Finishing The Week With Jan Brett And The Mitten

A Ukrainian Folktale retold and illustrated by Jan Brett


Alibris

When Nicki drops his white mitten in the snow, he goes on without realizing that it is missing.
One by one, woodland animals find the mitten and crawl in; first a curious mole, then a rabbit, a badger and others, each one larger than the last. Finally, a big brown bear is followed in by a tiny brown mouse, and what happens next makes a wonderfully funny climax.
As the story of the animals in the mitten unfolds, the reader can see Nicki in the borders of each page, walking through the woods unaware of what is going on.
Once again Jan Brett has created a dramatic and beautiful picture book in her distinctive style. She brings the animals to life with warmth and humor, and her illustrations are full of visual delights and details faithful to the Ukrainian tradition, from which the story comes.

After reading the book (either buy it as a wonderful Christmas gift or borrow it from the library - or both!) visit Jan Brett's Homepage for activities to accompany this classic book.

She has masks of all the animals to print out and use to put on your own play of The Mitten,
a Print and Cut game of Put The Animals In The Mitten, a design your own mitten template , even a cross stitch pattern of the mitten and all the animals for a loving grammy to stitch as a gift.

Have fun joining the animals and staying snug all winter!

Winter For The Canada Goose

In spite of being called the Canada goose, these geese are one of the most common type of water birds, living or at least migrating through all of North America. There are really over a dozen kinds of geese that belong to the species called Canada Goose. Almost all of them migrate, but a few kinds do not, preferring to stay in the same location year round.

The Canada Goose enjoys the young shoots of plants such as cattails, pondweed, grasses, clover, most of plants that can be found growing near water. Seen in ponds with their head submerged underwater and tail sticking up high, they also eat insects and their larvae, snails, small clams and mussels.

In the winter, when the ponds and lakes begin to freeze and their food becomes scarce, the Canada geese begin to migrate to a place that is warmer with plenty of food. Scientists still aren't sure just how migration works or how the geese know what to do and where to go. They do know that most Canada geese travel the same routes or paths each year and arrive at the same place to spend the winter.
The geese migrate both by day and by night, stopping often for rest, food, and water. They make their migration in family groups and are led by experienced adults who have made the trip before. It is believed that they find their way by watching for familiar landmarks, such as mountains, cities, rivers, and lakes. It is also likely that the position of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky as well as the earth’s magnetic field helps them to find their way.
However they do it, we all have to agree that it is a very impressive accomplishment!

For some fun with the Canada Goose, visit these pages:

Canada Goose Coloring Page (from coloring.ws)

Canada Goose Coloring Page (with information)

Canada Goose Coloring Page with Labels (with information)

"What I've learned about the Canada Goose" Coloring Worksheet

Help the Canada Goose find the pond Maze

How many words can you make from CANADA GOOSE Word Worksheet

What Do Rabbits Do In Winter?

The cottontail rabbit is a familiar wild animal that can be found living alongside people almost everywhere, in the city or the countryside. In the summer these rabbits find food easily - nibbling on clover, green grass and other green plants, even raiding the neighbor's garden to eat the plants there!

Rabbits are most active at dawn and dusk. This is the best time to see them. They spend the remainder of the day resting in hollows or shallow nests in the ground called forms. In summer these nests are made in tall grass or brush. You might find a rabbit nesting in an unmowed lawn, meadow or under a bush. In the winter, the rabbit will seek out a place with protection from snow or wind. Overhead cover such as a bush protects the rabbit from birds of prey. Rabbits frequently use woodchuck, skunk or badger burrows during winter months and sunbathe in any nearby sunny spots.

During times in the winter with little snow rabbits eat grasses and other plants they can find. The bark of young trees and shrubs is eaten when snow covers other plant foods. You might want to help out the rabbits in your neighborhood by scattering apple peels, carrot tops or lettuce leaves on the snow in your yard.

You can sometimes tell that a rabbit lives nearby if you see small shrubs or tree seedlings nipped off just above the snow. You may see piles of their round, dark colored droppings. It's easy to identify a rabbit's tracks or footprints. When hopping, the hind feet land first with the front foot prints appearing inside the back feet's prints. Like this:




Click Here for a rabbit coloring page that you could also use for painting or as the beginning of a rabbit collage.

