I just got the game above from my children for my birthday! I can’t wait to play it! I like regular Dixit but the cards are rather creepy. The cards in this version look so much more genteel.
I hope you already read my Party Games Part #1 post. If not, go over here. The images above and below come from the Dice Tower video over there.
Then watch the video below for more ideas! I hope you find some great games to create wonderful memories with your family and friends. These games make wonderful family Christmas gifts too!
One of my little pleasures in life is playing the piano. I’m no Mozart but I can read music and play most sheet music placed in front of me. I also love Thanksgiving. So, to combine my loves of Thanksgiving and piano brings me extra joy! Here’s a little-known Thanksgiving song, called “Hymn of Thanks” by Dorothy Andersen. You can find it here. It’s from the Friend magazine, a publication for children by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the November 1978 issues.
Want more Thanksgiving-themed songs? Get my Family Devotionals Ebook here. Then go to the November section. I hope you enjoy all the songs, poems, stories, and scriptures I have listed. This family devotionals ebook turns every day into a festival of worshipping God as a family.
Another picture book I love to read every year around Thanksgiving time, besides The Thanksgiving Door and Thank You, Sarah, is the book above, Balloons Over Broadway.
This book, written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, tells the story of Tony Sarg. Tony is the creator of the big balloon puppets that grace the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade ever year. This book tells a bit about Tony’s childhood, his beginnings with puppetry, and how he got involved with making the balloons for the Thanksgiving parade. It’s just a delightful book that makes me grateful for all the creative people in the world. Tony was the intellectual “father” of Bill Baird, the guy behind the Sound of Music marionettes. Bill was a mentor of Jim Henson. So that makes Tony Jim Henson’s intellectual grandfather. It’s just interesting how people find each other to get the help they want and need to create the things they want to create, and then we all get to benefit from the beauty and wonder of their creations.
If I still had little kiddos at home I would take an afternoon or two doing a unit study with this book. I’d have fun with the activities over here and here and more. So many people have taken inspiration from this book.
Here’s a video read-aloud of the book below. If you want more picture books based on Thanksgiving, go here to my new website and scroll down to the “November” heading at the bottom third of the page. I know you’ll enjoy these books! Happy Thanksgiving!
Here’s a new Thanksgiving family tradition to enjoy: watching the documentary called Monumental, produced by Kirk Cameron. It’s about the little-known monument to the pilgrims pictured above. The trailer is below.
Here’s a description of the documentary I found on YouTube:
“Monumental is the story of America’s beginnings. Presented, produced, and starring Kirk Cameron, the 90-minute true story follows this father of six across Europe and the U.S. as he seeks to discover America’s true “national treasure” – the people, places, and principles that made America the freest, most prosperous and generous nation the world has ever known. Monumental is heralded as ‘inspiring,’ ‘beautifully executed,’ ‘powerful,’ and ‘one meant to teach.’ Long regarded as ‘the land of opportunity,’ there’s no question the tiny band of religious outcasts who founded this country hit upon a formula for success that went way beyond what they could have imagined. How else can you explain the fact that they established a nation that has become the best example of civil, economic and religious liberty the world has ever known? What formula did they discover? What motivated them to come here in the first place? More importantly, how can we apply these same foundational truths today?”
Here’s a great interview Kirk did with about Monumental with the guys at Wallbuilders (I listen to the Wallbuilders podcasts at http://wallbuilderslive.com for a Christian, limited-government perspective on the news and politics). I really appreciate David Barton, the founder of Wallbuilders, although I don’t agree with everything he says. The interview with Kirk is here.
Here is the full documentary. Please watch and share. As Americans, we have all benefited from the Pilgrim’s Formula that has created the best example of “civil, economic and religious liberty the world has ever known.”
If you want more family tradition ideas for Thanksgiving, check out my family traditions website here, and scroll down to the heading of “November” to see what I have listed there.
