Thankful A to Z
There’s so much for parents to be thankful for, and Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on those things and show our gratitude. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I made a list of things my family is most thankful for. For a fun family activity, get your kids thinking about gratitude by helping them make a list of things your family is thankful for.
A is for art
We enjoy painting, coloring, drawing and making crafts together. We appreciate having a creative outlet and letting our artistic sides show.
B is for books
Books keep our family entertained, educated and help inspire us. We love making trips to the library, reading bedtime stories and reading away a rainy day.
C is for coffee
Thank you to our favorite caffeinated drink, coffee! It helps wake me up and keeps me energized, so I can take on the day. Not to mention, it’s delicious!
D is for date nights
Date nights are some of our favorite nights. Even if it’s just dinner, date night allows us to catch up and enjoy each other’s company uninterrupted. And our kids love date nights, because they get to spend quality time with their grandparents.
E is for experiences
We are always looking for new experiences for our children. We are thankful for the opportunity to introduce them to new experiences like traveling to new places, trying new foods, exploring new parks and going on small adventures together.
F is for family and friends
We are most thankful for our loving family and friends. We love our aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents and friends who are like family. We love them unconditionally and appreciate them every day.
G is for grandparents
Grandmas and grandpas are the foundation of our family. We enjoy spending as much time as we can with them and gaining some wisdom from their generation.
H is for home sweet home
They say home is where the heart is, and that rings true to us. We are thankful to come home to a nice, cozy home that brings us comfort and warmth.
I is for ice cream
Ice cream is almost its own food group in our household. We enjoy sweet treats, but ice cream is by far our favorite. Whether it’s from Betty Rae’s or Sheridan’s, we are grateful every time we get this special treat.
J is for jokes
Whether it’s a knock-knock joke, dad joke or a good old pun, we love to crack a good joke. Jokes lighten the mood and bring out those big smiles and belly laughs in our kids.
K is for kids
They keep us on our toes, fill our hearts with love and leave us laughing out loud. They are our kids, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the joy they bring us.
L is for learning
We are thankful for the opportunity to always be learning. Our children learn in the classroom, as well as during play and extracurricular activities. We are also constantly learning new skills and taking in new information, which is something to be thankful for.
M is for music
Music can change our mood in an instant, relax us, excite us, help us express ourselves and entertain us. Music is all around us every day. We listen to the radio in the car, sing nursery rhymes and lullabies to our children, and our kids play musical instruments for us.
N is for nap time
When it’s been a long day, there’s nothing better than a nice, long nap time. We’re thankful for naps and how they help us rest, relax and recharge from the busy parenting life.
O is for outdoors
We live in a beautiful world and are so thankful to be able to enjoy the glorious outdoors. We love taking long nature walks as a family, checking out the moon with a telescope and visiting the mountains and beach. Any time spent outdoors is time well spent.
P is for pets
Pets hold such a special place in our hearts. We’re thankful for their love, loyalty and companionship.
Q is for quality time
My husband is often gone for work, so our family thrives when we have quality time together. Since we don’t get as much as we would like, we cherish the time we do have. We enjoy watching movies, baking, taking walks and playing games together.
R is for routines
As a family constantly on the go, we are thankful for our routines. They play a vital role in keeping our family on track, organized and productive.
S is for sports
We are a sports-loving family. Much of our spare time is spent on the football field, at volleyball practice or in the baseball dugout. We love watching sports, playing team sports, practicing sports and cheering on our favorite Kansas City sports teams. Go Chiefs and Royals!
T is for teachers
Teachers are influential role models for our children. They teach children about reading, writing and math, but they also inspire and encourage them to be people of good character, and for that, we will be forever thankful.
U is for umbrellas
A walk in the rain with your umbrella and rain boots can brighten up a gloomy day. And if you’re anything like my kids, a walk in the rain with your umbrella is the perfect time for jumping in puddles and making some fun memories.
V is for vacation
Vacation allows us time to take a break from the ordinary and go somewhere new and exciting. Whether we’re traveling thousands of miles away or enjoying a staycation in the Kansas City area, we love the time to escape and make memories together.
W is for weekends
Weekends give us time to sleep in a bit to re-energize ourselves, time to hand out with family and friends and time to be productive around the house. It’s just two days a week, but they are oh so sweet!
X is for x-rays
If you have a daredevil child like I do, you are thankful for x-rays—and especially x-rays that come back showing no broken bones!
Y is for yummy food
The reason why Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays: the yummy food! We love the spread at Thanksgiving, but our family is thankful for food every day. We enjoy trying new restaurants and recipes, cooking our favorite meals and baking sweet treats for our friends and family.
Z is for the zoo
We are grateful to have such a wonderful zoo so close. Our family loves spending the day visiting the penguins, orangutans and stingrays at the Kansas City Zoo.
Regan Lyons is a girl mom and freelance writer. She lives with her husband, Cale, and daughters, Atley, 9, and Ensley, 3, in St. Joseph.