Do Squirrels Migrate Or Hibernate In The Winter?

Well, according to The Scholarly Squirrel

"Although squirrels seem to disappear from sight in the winter months, they are in the exact places where they lived during the warmer months. In fact, squirrels spend their entire lives within only three to five acres. Ground squirrels hibernate during the winter months, but tree squirrels do not. Tree squirrels keep warm by snuggling with their family in their tree nests or ground burrows. As soon as the weather permits, they emerge and begin hunting for food again. Squirrels are very sensitive to weather changes and prepare for an upcoming drop in temperature by instinctively burying their nuts underground as well as binge eating!"

Here's a page of links to directions for making various squirrel nesting boxes
And
a bunch of online jigsaw puzzles featuring squirrels and other forest friends!

Now Just In -
A List of Thirteen Fascinating Squirrel Facts by Nancy at Soliloquy.
Thanks, Nancy!

The Animals Are Getting Ready For Winter!

People usually spend the winter in a home with some sort of heat; they put on extra layers of clothing and heavy coats for added warmth when they go outside. When the need for food grips them, they go to the grocery store. But what about the wild animals that live around us?

The biggest problem for most animals in the winter is finding enough food. Wild animals cope with the changes in weather and availability of food in one of three ways: adjusting, hibernating or migrating. Most land-bound animals are forced to remain and stay somewhat active during the winter. They must adjust to our changing weather. Many make changes in their behavior or bodies. Cold-blooded animals (i.e., insects, reptiles, amphibians, and fish) must hibernate if they live in environments where the temperature and therefore their own body temperature drops below freezing. Box turtles burrow into the soil or mulch piles. Reptiles like lizards and snakes seek protective cover under rocks, leaf litter and mulch piles. Many others hoard food stores to get them through the winter. Squirrels and mice stash their food in tree cavities, under leaf litter, or in holes in the ground. Still other animals, such as voles, have communal food storage areas underground.

Most animals prepare for winter by changing their bodies - accumulating body fat is the most crucial, a vital insulator for warmth and source of energy. Many of these animals, like deer, squirrels, and raccoons, spend the fall feasting on energy- and fat- rich acorns and other nuts that help them put on an insulating layer of fat beneath their skin. Their sparse summer coat is gradually replaced by a warmer one made up of a dense layer of under fur and a thick surface layer that helps to trap body heat. These species, as well the rabbit, otter, muskrat, fox, and bobcat, remain active throughout the winter, foraging or hunting daily. For other species, such as opossums and skunks, winter activity is temperature dependent. During extremely cold periods they spend their time in their nests or dens, curled up in a semi sleep dormant state.

Hibernation is the practice among certain animals of spending part of the cold season in a more or less dormant state, apparently as protection from cold when their normal body temperature cannot be maintained and food is scarce. This deep sleep allows them to conserve energy and survive the winter with little or no food. Hibernation is caused by a chemical trigger released by the brain when the animal experiences extremes of temperature, lack of food, or decreased amounts of daylight. Most hibernators prepare in some way for the winter. Some store food in their burrows or dens, to eat when they awaken for short periods. Many eat extra food in the fall while it is plentiful, and store it as body fat to be used later for energy.

Hibernators have two kinds of fat: regular white fat and a special brown fat. The brown fat forms patches near the animal's brain, heart, and lungs. The fat sends a burst of energy to warm these organs first when it is time for the animal to wake up. Hibernating animals are able to store enough food in their bodies to carry them over until food is once again obtainable. They do not grow during hibernation. Their bodily activities are reduced to a minimum; in fact they may have only one or two heartbeats every minute. This energy-efficient dormant stage enables the hibernating animal to have periods of inactivity that last for weeks or even months. True hibernators go into such a deep sleep that they are difficult to wake and may even appear dead. Their body temperature drops, and their breathing and heart rate drop significantly. For example, the groundhog, or woodchuck, is one of our true hibernators. It spends most of the summer in fields and in tunnels it has dug below. During winter, the groundhog finds it way to the deepest recesses of those tunnels where it will hibernate. A hibernating groundhog's heart rate slows from 80 beats to 4 beats per minute, and its body temperature drops from 98F to as low as 38F. If its temperature falls too low, it will awaken slightly and shiver to warm up a bit.