Today is William Steig’s birthday! He was born on this day in 1907. If you bought my read-aloud calendar, you would know from looking at it that I mention his birthday on this day. Let’s celebrate Steig by reading his famous book, Shrek, or my more preferred book of his, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. I love the idea of reading this book in November because it helps me remember how thankful I am to God for my family. In this book, Syvester, a donkey, turns into a pebble and can’t communicate with his family. I know this is just a story, but every time I read it, my heart just breaks for Sylvester. Then at the end, when he is turned back into himself and gets to be with his family, I feel so joyful at their reunion. I get this palpable feeling that all material things, all hurts, and any other world issues have faded away, and all that matters is that the family is back together. It’s just so sweet! It’s not even about real people, just a donkey family, but I almost get teary-eyed every time I read it. I give it 5 out of 5 stars! I’m 99.99 percent sure your local public library has this book, because it’s such a beloved classic, after all, it’s a Caldecott medal winner, so if you haven’t read it, go check it out and find out what you are missing out on.
If you want my calendar, go here to get it before the price goes up tomorrow, from $13.95 to $17.95.
Go here to my family read-alouds and traditions website and scroll down to the bottom third of the page, under “November,” if you want lots more recommendations for reading aloud thankful-themed titles for November.
Woo-hoo! With the colder weather upon us it’s time to gather inside more often and play board games! I got to play the games above over the weekend with family and friends. We had so much fun! I’m thrilled I found the bottom game, Compatibility, at the thrift store just last week for only $3! I noticed the Dice Tower, my favorite board game YouTube Channel, has been doing a few videos on party games lately. In one of the videos, Chris Yi mentioned Compatibility, and then I found it just a week later while thrifting. Score! We played it last night with my daughter, her husband, and son and it was quite enjoyable.
If you want some ideas for party games to buy for the upcoming holiday season where families and friends tend to gather more often and often want to do something besides just sit and chat (nothing wrong with that), watch below.
The video below is the one where I heard Chris mentioned Compatibility, below, in the video of games that didn’t make the “Top Ten Party Games.” Instead, these are the rest of the Top 100, the remaining 90.
I love that these guys share games that are little-known, besides the popular party games like Codenames and Mysterium. Watch these videos so you know what games to be on the lookout when you go thrifting.
If you want ideas on how to find great games while on a budget, get my guide to building a gameschool collection on a budget here. Yes, most if not all party games, count as great gameschooling games.
If you want more ideas for what to do as a family during November and December, besides play games, check out my website here for suggestions on family read-alouds and traditions. Click on “Fall” then scroll down to see the list for November. Click on “Winter” to see the list for December.
The following is an amazing story about an atheist who turned into a believer in God in a moment of crisis. It happened in a forest when the author was hunting for mushrooms. I am so grateful that this former atheist shared her story.
I am copying and pasting this story from the October 2009 Ensign, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Grabbing the Strong Root,” by Melsida Hakobyan
“When I was a schoolgirl in Russia, I read a scary story about two boys who encountered a bear in a forest. Years later, after I had become a teacher, some friends asked me to join them on a trip to collect mushrooms. The forest still scared me, but I agreed to go with them.
“Entering the forest, I grabbed a wooden stick so I could defend myself in case I ran into a bear. My friends soon found the brown mushrooms they were looking for. I, on the other hand, was looking for mushrooms with bright red tops, so I started off in a different direction. Before I knew it, I was alone.
“While I was searching, I slipped and fell. My mushroom basket flew into the air, but I held tight to my stick. When I tried to get up, I noticed that the ground was muddy and sticky. To my horror, I realized that I had wandered into a swamp! My rubber boots quickly filled with water, and I began to sink. I tried to move my legs, but instead of freeing myself, I was pulled deeper. When the mud reached my waist, deep fear engulfed me.
“I cried out to my friends, but the only answer I heard came from buzzing dragonflies and croaking frogs. As I began to weep, I suddenly remembered my mother. Whenever she was in a bad situation, she prayed. She often invited me to pray, but I always refused, answering, “There is no God.”
“But in my watery soon-to-be grave, there was nothing else I could do but pray and call upon God for help. “If You live, please help me!” I cried.
