Random Acts of Kindness Treasure Hunt

I recently shared this post as a contributor over at Ginger Snap Crafts and wanted to share it with you here also :)

 

Is your family in thankful mode yet?

I'm not sure my boys are honestly. Have to coax them into it kinda... someone tell me most kids are kinda that way? :) I love the Thanksgiving season that get them by my side, thinking of other people instead of just themselves.

Have you ever done a random act of kindness? I'm sure you have, even if you didn't realize it. They make me feel so good inside! I love the feeling of pulling away from the drive-through having just paid for the guy behind me, or having taped a quarter to a gumball machine. It brings tears to me eyes- such a cool feeling!

I thought I could maybe take one of Coop and Ry's favorite boredom busters- a treasure hunt- and add random acts of kindness to the mix. I did give them a small treasure at the end, but it wasn't what stole the show of this activity- they enjoyed doing the selfless tasks that were part of each clue far more. I really hope the kit that I made using the fun Falling for Fall digi elements at Summertime Designs will be something your kiddos can enjoy too! The boys loved doing this- certainly more fun than the normal hunts we've done!

Rustic Thanksgiving Centerpiece

  

Time again for another dose of pretty projects from this pretty pair ;) This last month Emily from The Benson Street and I went to Michaels. We decided this time around to buy the same sorts of things rather than the exact same items, but still create the same thing- a Thanksgiving centerpiece. We both brought home a charger plate and some fall floral stems to create with- well under our $10 limit, with the intention to make up the difference with stuff we had at home.

Wood Creations of Idaho Falls Thanksgiving Giveaway

Happy November All! Halloween sure comes and goes in a hurry, eh? November is here! I'm so excited to be working with Wood Creations of Idaho Falls again to giveaway once of their popular Thanksgiving wood kits! They have so many great kits for this month...

Thinking Thankfully with #myfavoritebloggers

  

Time again to join #myfavoritebloggers to bring you a fun collection of themed ideas!
This month we chose the theme "Thankful."

I'm sure enjoying this time of year already- I've been neck deep in costume making, am working on several Thanksgiving type of projects too, and already looking forward to Christmas- I love the magicness of the holidays! No doubt this collection will get you thinking along the lines of Thanksgiving already too! (At least it's not getting passed up for Christmas entirely, right?!)

Celebrating Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving with my family. All of my siblings were there- the first we've all been together at home in awhile! It was a GREAT day and weekend :) The boys made these fun handprint turkeys the day before to give to Grandma and Grandpa. I try to make a handprint craft with them for every holiday and then keep them as keepsakes.

Our Thanksgiving morning was full of that general feeling of goodness- my brother and youngest sister (and Dad) playing their guitars, all of us girls in the kitchen working, the kids playing and keeping busy. This year my sister-in-law brought a tradition from her family to share:

This fun pineapple turkey! The kids loved helping her stick in the gumdrops. I've gotta make one of these turkey heads so we can pick this us for ourselves through the future!

I always love getting to be around my little nieces- I even got to do little Brylee's hair! We all got a kick out of Quincy helping to fill celery sticks with cheese :)

They enjoyed these little M&M turkeys while they waited for all the food to be ready too :) I got this template from here. 

All sat down to lunch/ dinner :) I just love a long table with all the leaves in it! My littlest niece napped while we ate, which Lundyn and Josh said made for the most peaceful meal they've had in a long time!

Afterwards, the men shot guns and the kids played some more :) Cooper and Quincy figured out they could turn this large rock in my parent's yard into an archaeological site. They have the coolest Grandpa ever- he gave them safety glasses and hammers so they could have at it! They got a ton of mileage out of this little venture all weekend long :) The chips they got off of the rock were sparkly- they thought they were "diamonds." :)

Every holiday  season, my Mom and sisters usually get together to make candies. This year, we just included it as part of Thanksgiving weekend so that my brother, who lives in Utah, could get in on the fun too :) I love this pic of my Mom with Quincy and Cooper :)

The rest of the weekend was fun and relaxing, too- we even hiked up to cut down a Christmas tree just up the road! It's been a couple of years since we've gotten to go cut a tree down, so this was a treat!

