Thanksgiving 2010

As usual the holidays always sneak up on me.  Without working you would think I would have time to be more prepared but not so.  This year, as in others, our family is estranged so I had to do Thanksgiving in shifts.  I so miss the times when we have all been together.  It is a very stressful time for me but I always manage to muddle through. 

Dinner is very traditional.  I think I have been cooking the exact same dishes for 30 years and if I ever even thought of changing anything I would have a lynching mob on my hands!  Of course there is the monsterous turkey I have to get in the oven at 6:30 in the morning.  Despite what the experts recommend I still stuff the bird prior to cooking (of course with the traditional Pepperidge Farm stuffing).  I haven't killed anyone yet!  Then there are the mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, white mashed potatoes and string beans almondine.    Can't forget the cranberry sauce and rolls.  My mom always make the pumpkin pies.  This year she misread the instructions and put in 1/2 cup less sugar than the recipe called for.  They were still good but admitedly not very sweet.  She is 90 years old so we are so blessed that she is even still with us for the holidays, let alone bringing desert. 

I was really bad and didn't take one picture this year.  Here is a clip of the kids singing grace last year and they repeated it for us again this year.  Priceless.

Now, let the Christmas rush begin!  I am making the first batch of Chex Party Mix today.  The best part of that is the smell when it is cooking.  I have made quite a few presents this year and will take pictures and post them after they have been received.  I love having the extra time to do that.  I have been shopping on my favorite on-line bargain websites since January and have a closet full of gifts.  Woot.com and 1saleaday.com are my favorites.  I have a number of things order from various places and love seeing UPS truck pull up to the driveway a few times a week.  I had a couple of bad falls just before Thanksgiving and am still bruised and sore so shopping on-line will be perfect for me this year.  My theory is if you can't get it on Amazon.com you don't need it!!