Elf on the Shelf

Well...we had a special delivery today! After I picked Jase and Allyson up from school today, the Elf on the Shelf was sitting on the table.  Watch the video I took of Jase HERE as he found the Elf box.  He was pretty excited.

I thought this was going to be the best thing ever...um, a little rocky at first.  We got the book out and I read it to them and explained about not touching the Elf.  He threw a fit and I mean a fit.  He told me "just let me hold him" and "he's not magic, he's just a toy."  Complete melt down.  I stood my ground and did not let him touch it.  I turned on the Elf on the Shelf movie and things finally got a little better.  What I thought would be a great thing, was not so great at first.

After Church tonight, all four of us watched the Elf on the Shelf show together and I read the book to Daddy and the kids.  A name was finally agreed upon: Jokey.  Can't wait to see where the kids find Jokey at in the morning.

Christmas Book

The kids did not have school today, so we stayed inside ALL day long, but it was a great day! After breakfast I told them the Christmas story about Mary and Joseph and travelling to Bethlehem and Jesus being born there.  I created a PowerPoint slide show with each scene (Mary with the Angel, Joseph with the Angel, travelling, manger scene, etc.) to keep their attention and to help them visualize the story better.  They really enjoyed it and I plan on doing it again on Thursday, when they are home all day.

After story time, we had craft time.  I found online and purchased "The Tale of Christmas" activities to do with the kids.  It is basically the Christian Christmas story broken up into all the scenes.  I will probably do a craft every Tuesday and Thursday.  I also have 4 different lessons I will teach them each week, leading up to Christmas.  I hope they enjoy it and it makes learning fun!

Sorry for the blurry pics of the kids, taken on my phone and I didn't know the lens was completely caked with fingerprints until afterwards!

Today they created the cover page for the Christmas book they will be working on throughout this month.  It is supposed to be an Angel out of their hand prints.  Jase's wanted his to be white and went up to his room to get a book to show me what a real angel looked like (not kidding)...so his is white! I told him we had to back it with a different color so you could see the angel...he finally agreed.

Then, on his own he glued together two yellow strips and created a cross and drew Jesus on it.  He said, "I know this is Easter."  Although he is only 4, he really loves Jesus and tells me that Jesus lives in his heart.  The other day he asked us when he could be baptized and Shawn was explaining to him when he believes in Jesus and lives for Him, and Jase responded with "I believe, he lives in my heart."

Back to the Christmas book...it is a very simple outline and each page tells one part of the story...very basic and maybe too basic for him.  After the cross picture, he drew the nativity scene and said that could be the first page of his book!! Haha!! He will probably be upset when we make another Angel in a couple of days.  He will probably tell me "Mom, we are drawing this story way out!"

On a different note, we recorded The Elf on the Shelf 30 minute movie last week and are finally getting around to watching it today...they both LOVE it!! It's a cute little show.  We may have to look into getting an Elf this year, especially since he has watched the show (too many times already) and understands what it does.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I took a few days off from blogging.  It wasn't intentional, it's just how it worked out.  I actually enjoy posting and sharing what we are doing at the French house.

We had a nice time in Livingston for Thanksgiving.  We were about to leave and my stepdad mentioned something about next year having the meal catered and I thought to myself...whoa, and miss out on all this good food?!  But over the past couple of days I have been thinking about it and I am with him.  The ladies had been cooking all morning (and the previous day as well) and then we had a mishaps with frying the turkeys (hole in the new pot), so we didn't end up eating until 3:00-3:30.  Then you eat and it seems you are finally able to relax and visit.  Before you know it, you're eating dessert and heading home and that's that.  Don't get me wrong, I love the food (maybe a little too much), but the company of family is definitely more important than 20 casseroles and appetizers.

Friday afternoon we went to Lowe's and picked up a Christmas tree.  We ended up going with the one that Jase picked out!  And if you ask him, he will tell you that he always picks out the best tree...confidence...my kid does not lack!

Picking out our Christmas tree...in shorts!!

Oh and you may notice that we're ALL in our TEXAS LONGHORNS gear!! We were definitely flying the burnt orange and white after our big win over the Aggies.  Hook 'Em!!

Yesterday I got down the Christmas decorations and decorated our living area and the tree.  Oh, how I love this time of year.  I think next year we will get a tree as soon as we see a fresh tree lot in town. 

