Saturday, November 24, 2012

Thanksgiving dinner

Well, we made it through another event of this part of the year.  We are a little over halfway done with the busiest four months...at least from my perspective.  I decided to not go out into the Black Friday abyss because there wasn't anything on anyone's list that we had to have, so it made the day a little less stressful.  Since stores are now opening Thursday evening, there seems to be a little pressure to get everyone home to get back out the door to the stores.

I am off topic, yet again.  The kids only had school Monday and Tuesday this week.  Gwen had her usual dance lesson, and both kids had their swimming lessons on Wednesday evening, but no chess or religion.  Plus, Russ was home all week so it didn't seem so unmanageable, but as always, time flies by.  As sort of a treat for the kids, since we didn't have to rush out of swimming lessons, I let them play in the leisure pool area for a while after their lessons.  Both kids were really looking forward to that.  Gwen passed her shallow water swim test, so I didn't even have to be in the water with her.  She was THRILLED!  She is to the point now where she can float on her own and swim about 5 yards unassisted both on her front and back and loves to be in the water.  I don't know if she will need her swim vest in Florida...although I'm guessing she will want it for confidence-sake.

The school also had its family breakfast, bright and early on Tuesday morning.  Gwen got a taste of eating a meal at the cafeteria, which I think she is really looking forward to doing next year.  I don't know what of the lunch meals she actually will feel like eating, but she knows its an advantage of being in 1st grade or older.

So Thursday comes....with the help of my mom, the house is reasonably organized and clean.  I only had to go to the grocery store 3 times that week.  And one more this weekend because of Trevor's birthday gathering.  Apparently, the turkey I got could have been larger, due to the fact my daughter decided she was going to eat practically all the dark meat off of the bird by herself.  "More Butterball Turkey, please!" she said more than twice.  Trevor ate a bunch of mashed potatoes, which I have never seen him eat and I believe he also ate a slice of banana cream pie?

We all fit at the large table....a little snug, but at least we didn't have a kids table this year.  Perhaps next year, as Trevor's birthday falls on the day before Thanksgiving, so for the next two years we are going to have to have his party on Thanksgiving.  Just something to think about for next year, family ;-)  But it was a good time.  I was thinking back....I believe that was my 11th turkey I had made.  Would have been 12 but I had a little surprise turkey of my own that foiled those plans.  But I must say, it has finally become easier and I have a certain level of confidence about it.  I know how to make the stuffing, and know about how long it will take to cook the turkey and clean it....I don't think I will ruin it anymore.  Yes, a disaster could happen, but my nervousness has decreased over the years.

So thank you to everyone who was able to come and join us this year.  We are blessed with so much health and happiness and have a great time.  There are two more celebrations - one as a big gathering, one as a small family for a certain birthday kid.  More to come on that.  Bottom line....I'm not willing to admit he has now hit the age where he is halfway to being an adult....*sigh*  Doesn't help that both kids have been breaking out the old photo albums and remarking how young everyone looked.  Well yeah....now that it's been 8-9 years since those pictures were taken.....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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