Last night our house seemed eerily, unacceptably quiet. There was only one car parked in front, and only two children running around inside. For the past five days, the husband and I had hosted two of my three siblings and their families. The cousins, ranging in age from 3 to 12, had so much fun they were rarely visible -- just an audible mass of laughter and energy. It made me sad that we can only manage to ALL get together once a year or so.
This was our first Thanksgiving as hosts, and despite some initial stress at the lack of formal dinnerware and seating, we learned to mellow out and enjoy the chaos of a lovingly full house. In fact, thanks to my industrious sister-in-law, who made four side dishes, my amazing husband who made the turkey, my brother-in-law who cooked the ham after fashioning a smoker out of two ceramic planters, and my sister, I only contributed one dish to my own Thanksgiving: buttermilk mashed potatoes. Score! My brother bought wine and beer, and can clean a kitchen faster than a Merry Maid on speed, so he got out of cooking.
One of my favorite memories of the holiday was getting this picture of all the cousins (minus their baby cousin Isabella, who was visiting her mom's side of the family in Miami) on my staircase. Abuela (that's grandmother in Spanish to those of you uninitiated in the language, or "Dora" and "Diego") had bought all the kids matching sweaters specifically so she could take a picture with and of all the grandkids. It was heartwarming to see them all gather on the stairs and to think that the next time we all reunite, there should be at least two more little people in the photo.
So to win my second holiday giveaway: "The Santa Clause 3 -- The Escape Clause," leave a comment with a favorite memory about this Thanksgiving. Even if you don't want the DVD, I'd love to hear about what made your holiday special this year.
Just spending time with my mom and son is a special memory. :)
Posted by: Lesha | November 26, 2007 at 10:43 AM
We spent Thanksgiving in a small town, where they had a town potluck at the sole restaurant, the campground owners invited us to their own potluck, and a stranger bought my boys fishing poles because he thought they'd like to go fishing. You sometimes forget what life is like where everyone really does know everyone else.
Posted by: Laurie | November 26, 2007 at 11:08 AM
My special memory for this year was having my son sitting next to me at Thanksgiving dinner. He slept through dinner last year...he was also old enough to hold his own with his very rambunctious cousins. :)
Posted by: Patty | November 26, 2007 at 06:08 PM
WoW!!! It would have to be digging up dahlias with my husbands 89 year old grandma at the farm!!! I will never forget that experience... and on Thanksgiving!!!
Posted by: Christina | November 27, 2007 at 09:53 AM
Mine was our first Thanksgiving as a family. It's funny because it's nothing like the way we do it now. For one, we had just bought a table and two chairs and were excited to actually have somewhere to sit. Before that, the only place to sit in our apartment was the bed, the bathroom or the floor. The turkey was dry and Adam kept me so busy(he was 2 weeks old), my food was cold by the time I sat down. Even the, I was still holding him in my arms. I just remember Scott and I cooking together and realizing we were indeed a family. Then the excitement came that this was the first of many to come.
Posted by: Kelli | November 27, 2007 at 10:40 AM
I had a nostalgic Thanksgiving...and that is good and bad. We went to be with my family for the first time in years, probably 10 or so since I've last spent Thanksgiving with them. It was in my cousins "trailer house". I use "" because it is an old torn up trailer house that has been pieced together and patched with old road signs and left over pieces of scrap wood. The floors had holes in it and there was grafitti spray paint on the old wood slabs. Everyone brought food. My salad and veggies tray were the only healthy thing on the menu, including the turkey that had been dosed up with tons of fat and "marinade". During the meal, as my children and I were sitting on the floor in the living room, my cousin grabs a fly swatter to kill one of the smaller mice that apparently had been running out from under the oven all morning. I was shocked, and that is sad.
Robert and I were thankful to be there this year. We feel it is good for us to remember that 98% of the world population does not live like we do. There standards are different. I grew up like that and it is sad that I have been gone for so long as to be shocked by it now. Do I want my children to grow up in that same filth? No. But I do want them to know that it is ok. My family is loving and fun and proud. I also noticed that no one, all day long, mentioned things they need or wanted or didn't have. Nothing was mentioned about their "things" not being nice enough or good enough. I hear that from myself and my "circle" alot, and that should be shocking.
Posted by: Christi | November 27, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Hey there!! Happy Thanksgiving!! .!! :) :) :) :)
Thanksgiving is 1 of my favorite holidays, and each yr I like to get into the mood-extend the holiday, as it were-by reading "Thanksgiving novels." Unsurprisingly, those stories are mostly about family, about coming together to heal old hurts and giving thanks for the gift of love. .. .. --
You're Better Off These days Than You Were ten Years Ago?
Posted by: Carly | November 26, 2010 at 07:12 AM