Thanksgiving

Season of Gratitude

Courtesy of Curly Girl Designs
Have you ever thought about why a season of joy follows a season of gratitude?  There are the obvious reasons of course.  Thanksgiving was started by proclamation of Abraham Lincoln in 1863 as a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens".  It was obviously at the end of the harvest.  Christmas is there because it aligns quite nicely with the winter solstice.  So perhaps there are wonderful reasons to have these holidays placed on the 4th Thursday of the month and on the 25th of December but really I think the reason is even greater.

 Throughout the month of November I tried to focus daily on being grateful.  I like to think that I practiced gratitude because being grateful is not a one time thing and it is not an easy thing to do.  There are so many things to complain about but what I have found is its more effective to be grateful and thankful than it is to try not to complain.  When I focus on not complaining I focus on the negative.  When I focus on be grateful I am focusing on the positive.  

The strange thing about practicing gratitude is that you don't even realize the effect it has until you are in the thick of it.  Thinks are going awful.  The day is terrible and the next thing you know you're thinking of the good things about the day.

 But back to joy.  Joy is something many folks look for during the holidays, including my family.  I imagine its why we wait in line for 2 hours to meet Santa or set up rides on "Santa trains".  We are searching for joy all the time from outside places but the fact is if you practice gratitude the joy will find you.  If you are thankful for the little things, enjoying the moments its amazing how joy sneaks up on.


Menu Plan- Thanksgiving Week

The menu plan this week is a little different than normal.  We're only cooking one meal for home, going out some other nights and with family for the rest of the week.  That being said, I have already started cooking for the holiday.  

This is what we are making for this week.

Monday Dinner: Tex-Mex Beef Tacos
Yummy Beef Tacos

Thanksgiving Recipes:

Our Imagined Life: Bacon Wrapped Dates

(something like this, although not exactly)
Pear Pomegranate and Spinach Salad | Cooking Classy

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Brown Butter Sage Butternut Squash.


Pumpkin french toast

The Perfect Molasses Cookie (Grain Free, Paleo, Gluten Free) via Deliciously Organic.net

pumpkin-hersheys-kiss-cookie2

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Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

First Friday Faves

This Friday Faves is focused on that wonderful holiday, Thanksgiving.  Unfortunately, many folks go straight from Halloween to Christmas.  

This list will give you five reasons that Thanksgiving is great!


1. Turkey Trots

Whats not to like about a Turkey Trot?  You run and then you go home and eat turkey.  
Find a race and join in.  You'll have a blast!


2. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Broadway in your living room, along with huge balloons. 
 And of course it gives a great chance to welcome Santa Claus into our homes.


3.  Miracle on 34th Street

A holiday classic and one that actually starts while watching the Thanksgiving Day parade (see above).  Dinner is finished, and unless you are watching football this is a great movie to kick off the holiday season.  And speaking of football...  


4.  Football

I'm not talking just the NFL but the chance on a random Thursday to get outside a play a little football.  Unlike that other winter holiday we don't have the distraction of presents so use that time to get outside with your family and play a little football.  Or go for a walk.  
(This is also in honor of the wonderful Friends Thanksgiving episodes.)


5. Chocolate Turkeys

Need I say more?