Post Thanksgiving Post {do we even remember Thanksgiving now that it's December?}

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving last week!  We sure did.  Apparently there was wonderful food.  I wouldn't know, because I was upstairs with a stomach bug.  All the kids and I have had it at some point during this last week.  It is the third stomach bug we've had in our family this Fall.  Seriously.  The THIRD!

For the Thanksgiving season this year, we made a Thankful tree for the kids and had them tell us something each day for which they were thankful.  It could be anything.  No restrictions.  I'm telling you about it now for two reasons.  First, putting the "tree" together is so easy and I am keeping it through the Christmas season and already hung Christmas ornaments from it, and second, as I was putting away the tags from it, I wanted to share some of the things my kids are thankful for.

Jack is thankful:

1.  For Lammett and big eagle {Lammett is his blanket which has the head of an elephant on it.  Big eagle is   actually a stuffed Maisy the bird a la Dr. Seuss}.
2.  That Nate plays with me.
3.  For breakfast.
4.  For doggies {of which he is actually terrified}.
5.  For something to drink.
6.  For my banana, cereal, and yogurt.
7.  For my sword.
8.  That I know how to skateboard {he doesn't}.
9.  To be able to climb a tree {which consists of him hugging the trunk and calling it good}.
10.  For Woody and Buzz.
11.  For sharks.
12.  For dinosaurs.
13.  That a bear says ROAR!!
14.  For Jesus because I love Him.
15.  For everything, everyone, and every baby.
16.  For my piggy bank.
17.  For myself.

Ella is thankful:

1.  That God is always good.
2.  That we have leaves to rake.

3.  For my grandparents.
4.  For my nice, warm blanket.
5.  For Shakespeare.
6.  That God made me.
7.  For new adventures.
8.  To be learning piano {she's been taking for a couple of months}.
9.  For our house.
10.  For sea turtles.
11.  That God helps me to have a happy heart.
12.  That I get to read with mom.
13.  For Gater.
14.  For school.
15.  For steamers {we just pulled out the espresso machine}.

I love projects where the kids share their hearts.  I'm going to keep the tags to pull out next year and remember what they said.  Maybe I'll put them in an album somehow, someday.

If you want to make one of these "trees" for the Christmas season, it's as easy as it gets.  Simply put some sticks from your yard in a vase or pitcher, pour some beans {or rice, or anything really - lentils would be pretty in a clear vase} in the bottom to make them easier to manipulate, and arrange as desired.  As I said, I put ornaments on mine.  I thought about spray painting it in some gold or silver metallic paint to glitz it up for December.  I might yet.  You could get really crazy and put some glue and glitter on the branch tops for some snow.  If you're really bored you could wrap the branches in yarn or twine or ribbon.  For that matter, you could do that with wire coat hangers if you don't have branches readily available. 

So what I am saying is, this could take you five minutes or it could take you an entire afternoon. 

Your choice. 

Don't you love choices?