Monday, November 29, 2021

Thanksgiving 2021

Last year we were not together for dinner so this year felt magical to me. 

The whole wonderful part of Thanksgiving is that my entire house smells like childhood. 

And it is warm and cozy - all cold and lights twinkling outside with pies and cookies and turkey and all the food we love inside. 

Here is a peek into our Thanksgiving:

I have a binder I keep for Holidays - one just for Thanksgiving actually.

It has my timeline all written out, all of the recipes, and notes on what worked/didn't work in previous years. 

Pecan pie is always the day before. And really, that sliding out of the oven I S Thanksgiving to me. 

While I am busy doing that, my girls use the Christmas Cookie dough I made on Sunday before to roll and cut out snowflake cookies. (and three cheers for Anna home!)

Thanksgiving morning early, early, I start on the apple pie. 

The dough rising on dining room chairs (the dough I make on the weekend before) ready to slide in the oven for our rolls A N D

I save extra dough and that morning I make homemade cinnamon rolls - we have those with tea. It is divine. 




We eat in the family room with the tree all lit up and the Parade on of course. This is the girls breakfast every Thanksgiving and my mid morning snack. So so gooooood 


Meanwhile I keep working on that apple pie


And done rolls slide out of the oven. 


Abigail in her nightgown still - helps me with the final touches on the center piece. 


... adding berries from our backyard. 





A few family photos before dinner was ready


and a few first gifts too! 


One of my favorite Thanksgiving centerpieces ever. 

I used real cedar garland and candles - 


I dried cut oranges and lemons and tied them with satin ribbons and chose green napkins to Christmas is all up! 


I put cloves in oranges for a touch of color - 



Here is that picture she took:


One last baste of the turkey 



and now we're done! 


Making the gravy 



and me trying to capture the warmth inside 


This year I bought a sweet Christmas puzzle and had it all set up in the family room ready to relax. Uncle Tommy (my brother) jumped in with my girls. 


Family gathered round - after last year when it was just the four of us this felt so wonderful. 



After dishes there was dessert - pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, and sugar cookies! Yum! 





And the best, most fun night with both of my brothers doing the puzzle (and finishing), lots of talking, and just having a holiday! 



Finally - a holiday with cousins! 



They were so happy together! 


I am grateful for this one day when my whole house smells like childhood with food that I've had on Thanksgiving since I was born,
 
for time with Anna home, 

for health and so much to look forward to. 

And so it was.  

Old Recipes, 

Old traditions

in this old house. 

And I loved every minute. 

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Magical Christmas Tree Day

Today was the most fun. 

We went to a tree farm called Maple Hallow Tree Farm. Don't you just love the name of it? 

It was delightful and fun,

windy and freezing, 

just the way I like it. 


We cut down just the perfect tree for our living room. 




Best of all it was all four of us - there is nothing better than the feeling of the four of us together. 

I love their crazy singing in the car, their silliness running around the farm, just sisters! 





There was a tiny little shop in a barn - the girls picked out a little stuffed animal ornament for their bedroom trees. 


We went out to lunch to a really lovely little place we'd never been to, 

went home,

I made a pot of tea. 

We warmed up and headed to 4:00 Mass. 

Vegetable soup was dinner tonight and a Hallmark movie. 

Pure happy day!

Magic, and small town, and country, and yummy, and fill my heart for a long time kind of a day. 

I am so grateful. 



(here is a link to my insta - if you click on Christmas the stories from today are saved there) 

Here are some other years:

2013

2014

2015 (this post tells the meaning of a Christmas tree to us)

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Monday, November 22, 2021

Almost Thanksgiving Weekending

 Friday - Enjoying

Abigail was in a performance called Madrigals - It's a choir concert in costume reminiscent of the Renaissance era. Much of it is Christmas flavored so of course it was just wonderful. 







Lighting



Talking (to Anna on the phone) 


Peeking




Dreaming


Baking and Decorating