Thanksgiving Stories
The books we will be reading during these next couple weeks include:
Cranberry ThanksgivingI wished we owned this book, but thankfully it is still available at our local library. You can find a great lap book to go along with it over at In the Heart of My Home!
Update: Hardcover Edition, Republished in 2012 and added to our collection!
An Old-Fashioned ThanksgivingWhen I was browsing through Honey for a Child’s Heart, I noticed this book. Being written by Louisa May Alcott, I was surprised I had never read it before! The description reads, “The seven rambunctious Bassett children decide to cook their own Thanksgiving dinner after their parents leave to tend a sick grandmother. Minor catastrophes and understandable chaos add to the charm of this rediscovered family classic. It is sentimental and perfect for the holidays.” I can’t wait to read it!!!
A Pioneer Thanksgiving: A Story of Harvest Celebrations in 1841“A weaving together of stories, information, and activities to create a tapestry of pioneer life. Wonderful illustrations, great family book.” (Honey for a Child’s Heart)
. . . If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620“What kind of ship was the Mayflower? How did the Pilgrims feel when they saw land? What was the first building in Plymouth? In lively question-and-answer style, this fact-filled book answers all sorts of questions about the Pilgrims’ journey on the Mayflower and their first year in America.” (Amazon)
The Thanksgiving StoryThis is one of our favorites… which just might have something to do with the fact that it was one of my favorites as a child! 😉
“Giles, Constance and Damaris Hopkins are aboard the Mayflower, overcrowded when the Speedwell turns back to England. On the journey, the children’s baby brother is born and named Oceanus; he will be one of the smallest in the company of settlers who endure the terrible first year in the New World and gather to celebrate the harvest the next November. The story ends with the great feast to which the colonists invited the Indian chief Massasoit, Squanto and their people who had helped the strangers survive hunger, cold and sickness.” (Amazon)
A Thanksgiving Turkey“Gorgeous illustrations in a story about a boy and his grandfather who hope to shoot a wild turkey in the woods, and then deliberately miss the shot. A wonderfully tender story about youth and old age.” (Honey for a Child’s Heart)
And especially for my littlest ones:
One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims
and
This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Book
If you have a moment, I would love to hear about any of your favorite Thanksgiving books! Maybe our library will have them, and we can check them out too!
I ♥ Games
Since I am just so competitive, when I saw the following quiz over at Regina’s, I had to see what my results would be…
| You Are Chinese Checkers |
 You live a hyper, fast paced life. You rarely ever slow down. You are good at juggling many things at once. You are the ultimate multi-tasker. You enjoy being in a group – in fact the bigger the group, the better. You are an enthusiastic competitor, and you can be a little ruthless when you play games. |
Hum… Interesting… Am I really ruthless??? Don’t answer that!
UPDATE: After reading Regina’s comment, I decided to revisit the test. Earlier today, when I took the test, there were a couple questions that I had a hard time answering. My answers tonight made me Boggle:
| You Are Boggle |
 You are an incredibly creative and resourceful person. You’re able to dig deep and think outside the box to get things done. You are a non linear thinker. You don’t like following directions You draw your inspiration from the strangest places sometimes. You’re constantly inspired. |
Maybe I fall somewhere in between the two?
I’d love to hear what board game YOU are! 🙂
My Daybook ~ Nov 14th
FOR TODAY: November 14th, 2008
Outside my Window… the sun has finally come out after a long week of rain. It is just beautiful outside!
From the school room… We’ve just been working on the basics. I am really, really looking forward to being able to do more once again. Maybe we will start by making a Thanksgiving Lapbook, or possibly another Tree of Thanksgiving.
I am thankful… for all the wonderful friends I have made through blogging! I was surprised that so many of you noticed that I hadn’t been posting this week. Thank you so much for your kind emails and prayers. I had a relapse of my cold/cough (with horrible coughing attacks that didn’t help my nauseousness) last Friday and spent most of the weekend on the couch or in bed. I just couldn’t seem to get better, so yesterday I finally headed to see my doctor and, with the help if some medications, I am finally starting to feel better.
From the kitchen…it’s nice and clean, but only because my dear hubby has been keeping up with it.
I am creating… a baby, and wondering whether it will be a girl or a boy.
