Our Thankfulness Tree

Last year we began a very sweet tradition – during the 7 days before Thanksgiving we each write (well, M dictates) one thing we are thankful for on a paper leaf every evening. 

We talk about the things for which we are thankful during our dinner, then afterwards we pin the leaves to our felt tree.  By the time Thanksgiving rolls around our tree is looking beautiful and festive, and we are in a thankful frame of mind.

Thanksgiving is a hard time for me – several years ago, when we were wanting a baby so very badly, I found out I was pregnant on Thanksgiving morning.  It was also the 10 year anniversary of our first date.  It began as a wonderful, wonderful day.  But unfortunately the day ended in a traumatic fashion in the emergency room with almost no hope of a viable pregnancy (although hope is exactly what I held onto).  After the long weekend I went to my doctor for a follow up exam and found that I had, in fact, lost the baby.  I still miss that baby.  I still love that baby.  I am still thankful for that baby and the other babies we had for such a short time, and I’m especially thankful for the baby we were able to hold onto, who now makes Thanksgiving a little bit brighter again. :) 

{Remember, please, that holidays are not easy and happy times for everyone, and make sure to count all your blessings!}

Our leaves for this year, cut from fall-themed scrapbook paper:Really, don’t they resemble little mice lying on the floor?

Our felt tree, tacked onto the flannelboard and ready to go:

This was cut from a pattern I drew and enlarged; if you are interested, you can download the felt tree pattern here.

Have a beautiful day! :)

Science Time – Balloon Inflating Experiments

M loves balloons, and he loves science experiments.  I’ve been meaning to do the first experiment below for some time now, and it finally happened this week.

The idea for the second experiment came from Fun with Mama.

  EXPERIMENT # 1:

M poured vinegar into a glass bud vase and we scooped some baking soda into our balloon.

I attached the balloon to the end of the vase and then M lifted it up so the baking soda would fall into the vinegar, to create carbon dioxide gas.

The vinegar and baking soda mixed together, began to fizz up and then the balloon started to expand at a very rapid rate.  At that point both M and I raced into the living room, as we are both deathly afraid of loud noises and were sure this thing was going to burst.  I had the sudden sickening realization that perhaps a glass vase was not the wisest choice for our experiment, since it would most likely be rocketed into a wall and smashed to bits.

Well, thankfully it didn’t break.  We eventually worked up enough courage to venture back into the kitchen and saw this:

  It worked!

 

EXPERIMENT # 2:

In this experiment we learned about molecules, tiny little invisible things that make up the air (and everything else, but we really didn’t go into that).  When they are warm they move around more and take up more space.  When they are cold they huddle closer together and take up less space.

M prepping the cold container:

I placed our balloon around the opening of a water bottle (plastic this time!).  I also filled up a second container with very hot water.

M placed the bottle in the hot water, and the balloon inflated!

He placed it in the cold container and the balloon deflated!

Mommy really knew what she was talking about with the whole crazy “invisible molecules” thing. ;)

For the record, M loved the second experiment and spent a good 20 minutes doing it over and over again.  First the cold, then the hot, then the cold, then the hot…

Head over to Science Sunday for more science activities!

Have a beautiful day! :)