This year, we were so hankering to put up Christmas but I am a stickler about the day after Thanksgiving. We always do something to show our gratitude and think of our blessings during and this year we got the idea to make a gratitude tree. We pulled out our Christmas tree and the kids decorated it with fall things and colors, and then we made a paper chain and each day, we'd all get a slip of paper and write what we were thankful for on it.
The kids did some fun things in school from essays about what they're grateful for, to describing why they shouldn't eat turkey this year, learning about the pilgrims, and Cov got to do a homemade ship STEM activity where they had to make little ships from stuff around the class and they'd see how many quarters they could hold before they started sinking. Cov's won and his held a surprising number of quarters!
We also did some sidewalk chalk that was Thanksgiving themed. And we got some new Thanksgiving decorations. Always grateful for a home to have and enjoy and decorate, too.
The prophet gave a challenge to us all to turn our social media into a gratitude journal for a week before Thanksgiving, say a prayer of thanks to God, and improve our relationships with Jesus Christ. It was such a great experience to be a part of! I loved getting on Facebook or Instagram to see what everyone posted, such a different feeling than the usual political posts and rants we've been having lately. So positive and uplifting to see everyone focus on their blessings instead of how they wished things would've been differently. Here's what I came up with, and then Dave's posts are listed next. It was hard to just pick 7!
I am grateful for gratitude! Sounds redundant but it was the first thing that came to mind and has helped me so much during this doozy of a year. Starting January 1st, I made it a goal to write down 3 things each day I am grateful for. It has become a blessing in itself during this time and has helped me to recognize the big and little things God has blessed me with and to stay more positive. During November, we always do something as a family to express our gratitude and this year, we put together a thankful tree. Each day we write something we are thankful for and have made a paper chain and that has become our garland. Love seeing what my family comes up with each day. "Gratitude is the parent of all virtues." -Cicero #givethanks
I am so thankful for my Savior, for He has created all and given His all for us. (Art by Greg Olson). #givethanks
I am thankful today for the trials and hard days. Most of my pics on social media are of happy, care free, fun days. But we all have hard times and challenges we aren't always wanting to share publicly. Life isn't easy, but out of the ashes comes the beauty. This life is jumping into the Refiner's fire and as I've looked back on my life and experiences, these hard times are what are shaping me into who I want to be someday. "Every day might not be good but there is something good about every day." #givethanks
Sunrise, sunset. In both the Montana big sky way and the Fiddler on the Roof sense of the term. #givethanks
This guy! Can't imagine life without him! I could go on all day about Mr. Amazing, but today I am grateful for his dedication and love to me and the Lord and our family. #givethanks
Ryerse 5...I am so grateful for each of them with all my heart! Truly, some of my greatest blessings call me Mom. #givethanks
The most important things in life aren't things...they're people! The greatest blessings in my life are the people around me! I am beyond grateful for my goodly parents, great siblings, my fun in-laws, my amazing grandparents, my supportive aunts, uncles, and cousins and my ancestors, and good friends I've had throughout my life and wherever we've been who have been an influence in my life for good. I wasn't able to get a picture of you all in here but I am thankful for you..yes, you reading this!! You have touched my life and for that I'm thankful! #givethanks
#givethanks I'm so grateful for faith, hope, and charity.
#givethanks I'm grateful for the sabbath day and the sacrament.
#givethanks Grateful for the food and water we have. Thankful for modern conveniences.
Primary kids (and the rest of us because that is what happens in a small branch) got to do a service project and put together bags with goodies and fun things and cards they made for the nursing home residents, as none can come or go right now with Covid. They really enjoyed this activity.
Before Thanksgiving, I went to the school for the kindness campaign. I took some candy like usual and stickers the kids love putting all over water bottles and notebooks and such. Before they chose something, I asked them to share something they were grateful for with me. They came up with the usual friends and family, lots said pets, some said school or other sweet things. I thought it was sweet to hear what they had to share.
We made the tough choice to stay home, as Covid cases were getting pretty bad here and in Utah. Some of our family even got quarantined after we decided not to come, but luckily all tested negative. Thanksgiving day was such a different Thanksgiving but we loved it! We slept in and watched the parade while eating breakfast. We had fun dancing along with Rockettes, looking for our favorite characters, and taking skewed pictures of the people on screen. We did some biking outside and did some sidewalk chalk the day before, the weather was nice! We decided to go out to eat so we didn't have as much to do went out to lunner (in between lunch and dinner) at the Montana Club. On the way there we read some Thanksgiving books. Thankful for those first pilgrims and for the First Nation who were there to help them. It was nice eating out and not having all the prep work, cooking, cleaning and dishes. They had the traditional Thanksgiving fare, and some of the kids chose steak or burgers instead. Because of Covid restrictions, they wouldn't let more than 6 at one table, so we had to split us up, haha! But we were right next to each other so that was fine. It was good food! Then we went on a drive. When we got back, we played backyard football, volleyball and jumped on the tramp. Then we did video chats and virtual games with the family. We played gratitude Scattergories and Dave got pretty into it, stretching his answers a bit. After that, it was time for pie, we had a pumpkin pie, mixed berry pie, and pumpkin cheesecake. Next we watched a movie, Misfits of Science. During the Thanksgiving break, we watched "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" and it was a great one to watch to help us remember how blessed we are and how we can use our talents to bless others. Finally, we counted our blessings again, adding our last few items to our gratitude tree. Let us all remember to #givethanks every day! It can change our hearts and mind, being grateful can change the world.
