A Ferrell Thanksgiving - 2012

My Family - Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I love decorating for it . . . I love getting together with family . . . I LOVE all the food . . . and I love reflecting on all I have to be thankful for . . .

For the past few years, I have hosted the Ferrell Thanksgiving at my house.  It's something I absolute love and look forward to all year long!  I know . . . I need to get a life!  Ha!

This year, my sweet Dave had to work on actual Thanksgiving day, so I planned our Ferrell Thanksgiving for Saturday.  We've done this the past two years and it's worked out great. 

I pinned lots of Thanksgiving ideas on my Thankgiving board . . . HERE.

I downloaded a lot free printables for decorating, and I found one particular tablescape that I loved at amandaparkerandfamily.blogspot.com

 

So I bought a roll of burlap at one of the local stores and laid it out on my table with my chargers  . . .

I was going to make a table runner out of the burlap but when I rolled it out and it was the same width as my table . . . I decided that I liked that look better.

But the table still needed something.  I had some orange material I tried as a table runner, but it was too orange!  I stopped at one of the local florists and picked up two different rolls of that wide burlap/mesh.

My plan was to try them each and pick one to use as a table runner . . . Ha!  I ended up using both!   I really love the way it turned out.  I layered the red burlap under the wide creamy mesh . . .

I use some version of these large turkey paper plates and matching napkins every year for our family Thanksgiving meal.

I know most people bring out their china or good every day plates for Thanksgiving.  I used to do that too.  But one year, I went to a ladies' luncheon, and they had the tables decorated so cute . . . and the hostesses used some large turkey paper plates with some gold chargers . . . I was amazed!  The table looked so good and when the hostess told me she got the paper plates from Walmart and the chargers from Dollar General . . . Well I went and bought some chargers that day!  I've used these paper plates and chargers every Thanksgiving since then and when we're cleaning up . . . I'm always glad I did!

I found some cute Mayflower boats and other free printables online to decorate my tables.

I loved the centerpiece on the table from Amanda Parties To Go.  She gave instructions for putting it together . . .




And I followed her instructions, but I had to make one substitution.  I didn't have any miniature pumpkins and didn't want to buy any at this point in the year . . . So I gathered some pine cones from around the farm and cut some branches with turning leaves on it . . . stuck in some pheasant feathers I had on hand . . .  and here's the completed centerpiece on the main dining room table:

I stuck the little turkey figures in the middle of it all -- my own little touch -- Ha!  I got the turkeys and pilgrim/indian bears from the Dollar Tree a looooong time ago and use them every year.

The children's table:

I printed them out a little activity sheet to work that I got from one the free printable downloads:

I should have done one for each of the adults because none of the little children worked the puzzles . . . but some of the adults did!

The Ferrell children enjoying Thanksgiving together:

And the Ferrell "grown-ups" enjoying Thanksgiving together (and my parent's too):

Ha!  The one with her back to the camera and the "peace" sign gesture is Angela.  She's twenty-one.  She's graduated from the children's table but she's not quite ready for the grown-up table!  Ha!  Dave's sister, Penny, isn't pictured because she decided to sit with the children.  She's such a good aunt!

And here's Joe (Dave's brother) and his wife, Marlana sitting so sweetly at the little table. 

Joe's family came on Friday and spent the night . . . which was such a blessing for me . . . because Marlana helped me cook the Thankgiving meal!    More about the food in the next post!

Here are the links to the free printables:

Free Thanksgiving Printable from Amanda's Parties To Go

You have to "like" her page on Facebook to qualify for the free printable.  I purchased the printables from her for Alex's camping party and loved them!  These Thanksgiving freebies are just as cute!

She also has another set I downloaded for free too:  Here's the link for it:

Free Thankgiving Kid's Table Printables from Amanda's Parties To Go

I got lots of cute ideas from her website for decorating.  My next post will feature some of the delicious food we prepared as well as some yummy recipes!
Until then . . . there's a Christmas tree calling out to me . . . calling out to

                       the Ferrell boys and me!