Thanksgiving

Things I am Thankful for:
Each morning I wake

My husband and daughter

My family near and far

My friends near and far, new and old

My job and co-workers

My new home

Just to name a few.

This time of year always seems to be so hectic and crazy. The cooking, the decorating, and then there's the shopping. The cooking part isn't too bad but I really don't  like the shopping part and I'm not that good at the decorating part. I do love the time it gives us to be with family and friends but even that can be overwhelming. 

 The holidays also bring on feelings of loss. Family members and Friends who have departed. David's mom who passed in 2007 so loved the holiday's. Her favorite part was the dessert but she loved the family time. To the right is a picture of Robert (1993) and Thelma(2007). Miss them both. And then there's the family that lives farther away that you can't be with.

We spent Thanksgiving at my sister-in-law Glenda's home along with  her sons Phillip and Kevin. 

Also present was Gary (Glenda and David's brother)  along with his wife Lynn and their 3 kids Nathan, Shelby, Kendal plus my Mom and Joe pictured to the right.


As everyone was arriving I had to run out to the store just down the street that luckily was open . David loaded the broccoli n cheese casserole and cake but I forgot the cranberry sauce, pickles, and olives. While we could get by without the pickles and olives there was no way we could get by without cranberry sauce.

While waiting to eat I snapped a few pictures.
Imagine that. For the record I did offer to help in the kitchen but my daughter was helping and David was carving the turkey so it was my job to snap pictures. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;o)

My niece Shelby  is cuddled up next to her mom Lynn.  

This is Shelby's big brother Nathan and their little sister Kendal.

When Glenda in the picture to the left yelled for the kids to come on and fill their plates she only had to say it once. That's my daughter in the background

My brother-in-law Gary was right behind the kids. Now when I say kids I'm talking ages 13 through 24. Whose kids are these anyway? Are we that old that we have almost grown kids.

There was so much food and it all was so yummy.  Glenda out did herself on the turkey so juicy and golden brown and her dressing with all the right seasonings that made us want seconds.... She also provided the ham pictured to the right, sweet potates, pumpkin crunch and my daughters favorite green bean casserole. Lynn and I brought other sides to add to the fiest.

The adults had hardly finished eating all the good stuff before my niece Kendal and the nephews were asking for dessert. We had 2 pumpkin pies, 2 pecan pies and my sister-in-law Lynn made her chocolate eclair desert. Oh yummy and creamy. I don't think there was much left of Lynn's eclair dessert. It's the kids fav. All were low calorie of course. Besides who cares calories don't count at Thanksgiving or at Christmas.

My daughter is becoming quite the cook in the past couple of years. She's always trying out new recipes. Every time she creates something tasty she'll send David and I a picture via text of the finished creation.  Usually it's when we're eating a gourmet dinner of hot dogs. Her timing is perfect. lol. 

For Thanksgiving she made a delicious Pumpkin Praline Pecan Cheesecake to share with everyone. OMG! This cake was creamy and rich. She did a great job. After toasting the pecans we decided to spread them across the top of the entire cake. I guess we should have took a picture after we sliced into it to compare to the picture with the recipe but who had time. 

    With our tummies full the guys headed to the den to watch some      football, stretch out in chairs or on the couch and discuss the troubles of the world. 

Gary here has everything figured out. Well at least that's what we let him think.

Slowly we all ended up in the den.

Time for a family massage.

Pamela cuddles up with her cousin Kevin. They're so goofy.

I just realized I never got a picture of Phillip or my hubby. How did they avoid the camera hmmm. I'll get them double at Christmas.

After a long day we made our way home. I suggested we watch a movie but what was I thinking? It was Thanksgiving and the Aggies were playing the Longhorns. I watched the game for a while then I went to my sewing room to continue the process of trying to organize while I watched the game in my room.

When I sat down at my desk my dog, Dexter pushed past my legs and under my desk. He loves laying at my feet where I had tossed a pillow not sure where I was going to put it. Well as you can see he claimed the pillow so it stayed under my desk for him.

By 8pm I went to put on my jammies to get comfy. I got the jammies on and I laid down across my bed for a minute well okay not a minute. When I didn't come back out to the den to watch the rest of the game with the fam they came to check on me. I was sound asleep not to wake up until 9 the next morning.

Well it's been a busy week. Poor David has had to fend for himself for the last 2 days and now again tonight I'm out. Heading to a bookclub meeting. We'll be discussing Pontoon by Garrison Keillor.

Until next blog.... Here's hoping you had a wonderful time with family and friends and if you were brave enough to go out Black Friday I hope you found the best bargains ever.