Thanksgiving

First, I apologize for the lack of pictures.  I was doing great...and then I got distracted by the food...and the next thing I knew, the day was over and I hardly had any pictures, very few that were any good, and none of the majority of the people there.  Oops.

The day started out really nicely.  I had prepared the majority of the food the day before, so we got up and got the last few food items together (one being the turkey), and prepared for a fairly relaxing day.  I thought to myself, at one point, that I should feel more nervous than I did.  I've done the Thanksgiving dinner a number of times, but I had no clue how true that thought would be!  

We popped in the turkey and went out for a walk while we waited for Nana, Uncle Logan, Aunt Mindy, H, and D to arrive!

Everyone arrived and we enjoyed an afternoon together.  A couple of times I worried about the turkey - something felt really off to me (I learned later that it felt off to my dad as well) - but I trusted the cook book.

Cousins playing in the beds - a big hit!

About an hour before we were planning on having dinner I realized that I READ THE COOKBOOK WRONG...and the turkey was not going to be ready in time.  My dad went online and we found a Turkey Emergency article that was really helpful.  We came up with a plan of action...and a backup plan to that plan...and did everything in our power to make sure that dinner would only be pushed back an hour.  Thankfully, our first plan worked.  Dinner was only an hour late!  It really could have been so much worse.  While I have always said mistakes like this just make for good stories, this was a lesson that I will never forget.  For the record, I also forgot to set out the rolls to rise (the extra time for the turkey saved me there), and forgot to put a cookie sheet under my pie (There was smoke).  There was also a smoking hot pad incident (the wrong burner was turned on and the hot pad was sitting on the offending burner - this one wasn't my fault!).  We weren't short of story-worthy moments!

While we got to see the majority of both of our families and have them with us for Thanksgiving, there were a few family members that were greatly missed.  Uncle Matt, Aunt Lala & Uncle G & H &T, and Poppy.

At the end of the day Allie says to me, "Mommy, know why I am making this face?  Because I miss Poppy SO much and it makes me sad."

November 22, We Are Thankful For:

Ryan: Train.  While he has been stuck in a transportation theme, perhaps his thankful for today is because of the conversation we had during our walk.

Ryan: In Chicago the train went, "PSSSSSSS," and it was loud and it made me cry.

Papa: You know, Gigi and Uncle Matt and I are riding the train to see you at Christmas.  Do you think Uncle Matt will cry.

Ryan: Yup.

Papa: Do you think I will cry?

Ryan: No, Papa.  You are a grown up!

Poor Uncle Matt...the twins are convinced he isn't a grown up yet...

Allie: Venison.  For lunch I put out a veggies tray, crackers, cheese, and venison summer sausage.  Allie ate a large portion of venison...and apparently liked it.  You know you live in Michigan during deer season when your child is thankful for venison...

Kim: Family

Plenty of good food

Family

Internet and the helpful information on it.

Family

Being surrounded by love, laughter, and fin.

FAMILY.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!!