The Feast

My In-laws are good people. But sometimes, at family gatherings, there is not a whole lot to eat. This year, instead of complaining about it later, Andrew & I decided to do something about it. I don't cook. If you know me, you know that. I've never brought anything to a Thanksgiving dinner in my life. My Mom is one of those do-it-all super-moms and cooks EVERYTHING. I never stopped to watch. Stupid, stupid me. I was pretty darn spoiled that way. Well, now times have changed, and I'm the mom. Yikes. This year was VERY VERY different. Andrew & I slaved away all day long to contribute to the dinner. This is what we brought (you might wanna sit down for this) :

• A Turkey (yes, whole 17 pounder. Compliments to Andrew.)
  
• Rolls (not homemade, maybe next year)


• Mashed Potatoes


• Vegetables in a Cloud (my Mom's famous veggie casserole)


• Green bean casserole


• Strawberry pretzel jello salad (yum)


• Pear Lime Jello salad


• Martinellis (the fake champagne drink)


• whew! yes, that's all. I think.
  

There you have it. It was pretty much unbelievable. I'm still in shock. Since Andrew & I aren't professional chefs, and it was pretty much our first time doing it, we screwed up a lot of the recipes, BUT they ALL turned out. Yes, it was amazing. I am so proud. YES!!! We feel like we could take on anything now. So, the dinner was GREAT this year, Thanks everyone! And people liked our stuff! Yay!! Well at least they said they did.

Katina & Jace- our very full-of-it niece and nephew. They are SILLY!

So meet the Thanksgiving Day Jaxon. This isn't the same Jaxon we all know and love. No, this day, the day you are allowed to stuff your face endlessly, & he usually gladly does just that on any given day, TODAY chooses not to. Nope, just bread was all he would eat! What a stinker! Not even mash potatoes, or his fave- sweet potatoes!! What do you do with a kid like that? (I'm pretty sure he's either sick or teething)


Andrew will love this picture of himself.

Our very quiet, well behaved nephews. Seriously- they don't make a peep.

Jace & Jax stoked for Thanksgiving.

Andrew & his brother Mark. I'm inside doing the dishes that Andrew volunteered to do. Yeah, don't worry, he didn't get away with that one for long.

US- stuffed to the brim on Thanksgiving day.

My sister-in-laws are pretty much wonderful. Every year, one of them brings a craft we get to do at Thanksgiving. (I knew there was a reason I married into this family, jk :) This year Valerie brought ornaments to make!! YESSS! It was so great. Luckily the guys went to a movie, and even though we were stuck with the kids, it was okay, we pretty much ignored them and did our crafts. Yep, we're awful like that. Valerie also brought her stamps and paper and we made christmas cards! SUCH A BLAST! I could have done it for hours but it started to get late.


Gina, Joe, and my mom-in-law making ornaments!


WHAT A GREAT THANKSGIVING. HOPE YOURS WAS TOO!