My favorite holiday is right around the corner, and the only prep work required is something I actually enjoy - cooking :). Thanksgiving is such an incredibly amazing holiday because the focus is on spending time with loved ones and being thankful for all that you have in life, and not on materialistic craziness where 4 year olds are asking for laptops in America when 14 year olds in other parts of the world are asking for pens and pencils. Don't get me wrong - Christmas with family is awesome - my family is great and we have sooooo much fun with all the kiddos at Christmas - but there is no stress when it comes to Thanksgiving. Well, not too much anyway.
I'm almost finished with my menu, and this weekend I'll begin picking up the non-perishable items. the timeline is almost complete, and I know which days I'll be making my pies, from scratch (including the best crust recipe in the world) and I've even decided that since we'll have out of town guests with us (his dad and step-mom will be driving in) as well as local friends, I've decided to do as much as possible ahead of time - if I can chop, dice, assemble or parboil anything the day or two before hand, I guarantee I'll enjoy the football more.
Thinking back I have many good Thanksgiving memories - we had two growing up - that happens a lot when you have divorced parents. My first niece was born on Thanksgiving. My sis and her husband were living with my dad, and apparently my sis went into labor in the wee hours of the morning - Dad called other sis and I at home later in the morning and gave instructions on how to finish Thanksgiving dinner. So the two of us (can I insert that I was 13 and other sis was 15 at the time) cooked a pretty complete meal, packed up plates and hopped in the car to zoom to the hospital to meet the newest member of the family (who will be turning 15 this month - can't belive how time flies).
We used to have this great tradition (which apparently many people think is super cheesy) of going around the family table and talking about what we're most thankful for this year... I remember my first thanksgiving in Bulgaria, I spent it with a group of other volunteers, had a fabulous meal (and getting a turkey in Bulgaria is no easy feat - apparently it's an extremely difficul animal to raise - Bulgarians don't really eat it and that jsut drives the price and weirdness factor up). I brought that tradition up and we went around the room, each of us listing what we were thankful for that year. Mine? Well, just that morning in the mail I had gotten a copy of my mom's passport. Something she had never had before, but went out right after I left for Bulgaria and got, just so she could come visit me.
This will be my second thanksgiving with PB - and while I have so many things to be thankful for, he is the main one. I am so incredibly happy, and lucky, and finally in a good place in my life. I can't wait to cook - and eat leftovers, and veg, and watch football - and maybe even go around the table and share what I'm thankful for this year.
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