Gratitude Tree

November 15, 2011 jennifer Decorating, Thanksgiving

Every November I try to provide a place for our family to write down the blessings we’re thankful for. This year’s version is definitely the biggest one yet.

Using branches from one of our cherry trees (which is dying), I built a mini-tree in the kitchen. It sits between the two windows near our table. {This also makes it difficult to photograph because of all the lighting behind it. Sorry!}

Standing over eight feet tall, our gratitude tree is actually one really big branch with two smaller branches attached. I spray painted them all white, but didn’t go for total coverage. They almost look like aspen branches now.

I placed the tree in an urn, weighted it with rocks, and wrapped it in some creamy burlap I had in my stash.

I wanted to hide the spot where I attached all the branches to each other, so a burlap ribbon and vintage dictionary page “flower” was added. In its center I attached a glitter-covered rose I had sitting around and a tag declaring this our “Harrison family gratitude tree.”

When I started this project I intended to take down the white mirror that hangs between the windows, but once it was up I loved the reflection of the branches so much that I left it in place. It adds more dimension to the tree.

In keeping with the color scheme I chose to cut our leaves out of the same dictionary pages. I cut them in a variety of shapes ( found here ) and I love the way they look. Because they lack color their shape is emphasized.

To hang each leaf we simply punch a tiny hole and use a wire ornament hanger (purchased at the dollar store) which is then hung on a branch. We’ve also started using a Sharpie to write on the leaves which makes it easier to read with all the dictionary text.

Last night we had a family discussion about gratitude in which my older children shared thoughts and insights that were very encouraging. I am grateful for brief moments when I discover that we just might be getting through to them, after all. We also talked about how Thanksgiving is the perfect prelude to the Christmas season. I have also been pleased with the enthusiasm with which they’ve welcomed the tree to our kitchen. It’s big enough that we can’t help but notice it and I’m excited to have it for the holidays.

So there you have it: our 2011 gratitude tree, created entirely with materials on hand and not a single penny spent. And for the record, I am grateful for it because it provided me with a creative outlet on a busy day, which motivated me to get my work done and which brings me joy each time I see it. It is beautiful to me.

What do you think? Do you do something to record your blessings and grateful thoughts during this wonderful season? I’d love to hear. If you’d like a peek at another adorable gratitude tree, check this out!
Jennifer *Don’t forget: today is the last day to enter my 2nd giveaway for some velvet pumpkins in non-traditional colors!

Leave a comment here to enter.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake

November 14, 2011 jennifer All Things Pumpkin, Desserts

This cake is one I’ve been making for years. Shared by a friend, it combines the familiar flavor of pumpkin with the unexpected taste of butterscotch. The butterscotch is mild enough that it doesn’t overwhelm the cake, and even people who usually dislike butterscotch give it compliments.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups butterscotch morsels, divided 2 cups flour 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar 1 Tb. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup undiluted evaporated milk Preparation:

Microwave 1 cup butterscotch morsels for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Stir, microwave for another 20 seconds until smooth. Stir together melted butterscotch, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with wire whisk. Stir in combined dry ingredients. Spray a 10 inch bundt pan with non-stick spray and spoon batter in.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 30 minutes. Invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare butterscotch sauce, heat evaporated milk over medium heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat and add remaining 1 cup butterscotch morsels. Stir until smooth. Return to heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Spoon small amount of sauce over entire cake, reserving at least half the sauce to spoon over individual slices.

Enjoy!
HH

A Year of Habits, no. 45

November 13, 2011 jennifer Helpfulness of Habit

Here we are. November marches on and the holiday season approaches.

