Thanksgiving Feast at Preschool

Madeleine has been SO EXCITED all week for school today, because her class got to have a Thanksgiving feast.  I think she was more excited for the school feast than the actual Thanksgiving. 

Yesterday, Julia got a birthday package in the mail from her aunt, uncle, and cousin in Georgia, and one of the included gifts is a nail spa set.  Madeleine was desperate to try it out, but Julia wanted to wait since it was late in the day when the package arrived. 

MADELEINE: (sobbing) But Julia won't open her NAIL SALON!
ME: Well, honey, that's because it's almost dinner time.  But you can do it tomorrow!
MADELEINE: (briefly listening, then bursting into a fresh set of tears) No, we CAN'T, because tomorrow's the FEAST! (sobbing on my chest)

That's how exciting the whole feast idea was in her mind: it was an all-encompassing event that would take up her ENTIRE day, not allowing for ANY EXTRA OTHER activities.

When I picked Madeleine up from school today, she was full of delight about the feast, telling me all about what she ate and what special Thanksgiving crafts the kids had made to decorate their feast table.

One such craft got to come home with us to be used at our own Thanksgiving table:

When I tried to put this lovely little candle on the windowsill as a Thanksgiving decoration, however, Madeleine became extremely possessive and insisted on carrying it around throughout the house. 

ME: Madeleine, why don't you leave the candle on the windowsill and then tomorrow we can use it on our Thanksgiving table?
MADELEINE: Uh, no, I need to hold onto it.
ME: Why?
MADELEINE: Because I'm afraid a CREEPY GUY is gonna COME IN OUR HOUSE and steal it.

Yes, that is a valid concern, for sure.  I can see why she won't let me use it as a decoration.  It's just like the Thanksgiving bear I bought to decorate our living room that Madeleine adopted and brought down to the toy room and named "Curry Bear."

Curry Bear


Madeleine also returned home from school with a picture she had drawn; I don't think it gets more Thanksgiving-y than this!:

ME: Madeleine, is this a turkey?  And grapes, and an apple?
MADELEINE: Yes!
ME: And what's this blue thing up above them?
MADELEINE: Oh!  That's a dolphin.

I don't know about you, but I always have dolphins as part of my Thanksgiving table.


Madeleine also received a note from her teachers about why they are thankful for her:

As did Julia:

It seems like the thankfulness is being shared all around!  Although I will point out that BOTH kids, who are home from school early because of the Thanksgiving holiday, have ALREADY told me that they're bored and don't know what to do around our house.  I mean, all the new birthday toys and what not aren't enough to occupy them, right??  I guess the fact that I'm cleaning and baking isn't stimulating enough for them.  But I will DEFINITELY admit to being thankful for the fact that I'm home from work with extra time to get all those chores done!