I know you all are in preparation for this Thanksgiving Holiday, so I wanted to wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving.

We here in the Albright household will be having studies as usual. My husband works through Thanksgiving, so we will be celebrating the first week in December. He is off for a week!! He needs to finish taking his vacation days before the year ends.

Don’t forget that we have a Squanto Lapbook that you might want to do this Thanksgiving.

Also, I added primary lines to the Psalm 100 Copywork for those of you who prefer primary lines.
Psalm 100 Copywork - Primary Lines (122)

I also created this cute piece of copywork for this week.

Thanksgiving

Praise God for wheat, so white and sweet,
       of which to make our bread!
Praise God for yellow corn, with which his
       waiting world is fed!
Praise God for fish and flesh and fowl he
       gave to man for food!
Praise God for every creature which he
      made and called it good!
Praise God for winter’s store of ice! Praise
      God for summer’s heat!
Praise God for fruit-tree bearing seed; “to
      you it is for meat.”
Praise God for all the bounty by which all
       the world is fed!
Praise God his children all, to whom he
       gives their daily bread!
                              —By Edward Everett Hale.

Download
         Thanksgiving Poem Copywork - Ruled (94)
            Thanksgiving Poem Copywork - Primary Lined (89)

Don’t forget about all the Black Friday Sales that are going on now and through the week.

Merry Christmas,

Friday, November 27th

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Our Thanksgiving went well. We had SO much leftovers! It was just us this year, me, my husband and our two kids, and I cooked a full fledged meal. If it is ever just us again, I will NOT cook so much. We even took some to my husbands sister and mother.

I thought I would never say it, but I am tired of pie! I even had to freeze our second sweet potato pie because we, or I, was just not going to finish it.

I told my husband that I am also tired of turkey. We had turkey for a week! It has been 4 years since I have eaten turkey, and in less than a week, I am already tired of it. LOL! Go figure!

So because I do not want a turkey for Christmas, I am going to try my hand at Tamales. We use to eat these every year when I was growing up and since marrying and moving to the south, I haven’t had any in years! So, I am going to make some this Christmas! I already bought the pot and just need to acquire the corn husks.

If I enjoy the process enough, I just might take up the tradition again with my family.

So how is the baking going? I cannot believe how unorganized I have been this year. But with our moving and our house still not in order, it has been a challenge. I cannot work in a mess and that is pretty much what I live in right now.LOL!

The kids have made a double batch of sugar cookies. They did it all with my supervision. They are getting so good at baking. I do handle the oven though. But they mix it all up, roll it out, cut and decorate. We do have to work on clean-up!

They want to make more today, so after studies I think we will relax and bake a little. I also want to make some snicker doodles. Mmmm! I was wanting to make fudge, brittle and other yummies this year, but I think I will destress by just making the sugar and snicker doodles. Maybe some chocolate chip cookies too.

Can anyone say ‘diet’ after the holiday season? LOL! I already told my family that come January it will be one dessert a week! I love the holidays, but I put on too much weight and then I have to lose it in the beginning of the next year. This is pretty much how it goes each year. I will say that the last few years I have not been diligent in losing it after the holidays, and so now I have a ‘little’ work ahead of me.

Happy Baking and Merry Christmas!!

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The other day, when I opened the front door, this leaf fluttered past me. I didn’t think anything of it because of the wind outside. But, for some reason, my eye caught it land and start moving along the window outside. I turned, and noticed it was a bug. It was too cool!! It looked like a leaf. I called the kids over to see it, and then I ran in to take a picture.

I think it was on our wreath we have hanging on the door.

Isn’t it too neat?

I am going to have to look it up.

——————————–

Well I just got home from doing some Thanksgiving shopping. During this time of the year, I stock up on all the sales like butter, cream soups, sweet potatoes and other items that are too expensive otherwise. My bill was pretty high, but the savings will live on…atleast for a few months.

I do not use cream soups too often, so these last me a good while. I cook and freeze the sweet potatoes to be used into the new year. I like to do this with pumpkin too.  Can goods like diced and stewed tomatoes, I grab a few extra too. Also the french style green beans and the onion topping that goes on them. I have tried the store brand of these onions, but I like French’s the best, so when they are on sale, I take a few more.

I also take a few extra cream cheeses. I am not sure if they recommend freezing them, but I have and have found them to be okay especially if they are used in food. Now, I haven’t made a cheesecake, so I am not sure about that. I will try it someday!

Butter is another item that goes on sale this time of year. I grab a few extra now and then again at Christmas time. During christmas, I also stock up on more of the baking items.

We actually will not be celebrating Thanksgiving until next week because my husband works this week. Since he works tomorrow, the kids and I are going to roast a whole chicken and have mash potatoes, veggies, rolls and cranberry sauce (per their request ) Yesterday MaryEllen made her first homemade cake, so we will have that for dessert with decaf coffee.

Have a great Thanksgiving all.

A Morning Thanksgiving.
For this new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything his goodness sends,
We thank the Heavenly Father.
–M.J. Garland

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The leaves are fading and falling;
The winds are rough and wild;
The birds have ceased their calling–
But let me tell you, my child,

Though day by day, as it closes,
Doth darker and colder grow,
The roots of the bright red roses
Will keep alive in the snow.