Our trees smelled sooo good! I was under-prepared for this venture, so here I am wearing Stephen's  puffy camo coat! 

The next day, we did this cute Christmas advent craft together- didn't they turn out fun?! We also did a fun little baby shower for Conner and Jodie, who are having their first baby in February! I'll post about that in my next post :)

Thankful 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

Given that it's 2012, here's 12 blessings I'm grateful for today and everyday:

1) I'm thankful for my husband's job. For the security and peace it brings. For the fact that he has a job in today's world. Also, for the work he has and does outside of his normal job that makes it so our life is what it is.

2) I'm thankful for my husband. Really, he is the keystone to my well-being and it is because of him that I am so abundantly blessed. By some miracle, Stephen truly seemed to fall head over heels when we first met and, believe it or not, that powerful emotion is still alive and well. I'm so grateful for his devotion and complimentary nature. I'm grateful for his desire and ability to provide, for his friendship and our awesome standard of communication. Stephen is rare. I know that, regardless of anything else, for me life would be miserable if our marriage was unhappy or insecure. And I'm so grateful to truly believe that, no matter what, we love each other enough.

3) I'm thankful for my boys! For Cooper, Ryder, Taron and Keaton. I'm so grateful to be a Mom! I'm grateful beyond expression that they are my life's work, that there is no other job that pulls me away. They point out clearer than I'd like sometimes how inadequate I am, but, still and always, I'd rather it be them than anyone or anything else. I am blessed by their smiles and talents and interests, by who they are. They give me purpose and that's what life's all about, eh? :)

4) I'm thankful for our vehicles that get us from point A to point B. Really, that's about all they do and in no grand fashion for sure. But, that is really all I need. I know that their lives are short lived and the need to bite the bullet and figure out other options is growing greater all the time. But, in the meantime, I'm really glad to be able to get where I need to go.

5) I'm thankful for my parents. They are generous and selfless- they are "goodly parents." My childhood was as good as it could have possibly been and my parents still, and forever will, make life better for me. Their spirit and strength lifts me up and makes me think that my life can actually be all that I want it to be, that I am more capable than I realize. My own home is very much home, but they will always be "home" in my heart too. :)

6) I'm thankful for our home, for a place to live and be truly comfortable. It is nothing fancy for sure. But, ah, how I love the feeling of walking in our back door when we've been gone most of the day. I am a homebody for sure and love just being home. Home is stretch pants and a ponytail, letting the boys wear shirts with stains on them and not combing their hair for the day. It's each person's own spot on the couch, it's the little piles of clutter that I can find what I need within. I'm so grateful for this place that means comfort and security.

7) I'm thankful for my creativity. If I wasn't the creative/ crafty type, there would no doubt be something else I'd be into. But, for me, the hobby that brings me joy is creating. I'm grateful for my sewing machine that is simple, but understandable. For my stash of patterned paper scraps, my disarray of fabrics on the shelf, the jar of notions from googly eyes to baker's twine. I'm grateful to have a hobby that fits me. :)

8) I'm thankful for modern medicine. I don't often mention it, but I have Type One Diabetes and have had for 25 years. It's surely a blessing and a curse, but the reason I can even say that is thanks to modern medicine, to the insulins and glucose testing gear that keep me alive. I've referred to insulin as "life elixir" before and it really, truly is. Stephen also takes medication for high blood pressure and I'm grateful for such a thing that can make it so we're not always living in fear. Same goes for the flavored liquids that I have the ability to give my kids when they truly need... I'm just all around grateful for modern medicine.

9) I'm thankful for open space. Thinking about things that really make me happy, wide open space is very much one of them. I'm so grateful for our rural-ish lifestyle, for the mountains and desert, and even the beach, that are within touching distance. I love Idaho life! 

10) I'm thankful for technology. I get in a panic in a hurry when I can't get in touch with my husband and I realize that it wasn't all that long ago that  that was actually the norm- goodbye in the morning, hello again at night. I'm grateful for cell phones and email and texting that keep me connected to the people that matter. I'm grateful for computers and satellite TV and wi-fi. The information age is a blessing :)

11) I'm thankful for faith. My testimony has waxed and waned over time, but it's always been strong enough to be, well, strong, I guess. I'm grateful to be part of our Church and know that it is where true happiness lies. I know my Heavenly Father is aware and forever at the helm. I'm an anxious enough person as it is, and without the anchor of the Gospel I know I'd be a real wreck!

