Thanksgiving

I LOVE Thanksgiving and basically the holiday season. This is why I began it a few weeks ago, which includes putting my Christmas Tree up. That's right folks, it's been up for a good two weeks. :) I just LOVE having it up and lit and looking all Christmasy. Because I have a wonderful husband there is even two gifts sitting under the tree just for me ;). But, back to Thanksgiving....

I thought I would write down some of my favorite thanksgiving memories/traditions, because, hey it's that time of year. :)

1. Getting dressed up. I don't know why, but ever since we were little we have always gotten dressed up for Thanksgiving dinner (which at our house is around 2pm). We then immediately after change into pjs, so as better to facilitate the much needed nap.
2. Pickle plate. My mom always makes a pickle and olive plate that's on the table. I love it. Kristie tries an olive every year because she hates them, but I love them.
3. The year I was responsible for the mashed potatoes. :) I didn't finish making them and they were all lumpy. Everyone was pretty upset... but I got a phone call, what was I supposed to do. hahahahaha.
4. The year I learned to cut my own turkey... no, I don't mean carve the turkey, I mean use a fork and knife to cut my own turkey meat, that was on my plate. I am pretty sure I don't have the coordination skills of a two year old, so this was a tough task for me... yes I was 16 and yes, my dad cut my meat until then. So shush.
5. Any year when we had cousins and aunts and uncles and bunches of people, because I love my family more than anything in this planet.
6. Playing pictionary with the Sterlings.
7. Playing boggle with Holly, because she makes up more words than a neologist (google it).
8. Discovering that I really do love stuffing.
9. Watching my mom make stuffing... i.e. tearing the bread into our big green Tupperware bowl, that I now own and will make my own stuffing in.
10. Watching my mom and aunts cook, because cooking in our family also means 1. drinking wine and 2. singing.
11. Being somewhere where it actually snows on Thanksgiving and getting to watch it snow from the warmth of inside.
12. Sleeping on the Sterling's couches - because they are the best couches in all the land. If a House marathon happens to be on, then so be it!
13. LEFTOVERS!!!!!!
14. Waking up ridiculously early just to go shopping, which is just an absurd idea... unless there are 6 other women that will go with you.
15. A day after Thanksgiving movie.
16. "Kid's Wine" is what we called sparkling grape juice in our family. We always got to have it on thanksgiving with dinner. We would go through about two bottles because there is nothing better than that, ever.
17. Green bean casserole. I think it is the most delicious thing on the planet, and it's not Thanksgiving to me if I don't have this tasty treat. Pretty much everyone else in my family thinks that's silly, but it's just true. So there.
18. Family. I have mentioned a lot of memories with family and just being with family in general, but there really is nothing better. I love our family and I love having thanksgiving with them.
19. Thanksgiving at Poppy and Nana's house. It was just magical and we had a kids table and it was the bomb.
20. Thinking about making the holidays special for my own kids. This isn't a memory or a tradition, but the holidays, birthdays, and all of that jazz were always special and a big deal at our house. I can't wait to do that for my own family.

What do you love about Thanksgiving/the holidays?!?

All of us waiting for turkey. There are at least 9 of us on this couch.

Playing Pictionary. It's madness, and it's wonderful!