14 hours ago
Showing posts with label Thankfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thankfulness. Show all posts
The living room is sparkling with Christmas lights and candles, we have polished off the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers, and the temperature outside has plummeted. African peanut stew (this recipe) is on our menu tonight, but I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the season that has just passed before jumping fully into Christmas.
What We Did This Fall
Our fall weekdays were unusually busy, and our weekends were unusually quiet. We started fall fresh off a trip to Idaho. Our church friends recently moved there, and we went to visit them. I’ve never driven that far north before and was so fascinated by how different the forests were from home. The tree were taller, the needles were different, and even though it was quite dry the air felt more humid. We stayed on a lake, and my children learned how to kayak, and it was a wonderful way to end the summer
.On the way home from Idaho we made a detour to Glacier National Park. My husband has wanted to go there for years, but it was always too far out of the way, so this was our chance! It was a really interesting park to visit - very forested, very mountainous. If you are approaching from the west, you will drive through Kalispell, and Flathead Lake is absolutely huge and breathtaking in itself. Entering the park itself doesn’t feel very impressive at first, but you should definitely try to get a time slot for Going-To-The-Sun road, because it is absolutely worth the drive. The road winds through all these sharp mountains, up a mountain pass with gorgeous views, and beside two beautiful lakes. You can access some pretty cool hiking trails along the road too - we only had time for one, but it was to a waterfall.
Once we arrived home I was immediately thrown back into our homeschool co-op, and I am teaching the middle and high school history for the first time this year. We are learning ancient history, and I think it’s going pretty well. As I type this I am pushing down some anxiety in the back of my mind about the fact that I need to create the fall exam before the kids have to take it on Friday, but it will get done.'
My middle daughter turned ten this fall, and we always throw a friend birthday party for the kids when they turn ten. I chose the easy option and made it a harvest theme, which my daughter was perfectly happy with. We have cupcakes with leaf toppers, leaf scratch art, and beaded corn crafts from Hobby Lobby. I served chili, pickle chips, and pumpkin dip with apples, and we had a campfire with s’mores even though it was sprinkling rain.
We did take some time to go to our local corn maze this fall after skipping it last year, and it was worth the ridiculously high admission. We all came away with pumpkins from the patch, sore feet from walking all through the maze, and the contented type of tired from a fun day together. It was especially delightful for me to see how seriously my older kids took the maze this year.
October was a flurry of chopping wood for the winter and hunting seasons. My husband got a deer and my son got his first elk. Our freezer is pretty full and I am grateful.
We offered to host Thanksgiving for my husband’s parents this year. It was only my second time making a turkey, and my first time making the entire meal myself. I found the trickiest part was getting and keeping everything hot at the same time - the sweet potatoes could have used a little microwaving, but overall it was a success.
Here I am going to explain how I brined the turkey, because I forgot how I did it last time and I want to remember for next time. After defrosting the turkey, remove the neck and innards. Soak it in a solution of water and salt - about half a cup of salt to a gallon of water. Throw some thyme, rosemary, lemon, and cranberries in the brine too (I’m not sure the cranberries did much, but they made it look pretty). Let it soak overnight, up to 24 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rub the skin with butter, put a sliced apple and half an onion inside it. Fill the bottom of the turkey bag with carrots, celery, and onion to act as a rack, then put the turkey in. Seal the bag according to the package directions, cook for four hours at 350 degrees, and presto! Flavorful, not-dry turkey.
As we gathered around the table, the Christmas lights already twinkling in the background because we set up our tree the weekend before Thanksgiving, my middle son cheerfully suggested we should all say something we were thankful for. None of us could cover every gift we have received of course. My son chimed in with “I’m thankful for everything!” and that is the closest anyone could come to expressing everything that needs to be said, even if it might feel a little bit like cheating. Everything we have is a gift from God, and we are thankful.
Fall 2025 Favorites:
Beverage: Coffee, just plain coffee,
Meal: Chicken noodle soup, with Grandma noodles of course.
Show: All Creature Great And Small with the kids.
Movie: You’ve Got Mail, we watch it almost every fall and I love it every time.
Activity: Fall hikes in our mountains, and we took several this year.
Book I Read: The Vanishing At Castle Moreau by Jamie Jo Wright - delightfully creepy, but it all turned out alright.
Read-aloud: Anne Of The Island by L. M. Montgomery. We always start a new Anne book in the fall. I’m not sure if we’ll continue into the next books after Anne is all grown up, but we might. I find several of the situations in which Anne finds herself in this current volume are instructive for the teenage years.