12) I'm thankful for sleep. I've said many times that if I ever find a lamp with a genie inside, my first wish will be that I no longer require sleep. And for real, it would. Think of all I could accomplish! But... as for now, that's not the case and, as such, I'm grateful for the rejuvenating power of sleep. It makes everything better really. I so much appreciate that there is something that can so naturally and readily improve my outlook and emotions- our bodies are phenomenal! :)

And there we have it!

I can think of lots of more simple things to mention too-

the list could be endless, which in itself it a blessing to be thankful for.

Hope the holiday is treating you as well as you deserve!

Thankful Tree

I've seen this idea a number of times and thought the boys would enjoy it through the month,

so we whipped up a simple "Thankful Tree." I thought it turned out pretty fun!

I printed off these leaves from cloud street lab- I rather liked the colors and they were higher resolution than most others I seemed to find. The boys latched right on to the idea and wanted to write on a bunch of them at once- luckily, we were several days into November when we started ;)  I got a kick out of the things they said they were thankful for:

Ryder really just draws on his and then "translates" for me what he's happy about :)

I loved when I asked him, "What's something you're happy to have in your life, Ry?"

and he excitedly said "You!" Things like that are the BEST Mom moments :)

He scribbled another one for Keaton, too :)

Don't ya just love kids' sounded out spelling?!

TRDTL= turtle. TECIR= teacher :)

I love it!

And "Dad"- you guessed it- the first one he wrote!

They had fun taping them onto the tree too:)

By Thanksgiving, our little tree will be fulled-up pretty well :)

Good Thankful Times

Wanted to share our Thanksgiving goings on before I got carried away with Christmasness! 

Doesn't Coop make that turkey leg look good? Love this pic :)

This year was an odd one for the boys and I, since Stephen was gone with Taron and Keaton to Vernal, Utah, for a falconry event. (I know, seriously- Who holds national get-togethers on top of national holidays??) But they had a good time and it doesn't happen every year, so whatever I guess! Meanwhile, Thanksgiving morning Ryder helped me make pumpkin pie while Cooper watched the Macy's Parade from inside his latest fort...

Later on we traveled to Pocatello to be with my in-laws since my parents were in Arizona with Cyndel and Ben for their wedding open house there. As awkward as it could have been to be at Stephen's parents house for the holiday without Stephen, I have to say it really, truly wasn't! Only in thinking about it was it strange at all! I'm so blessed to have married into a family that is warm and comforting. Janie sure can host with a flair- doesn't the table setting look beautiful!

Grandpa Bruce gets a kick out of Ryder and Coop sneaks a large handful of olives to cover all ten fingers! Struck me as super cute :)

Later after dinner and dessert (which, I thought my pumpkin pie turned out pretty great! I love the new crust recipe I found on Pinterest that uses butter instead of shortening! Find it and the pie recipe I used that included brown sugar HERE :)... anyhow, my sister-in-law Kathy has some great kids games and brought them for the kids- Cooper loved this Tanagram one! We also used some little cards on a keychain she had to strike up conversations with the grandparents about memories- that was my favorite part!

We stayed Thanksgiving night in Pocatello and Kathy and I went people watching at Walmart for Black Friday! I say "people watching" because, well, I'm not a fighter, I'm just not! And you have to be to get what you want when there are only six of them in the whole store! Then Friday night Stephen came back in to Pocatello in time for the Parade of Lights, which was a fun way to ring in Christmas time. Cooper thought Santa on top of the fire truck (not to mention seeing his Dad a day early!) was pretty cool!

Hope yours was enjoyable too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from our little corner!

Hopefully everyone is enjoying yummy food with people they love :) 

I am so grateful for all of the goodness of our life and the abundance we enjoy-

no matter what our difficulties, we are abundantly blessed (with a Capital B)! ;)

Time to write to Santa and wear out the Christmas catalogs! ;)