Fall Fun

Now that we FINALLY have snow (I've been waiting) I thought I'd post some fun pictures of us raking leaves last week. The girls had never done it before and they had lots of fun. I downloaded a new app on my computer to edit photos so that's why they all look different. I'm trying to figure out what I like best:

 One of my favorites:

Another fun thing we've been up to is story time at the library. We go just about every week and I really love it. It's a good way to get out of the house and it hopefully reinforces the love of reading I'm trying to instill in my children. A few weeks back, there was a special story time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. If you aren't familiar with Mo Willems children's books, then I highly recommend you do so. They are hilarious. At the party, they read the book, colored, made pigeon puppets, had live pigeons, and then frosted cookies to look like the pigeon. It was lots of fun and I just really appreciate programs like this. So much fun!

What have you been up to with this awesome long lasting fall weather?!

Gratitude Tree

I'm really trying to embrace each season around here. I'm loving the fall weather and how long it's lasted, although it's supposed to snow today. I wanted to do something fun this month to keep our minds focused on Thanksgiving. (rather than just looking forward to Christmas) Usually on Thanksgiving we go around the table and say things we're grateful for, or something like that. This year I decided to take it a bit further. I got some books from the library about Thanksgiving and I've been teaching the girls about the pilgrims and Wampanoags and the fact that they were giving thanks for their harvest. We had the missionaries over for dinner and had them stay to give us a thought for Family Home Evening about gratitude.

Then we introduced our gratitude tree. We all got leaves and we write (or draw) something we're grateful for then add it to our tree.

 Whitney is grateful for Thanksgiving:

 I have a pile of blank leaves so anytime throughout the month we think of something we're grateful for, we can add it to our tree. Hopefully it will be a good reminder and make us focus on the wonderful things we already have.

The girls are probably more excited about putting the leaves on the trees than thinking about what they're grateful for, but they'll grasp the concept eventually.

 Here was our tree last night, We're hoping for a very full tree by Thanksgiving!

Alma34:38 That ye ^acontend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the ^bname of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and ^cworship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in^dthanksgiving daily, for the many ^emercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.


Do you have any fun thankful traditions you do each November?