Friday, November 25, 2011

Our Crazy Thanksgiving and 5QF

Long time no see 5 Question Friday!

In the spirit of all the Thanksgiving-y questions, I decided I should participate in the 5QF this week. We had a very interesting Thanksgiving to say the least. The plan was to have breakfast/brunch at my parents' house, and then go to dinner at my In-Laws' (IL). My MIL and FIL both came down with a nasty bug the day before, so Thanksgiving was changed to my SIL's house.

On Thanksgiving morning, we were at my parents' house when it was decided that it would be better to have dinner at our house instead. We got home by 1 and had until 4pm to get everything ready. The house wasn't even clean! Luckily it was the kids' nap time, so we set them down and got to cleaning right away. Thankfully the house wasn't a disaster to begin with.

My MIL, had all the groceries so hubby picked them up around 2pm and brought them over. SIL arrived before 3 and we started cooking. Luckily the turkey was taken care of for us already otherwise we obviously wouldn't have made it. By 4, the house was clean when everyone arrived, and before 5pm we set up a table for 11 in our living room (our dine-in kitchen has room for *maybe* 6). We had turkey (pre-made), gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (brought in), yams, stuffing, 2 types of cranberries, ceasar salad, and dinner rolls. Not bad for an incredibly last minute effort. Unfortunately MIL and FIL were not feeling well enough to come. They were missed, but we had a great time with other family.

Here are some shots of dinner in the living room:
The rightful head of the table!

Thanks to a Black Friday deal that my mom scored for me a couple of years ago, I had a 72 piece/12 person dinner set unopened in the basement. It was apparently waiting for a last minute emergency such as this to make itself useful. If I remember right it cost all of $4! I did have to borrow the long table, a table cloth, and placemats. Everything else I already had. I didn't get a chance to go all Martha Stewart on a centerpiece, but that was understandable considering that we had 3-4 hours to do everything. Honestly, I was lucky to remember to set out the salt and pepper.


After dinner we played Wii games with everyone and had 3 types of pie for dessert (with ice cream of course). The day was VERY different than what I had expected that morning, and I can't believe we pulled it all off. I feel different now, are you officially "grown up" once you've hosted a Thanksgiving?
The teenagers playing with their iPhones in the corner.
Little Dude got up and danced along with Just Dance a little later.

My little Baby Boo enjoying the Wii action with everyone.

Onto the 5QF:

     1. Is there a special dish that you prepare that you are famous for?

Hmmm, no not really. I don't really do most Thanksgiving foods. I grew up in Australia so, first of all, there is no Thanksgiving; Secondly, the traditional fall/winter veggies we have in the US are less popular there so I am not used to them (you know, 13 years later). I also like fresh veggies versus mushy stuff. All in all that rules out stuffing (any kind), yams, sweet potatoes, squash, green bean casserole, pumpkin (including pie), cranberry mush (I mean jelly), etc. 

I know, I know, bah humbug and all.

I eat salad, turkey, and mashed potatoes though so it's not like I starve. I just don't get excited for the food like most people.

I do love the family time that is really the point of it all - so I do enjoy the holiday. See, I'm not THAT much of a Scrooge! 

We do Thanksgiving dinner with my In-Laws since it is less important (though still celebrated) to my Aussie family. If it were just my family, I would modify the heck out of things and make dinner my way, but that would be selfish to impose on all the traditional stuff, so I don't bother.


I do, however, make a mean dessert, and that is where people seem to not mind having less traditional options. For the last couple of years I have made a triple berry pie that is served with ice cream and freshly whipped cream. I definitely wouldn't call it "famous" or anything, but it is my own addition to the otherwise very traditional meal. 


    2. Are you (did you) going Black Friday shopping?

Nope. I really hate getting up early so I'm not a big fan of it. I have our Christmas gifts picked out very specifically already and the Black Friday deals weren't part of them or our budget this year.

If it weren't so freakin' cold, I would totally line up outside of Best Buy for some of their door busters though. Mama could use a new laptop!

Lenovo laptop - Best Buy doorbuster - $180


     3. What are your strangest holiday traditions?

Strange? I don't think we have any that would really be considered strange per se. Boring answer I know, maybe I'll work on being stranger (more strange?) for next year.

Hopefully, last minute Thanksgiving meals won't be part of our future holiday traditions.


     4. Pecan pie or pumpkin pie?

Blech, neither. See question 1 for my non-traditionalist bah humbuggary. I don't do apple either. I do enjoy pretty much any other kind of pie. Rhubarb, french silk, any berry, custard, key lime, banana cream, mmmmm. 
The dessert table from last night


     5. When will you put up your Christmas tree?

We don't have a set time, but we strive to have it up by the middle of December each year. I don't think I would ever do it before Thanksgiving though.

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