Thankful

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Esmé's Mommy here.

It's been a whirlwind around here lately. Both figuratively and literally. This morning I accidentally dropped something on the blender, which had been left plugged in, and the top middle plastic piece had been dumped inside after it had been washed. Plastic shards now covered the floors and counters, which of course were covered with dirty dishes. At least it wasn't glass!

We dealt with that. Then Esmé decided to take a tour of the house while eating her bowl of cereal, so you can follow the milk trail should you decide to join her. The tour ended at my laptop, which subsequently got to sit in a puddle of milk for a short while. At least it's still working!

I haven't showered yet (something I do religiously every morning well ahead of this time). Esmé was asleep when I picked her up from day care at 5 yesterday, and she slept right through until 4 this morning (so we're backlogged on all the Advent things we were supposed to do yesterday) - and today we've already gotten the snow painting, reindeer painting, and finger painting out of the way. While Esmé is occupied with giving Blue the monkey drum lessons, I'm taking a quick sanity break before bringing out the shaving cream to do "snow" play on the floor, which is in bad need of a mop.

I've got piles of girls' clothes to sort through from the cousins while Esmé tries on multiple outfits or just layers them all. A second washing of the bedding to do after a second guest. Laundry piles up faster than I can keep up. Dishes haven't been done since Wednesday, and I've got SIX reviews absolutely due today, along with tons of others that should have been done long ago. Blog post ideas whirl through my head while I think about all the blogs I want to catch up on.

Can you believe we are going to check out a dog tomorrow that a family is wanting to give away?

I feel like I've eaten a huge Thanksgiving meal and am uncomfortably stuffed, but can't think of of anything I wish I hadn't eaten because it's all so good, and I'm trying to figure out how to fit the pumpkin pie in, too. And I am thankful for everything.

I'm thankful for a little girl who loves Christmas and is in awe of the manger scene. I'm thankful for people who come to visit, and for plenty of clothes to choose from. I'm thankful for lots of books to read, and for grape juice made by someone other than myself. I'm thankful for big screen TVs and a little schoolhouse that will be filled with hours of fun and learning. And while we kind of faded in the last part of the 30 Days of Thanks in November, I'm thankful for a little girl who loves to grab a pen and paper and ask me what I'm thankful for while she practices making letters, and who helps me fill her Christmas journal out with all the things that make her happy.

Now, I'm gonna stick Lady and the Tramp into the DVD player and take a shower...

Thanks: Days 19-20

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Let's see - we've been putting our Thanksgiving numbering cards in order...
...and we've been painting and coloring bookmarks for all the books we're gonna give away to our many family members for Christmas...
...see? You can find lots of Christmassy printable bookmarks at Activity Village.
And we've been giving lots of love to the moose we picked out for our Operation Christmas Child shoebox. Hope the little girl likes it as much as I do!
Here's what I'm thankful for right now:

• Going to bed
  
• Watching George (that would be Curious George)
  
• Taking a bath
  
• Train tracks
  
• Warm water in the bathtub
  

Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, link up at From the Heart of My "Haus"

Thanks: Day 18

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Here we are at Day 18 already! Mommy worked most of the day yesterday, but we did stop at a thrift store and the library on our way home. Here are some Thanksgiving books we checked out at the library:

• One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy. My favorite. Mommy says this is the perfect book for introducing a toddler to Thanksgiving. Not too many words, lots of activity in the illustrations, and a good overview of the first Thanksgiving. She even had to learn how to pronounce Wampanoag over and over.
  
• Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell. Not absolutely a Thanksgiving book - they even have chicken, not turkey - but it's got some good counting practice.
• Little Tom Turkey by Frances Bloxam. A fun book in rhyme about a tom turkey - lots of nature facts incorporated.
  
• Silly Tilly's Thanksgiving Dinner by Lillian Hoban. A little long, but I didn't mind reading it cuz it was fun.
• 1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac with Plimoth Plantation. Lots of authentic photographs for me to look at, and lots of facts for Mommy to read...
  
• Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin. Not my cup of tea - Mommy says maybe when I'm older. Though I wouldn't mind some famous cranberry bread with my tea.

What Thanksgiving books are your favorites? We're looking for more!

On to thrift store finds. Mommy's favorite: a globe for $4.50 that will go in my new schoolhouse. If you come visit, I'll show you where I live! (Mommy's note: It's as likely to be Algeria or Australia as it is to be Oregon...)
And a doll cradle. The jury's still out on whether we'll paint it and keep it, or whether we'll return it and make our own. In the meantime, it's getting lots of use!

The cat tried it out first.
Then the doll got in.
Then I cuddled the doll as she slept.
Then I got in myself!
Here's my thankful list for the day:

• Pink Dresses
• Kitty cats
• Daddy
• You!
• I don't know!
  

Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, link up at From the Heart of My "Haus"

Thanks: Days 13-17

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We've been thankful, all right... Just not every day. But Mommy says not to let our self-imposed guilt-trip keep us from getting back on the bandwagon of 30 Days of Thanks...

See, here's our 30 Days of Thanks calendar as of today. It kind of stops right at Day 12... Actually, I stuck a horn of plenty under Day 13, but Mommy didn't follow my lead.
So let's backtrack to Day 12. We went shopping to fill up a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. (You can still join in this week, by the way. Just follow the link to find out how.)

But I didn't want to put anything in the box. I wanted it for myself! See this cool moose I picked out! I didn't want to give it to some other little girl...
Plus, Mommy hasn't found the wrapping paper yet, so she hasn't been able to make the box all pretty yet. Perfectionism getting in the way of progress again...
Moving on...

Day 13 Mommy was sick. She was "burping up." That sounds ever so much more sophisticated than "throw up," don't you think?

So I had to slave away vacuuming and such.
Day 14 I hung out with lots of church friends. It was so much fun I don't like going home anymore. I just want to go to church all the time. Whenever we drive into the driveway I tell Mommy we need to go back to wherever we came from.

Day 15 I spent doing "igloo and Inuit" stuff for "I" school. More on that later.

Day 16 I went to daycare since Mommy was working all day. I did two book reviews, in the evening - Mommy will get those posted just now.

And now we're on Day 17... Mommy's gonna go to work again, so I'm not sure what we're gonna do.

But we ARE thankful. Here's my list for the day:

• Washing my toes
  
• Washing my tummy and my belly button
  
• Washing my toes with BUBBLES
  
• Mommy
  
• Flamey (the cat)
• Babies in bubbles
  

Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, link up at From the Heart of My "Haus"

Thanks: Day 12

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Yesterday we went to a Veterans Day parade!

We had to look and look for a parking spot. I had so much fun that when it was all over I asked Mommy to look for more parking spots!

The best part, besides the candy, was the horses. And the dogs. And the fire trucks. And the bands. And the uniforms. And Taps. And the flags. And... and... and...

Here are some pictures:



Today I'm thankful for:

• Going on my blog
  
• Going to sleep at night time
  
• Eating yogurt. White yogurt. And pink yogurt.
  
• Rain
  
• Sunshine
  

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
• Train Up a Child
• Lisa Writes
• One Mom's World
  

Thanks: Day 11

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In honor of Veteran's Day, yesterday we colored a mini-book of "In Flanders Fields." And we made a red poppy wreath.

First you color the poppies. I used Do a Dot markers to make it faster. Using two hands at the same time works even better!
Then Mommy cuts the center out of a paper plate. Then Mommy cuts out the poppies. While you color the paper plate green. And then you glue the poppies onto the paper plate.
You glue a bow on for a final touch.
Add your face to the center. And now the wreath is complete!
Today I'm thankful for:

• Popsicles
  
• Orange popsicles
  
• Strawberry popsicles
  
• When cat spends time on Mommy's lap
  
• When Pappa reads stories
  

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
• Train Up a Child
• Lisa Writes
• One Mom's World
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Days 9 & 10

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Mommy is thankful for a little extra sleep today - she's gonna start working two full (LOOOONG) days instead of five half days...

Here are some of the things I've been thankful for... First, my new schoolhouse! It's got a loft now and should even have a roof by the end of Wednesday! Let me show you one of the windows - it's just my height!

And of course I've been busy writing in my I Can Trace! book - that's lots of fun!

And here's a leaf wood carving craft that I painted - it's now hanging on our wall!

Now I gotta get to the Veteran's Day stuff, cuz of course we're thankful for our veterans...
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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
• Train Up a Child
• Lisa Writes
• One Mom's World
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Day 8

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Yesterday I got to spend lots of time with Pappa. We played with Tweety...

...and we went to a talent show, where I found a couple of boys to kiss...

Today I'm thankful for:

• My baby girl Pilgrim paper doll
  
• My baby boy Pilgrim paper doll
  
• My baby girl Indian paper doll
  
• My baby boy Indian paper doll
  
• My soft cuddly baby doll

That's it. Nothing else today...

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
• Train Up a Child
• Lisa Writes
• One Mom's World
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Day 7

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Let's see - yesterday was a loong time ago. What did we do?

Oh yes, we called Grandpa! I'm thankful that Grandpa and Grandma are back at their Vancouver Island home safe and sound, at least for a little while, before they head back to Mozambique. And I'll get to see them sometime in the next month or so!

Grandpa was telling me about an apple tree that just vanished while they were gone; apparently the beavers have been busy. We have lots of trees here we'd love to share with them.

