In Memory

As many of you know, last Thursday (November 19) marked the one year anniversary of my father's passing. While the year has been very difficult, I am so grateful to my friends and family who were so supportive over the last year. What a wonderful month to be able to express my gratitude. I feel so blessed to have all of you, and can't tell you what it meant that you not only remembered, but cared enough to call, drop notes, etc. on this very hard anniversary. While I have spent the year realizing my loss and I know I still have a lot of healing to do, I can't think where I would be without all of you. My deepest thanks go out to you; I know a beautiful man up above who is also so grateful for the way people have come together for his wife and daughter.

November Crafts and Activities

TURKEY TREATS




The kids and I had so much fun today making these adorable turkeys. (I'm not sure if they were more fun to make or watch the kids eat them.) If you'd like the recipe, visit www.ricekrispies.com.

FALL PLACEMATS


Every Fall, Jack and I go on a "leaf hunt" and write a book about the leaves we gather. He loves reading the book we write and usually ends up having it memorized because we have to read it so many times. This year, even after the book, he kept wanting to go out for a walk and hunt for more leaves. We decided to make leaf placemats for the kids table at Thanksgivng. We took our favorite leaves and pressed them between two sheets of contact paper.



THANKFUL TURKEY


It is so important to me that Jack understand the meaning of Thanksgiving. We decided to make a thankful turkey this month so we could keep track of all the things we are thankful for. Daddy drew the turkey for us, since I am a terrible artist. Jack and I traced his hand several times and practiced his scissor skills cutting them out. Now anytime we think of something we are thankful for, we write it down on one of the hands we cut out, and add it to our turkey. Slowly but surely, our turkey is gaining a lot of feathers!

JACK'S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING BOOKS...
What Is Thanksgiving by Harriet Ziefert
Gus, the Pilgrim Turkey by Teresa Bateman
A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
'Twas the Day After Thanksgiving by Mavis Smith
Franklin's Thanksgiving by Paulette Bourgeois
The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Michael Berenstain
Give Thanks to the Lord:Celebrating Psalm 92 by Karma Wilson
The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli

MAREN'S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING BOOKS...
Spot's Thanksgiving by Eric Hill
Happy Thanksgiving Biscuit by Alyssa Capucilli
Thanksgiving Parade by Jodi Huelin
Courderoy's Thanksgiving by Lisa McCue

Jack's Class Party

Jack had his first class party last Thursday, and it was so fun for Maren and I to be able to attend. Jack had no idea how much fun a class party could be. He and his friends started off with giant cookies (Maren was delighted that she got to have one too). Next, they played lots of games and filled their treat bags. Finally, they were each able to color their own halloween puzzle. Nobody ate lunch when we got home, but a good time was had by all!

Mr. Stinky Feet

Another one of our annual October traditions is attending the Mr. Stinky Feet concert at Country Club Bank. The kids were able to get on a firetruck, have a balloon made, and of course...listen to Mr. Stinky Feet. Jack was even able to be part of the "band." What fun!

Visiting the Pumpkin Patch

It's an annual tradition in our house...the first weekend in October we head out to the Pumpkin Patch. I think it's funny though how much our adventure changes each year. Before children, Craig and I ventured out alone to pick out the perfect pumpkin, but did nothing else. When Jack was born; even though he was too little to partake in much, I was so excited to finally have a little one to share this tradition with. In his last two years there, Jack has been overjoyed to crawl through the caterpillar and bounce around in the inflatables. Last year Maren was just along for the ride in her stroller and Jack picked out her pumpkin. This year however; as every year has been for us, was another complete change representative of our growing family. Jack was petrified of the caterpillar and inflatables (it must be a three-year-old thing), but had so much fun playing the beanbag toss and hillbilly golf. Marsy enjoyed the playground and carried all the beanbags and balls around as the rest of us tried our luck at hillbilly golf. Jack and Maren both picked out their own very special pumpkin. It was the first year we were all able to really enjoy ourselves (minus keeping Jack far away from the "scary things"), and I know it will just get better from here. I thought it might be cute to put a comparison picture above of last year's trip and this years--it's amazing how much things have changed in a year.

October Snacks and Crafts

FIVE LITTLE PUMPKINS SITTING ON A GATE...
Spread a Graham cracker with peanut butter. Place 5 pumpkin candies on top.



Recite the following rhyme...
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, "Oh my it's getting late."
The second one said, "There are witches in the air."
The third one said, "We don't care."
The fourth one said, "Let's run, and run, and run.
The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun."
Then whoosh went the wind and out went the lights
and the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

PUMPKIN PIE IN A CUP (note: Jack was not a fan of this, Maren ate it up!)

In a large Ziploc bag, mix one box vanilla instant pudding with a cup of milk. (The little helpers can mix it up by squeezing and kneading the bag.) Add 1/2 C. pumpkin, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, and a sprinkle of ginger, and have the little helpers squeeze the bag again until mixed.

In a separate bag, place three graham crackers inside. Have the little helpers roll over the bag with a rolling pin until crushed.

Cut a hole in the corner of the first bag and squeeze the mixture into cups. Pour some of the crushed graham crackers on top. Grab and spoon and enjoy!

SPOOKY SPIDERS




Insert 4 licorice pieces into each side of an oreo cookie. Place a little frosting on top of the oreo and use bite size m&ms for the eyes. (See photo)

PUMPKIN PIE PLAYDOUGH (Thanks Jen and Nicholas!!) (Pictures coming soon...)

2 1/4 C. flour
1 C. salt
4 tsp. cream of tarter
1/4 + 1/8 C. oil
1/2 (1 1/2 oz.) container pumpkin pie spice
orange food coloring (2 parts orange, 1 part red)
2 C. water

Mix all ingredients together. Cook and stir over medium heat until the lumps disappear. Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth. Store in an airtight bag or container.



MAREN'S FAVORITE OCTOBER BOOKS
Spot's Halloween... Eric Hill
Buscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch...Alyssa Capucilli
Spooky's First Halloween...Salina Yoon
Pumpkin Faces...Emma Rose
Spot's Halloween Party...Eric Hill
Where's Baby's Pumpkin?...Karen Katz
Peek-a-Booo!...Marie Cimarusti


JACK'S FAVORITE OCTOBER BOOKS
Omar's Halloween...Maryann Kovalski
Sam's First Halloween...Mary Labatt
Pooh's Happy Halloween...Ann Braybrooks
Courduroy's Trick-or-Treat...Lisa McCue
Franklin's Halloween...Paulette Bourgeois
Tucker's Spooky Halloween...Leslie McGuirk
The Halloween Play...Felicia Bond
Trick Or Treat, Smell My Feet...Diane DeGroat

Happy Birthday Parents As Teachers!

This morning Maren and I attended the Parents as Teachers birthday celebration. Maren had so much fun. She played with toys, painted a rock for the rock garden, played with a birthday cake tower, painted a laminated cake with shaving cream, and decorated her own "birthday cake." Her favorite part was getting to frost her own cookie and ea
t it, of course. What fun!