Ahrens Academy does Thanksgivikah.

It's time again for the once a-neva-kah event of Thanksgivacrap.  I mean, who the heck realized that this was happening and then had enough time to shop for, bake for, and then, make a parody song for it?  I woke up bright and early, (just before 10: a.m.) and decided Ahrens Academy needed to capitalize on this once a-neva-kah event.  We would do our social studies, reading, and then, a combo social studies lesson of Thanksgiving and Chanukkah.  Naturally those two go together like oil and….

It is Shay's big 0-7 birthday, and so we had cake pops to make, salt dough to make and create with, and  all the regular Friday school work to do.  Oh, and breakfast.  Yeah, we did it all, and managed to get onto the trampoline for almost two hours!  Oiy vey!  It was a busy afternoon and then it was play rehearsal time, then it was rush home to shower and do some painting of the dried Chanukah salt dough ornaments and then on to the annual viewing of a 3-D movie, "Santa and the Snowman."   Weekends are extra special for the Ahrens Family, however, Friday is the most fun home school day we have.  Take a look-

Mixing the red velvet cake mix.

Need to mush and combine the frosting to start forming the cake pops and the salt dough is ready to be made into the tail feather menorah for the turkey we are bringing the Thanksgivikah at my folks' house. And lest we not forget that we annually celebrate the girl-child's birthday with my side of the family on Thanksgiving day since she was actually born on Thanksgiving.  As you can see, the migits were still working on school at this point.  

Salt dough was easy to make and easy to dry in the oven.  

This was the migits handprint to make the tail feather/menorah.  

finished product

Shay did about half the cake pop making.  

Oh yeah… forgot about this.  natural popcorn in a bag in the microwave.  Kids thought it was the coolest thing to make popcorn in a brown lunch bag.  I thought we would get to puppet making.  I thought wrong.  

Work it girl!  

finished product- I had a ton to make since we needed some to share with cast and crew of the play that lil' girl is in, and then, we are going to need some to share with our G-d family tomorrow night when we see them to celebrate the seven year old.  

Each year, Shay has an aunt and uncle that always send a generous gift to spend as she likes.  This year, she already had it picked out, and I was able to wrap them for her for her actual birthday.  A matching girl/doll outfit and a Melissa and Doug cheerleader puppet.   

The hubs and the pup ready for the movie tonight.  Happy Friday Family Fun Night everyone!

This is really a funny movie.  It isn't that long, but I must have gotten it about ten years ago, so good luck finding it.  

Painting the salt dough Chanukkah table decorations with some old water color brush/dispensers that I found in our art closet.  Pretty cool.  

AND… "Shout!," our elf, just showed up for the season.  He always comes to stay starting on Shay's birthday and leaves us for the year on Christmas Eve.  However, he has been a pain in the tail since he never really leaves us.  He and Shay have been pen pals for TWO years now.  It is exhausting.  She writes him notes a few times a week, and he ALWAYS has to answer her.  Shout! is really good about checking in and was an amazing support system this past summer and fall when one little girls' world seemed so out of control.  Sometimes, it takes a little magic to make everything right again. 

Each year, our elf brings a little token gift for each child on their birthday.  This year, he found a used book at Goodwill.  I love how thoughtful AND financially responsible he is with his gifting.