Bowl of Thankfulness

Sorry for the late Thanksgiving post, but better late then never right?  Just as we have done in years past (2008 and 2009) our family spent the month of November filling our bowl of thankfulness.  Every night at dinner we each write down what we are thankful for that day (no repeating!) and read them aloud on Thanksgiving day.  Every year the kids understand the concept a little more and I'm so proud that they really thought about what they are thankful for.  They came up with things much more meaningful then basketballs (what Ethan was thankful for 99% of the time last year).

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I'm so glad we started our bowl of thankfulness tradition.  We have so many things to be thankful for that dedicating one day to thank God for all our blessings just isn't enough.  And hopefully as the Christmas season begins my children will understand that they are already blessed with so many things that giving to others shouldn't be a big stretch.  Of course they are six and four so I know that we have awhile before the idea of giving gifts is more appealing then receiving them.

This was my first year officially hosting Thanksgiving.  I think we may have had it at our house in 2007 but I have no photographic proof nor do I really remember it (I had a two year old and one month old...cut me some slack!).  This was my first time roasting the turkey, that I am sure of.  It turned out just lovely, as did the rest of the dinner that everybody contributed to.  It's not Thanksgiving without a mound of mashed potatoes, the disgusting sweet potato casserole everbody but me and Brian loves, my favorite cran-raspberry salad with the marshmallow cream topping, and of course plenty of pie.  I'm a firm believer in high pie to person ratios, this year we scaled back to four pies to 7 adults and 2 kids.  If cherries weren't so expensive I would have added a cherry pie too.

And this year's sampling of thankfulness:

* Paper and Crayons -Ethan

* Rain -Kellie

* Having Friends -Grace

* Lazy Saturdays with Football -David

* "Golden Hour" Sunlight -Kellie

* The Bathroom -Grace

* My Bride finding and doing something she loves -David

* Eating Breakfast -Ethan

* David's Dungeons and Dragons Group -Kellie

* The Earth -Grace

* Chicken Noodle Soup -Ethan

* Mrs. Wagner -Kellie

* Pajamas -Grace

* Good Beer -David

* Quiet -Kellie

* Doughnuts -Ethan

* Summer -Grace

* Netflix Instant Watch on Sick Days -Kellie

* Visiting Friends -David