And when the winter is over,
The boughs will get new leaves,
The quail come back to the clover,
And the swallow back to the eaves.

The robin will wear on his bosom
A vest that is bright and new,
And the loveliest wayside blossom
Will shine with the sun and dew.

The leaves today are whirling;
The brooks are all dry and dumb–
But let me tell you, my darling,
The spring will be sure to come.

There must be rough, cold weather,
And winds and rains so wild;
Not all good things together
Come to us here, my child.

So, when some dear joy loses
Its beauteous summer glow,
Think how the roots of the roses
Are kept alive in the snow.

About the Author:
Alice Cary (1820-1871), an American poet, was born in Cincinnati. She and her sister, Phoebe, wrote well-known poems and sketches. They removed to New York City and lived together.

HELPS TO STUDY
Notes and Questions

What signs of autumn are mentioned in the first stanza?
What signs of the coming winter are mentioned in the second stanza?
Where have the birds gone?
What is meant by the word “here” in the sixth stanza?
Why are the brooks “dry and dumb” in November?
Is this true in all parts of the country?
What are we told about the springs in “October’s Bright Blue Weather”?
What causes the whirling of the leaves in November?
What will happen when the winter is over?
Where does the swallow build his nest?
What does the second stanza tell us about the roots of the “bright red roses”?
How can the snow help keep the roots alive?
In what stanza is this thought repeated?

——————————-
Download this in PDF

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Ah! how snug it was in the barn that cold November night! Farmer Gray shut all the doors as if it were winter weather, and then went away glad to think that the animals were warm and comfortable for the night. No sooner had the sound of his footsteps died away than a Cow raised her head and gave a faint bellow.

“News!” said she, “News! Something beautiful happened to me to-day. It was just before I was turned out into the field this morning. Little Patty came running up to me and began to stroke my forehead. ‘You good old cow!’ said she; ‘I had some milk to drink at breakfast and I know who gave it to me, and so I have come to say thank you. Mother told me this morning that this was “Thank-you” day;’ and then the dear child put a delicious apple into my mouth and laughed to hear me crunch it! I am so glad that my milk is good and rich. And she thanked me for butter and cream and for her papa’s cheese, too, — the grateful child!”

“You say well, Neighbor Cow; a grateful child she is,” said the farm Horse. “I was the stall just before they harnessed me to take the family to church, and little Patty came to see me, too; and she thanked me for all the rides she had had on my back and in the haycart, and for dragging the plough and for bringing the flour from the mill. Then, bless her heart! she reached up and gave me a big mouthful of sweet-smelling hay. I tell you, I’ll trot my prettiest the next time I have her in the carriage!” Bob gave a pleased whinny as he said this, and, as if in response, a noise came from the sheep barn. The sheep barn joined the larger barn, and at the doorway between stood a mild-faced Sheep, who began to speak in her own way.

“So little Patty went to you, too, did she? I can tell you I was surprised when she brought me and the rest of the flock an extra dish of salt this morning. ‘This is to say, thank you, good Sheep,’ said she. ‘We talked about you in the kindergarten and I know that our worsted balls are made of your wool, and my new mittens, and my flannel petticoat, and my winter coat and dress, and Jackie’s clothes, and the blankets – and oh, so many things! How funny you would look with them all on your back!’ Then she felt of my wool and patted me with her gentle little hand. I do hope that my fleece will be a good heavy one this year, and how I wish that the wool might be used for little Patty!”

“Well, well!” said the Cow, “the child did make it a real ‘Thank-you day,’ I am sure; for besides thanking me, and you, Bob, and you, Mrs. Fleecy, I heard the Hens saying to-day that she has been showering corn down for them by the double handful and saying ‘thank you’ for the eggs which they had given her. She told me that she liked eggs for breakfast, and that her mamma made cake with them, too. I wonder what put it into her head to come and thank us all.”

“It was her good little heart that put it into her head,” said Bob, wisely; “and I think I know the reason why she came to-day, for as I was trotting along the road to and from church I hear the family talking a good deal about to-day being Thanksgiving Day. And when Patty’s grandpapa asked her if she knew why Thanksgiving Day was kept, she said: ‘Oh, yes! It is the day to say “thank you” for everything, and that is why I hurried out to the barn this morning.’”

“And to whom did you say ‘thank you’ out there?” asked her grandpapa.

“Why, to all of them,” answered Patty; “to Bob and Moolly cow, and the sheep and the hens.”

“Very good,” said Grandpapa, “very good indeed, little Thankful-heart. I am glad you thought of the kind, useful creatures from whom we get so many things for our pleasure and comfort.”

As Bob repeated what Patty’s grandpapa had said, sober Mrs. Fleecy gave a little caper of delight, and Moolly cow heaved a sigh of deep satisfaction. Kind, grateful words are pleasant to any ears.

It was now bedtime and the animals began to settle themselves for their night’s rest. Mrs. Fleecy went back to her woolly companions in the sheep barn; Moolly cow sank down restfully in her stall; and Bob, after stamping and tramping a few times, bent his longs legs under him and lay down upon his fresh straw bedding. But before they went to sleep they spoke again of how happy dear little Patty had made them with her thanks and her gifts.

–Emilie Poulsson

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