Countdown to Thanksgiving

Preparation for the big holiday at the end of this month has kept me away from blogging all month. 

 ...Okay, and normal life plus pregnancy has gotten in the way of posting as well...
 
But the Countdown to Thanksgiving has already begun, and it's only a week away.  How do the holidays approach us so quickly?  It seems like yesterday I was staring up at the hot sun begging for fall to begin.
 
This year.....**drum roll**..... I'm hosting my first Thanksgiving (gulp)!  Truth be told, I'm actually very excited about it.  We trade off holidays between families each year, and this year Thanksgiving was to be spent with John's parents.  The original plan was to fly out to them in North Carolina, but after we learned of our pregnancy, we realized  there was no way I was to be flying during my third trimester with my early labor history.  Months ago when we made these plans, I was truly terrified at the idea of cooking the infamous Thanksgiving meal.  However, as the holiday has been approaching, and as my homemaker instincts have really kicked in in the last months, I'm truly excited for the big celebration of gratitude and food!  Don't be fooled, I'm still a bit nervous at how I'm going to be pulling it all off, but I'm up for the challenge.
 
So.... with only six days remaining till Thanksgiving, I'm going to attempt to blog each day as I countdown and prepare for my first big holiday hosting.  You'll get an inside look on something I'm gearing up for as the holiday approaches and maybe it will be an inspiration for the way some of you celebrate this year.
 
Yesterday, I put together a sweet little "Thankful Jar".  ...Something I wish I had thought of at the first of the month.  Nothing fancy, just an old mason jar tied with some rafia.  You could make yours however you want.  I've cut strips of orange paper and each day this week, I'm filling the jar with things I'm thankful for (and encouraging my family to do the same) as they come to mind.  It is my plan to read through the many things we are each grateful for around the Thanksgiving table this Thursday.   

Practicing a discipline of thankfulness, I believe, is important beyond just this one time of year, but taking time to reflect on the things that bring me gratitude is certainly valuable in making the most of this once a year holiday.
 
I also found a product that offers this practice of thankfulness for children in a darling way:
 

...A sort of advent calendar for Thanksgiving, this darling decor from Pottery Barn encourages kids (big ones too) to write down something they are thankful for and place it in the appropriate day's pocket for each day of the month of November.  
 
Either way, be practicing thankfulness before and after Thanksgiving this year.