If an animal lives in an area where the winter is mild, it may hibernate only briefly, or not at all. However, even when the winter is severe, hibernators may wake up for short periods every few weeks to use their "toilet rooms" and eat if food is available. Animals such as raccoons, skunks, and some chipmunks are light sleepers and are easily awakened. They may sleep during the most severe weather and wake to roam and forage for food in milder weather.

Our largest hibernator is the bear. Bears are unique because, unlike other hibernators, they do not eat, drink, or excrete at all while hibernating, which can be as long as six months. Although the quarters are cramped, female bears give birth and nurse their cubs during hibernation. Other true hibernators include the jumping mouse, little brown bat, the eastern chipmunk, and some species of ground squirrels.

This week, let's have some fun learning about how animals live in the winter.
Crafts, coloring pages, stories - we could even make a feeding station to help out the animals that live nearby.

If your family has some ideas we can use to learn about animals in winter, please leave a comment and I'll be sure to say Thank You!

A Grammy Community!

Yes, I know I said I was on holiday, and I am -
but this is just too exciting to wait...

My friend Cynthia at Granny Xpress has issued an invitation to Blogging Grammies everywhere.
Cynthia writes:

I want to let all Blogging Grandparents that might be reading this to know that we now have a "Blogging Group" on Blogcatalog (go to Blogcatalog.com and register if you are a blogger). It's a Group so that we can come together a build a community of 'like interests'-- grandparenting, predominantly.

*What does it mean to you?
*Who/what are your models for grandparenting?
*Do you find yourself rejecting or emulating the "classic" notion of grandparenting (eg., granny knits, has grey hair, loves to care for her grandkids).
*Do you have words of wisdom to share?
*What makes grandparenting special for you? etc.

Hope to see you on the Group (you do have to "apply" and be "approved"-- just to screen out all the many, many mock blogs that are just 'shopping sites')

I've signed on but we need lots of grandparents to build a thriving community!
Won't you join us?

Thank You, Cynthia!

Turkey Cupcakes - From Grampy And Betty Crocker!

Grampy emailed this recipe this morning, from his computer downstairs to Grammy's computer upstairs. Maya and I think he might be hoping to see these on his Thanksgiving table. We think that can be arranged!

If you'd like to make these cupcakes for your family, you'll find the recipe on the Betty Crocker website at this link: Turkey Cupcakes

And now I will be joining Grampy on his Thanksgiving Vacation.
I wish all Ye Thankful People a Very Happy Holiday!
God Bless You.

Blogging will resume on Monday, November 26, 2007

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come

"Mommeee...Grammy's talking weird again! She's callin me 'ye thankful'!"

The Kinder Arts newsletter just arrived and I was immediately drawn to the number of projects designed to help our family count its blessings.

Susan Futch has directions for Blessing Boxes made from milk cartons to show what you are thankful for on Thanksgiving Day. (I don't see why any small box wouldn't work just as well)

Karen Rowley shares a fun and educational Thankful Turkey.

Amanda Formaro walks us through the steps of making a Handprint Thanksgiving Tree.

And, if you're feeling really thankful - and ambitious! there are two Thanksgiving Quilts to choose from -
one from Yamilka J. Sena
and another designed by Mindy Shupak.

So Come, Ye thankfuls -
Let's get busy!

Thanksgiving With Daddy And Lisa

Statistics are saying that more than 40% of our children have experienced the divorce of their parents.
A statement. A statistic. But not the end of the family story. Life goes on just the same - except it's not the same. Everything is different. Different than everyone planned. Different than everyone hoped. Different than everyone expected.
Adjustments, compromises and accommodations must be made for those differences.
Must be made because regardless of what else may have changed, our common goal remains the health and happiness of our children.

The holidays are a time that require many compromises and adjustments. Every family has their own way of making the holidays special for their children. Today we celebrated our way.
Maya helped me prepare an early Thanksgiving dinner to share with her father and their friend Lisa. I hope that this day will provide a happy memory for a precious little girl.

