Giving thanks everyday.

Thanksgiving 2017 has come and gone, but I wanted to give you a recap of our home  before all of the festivities began. Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year, and this one was no exception.  This year was especially wonderful, because for over a year I haven’t had a real kitchen, but now I have an all new kitchen that I love and I was so excited to get in there and mix things up.

MJ had spent Tuesday night with us and she was here to help and keep me company.  Frank stayed here that morning and played with MJ and kept her busy, while I started cooking.  Here they are having pop tarts for breakfast. 😉

I love to turn on some music, put on my apron, light a candle, and get busy in the kitchen.  Before long, I have every cabinet door open and every bowl and pan dirty from mixing up everyone’s favorite dish.  Frank likes to do the turkey in the smoker, so I prepare a ham and sides.

Of course, I always realize that there are a few items that I forgot to pick up at the store. It is Frank’s job to head off to Walmart with a detailed list in hand to tackle the crowd and checkout lines, while I stay and watch over the cooking pots.  His best thanksgiving shopping tip is to park your buggy in a central location and go and get the items and bring them back to add to your cart.  Also, ask women where things are, because they are so impressed that a guy is in there shopping, they want to help.

I like to go ahead and set the table in advance, and I decided that I wanted to do something different from the traditional fall colors this year.  I wanted to use the dishes and napkins I already had, so I decided to go with a white theme.   I found some little orange plastic pumpkins for .99 each and painted them with white flat spray paint and shimmering gold for the stems.  I added some greenery and little twinkling white lights. Easy peasy and everyone loved it.

We were so happy to have my mother, Beverly, and Frank’s mother, Barbara, and sister Vanessa and her son, Parker, along with our son, Cole, here for dinner.  Our daughter Meredith and her boyfriend Austin joined us a little later.  My mom made the dressing and I need you to know, it was the bomb.  I have never made dressing and I’m so glad she made it for us.

I have so much to be thankful for!!  I’m so thankful for the journey that my father in heaven is taking me and Frank on,  and I AM SO THANKFUL TO FINALLY HAVE A KITCHEN!!!!!!!!!! The next post will be all about the kitchen.  Until then thank you all for your love and support.  I feel it in your likes, comments, and shares.

XOXO – Mitzie