So often do families across America get together to eat and take turns going around the table expressing what they are thankful for.  I am a huge supporter of taking the time to be grateful for all of the wonderful blessings we have around us.  I also think that when you are going around the table and quickly thinking off hand what you are thankful for it is very easy to default to generic items such as ‘family’, ‘friends’, ‘having a house over my head’, having my job still in this economy.

I want to dig a bit deeper and know which friend exactly and why, what have they done in the last year to impact your life.  Who at your work makes your day better, or maybe a recent assignment in your job has changed and you are thankful to be challenged again. Take the time to get specific and you will realize certain people or events stand out in the last year that you are overwhelmingly thankful for!  Finally don’t just say it out loud at a table once a year.  Seek out that friend or family member – or boss who has left an impression on you and let them know why you are thankful!

This year my family sat together and gave thanks… it looked something like this: We had 12 different topics listed on tiny sheets of paper which we passed around in a hat.  We each took turns drawing one, and then went around the table answering the question on the piece of paper. Some examples were as follows:

- A past friend you are thankful for and why

- A past experience this year that you are thankful for

- A future plan that you are thankful for

- Something you have purchased this year that you are thankful to be able to afford

- A TV Show/Movie/Book you have read that has inspired you this year

- Someone new in your life that you are thankful for

- Why you are thankful for your health in the last year

I challenge you to come up with your own topics of things to be thankful for! Have fun learning new things about everyone in your family and embrace what everyone has to be thankful for, it’s been a great year!!

Is this how your Thanksgiving looked?  Hope it was full of delicious turkey and surrounded by your family and friends!

Source: Youtube

Don’t think I have skipped Thanksgiving and gone straight to Christmas.. BUT I came across this great DIY wreath and had to share it.  I know so many families who spend the weekend following Thanksgiving putting up their Christmas decorations together, and while reading the cb2 Blog this project jumped out!

This is also a great DIY idea for your wedding, get ornaments in your weddings colors and hang them on the doors of the church or reception.  An easy way to add decorations to you event!

Supplies:
1. Strong stiff wire that can be bent into a ring. We used aluminum wire gauge 20, about 55” long–due to the scale of the products in the shot, our wreath was rather large, about 28″ in diameter. A wire hanger is also a simple way to go.

2. Ornaments. We used a total of 81 ornaments. For a smaller version, we’re guessing you could make a 14” wreath with about a third of the ornaments depending on how full you wanted it.

3. Strong tape to fasten the ends of the wire ring together or, pliers to twist the ends of the wire ring together.

4. Ribbon to hang the wreath.

Directions:
1. String one ornament at a time onto the wire ring, alternating colors, using smaller ones to fill in the gaps.

2. When the ring is completely covered in ornaments, fasten the ends together.

3. Use a ribbon to cover the spot where the ends are fastened together, and hang!

Tip: best not to go too large in diameter as the wreath could become too heavy and stretch out.

Hopefully I will get a picture of mine when I finish it! Wish me luck!

Source: cb2

Your photographer is only one person!  Most of the time they will bring an extra body to help them cover the whole wedding, but still I guarantee they can’t be everywhere at all times.  Also, they see the wedding with a professional eye and are taking shots of the big events of the day along with a few of the unforgettable details!

Leave cameras on the table with this note along side it, encouraging your guests to have fun with the pictures and take fun pictures themselves.  Trust me you will be surprised with the artistic ability of your friends and family members! You will have very personal up close shots.  When the professional photographer comes around everyone strikes a pose, when you are at a table with your closest friends you let loose and show your true personality!

It will be cheap and easy to drop off the table cameras and when you get back from your honeymoon you will have a stack of pictures to recap right away your great memories!

**WARNING**  Depending who is at which table, you might have a lot of random shots or blank shots.  If kids get a hold of the camera you never know what will appear! This detail at your wedding could turn out FABULOUS or it could not go as planned.. but I think it is worth the risk!!

Source: Liana Photography