I made the wreath from items that I had bought from the Nutcracker Market a couple of weeks ago.  It is made out of deco mesh...I love that stuff!  I had some leftover, so I made a bow topper for the tree and added some free flowing pieces in as well.  And the Christ-mas sign I also got from the Nutcracker.  It defines Christmas as: A Christian feast commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, often celebrated by special gifts, greeting, and hospitality.  I thought that was a great description of what Christmas is...celebrating Jesus...may we never forget or lose sight of that.

Shawn and Jase did a great job of hanging all the lights up outside...did I mention I love this time of the year?? :)

I do not have too much planned this week...just trying to get back into the routine of things here at the house.  Well, one big thing is straightening up the study that is attached to our bedroom.  When we had Allyson's birthday party (September 3rd) we pulled a ton of the toys out of the playroom and stored them in the study...well, nearly 3 months later I still have toys in there..sad I know!! Most of the toys left in there are slated for a garage sale in the next week or so (fun!!), but that room needs to get in order.  I am hoping to set up a creation station in there a.k.a. a craft room! That way my hobbies are not always on the kitchen table (thank you, Shawn, for loving me and putting up with my clutter). ;) 

Thanksgiving Dinner

We had a great time in Livingston today with the Smith family. A little bitter sweet though...it was the first one in Livingston without my Nana. We sure miss her, but know that she is looking down on us and is in Heaven with Jesus and Poppa, living it up. :)

The picture of Ally is when so tired and was gnawing on a roll!! She ended up falling asleep. It was so funny.



My Oh My...I Love Some Pies!!

Reusable Snack Bags

Last night I went up to Hobby Lobby and purchased some velcro and Osnaburg fabric (kind of reminds me of linen).  I wanted to make these reusable snack bags that I saw on...wait for it...Pinterest! :)  It was one of my first pins and I really liked the idea of packing a snack for the kids and reusing the bags.  Here is the tutorial I followed and it worked great for me.

Of course the second one (blue with green squares) I made turned out a little better due to trial and error.  The velcro I purchased was a little wider than I wanted, so the first one I made is over the top with velcro, as in I may have to help Allyson open it.  On Jase's I cut the velcro in half and it is much easier to open.

I'm happy with them and I think the kiddos will enjoy.

Thankful Update

Jase is thankful for...

16 - The library - we went to the library and checked out books and movies
17 - Football - we took the kids to the Deer Park HS football playoff game and he loved it
18 - Zoo - he loves watching all the animals at the zoo (we went on Saturday)
19 - Nanny & Paw-Paw - Jase stayed at their house for a little bit while Mommy & Daddy went on a date
20 - Aunt Alisha - He loves his aunt!!


Jessica is thankful for...

16 - My son's & daughter's school - thankful for all the wonderful ladies that work there and teach and love my kiddos (Jase's Thanksgiving Feast was so cute!)
17 - Public library & ability to read to my kids and also that they enjoy it too
18 - Exercise - I've been enjoying it lately and I feel great afterwards
19 - Zoo - I love watching the animals and it was a great time with my family and friends
20 - Children's Church - enjoy teaching the little children about God's love

Allyson's 1st Pedicure

This afternoon after Church, all four girls got pampered with a pedicure....Aunt Alisha's treat!! This was also Allyson's first time to go to the nail salon! We've painted her toes at home, but she's never been here before.

She picked out her color...PINK of course! She did great and stayed completely still, and the nail technician even clipped her toe nails and she didn't move an inch while she did it...I was super surprised!!

After she watched a little movie on the DVD player, I handed her my phone and she watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...she loves that show!

So proud of my big girl! I can add something new to the baby book: 26 months...first pedicure!! I can see many more visits to the nail salon in our future!



Zoo day

We met the Mery Family at the Houston Zoo today and had a great time. We even got to feed the giraffes, which was AWESOME!! They are probably my favorite animal!

Sample Day at Sam's

I promise I fed her breakfast this morning, but she, well both of us, were sampling up a storm this morning at Sam's. They had cheesecake (2 different sampling stations), green bean casserole (Thanksgiving warm up), chex mix, pita chips and hummus, meat, crackers and cheese, and many more stations.
We took our time browsing around the store and went down nearly every isle. Allyson and I enjoyed our mother/daughter time this morning. :)

We're still doing our Thankful Tree

While we may fall a day or so behind here and there, we are still doing our Thankful Tree.  :) 

Jase is thankful for...

