It is silly I know, but when you get cancer we can talk. I just don't want my kids sitting around someday thinking "oh yeah, remember when Mom had cancer. We didn't get to do anything." and "She just laid around for a year or so." Now my prayer is that if they ever say anything like that I will be around so I can smack them in the head, but you see what crazy thoughts are in my head. I want 2011 to be a year NOT all about Mom's cancer.
So here we are....Thanksgiving. But instead of a post about how thankful I am to be ALIVE (I really should do one of those) I am going to share with you all the cool crafts I have been making my kids do in an effort to trick them into thinking that Mom is A-OK!
This is the first year that I've talked to the kids about the 1st Thanksgiving. We even went to the library and got some books. Here are our pilgrim and indians(I mean Native Americans). Oh my word, I love that 2 of my kids colored their figures with blue and purple faces. Kids just don't see the world they way we do.
Turkey cookies: everything on Pinterest really does look easier than it is is real life.
Place cards for our family Thanksgiving dinner. These were actually pretty fun to make and Connor was uber excited to write everyone's names this year.
Ah yes, the McManus Family Thanksgiving Tree, isn't it hideous? But my kids love that ugly thing. Every year I sit down for an hour and cut out little paper hands (I hate doing this every year). Then every night at dinner the week before Thanksgiving the kids write about one thing they are thankful for. I keep a couple each year and we hang those up too. It really has become a great family tradition even if the thing is one huge eye sore.At the end of the day, I might just be a freak. And I know in my heart that my kids don't "really" care about all these little crafts. But the truth is that cancer really has made me stop and think twice about what is important. And this year one thing that's important to me is making memories with my kids. Memories just mean more to me now. And if it means I have to turn myself into a freak Martha Stewart then I will do just that.
But seriously, take one moment this year to sit down and thank God for everything this year. For me it has been a really hard one, but a really really great one too. God has given me so much and I am positive that no matter what you are going through right now, He has given you so much too. Have a blessed day everyone!!!!
But seriously, take one moment this year to sit down and thank God for everything this year. For me it has been a really hard one, but a really really great one too. God has given me so much and I am positive that no matter what you are going through right now, He has given you so much too. Have a blessed day everyone!!!!
1 comment:
Jennifer, they do really "care" about those silly crafts -- they care about them because they have spent special time with you laughing, learning, loving. It's those silly craft things that they will sit around someday and say, "Remember mom when we made those turkey looking cookie things?? Yeah, and remember those trees we made where we wrote what we were thankful for on cut outs of our hands??" And probably one, two or all three of them will say, "We do that with our kids now mom." Don't ever think that what you do with your kids isn't special and never stop those silly little craft afternoons ! What am I thankful for this year (and every year) my wonderful niece and her amazing family !!
Love Nana
p.s. Can't wait for New Years !!
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