“Almost immediately I heard a kind voice tell me, “Believe and be not afraid. Grab the strong tree root.”
“As I looked around, I saw a big tree root behind me. Using my stick, I was able to latch onto it. Something then gave me the power to pull myself out of the swamp.
“Covered with mud, I fell to the ground and thanked God for answering my prayer. I now believed that He lived. I had felt His presence and heard His voice, and He had given me power to pull myself free.
“A short time later, when the full-time missionaries taught me that the Prophet Joseph Smith had received an answer to his prayer in the Sacred Grove, I believed them. After all, God had answered my prayer in a forest. I latched onto the strong roots of the gospel, was baptized soon thereafter, and serve today in the Gyumri Branch in Armenia.
“I know Heavenly Father loves all of His children, and I’m grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m also grateful for the many other blessings I have received from Heavenly Father, especially for His answer to an atheist’s prayer in the forest many years ago.
“When the mud reached my waist, deep fear engulfed me. I cried out to my friends, but the only answer I heard came from buzzing dragonflies and croaking frogs.”
Happy Veterans’ Day! Here’s a great picture book to show how one woman showed her gratitude to veterans. It’s all about Moina Belle Michael’s efforts. Here’s what goodreads.com says about the book:
“Moina Belle Michael, a schoolteacher from Georgia, successfully established the Flanders Field Memorial Poppy as a universal symbol of tribute and support for veterans and their families during World War I and II. Known as the Poppy Lady, Michael dedicated her life to servicemen and women, buying and placing fresh flowers in rooms where they would gather before heading overseas.
“Author Barbara Elizabeth Walsh and artist Layne Johnson worked with experts and primary documents, as well as Moina’s great-nieces to better understand Moina’s determination to honor the war veterans.
“A portion of the book’s proceeds will support the National Military Family Association’s Operation Purple®, which benefits children of the U.S. military.”
This is a great book to bring up the topic of war, veterans, and how to show our gratitude to the men and women who have fought to defend the USA. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
Want more picture book suggestions for November? Check out my family read-alouds and traditions website here for fall, and scroll down the bottom third of the page, under the “November” heading.
Did you know that Dr. Annette Bosworth M.D., aka Dr. Boz, says all these symptoms can be alleviated or EVEN eliminated with the ketogenic diet? Dr. Boz, an internist, is a medical doctor who tends to work with senior citizens. She has found great success with her patients who get on the keto continuum. She speaks from experience!
Did you know that the keto diet can, on top of all that, ALSO eliminate carbohydrate craving/sugar cravings/food addiction forever?
Watch the video below and take the test with Dr. Boz to see if you have a sugar addiction!
How did you score? As Dr. Boz says at the end of the video, if you got over 5, you might be addicted to carbs! Find release from this bondage with the ketogenic diet using the keto continuum from Dr. Boz. My Slim and Healthy Keto Class uses this keto continuum.
Your health is priceless! Invest in yourself by engaging in this class. In doing so, you will reclaim your healthy birthright and prevent the typical symptoms we associate with aging in modern America. Adult-onset diabetes can be prevented! As Dr. Boz says, “Type 2 Diabetes is a choice!” Heart disease can be prevented! Dementia can be prevented!
Come learn from this keto class and apply your knowledge so you can reach your ideal health! If you apply what you learn in this class, you will trim down, you will most likely be able to get off needless medications and play with your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for decades to come!
The photo below shows one man’s success with the keto continuum. Patrick, at age 61, got on the keto continuum. He lost weight and got off all his medications!
The Slim and Healthy Kick the Carb Cravings Keto Weight Loss Class!
-8 weeks of weekly, 2 hour classes
-On Zoom so you can attend anywhere you have Internet access.
-classes will be recorded so you can catch up on what you miss
Logistics of class:
Every Wednesday 6:45 – 8:45 PM MST in Zoom
Starts Wednesday March 13, 2024.
