Saturday, December 5, 2009

Thanksgiving .. present.. 2009



Thanksgiving all started with our family getting to be with Jared at his Thanksgiving feast at his school. His named was picked from a drawing to throw a cream pie in his principal's face. He was so scared he was going to get into trouble if he did. We let him know it was okay and it was all in good fun.



The Smith family got there early on Tuesday evening. I had been planning my first ever full thanksgiving meal cooked by myself with Gabe's help of course. I wanted to use some of mom's recipes along with some new ones of our own. Gabe and I actually where watching the food network thinking about our meal plan and saw a few ideas that we used and they were a hit. My dad loved it all but really like the dried cranberry sausage stuffing. I made my first ever pecan pie using my great grandma Calhoun's recipe. I also made a few pumpkin cheesecake pies. I learned to use pumpkin pie filling next time instead of the pure pumpkin in a can, needed a little more sugar. Cool whip fixed that right up. My son had also been asking for some homemade blueberry muffins that he loves, so I used my mom's recipe for those as well. I was up early both mornings and cooked many of hours. I even used fresh green beans for my mom's green bean casserole dish. Yum! I have even more respect of people that really cook all day like that. I think my mom would of been proud. My family and my dad sure loved it. The rest of my family got to taste so of it later and liked it as well. My brother's really like my pecan pie! Score!




I was glad when the girls, my nieces got there to play with the boys. This was Jared's first time home since my mom's funeral and it was HARD for him. My mom was so much more then his nana, she was his second mom with how she helped me raised him in all. He acted out as we had prepared ourselves it might happen. I tried to love on him even more and spend more time with him. It was hard for my dad in many ways as well. Our family will never be the same but we must go on and keep living. I still feel lost in my dad's house without my mom and probably will for awhile. With the help of my love, Gabe and my family we did it and made it through this first holiday without my mom.



I always love seeing my dad play with the kids. My favorite is when AJ (whom still doesn't talk much) sees my dad and says loudly.."Papa!!"


This is my oldest brother and his wife Melisa. They brought her grandson, who was so much fun and loved my brother like no other. I was so happy and proud to see him so involved in his life and love him so much.

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