11 - Food
12 - Friends
13 - Stingrays, his soccer team
14 - Soccer party (soccer is officially over)
15 - Toys (he was playing with toys at the kitchen table during our thankful convo)

Jessica is thankful for...

11 - Nights at home - I love to be gone, but I also love spending time with my family, relaxed at home.  Homemade hamburgers and the Sword and the Stone movie!
12 - Financial Blessings - Ability to pay the bills and then some.
13 - Being a stay at home mom - Spending precious time with my kids that I'll never get back.  Also, when they are sick, I'm glad I'm able to stay at home and take care of them, and it makes for less stress.
14 - A great pediatrician - I love my kids' doctor and she loves them.
15 - Prayer - When myself or someone is in need, you can always turn to the Lord.  He is always there to hear our praise or our need.

Thanksgiving Feast

Today was Jase's Thanksgiving Feast at school.  I so loved it!! Those little 3-5 year olds are so cute!!! They sang the cutest little songs and did motions that went along with them.

Jase walking into the gym

Conversations with Jase

Just sharing a couple of conversations between me and Jase today!
I asked him if he wanted a Capri Sun for lunch and he said "no I'll just take sweet tea".  Ok...he is SO my kid!! There is usually always sweet decaf tea made up in my fridge.

He has been talking about going to Mickey's house lately, so I pulled up Disney World online and was showing him all the things to do there...he loved it.  There are also some videos you can play and an option to add your name.  I typed Jase's name in and a couple of them had "Merry Christmas Jase" at the end of the clip.  He said "Oh, Mickey loves me!" I told him that he sure does! So sweet...can he remain this innocent forever?!?! He wanted to know if me or Daddy knew how to get to Disney World.  Then he asked me what he would wear to Disney World and I told him that we would probably get him some Mickey Mouse shirts and he said ok.  A few seconds later he pulled out his Christmas Mickey Mouse stuffed animal and started plaything with him.  Then he asked me to put on a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for him to watch. I love this little guy.

No lie, as I am typing this blog post he comes up to me and asks if we can send Mickey a message, here goes:

Dear Mickey,

Disney World is much fun.  Please Mickey, can you send us a map and help us find Disney World real soon?

Love,
Jase

Maybe we will go one day when you're a little older Jase...one day!

I was really having one of those funk/blah days today and now it is raining, but our Mickey Mouse talk really cheered me up! Thanks Boo Boo!

Sick Baby Girl

Allyson was sick all weekend long with a low grade fever, coughing, sneezing, loose bowels, throwing up...poor baby.  She woke up this morning fever free, but I could tell that she just wasn't herself yet.  I made her an appointment for this afternoon to be on the safe side and get her checked out.

I guess our doctor was running behind because my appointment was at 4:10, but at 5:20 I still had not been seen by her yet.  Even with over an hour wait and trying to keep two kids entertained, it was not the worst day ever because I love my pedi...she is so down to earth and always makes me feel so comfortable and most of all...she loves my kiddos and has patience with them.  Especially when she is trying to talk and Jase interrupts her to tell her something "very important", she takes time to listen and I think it makes her adore him more.  :)  Love it...I could probably use some of her patience!

Well, the doctor listened to her breathe and she could hear some wheezing at the end of her breath.  I brought Ally in about 2 1/2 weeks ago on a Saturday and she was diagnosed with walking pneumonia, so I was bummed that she heard the wheezing still.   Ally's throat was also red, so they went ahead and tested her for strep...and it came back positive.  Hoping and praying that Jase does not get it.  It wasn't too bad to keep them apart today since Jase was at school and I kept Ally home, but tomorrow it will be us three at the house all day.  Hopefully the weather is ok and we can venture to the backyard for some fresh air.

We got an antibiotic and an inhaler along with a puffer (anti-static valved holding chamber).  You attach the inhaler to the puffer and put the puffer mask around their mouth and nose and squirt the inhaler and it will allow Ally to get the affect of the medicine through the puffer.  My doctor said that this is like the new breathing machine.  Only thing is that the nurse was demonstrating how to use it on Ally, and Ally completely freaked out because a stranger was putting a mask over her mouth and nose.  So, my first administration this evening at home was not all that great...I am hoping she will relax and let me give it to her.  Poor baby...she is up in her room just a coughing away while sleeping.  I hope she gets some good rest.  I hate it when my babies are sick.  Prayers for my little girl tonight.