My Parents Have Lives???

It comes as a surprise to young children that the people they call "Mommy" or "Daddy" or "Grammy" also have names like "Rachel" or "Ken" or "Karen." It is incomprehensible to older children that these same people may (gasp!) live a life that encompasses more than being parents or grandparents. Try these conversation sparking activities at your family holiday - if you dare!

* Have the kids write the adult's life story, as they understand it. Then have them check their story for accuracy by reading it aloud to the person they wrote about.

* Let the kids design a questionnaire for their parents and other family members to discover more about them.

* Older children might be interested in what high school life was like for their parents and grandparents. (Or they might not. Ask them to please be polite and feign an interest for the sake of harmony.)

What decade was it when the adults were in high school? What was going on in the world then? What songs and fashions were popular? How about games and other pastimes?

I recently ran across a JC Penney catalog from 1972, the year I graduated from high school. Doing an online search will uncover many other catalogs and magazines from different time periods. Lots of fun - and a little embarassing. (what Were we thinking? hip hugging bell bottoms???)

* Go through old family photo albums to find pictures from when everyone was young.
Before looking at the pictures, ask the kids to make sketches or write brief descriptions of what they think their parents and grandparents looked like. Then compare the pictures. Do they match?

* Ask your children if they would like to have children some day. What do they think their children will look like? Ask them to draw or write a description of their future children then tuck the pictures away for posterity.

My Grandmother's Name Is Karen

Names are an interesting topic for children - both their own names and the idea that the adults they know by titles - Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Grandpa, even Great Grampy!- all have their own names.
Try using these questions as a conversation starter at your Holiday meal:

What does my name mean?

What is the story of how my name was chosen?

Does anyone else in our whole family (from the past or present) have my name?

What other interesting names are there in our family?

Ask the children what they might name their own children someday. Why do they think that might be a good name?

Does anyone in the family wish that they had a different name? What is it? Why is it a better name?

It's fun to learn the meaning of everyone's first name.
Here's a link to a database of over 30,000 names. Just enter your name in the search box to find out what it means!

Older children will want to take the idea a bit further (we hope. Or they're rolling their eyes in boredom by now and wishing they could be excused from the table to do anything else other than this...)

Older children will also be interested in the meaning and possible origin of their last name.

About.com maintains a Last Name Meanings and Origins Glossary for your last name. The glossary includes last name meanings and origins, plus research links, common last name spelling variations, and surname search tips for last names of English, Irish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Jewish origin, including the 100 most popular U.S. surnames.

Can't find your last name in the Last Name Meanings Glossary? Submit your surname to Ask a Genealogist and the editor will try to research its meaning and add it to the Last Name Meanings Glossary. Last name site submissions are also welcome for sites primarily devoted to one of the included surnames.

And finally, dress up your Thanksgiving table. Print, clip, fold and add a name to these Thanksgiving placecards from Kid's Turn Central.

Mr. Rogers Talks About Divorce

Fantasies Are Often More Scary than Reality

Separation and divorce can be very sad and painful for children. Divorce brings many changes, and changes are hard for children. They may feel their family is broken. They may wonder, "If parents stop loving each other, can they stop loving me?" They may also think the divorce is their fault.

Parents can have hurt and angry feelings, too. Divorce can make a parent feel unloved and unwanted. When you feel hurt and upset, it is hard to have energy for the everyday needs of your child. It can be hard to remember that just because one relationship has failed, you have not failed at love. You are still a lovable and loving person.

Divorce changes families in many ways. But a mother and father who don't live together can still help their children feel safe, loved, and part of a caring family.

Children Need Simple Answers About the Divorce.

Most children think they caused the divorce because they were bad. Tell your child, "It is not your fault. This is a problem between the grownups."

It helps children when both parents are together to tell the news about the divorce.

It is enough to say "We are very, very sorry. We tried and tried, but we cannot live together anymore."

Some children think they can get their parents back together. It helps them to hear again and again that the children did not make the divorce happen. And the children cannot "fix" it.

Children Need to Know What Will Change and What Will Stay the Same.