I am going… to a seminar that one of my sisters is putting on tomorrow and I am really looking forward to it! I am also going to put cough drops to my purse now, so I don’t forget them! 😉
I am wearing… some of my maternity clothes, ALREADY!?! Even though I haven’t gained any weight yet, my body seems to be changing shape, and my maternity skirts are so much more comfortable.
I am reading… the November/December issue of Faith and Family
I am hoping… to update the look of my blog sometime soon, though I am not sure if I will find the time. There are so many awesome templates available now, but I made so many modifications to my own template that I would lose so much if I use one of them… I am not sure what to do. In the meantime, I added another background, though I am not sure if I like it or not…
I am hearing… Simonetta playing on my stereo.
Around the house… There is currently a fire in the woodstove warming up our chilly home, a sleeping baby in his crib, and four other children looking through books in the living room. Oh! And tons of laundry waiting to be done, as usual. 😉
One of my favorite things…is visits from out of town family and friends. One of my younger sisters and her family are flying out next week and we haven’t seen them in 2 1/2 years. I can’t wait!!
I was able to finally get a hair cut, for the first time in almost a year! It was time! The tutor came twice, which was great after a two week break due to sick kids. We had a small celebration for Michaelmas. We didn’t get to everything I hoped since I was sick, but it was still very nice. I’ve been watching my kids for signs of chickenpox since I found out that we were exposed 2 weeks ago. I slept A LOT! I haven’t taken this many naps in ages!
Picture thoughts I am sharing:
a simply wonderful weekend!
Video Highlights: Mass for the Holy Souls
Little Flowers Girls’ Club ~ November Meeting
With Thanksgiving later this month, I decided to hold our November Little Flowers’ meeting at the beginning of the month, and so we had it last night! With the recent time change, it was dark before we even left home, and I noticed that the girls were much more mellow than last month. Even though it was late, I think they all still had a great time, just the same!
As the girls arrived, I had them all start right in on their coloring. Since, the girls all have their member’s guides now (and since I couldn’t find an extra picture of St. Agnes), I decided to print out Waltzing Matilda’s beautiful St. Therese coloring page for them to add to their notebooks.
Chiquita cracks me up, her St. Therese is on the bottom right??
Once all the girls arrived, we started the meeting with a few prayers, a review of last months virtue and saint. Beads went into the jar for all the completed assignments. Then I introduced the virtue we will be working on this month, Love of God, and read a biography of the saint for this month, St. Agnes.
The girls learned that the name Agnes means Lamb, and we also discussed how Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” and how “Holy Mass is, indeed, the love of Jesus on the altar.”
To further discuss Love of God, I used the Chapter 11, Lesson 34 (On Virtue) in Chat’s With God’s Little Ones. I love this book since it guides the teacher through a discussion with the child asking them questions. Here is a little except from that section (after we talked about sin and how to avoid sin):
Do you think that the best way to keep from doing sins is to do everything for the love of Jesus? (yes). Can you think of some things that you can do for love of Jesus? (play, pray, work, study). Is Jesus always with you when you do these things? (yes). Would it be good to often remind ourselves that Jesus is with us? (yes). Do you think Jesus likes it if we say many times, “I love You”? (yes). Do you think He likes it if we say, “I am doing this for love of Thee”? (yes). If we do everything for love of Jesus, do you think that we will try to do what pleases Him? (yes).
This month’s flower was the peony and so we discussed how we can see the beauty of God’s creation in flowers. The girls (and I!) learned from one of the other moms that peony’s are HUGE flowers and they can remind us just HOW MUCH God loves us!
We then moved on to the craft, another page for our notebooks. I printed out an image of St. Agnes, and typed up a few quotes for the girls to use, including the invocation to St. Agnes, the memory verse of the month, another quote out of the Catholic Girl’s Guide. They also got a sheet of purple card stock, some pink construction paper, white and pink hearts, and a Martha Stewart flower “peony” embellishment (they are actually gardenia stickers, but they similar enough! sshhhh!)
They all did such a great job!
Amy was in charge of snacks this month, and I was so excited that she was willing to bring Lamb (of God) Cupcakes.
The girls each got a frosted cupcake, and got to decorate it with the marshmallows and chocolate chips themselves.
They LOVED it!