How Sweet It Is

This evening I helped host a baby shower at church and I must say it turned out so "sweet"! Our theme was "How Sweet It Is" and had all kinds of goodies at every table for the guests. We decorated 9 tables for adults and 2 kids tables.  It was a great turnout, with probably over 90 people in attendance...what a blessing.  The church definitely showered Charles and Tiffany with love and support tonight.

In the pics above, my sister made these super cute, but super easy cotton candy pops.  Jase even helped her make them!  She got a large marshmallow and put it on a lollipop stick, dipped in it melted almond bark and then covered them in cotton candy.  We wrapped them up and they stayed fresh for the shower!  I think these were the first to go!

In the pictures above my sis also made some cute diaper candies.  She rolled up a diaper, slapped some ribbon on it, put it in a clear bag and tied the ends.  Looked just like a wrapped piece of candy...so cute! She and my mom also made some lollipop suckers out of baby wash cloths and a baby spoon.  They were great for table decor and went along great with our sweet theme.

The above pics showcase the two kids' tables.  Each place setting had crayons and a place mat to color on and of course...plenty of candy for them! And the big bundt cake candle was a hit...it completely filled up the Fellowship Hall with a sweet smell! (Haha...bundt cake...reminds me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding!)

My mom and I made this sweet diaper cake for the couple.  Tiffany's mom decorated TINLEY with super cute paper and embellishments; they matched the pink and brown decor perfectly.

And yes, the presents...what a blessing for this young couple.  :)  We loaded up my settee couch (it was my grandmother's) and thought it would be sweet for the couple to sit on and open gifts together.

And if goodies on every table wasn't good enough, we had a whole table designated for Sweet Treats! My best friend did a great job on the cupcakes...so stinkin' cute...and tasty! Alisha made some swirled white almond bark; it really turned out nice. And Tiffany's mom made those dipped marshmallows!!

Whew...it was definitely a sweet party...I am still digging the theme if you couldn't tell by all the puns.  Glad I could help out and happy for the expecting couple.

Oh, and a quick cupcake stand tutorial for those interested.  I wanted a cute cupcake stand, but did not have the cash flow to buy one, so Dollar Tree it is! I bought a large foil platter and a 2-pack of smaller foil platters from Dollar Tree.  I taped two toilet paper rolls together and wrapped them with pink scrapbooking paper I had; I made two of these.  Then I hot glued the rolls to the foil platters and badabing badaboom...a cupcake stand!  See pics above for finished product on display. So for $2 I made a stand that held more than 2 dozen cupcakes!

Up All Night

Ok...so I am pretty much hooked on the sewing machine!! I'm about to call it a night, but thought I'd blog about what I have been doing all night...especially since everyone is asleep at my house and I have no one to show it to! ;)

The fabric flower was fun to make and pretty simple.  I followed this tutorial, but changed it up at bit and didn't add the jewel/brad in the middle.  I am using a soft cotton, almost flannel material, so I was able to stand up the pink fabric and glue it together to make it stand up.  I've made two of these (this one and another out of felt) and I've come to the conclusion that they work the best if you put them on a hard or soft (below) headband; and not a clip so much.  Allyson wears clips nearly everyday, but I am liking this new look to change it up a bit, so we have started experimenting with hard headbands, and so far she has been keeping them on.

The morning will come very early.  Night night!

Matching Burp Cloth, Onesie, Bib & Fabric Flower Headband

Matching Burp Cloth and Bib

First Sewing Project...Updated

Well...I did it!! I've been wanting to try sewing for a while now, but hadn't made the time to do so. Oh and a little problem: I don't have a sewing machine! Last night I went over to my mom's and she gave me the run down on how to use her machine, so I packed it up last night and brought it home to borrow and test out.

This is really my first time to run a sewing machine.  In junior high I opted to take wood shop instead of home ec. :)  I decided to make an "easy" burp cloth I found on Pinterest. It wasn't too bad actually; however, this one is not gift worthy. The hardest part was turning it out and tucking in the edges in and closing up the hole.  Hoping to keep at it and figure it out!  Here is the source I followed: http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/2010/07/super-duper-easy-burp-cloth-tutorial.html

UPDATED!

