Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Or rather, Merry Christmas, because holy cow, it is December. The kids just asked me, in a worried tone, why their Elf has not shown up yet. I wanted to tell them that he is probably still recovering from being so gluttonous on Thanksgiving, but instead told them that I bet he would be here real soon…! Today I thoroughly enjoyed chucking out leftovers, cleaning my fridge, and meal planning/ordering groceries for the week. It was like New Years Day for my kitchen. Out with the old, in with the new!

Thanksgiving was a good time, though. And the food. Oh, the food. David and I feel like this year we achieved the perfect balance of work and food (…and wine, perhaps).

Our menu:

Mr. Turkey, of course

Gravy

Potato Leek Soup

Steamed Green Beans

Rolls with homemade butter (courtesy of Merritt)

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes

For dessert, Apple Pie

Thanksgiving started earlier than Thursday, however. Ian performed at his Fall Songfest on Tuesday. It was an adorable production, as always.

Merritt's 1st grade, made up of Pilgrims and Wampanoags, sat down together for a Thanksgiving feast. See their loooooooooog table?

 There was a LOT of food!

On Thanksgiving morning he taught us how to SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE heavy cream to produce...

…butter!

 David donned the official hat of the turkey preparer and produced yet another perfectly golden turkey.

Arlo spent most of his time hanging out below us in the kitchen. Opportunistic pug.

All set and ready for the feast!

 Grandma and Grandpa Y were here to celebrate with us. These are post-turkey, pre-food-coma smiles.

On Black Friday, we went to a matinee - Frozen - what a great movie! Afterwards we came home and spent some time playing outdoors. Oh, and bringing down a tree (don't worry, it was broken and rotting and there was a chainsaw involved…this wasn't just a show if brute strength). We REALLY hate cutting down trees but this bad boy has suffered twice from storms and was not rallying as we hoped. 

The boys had a blast cutting, hauling, carving, throwing, dragging, and just about anything else they could possibly do with the wood. Gavin literally spent 2 days chopping and stacking wood. The boy is a workhorse.

 Warming up by the fire...

Whew, can you believe it is December? I hope our Elf remembers to come back soon...