Thanksgiving Memories

Okay, I've got to admit, Thanksgiving really isn't any different from most family dinners.  The only difference is that I get to spend nine hours washing pots and cooking.  What has been nice is that as my gang gets older, they get to take over some of the responsibilities of cooking the side dishes.

 For the last ten years or so, Matthew has been very insistent on being in charge of the potatoes. I peel them and he cooks and turns them into the most perfect mashed potatoes you could ever eat (I taught him well).  The Kitchen-aid mixer that he is using was given to me by Matthew's grandmother when I moved back to New York State 19 years ago.  She bought that beauty 48 years ago and it works perfectly, except for not having the highest speed.  

In addition to his mashed potato duty, for the last two years Matthew has been making a delicious crunchy sweet potato casserole that we discovered. I would show a photo but I forgot to take one and the casserole was gone before we knew it.  It is in the foreground of the next photo, though.

 This was our spread for dinner: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole (no, not the Campbell's version), cranberry-orange relish, Spring salad, dinner rolls, cherry pie and pumpkin pie. Usually we  drink sparkling cider but the store was sold out.  Ironic, considering the store is almost around the corner from the Welch's plant. 

 My gang waiting patiently for Mom to stop taking photos.  

"Bring on the food!"

 I forgot to take the picture before we cut into it but William made the pumpkin pie at school and brought it home.  It was delicious!!!

 After a nine hour cooking spree, you didn't think I would be doing the cleaning did you? Each of my kids are assigned a night to do dishes.  Since this was too over-whelming for William I decided all of the older kids (minus my assistant chef) would help get the kitchen back to my standards.  I admit I stood by, chatting and telling them how to properly do the job.

 Our older book-ends.  Timothy, my blind Westie-Poo, who is always near his Mom (that be me) and Cassidy, our Pekinese, who we rescued from our animal shelter after she was found one winter day a mile in the woods, down a horse trail.  They never let us out of their range.

I never said my family was normal.

Jerome, kept himself busy while the rest of us hung out in the kitchen.  For those who have read my blog, you know that Jerome is playing Joint Ops.  This is how he spends almost every waking hour.  I've got to say, he's pretty good. 

Odd quote of the day - from Matthew

"There are people in third world countries who would love to have that ketchup."