Happy Thanksgivings, Past & Present

 

I love Thanksgiving SO so much--I really do...I think it could easily 

be my favorite holiday.*  Its just about good food, being with family 

and having a little down time--which is always so needed.  

Beyond all that, of course, is the fact that Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to reflect on

 how fortunate we, as a family, are... and to be thankful for all that we have.  

This--more than anything, is what I hope

we can instill in our children about this holiday.

I am the crazy mom who, night after night, tells her kids

 if they haven't cleaned their plates with 

"Right now, there are children starving in Africa 

because they don't have enough food to eat...you need to eat all your dinner, 

because I am NOT throwing any of that food away!"  

Yes, that is me...and I am unrelenting in this when it comes to throwing food away. 

I don't do it, I loath to do it...it actually kind of breaks my heart if I ever have to toss good food.

But anyway, back to Thanksgiving...there is SO much to be thankful for, but

if I can just get my kids to really, REALLY understand how wonderful and

precious good, home-cooked food is and for them to really be thankful for it, 

I will feel like, in a big way, I will have succeeded as a parent.  

Because then, they will know what a priority wholesome food is 

and with it, they will nourish themselves and their loved ones.  

And honestly, that is all that I can ask for.

Onto the crafts...This is the GIVE THANKS banner I made two years ago.  Pottery Barn Kids

did something similar (and was the inspiration) but as I recall it was around $60+ and

there was no way I could spend that kind of money.  

So, I made one.

Here's a detail shot...I used old buttons, felt, yarn and my trusty hot glue gun.

It was fun to come up with different ideas for each letter; like each was its own work of art.

And it just adds a nice warm and festive touch to the house...

without going TOTALLY over-board--

which is what we did in this next photo...see below.

Yes, there is the thanksgiving table, in all its glory, circa 2010.

I got it in my head two or three years ago that kids would like to play with puppets!  I mean,

c'mon...doesn't every kid like a cute puppet?  Well, my kids like these for all about 5 minutes 

and then they are off to something else, but I can't help it...I still put these guys out--even if its 

only me  that plays with them!








*And just for the record, I think it was totally awesome of the Native Americans to share their food with the pilgrims and teaching them how to grow local seeds and fish in those early Thanksgivings of the 1620s...I DO NOT think it has been so great how the anglo folks have been treating the Native Americans ever since...