Thanksgiving 2021

I used to menu plan and start cleaning and cooking, days in advance but I feel like we have this down to a science and no longer need the big prepping. I had the ingredients bought the week prior and it worked out great since we had to work on Wednesday. We moved dinner time to 3pm, so there was no big rush that morning, we got up and started cooking and even the kids pitched in...Blake made the green bean casserole and Tay made the cheesy potato bake. We actually got dinner done early and ready to eat by the time Diana & Danny walked in. I do need to remember to bake the desserts the day before, because cheesecake and buttermilk pie DO NOT like to be cooked on a lower rack, below the turkey...oops. The juicy turkey, all the fixins' and fresh baked rolls made up for the dark bottomed desserts..lol.

Billy said grace, we ate to our hearts content, thankful for our blessings. Aunt Sissy brought a bunch of scratchers for us to try our luck at. Turns out, we will have to focus on our blessings because none of us got lucky. We cleaned up the plates and Blake immediately cleared the table and broke out the Aggravation game. We brought up the 6 player version so we could all participate, it sure makes a difference having the extra people constantly plucking you off the board and sending you back home! The added "aggravation" sure gave us lots of memories of Mom and how upset she would get, she was out to get ya! And SO WAS DIANA!! She couldn't reach the board so she would point her finger with vigor and she directed us where to land her marble! She was more worried about taking us off than winning and getting herself to safety..lol! We were laughing and shouting and having the best time ever...it was the longest game of Aggravation ever. It took over 2 hours for Diana to bring in a win! The guys continued playing just to see who came in 2nd, 3rd, etc...Blake was a sore loser, coming in dead last..lol. 

The boys headed over to Aunt Susie's house with a turkey dinner delivery. She was happy to get the Thanksgiving meal without having to come over, possibly driving in the dark. It really was a blessed day to be thankful for. 

Black Friday with My Gal

Tay and I planned to get up at 5am to head to the stores. I guess we were super excited because we ended up awake at 3am giggling, making Dad mad. We tried to go back to sleep but couldn't so we just got up. I had an espresso and we pulled ourselves together enough to go out into public..lol. Turns out, nothing was open except for Kohls. Taylor found some fun little trinkets but that was all. We were really hoping Chic-fil-a would be open so we could get our early morning fuel but it wasn't...as we headed to walmart, I noticed STARBUCKS had JUST opened their drive thru...I typically do not give Starbucks my business, but coffee could not be passed up! We went all through Walmart and didn't see any big deals that we had to have. We ran by the house to drop stuff off and take a potty break quietly then finally got our Chic-fil-a breakfast, ate in the Target parking lot before strolling through there. Then we hit Michaels for some much needed craft stuff then back to the house to unload..lol! I'm exhausted just rehashing this morning!

 

We ended up picking up Dad and going to a furniture store to see if there was any living room furniture that was on sale. We found the same set we like before but still didn't purchase because there is a long wait on delivery. We grabbed Culver's for lunch then went to Farm & Home for a great sale item for my sister for Christmas. They were sold out so I was bummed. Oh well, it was a great day of shopping! Happy Black Friday!

 

Family Thanksgiving 2020

I planned ahead for this Thanksgiving, just like any other. We are not letting 2020 steal our family traditions! We did decide to move the meal time a little later so we can have a more relaxing morning and allow time for everyone to get here. It was nice to wake up and enjoy my coffee before starting on the food. Most of the dishes were prepped ahead of time, we mostly just had the turkey & desserts to do. Tay and I tried to make a pumpkin sheet cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and failed, not once but TWICE! lol! We liked the icing though! Anyways, we cooked all day and decided we would not make quite as much next year, but then again, we always say that. Taylor and I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade as we baked. Even though it was a bit lame and pre-recorded due to covid, we were especially excited to see the Hamilton performance. It wasn't the same actors but they still did okay. We followed it up with viewings of the champion dog show and even saw some new breeds! 

We were so thankful that Diana and Danny came over to celebrate with us, Aunt Susie and Stanley ended up not being able to. Billy said grace, asking for God's protection over our nation and our health and then we dug in! We chatted for awhile and got to play some LCR. Not sure who the actual winner was, but there was certainly alot of quarters flying around the table..lol! It was a nice thankful afternoon together.

