I'm thankful

I love November/Thanksgiving time.  It gives me an opportunity to reflect on those things in my life that I am truly grateful for.  When our daughters were young we had a 'Thankful Box' with blank cards by it - and we would write down those things we were grateful for and in the box they would go.  On Thanksgiving day we would open the box and read them all out loud.  It was always nice to hear what other family members had written.  I could tell the ones that were written at the end of the month because they became more thoughtful.  

This year I have a 'clicker' and have used it in several different ways.  For November - and counting the things I am most grateful for - I clicked them.  When my husband picked it up one day and started clicking - I told him he could only click if he associated the clicks with something he was grateful for.  At the table before Thanksgiving dinner - I passed the clicker around the table and let others share what they were grateful for and click away.  This is what we ended up with at the close of the day yesterday.   There would have been more clicks if I had started on November 1 instead of several days later when I thought of 'clicking'. 

I bought my clicker here.

I hope you enjoyed a fabulous day with family or friends and were able to reflect on those things in life for which you are grateful. 

The Turkey With the Terrible Temper

This was one of our favorite stories/lessons for Family Home Evening!  I'm linking you to a post where you can download the story! 

The Turkey With the Terrible Temper can be found here.  Thank you Sugardoodle.net for posting this! 

Gather your family sometime this week and enjoy this fun little story.  In our church, Mondays are designated times to do this - but whenever you can get your family together - go for it!  It doesn't matter so much when you spend time together, it's just so, so important that you do.

I see children every day whose parents don't spend time with them.  They get themselves up for school.  They try to find food to eat.  They do their best at school.  But learning is thwarted without parent involvement.  Love on your kids.  Read with them.  Laugh with them.  Play with them.  Love them.

Coconut Bread

We have this fabulous bread at our house.  It's another one of those 'old family recipes' that we just love.  Coconut bread.  I've always made it in a bundt pan - but it can also be made in regular loaf pans....it just looks so pretty when it comes out of the bundt pan!  I'm making some for Thanksgiving.  I think you should too!

COCONUT BREAD

4 eggs

2 c. sugar

1 c. vegetable or canola oil

2 tsp. coconut flavoring

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. buttermilk

1 c. flaked coconut

1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

TOPPING

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

2 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. coconut flavoring

In a large mixing bowl beat the 4 eggs till frothy.  Add the sugar, oil and coconut flavoring and blend well.  Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix well, then slowly pour in the buttermilk and mix on slow speed until all ingredients are combined.  Fold in the coconut and nuts.  Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hours.

Topping:  When you remove the cake from the oven, combine the first three topping ingredients together in a small saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut oil.  Slowly drizzle over the entire cake - allowing it to soak in before drizzling more on it.  Allow to set in the pan for 4 hours before removing from pan.  (tip - if you let it sit much longer than that - it becomes difficult to remove it from the pan.)

It's fabulous!  If you try it - let me know what you think!  We love it at our house.

Photo Card

I've had a special 'Thank You' deal from Shutterfly for quite a while....$30 to spend on anything I want.  We've never had a fun photo Christmas card - so I thought this was the year to do it, you know, to show off the cute grand-daughter and all!  I love Shutterfly.  I've made calendars and photobooks.  I also had return address labels made to match the photo card.  Can't wait to get these in the mail and get them ready to send out.

They do a nice job - the quality is good - and their program is easy enough that even I can figure out how to use it!   So here's an early 'Merry Christmas'!

We're looking forward to Thanksgiving and having some of our family here.  We'll miss those that can't be here - but I promise I'll eat a piece of the apple pie for you!

Cheer All Around Christmas

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