Thanksgiving, Our Way

I decided a long time ago that Thanksgiving was really about taking the time to count your blessings, being with what family you can, remembering and honoring the ones that cannot be with you or are no longer with you, and that it should not be stressful.

We had big Thanksgivings when I was growing up.  I remember tables that took up the whole dining room and living room.  Once my grandmother moved in with us, it seemed our house was the place to be on Thanksgiving.  When my brother was in college we never knew who would show up.  He would bring home all the strays that had no where to go.  Mom would cook for days. I would have to polish silver.  The china came out of its cabinet (I hated that china, it all had to be washed by hand).  Then there was the noise. Oh my gosh, it was loud.  Once everyone left and the kitchen was cleaned and everything put back together, we would all collapse.  I remember the sense of having a lot of love in the room, but I don't remember it being fun, or even very enjoyable.  Just lots of stress.

It wasn't until we moved to Kentucky that it slowed down a little.  Grandma still lived with us, but we were farther away from the family and fewer of them came on the holidays.  Dad finally said that he thought we only needed one type of potatoes (candied sweet potatoes, no marshmallows), turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry something green, and some pies. Simplify.  So we did.  The stress level lowered considerably.  

When Raymond and I married and moved to Texas, we took in strays.  We had only the basics, but a full house.  We didn't know how much turkey to purchase, so that first year Raymond had to eat turkey for lunch for weeks.

Once all our strays got married or moved away, we started just having Thanksgiving by ourselves, which meant we could have whatever we wanted.  For many years that became Mexican food from scratch.  Later we varied it a lot between traditional and non-traditional years, lots of people or just the four of us.  

Since Raymond died, it has been just the three of us most years, with very simple meals and a day of game playing.  

Yesterday was Thanksgiving number six without Raymond.  We started the morning with pancakes from scratch, the boys, Loni, Kyle and I sat around the breakfast table and caught up on everyone's life. Kyle stayed to play games with the boys.  Thanksgiving dinner was grilled hamburgers on homemade buns, grilling beans from a can, deviled eggs for Loni, and pumpkin pie.  It was just the boys, Loni and me.  There is only one thing that does not change around my Thanksgiving table and that is we go around the table and everyone must say at least one thing they are thankful for before we can eat, and the youngest cannot say "ditto" just to get out of it.

Since there was not a lot of kitchen time required for our Thanksgiving, I was able to spend time with everyone.  We watched Shaun the Sheep.  We took a load of baskets over to Loni's and unloaded them and made sure everything was okay at her house.  Once home we played board games.  We played Flux, Split, Blokus, Doubles Wild, and Quirkle.  Then it was time for more Shaun the Sheep.  

Now it is the day after Thanksgiving.  Loni has left to go to the Bahamas.  The oldest has left to go to Wills Point, TX. The youngest and I are on our own, but without a lot of leftovers we did not want, no stress, and I have lots of good memories.  

A great Thanksgiving in my book.

Thanksgiving Weekend, 2010

A very peaceful, pleasant holiday so far.

Since I am still hindered some with my shoulder, Loni drove me to get the youngest on Wed. afternoon.  Once back into town we met the oldest for dinner at Joe's Italian Bistro.  After dinner we all came back to the house.  Loni and I watched tv while the boys played games.  It was so wonderful to have them back together in the house and hear them laughing together.

Thanksgiving Day we slept late and then got a slow start to the day.  I had the youngest make the pie crust (from scratch) and the filling for the pumpkin pies, while the oldest made our from scratch BBQ buns.  They did a great job, with little help from me.  Once the bread was done, we sat down to turkey sandwiches, baked sweet potatoes, and pie.  The turkey was smoked turkey breast from Dickey's BBQ and very moist and tasty.  

We followed tradition and went around the table giving our blessings before eating.  The oldest had his all planned out and he did a great job, but, Freudian slip or not, left out a big part of his life, which the youngest and I found interesting.  After counting our blessings, the oldest asked to say Grace.  It was probably different from the Grace being said at most tables.  "Dear Lord, thank you for this food, which by the way smells wonderful.  Forgive us for being dickheads most of the time.  That is all because I want to eat now.  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen."   

