Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree

My Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree is up...it's the time of year to show our gratitude for all our many blessings.  This has been a tough year for us...with the loss of three friends and two faithful pets, we are still so blessed!

I started this tradition last year...I used little turkey-motif tags and decorated the the tree with burlap ribbon.  Husband and I both write out all the blessings that we are thankful for on the little tags.  You can read more about my tree here.

I hope that y'all are counting your blessings...naming them one by one!

Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree. Oh-So Thankful!

The rush is on...do you feel it? Lord have mercy! It's so easy to get caught up in all the hype of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. I'm trying to...
Showing Gratitude. That is what Thanksgiving is all about. Thanking others. Counting our blessings. Helping Others.

Counting our blessings...We are all so blessed, right? I'm still not skipping Thanksgiving y'all and decided to put up a Gratitude Tree. I found some gratitude printables on Pinterest. You can print these and use them however, but I just cut them out, punched a hole at the top, and used twine to attach them to the tree. I asked my husband to fill out the tags and write down all the things he's grateful for. I thought he'd probably say "I don't have time to do that". Well, he was finished in a snap...One of his tags says "I'm grateful for the life I've led". Oh my! Here's my tree...Keeping it simple, I used burlap for a tree topper and the streamers.

These are the gratitude tags that I found on Pinterest...You can go HERE to make copies of them...they are perfect for the season.

Helping others...I'm participating in a food drive organized by my Church. For around $40, you can donate a grocery sack full of food that will feed a family of four. {A grocery gift card is attached for the turkey or other meat}
This is the list of the food products that we used and that you might like to buy and take to a family in need:
Giving back...You can also just make a monetary donation to your Church or the charity of your choice.
Being thankful...Send a note to someone thanking them for being there for you...My Thanksgiving cards are in the mail...we are so thankful for our family and friends!
Sharing...I made some "Friendship Gifts"...Taste of Gourmet Morning Muffins & Sweet Potato Muffins...mini style.
I found these festive bags and "Happy Thanksgiving" tags at Hobby Lobby...perfect for my mini muffins!

Don't forget your host...the one who is slaving away in the kitchen to make your holiday special! My hostess gift for Thanksgiving night...ready to go. A bottle of wine wrapped in burlap fabric and tied with a brown grosgrain ribbon. The "Thanksgiving 2011" tag can be downloaded at Semi Homemade Magazine HERE.
Making it memorable...Thanksgiving 2011
Remember the shut-ins...When I think of Thanksgiving, I always think of turkey and dressing...but, don't forget the pie!
I'm gonna bake a Southern Pecan Pie and take it to an elderly couple that I know...showing a little Southern hospitality!
Using my leftovers box idea, I'll probably wrap the pie in a box filled with shred and tie it up with the raffia and a turkey tag! Well, I can't just take it to someone with tin foil on top!
I hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving Day...whether you are having a meal with family and friends, working at your job, or just sitting in front of the television watching the parade & games with a TV dinner. Happy Thanksgiving to all y'all!
Be truly thankful! Remember to practice good dining etiquette on the big day. Most meals will start with...Saying Grace.

"Asking the Blessing" or "Saying Grace" is a short prayer of thanks given before a meal, generally after guests are seated and before even the napkin is touched. To show respect for the host, when Grace is said, the head is bowed, regardless of one's beliefs.

A nice blessing~
For what we are about to receive
May the Lord make us truly thankful.

Amen.

I'm Not Skipping Thanksgiving

No Ma'am...I'm not skipping Thanksgiving this year! I've spent the last few days bringing out my Thanksgiving decos and will keep them out until the weekend after Thanksgiving. That probably means I'll be half-dead by that weekend, with the Thanksgiving Feast, early morning Charity Turkey Trot 5k race, Thanksgiving Day parades, Black Friday marathon shopping, et cetera....then, taking down all the turkey decos and putting up the Christmas decos. Lord have mercy, I'm already exhausted just thinking about it all! Actually, I plan to spend some time at my Mama's between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I'm not going all out on the Christmas decorations this year...yes ma'am, that's the plan!

