Warm Fuzzy Feeling

I love this time of year.  Thanksgiving. Christmas.  It's the first day of November and I was so tempted to put Christmas music on!  I usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving to bring out the Christmas stuff, but I may have to break out the CDs a little early this year.

I think my favorite part about both holidays, is just the way I feel.  It's like two whole months of warm, fuzzy feelings.  I'm really excited about Christmas with the girls this year.  It's going to be so much fun!  Although, we need to talk to the girls some more about it.  We were talking about Christmas during dinner one night last week and I asked Eva, "Do you remember why we celebrate Christmas."
"Yeah," she says.
"Whose birthday is it?"
"Jesus."
This is where I smile. So very proud of the fact that my daughter knows what Christmas is about.  Then with much more enthusiasm, she says, "And Santa's going to bring me toys!"
So, we might have a little work to do there.  On the bright side though, I'm pretty sure she thinks Jesus is the coolest guy ever.  She doesn't get presents for anyone else's birthday!

Seriously though, I would like to focus on being grateful for what we already have over the next month. As we get into Christmas I'd like to be able to stress that it's more a season about giving than receiving.  Show the girls ways we can give to others, not necessarily presents, maybe volunteer our time.  This would be more for Eva this year, than Aubrey.  I want my girls to grow up with grateful hearts.  I want them to want to be generous.  I'm not expecting a lot right now though.  I don't think I know any toddlers that are especially great at sharing!

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and being grateful, I'm going to follow the lead of many of my Facebook friends, and come up with something each day that I am grateful for.  Today, I'm grateful for my God.  He has given me so much. I look around and realize how blessed I am.  I am grateful for a God that loves me and is patient with me and doesn't give up on me. 

Any ideas or suggestions to build a grateful heart?