We were lucky to get my entire side of the family together for Thanksgiving. We hosted this year and everything worked out really well!
I planned out what we were going to have to eat and saved all the recipes in one spot (at this blog post), which was super handy when it came to making food. I made the mashed potatoes and the rolls the night before. I started the pumpkin dessert first thing in the morning when we woke up. We were eating at 3ish, so the turkey went in around 10:30 (I used a turkey bag and that works out well!). I was pretty surprised with everything was ready at the same time at 3:02 pm. How’s that for being on time!
My parents came to stay with us Monday night. Joel went off to Pickleball for the night. Tuesday, I went into the office, but was able to come home around 3ish to finish the day. My mom and I went to get the kids and pick up some dinner. Wednesday morning, my parents headed down to my brothers and my other brothers family got to our house to stay for the holiday. They dropped their dogs off at our house and we immediately turned around and headed to get pizza. After pizza, we got the kids home and Miles to bed. Hailey stayed up a little later than normal but finally went to bed.
Thanksgiving morning, everyone started heading back to our house mid-morning. We played bananagrams, Farkle, and Cards Against Humanity (my brothers had to explain some very interesting terms to my mom..). Food and alcohol were consumed in abundance. My dad and brothers watched the Vikings game at our house. I went to bed early. My older brother was a saint and got Miles back to bed when he thought 10:30pm was a good time to get up.
It was a great few days with the whole family – the last time we were all together was for my wedding!!
10 random things I’m thankful for this year
- Number 1 is family. There have been lots of ups and downs with health this year but I’m very thankful for my family, for Joel’s family. For everyone’s health.
- My kiddos. They are technically family but I will count them again 🙂 They are becoming little people and while they make me want to tear my hair out a lot of the time, they are the coolest things. Their smiles and laughs just light up my life
- Joel. Again, family. But also best friend.
- Friends. The friendships that I’ve made this year, the friendships that have gotten closer this year. I am so lucky to have the friends that I do. That I can text them no matter how I’m feeling and know they are there.
- My family all being able to come together and enjoy the holiday
- My brother and sister in law – they generously have let Dakota stay with them
- Starting a new job that is SO COOL, but also so thankful that I had such a great group of coworkers that made it hard to say goodbye to my last role
- Joel’s family and how close they live, it’s so great to be able to pop over there all the time; it’s also so great that Joel’s grandma is also close and we get to see her
- Running. I am so so so thankful to be able to be running again. It’s so humbling to be clawing back to being able to run more miles – but running makes me so happy. It has brought me the best of friends
- The library! I have been getting almost all of my books through the library this year and have saved so much money
[…] A Very Happy Thanksgiving […]