After our sandwiches, it was time for me to keep my promise.  I finally learned to play Settlers of Catan. I won, which perturbed both of the boys, because evidently everything I did led them to believe I couldn't possibly win.  The game finished they went on to do their own thing, and I watched shows I had taped. Kyle came over later in the evening and we played Settlers of Catan again.  I lost this time. 

Friday, BFF and went to Texas Quiltworks for the Black Friday sale and then back home to work on our quilts.  Mina came over later in the day and worked on the quilt she is making Loni.  Mina said that she would like the fact that she worked on the quilt to be a surprise and not to tell Loni, which was fine with me.  Jill and Mina left to finish their own personal errands before we all were to meet to see Kyle perform in "Nutcracker."  

When Loni arrived later to go to the performance, I told that Mina came over to drop of some pudding for Jill, never mentioning that she had been here for a few hours quilting.  However, when we all met up at the performance hall Mina wanted to know if Loni had seen her cat quilt.  Loni thought she meant the one I was making her, and was confused.  Mina then told her about how she had worked on her quilt for Loni that day.  I walked over during the discussion and said "Well, so much for it being a secret."  I held up my part of it though.  

Jill ended up getting sick and missing the performance.  The "Nutcracker" was very enjoyable, and we all got to hug Kyle in the lobby, much to my youngest's chagrin.  On the way back home we stopped at Sonic so everyone could either get a meal or pick up a drink to go with another turkey sandwich.  Then Loni and I played Split while the boys and the oldest's girlfriend played games.

Today was a day of sleeping late, helping the oldest make more bread, taking the youngest to see friends, and then quilting while Loni knitted.  

It has been a wonderful holiday weekend.  I wish I didn't have to see the boys leave for school again tomorrow.  I like having them around. 

Christmas should be very nice together because I will be off on vacation.  Can't wait to be around the boys for a nice length of time. 

Enjoying My Boys

I love having the boys home for the holiday.  

The oldest picked the youngest up from Denton for me Wednesday morning while I was at work, then the oldest went to his classes.  When I got home the youngest and I ran an errand and then came home to bake 3 pumpkin pies before having dinner with my BFF and her family.  The oldest got home from his last class around 9:00 P.M. and we watched a Star Trek movie before bedtime.

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was a very laid back day.  We purchased a new board game for the weekend called 24/7 and we played it over and over again.  I like it because I have to think, but not too hard, and it is does not take very long so we can play it several times over the course of the day.  The oldest wanted meatloaf for Thanksgiving so we made one late in the afternoon and then all had dinner together.  I love it when we go around saying what we are thankful for, the oldest was quite sincere in his blessings, the youngest ... not so much.  We watched "The Big Lebowski" and played more games.  Then late, late night television because we were just napping before getting up at 4:00 A.M. to hit EntertainMart for 50% off boxed sets, etc.

Of course when 4:00 A.M. rolled around  it was hard to get the youngest up.  We got to EntertainMart at 5:00 A.M. when they opened and it was not bad at all. We all found what we were looking for and then some.  Then we went to 1/2 Price Books and sat in the parking lot listening to CCR (Had to have it after watching "The Big Lebowski") until they opened and all the people waiting in line to get their free tote and $5.00 gift card where in. We were in and out of there pretty quick.  We all knew what we were looking for and we did not have to wait in line to check out. 

I came home and napped while they worked on homework and then we had to go out again to return a bad game disk and pick up a hostess gift for the oldest to give his girlfriend's mom tomorrow.  There were so few people out we stopped at Target to get my youngest some everyday items he needed for his dorm room. 

Another Star Trek movie and now they are in bed and I am trying to decide what I want to do.  I will probably watch some of my taped shows before turning in. 

I really am enjoying having the boys home.  It is really terrific. 

What am I thankful for this year? My boys and all my wonderful friends.  I am so blessed.  I wish everyone could have as much love in their life as I do.