We had planned to decorate the kid's tree, but decided on just giving them their special ornaments and doing the rest of the memory reading and decorating another night. Especially since Tay and I had to go to bed early so we could wake up for Black Friday shopping!!!  Anyways, back to the ornaments...Taylor got a Hamilton ornament which is very reflective of her year. We spent hours upon hours in the pool jamming to the entire musical back to back. And every car ride to anywhere, was spent singing aloud to the musical. It's the kind of stuff that sticks in your head and you even sing it in your sleep...there were times I had to beg Tay for a break, just to clear my head..lol. 

Blake's ornament I found especially for him, as he claims to be too grown up to keep getting a yearly ornament gift, I just can't help it. His ornament is a computer circuit board cut into a star to hang! I chose this because he is taking a computer technology class at the career center this year in school and it is a really special opportunity! I am so proud of him and I'm sure he loves his ornament..lol. 

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Thanksgiving has always been a time to appreciate all we have to be thankful for, a day of family gathering for a delicious meal & the start to the Christmas season. This year, it feels like more. It feels like a day to reflect on the foundations of why Thanksgiving Day was created and declared a National holiday for our wonderfully blessed United States of America. In reading George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation from 1789, it really brings to light WHY our nation has prospered, why her citizens have been blessed beyond measure with God's favor! Thank you Father, may we continue to raise YOU up as the foundation of our great nation. Amen.

"By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington"

November to Remember

The first weekend in November began with an early morning performance & clinic at the Gateway British Brass Band festival at Ritenour High School in St. Louis. The Bulldogs did amazing and brought back such fond memories when they played a piece from The Pale Blue Dot! I literally had to hold back tears, they are amazing.

Seems like many of our pictures are of these silly pups just livin' the life! Tay and I went on a shopping day together & went to Madi's 1st bday party. We also took both pups to the dog park together...it was Millie's first time ever and only Milo's second visit. It started out really rocky, but after a long walk on the leash to wear them out, they eventually got to go inside the doggy part and meet some friends. We are gonna try to take them more often so they can be used to other dogs.

Tay and Mayven at Madi's bday!

We had our first snow of the winter on November 11th. It was Millie's first ever snow and Milo sure showed her how a snowday is done! He is my winter pup and was tiny during last years blizzards!

Since the kids aren't at Progress South anymore, we don't get to participate in the wonderful assembly that honors our Veterans so well. We still honor our own WWII vet, my Dad, and are thankful for all who have served. Such a special holiday.

More pictures of the kids with these silly fur babies...they sure are entertaining! Looking back through the photos to do this post makes me realize that we did spend quite a bit of time in the family room, eating by the lit up tree & fire. I didn't post all the food/tree pics but there were quite a few. The only food pics are the ones that were on Thanksgiving eve, we had all planned on having company that day, no one came, so we ended up having a quiet evening, eating pizza while watching Christmas Vacation...perfect night.

Thanksgiving eve, enjoying pizza and lights! 

The picture below has a funny story! We mess with Tay so bad...we just went to Petsmart to buy a training collar for Millie. She barks at everything out back and hasn't responded to any other training methods. After much research, we decided to try a shock collar. Anyways, we come home and are reading the instructions, Billy is reading it aloud, so all of us can follow the same procedure. (Trying to be responsible here) Billy reads, "to ensure proper amount ofo shock is being administered, place collar on youngest child, turn voltage to highest possible setting, press and hold the red button". Taylor is over here, on the couch with her jaw dropped, jumps up and insists on seeing this in writing! It's so funny messing with her! BTW: no pets OR children were harmed during this joke..lol.

Taylor and I did our annual black Friday shopping trip...5am we were headed out! We hit Walmart, which was empty. Tay ended up buying a pack of good markers, that weren't even on sale..lol. Then we had breakfast at Chic-fil-a before heading to Target and Michaels. Tay bought a little pound puppy from Target and more markers/pens at Michaels....whoa, big shoppers we are! lol! The last picture shows what an early morning shopping trip causes...pure exhaustion!