Thanksgiving 2008!!!

Let's just start out by saying, it was perfect! Well, as perfect as a Thanksgiving without your family can be at least. But really, it went very well. We celebrated Thanksgiving here on Saturday, November 22nd which made it much easier because everybody was off from school and work that way. I made my first homemade pumpkin pie on Friday after lunch so that it was ready and out of the way for Saturday's festivities. Vincent came over from Prien on Friday night to visit for our Thanksgiving weekend. That night, Vincent had his very first Root Beer Float and saw Singin' in the Rain for the very first time. Such a Cori-Night! You see, they don't have root beer in Germany and so I bought some at the base when I did my Tday shopping so that he could try it. Both the movie and the dessert drink were smashing successes with Vincent! The evening was very relaxing and cozy as we prepared for the big Tday the next day.

On Saturday morning, Vincent and I got up early to stuff the turkey before breakfast. It was just the two of us who made all the stuffing with bread, apples, onions, raisins, celery, and spices that my mom sent from home. Then we packed the bird impossibly full and set it up to start cooking. Before we could put the bird in the oven though, we had to make breakfast! We made my Grammi's recipe for baked eggs, biscuits, and gravy that my family always cooks for every holiday morning. It was sooo good and really felt like home eating that and smelling the bird and stuffing start to get warm in the oven at the same time. We rested and relaxed the next few hours while the bird cooked and we waited to get all the other things cooking. At home, this would be the time, of course, set aside for football, but alas, in Germany, there is no chance to see football ever. Oh well, there's always the bowl next year. So we relaxed and even took a nap instead. I spent a lovely time decorating the dining room with the decorations that I had been planning and creating for over a month. that Then we started all the side dishes. The mashed potatoes, yams with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, and etc. all went fairly smoothly, a little bit stressful trying to do it all alone for the first time ever, but smoothly nonetheless.

Finally, the bird was golden-brown, the side dishes were done, the candles were lit, and the dining room had the lovely glow of orange, brown, and gold. It was time to eat. Everything tasted just like home! I had successfully recreated my mom's Thanksgiving...in Germany....where I couldn't even get all the right ingredients! That felt really good. Okay, anyway, now for pictures of it all.

Me; stuffing the bird!

The bird all golden-brown...

My beautiful, glowing table...

My pumpkin pie.....with a cute little pumpkin, that I made, in the middle.

Every single person had their very own, unique place card that I designed and drew for them. I tell you what, they looked gorgeous on the table with their own little pumpkins! (: