We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. It also happened to be Heath's birthday, so we celebrated both in one fun day. We had a donut breakfast, did the birthday chair, Skyped my family, watched The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and then headed over to Cara & Wes' for some family time.
In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, I continued a tradition that we started with Nolan last year: thankful leaves. Last year, each night at the dinner table we would discuss what we were thankful for and I would write Nolan's ideas on felt leaves that were strung together into garland. This year, since Nolan was old enough to write his own ideas, I punched out these bigger paper leaves at school and strung them onto yarn to create the same effect. We enjoyed talking about what we were thankful for each day and it was a fun way for Nolan to also practice his sound spelling and handwriting.
I wrote Heath's ideas on the leaves for him and then he colored and scribbled on the leaves as well.
It was funny to see what they came up with each day. Sometimes their ideas were very thoughtful and sometimes their ideas were whatever was on the table in front of them! Oh, little boys!
I just LOVE seeing young learners put letters and sounds together to spell words! It's so neat to watch it all start to click! Mark didn't understand why I was letting Nolan spell the words wrong. But that is how kids learn! Nolan knows all of his letters and sounds but still needs some help with the proper letter formation. So we would work together- he would stretch out the sounds and match them with letters. I would model the letter formation on a white board and he would copy it on the leaf with pencil or marker. This exercise really helped him master a lot of the letters in just 22 days.
And just for memory's sake here are their complete lists of what they were thankful for this month. We tried to have them pick different things so that none of their leaves were the same, but that didn't always happen. We really wanted them to come up with their own ideas, but had to guide them occasionally.
Nolan: stuffed animals, school, Brooks, breakfast (his favorite meal of the day), Daddy, Mommy, Dotters (his Dalmatian puppy stuffed animal), Heath, Blankie, dogs, wrestling, Oma & Opa, Solo (our pet fish), toys, Squinkies, cars, T.V., fruit, Payton, our house, the Rockies, his legs
Heath: paints, cats, Daddy, Mommy, candy, Brooks, Catty (his stuffed animal black cat), Nolan, blankies, his bed, light sabers, big Buzz Lightyear, Aunties, Grandma & Grandpa, Cohen, movies, toys, Brady, Uncles, packages, the iPad, his singing cat birthday card (Oh boy, 3 out of 22 days were about CATS! Silly kid!)
I think they did a fantastic job! We always want them to grow up knowing just how blessed they are for the simplest things in their life. Our God has been so good to us.
I realized that once we got to the Syers' house for Thanksgiving that I really didn't take many pictures. But here are a few...
We got to their house around noon to take a family picture, hang out, play, and cook together.
We ate our dinner around 3:30. The kids had fun at their "kiddie table". Do you notice little Darth Vadar over there in the corner. Oh, Heathy!
Brady wrote little notes/drew pictures for each of the kids and had them waiting at their spots for them. So sweet.
Heath didn't have a nap and was crabby by the time we ate, so he didn't last long at the table. We let him go play so that we could eat in peace. Nolan ate applesauce, cranberry sauce, and a roll. But Brooks, he was our BEST eater. He ate it all! And kept eating, and eating, and eating. We've been calling him our little piglet these days! He sure is a tiny thing, but he can pack it away!
After dinner, Aunt Sue held her annual Turkey Trot game. The kids played a round and won prizes!
And then the adults played a few rounds as well! It was a super fun day!
We left exhausted and stuffed full of good food and memories.
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