Looking Forward To In December:
Family Gatherings: Particularly a “trail of lights” we do with my family every year, and seeing my grandmother in a couple weeks.
Christmas Crafts: I purchased clay snowmen to make, cups to paint, and ornament supplies.
Singing Hymns: I’ve been attempting to learn an old, but new-to-us, hymn with the kids each year. A couple years ago we did “Good Christian Men, Rejoice”, which I think every family should learn because it’s a very enthusiastic song for the younger crowd. Last year we learned “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”, which is more somber, but the lyrics really convey the gravity of what Jesus did in becoming a baby. This year we will learn “Gently Mary Laid Her Child”.
Christmas School: We will lighten up on some of our subjects and fill in the gaps with some more festive activities, or put a Christmas spin on some things. I’m still in the planning stages. This Christmas booklist will be used heavily with my little girls.
Sunday School Christmas Party: We still attend a good ol’ fashioned Sunday School, and we will be caroling at our Christmas party this year. I have very fond memories of caroling as a child. If you have never caroled, I hope you get the opportunity someday. The way the door slowly cracks open, and a look of suspicion turns to happy surprise (and sometimes even tears) is something to behold. I hope that some of those memories of giving unexpected joy to a stranger will be formed for my kids this year.
What was your favorite part of fall, and what are you looking forward to in December?
My husband looked at me last week and told me he thought I should seriously consider taking another week of summer before starting our homeschool year. He said he’s never seen me this stressed out going into a school year, and he thought I should take just one more week to do nothing, except whatever would feel inspiring or restful.
Of course I had objections…but then we will have to go another week into May! What if we struggle to get into a homeschool routine before our fall trip to visit friends in a couple weeks? What if we get behind?!
But there was a part of me that knows he knows me best out of anyone. So if he sees that I am a little unhinged right now, he’s probably right. I’d be wise to take his advice.
Instead of breaking out the schedule and books this morning, I slept in, finished reading a book I’ve had in progress for a while, and sat down to write something. You can thank my husband for the existence of this post.
On The Page {Anything I’ve Read}
I’ve been struggling to finish several books this summer, so first on my relaxation to-do list this week is reading those! I just completed this book about personal style, this book on Chernobyl, and I have plans to wrap up this book in the next day or two. For blogs, I’m enjoying old-school posts, and also one with encouragement for homeschooling high school and one warning homeschoolers about vouchers - all linked below.
They Won’t Ban Homeschooling - They’ll Control It Instead
A 2025 Pioneer Woman Writes In Her Diary About July
August’s Letters From The Hearth
I have also been working on having reading time with each of my kids individually, which is no small feat when there are five of them! The consistency is never as good as I want, but it’s a habit I will work on establishing. We’re reading The Hobbit, Little Women, The Swamp Robber, Winnie The Pooh, and The Complete Brambly Hedge.
In My Armchair {Projects I’m Working On}
So many of my personal projects have fallen by the wayside, as we have been running from one activity to another and somehow keeping the house decent and the kids fed in between. However, I did make these adorable beaded fish with my kids this month. They are double-sided, and so much more satisfying to hold than they look.
In The Kitchen {Things We’ve Made}
This has been the summer of me trying to keep my kitchen stocked with fresh fruit - some of which has gone bad because we tried to save it too long, but most of which has been gobbled up almost immediately.
I haven’t done a ton of baking, but my kids have. My daughter has started making chocolate chip cookies (hers are somehow better than mine, though we are using the same recipe). My son has perfected baked oatmeal, and has been preparing breakfast for his siblings every day this week. It’s such a blessing to eat something warm from the oven that I didn’t have to make myself!
I did, however, make pumpkin muffins with fresh-milled grains, and the bags are stored and waiting to be pulled out of the freezer on a busy morning. We also had a “shark week”, and shark cupcakes were in order.
On My Person {Things I’ve Worn}
My heart is starting to turn toward fall fashion, but it’s far too hot outside still. It’s good for me to look through my photos of outfits I enjoyed this summer, since I’ll probably be wearing them for a little while yet!
Despite the temperature, I can’t help eyeing my fall fashion inspiration board. I just finished reading Wear It Well, which talks about picking three words to describe and hone your style - I am analyzing the outfits I’ve pinned and mulling over what my three words should be.