Two of the girls just got home from a trip to France and Germany! They were able to visit Lourdes, as well as see the incorrupt body of St. Catherine of Laboure at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in France! They brought back, and passed out, Miraculous Medals from the shrine to each of the girls!!! We will have to have them tell us more about this visit, when we study St. Catherine in March!
I passed out an extra credit activity that I found online, Four Ways I can Grown in God’s Love, that the girls could do at home this month and earn bonus beads to add to the jar. (When the jar is full the girls earn a surprise!)
Here is the group photo. Four of the girls were unable to come this month, and were missed. I’m looking forward to seeing you all next month! 🙂
Saint Therese, the Little Flower, pray for us!
Decorating Sugar Skulls
I mentioned in my post Fasting and Feasting for All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day that “I had also hoped to make Sugar-Candy Skulls this year, but unfortunately I never got around to ordering the supplies.”
Well, I was so surprised when a box arrived in the mail, just a few days later, filled with ready made Sugar Skulls and all the supplies we would need to decorate them! They were sent from Mary at Our Domestic Church, who I have so enjoyed getting to know through blogging.
THANK YOU MARY!
Rascal made the one with the orange feather and told me that he was a Viking. “That’s why he has a helmet on.”
Didn’t they turn out cute?! It’s pretty easy to tell which ones the girls made, and which one the boys made… The girls all added earrings to theirs! 🙂
The Simple Woman’s Daybook ~ Nov 5th
Outside my Window… it is raining like crazy. I can see 7 deer bedded down, trying to stay dry. Every once in awhile they stand up and shake off the rain.
I am thinking… about the sermon I listened to this morning and trying really hard not to be fearful, and to thank God for the crosses he sends our way.
I am thankful… that at least, in the states of Arizona, Florida and California, voters voted to support traditional marriage. Thanks be to God!
From the school room… we actually have been schooling in the living room this week since it is warmer near the fireplace. Lots of reading, but very little crafts. Though I do have one craft we did for the Feast of All Souls to share… Maybe later tonight!
From the kitchen… I have tri-tip marinating (in our favorite marinade of Red Wine, Soy Sauce and Garlic). Hubby will throw it on the grill as soon as he gets home and I will serve it with Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes, Steamed Carrots and Broccoli. I am also thinking about throwing together another Apple Crisp.
I am creating… plans for tomorrow night’s Little Flowers meeting, or at least, I should be!
I am going… to go start dinner in just a couple minutes. 🙂
I am wearing… warm clothes. It has been really cold!
I am reading… my first issue of Mater et Magistra. It just arrived today!
I am hoping… like Regina, that “he [Barack Obama] doesn’t do to our country what I think he will.”
I am hearing… the children playing together in their rooms. From the sounds of it, there is a war going on: Playmobil Knights versus My Little Pony and Kelly Dolls.
Around the house… I am loving my new washer and dryer that I broke down and purchased last week, when my washing machine gave out once and for all. Why does that always happen when hubby is out of town? Anyhow, the new one was delivered last Saturday, and I am almost caught back up on the laundry!
One of my favorite things… is how excited my children get each year to dress up as saints and head to our All Saints’ Party!
Well the week is half over. I did have to cancel the tutor again this week, since I am sick (I somehow caught a cold). We had more firewood delivered today, and tomorrow the girls and I have Little Flowers. Since the past couple weeks were so busy, it has been nice to slow down, at least a little bit, this week.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing:
To see more Daybook entry’s, click here.
Just what I needed to hear this morning…
**It’s about 18 minutes long, but please listen to it if you can.
A Mass at the Cemetery
Video Stills courtesy of Marc
It was such a beautiful Mass! This was our 3rd annual All Souls Mass at a local cemetery since the Catholic section was “rediscovered” and unburied from the brush and blackberry bushes. Our boys have had the honor of being able to serve at the altar each year. And even though the weather is always bad, by the grace of God, the rain stops just long enough for Mass!
I only took a couple pictures myself which, it appears, was caught on film! I may still post one of two of my favorites, but I was so excited that Marc so graciously agreed to email a me a few video stills to share with you all. Wahoo! Thanks Marc, they’re awesome!
I Am My Brother’s Keeper
Here is another awesome video made by a friend of ours. It is only a minute long, so please watch it!
This one, Spread the Wealth, is longer, but also very worth taking the time to watch:
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