Children don't understand what will change in a divorce. Their biggest question is, "Who will take care of me?" They need to hear there will always be grownups to take care of them.

Talk about the changes, like:

where they will sleep or go to school,
where each parent will live,
when they will be with each parent.
Talk about the things that will stay the same. Children want to know that some things will not change. They need to know there will still be rules.

And of course, the most important thing that stays the same is your love.

Children Need Ways to Express Their Feelings.

Children can have lots of sad and angry feelings about the divorce and all the changes it brings. Those feelings can last a long time.

Help your child to use words and say, "I am really mad!" instead of hitting or throwing things.
Children can get their feelings out by drawing, playing, and making up stories.
Read children's books about divorce. Talk about the story and the pictures.

Children Need to Know It's Ok to Have Their Own Feelings about Each Parent.

Even when one parent is angry with the other, it's important not to say "bad" things about the other parent.

Let your child know it's ok to like being with the other parent. That may be hard for you, but children feel better when they have some good feelings about both parents.

Sometimes children may not want to leave one parent to stay with the other. Let them know you understand that is hard.

Help Can Come in Many Ways.

Let your child's teacher know your family is having hard times.

The teacher can give extra help and comfort when your child is upset.
Tell your child that you told the teacher. Children think the divorce is a secret because no one talks about it. But divorce is not a secret for people who care about your child.
Find another adult you can talk with when you are going through a hard time. That can help you feel better about yourself.

Do things you and your child enjoy -- even small things, like reading a book together or taking a walk. Then you and your child can know there are good things in life to enjoy, even in hard times.

It can take a long time for children to manage their feelings about a divorce. For some children it takes longer than others.

If you feel your child needs extra help, try to find counseling or a support group. Most communities have that kind of help for families -- free or at low cost.

Whatever helps you to remember that you are a lovable and loving person is worth your time and energy.

For more information about helping children with divorce by Fred Rogers, please visit the Family Communications Inc. web site.



How Would You Feel?
an activity for you and your child

Pretending how we feel, or might feel, at certain times can be a good way for children to talk about feelings.

Materials:

Paper plates
Construction-paper shapes cut to represent facial features
Tape

Directions:

Use a paper plate, construction-paper shapes cut to resemble facial features and tape to create different facial expressions. Ask your child to tell you the feelings each "face" expresses.

As you and your child arrange different faces on the plates you have a chance to ask questions such as How would you feel if you were

*Getting ready to open a present
*Riding a tricycle and someone pushed you off
*Throwing a ball in the house and broke a vase
*Going to get a new puppy
*Hearing thunder
*Going to sleep somewhere else

Your child might want to make different expressions about the different situations you present. It helps children to know that we have lots of different feelings -- ambivalent feelings -- about a lot of things, even about a divorce.

Mr. Rogers Talks About Families

Families Come in Different Shapes and Sizes

Families come in all different shapes and sizes. Even people who are not related by blood at all can make up a family because they love and care for each other. And that's what is really important about families. When people care for one another, they have a sense of belonging - of being related to each other, even if they are not blood relatives.

There are many ways to become a member of a family. Being born into a family is one way. Marrying into a family, or being adopted are other ways to become part of a family. When children are adopted, they sometimes need reassurance that adoptive families and stepfamilies are like other families and that their moms and dads care for them, the same way other parents care for their children.
-- Fred Rogers

Family Life and a Focus On Adoption
Day by day, in the secure "nest" of family life, children learn the most essential thing of all -- how to live with other people. Daily life requires some structure and routine so that everyone in the family knows what to expect and can move through the day with some comfort and predictability.

That means, of course, that children can't do only what they want to do. There are rules and limits about such things as when to eat, what to eat, and when to sleep. As much as children may "test" the rules, they need -- and want -- adults to be in charge.

As children deal with the ups and downs of everyday life with parents, brothers or sisters, and friends, they're learning about compromise, responsibility, love, anger, generosity, compassion, and cooperation. Little by little they develop the ability to wait, to share, to try, to cope with disappointment, to understand and to express feelings. Day by day, they're seeing how they are like other people and how they are different. If they're fortunate, little by little they're coming to realize that they are unique, and that everyone else in this world is unique, too.

