“Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, your mommy’s great great great great great great grandparents, The Pilgrims, sailed on a big boat called the Mayflower from Europe to America.

It was a very long boat ride and some people got sick, but luckily mommy’s family made it to America where they built their new home. When they got there, they met Daddy’s family, the Native Americans or Indians (true story!) and the Native Americans were nice and helped the Pilgrims learn how to grow crops on their farms so they would have something to eat.

And although the Pilgrims and the Native Americans didn’t always get along (an understatement, I know), when the harvest came in that fall, the Pilgrims were very happy to have so much wonderful food so they threw a party to celebrate the good year and invited the Native Americans to say thank you for their help.”

Now, because I wasn’t actually there, I can’t say for sure how much of this story is true. I could tell you some of the other versions of this story that I’ve heard, from one side or another. But I won’t tell my 5 year old any of those stories just yet. For now, he gets this story.

I’ve been trying to find a good chance to tell him all this, so when my in laws sent this adorable Little People Thanksgiving set for the kids –  I knew this was my moment.

MM was pretty interested in this story and probably just took it for granted that the starring roles in The First Thanksgiving were mommy and daddy’s relatives. I kind of lucked out marrying someone from the Wampanoag tribe, because it makes the story much cooler, in my opinion.

MM was far more interested in the new toys of course, but he took the story I gave him and added to it and adapted it to suit his purposes and set to work building his own Thanksgiving.

Taking “Thank you” pictures for grammy and papa

Then of course when BB woke up from her nap, I had MM tell her all about the Pilgrims and Native Americans. Guys, can I tell you how much I heard my grandmothers words and mannerisms coming through me as I did this with the kids? It was kind of awesome.

My whole life I have wanted to be just like my grandmother when I grew up – to embrace her fun ways of teaching kids and to build up the people around me always, instead of tearing them down. To say kind things and encourage people and let them learn and grow at their own pace. To adapt that perfect attitude of “good enough” when it comes to doing arts and crafts or cooking with kids.

Sometimes, lately I think I’m getting there – and it thrills me. If I’m even a little bit like my grandmother, I’m pretty sure that means I’m awesome and clever and amazing. So that’s pretty great – something to be Thankful for, you might say.

After my fun little History Lesson on Thanksgiving, MM started stacking up the Little People on the cardboard box that they arrived in and told me he was putting them all on the boat so they could go back to Chicago together.

I know my lesson on Thanksgiving wasn’t completely accurate, but guys I promise I didn’t teach him that. But I may have laughed and giggled a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving!