The Thankful Thingy

Last year, Jacin and I made a Thankful Tree with Jackson (Levi was there, but still a baby-baby). We collected twigs from the yard, cut out leaves from construction paper, and wrote down things we were thankful for. Here's a pic from last November:

This year, I was ready to do the same thing, thus making it a tradition. (Right? I mean if you do it for more than 1 year in a row, it qualifies as a tradition?) I got out the mason jar, filled it with acorns, and was intending to find some twigs later in the day. It never happened. The jar only sat on the buffet table for a grand total of 3 hours because Levi pulled it down about every 20 minutes. I quickly decided that we would have to make an alteration to the Thankful Tree tradition. So... this year we did a Thankful Garland. Over the past few days, Jacin has had trouble remembering the word garland, so he calls it our "Thankful Thingy."

I hot-glued a line of twine across our mantle, then printed leaf outlines on various patterned scrapbook paper. I had the leaf papers laminated before cutting them out (that way we'll be able to write on them with dry erase marker and use them again and again for years to come! TRADITION, remember?). Then we gathered together as a family, brainstormed things we were thankful for, wrote the ideas on leaves, and pinned them on the twine with tiny clothespins.

Admittedly, I was hoping this experience would be a type of kumbaya moment where we bonded as a family and really spent time digging deep and expressing heartfelt thanks to God. It didn't happen. Here's what DID happen:  Jackson scrambled around the den hauling chairs and blankets in, trying to build a fort while shouting out random things he was thankful.  Meanwhile, Levi toddled in circles swinging rubber caterpillars around like nunchucks.

Caterpillar Nunchucks

Nunchucks stolen and fort building in progress

Not really a kumbaya moment. But I was impressed that the 1st thing Bird gave thanks for was "God because He made us and died on that cross for us." (I'm a proud Momma!!)

Other things on Jackson's "thankful list":
hot dogs and waffles (cause that's basically all he eats)
jeans and boots (cause that's really all he wears)
legs for running and tools for building (cause that's all he does)
Wevi (AKA his brother Levi)
cocounts and leaves (he calls acorns coconuts - not sure why)
helicopters and planes (?? not sure where that one came from)

Jackson was also in charge of helping us think what Levi might be thankful for. Bird suggested:
Mickey Mouse (Levi LOVES to watch Mickey Mouse)
His paci (seemingly a permanent fixture in the kid's mouth)
Snoopy (his stuffed animal sleep snuggly friend)
Food - all types (cause, unlike his brother, Levi eats ANYTHING & EVERYTHING)
Me! (of course Levi would be thankful for his older brother, despite the MANY things suffered at his hands)

Among many other things, Jacin and I added leaves to our Thankful Thingy representing our thankfulness for our busy little boys, coffee, naptime, and Jesus.