Cookies, Gift Wrapping, and the Neti Pot -- It's Thanksgiving!

Ahhh, yes.  That's a traditional Thanksgiving for you.  Don't those terms always just pop into your head when you think Thanksgiving?

Okay, perhaps they don't.

We're busy getting ready for Thanksgiving here.  I'm baking cookies, as part of my contribution to our Thanksgiving feast.  I also need to be busy wrapping Thanksgiving Christmas presents.  No, I'm not an overachiever.  This Thanksgiving, like many for the past few years, will be Turkey-mas for us.  We'll be celebrating Christmas with some of our extended family.  So, hence the gift wrap.

Oh -- and the neti pot?  Sadly, I'm still stuffed up.  I'm hoping for a Thanksgiving miracle that involves clear sinuses.

In order to focus on all of those things that I really should be working on around the house instead of here, I'm going to sign off for Thanksgiving now.  I'll still be around, so if you need me, just drop me an email.  I just hope to start being a bit more productive. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving!







photo by alasam

Many Little Links: November 22, 2009

The Power of Seeking Our Children's Forgiveness - Simple Kids

I once worked with someone that told me that she and her husband refused to say please or thank you to their kids, because they shouldn't have to, though they definitely expected to hear it from their children.  I still remember thinking, "Where in the world are they going to learn it from then?"  This would have been a great post for them to read as well.

Party's Over - Awful Library Books

I really love subscribing to Awful Library Books!  So many gems.  This one, in particular, needs to be checked out.  (Ha - get it.  It's a library book.  Seriously though, the pun was unintended until I read back over my sentence.)  Anyway -- need a laugh?  Read about this book.

The Bitter Homeschooler's Wishlist - Home School College Counselor

Love this list.  If you're a homeschooler, go check it out.  Heck, even if you're not a homeschooler, go check it out.

I Love Homeschooling...I Hate Homeschooling - InsideCatholic.com

Danielle Bean did an amazing job of being honest about the struggles and work of homeschooling.  This piece was just so refreshingly honest.

Just Add Water Mini-Paintings - Inspired Ideas

This is just the coolest idea!  I have seriously got to do some of these for my kids.  They would be amazed and delighted.

Memes - Mom's Blog Resource

If you are a blogger, go check out this comprehensive listing of weekly memes around the blogosphere.  Memes can be a great way to bring in more readers or just kick start your writing if you are in a lull.

7 Quick Takes: November 20, 2009 (Volume 22)

~ 1 ~

All of the sudden, this week, I woke up one day with a sore throat.  Then, my throat got better, but my sinuses started to clog up.  It just went downhill from there.

Still no fever, and my sore throat is basically gone.  But, oh my heck -- the sinus pressure!  And I have no idea how many tissues I have used at this point.  Do you know how I know it's really bad?  I had to try twice to use the Neti Pot last night and couldn't (it wouldn't flow through).  I finally had to take Sudafed and try it again an hour later.  So not good!

~ 2 ~

Loved the Advent Conspiracy video last year, so I was happy to see a new one this year.  (I tried to post it right here, but it was tried to take over the sidebar too.  So, I'll just link you over to it on You Tube.)

~ 3 ~

Speaking of Advent reminds me of Christmas.  Can you believe that I got my first Christmas card for the year last week?

Okay, before you freak out and think about how far behind you are or have to wonder why someone would send them out so early, I actually got this one much earlier than the sender would have meant for us to get it.  While we were cleaning out my Grandma's apartment, we found a stack of Christmas cards that she had been working on.  She said she figured if she did five a day, then she wouldn't get too tired doing them.  My Mom is planning to send them all out before Christmas and include a note with them.

I left that card sitting on the counter, unopened, for about a week.  But, this week, I opened it and I cried.  Jack, my ever emotional guy, cried too.  After all we've been through since the beginning of the month, it was just still surreal to think it was the last Christmas card we would ever get from her.

~ 4 ~

These last few months have been so crazy busy, and I'm just so tired.  So very tired.

~ 5 ~

While I do hope to get a little down time this weekend, I have vowed that this weekend will be the one to get some things done.  I have a lot of things to work on, and I would love for this to be the weekend that I could look back on and say, "Wow -- look how much I got done!"

 Then again, based on how I'm feeling right now, I think I'll just be happy to sleep in one day.

~ 6 ~

Did I show you guys my date book for 2010 yet?

I love this thing!  It is so cute.  And, I really like that each spread covers two weeks, instead of a more standard one week.

~ 7 ~

Time is almost up for voting in the 2009 Homeschool Blog Awards.  Be sure to pop over there and check out some fabulous homeschooling blogs!

If you haven't yet voted in the family/group blog category, we'd love it if you would consider voting for The Homeschool Classroom.  Thanks!

This post is linked to 7 Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

Pictures by: Amazon (date book)  /   Chiot's Run (neti pot)  /  CherrySoda! (sleeping doll)

Disclosure: The links to Amazon are affiliate links.  Your purchases on Amazon through this blog helps to support this blog (and our homeschool!).

Felt Cookies for Christmas

This year, I really wanted to try to figure out some handmade gifts to give to our children for Christmas.  Oh sure, there are still going to be things like Wii games and iPods, but I also wanted to give them each something handmade.

I have to admit, I'm still not sure if I can come up with something to give the boys.  But, I was thrilled to start working on a gift for Molly the other day.  For quite a while, I had admired felt food.  I kept thinking, "Surely I can do that, right?"  But, still, I put it off.

Finally, I used this guide on how to make a blanket stitch, along with help from my Mom to start off.  She joined in and made a few cookies.  Mom also had a sweet Raggedy Ann and Andy heart shaped box to hold our sweet creations:

I'll still make some more cookies for the gift.  I plan to make her a dozen cookies total.  I was originally going to make a variety of foods, but decided to just stick with a greater quantity of cookies instead.

This was such a fun project, and I really hope that she likes them as much as I do!  It makes me giggle every time I open the box (which I have hidden until Christmas).  This was a very easy and frugal gift -- I just hope that it brings her the same joy that it is already bringing me.

Now...if I can just figure out something handmade for the boys, I'll be set.








This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday, Frugal Friday, and Finer Things Friday.

Sharing a Book

This post is linked to Wordless Wednesday.