Thanksgiving 2009!

[SparkleNana]

How are you doing? Are your plans set? Or are they changing? What's going on?

We are to plan B. Plan B is dh, me, ds & ddil. We are all vegetarians (or, in my case, 90% vegetarian.) So we are having a delicious vegetarian meal. AND -- a big pecan pie, from Whole Foods bakery. With whipped cream AND rich ice cream.

Ds just came upstairs and made TWO requests. One: that we NOT go to a lot of trouble with a fancy table setting. And TWO -- that we NOT do a toast. Someone (me) often gives an emotional toast. Apparently.... a little TOO emotional. So -- no toast this year. So...... things will be comfortable and easy-going.

I went to World Market today. And I found a domestic champagne that is rated 91 (out of a scale of 100) for under $15. (This is a domestic champagne -- from California.) My dil does not like wine.... she prefers to drink champagne. So, we will enjoy this at Thanksgiving dinner. (Believe me.... 91 is a VERY HIGH SCORE!)

So --- I believe this will be a wonderful, relaxed, joyful dinner! And a relaxed day of movies, football, and Christmas decoratin!

 

[dancingelf]

I guess we're back to plan a, which is dinner at my parents' house as usual. Plan b was to have dinner at my house and I wish we were still using that plan. My mom and dad are in Florida at their condo -- they've been there for two weeks now. They are not starting the drive home until Sunday which means it will be Tuesday before they arrive. That doesn't give my mom much time to get ready for the big day. And she'll be tired. And then she'll be grouchy, which will make ME grouchy. I'm going to work on myself for the next several days to try and avoid getting that way.

Regardless, it will be a wonderful day with great food and wonderful family and extended family.

 

[Cathymac]

We're on cue for Thanksgiving #1. I am, as we speak, roasting a turkey breast, have another one in the crock pot (it's smoked), have the pork butt grilled and resting, have the dressing ready to slide in the oven in the morning, along with the sweet potato casserole, the potatoes are peeled and in a pan of water in the fridge awaiting being cooked in the morning, the green beans are in the crockpot, and the salad is ready to put in the bowl. In the morning I have to bake the dressing and the sweet potatoes, carve the turkey breasts and the pork butt and put the stuff on the counter. I still have to make a cake tonight and spot clean the house, especially the kitchen! That's it!

Then it'll be on to Thanksgiving #2, Tuesday night at church. All I have to do for that is show up, pay $3 each and eat! Then relax with my family in the sanctuary and listen to wonderful music.

Then, #3 will be at my Mom's on Thanksgiving Day. I'll get up early and enjoy the quiet morning until everyone else gets up, then watch the parade. I am in charge of green beans for that meal too, so they'll go in the crock pot Wednesday night to cook all night. I am also taking cranberry spread, which I'll make Wednesday and spiced cider, which will get put into a crockpot when I get to Mom's. That'll be a full day, with around 40 families and friends in attendance, including my BFF and her family. Can't wait to find a quiet corner and visit with her!!

I LOVE Thanksgiving..it's my favorite holiday!

 

[LadyEvenstar]

We'll be doing PLan A which is our usual dinner at the country club with my in-laws. We always go early and enjoy a drink in the bar or by the fire and then a wonderful buffet. It's so relaxing and festive and the decorations are absolutely beautiful.

This year we have an additional reason to be happy in that my MIl and FIL are insisting on paying for DH, myself and our daughters because DH was there to help them out with some recent health concerns. We tried to protest that this was not necessary but they insisted and we didn't want to hurt their feelings. So now I can use the money I planned to spend on the dinner fro some Christmas shopping!

After we're done dinner, we'll probably stop by my parents' house. They live down the street from my in-laws (who retire very early) so we get to spend some time with my family too.

Can't wait! Hope everyone's Thanksgiving will be wonderful!

 

[teachermomof2]

Well our plan is to attend mass at 9. Around noon, we'll head to my parent's for lunch with them. Then it will be onto my il's for the evening. I am missing having dinner at my house this year, but my mom is off the day before and wanted to cook, so that's okay.

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!

 

[Flower Girl]

Miss Cathymac, I wonder if I could trouble you for the green beans in the crockpot recipe???

I am cooking supper for the first time, and I see you're in Arkansas...I am hoping it's green beans cooked down in bacon?? I have only ever cooked them in a cast-iron skillet, and was going to try and do it in a crockpot this year, but wasn't sure if it woud work!

My mama lives about 25 miles east of Mountain Home, and we have a home there as well, though we're stuck in southern California for a few more years.

Thank you, and no worries if you're not able to share the recipe!

