First Annual Gratitude Tree

Miriam is finally getting old enough to understand and enjoy little family traditions, so I've been picking through my brain and some of my favorite saved pictures/blogs/ideas/etc. to start some out during these fun autumn and winter holidays.  One tradition that we started November 1st was our Gratitude Tree.  It's really pretty simple, but for my records, here's how we do it (or did it this year, at least) -- Each family member chooses a different color for his/her leaves and every evening before family scriptures we each write something we are grateful for on the leaf and add it to the tree branches.  

I wanted to keep things simple so I just took a long sheet of butcher paper, hung it on the wall and painted a bare tree.  I went to the craft store and picked out some fall colored cardstock and found a cute maple leaf die cut and went to town, or rather Owen did because I was busy keeping kids happy.  Easy peasy.  

Here she is in all her glory.  We didn't make it quite to Thanksgiving because we are slackers and we were traveling a day or two before also.  Lame excuses.  

Here, in no particular order, is what made the list this year:

Owen
flyash (something construction-y -- don't ask, cause I don't know)
Miriam
guns
home
Mom and Dad
TV
eggs
money
modern-day revelation
Liesl
books
Haylee
cell phones
router
wood
movies
snow
BYU-Idaho
In-laws
Humidifiers

Haylee
Miriam
being raised in the gospel
temple covenants
Jesus Christ - my Savior
a home to clean
dishes to wash
healthy children
Liesl
heat
a helpful husband
good in-laws
the internet and the millions of ideas I get from other blogs and websites
gospel of Jesus Christ
scriptures
dishwasher
Owen
having a worthy Priesthood holder in our home
a clean kitchen
my talents
good parents

Miriam
snow
cheez-its
Mike Burns
Heather Burns
doors
church
Grandma and Grandpa
nursery teachers
Baby -- we've tried to get Miri to name her, but she insists that her name is "just Baby"
Pooh Bear
dollhouse
cousins
Mommy
Liesl
Grammy and Grampy
Daddy
chocolate
Ted, the bear
Scary Bear
blankie

Liesl didn't get leaves this year because she doesn't communicate more than a few words in babble and milk through sign.  Next year though, she'll have leaves up there with the rest of us.

As for next year, I plan to steal the way Owen's cousin, Danielle does a gratitude tree with her family.  Instead of doing only things they are grateful for, on one side of the leaf they write things they are thankful for and on the other an act of service they did that day, making it a Thanks and Giving tree.

Miriam loved to "write a leaf" every day so I'm excited to continue this tradition with the addition of service being incorporated.  I love traditions!!