In The Accounts {Money We’ve Saved}
After a July weekend trip, our car started having electrical problems. We took it to the dealership for diagnostic tests, thinking they would have more precise equipment to find the issue. A day later, they gave us a list of fixes that would cost more than we paid for the car! After a little bit of panic, we kept our heads, and took it back to our own mechanic. He replaced one wire, and we replaced the battery, and that seemed to fix the problem. So we “saved” several thousand dollars by not taking the dealership recommendations!
Other than that, I have been saving money by just…not buying things. Instead of doing fall clothes shopping, as I’m always tempted to do in the late summer, I pinned outfits I intend to recreate with my own clothes. I also took my girls window shopping so we could see what the styles are this year, but I didn’t buy anything and thought instead about how I could get the same vibe with clothes I already own.
Out My Window {Beauty I’ve Noticed}
Late summer is such a beautiful time in the mountains. I’m sitting on the porch typing this, and birds are singing all around and hummingbirds keep whizzing past my chair. The sun is shining on the grass, making it turn gold, and puffy clouds float past in a bright blue sky.
I’m especially noticing and appreciating how healthy and full our pine trees look. I’ve noticed alot of beetle kill popping up in surrounding neighborhoods, and I’m so anxious about the health of our trees. We will be keeping a close eye for signs of those nasty pine beetles, but right now our trees look glorious and I’m praying they stay that way.
Out And About {Places We Went}
Yellowstone - We did a camping trip near Yellowstone National Park over the 4th of July! It was a wonderful place to spend the 4th and make memories as a family. There is something special about waking up in a tent.
My grandparent’s cabin - We try to visit my grandparents each summer at their cabin, and it’s always so restful. We just play cards and enjoy their company.
Lots of swimming - The pools have finally closed, but we squeezed in so many swimming days this summer, I feel we really made the most of it!
State Fair - My boys qualified for the shooting competition at the State Fair, and my girls had projects that also qualified. We didn’t go to the actual fair, but we traveled for the competition.
On My Mind {Thoughts To Share}
I sat here for a few minutes trying to decide what to say here. This year has been a difficult one for us, in ways I don’t feel comfortable sharing, and has underscored for us how important the body of Christ is. Nothing we’ve been going through has been worthy of a meal train or more serious help, but we have found encouragement from other believers, in our extended family and our church family. The past few months have also affirmed to us how we ourselves are important in encouraging our local body of believers and building them up. This verse has been a theme this year:
“…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Colossians 2:2-3
Paul is expressing his hope for the church at Laodicea, but these verses have become a refrain for our relationships, both within our house and in our local church family. We want to be “knit together in love” with one another, as our hearts are encouraged in pursuing the wisdom and knowledge of Christ, together. That should be the theme of our attitudes and words toward others - love and encouragement to pursue the knowledge of Christ. So I’ve been mulling over how to do that better in the midst of a stressful season.
In My Heart {Things I’m Treasuring}
-Laughter coming from the playhouse, where my little girls claim they are taking a nap.
-A Joe Diffy song (think old-school country) playing on our record player while my big kids work on crafts.
-The way my flowers perk up after a little watering.
-Thunder in the distance, the promise of rain.
-Lighting a cinnamon candle my husband bought for me on a whim.
-Warm laundry straight out of the dryer.
-Trees swaying in the wind.
-The feeling of turning the last page of a satisfying book.
-My oldest quietly settling next to me on a porch chair, cup of tea and Bible in hand.
This year our first real snow - with three inches and snow left in patches on the ground after several days - happened in October. We've had several more snows so far, and spots of snow that don’t melt in the shade for over a month now.
That might be shocking if you live in warmer parts of the country, but October is actually pretty late for a first snow where I live. We have gotten a "first snow" in September before! Our snow season usually lasts somewhere from October to May, and things don't start to green up in the mountains until at least May.
After living here my whole life, you could say I'm used to long winters, and I have come to enjoy them. In recent years I have heard alot of people bemoaning the long winter season in my state, and I find it a little surprising especially when it comes from people who have grown up here as I have. It's good to adapt to where you live, to look at the weather and climate where you are right now and find the good things about it, instead of pining for one favorite season or other destinations. Learning to become content with the climate where you currently live is important for your general happiness, and necessary to keep a sense of gratitude in your heart. God made these seasons - there are special things about all of them, if we take a minute to look for them.
All that said, I thought I'd give a few of my tips for learning how to love the winter season.
