I Went, I Cooked, I Gave Thanks!

I Went :

The weeone was spending Thanksgiving with her dad and typically I would just cook for myself at home or for friends or just lounge around in my pjs for three days nursing a rotating array of vodka and juice based cocktails until it was time to go back to work.  But not this year.  This year I decided I would head North (because silly Southern girls sometimes forget that it's not shorts weather in the North in November!).  I left last Tuesday and flew from Houston to Harrisburg, PA...final destination?  My brother's house in Lancaster.  You see, I thought spending a few days with my brother, sister-in-law, two nephews and my parents would be a great way to be Thankful.  And it was.  I am thankful that we don't all live in one house together all the time! ;D

 Me and my big brother, Doug 

(this was the only photo I took of him in 4 days where he actually smiled)

My parents and the Nephews

(I'm going to get a comment from my mom saying how she hates this photo - bet ya $20)

 The Nephews and Colleen

 Is he hugging his mother?

 No, of course not, he's trying to punch his brother

Colleen being a good sport

 Colleen - I think they're bigger than you...

 Yep...you have lost control of them

 Aunt T...only take my photo when my little brother doesn't toss me to the floor!

 I Cooked :

I did cook.  I didn't do it alone!  My sister-in-law, Colleen, is not a fan of cooking.  She does it out of necessity.  So we don't really speak the same language when it comes to the kitchen - I say mashed potatoes, she pulls out a package of instant, I pull out a bag of potatoes.  ;D  That sort of thing.  But I have to hand it to her - she did some cooking for Thanksgiving!  We had REAL mashed potatoes, chipotle mashed sweet potatoes, spinach madeleine, sourdough and italian sausage stuffing, cranberry apple relish, garlicky green beans....oh, and turkey and steaks!  It was a feast for sure...and it was fun to make! If you tell me what you're interested in, I will blog any of those recipes!  I'd like to think that Colleen had fun cooking too, but I think she really just tolerates me on this front.  And that's why I love her...she just let me do it (plus she washes dishes as she goes along even if I was the one that made the mess!).

I Gave Thanks :

I am quite thankful this year.  You guys know how uncertain my job has been (3 layoffs in less than 3 years), but somehow I'm still employed.  I'm a single mom trying my best to raise a great weeone and I'm told she's pretty fantastic.  I have a family that despite our differing ways of moving around and viewing this world, all love, support and respect each other for the choices that we make.  I have a cast of characters that I call friends who stick with me through thick and through thin and let me be me...they even encourage the crazy and sometimes bring the wine.  So, yes, I'm thankful.

I hope you and your family had as great a holiday as I did.  If you laughed even half as much as us, then I'm sure you did!