Thanksgiving 2010

This year's Thanksgiving was so relaxed.  There wasn't the time-crunched feeling that I have experienced in the past with the Thanksgiving meal cooking and preparations.  As Mom and I were talking about it, I realized why.  Harold deep-fried the turkeys this year.  That freed up my oven for the other things that needed to be baked and freed up my mind so I didn't have to do all the math required to figure out how long to cook a turkey that weighed X pounds then try to figure out how to fit in getting the rolls and stuff done.  (I often have used my stand alone roaster, but prefer the oven.) 

I think this picture of Harold is so funny.  I had taken like 3 pictures and he either turned away or hid his face, finally I said, "Would you please just stand there and smile?"  So he did--I love it.  Even though it's a very sarcastic smile, it makes me laugh.

So here is one of the turkeys after it was finished.  Man, were those turkeys GOOD!  And I was surprised at how little time they take to cook!  This one looks a little charred on the bottom part and under the wings, but it was amazing how moist and tender the meat was--and so flavorful!  This is definitely how we'll be doing turkey from now on!

William and Cody are delivering the finished turkeys to Grandma & Grandpa's house, where we'll carve them and EAT!!!

Mom and I split up the cooking, so she made a few dishes and I made a few.  It was all so good!  By the time we all went through and ate what we wanted, there was still about 2/3 left in all the dishes.  I think we got about two more meals each out of all of this.  This picture doesn't show the salads and desserts.

The kids waited patiently while Harold cut up the turkey and Mom & I put last minute things together.

Of course, I didn't pick up the camera again until a few hours later when we were ready for dessert.  Nobody could even think of dessert until quite a while after we ate because we were so stuffed.

Mom's pretty pies.

This picture is a perfect example of one of the things I'm thankful for this year and always.  Notice that there are about 4 different ornaments on that one branch!  That's because my children (mostly the younger ones) decorated my tree.  And I'm so thankful for my children!  Yes, sometimes things are imperfect; sometimes my house is messy and there is mud on my carpet; sometimes things are noisy and hectic--but ALWAYS there is LOVE.  When I think about WHY things are imperfect, messy, hectic, noisy--I wouldn't change a thing.  When my children grow up and move away (some of them anyway--some of my children will likely always be here), my life will be more leisurely and my house will be cleaner and my tree can have all the ornaments perfectly spaced.  But you know what?  I bet I'll be wishing things were exactly the way they were "back in the winter of 2010."  When that time comes, I may just have to put several ornaments on the same branch just for old times' sake.