For Adoptive Families

Being adopted into a caring family can be a very special "love story." But adoption can be difficult to talk about, since it involves one of a child's deepest needs: the sense of security in belonging to a family that will always take care of him or her.

Talking about Adoption

Each child has unique ways of dealing with being adopted, and those ways can change as children grow. Some children talk a lot about being adopted, and they ask a lot of questions. Other children may be quiet about it.

Some people tell "the story of when you were adopted" as they're rocking their infants or when they're snuggling with their toddlers. Of course, infants and toddlers don't understand much about what's being said; nevertheless they're hearing about their history in a natural way.

Some parents worry that if they don't talk about adoption with their adopted child early on, someone else may reveal it to their child and that could raise even more concerns for him or her. In fact, a child could feel betrayed and wonder if adoption might be something shameful or something to hide if he or she hears such an important thing from someone other than family.

"It's Not Your Fault..."

As children grow, they try to make their own sense of why they were adopted. During the preschool years, as they work on controlling their own "bad" behavior, adopted children sometimes wonder if their birthparents didn't keep them because they were "bad" or because they cried a lot.

Those children need a lot of assurance from adults that what they're thinking just isn't true. It's better to say, "Your birthmother and birthfather just weren't able to take care of any baby at all" rather than saying, "Your birthmother and birthfather couldn't take care of you." In other words, there was nothing wrong with your child in particular; rather it was the birthparents' inability to provide care that prompted the adoption. If children are left to their own fantasies and think they were abandoned because they were bad, their next unspoken question to their adoptive parents might be, "How bad do I have to be before you give me away, too?"

Children need to hear that there were probably many reasons why their birthparents couldn't take care of a child, but that those reasons all have to do with the grownups. You may want to ask your child why he or she thinks some birthparents can't care for a baby, so you can correct any misconceptions and maybe find out more about what your child really wants to know.

Adoption Is For Always

There are wonderful things about being adopted into a loving family; nevertheless, some children feel that adoption also means loss -- loss of relationships with people they didn't even know, people who were a significant part of their history. Some children have said to their adoptive mother, "I'm sad that I didn't grow in your tummy." Adoptive mothers can let them know that they're sad about that, too, (if in fact they are) but that they're also very glad that "you're growing in our family!"

Many families nowadays avoid saying "You were chosen" because that could imply that those adoptive children are expected to live up to certain expectations if they are to remain chosen. Parents may think they're helping their child feel secure by believing they are "chosen," but oddly enough, that can have just the opposite effect. Adopted children need to hear and to know that adoption is not conditional -- adoption is for always. They need to hear, "You are special, not because you're adopted, but just because you're you. No matter what, you will always be part of our family. Adoption is for keeps."

However Your Family has Grown

As a parent, day in and day out, you're a nurturer, comforter, problem-solver, protector, limit-setter, and much more. In the safety of the family, you're helping your child learn how to get along with others, how to deal with rules and limits, how to cooperate, compromise, and negotiate -- all qualities that are essential for whatever relationships may be in your child's future.

For more information on adoption by Fred Rogers, visit the Family Communications web site.

Make A Family Photo Album To "Read" At Story Time

Create a family photo collage by gluing the pictures on a piece of heavy paper. Talk to the children about the people in the pictures and how they are all relatives and part of your family. You could store the pages in a photo album or three-ring binder. Each child in your family might like to make his or her own collage.

When you go on a trip to see relatives (at Thanksgiving for example), encourage your child to draw about the visit. Add your own comments on a separate page and put these in a notebook to help your child remember the family members they visited.

Our Family Word Search

Think of all of the wonderful words to describe your family. Think of the silly words that describe your family. Make a list of your family's hobbies, favorite songs, streets in your neighborhood.
Now have some fun making Family Wordsearch Games.
Like this one, for example -

Our Family Works Together

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, November is a great time to Focus On Family. Today's activity will remind everyone to recognize and appreciate the contributions that each member makes to the family. You might want to work together on a chart like this one.
(but remember, the idea is to appreciate what each person brings to the family, making it a happy place to be. It's not a chore chart - we can make one of those later!)
Once you've finished listing all the wonderful ways your family helps and encourages on another, why not extend the activity by printing out these Fabulous Family Member Awards. Decorate them with paints, crayons or markers - don't forget the glitter!- and give one to each of the Fabulous Members of your family!

