Gratitude Tree

I'm thankful for the internet and people sharing their great ideas! I read this yesterday and am going to start doing this in my family this year! I'm so grateful for the idea to bring gratitude to the front of our minds the whole month of November leading up to Thanksgiving!

The Gratitude Tree

In the fall, our family goes on walks to find colorful leaves. After collecting several of our favorites, we seal them in clear Con-Tact paper to preserve them. We put up our artificial Christmas tree on November 1 (without decorations), and every day until Thanksgiving each family member chooses a leaf, writes one thing he or she is grateful for, and hangs it on the tree. As the leaves accumulate, it’s easy for our kids to see how many blessings we have in our lives.

Our Gratitude sign in the tree

Here is our Gratitude Tree

the 1st night we added leaves

(and hand turkeys)

Strength to do hard things

Today I'm grateful for mental and emotional strength and help from our Father in Heaven. I was thinking last night that this year I have tried to do some things that are hard for me. They may sound silly to you, but for one reason or another I have felt the need to change them in my life.

First, we got rid of our TV. This has been very hard for both Anthony and myself but we love the change it has brought in our home. It's still hard every day but we are committed to the improvement we feel in our family from this change.

Second, we have tried not to go out to eat. This too is a huge change. Neither Anthony nor I like to cook, but it saves us money and gives us quality time with our children to sit down to dinner together. This also means that I've begun cooking dinners on a regular basis; I didn't like it at all when I started and now I see the benefits and see that it's worth the effort.

Also, I don't like cleaning at all. I haven't done well at this most of our married life. I have tried to change this also. I really like this. At the Relief Society General broadcast we sang "Home can be a Heaven on Earth". Since then, I have tried to do all I can to make my home such a heaven.

The final and probably most difficult for me is I am trying to give up reading my fictional novels that I love. They have served as an escape for me when life has been too hard. However, I read them to extremes and so I see the need to step back.

These are all still difficult each day, but I pray for help and am so thankful to receive it. I'm grateful to be able to grow and for the strength to do it.

Haupia Chocolate Pudding pie

Today, I'm thankful for good friends. Last night a friend brought over a haupia chocolate pudding pie. She had made two and brought the second over because she knew one of my boys LOVES haupia! I was so glad to see her. The weather is getting colder and we don't see people as much right now.

I was reminded of all the kindnesses people have done for us and how often we've been blessed to have others think of us. We've gotten cakes, cookies, vegitables, cards, invitaions, flowers, and I could go on and on with all the thoughtful things others have done to let us know they're thinking of us. I'm so Grateful for friends!