Ok...round 2.  I so should have known to go with a pattern to begin with.  I am so a follow the recipe/pattern type of gal.  Yes, I like to be creative, but I am definitely like clear defined steps to begin with!  So, when I came across THIS tutorial I gave it a try! It took a little more time to pin and cut out, but I definitely like the end result a lot better.  And the contoured shape is neat I think...it will fit whoever is burping the baby perfectly! Win-Win!! :)

A Beary Good Day





This afternoon Jase found all of the Build-A-Bear clothes, so it was dress up time.  Jase and I played together, dressing Mickey (his bear) up while sister napped and when she woke up, she joined right in.



I'm Thankful for Days 6-10

Jase is thankful for...

6 - Church

7 - Mommy & Daddy

8 - God (because He makes me happy!)

9 - Ally

10 - Mickey (his build-a-bear)

Mommy is thankful for...

6 - My church and staff - Glad it stands for truth and all the hard work and thought that goes into bringing the word each service

7 - My parents & grandparents - All of the love and support they've shown/given me throughout the years

8 - Friends - both old and new are such a blessing to me

9 - Our health - Praise God that we are all healthy

10 - My brothers & sister - I love them so much and am proud of each one of them

Leaf People

I found this cute idea on Pinterest on making leaf people and thought I would do it with the kids.  Monday afternoon we gathered leaves in the front yard. Both kids had a blast doing this.

Today after I picked them up from school, we sat at the table and worked on our leaf people.  The kids had fun crafting and gluing at the table.  It would have been better if we picked the leaves and did the craft right away instead of waiting 2 days.  Half of the leaves had dried out and were crumbly, which made a mess and they were hard to work with.  Allyson enjoyed art time and LOVED using the glue stick!

Lunch with Nanny!

I got the kids out early (before 10 am) today to vote and run a couple of errands. While we were out I thought we'd see if Nanny could break for lunch. Sure enough she could and we picked her up and enjoyed an hour with her over lunch!

Parent/Kid Game

Tonight Jase had his last soccer practice of the season. The coach decided to have the kids and parents scrimmage one another. 3 vs 3 just like the game. So if your child was on the field, then you would go out there and play against them.

Shawn was running a little late, so I got to play against Jase and I had a great time being out on the field with him.

There's a new kid in town

That title should probably read, "There's an old dog in town." We have two dogs: Hank the rat terrier and Jet the black lab. Hank is 8 years old and Jet will be 7 in January. We've had both of them since they were pups and were our first babies.

At our first home Hank was an inside dog while we were home and was outside when we were gone. When we moved to our new house, we moved the furniture and found some disgusting places, and I mean disgusting where our little Hank had used the restroom in the house...we were not happy to say the least. We moved in our new home when Jase was 8 months, so keeping everything clean was a priority. So, he became an outside dog. Don't feel sad for him though...he loves it out there and runs the house with Jet!

A little history about Hank. When Hank was less than 2 years old I came home from from work and went to the back door to let him in and found a horrific scene. We had a cooler blocking the back door so he wouldn't scratch the back door, so when I opened the back door he just fell inside. He was bloody from head to toe and our back porch looked like a crime scene. I went into panic mode. His poor nose/mouth was separated from his face. He was so small, only 7-8 lbs. We did not have any kids at the time, so he was our little guy.

Shawn showed up to our house a few minutes later and we rushed to the animal emergency clinic. It was literally touch and go for him...not sure if he was even going to make it, he had lost a lot of blood. After surgery and several visits to the vet, he pulled through. Both nasal cavities were crushed and he lost 4 of his top teeth and his little black nose curled up and looks like a mean little pup since his top lip is always raised. We don't know what attacked him. There was a broken fence post, but other than that there was no other evidence since it had rained all day long.

Hank, while a feisty little dog, has a special place in our heart. I bathed him up last night and he spent the night inside in the living room. Let me tell you, Jase was in love!! He did not want to leave his side and ended up sleeping with him. It was so sweet.

When getting ready for Church this morning. He was putting props on him and asked me to take pictures of them together. :)

Thankful...Day 5 Update

Our Thankful Tree is in full swing here at the French house.  We have had great conversations on being thankful and Jase has came up with his things to be thankful for ALL on his own.

Jase is thankful for...
1 - Lego's
2 - School
3 - God's creation
4 - Family
5 - Our home

I too have been telling Jase what I am thankful for each day and recording them.

