We are trying to do this new year right, and because of it I seem to be in a "January slump." I have all these goals I want to accomplish, which therefore leads me to feeling overwhelmed and grumpy.

Needless to say, it doesn't help my New Year's Resolutions. But I'm taking it one day at a time.

Part of the focus for this year was to remind us to be THANKFUL. It's so easy to slip away and see everything everyone else has, or wish on a star, or be grumpy because we are unable to do something. That's not how I want to raise our boys. I want them to grow up knowing how blessed they are, not just because of all they own/have or all they can do, but because God blesses them with GRACE and LOVE.

So we made a thankful jar.

I soaked an old pasta sauce jar in soapy water to get rid of the label/ wash it out. I read Michael some Bible verses and let him pick out which one he wanted to put on the jar.


Then I found this printable which is positively adorable to use for our thankful cards that we fill out every Thursday. Michael loved cutting them out and gluing everything on the jar.

(He also decorated the lid with who knows how many Minions stickers....)

At some point in the day every Thursday, we sit at the table and Michael thinks of something he's thankful for and I help him spell it out. While we've only done this twice now, Michael gets very excited when he realizes it's Thursday.

And he's not the only one that does it. We all do.

Clark and I think of something we're thankful for and fill out a card. My plan is to encourage friends and family that are over on Thursdays to do it, too.

Last year I wanted to do this but didn't think about it until about June and by then we had plenty else going on. So this year I got a kick start. I hope this habit sticks!