Gobble ‘Til You Wobble -Thanksgiving 2011

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." - Epictetus

I love Thanksgiving. I love holidays in general but Thanksgiving is one of my favorites. First off I love that it is about food. Who can knock a holiday that is about delicious food? Secondly I love the conversations about gratitude. There is a lot of data that says that an attitude of gratitude helps with depression and anxiety and an over all sense of well being. I can’t help but to be overwhelmed with thankfulness when I sit down to a table over flowing with food, with people I love, in a warm dry house, in a quiet little town where neighbors are kind. I have shelves of books and the ability to read them. I have a comfortable bed, a reliable van that carts around the people I care about, access to to good health care when I need it. I have a hard working husband who loves me selflessly, smart, healthy, children with endless possibilities in front of them, a career I love that lets me build relationships with amazing people while using my brain. On top of all of that I have 2 cuddly cats, and almost every kitchen appliance known to human kind. Can it possibly get any better? Every year at Thanksgiving I roll the inventory and ask that same question and unbelievably every year it does get better. Every year the list of amazing people and things that have entered my life grows.  To say I am grateful beyond measure doesn’t even begin to cover it. For all of this I certainly need a holiday to celebrate.

 

Caelun made this at school #1- yep he is his parents child.

Thanksgiving dinner at my parents new house. Dad still does most of the cooking. I make the turkey with stuffing since it is heavy for him to lift and I did a corn casserole per- request of my husband but at 85- almost 86 dad did the rest.

My mother at the table

Grandpa Bob getting the wild man seated.

Grandpa Bob and Cae Cae working off some of their dinner.

Gobble ‘till you wobble- Thanksgiving 2010

I should open with I LOVE Thanksgiving. It is a holiday about counting your blessings, hanging out with those you love and of course who can forget the FOOD. My brother Jim, his wife Jene, and there kids and grandkids come to Thanksgiving at my dad’s every other year. This was the off year so our Thanksgiving was relatively quiet. It was just my parents, my little clan, and our dear friend Dawn who has spent every Thanksgiving with us since her folks moved to Kansas when we were back in college. There may have only been 7 of us but that didn’t stop my dad from making enough food for an army. Clint and I have started making the turkey and bringing it over in a roaster that last couple of years since it is a bit heavy to lift but my dad does all the rest- and I mean ALL. In addition to our 17 pound turkey and stuffing with pan gravy my dad made: a ham, mashed potatoes, Harvard beets, candy yams, baked beans, Waldorf salad, coleslaw, tossed salad,corn, peas, broccoli, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls and cornbread. That didn’t include the relish and vegetable trays or the pies. Clint said to me after dinner- “honey my pants and I are no longer on speaking terms”- yeah that about sums it up. All of us counted our many blessings and then ate until I thought cranberries and turkey would pop out of our ears. I think Abbi ate her weight in Turkey and Caelun – well he just ate everything. Dawn and our little brood still went home with giant doggie bags and I didn’t cook for a couple of days. It was glorious on all accounts. I hope all of you found as many blessings to count as we did come sit at our table – there are extra seats and food a plenty.

The spread

 

There is so much food I am surprised the shear weight of it didn’t collapse the table.

 

There is our Abbi girl turning away from the “momarazzi”

My dear friend Dawn with Clint and Dawn is taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.

One of Caelun’s favorite things to do at Grandpa Bob’s- I spy…

There are even more things to investigate on the ground.

Time for the turkey… Dawn watches as my dad carves.

There is our 2 fisted eater- Cae- Cae with a clean plate.

 

His shirt says “Gobble ‘till You Wobble” and I think we all did. Happy Thanksgiving.

A Day To Be Thankful For

We had our family Thanksgiving at my dad’s as I have for 39 Thanksgivings now. This year the merry band included: my oldest brother Jim, my sister in law Jene, my nephew Chris, his wife Betsy, their three boys David, Andrew, and Ethan, my niece Deanna and her son Ben, my long time friend/sister Dawn, my parents Bob, and Del, and of course my little band of Clint, Caelun and myself. Abbi had Thanksgiving with her mom this year. This brought the grand total to 10 adults and 5, yes count them 5, little boys. Three of these little boys were 2. Throw in a turkey, a dozen toy cars, and a laundry basket of duplo blocks and you have yourself quite the party. Most of the pictures are not very good- it was like trying to take pictures of bullets going through apples- but I hope they give you a taste of the day.

My brother Jim awaits the the big dinner with his grandson Ethan.

         

Every Thanksgiving table needs a tonka truck next to the turkey. Ethan and Caelun are in the frame- David ducked under the table when I took the picture.

Caelun is out but Ben is in and David is still under the table.

So many cars …so little time.

We attempt to settle around the table.

After dinner Chris gives Cae-Cae a red velvet cup cake.

Andrew gets a cup cake as well.

  Clint and Deanna relax amid the toys.

Ben is on the move.

Who knew the basket the duplo blocks were in would be the most fun?

 

A four generation picture- Bob, Jim, Deanna, and Ben – there is one of Chris and his boys as well but I was shooting it on someone else’s camera.

Look at all those blocks!

Time for pie and ice cream

Ice-cream is finger food- right? 

“Feed Me” I swear we are.