THANKSGIVING 2008

Our Thanksgivings, since we moved to Delaware, have been shared with our daughter's family. Since her girls usually have dance practice for their performance in the Nutcracker, which always takes place the next weekend, we expect that they won't arrive at our house until very late in the evening. It was 2am when they arrived this year.

Earlier that day, Allison, our youngest granddaughter called me to tell me not to set the table, that she wanted to do it. So I agreed to let her. I had no idea, when I agreed, that she wanted to pick out the dishes and the table linens too. I thought she would chose my Lenox China, which you can see waiting to be used, in the corner cabinet, behind Allison. But she chose the Pfaltzgraff, Pistoulet, Christmas pattern instead. I explained to her that I didn't have all the pieces we needed to set the table, because the pattern was discontinued before I could buy it all. She said, "That's okay 'D' we can use something else to go with these dishes, I like all the colors on these." So not wanting to go back on my word, I let her decide the dishes she would use. I'm afraid the only dishes that I originally chose, where the Lenox bread plates.
I would have used the red stems, because I bought them this past summer with the kids in mind. They have always knocked over my others stems because of the height and because they were much lighter.

She chose these table linens because they matched the paintings on the wall behind the table.

The new small soup bowls, that I finally found, after hunting for some for weeks, never made it out of the china cabinet, instead Allison wanted to use the ones from my Apple Pattern.

Last year all the kids were able to help make our dinner, this year was no different. Pictured below is grandson, Thomas, who was making the green beans with bacon and mushrooms. Thomas likes watching the cooking channels and knows all the names of the chefs and their shows. He is a straight A student in the accelerated program and plays, baseball, soccer, basketball and has just become a receiver on the 7th grade football team.

His sister, Olivia, is making Rue's recipe for Yams with Peaches. She's in 6th grade, a straight A student, who will be in the Nutcracker, put on by the L.A. Dance Studio, next weekend. She's been in dance for seven years now and is also in a twirling program and has added piano lessons to her interests this year. I learned that Olivia loves Cranberry Jelly, I think she ate the whole can all by herself. She's a real girly, girl.

Next we have her sisters Kristen and Allison, who are making a family tradition date with a walnut a peanut butter filling, then rolled in sugar. It was my chore to make them when I was their ages. Allison told me that both she and Kristen got all S's on their report cards. They are both in dance and both play on a girl's soccer team. That makes their Italian grandfather very happy.

We are lucky to have his porch to act as another refrigerator during this time, both of our other two are filled to the brim.

After dinner, as we were all fighting to stay awake, Olivia played a whole book of song she had learned. I told all the kids, a while back, that if they learned to play the piano, that I would give them mine. There's is and old ,second hand piano, and I never really did learn to play well, so they might as well have it. :(

As we were entertained by Olivia, our daughter shared pictures from Halloween with us. I've included some below.

Shown are, Codi, a cousin, Thomas and Eli, Codi's younger brother, as Philly Fanatics.

Next is Olivia, Allison and Kristen.

I love the next two pictures of Allison, so I had to add them. She was excited for months about being a fairy, her first year in school.

Here she was in the parade around the school grounds. I love this picture.......

Well, that was our Thanksgiving Day this year. It's Friday evening now, and the BOYS are in the kitchen making Boilo, it's something they do every year now, while the girls are out shopping. I'll post that recipe and some pictures from that tomorrow.

PS......Son-in-law, Tom, just handed me a cup of hot Boilo, that they have just finished making and putting in bottles.....it taste great. :)