This morning I went to Church and since it was All Saint's Day, the names of departed souls were printed in the Church bulletin. It always makes me sad to see my daddy's name there...still can't believe he's gone! I lifted up prayers for several close friends who are ill, my family members, close friends, and several social network friends, whom I've never even met.

"HERE'S WHAT I WORE"

Boucle Dress Suit: Talbots...long time ago.

The flower pin is from Stein Mart...long time ago.
Accessories:
Pocketbook: Chanel
Shoes: 'Vara' pumps, by Ferragamo
Cologne: Ferragamo
Hair bow: I actually didn't wear the gold barrette, but wore a tan grosgrain ribbon bow.
Lipstick: 'Talisman' by Chanel
Earrings: Pearls
Wedding Band: 'Eternity' by Cartier
"The Roost" is ready for Thanksgiving...
Autumn wreath is on the front door...
The tree is decorated with turkeys...
Old glory on the tree top...
Faith, Family, Friends...

Little feathered turkeys all over the tree!
This afternoon, I'm actually doing some planning for Thanksgiving...favors, treats, Thanksgiving Feast menu, et cetera...
The cornacopia is out...
Love my cornacopia!
Jazzed up the mirror with this feathered wreath...
I'll probably give out more of these gifts for Thanksgiving...Turkey Spice Rub!
I'm very OCD...organized to the hilt. Plan. Plan. Plan.
Organizing the platters, dinnerware, and serveware.
The kitchen is set up with some Thanksgiving decos...
Kitchen table...
Mums...Lord, I've already killed about 5 mums this season!
Thanksgiving dessert on the sideboard a few years back.
Thanksgiving tablescape...pilgrims and turkeys.
Most definitely will have the same leftover plan...white gift box, autumn tone shred, plastic plate, with the leftovers to take home.
Leftovers...ready to go...raffia and cute Thanksgiving tag!

Are you skipping over Thanksgiving this year? Is your home already decorated for Christmas? Don't be ashamed! Lord, in years past, I've been known to already have ten Christmas trees up and decorated by this date!

THANKSGIVING DECOR IN THE KITCHEN

Hey y'all! I hope that you are enjoying your weekend! I'm just puttering around the house today. Do y'all do that? I'm going back and forth from the garage to the house...looking at Christmas decorations...repurposing Christmas stuff. Every year I say, "I'm not gonna pull out all that stuff this year...I'm only gonna use a few things!" HA!!! My friends can testify that I have been known to have 20 Christmas trees in my house during the Christmas season. It's so true, y'all! This year, I'm planning to have about five max!!! I have decided to only decorate with colors and themes that actually go with MY house. So that's what I'm still doing...trying to bring it all together.

However, I'm not forgetting about Thanksgiving...I've taken down the Halloween stuff in the kitchen and replaced it with Turkey-friendly decor. Come on in and take a peek...

I love my little hutch. It just begs to be re-done for every holiday. I've placed some Gobble-ware on it...please excuse the bright sun shining in on my kitchen. It's a beautiful sunny day here in South Florida!
Getting ready for "Merlot hour!"

The breakfast table...

I've had these pilgrim candlesticks since I was a newlywed...can't let 'em go!

Like everyone else in blogland, I was inspired by Pottery Barn's creative use of Indian corn...I hot glued them all around the pot of mums, then tied it all up with a pretty Autumn ribbon bow...

Very Autumny...

Just in case you missed my "Friendship Gifts" for November...I made tons of Turkey Spice Rub!

Gobble Gobble Gobble! I'm going to mama's house for Thanksgiving, so what I don't give out here, I'll take home so mama can give some to her friends. She'll like that! Mama likes to take little gifts to people:) Bless her heart!!!

I'm off to continue my "Christmas decorating at The Roost!" Have a great weekend y'all!