:: giving thanks ::

we started off our Thanksgiving holiday by preparing our little place for a large crowd…which meant rearranging furniture and getting creative with a small space!

the kiddos got in on the action:

and even helped me make this banner out of felt and burlap:
they gave me lots of things to put up on our Thankful list.

some of them will probably give you a good laugh! and if you pay attention, you might see a new venture that our family has embarked on, which i hope to post about soon!
i had this idea to make these mini caramel apples for each place setting with little personalized tags, serving as a place marker as well as a little take home favor. the idea in my head looked awesome!! :) but it just didn’t translate as well into real life (story of my life, peeps!) my caramel just kept sliding off, so after many attempts to make it stick, i threw in the towel, called it a night, and had mini caramel apples for dinner the night before Thanksgiving.
and opted for some simpler place cards:

i really loved our set up this year. it had nothing to do with the decor and everything to do with the view:

i love when we can fit everyone at one long table!
see that long table runner? well…you could do that with fabric, but that would be expensive. so i used wrapping paper…and you’d never know the difference! (thanks for the suggestion, may!)
see those plates??
i found them at the dollar store, believe it or not. i think they look like they could’ve jumped off the pages of Pottery Barn. so i did what any smart girl would do….and i bought 20. and have been wishing ever since that i had bought 20 more!! i LOVE LOVE LOVE having matching plates for large crowds!!
this was our first Thanksgiving where my crazies were not the only children in attendance. we had dear family friends join us this year, adding two more crazies to the mix. so the kids got their own table:
with battery operated candles and a glass with chalk as a centerpiece:
because the table was covered in craft paper, making for some creative drawings and messages!

the day was chilly and super windy, but what’s Thanksgiving without a little football?

we snapped a few quick pics:
before heading inside, filling up glasses, and getting ready for our feast!

and what a feast it was!
(i think i remember hearing before that its not all that great when all the food on your plate is all in the same color category…but i think its okay on Thanksgiving, right? and besides…i think i see some green beans back there somewhere :)
we did not rush through dinner, but instead enjoyed being in each other’s company, taking our time to enjoy family, friends, and food.

and of course, the next morning was reserved for the annual “wishbone pull.” Bella got the bigger piece, but she doesn’t believe that wishes come true, cause she still doesn’t have a horse as a pet. :)

hope y’all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. i think this one was my favorite so far!

“Give Thanks to the Lord for He is Good; His love endures FOREVER!”
Psalm 107:1

coming back with more posts…some new house projects accomplished this week, some recipes, and more!