Speaking of Cooking...Enter This Fabulous Apron Giveaway Contest!

Hurry on over to the Apronista for the chance to win a designer apron from Sommer Designs.
Very June Cleaver with a sort of funky twist!

Start Now - A List Of Ten Guides To A Stress Free Thanksgiving Holiday (honest)

Now that Halloween is done and the sugar high has worn off, I plan to take spend some time both myself and with Maya focusing on the importance of family. It was while I was cruising around the 'net looking for ideas for a family theme that I found this -
A list of ten different ways to approach Thanksgiving - the Biggie of family holidays. I like this list because it lets you choose from elaborate, lengthy preparations, slap-dash on the table meals and all dinners in between with each one leading to a fine family feast. Just follow the links.
( Thanks, Allrecipes.com !)

A Stress-Free Thanksgiving
BY: Allrecipes Staff
Ten tips for an easier holiday.

Do-ahead Thanksgiving
BY: Pam Anderson
The holiday is really about catching up with family and friends.

Last-Minute Thanksgiving
BY: Mackenzie Schieck
Get ideas and recipes for putting together a fantastic Thanksgiving the day before.

Last-Minute Thanksgiving Timeline
BY: Mackenzie Schieck
You won't get behind prepping your last-minute thanksgiving with this handy to-do list.

Make-Aheads
BY: Allrecipes Staff
Use this guide to prepare parts of your Thanksgiving meal several days in advance.

Thanksgiving Menus for Beginners to Experts
BY: Frances Crouter
Whether this is your first time preparing Thanksgiving dinner or your fiftieth, we've got a menu for you.

Thanksgiving on the Go
BY: Allrecipes Staff
Traveling with food? Get helpful planning tips for making the trip as easy as possible.

Thanksgiving Planner: The Four Week Plan
BY: Vanessa Greaves
There's no way Thanksgiving is going to take you by surprise this year--use this guide for Turkey Day success.

Thanksgiving Planner: The One-Week Plan
BY: Vanessa Greaves
Maybe you meant to get started planning earlier, but using this to-do list as a guide, one week is all you'll need to pull together an amazing Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving Planner: The Two-Week Plan
BY: Vanessa Greaves
Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, but you still have plenty of time to put together a beautiful turkey day--get tips and recipes!

Free November Calendar And Famous November Birthdays To Celebrate With Your Children!

Your Free November Calendar is available at Miss Mary's wonderful site -
Miss Mary.com. Click Here to download your calendar and for the opportunity to sign up for Miss Mary's free newsletter - Miss Mary's Gazette.

Here's a list of famous folks born in the month of November. Why not have a bit of educational (shhh...) fun with your children researching and celebrating the people and their birthdays?

November 1, 1871 - Stephen Crane
11/2/1755 Marie Antoinette
11/3/33 Michael Dukakis
11/4/16 Walter Cronkite
11/5/11 Roy Rogers
11/6/1854 John Philip Sousa
11/7/1867 Madame Curie
11/8/00 Margaret Mitchell
11/9/34 Carl Sagan
11/10/1483 Martin Luther
11/12/1840 Auguste Rodin
11/13/1850 Robert Louis Stevenson
11/14/1765 Robert Fulton
11/15/1887 Georgia O'Keefe
11/16/52 Shigeru Miyamoto
11/17/44 Tom Seaver
11/18/23 Alan Shepard, Jr.
11/19/1831 James Garfield
11/20/08 Alistair Cooke
11/21/66 Troy Aikman
11/22/1744 Abigail Adams
11/23/1888 Harpo Marx
11/24/1853 Bat Masterson
11/25/81 Barbara and Jenna Bush
11/26/22 Charles Schulz
11/27/17/Buffalo Bob Smith
11/28/43 Randy Newman
11/29/1898 C.S. Lewis
11/30/1835 Mark Twain

Happy Birthday!!!