1. Dress for the weather.
As someone somewhere once said, there is no bad weather, just bad clothes. Cold weather is going to seem worse than it is if you aren't dressed properly for it. That might mean investing in some good snow or sub-zero clothes for when you have to spend time outside, but it also might mean a trip to the department store for some interesting sweaters that make you excited to wear them. In my book, fall/winter clothes are some of the most fun when it comes to fashion! There is only so much you can do with shorts and shirts in the summer, but there are endless layering combinations and textures to explore in the fall and winter, not to mention all the gorgeous coat options, which you would never get to explore unless you lived somewhere cold.
"When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet."
Proverbs 31:21
2. Practice looking for the beauty that a true winter brings.
There are many parts of the country and world where they never have snow, and some people wish they would get a little snow, especially around Christmas time! Take a winter walk and look at the beautiful way the frost decorates the bare branches, or the way the ice looks on a river as it grows thicker. The colors of winter are so muted and calming when you look at them through the lens of a photographic or artistic eye - try to look at a landscape and identify all the different shades you can (deep blue, dove grey, ice blue, muted brown, lilac, blush pink).
3. Take up a winter hobby.
There are all kinds of cold-weather activities that likewise are not available in the same way in warmer climates - sledding, skiing, ice-skating, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, sleighing, snow forts and fights and snowmen. Why not appreciate the snow (instead of complaining about it), and branch out by trying one of these wintery activities?
“'For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV
4. Lean into winter food.
You can't convince me that a hot beef stew tastes as good anywhere else but in the deep of a cold winter season. There are so many wonderful soups and stews, breads and pies, that taste especially wonderful because they are contrasted with the sharp cold and howling winds of winter. Lean into it and add some cozy winter recipes to the rotation.
5. Make your house cozier.
Winter is so much more charming if you have a cozy home to enjoy it in. I wrote a whole post analyzing coziness here, but I think there are a few elements that will bring up the coziness of any space - warm lighting scattered through the room (lamps, candles, fireplace, etc), more textured pillows and blankets (that faux fur throw you spotted at the store? Buy it), and something that smells spicy or warm (scented candles, essential oils, hot cider mulling, bread in the oven).
“He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.”
Psalms 147:15-18 NKJV
6. Consider the textile arts.
With all those hours where you might rather be inside, winter seems the perfect time to learn how to make something tangible. Why not pick up a new skill, like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing? You can make some of those blankets or pillows with interesting textures yourself to add that coziness I just mentioned to your home. And is there a cozier picture for wintertime than sitting in a cozy room, wearing a cute sweater and socks, with something good-smelling coming from the kitchen, while knitting or embroidering a project, with your family gathered around? I think not.
7. Build relationships with friends and family.
Yes, you can and should build up your family and friendships all year long! But winter seems an especially nice time to practice hospitality, to those outside your home and within your home. Why not change up your habits a bit over the winter and make a weekly game night, or add in a new read-aloud routine with your kids all snuggled under blankets, or start singing some Christmas songs or hymns together on a regular basis? Why not invite over someone new to share your cozy home and wintery food together during those months that feel drab to some? Winter is a great time to be together.
"From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His bright clouds.
12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of the whole earth.
13 He causes it to come,
Whether for correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy."Job 37:9-13
What is your favorite part of the winter season? Do you have any tips for learning to enjoy the winter?
Last year I wrote a post the day before Thanksgiving about our favorite Thanksgiving books, and unfortunately it came a little late for most people to be able to use it. I've learned my lesson, and I'm taking some time to share four more Thanksgiving books you should prepare to check out from the library - but before you read this list, go check out my original list of Thanksgiving books, because that one is much longer and has all our most favorite books for the holiday!
One note about the books I pick: I have a huge pet peeve about Thanksgiving books making no mention of who we are giving thanks to. The pilgrims did not have a Thanksgiving feast to thank the Native Americans - they invited their Native Americans friends, but they were giving thanks to God. With the exceptions of just a few books on my list that are directed at more historical events (ex. Balloons Over Broadway) or celebration ideas (ex. How To Celebrate Thanksgiving from my other post) or stories about the meal itself (ex. An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving), all of these books point the theme of "thanksgiving" where it belongs - toward the Giver of all good things.
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story Of The Puppeteer Of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet - This is a book that is in high demand at our library for some reason, but we finally got it and truly enjoyed learning about the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and how a man named Tony invented the idea of ballon flats for the parade!
The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh - This is a longer chapter book that tells the story of how the pilgrims came to the New World and established the first Thanksgiving feast. I love how historically accurate this one was!
An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott (illustrated by James Bernardin) - This is a sweet story about three girls who must be left alone on Thanksgiving, and attempt to make the meal for the family themselves, with mixed results! (Note: I could not find this version to link it, but if you can track it down, I loved the illustrations by Bernardin in this version.)
