Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving flies by doesn't it?

It seems like you just started cooking and you're back in the kitchen cleaning up.

But, you know what made this Thanksgiving one of the best ever?

My dishwasher.

Yes, I am eternally thankful for my dishwasher.

This was the first Thanksgiving with a dishwasher and it made the clean up so much better.

There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for my dishwasher.

Live 34 years without one, washing dishes for 5, 3 times a day, day in and day out, and you'll be singing the praises of a dishwasher also.

It was a good Thanksgiving.

We rearrange our furniture every year for Thanksgiving.

The living room becomes the dining room and vice versa.

The kids love the change.

I like it too.

Our living room furniture fits so perfectly in the dining room.

It's small, but it feels very cozy.

We call it the lounge.

And we usually leave it that way for a few days and enjoy the change of pace.

I'm sitting in the lounge right now.

When we move the couch, there are always some surprises.
I clean under the couch, but I haven't really thought about behind the couch.
This year I learned I should.
Dirty tissues stuck to the wall.
Classy.
But still better than boogers, I think.
Don't you?

After I got the turkey under way, I started my rolls.
I love the smell of yeast in the house.

I am always stressed about the turkey being underdone, overdone or being messed up in some way.
So this year I bought 2 thermometers to double check the bird and provide me a little extra piece of mind.
Last year my 18 pound turkey cooked in 3 hours.
I was stressed it was going to be cold by the time all the other things were warmed up.
This year my 18 pound turkey cooked in 5 hours.
I was stressed everything else would be cold while we waited for the turkey to cook.
Ugh.  I can't win.

I bought a pie from Bake and Broil. (a Long Beach institution--love it)
One day I aspire to make my own pie. 
This was not the year for it.
But Bake and Broil did not disappoint.
And neither did my sister-in-law's dairy free, gluten free pie.
Who would have thought it would be possible.
(like my vintage cake stand?  found it at an estate sale for $3.  see more tales of thrifting here)

Aaron and I decided to go as Ward and June Cleaver for Thanksgiving.
Aaron: cardigan and pipe.

Greta: cardigan and pearls.

Since my plans to sew a runner for the Thanksgiving table while Aaron was gone did not materialize, Aaron helped me jerry rig it with duct tape.

Yeah, you heard me right, duct tape.
Classy.

I also used craft paper, waxed leaves, pomegranates, my new candle sticks and votive holders for the tables.
The plates were white, turquoise and yellow.
It was eclectic (nice way of saying mismatched) and pretty simple.
But I liked it.

Dinner was 2 hours later than I planned.

Darn turkey!

My rolls were flat because they had to wait so long to go in the oven.

I felt very responsible for things not being just right.

But everyone was gracious.

We sang a hymn before we ate and it was my favorite part of the whole day.

That and sharing a meal with my family.

All the cousins ran in and out of the house, playing hide and seek and spies.

They love each other so much.

William got too nervous to recite our poem, so he, James and I sang "Over the River" instead.  (it's a Thanksgiving song, not a Chrsitmas one.  did you know that?)

It was pretty bad, but that's OK.

Their cousin Scotty also performed a song, accompanied by his Daddy on the uke.

It was great.

We played Catch Phrase after dinner and laughed a lot.

I love Thanksgiving.

I'm already looking forward to next year.

Love from,

Greta