What you get by taking this class:
-Me as a mentor! I recently lost 40 lbs in 5 months the past spring and summer 2023. I will guide you through the crazy maze of the weight loss journey with sound principles that work so you don’t ever go back to yo-yo dieting and so you also end cravings. No guess work involved! If you do what I say, you will lose weight! It’s all based on numbers and science!
-A weekly class with accountability for you and your goals. You set the health and/or weight-loss goals you want with the knowledge and skills I teach you!
-A tribe to give you a feeling of community
-Help to actually lose weight during the holiday season and continue to lose weight
-Tools to deal with emotional eating
-Knowledge of how to lose weight without exercise, using the principles from the Ketocontinuum: Consistently Keto for Life book by Dr. Annette Bosworth M.D.
-How to avoid the common pitfalls of the keto diet. Perhaps you have tried keto before and couldn’t sustain it because of the keto flu, or other common challenges of going keto. When I first tried keto about 6 years ago, I had a few pitfalls so I had to stop. Learn how to overcome them in this class!
-Tools to end your carb/sugar/food addiction forever
-Knowledge of how to create the “chemistry set” in your body that will cause weight loss so you don’t have to rely on white-knuckled willpower! Doesn’t that sound amazing? True science, as taught by Dr. Boz, is behind this!
-Knowledge of the markers that indicate true wellness. Wellness is more than just being thin! You will learn about SHMEC, which stands for Sleep, Health, Mood, Energy, and Cravings. Learn these markers and how to improve your individual ones.
Cost for Class: Tuition (see below), Cost for Books (see below), and Cost for Keto/Glucose Meter (see below)
Regular Tuition for Class: $447
Early Bird Discount: Register by Saturday March 2 midnight and pay $157!
After that the price goes up to $447.
Cost for Books: Approximately $46 for these two paperback books (cheaper if you get a Kindle edition). We will be using these two books by Dr. Boz pictured below. We will refer to them and discuss them in class. So if you enroll in this class, you need these books to be successful! Please order them here on amazon.
This first one, pictured above, tells a story that is fun to read. You will enjoy following David’s ketogenic diet journey. Along the way you will learn the principles of the keto diet.
The second one, pictured above, is a companion book, a workbook, with charts for you to write in to track your data. Again, please order them from amazon here.
Cost for keto glucose meter: Approximately $50. To have the best success, you will want to get a meter that measures the glucose and ketones in your blood. Get this one on amazon. You don’t need the meter when you first start the class, but you will want one by week #5.
Ready to Enroll? Great! Register by filling out this form.
Questions? Text 801-628-8753 with any questions or email me: info (at) treeoflifemothering (dot) com.
Remember, if you want to be entered into the random drawing for a free registration of the class, put your name in the comments below with the reason why you want to get on the ketogenic diet.
If you are excited to jumpstart your knowledge about the ketogenic journey before class starts, please read and watch the extra stuff below:
First, read Dr. Boz’s first book, shown above.
Also, watch Dr. Boz’s video docuseries, An American Traddiction, shown below.
The book is the story of Dr. Boz teaching her mom how to do the ketogenic diet to so her mom could fight cancer. The keto diet healed Grandma Rose, Dr. Boz’s mom, of cancer.
The docuseries shows Dr. Boz mentoring her sister-in-law Michelle on the keto diet journey. The videos show her 6-week journey, and then her results after 6 months. Michelle lost 23 lbs in 6 weeks doing keto!
This video above is the trailer. The whole series is below.
I just love this picture book! It’s probably my all-time favorite Thanksgiving picture book, although it’s super hard to pick just one, they are all so good! It captures the spirit of Thanksgiving so well, of immigrants, as the Pilgrims were immigrants, kindness to strangers (like the Pilgrims and Native Americans had for each other), hospitality, and gratitude to God. If you love stories of friendship and surprises, you will love it! I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!
How delighted I was to find that my friend Melanie Hartzell has a YouTube with her reading it aloud! See below! Reading this aloud every year to at least one of my children is a family tradition for me, and I will continue this on with grandchildren. If you want more suggestions of picture books for fall, check out my new website, all about family read alouds and traditions, over here.
Tree of Life Mothering 