Sarah Gives Thanks by Mike Allegra - This book is about the woman who petitioned a series of presidents to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, and finally succeeded with Abraham Lincoln. I like this book about her best, as the family prays together and thanks the Lord for providing even in the midst of hard times.
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Get those books requested now, because if your library system is anything like mine, you may or may not get them in time to read before Thanksgiving is here!
I have been getting the Home And Haven seasonal bundles this year, just to add a little fun to our homeschool, and one of the winter bundles included a "Thanksgiving" category. One of the worksheets had gratitude conversation starters, and I thought I would borrow a few of the questions and share my answers here, just for some pre-Thanksgiving fun!
What experience in the last year are you most grateful for?
I think the experience I'm most grateful for this year is our trip to the Ark Encounter. It is such an odd distance away, where it would be easier to fly, but flying would make the trip so much more expensive. But it is also far enough away that it feels on the verge of too far to drive. I don't think we would have made it there at all unless our good friends had been game to go with us, and thankfully they were. Traveling together is probably one of the truest tests of a friendship, isn't it? Traveling with these particular friends was a delightful experience and not difficult at all, and I am experienced enough in my life to realize how rare it is to find a friendship like that! I'm really grateful for a meaningful trip and friendship at it's best.
What is your favorite part about your home?
I think my favorite part about our home is our woodstove. I loved our wood stove so much at our last house, that I just had to have one here too. It's adds so much coziness to these colder days, and it makes me not mind the brown ugliness of November. At first I did NOT love the woodstove though, because every time we tried to light a fire in it, smoke would pour into our house. We finally got a specialist out to look at it, and he told us that the builder had installed the top part of the chimney incorrectly. Apparently the pipe of a chimney or stove has to be taller than the tallest point in your house, or the smoke will not go up and out. Something to do with air pressure and suction. Another reminder that building a house correctly is even more scientific than I sometimes realize.
What book are you grateful for?
Aside from the Bible, which is certainly a given, I'm grateful for Christmas At The Vinyl Cafe. My penpal, Felicia, sent me a copy for Christmas last year, and it was so delightful that I fully intend to read it again this year. It's a collection of humorous short stories surrounding the holidays, and it's one of those books that makes me laugh and cry. Sometimes you need something that makes you forget political divisions, that makes you appreciate the common human experience of modern holidays - good, bad, and ugly and glorious. It's a good book.
Who did something nice for you today?
This has been a particularly nice mail week - my sister-in-law sent us a really thoughtful package with cotton plants, which is cool for the kids to see because we do not have cotton plants here! It's interesting for them to see a crop specimen from another part of the country.
I also received an unexpected mystery package in the mail with a copy of Jotham's Journey, which is an advent book I was trying to get from the library to read with the kids this year. I found out it was from my Aunt! She read my mind, and I'm so excited to own a copy and to start it with the kids!
What is a smell you are grateful for?
I'm getting over a cold this week, and I weirdly lost my sense of smell, which almost never happens to me. I miss good smells! Right now I wish I could smell all the wreaths I've been seeing at the stores. Is there anything more Christmasy than the smell of a pine tree? I'm grateful they smell like that.
What memory always makes you smile?
I was thinking yesterday about a childhood tradition we had - every year we kids would go on a shopping day with my dad to find gifts for my mom. We'd start early and be gone all day. We'd always eat at Arby's for lunch, and we would always stop at Best Buy for a new Christmas CD to listen to while we were driving. After we had found all her gifts, we'd end the day with meeting my mom for a movie at the theater. We'd wrap all her presents together too, and my dad would label the gift tags with characters from Christmas movies. I so looked forward to that shopping day every year - it was special to go shopping with just dad.
I also decided to throw in a little Thanksgiving this or that, just for fun - I got the prompts from this article. I looked through a few this or that graphics on image search too, but I found alot of the questions ridiculous. Thanksgiving parade or dog show? I didn't even know dog shows on Thanksgiving were a thing. Turkey or tofurkey? Really? Who in their right mind would choose the latter if they weren't vegetarian/vegan? Honestly.
Anyway, here we go!
Host or attend? I usually love the idea of hosting Thanksgiving, but this year especially I am overwhelmed by the idea of it. It's been a really weird November, and I'm just mentally drained. So attending wins this year.
Turkey or ham? I think I'm going to have to go with turkey. Hams are more of an Easter thing for me.
