You make food, clean, wash, shop, make more food, trip over toys, deal with telemarketers, listen to screaming, respond to screaming with some of your own screaming, pay bills, wipe snotty noses, change diapers and other equally exciting tasks throughout the day. You make more food, get mad because someone didn’t come home at the time he said he would, clean kitchen, put kids to bed, fold laundry, sort out recycling…finally sink into the couch to spend some well deserved time to yourself which is no doubt interrupted by: a) small person who is scared/needs drink/has wet bed; b) those evil telemarketers again; c) a nosy neighbor comes knocking.

Don’t you just love your life? Well, hopefully you do! But it IS easy to get bogged down in the daily grind – as mothers we give so much of ourselves (often without the thanks we’d like to receive!) that we can get worn out, fed up, dare I say it – resentful of this life we lead. And it’s not just motherhood that can get us feeling frustrated. Maybe we wish for a bigger home, nicer things, a body like Jennifer Aniston! I have found myself all too often stuck in a pity-party for one – and my remedy for this situation is: count your blessings! Every time I have stopped to think about what I DO have, it has been a much needed wake up call.

So, in an attempt to eliminate such negativity, and in honor of Thanksgiving – I have created a ‘thankful journal’, to ensure that I am consciously counting my blessings each day and building up a source of inspiration and strength for myself.

Because my day does somewhat resemble the above, I need something simple and manageable. I decided on one ‘spot’ per day to record a snippet, even just one word – something from THAT DAY, no matter how crazy or busy or depressing. I believe there is always something to be thankful for. Some beauty. In my journal, each page represents a week, and I made 52 pages so that I can continue this journey for a year.

This journal was fast and fun to make – best of all can be done with all kinds of bits and pieces you already have at home. You might want to make a few simultaneously to give out as gifts this thanksgiving to family or friends.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

• Assorted notepaper, cardstock, envelopes, tags, anything that can be written on!
• Number stamps
• Pen
• Hole punch
• Book rings or ribbons
• Rub-ons or other embellishments if desired

PUT IT TOGETHER

1. Start with the largest piece for the back page
2. Layer all the tags, sheets, envelopes etc on top in desired fashion
3. Punch holes through the ‘wad’ of pages and bind with rings/ribbon (you may need to do this in sections)
4. Stamp/write numbers 1-7 on pages ready for your grateful list
5. Embellish pages with stickers, rub-ons etc