The Thanksgiving Tree

This week our project was the Thanksgiving Tree.  I got this idea from www.thecraftycrow.net.  This site has given me a lot of the ideas for holiday crafts and it's great because there is stuff for all ages.  Anyway, this was supposed to be a one-afternoon craft, but the kids were done with the leaf-decorating after about 5 minutes.  At that point, really became thanksgiving boot camp.  "Ella paint this, Maddie color that one, Payton cut some more out....we need more leaves guys...go go go...cut, paint, color...more more more..."  So that was fun.  We got the leaves done and called it a day. 

Ella had a problem with her hands getting dirty, but after I took this picture, she was pretty proud of them.  They were "pretty hands."

I painted the tree on the kitchen floor, which was a supremely bad idea since I was on Maddie's level.  Maddie loves a good mess.  So after the tree was painted it had to be hung as high as possible to dry, but that still required a close eye on the Maddie-monster.  Have I mentioned she loves a mess? 

So after a few days we reassembled to finish the project.  And let me just say a quick thank you to the inventor of glue sticks.  Imagine a 2-year-old Maddie gluing without a glue stick...I shudder.

Each one of the leaves had something the kids were thankful for.  I was pretty proud with most of their ideas:  Mom, Dad, Nana, Papa, school, books, puzzles, Grandma, Granddad, Aunt Erin, Aunt Meme, Baby Tucker, bugs, trees, clouds, food, garage doors, Buddy, crossing bars, trains, and toilets. 

Even my wonderful husband got in on the project.  Unfortunately for him, the leaf with his name on it went under the leaf labeled "toilet."  So now the kids are yelling, "Daddy's in the toilet!"  Sorry love.

It was a fun project and nice to know what the kids are thankful for...or at least it's nice to know what's on their minds when it's time to yell out a list.  Until next time...