Hello, my friends. Happy Friday! Well, we are less than two weeks until Thanksgiving. Although we will transform our house into a cozy Christmas home next week, I decorated our little dining room for turkey day with the tablecloth and a few pieces I have that I like to set out so that Thanksgiving gets the recognition it deserves.
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Do you host, or do you travel to a loved one's to eat too much turkey and pumpkin pie? We will have Thanksgiving at our house along with all the kids. We eat later in the day so that Peyton, Chris, Rhett, and Kyrstin can enjoy the day with their families. And because I like watching the parade before I start in the kitchen!
I have gradually purchased everything we need for that day: The turkey, cooking bag, broth, poultry seasonings, and the canned goods we use, like green beans, yams, and pumpkin. I will wait until the week of to get the perishables like celery, onions, potatoes, and the stuffing bread. Madison and Nicolas will make the mashed potatoes and the sweet potato casserole, Peyton will bake the pies, and the rest of the meal comes together like magic. Ok. Not really. But after all these years, we have a pretty good system, and somehow it happens.
It never looks like the images on Pinterest or on TV. We don't get all dressed up. The turkey isn't sitting on the table waiting for Steve to carve it with a shiny, sharp knife. It is carved and set on the counter, along with the side dishes. We keep the gravy in a pot on the stove and the butter in the tub on the table. After we eat, everything is organized into aluminum pans and put in the fridge. The dishes are washed, the counters wiped, and we all flop in front of the TV for a Christmas movie, usually Christmas with the Kranks. And then there is the pie. Thanksgiving to me is a cold slice of my Grandma Mil's pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. Peyton has perfected the recipe, passed from my Gram to my mom to me, and now to her.
Our tree will be up and our house decorated, but our Christmas season will not begin until the last piece of pumpkin pie is eaten on that Thanksgiving night. I am always thankful for that cozy day with the people I love. And for leftovers in my fridge.
Happy Weekend!
Billie Jo
I love it...it sounds absolutely perfect! I agree...Thanksgiving needs it's due as well, I don't have many decorations other than pumpkins and candles are a must. I'll do the cooking, but it's just the 4 of us and I'll do some make-ahead dishes where possible. And yes, no "perfectly perfect" plans! Kitchen bustling while music plays (the first day I can "allow" myself to play Christmas music and not feel guilty!), fire in the fireplace, candles glowing, and then dinner. And yes, tidy up quickly and relax with a favorite movie or board game. You'll have a wonderful day...so happy for you with everyone there, what a lovely family! Hugs, Mary
ReplyDeleteYour Thanksgiving sounds lovely. Time is flying!
ReplyDeleteI love your tablecloth so much!! Where do you find them? You always have the nicest, most festive ones for each holiday. Your Thanksgiving plans sound just perfect! We usually have Thanksgiving with my parents along with my brother and sister-in-law. I'm hoping we are still able to go though with our plans since my mom has been under the weather for the past month- she had covid, seemed to get over it, and then got sick again this week. My sister-in-law had the flu and ended up spending several days in the hospital last week, she's home now, thank goodness, but still feels rather weak and has some further tests to go through in the coming weeks. Please keep them both in your prayers for a full recovery. We will celebrate Thanksgiving even if I have to do all the cooking for everyone. It's my favorite holiday after all. I hope you have a nice weekend. It's my husband's birthday on Monday on which I will make a nice dinner and cake at home, but we will likely go out and celebrate tomorrow with dinner out some place. Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book here!
ReplyDeleteI still can't wrap my head around how fast time is flying by. I want it to SLOW down. Your holiday sounds perfect to me. Good food, time with family...what else is there? Have a wonderful weekend!!
ReplyDeleteYour Thanksgiving sounds perfect to me! I almost always host it at my house, and have anywhere from 4 to 20 at the table. This year it will be around 10, which is perfect. It's one of my favorite times of year, but it's sneaking up on me! Your post has put me in the spirit ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Billie Jo~ Your Thanksgiving plans sound perfect! When my family was smaller I would always have Thanksgiving at my house. But children grow up, and so do babies! I just don't have the room to have everyone here anymore. My daughter will host this year. Her husband loves to cook and makes a delicious smoked turkey. Your pumpkin pie sounds delicious! Don't you just love that the recipe will be handed down from generation to generation?! Happy Friday! Hugs, Barb
ReplyDeleteI think leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteWe usually have my whole family for Thanksgiving and we gather in our family room downstairs. This year we are using our church because it's too hard to get my Dad down the stairs, and it's getting to be a lot of people. (25), Everyone will bring something and we will enjoy a meal together!
ReplyDeleteI love leftovers too.
We think we are going to eat Thanksgiving dinner with our daughter and her family. Your Thanksgiving sounds just right. Have a good weekend as you get ready! See you again soon.
ReplyDeleteI love your posts and look forward to reading them. Your holiday celebrations sound wonderful as do the plans of the various people that comment on your blog. Unfortunately there are people that no longer have families with which to celebrate. When I think back to my growing up years and the wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter celebrations I was also blessed to have families with which to celebrate. Now that is no longer true and the last 6 years I have been totally alone on the holidays. I do wish you and your family, as well as all those who comment on your blog, a wonderful and enjoyable Thanksgiving season.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds perfect to me. X
ReplyDeleteOh, my, that all sounds wonderful! You are so blessed to have such a loving family. ❤️
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so nice. This will be our first Thanksgiving without our son...so honestly, I am not sure what we are doing. We have been invited to several friends' homes, however, Publix (a local supermarket here in Florida) had turkeys for .49 cents a pound, so I did buy a 12 pounder (why did I buy a big turkey? It's just us two, sigh)...but who knows. I do hope you have a beautiful Saturday and I look forward to your fall and then winter posts (it's still warm and humid down here, LOL).
ReplyDeleteI like your Thanksgiving table, very festive! Thanksgiving always seems to sneak up on me lately. No idea what our plans are yet. I do miss the days when I knew we'd be traveling out of state. No matter what it's definitely not Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie (unless you're like my husband who doesn't like it and then, it's all about the sweet potatoes). Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteI'm supposed to go to my daughter's for Thanksgiving, but it depends on what is going on with my kidneys.
ReplyDeleteYour Thanksgiving tablecloth is cute. I like the little pilgrims. That's so special that Peyton keeps your grandma's recipe close to her and makes the pies every year. I have already decorated for Christmas, so I am in full holiday spirit over here. You have such a grateful way of living, Billie Jo, and that is always so nice to hear.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
On Thanksgiving day we serve dinner (40 round tables - family style - three different seatings) to the community. This year Chuck has to work on Friday so we'll have our Thanksgiving on Saturday. Everyone brings something. Chuck carves the turkey and puts it on a platter, then the platter is put on the table. We have a small table that seats 6 but then there's not much room for the food! We put some things at the table while the rest is put within arms reach on various counters. Then, like you, everything is cleaned up then we watch a Christmas movie. For us, it's usually the Muppet Christmas Carol. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is Cindy from Adventures With Beth. I keep forgetting to check if it's posting me as Anonymous!
DeleteHi Billie Jo! Just noticed in your thanksgiving picture, the image of our Lady of Fatima , I’m originally from Portugal, and very familiar with it!
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving has been at our house for several years now and I do like that it is. I try to make as much as I can the day before - I love all the smells and how it makes this tiny house of ours warm and cozy. Here is a "Happy Thanksgiving" to you and your family as you make the day special in your own way, not the Pinterest way. LOL : ) Love that you said that. God bless.
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