Thanksgiving Bunting Fabric Banner

Continuing on with the monthly bunting fabric banner tradition, here is my Thanksgiving bunting for November.  I love the rich colors and the generous dose of vintage pom-poms.  I'm laughing at this picture because it was freezing cold outside so I ran out and took a few quick shots.  This was the only one that went but you get the idea.  Happy that it's been up since Novemeber 2nd!

Here is my October Halloween banner , September Fall banner and August Summer Banner .

Today, I'm thankful for a good friend that got me caught up in the monthly banner fever.  Even if I didn't think that I wanted to bother with so many banners, it's sure has been fun!  She finds some great fabrics and I can't wait to see the next one.

Sometimes You Don't Realize It

Somedays, you don't realize all the little things that you are thankful for.  Today was one of those days.  I have a whole list of little thanks today.

• I'm thankful that my littlest guy has learned numbers well enough to call his Gram's home.  
• And he thinks it's super awesome to call her.  A lot.
• I love hearing him giggle and giggle because he thinks he is sooo hilarious.
• And I think it's hilarious that he puts it on speaker phone and lounges by me so I can hear his conversation. 
• I also find it funny that Gram and Gramps think that I don't know he is calling them. 
• I love that he will declare the day a Grandma day and Gram always agrees.  
• I'm thankful for Grandparents.  Fantastic, spoiling grandparents. 
• I love hearing about his Grandma days even though I really miss him during the day.  (What am I going to do when he goes to school next year?)
• And I love that he wears the top of him monkey costume as a jacket.
• I'm thankful for my husband.  
• And the fact that he just bought himself some microwave pizzas but shared them with the kids so I didn't have to make dinner. 
• And that he can always make a witty little comment on just about anything including said microwave pizzas.
• I'm thankful it's almost bedtime. 
• I'm thankful for prayer.
• And that there is a new episode of "Once Upon A Time" on Hulu.
• I'm thankful for my daughter and other son too, but that will have to wait until tommorrow because this list is long and I've got to get these kids to bed and watch my show! 

More Christmas Advent Calendar Ideas

I thought I would do a little more hunting for some more advent ideas.  

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I love the display of this one.  This tutorial has some great ideas for daily activities. 

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The Christ book.  I think that this would make a nice gift too.

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My kids would love this gum advent!  Be sure to check out the tutorial on this one.  It would make some fun little Christmas gifts for my kids friends too. 

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This flip book would be a great space saver.  I love the design of it.  

Today, as silly as it seems, I'm thankful for Pinterest.  It's the quickest place to find a lot of great (p)inspiration!

Christmas Advent Calendar Ideas

As much as I don't like to admit it, it's that time of year to start thinking about making an advent calendar.  This year, I'm digging:

Pottery Barn inspired ornament countdown.  This is the one that I'm hoping to recreate this year.

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Little presents all displayed sweetly in a box.

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Unwrapping and reading a Christmas book each night.  I've been collecting vintage Golden Books Christmas books all year.  I don't have enough for every night yet.  I hope to find a few more to finish up the books.  I also want to add a scripture to each night.  Here is a great source for a list of scriptures and questions to ask.

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Simple bags that have a little ornament you move along each day. 

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Love the little gnome and the red and linen color scheme of this one.

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A simple DIY envelope display that you can list some Christmas activties in. 

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Prettied up paper cones strung on holiday lights. 

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So many ideas and not enough time or space!  I hope to chose a new one to make this year to add to the book tradition that I've been working towards.  I do have to admit that I'm thankful for the cheap chocolate countdowns that you can buy at the grocery store.  My kids LOVE these!  

So, what about you?  Do you like advents?  Any new ideas?  Check out my advent idea list from 2010 here.

This Time Four Years Ago...

I was looking through my posts of Novemeber 2007 when I found this picture of my littles.  I can't believe how big they are now!

It makes me laugh how fat my baby was!  He's now the age of my daughter in this picture.  If you look carefully, you can tell that he just spilled a full sippy cup down his shirt because I failed to put the stopper in properly.

His funny little squinty face and his fat rubber band wrists! 

He still looks so much like this.  Just an older version with the same loud enthusiam.

