Thanksgiving Randoms

Thanksgiving Randoms

In no particular order, here are the things that are popping off the top of my head.

Random #1

Russ and I are solo for Thanksgiving tomorrow and while we love family and a full house as much as everyone, it is sweet to have the day together. There is way less pressure and I will putter around with making rolls and pie and all the trimmings for an appropriately-sized turkey breast.

I remember back to when we were a young couple starting out our home together and it was such fun to start holiday traditions. Over the years I had dreams of what holidays would look like as our family grew, but the reality is those dreams excluded the connections and paths our children’s lives would involve.

So I am very grateful for marrying my best friend and looking forward to our day together tomorrow. I am excited for our grands to get to be with their cousins on their dad’s side and for Sarah to be attending a lovely family gathering with Jack. And I am saying many prayers of blessing over a family from John’s church who invited him to dinner.

My heart is full to overflowing with gratitude to God.

Random #2

Speaking of early Thanksgivings.

This is a story I have told, but it bears repeating.

I come from a family who retold stories and we enjoyed them on every telling. Also, you may have not heard this one so without apologies…enjoy my first foray into cooking a turkey.

Everyone was touting the new cooking bags back in the early 80’s and so when I was attempting my first Turkey dinner in our little apartment, I felt super high tech as I shook flour in the plastic bag and placed our turkey in; pulling the zip tie contraption shut and placing it in the oven.

A quick scan of the box revealed a temp of 185. I mentioned to Russ that our oven didn’t even go that low so I would set just below 200.

As the football games rolled on, I would check the turkey and it sure didn’t look like it was cooking, but I am a girl of great faith. I kept marveling to Russ how these bags are really odd that they can cook so low and it must really kick in towards the end of the time.

Finally the timer went off and I checked our turkey, only to find it was still raw. I got the box out and read the directions to see what I had missed and discovered that 185 should be the internal temp once the bird was roasted at 350 for two hours.

My new husband graciously nodded and said that he would just be right there on the couch watching more football whenever things were really done. I think I made him a pb&j to stave off the hunger while we finished cooking the darn thing.

Random #3

Obviously I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, so maybe you all have been doing this next thing for years.

But it dawned on me this year to wrap gifts for Christmas as they enter the house.

My typical method is to stash them all over the place and then as Christmas Day is breathing down my neck, I begin the frantic process of wrapping.

I forget every single year how long this takes as I try to pull of price tags and find the tape and scissors.

Your welcome if this is a new idea and just move along if you are rolling your eyes at my slowness.

Random #4

I am curious what your Thanksgiving menu just has to include.

For me it is:

Turkey and dressing (I am using Stove Top this year. Do not judge me)

Mashed potatoes and gravy (lumps included in both)

Some kind of cranberry something

Green beans (I love the kind that are swimming in bacon and onion liquid and have lost all color and texture, but we are roasting ours this year with carrots tossed in olive oil)

Rolls

Pumpkin Pie – Russ’s favorite but truth be told I could just eat the crust and whipped cream…

And while we aren’t having them, I love sweet potatoes with marshmallows all browned on top.

When we came to the Midwest we learned that noodles are often added to this carb-fest.

While I would never turn down a homemade noodle, the Reimer’s will not be partaking. Good grief.

Hey…Russ is just lucky I learned how to cook a turkey. Noodle art would be double bonus.

Random #5

Friday we are having Sarah and Rachel and the Fab Four for the day. We will miss the ones who won’t be with us, but are thankful for the ones who can gather <3

We will be Christmas crafting and playing outside and knocking pumpkins off the mailbox with baseballs and hopefully hiking. Our food will be kid friendly and we may just rope the troops into helping us put up our trees and move the patio furniture to the garage (shhh…don’t tell them…it’s a surprise)

I may or may not get a post up so if I don’t …just know…as I count my blessings, YOU and your reading this are listed as gifts from God to me. Grace and mercy, unmerited favor from Him to me that you show up <3

Sharing the Journey with you is something I am thankful for year round.

May God bless you and yours for whatever the Thanksgiving feast looks like this year.

Hugs,

Laura <3

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