2016 Grateful Tree

This year I skipped Halloween decorations entirely.  While neighbors and friends were pulling out skeletons and witches, I was putting up my Thanksgiving decorations (which are probably my favorite decorations I own).  On a Sunday in October Mylee and Graysen were here and we got to work on our Grateful Tree: I've wanted to do one in the past and this year we made it happen.  The kids helped me draw branches on a roll of brown paper and then while I spent a whole lot of time cutting that sucker out the kids got busy cutting loads of leaves.  One unforeseen benefit of young cutters is that we got some really awesome leaf shapes that I would never have thought of.

As soon as that tree was taped on the door the kids were writing things they were thankful for and taping them up.  

Check out this concentration:

Over the next couple months Mylee and Graysen would add to the tree whenever they came over.  T and I added a bunch of our own and as we had others over they, too, would add what they were grateful for.  I loved it.  

I took the tree down on Sunday and had to take a few pictures before I deconstructed it.  I think next year we'll try to cover more of those branches.  :)  

I loved Brock and Cooper's contributions: they are more than a little obsessed with their favorite colors.

"Legos" from Graysen - one of my favorites of all:

I just love his "full of effort" handwriting.  This one is "Rachel and TJ," just a bit scrambled:

Check out this leaf shape:

I can't remember what gift prompted this one from T:

I grinned when I saw this from one of TJ's deacons (we had his family for dinner):

Graysen had me spelling out these words for him to write.  He got a little tight on space so I had him put "our" on the top row, which makes me love this leaf even more.  I couldn't throw these last two away: they are taped securely in my journal.

What a great way to be greeted each morning from October - January.  I love the great feelings that gratitude brings.