 

[Belles]

Well our plans are set:
~Sunday dinner at SIL home with DH family, love it only have to carry a few veggies and desserts
~Monday help friend decorate her house for Christmas
~Tus decorate the Church for Christmas
~Wed off, spend the day prep/Thanksgiving
~Thanksgiving at home with my family, mom and 1/2 of Dh family
~Friday put up our Christmas Tree
~Sat work 1/2 day, put decorations up outside
~WOOHOO Hosting first Christmas party for my dad and his family. Go see The Meadow Lights

Now if I forget anything or get confused I can come back here to see where I'm suppose to be or what I'm suppose to be doing this week,

 

[Dakotasmamaw]

We always have a great Thanksgiving... Been doing this for 32 years....

We go to a very run down now resort that use to have Horse back riding and everything, but now the rooms have the same bedspreads even as 20 years ago.. So, Mom, Dad, DH, I, DS and DGD7 go down for Thanksgiving meal and the evening is spent watching TV, coloring with DGD and just catching up...Cause Mom, Dad, DH, DGD and I have joining rooms..
Friday morning, go down to the big buffet breakfast, ...while we are eating.. DBIL, DN 23 and DN 13 show up and we all spend couple hours, eating drinking coffee and catching up with them .. Then up to the room, don some warm clothes and we ALL head to the Golf Course... even the young ones.. We get 4 carts, and spend the whole day on the golf course, NOW, you play whether or not you can, You play in snow, you play in rain, sunshine, or whatever... THAT DAY IS GOLF and you dont get out of it , less you are dying.. or near it... DH did get out of it last year, cause he had just had his 2nd round of Chemo and wasnt even getting out of the bed at the hotel to eat, so he got out of it, but in 32 years, that is the FIRST time anyone got out of it..
. From the time you can walk, you go... everyone shares clubs and we have a wonderful time.. Hot chocolate in thermoses for the kids and bloody Marys for the big guys.. Then back to the hotel for more TV football, the kids running around like crazy, and lots of junk food eating..
By then my sis has made it from work and so more girl talking and catching up before going down to dinner.. After dinner, some serious scrabble, monopoly and poker go on.. no matter your age, you play, the big guys help the little guys..... Then next morning my niece and DD and DSIL usually show up during breakfast at the resort, who knows if DD will show up this year.. Im not expecting her......after breakfast, the women head to the closest big town to shop ,same stores, every year, but its mostly to get away from the men and kids... The men get the kids and they go to the caves, or more golf, or just TV and the indoor pool... we dont know, we dont care, we are outta there....
we eat lunch at a great restaurant and Mom always pays for all us girls.. then back for dinner in the resort and more and more junk food and games, and running around kids.. The place is practically empty anymore except for us, and we know all the waiters and the guys who own the place, so its pretty comfortable

Sunday morning, we get up, head down to the buffet breakfast all 13 or 14 of us, depending on who shows up on Saturday night.. then we hit the miniture golf course, again, snow, rain, what ever you have to be out there, for 18 holes and at the end, the winner gets the traveling gaudy, large trophy my dear mother has made, the only good thing about it, is it has 10.00 in it, and you get to keep that, but you have to bring the raggedy trophy back every year for the next person..
then lots of hugs, kisses, and we all head home for the hour drive in different cars and end up back in our homes, all within 10 minutes of each other !!! Its a wonderful, weekend, always... Too much eating, drinking, laughing, fighting, hugging, kissing, screaming, golfing, swimming, gambling weekend.

 

[Lana]

Becky, that sounds like so much fun! A great fun get-a-way. So cool.

Thanksgiving my oldest sister always has it. My mom and younger sister and her family will go to my aunts so my great aunt, DH, possibly DD and her BF unless they go to his g'mas and maybe my DS will go. Then the sisters friends will be there. Not sure what I am taking yet.

 

[SparkleNana]

Dakotasmamaw --- What a fabulous Thanksgiving celebration! So..... 32 years...... your Mom must have started this while you were living at home! What fun! I would LOVE a long weekend like that!!!!!! It is just one great thing after another!

 

[luludou]

You gals seem to have wonderful plans!!

Dakotasmamaw that's the sort of weekend I dream about!!

Happy thanksgiving to all our american friends (is Europe doing thanksgiving at the same time?)

 

[SparkleNana]

Two days until Thanksgiving! What a nice, happy holiday! As we speak, I have a cherry pie in the oven. (Thank you Mrs. Smiths!) Everything is simple this year. Today, I bought (at the grocery store) Bob Evans side dishes of mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes AND green bean casserole. They were on sale - so I added them to the menu. There should be leftovers to last all through the weekend! Which fits my plans to begin a Rudy Day Weekend on Thursday night - right after the feast! Ho ho ho!

 

[Minta]

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. It will be me, hubby, our 2 little kids, my mom, my aunt and her hubby, DH's brother and maybe his aunt and cousin. His cousin is sick and if she is still sick Thursday they will not be coming.

Tomorrow morning my mom and I will go out and finish grocery shopping for t-day. Tomorrow night I will make the pies, diced up the onions and celery and bread for the stuffing and assemble to pepperoni bread and french toast casserole that will be baked Thursday morning.

Friday morning we will be heading out early to do some shopping and then come back home to start decorating.