And Mommy made pumpkin bread. I'm thankful for pumpkin bread. I'm not thankful for nuts.
So let's recap. Today I'm thankful for:

• Pumpkin bread (preferably sans nuts)
• Beavers
• Grandpas and Grandmas
• Telephones
• And lip gloss. Don't forget the lip gloss. Preferably pink. (I'd be thankful for mascara, but Mommy wouldn't let me have any.)
  

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
• Train Up a Child
• Lisa Writes
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Day 6

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Yesterday's thanksgiving activity was an African Children's Choir concert!

There were tons of kids - ages 7-10 - singing up on the stage - some of them playing drums, too! They all looked so happy! Though the leader said most of them have lost at least one parent. Mommy says it reminded her of Grandma's children's choir in Malawi, with a little more "action"...

After spending all day in town so we could go to the concert, I'm too tired to be thankful for anything. Except maybe sleep. And lip gloss. I'm always thankful for lip gloss.

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Day 5

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Yesterday was movie day! So we got The Sound of Music at the library to watch, especially the song "My Favorite Things." I think Maria is beautiful, and I WANT Liesl's dress - the twirly one she wears while dancing and singing "I am 16." And I liked all the songs: "Do Re Mi," "The Lonely Goatherd," "So Long, Farewell."

It is a LOOONG movie. I really liked the first half, but after the intermission I was ready to move on to other things...

So we read We Gather Together... Now Please Get Lost! by Diane deGroat. And we colored and cut out and played with Pilgrims and Indians!

Here's today's list of things I'm thankful for:

1. Bells
   
2. Tea Parties
   
3. Blowing Candles
   
4. Colored Fingernails
   
5. Pappa
   

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Day 4

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Today's calendar flap had a candle decoration under it (or a "fall centerpiece...", so that's what we made - a candle decoration!

First you paint three different sizes of toilet paper or paper towel rolls. We used red and yellow paint.
While you're waiting for that to dry, you put LOTS of glue ALL OVER a paper plate. It's not possible to put on too much, so don't worry...

Then you carefully place silk leaves and craft "dried grass" all over the gluey plate.

Then you add more glue! You position the three toilet paper rolls/candles on the plate, and you add the pine cones you collected yesterday.

You pick out some ribbon - I wanted RED! - and have Mommy tie a bow tie around the candles. As a finishing touch, you "light" the candles with tissue paper flame. Mommy wanted to use yellow, but I thought pink would be much better. So we compromised - one candle has yellow tissue, one has pink, and one has both!

And there's the finished candle decoration!

Here's the list of things I'm thankful for:

1. Coloring
2. Writing & drawing
   
3. Soccer ball
   
4. Water
   
5. Uncle Jaques and Auntie Erika and Gabriel
   

Now, what do YOU like? I've got my pen ready to write!

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.

Thanks: Day 3

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Yesterday my 30 Days of Thanks calendar had a BOOK picture under the flap. Sure enough, I got three new books!

Mommy says we need to start reading about Thanksgiving so I know the story behind it, so the first book we read was Arthur's Thanksgiving by Marc Brown. Mommy thought it might be a little old for me, but I didn't mind sitting through it and kept going back to the book in the afternoon to check out the pictures of EVERYBODY dressed as turkeys!

The other two books are VERY BEAUTIFUL books, but I'll get a chance to tell you about those in a couple of weeks when I get to share some extra copies with you! They were God is With Me Through the Day and God is With Me Through the Night by Julie Cantrell.

Then we went on a pine cone hunt - Mommy says we are going to make some decorations with pine cones. We walked up the hill behind our house, and saw lots of pine cones . . . but they were mostly in trees where we couldn't get to them!
We did find lots of other beautiful things - come with me and I'll show you! Check out this reed I found in my own yard!

And these rosehips! Who knew roses could be so pretty even without flowers?

The grapes in our yard. Mommy would really like you to come and take some. We've got a huge bucket in our house we've gotta do something with, 8 jars of juice on the shelves, and about a zillion jars more to go if we want to use up the grapes!

Three goats in our neighbor's yard. I wanted to pet them, but Mommy wouldn't let me. Talk about The Three Billy Goats Gruff coming to life! Did I tell you I LOVE that book?! We didn't see any trolls, though. Maybe cuz we didn't find any bridges.

Here's the list of things I told Mommy I'm thankful for. (Once again, I wrote down her list, but she's not able to read yet.)

1. Bandaids (to hold my chin together, but I DON'T like the BIG ones!)
2. Books
3. Carrots (to chew and spit out)
4. Scissors (to cut up important papers)
5. Billy goats
6. Oh - and thanks for all the sympathy about my chin!
   

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Mommy's Note: If you're interested in playing along with 30 Days of Thanks, check out other bloggers who are doing this:

• From the Heart of My "Haus" (You can link up here.)
• Beyond Just Mom
• Granola Mom 4 God
• Out of the Miry Clay
• Munchkin Farm
• With My Soul
  

Or register at 30 Days of Gratitude.org for gratitude ideas.