I completely failed to mention in my last post, that my super awesome husband, aka Josiah, made me a cake for my birthday!
He even did the piping himself and layered the cake w/frosting in the middle and and and...it was sooo yummy! (The first "junk food" that I'd had since starting my diet last Tuesday night. Woohoo!) Anyway, neither of us knew that my mom was baking one also, since we were going over there for dinner, so there was plenty of cake to go around.
I don't care for the picture of me, but the expression is too funny. And yes, between the 2 cakes there were 31 candles. The cakes almost melted!
Crazymama did a Thanksgiving survey on her blog the other day and I wanted to play along, so here goes...
How do you do thanksgiving dinner?
Growing up we always spent Thanksgiving day w/my dad's family. I mostly remember going to my grandma's house and eating there, she always had green jello w/pecans in it. (I think that's what it was anyway...) It was good. The Saturday after Thanksgiving we got together w/my mom's family. It was an idea that I think my grandmother came up with so that there wouldn't be any conflicts on Thanksgiving day and wondering who would be where... It was much bigger and usually looked forward to more than the Thanksgiving Day gathering. (Although I do love my dad's family) Of course as we (the cousins) all got older/married/had kids of our own, it became more and more difficult to get everyone together.
Since I've been married, my parents wanted to continue w/the same sort of tradition so my brothers that are married got together w/their in-laws and well, most of my in-laws are out of towners and the ones who live here seem to do stuff w/their in-laws or friends or whomever on Thanksgiving day and we didn't want to inconvenience them or ask them to change the way they like to do things, so we have pretty much just done our own thing on Thanksgiving day. Which for the last couple years has included my parents and that's fine. And then up until last year, we still went to the big Jarman (my mom's family) Thanksgiving thing on the Saturday after. Last year was the first time one wasn't held though and so my family just go together to spend time together and did our own "Smith Family" Thanksgiving.
Where do you go for thanksgiving? stay home? in-laws? travel?
I think the last one pretty much answers this one too.
If you bring something what do you bring?
Everyone is usually assigned to bring atleast a dozen rolls and a pie. Everything else is dispersed and hopefully everyone knows what they're bringing atleast a week before the get together.
What "makes" thanksgiving dinner for you? (if it's missing it's just not the same. )
Rolls. If no one's going to bring rolls, you may as well forget it! I'm hoping to find a recipe for the Texas Roadhouse rolls for this year. If I don't find one, I'll use the Lion House rolls recipe that I have mentioned before.
Gravy preference? brown? turkey? Homemade?
I think I prefer homemade turkey gravy. Or if it's from a can or packet, I like to have some of the giblets added. I always loved the smell of the giblets cooking on the stove when I was a kid. Mmmm.
Mashed Potatoes? from scratch? or instant?
Always from scratch. Anything else and you've ruined a perfectly good meal. I can never make mashed potatoes just right though. I like my mom's mashed potatoes.
Do you actually eat Yams?
Nope. I don't remember them ever being part of the buffet of food growing up, although they very possibly were when we got together w/my dad's side of the family. It seems like something my grandmother would have made.
what about cranberries?
We always have cranberry sauce but I don't eat it. I'm pretty sure I've tried it, but I stay away from it. Although I believe my husband likes it, which is surprising if you know him... :)
Pie? what is a "must have" at every thanskgiving dessert table?
By far, Pecan. LOVE IT! My mom makes homemade pecan pie every year and it's soooo good! I don't typically eat any other pie. Maybe a tiny slice of pumpkin, but only if it's super good. I do like the frozen dutch apple pie though that Marie Callender's makes. That's usually what I buy and take, because I don't make pies. I'm growing up though, maybe someday I should try!
Pies? from scratch? or store bought?
I think this was answered in the last one.
Whipped cream? from scratch ? cool whip? or from a can?
I think we typically just buy cool whip in the bowl. I'm sure it's been made from scratch here or there by someone in the family and brought, but like I said, I don't eat too much pie and it never goes on my pecan pie, so I don't have much concern over whether or not it's store bought or from scratch.
Well that's it. Now everyone knows a little more about me.
Trenton and I got to go on a field trip to the petstore w/his preschool class. I'd actually forgotten all about it until one of the moms called me about 8 minutes before we were supposed to be there to see if I'd like a ride. Fortunately I'd already showered and was dressed so I didn't have to do much to get ready. I'd even gotten Trenton dressed which is not very typical for a day that we're just going to be sitting around at home all day. The kids had fun. They got to see all sorts of birds and snakes and fish and turtles and tree frogs and a big fat cat! At one point while all the kids were looking at the snake that the guy had taken out to show them, I moved around this cart thing to take a picture and all of a sudden I had this fat cat meowing in my ear. I hadn't realized there was anything in these cages until it got up and meowed at me. I don't think I've ever seen such a big cat.
Last night I went down to the church for the Stake women's volleyball. I was somewhat hesitant to go, and hadn't actually signed up, but my friend Sundee had talked me into it and so I went. I was mostly hesitant because I hadn't played volleyball in 12ish years or so and I know as a teenager, I hated the sport because of my whole low selfesteem issue and the fact that I wore glasses and what if the ball came and hit me in the face and blah blah blah. Anyway, I went, I had fun. I actually even, believe it or not, hit the ball over the net a few times! And I'm an awesome server!
My running is going well. We ran for about a full mile stretch this morning before slowing to a walk. That's pretty good for me. I'm loving the exercise. It's pretty chilly out there that early though. But I guess I'd prefer that to 100° weather.
I'm soo glad it's Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend!
4 comments:
Mmmm, Thanksgiving dinner. I wish I was back in Jersey to taste the motherhoods big "T" day dinner. I miss the family so much during the holidays. Now, with the vegee husband, I don't do much just for us. I cook him a vegee dressing, which is actually pretty good, and of course homemade pumpkin pie and canned whipped cream, but for me... I need turkey.
I guess it's time to start talking turkey, I mean about Thanksgiving. Have you talked to Leslie or Jill?
The cake is so CUTE - tell him I said CUTE! I liked reading about your Thanksgiving traditions but was surprised at the pie part. Seriously, doesn't anyone out there like pie as much as me!?
I wish we could have Thanksgiving together! That would be so much fun!
I'm proud of you for doing the volleyball thing. I was always terrified of any game with a flying ball. I always seemed to be the target and was the one crouched down, blocking my face, and screaming at a high pitch. Doesn't bode well for one's popularity. I stay far away. Still.
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