Travel or stay home? I don't believe I've ever actually traveled for Thanksgiving, not more than a couple hours anyway. I have to pick stay home, because it's really been my only experience of the holiday!
Stuffing or potatoes? Potatoes! Confession: I've never actually liked stuffing. I don't know why I don't.
Large gathering or just a couple of loved ones? Large gatherings are always fun!
Dress up or comfy clothes? I actually like dressing up for Thanksgiving. I don't get that many chances to wear nice clothes, so I take my opportunities where I can get them. However, about an hour after dinner and halfway into my second piece of pie, stretchy pants are nice.
Pumpkin or apple pie? Pumpkin pie all the way, because it's so iconic for Thanksgiving. Apple pies are appropriate any time of year, but you only get pumpkin around the holidays.
In case I don't post again this week - Happy Thanksgiving, friends! I hope you can see the goodness of God to you more clearly than ever this year, and spend some time thanking the Giver of all good gifts.
This year I’ve really been leaning into the Thanksgiving holiday with the kids - mainly with our Thanksgiving tree, gratitude journals, and lots of picture books! We have read so many Thanksgiving picture books so far this year, probably three times as many as I’m including in this post. The ones here are my favorites for the Thanksgiving season. I know it’s a little late to get these from the library now, so maybe just bookmark these for next year!
Just For Thanksgiving Fun
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing - This is a play off of the classic Christmas poem, and I thought it was so cute, especially with the sweet illutrations.
How To Celebrate Thanksgiving by P. K. Hallinan - This is a picture book, in rhyme, that celebrates all the fun of Thanksgiving Day (including eating so much you feel like you might burst). Cute illustrations, fun poem.
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin - This is the first time I've read this one, and the quirky story of Grandma's special cranberry bread recipe and how it's nearly stoled made me laugh.
Thanksgiving In The Woods by Phyllis Allsdurf - This book is based off of a family who celebrates Thaksgiving each year by having dinner in the woods - this is one of those times where the illustrations really make the whole book. This book is so pretty.
A Turkey For Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting - A fun story about Mr. Moose tracking down Turkey for Thanksgiving. My kids where laughing at this one!
Franklin's Thanksgiving by Paulette Bourgeois - My kids love watching Franklin, and this book had the typical mild dilemma that the show often features - Franklin invites too many people to Thanksgiving. It was cute!
Over The River And Through The Wood by Matt Tavares - I'm sure you recognize the first lines to this poem - somehow I never realized it was about Thanksgiving!
Historic Thanksgiving Tie-Ins
Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Blessings by Mike Berenstain - This obviously isn't serious history, but on the way over to Grandma's House For Thanksgiving Dinner, Papa Bear tells about the Pilgrim bears that came seeking religious freedom.
Squanto And The Miracle Of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxes - This is a Thanksgiving classic for us, telling the story of Squanto's life and how God used him to help the pilgrims survive.
This Is The Feast by Diane Z. Shore - Another one where the illustrations really shine, telling a little history about the first Thanksgiving.
Meaningful Thanksgiving Books
Sharing The Bread: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zeitlow Miller - This book features a poem with a fun beat to it, all about working together to make Thanksgiving dinner.
A Thanksgiving Turkey by Julian Scheer - This book was slow going at first, but the ending just got me. One of those times when I feel silly tearing up a little as I read to the kids. I think I resonated from this one especially coming from a hunting family.
Thank You For Thanksgiving by Dandi Daley Mackall - It's the classic problem - everyone is going around saying what they are thankful for, and someone else says what you were going to say! I really liked how this one pointed back to being thankful for our Savior too.
Thanksgiving Graces by Mark Kimball Moulton - As Grandma invites more and more people to dinner, the narrator wonders if there will be enough - Grandma talks briefly about the parable of the fishes and reminds her grandson that they can stretch the food to include others. A sweet story about hospitality at Thanksgiving.
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli - A sweet "gratitude list" type of book, but I especially liked this one.
Give Thanks To The Lord by Karma Wilson - Another beautiful Thanksgiving book, this one taking inspiration from Psalm 92.
One Chapter Book
Rush Revere And The Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh - This is our favorite Thanksgiving historical fiction book - all about the journey of the pilgrims from Holland to the New World, including good history about the first Thanksgiving. It's so imaginative and fun with the time-traveling horse, Liberty! We like it on audio, but the actual book has some wonderful art pieces and fun illustrations too.
That's all I have for now, though I may add a few more titles if we read any other noteworthy ones this week!
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Update: I did add four other books to this list of our favorite books for the Thanksgiving holiday - you can read those here!
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