And little missy is still as sassy if not more!  Her little baby face kills me.

My oh my how they grow up too fast! Obviously, I'm thankful for my little ones but I'm also thankful for my good friends that took the time to take their pictures for me just because.  What are you thankful for today?

Thankful for Music

I just remembered tonight that I'm doing a thankfest!  Is it silly that I forget so fast and easily?  You may not know, but I play the flute.  I've been playing every since Vanessa Constance talked me into joining band with her in 7th grade.  I joined the dozens of other flute players and just went with the flow.  By 9th grade, I was really serious about it so my Mom signed me up for flute lessons with a teacher that made me love it even more.  She was extremely talented, but not pompous.  One of the groups she played for was Kairo by Night and I thought it was so cool.  I would still love to learn that genre.   I practiced hard and was looking forward to playing in an elite band that I auditioned for at Skyline High school when everything changed.  My parents decided to move just two weeks before school was supposed to start.  Growing up in a big city and then moving to a small town was kind of a shock!  Thankfully my involvement with music brought me many new friends and opportunities.

Today, I'm thankful for my ability to play the flute.  I'm thankful to belong to a  wonderful, local flute choir, Flautissimo (even though I have a love/hate relationship with it come early Saturday morning rehearsals).  I'm thankful to have the excuse to play (even though it is Christmas music we are rehearsing right now) and thankful that it will always be there for me even though I don't take the time out to practice.  (Go ahead and have a little giggle over our group picture.  We don't enjoying taking them that often.)

Thankful for Monkeys

Yes, that's right.  Today I'm thankful for monkeys.  Specifically this little monkey who helped me rake the leaves AND gather walnuts for our family AND helped bag them up.

And I'm sure it's not the last time he'll happily help me.  We've got billions more leaves to go.  yay.

Today, I'm also thankful for my Papa who is turning 78 today!!  We are headed over there to take him a homemade lunch which will involve cake.  I love me some Papa birthday cake!

Thankful To Be A Craft Hoarder

Last month, I made a Halloween pillow that I really liked.  After I packed up Halloween, I missed it so I decided to make a Thanksgiving pillow.   I'm loving these iron on images that are quick and simple to make.

I still think this pillow needs a little somethin' somethin', but for now, it will due.

Today, I'm thankful for Etsy and this fab turkey image.  I'm thankful that I'm a crafty hoarder that had all the supplies on hand.  I'm thankful for vintage pom-pom trim. 

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful People Are Happy

Is it weird that I already forgot that I committed to a November thankfest?  I'm having a really hard time remember things lately.  I'm classic for that.  I miss meetings, rehearsals and have to rewash the laundry all the time because I just forget.  Thankfully, my memory was jogged this morning by something that a friend posted on Facebook.  It's exactly what I'm looking forward to gaining this month.  Here is what she said:

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November - the month of Thanksgiving.
Of being and showing and living Gratitude.

"Giving thanks to God is what ushers one into the very presence of God.
And this is why He asks us to always give thanks. He comes to those with the open, grateful hands." ♥
-Ann Voskamp

If you haven't already - begin a Gratitude Journal today. Record even the smallest of things that you feel grateful for. And at the end of the month, you will discover something...but I can't tell you what that is. You will see what it is on your own : )

 

Today, I'm grateful for:

• yoga
• good friends to go to yoga with
• checking off a November project already 

Thankfest

I admit, I'm very thankful that Halloween is over and done with.  For some reason, I fussed and worried way too much about it this year.  Now it is November, I thought I would take the opportunity to give myself a challenge.   In November of 2007, I did NaBloPoMo which is blogging everyday for the month of November.   NaBloPoMo (which is really hard for me type btw), gives you a topic to write about each day, but I'm feeling a bit rebellious and think that I will take the challenge for myself to be a little more thankful in my life.  After all, it is month of Thanksgiving.

Today, I'm thankful for a warm car to drive my kids to school in while it was raining cats and dogs.  And, I'm thankful for the sweatshirt that I stole from my husband to keep me warm and dry while I ran them out.  Oh, and I am thankful to take down my Halloween decorations!

Care to join me for this thankfest?  I would love it if you do!