Thankful, yet again

I have said before that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.

Time to say Thank You to the One who blesses us.

When I was growing up, we would often receive packages from the States from our grandparents or other people and my mother was quite firm that we always wrote thank you notes.  When my children were little, I made sure that my children also always sent thank you cards whenever they received a gift.

I can remember grandma saying that if she sent a gift and the grandchild did not respond, she did not know if the children got the gift in the mail, or maybe they didn't really care.  She said she felt like not even sending a gift any more if they didn't appreciate it enough to send a thank you.

I think God likes to hear our "thank You's" too!

Thank You for the gift of music!

(isn't it funny how no one wants to sit on the front row at church?)

Thank you for fun family times!

My grandchildren are thankful for Nana's new phone so they can play games!

Thank You for healthy bodies! 

For fun bath times!

Thank You for the puppy store!

Thank You for Aunt Mindy who plays "house" or "Italian Noodles" restaurant with the grandkids.

Thankful for fun game times.

You have blessed us beyond measure, God.  May I have a grateful heart always.

In everything give thanks 
             for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 
                                                                 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving this year is not the traditional Norman Rockwell one.

Growing up, my mother would always put the whole turkey on the table.

Dad would carve it.

It is tradition and Allen and I continued that tradition.

Here is the turkey my mother made for us another year.  

She always decorates it so nice!

This year is a little different.  

With Mom's fall, it was going to be too much to do the turkey.

  And Mindy was working on Thanksgiving Day.  

So on Thanksgiving Day Mom invited us to the Home for a cafeteria-style meal.  

As we walked the halls of the Home, a comment was made that this would be a great place to find names for new babies.  The old names seem to be coming in vogue, don't they?  How about....

Floyd

Ernst

Ada

Herman

Opal

Griselda

Novalis

Elva

Violet

Dooz

Orville

We will be celebrating our family Thanksgiving Day on Saturday.  

We decided not to do the traditional turkey/mashed potato.  

We are going to do bbq meatballs instead.  But we WILL do pies!!  

Apple, pumpkin and pecan!

Thankful

We had our extended family Thanksgiving last Saturday.

 

Really??

Playing Thanksgiving Bingo

 Sid won the first game - his prize was Snickers

Thank You, Lord, for the blessing of family!

Grandparents' Day

We got an invite to the grandchildren's school for 

Grandparent's Day!

Adam's mother and I drove together to the little town up north.

We visited Hannah's 3rd grade class first.

 Each child took turns introducing their grandparent and said something special they did with them.  Hannah said she likes to go to Chucky Cheese with Gramsie.

When she introduced me (she calls me Nana), she said she likes to go shopping with me.

Then we were also to say something special about our grandchild.  Gramsie said how creative Hannah is and enjoys crafts.  I mentioned how we like to take walks and that Hannah takes good photographs.  I even use some of her photography in my blog!

 Each grandparent also was to tell a little bit about their school days and how it was different than today.  Things like the girls had to wear dresses, or had to walk 2 miles to school (up hill and back in the snow, right?).  I mentioned how I rode the train to school, 3 hours one way, so that I had to stay in a dormitory during the week.

After visiting Hannah's class, we went to Sophia's kindergarten.

 The children showed us their classroom and some of their work.

They sang some songs for us.  Very cute!!

As we left, Hannah and Sophia showed us some of their art work in the hallway.

And of course, any good grandparent takes their grandchildren out for a little treat after any program!!

******

Psalms 103:17  “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—”

"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies." – Rudolph Giuliani 

"Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children." – Alex Haley