Macy's parade. Jocelyn couldn't believe it was on when I was a little girl. We really should have a tradition of watching the dog show-that is what I watched while I was in labor with her!

 I also wanted a good picture of my two favorite turkeys. I got some really good ones-for once! This one is such an accurate representation of their personalities.

 Josie was excited to get to spend her birthday with her best friend, Hannah. I was excited that I didn't have to cook! Lunch was delicious, thanks to my dear friend, Sarah, and her sweet mom. It is so nice to not have to spend the holiday with just our little family. I always miss my wonderful extended family, and it helps make it a little easier when you are with good friends.

 Jocelyn discovered a love of pumpkin pie! It is kind of tough to fit 6 candles in a little piece of pie- next time her birthday is on Thanksgiving we will have to put them on the whole thing!

 A girl after my own heart: she used her candles to lick all the Cool Whip off her plate. Pumpkin pie without cool whip is like a mashed potatoes without gravy-except for worse!

 Another favorite tradition is making a snack-craft. We did turkeys last year and this year I copied these little acorns from my sister.

 These were a snap, and the kids loved making them! It is:half a mini Nutter Butter cookie, an unwrapped Hershey's kiss and a mini chocolate chip (we stuck ours on with a little bit of peanut butter piped out of sandwich baggie). So easy, so cute!

They were obviously a hit with Carson, who clearly takes after his dad. Josie had a great birthday, and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Who can go wrong with good food and great friends?

Tasty (Chocolate!) Turkeys

I have the pleasure of celebrating Thanksgiving at someone else's home-with food someone else is making! So, because my only two responsibilities are making the sweet potatoes (yum!) and bringing rolls, I have time to turn my attentions to other things. I decided that since most children don't really loves turkey, cranberry jelly, dressing or sweet potatoes, it might be fun to have something just for the kids. I saw these "turkey" desserts at Our Best Bites, but since Jocelyn's birthday is tomorrow and she has requested a different kind of cupcake, I didn't want to have to make two batches. Then I saw this cute turkey on a different site. But those called for mini moon pies and I couldn't find those at the store I was at. So I decided to make my own version!
I used:
-Little Debbie Chocolate Cremes
-Mini Oreos
-Mini Chocolate Chips
-Candy Corn (great use for those pieces left over from Halloween!)
-a simple white icing (I mixed a tiny bit of butter, a drop of vanilla, some powdered sugar and a little milk-I didn't want to make a whole batch, so just mix and add more sugar if it isn't thick enough)

I shoved candy corn into the creme layer of the snack cake. Since the kind I chose was basically two cookies with filling in between, it was really easy. Then I pulled a mini Oreo apart. I used the icing to stick the Oreo (white side up) to the snack cake. I used too much icing, you really only need a little. Then, I used a tiny dab of frosting on a mini chocolate chip to make the "pupil" on each eye.
Attach another candy corn with icing as the "beak" and ta-da! You have a happy Thanksgiving turkey that will be appreciated by all the children at your celebration. I plan on making these with the kids on Thursday. It should be a pretty easy craft for a 5 year-old, a 6 year-old and two closely supervised two year-old boys! I think they will enjoy it.

In other turkey-related news: here is my little turkey showing off some of her Thanksgiving crafts. Isn't that handprint/footprint turkey adorable? She is anxious to use her placemat for the holiday, too.

This is the photo where you can actually see his cute pompom turkey. I guess doing hands is still popular at Thanksgiving. I remember making my fair share of turkeys by tracing my hand. I was never that cute though!
This is the photo where you can see how adorable my son is. He just radiates cuteness-good thing he's mine!