If you looked at my laundry room right now, you’d think that things are under control. I’m all caught up; it’s washed, folded, put away and the house is relatively clean. If you looked at my studio, you’d wonder what kind of explosion happened in there, and once I assured you there wasn’t one you’d recognize the mess as evidence of a woman whose mind is racing with too many ideas, too many plans, too many projects (along with a few invasions by a certain two year old I adore). I know I should slow down, cross some of it off the list, and relax. I can’t. There is too much I want to do, too much I have to do, and too many special things upcoming for me not to work like a crazy woman in every spare minute I can find. I do feel like I’m keeping it all in perspective, which is why the laundry is done. I’m learning to squeeze things into tiny pinches of time without throwing off the family (or maybe I’m dreaming, and just wish I could learn that, but I really am trying).

Let’s see, how did the week go?

Well, in some ways it went really well. I went from feeling deeply discouraged about my ability and potential in raising teenagers, and if I’m really humble I’ll admit to some discouragement about the ability and potential of the teenagers as well. Seriously, where are their brains? But that’s not worth discussing now, because if anybody knew the answer to that question I wouldn’t be asking. Oh, how I wish I had some experience in this area! I took a step back, prayed a lot, tried to do a better job of listening, tried to understand my role as a parent, and really sought to feel and communicate more love. It helped. It didn’t change the child, but it tempered my behavior, which is really all I can control, and I feel thankful. I do feel like, although I’m still a rookie and don’t know anything, I’m growing as a mother. I’m slowly getting better. As for a soft reply, let’s just say that when a certain teenager slammed into a wall today and made an 8 inch strip of plaster fall off, I had nothing negative to say. That wouldn’t have happened a few months ago.

In the same area, I tried to connect with my children this week and felt that I had some really good experiences with many of them. I have one child who has really struggled with her homework. She avoids it and often cries for more than an hour over her math homework. This after being a math whiz last year! I have prayerfully tried to help her and we had a small breakthrough this week.

Healthy eating. I haven’t mentioned this for a few weeks because I haven’t made any progress and it’s been difficult to motivate myself to be super strict. I have, however, kept the weight I lost off, and am slowly working my way to where I need to be.

Housekeeping. These habits were among those that weighed heavily on me at the beginning of the year. I have some areas that still need help, like the bathrooms, where I need to work out a better schedule for staying on top of them (like maybe clean them all every 30 minutes?) but in other areas I’ve really gained ground this year. The children are much better at maintaining their bedrooms, the toy room is clean most nights, and while things can get torn apart in 15 minutes flat, I can put them back together pretty quickly too. This weekend we cleaned out the van and organized the bike/toy/random everything area of the garage. The basement was also addressed. I’m working hard and it feels good.

Creativity. I am so grateful for every opportunity to be creative, and feel blessed to have fit some of those moments into the week. It really calms me down.

I was thinking this week that my record keeping has really fallen off this year. While I’ve grown in my capacity to recognize the Lord’s hand in my life, I haven’t written those experienced down enough, and my miracle box is lacking many of little details which would have been such a blessing to go back and read. I feel a little sad about that and wish I’d done a better job of adding that layer to our lives. I also haven’t written in the childrens’ journals for a while and I need to repent. I’ve had to become more strict with myself about getting to bed at night so I can get us going in the mornings and I haven’t left room anywhere for that kind of record keeping. I need to schedule time to capture all that I can still remember.

While we’re on the topic of poor performance, I haven’t been a very good friend. In some ways I think I’m a great friend, but the stage I’m in is so intense from early morning until late at night without a pause that I’ve fallen out of the habit of fitting in time to nurture friendships. It’s not something I ever thought would happen to me, and I certainly didn’t plan it, but here I am and it makes me feel so sad. I want to work at being a better friend.

On Friday we raised the flag for Veteran’s Day in honor of my Grandpa who passed away in June. It was really sweet to watch my children do it all themselves. We miss him and hope he knows we love and remember him.

I got to see my sister this week, and we also got to see our brother and his wife who were in town from Spokane. We all met at the new Crate and Barrel store that opened Friday in Utah. Hooray for my favorite store! And hooray for a mini reunion! There were some things I would have loved to buy, but I was good and left them all there.

You know, life is crazy. But it’s also wonderful. I’m learning to smile more at both the good and bad. I’m so grateful to be alive.

Jennifer