Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving Play-by-Play

Well, today ALL of our family (almost) is in Memphis celebrating Thanksgiving together.

We are also celebrating here.  Tonight we will have Joao and Clarice Spencer and their sons, Joca and Levi,  over to try their first Thanksgiving meal.  Natalie will also be here, as well as our teammate, Matt.

I am cooking by myself today.

So, as a little motivation for myself, and some Thanksgiving Day entertainment for my family in Memphis, I am going to try to give you a play by play of our day.  My apologies to anyone else reading this blog who hoped to possibly read something interesting or meaningful....

Here goes.....

8:00 AM
This is the kitchen.  Ansley and Garrett were home by themselves yesterday while we took Natalie to Gramado.  Needless to say, they didn't clean up the kitchen at all.  Oh well....

These will be pumpkin pies....  (The pumpkins, not the diaper rash powder in the photo.  Not sure why that's in the kitchen, but not surprised, either...)

Fresh green beans.....

Sweet potatoes that aren't orange.  I thought about cooking a carrot with them so they will be closer to the right color.  Or would anyone even care about that?

My morning helper. Watching Ratatouille and repeating every other phrase to me.

My other morning helper - going to run.

That's it for now.....
Hopefully at 9:00, I'll have some progress to report!

9:00 AM
Wow!  That hour went by fast!
Kitchen cleaned and sweet potatoes cooking in the biggest pot I have.

Pumpkin cooking in the oven.

Started the dressing.  (I had made the cornbread Tuesday.)

Helper is now watching Spongebob and has a dirty diaper.

More later....

11:45 AM
Well, I got the turkey cooking.  Check out this contraption!  The top of my roaster oven broke, so it has a hole that has to be stopped up so the heat won't get out.

The "pumpkin" is done and the pie crusts are chilling.  I had to make an emergency grocery store run because I only have one pie plate.

I got the strawberry-pretzel salad started......

and exercised and took a shower.  Carys and Natalie are home from Gramado, and Kevin has gone to pick up the other kids.  We are going to try to watch a Thanksgiving parade on the computer (while cooking, of course.)

I wonder if anyone in my family is even looking at this??

3:30 PM
Our guests will be here in 3 hours - which means 3 1/2 here in Brazil....

The dressing is done, just needs to be baked.  These two helped turn the cornbread and bread into bread crumbs.

Carys helped chop the onions - with eye protection.

The turkey is also done, as well as the strawberry pretzel salad.  We only have a few more things to make.  Anderson is babysitting Giovanni who just woke up from his nap for the second time, Ansley is teaching English class, and Kevin took Garrett to soccer.

And check out these pumpkin pies!  They smell SO good!

5:30 PM

Almost ready!

Turkey sliced (and Vera showed up just in time to clean out the cooker!  Yeah, Vera!!)

Me and my best helper of the day!

The table is set and looks so pretty.  More pictures soon.......

8:45
I AM STUFFED!

Everything went great and we are having a great time.  
Here are the pictures....

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!






5 comments:

  1. I love your play by play .... too bad I won't be home to read it throughout the day. Hope you & your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving Benay! Looks like you are off to a great start. :)

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  2. We're on our way to Aunt Barbara's house for Thanksgiving! I miss you guys! Love you.

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  3. I love the picture of everyone together! Love you

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  4. I loved the play by play! I'm glad you went ahead and made a Thanksgiving meal, eventhough you had to do it all by yourself. I was thinking of you today. I actually miss all of the improvising! Tell Joao and Clarice to stay in POA until we come to visit. :)

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