Mommy is thankful for...
1 - Jesus and my salvation
2 - My kids...they are joys everyday, blessings from God
3 - My husband...My Love, my best friend, I share everything with him
4 - Daddy's job...allows Mommy to stay at home with the kids
5 - Our home...all of the wonderful memories we are creating here and a place to lay our head at night

At breakfast this morning we were practicing our memory verse and the kids are doing an AWESOME job with it.  After 5 days of practicing, Jase has it down and Ally nearly does.  26 months and she almost has the whole thing memorized...I love that she is already after God's heart...just melts mine.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 136:1

Jase saying his memory verse: http://youtu.be/jwuNTE6VNgI

Make sure your volume is way up to watch Allyson say hers, she is not a loud talker: http://youtu.be/e0iKdgiKdi8

And lastly, Jase wanted to make up his own verse.  It was cute.  At 4 1/2 he understands that God created everything.  And heads up, Ally screams for 1-2 seconds about 12 seconds into the video...her cup fell over :)  http://youtu.be/chNgnJ-l0sc

I Want to Hold Your Hand!!

Allyson just loves "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles.  We'll be singing songs together and in the middle of a song she'll say "Beatles, hold your hand."  She'll completely cut you off in mid chorus and request another song.  You'll see what I mean at the end of this video.

She since loves this song so much, I wanted to make sure I captured her singing it before she got too old and stopped singing it.  So today, I did just that!  For some reason she is camera/phone shy...she must not be my kid! ;) Kidding!

Enjoy!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdhMvRdm0MQ

A Funny

Last night I had a realization that the kids have been watching tv waaayyy too much lately. Totally my fault, but it is time for a change.

I found some new activity ideas and suggested routines for SAHM on the interest (and maybe Pinterest!), so I am fired up and ready to give it a go!

This morning after breakfast we read books and then game time. When I was cleaning out a closet on Monday I found a matching game I had made for Jase's birthday party a couple of years ago, but never used it. Basic black paper with sports and animals on them, two of each. After looking at them, I realized why we have never used them...you so can see what the image is on the back. When I laminated them the image pressed into the black paper and it was embossed in the back. I didn't say anything to Jase about it and just pretended not to see the outline of the figures.

All three of us played a couple of rounds of match and had a good time. Then we played Go Fish...ahhh I loved this game as a kid! In the middle of the game Jase says "I can see the shape on the back!" Hahahaha!! And it was in a tone "like, yeah I've known all along!" It was funny and we laughed about it.

Guess I need to find another set of cards. :)

New Obsession...maybe

I am little behind the bandwagon with Pinterest.  I downloaded the app on my phone probably a few months ago after reading about it, but never looked into what it was.  If you are unfamiliar with it, it is basically an pin board to record your favorite things, ideas, recipes...whatever you find on the internet you can "pin".  It is your "favorites" neatly organized.

I just signed up last night and have to admit that I've been on it quite a bit.  And I am not only repinning items from other people, I am finding things that interest me on the internet and pinning them to my board.

I have been dying to make something with the materials I have on-hand.  I found a super cute flower that is made out of fabric and can be attached to a headband or clip (or to anything else really).  I have some fabric here at the house, but once I got it out I realized it wasn't the right kind and I do not have any felt. Oh well, I'm moving forward with it. 

The only fabric I had that was the same print on both sides was a plaid maroon print that I used to make Jase a Deer Park shirt.  There goes the girly girl flower!!  This fabric is also not as thick as the one she used in her tutorial, so mine was not as full as hers.  It looks like felt would be a good thing to use for this or wool.

Not a complete fail, but definitely not worthy to be worn!  haha!  I'm looking forward to trying out many more crafts and maybe try my luck at sewing...we'll see.

I am thankful for...

With November in full swing now I want to focus on "being thankful" all month with the kids, and Jase in particular. I made a Thankful Tree and everyday he will add a leaf to the tree and write what he is thankful for.

Along with adding a leaf to the tree each day, we will practice our memory verse for the month: O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalm 136:1. I will also share with them what I am thankful for each day and I am looking forward to the conversations on being thankful with them.

As for Jase's first day, he is thankful for Lego's!! Then he asked me what I was thankful for and I told him I was thankful for Jesus and my salvation. I am eternally thankful for Him dying on the cross so I can live in heaven with Him and my loved ones after I leave this earthly life.

While I was cutting out leaves Jase asked what they were "gingerbread men?" Haha! I am definitely not the best cutter, but I got the job done. And I am proud of myself for using scissors and a glue stick and not my paper cutter and my tape runner!

I am excited about our daily thankful activity and other Thanksgiving related crafts we're going to do this month.